AP Music Theory Analysis
Here’s a detailed analysis of the lesson described in my previous post for my Advanced Placement Music Theory course:
Students are responsible if the classroom environment supports procedures and routines to which the students can be responsible. In this lesson, students entered the classroom immediately cognizant of the music playing and followed their routine of logging onto the computers. As the lesson progressed, the sequential nature of the computer-based presentation allowed the class to progress smoothly and, besides the momentary interruption of a Dean’s Assistant delivering a classroom pass, gave no opportunity for the student focus to go astray.
The sequence of activities was information distribution rather than student performance. Students were never in position to succeed or not succeed in an activity. Therefore, besides occasionally guiding students to the appropriate presentation slide, no student errors were detected. Additionally, as evident throughout the videotaped excerpt, I consistently posed questions, supported answers, nonverbally observed note taking, reinforced student listening and performing, all of which encouraged student attainment and understanding of concepts.
Every Friday, throughout the year, the students in AP Music Theory encounter a “Celebration of Knowledge.” That is, a cumulative assessment that tests their knowledge and application of concepts. Furthermore, when students logon to the course website, they know they are entering the course’s main mode for disseminating and assessing music knowledge. Every concept is present on the website either in the form of a presentation used in class, notated musical examples, listening excerpts, or simply a link to download definitions and class notes. The website is the primary source of activity and project guidelines and the arena in which students turn in completed work. In this lesson, students were aware that contents of the melodic principles presentation was fair game for the week’s “Celebration of Knowledge,” and some had already explored the composition activities that will be required of them to demonstrate knowledge of melodic principles.
One of the most intriguing and engaging aspects of the web-based music environment created for this course is the opportunity for portfolio assessment. In short, the data collection software and server space delineated for each registered student automatically creates an organized collection of evidence used by the instructor and student to monitor growth of musical knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The web-based portfolio culture inevitably supports an interactive community of learners who take responsibility for demonstrating what they know and can do. In this environment, students consistently revisit and revise their work, reflect on the work of individuals and the class as a whole, understand and use explicit standards for judging the quality of their own and others’ work, and inevitably take pride in their work, polishing it for performance and exhibition. The web-based portfolio culture shifts emphasis from the standard assessment of outcomes through comparative rankings of achievement (grades, percentile rankings, test scores) toward the enhancement of student performance through evaluative feedback and reflection.
To monitor growth in literacy in the music classroom, I consistently use anecdotal notes as a mode of informal assessment. While not evident in the midst of the videotaped excerpt, after the class departed, I made notes regarding students who demonstrated mature perspectives, the efforts of the three students who performed, and students who remained focused and took excellent notes. I use anecdotal notes throughout the year during small group instruction, large group discussions, student and parent conferences, and independent work. Mere testing does not always compliment or encourage music analysis and maturing musical perspectives. Through this assessment mode, I am able to provide documented proof of student progress in indistinct areas of musicianship and am more equipped to identify struggling students.
The students of AP Music Theory are intrinsically motivated. They strive for quick understanding of new concepts. They are willing to study and memorize basic concepts outside of class and use class time to apply, listen, compose, and improvise with their peers. In the end, these students view ambiguity as unproductive. While the concepts of melodic principles could have been expanded to a multi-day unit, as shown throughout the video, I purposefully presented the material in a concise presentation with accurate notated and memorable aural musical examples.
Evidenced in the videotaped excerpt, as demonstrated by the eclectic musical selections, the precision of a presentation complete with notation graphics and listening excerpts, and an active web-based learning environment, students perceive that I am enthusiastic about teaching music. On a daily basis, I not only share my skills, knowledge, and passion, but also the ways in which I am still a growing musician. At times, instead of a recording playing as students walk into class, I often sit at the piano and share a piece of music I am working on to hone my piano performance, accompanying, composition, or improvisation skills. I consistently model intellectual curiosity and persistence for the students. The music technology lab I support and manage is a forum for musical exploration, inquiry, and creative development of musicianship. Students approach this environment as a place where individuals enter the classroom and feel a part of a team with the goal of being an improved musician when they walk out of the room. While at times, like this lesson, I serve as the distributor of music knowledge and instruction, I do not avoid lessons in which I am merely a facilitator or organizer who is also learning with the students.
This lesson introduces students to the melodic terms, concepts, and characteristics that inspire creative music thinking, analysis, and composition. In the subsequent lessons and activities, students are encouraged to sort their reactions and observations and articulate them with the terminology presented in this lesson. They are now able to become more absorbed in the ways in which melodic characteristics work to create a piece of music, and they begin to learn from the inside out rather than from the outside in. They are eventually led to explore the melodic principles presented in this lesson in composition and improvisation experiments. Such application requires critical thinking, analysis, and judgment. Being able to think independently is the basis of creativity. It is also an engaging way to learn.
