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Date Posted: 06:58:20 02/21/05 Mon
Author: Dr. O.
Subject: Re: Free time
In reply to: Heather Gosche 's message, "Re: Free time" on 15:24:51 02/20/05 Sun

As I have done observations in various schools, I have seen this happen quite often. Whenever I see or hear about it, I wonder if the teacher has given any consideration to the message they are sending to their students. It seems clear to me that using this teaching technique (if you can call it that!) is saying two things to the students: 1) instructional time in music isn't really very important; and 2) THE STUDENT's time and effort aren't important. Both of these seem to be troubling concepts to me. What do others think?
Dr. O.

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Replies:

[> [> [> Re: Free time -- Lindsay, 21:26:02 03/02/05 Wed [1]

To me, it's familiar. My high school choir used to take lots of days off, just because it was the day after our concert and we watched the video and some people chatted, or it was between our last concert of the year and the end of school where we had "nothing to do," so it basically turned into a study hall.

At the time, I didn't mind, but I look back now and wish that we had spent the time productively, even if it was just singing for fun. Practice sight-reading, work on aural skills, listen to recordings, anything, just don't let precious time go to waste. And I think I agree with Dr. O, it contributed to the sense that choir wasn't as important. It was fun, sure, but it definitely wasn't an academic class to us.

And I think that allowing most of a class to do nothing while working with a small group is probably the worst thing one can do in a classroom. It gives the message that the small group is more important than the rest of the class, and that the teacher has nothing to teach them so they do nothing. I would say try to include all students in some manner, whether it's asking them to listen to the small group as they work on whatever it is and give constructive feedback, or to follow along in their own parts and finger the notes silently or sing their notes in their head, or something. Don't allow them to be passive when they're not involved directly.


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