How can caring create opportunities for excellence?

Caring is a much maligned sentiment splashed over greeting cards and childrens’ television shows but what relevance does it have for education? A lack of caring is an attitude oftentimes attributed to a student who routinely does not complete assignments. Teachers sometimes accept such a situation as beyond their control due to some fault with the family, the school, or even the child. While some situations are outside of teacher control, this line of reasoning should not be used to excuse the performance of a student in need. Everyone has passion that can be used to create an opportunity for excellence. One of the best parts about getting to know students is discovering what drives them. If a teacher can identify what a student truly cares about then lesson and unit design can be crafted to allow for student interests. Combining this design approach with clear expectations, process, and assessment strategies goes a long way towards increasing the care and interest students demonstrate towards assessment tasks which gives them the opportunity to demonstrate excellence.

On the following tabs in this section you will see examples of excellence generated from assessment design that allows students to express what they care about while fulfilling solid unit goals.

Sinarmas Winter Dance 2013

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One of the strengths of the IB system is that it allows students more freedom in choosing the approach they wish to take in order to engage the subject matter fulfill unit specific goals. While somewhat more limiting at the DP level in music, this approach is still evident and allows students to express themselves in self directed ways. When confronted with the requirements of DP level music, the DP students at Sinarmas World Academy decided that one of their assessments would take the form of a performance at the annual winter dance. Providing a learning environment that cares to adapt to student needs is essential to such an undertaking and underscores the strength of the IB system. Throw in a little holiday cheer and your providing assessment for students and a rock’n good time for the whole school. Now that’s education!

MAD Projects

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At the end of the MYP in grade ten students at IICS would participate in a Music Art and Drama (MAD) project. At the beginning of the year students had to choose one of the three arts to focus on. During the MAD project students from each Arts course formed mixed groups in order to produce a video that exemplified what they had learned about the Arts throughout their MYP years based around a given theme. A stimulus trip was taken into the city of Istanbul where each group took footage and pictures that would later be used to construct their videos. Students were also responsible for composing original music to use in their films. During the 2011 school year students were asked to produce videos based on the theme of Opposites. Here, our Light and Dark group successfully mixes photography, music, and an implied storyline to meet the project criteria. Providing this experience was a collaborative effort for teachers as well, which demonstrates what caring teachers can accomplish together. Please click on the picture to see Light and Dark.

What is possible in Music Education?

An excellent music program should drive the school onward towards its stated goals and beliefs. How the music program helps the institution achieve excellence requires an open mind for opportunities that enhance and contribute to the school’s mission. Once identified, new opportunities oftentimes require support from staff and administration, funding, and time. With these elements in place there is no limit to what can be achieved. During my career I have provided schools with musical accompaniments to the annual school picnic or helped provide live music at commencement. I have also begun full fledged instrumental programs from the planning and purchasing stage all the way through the formation and development of various student groups. In the future I hope to provide students and institutions with instrumental and vocal groups capable of acting as beacons of excellence for the school community within and beyond its walls. I also wish to maintain high academic music standards allowing students to create and explore musical traditions in a technologically advanced learning environment.

On the following tabs in this section you will see examples of how open mindedness has allowed me to help schools enhance their stated goals in a continuing quest for excellence.

IICS Musical Grease 2010

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Musicals are an excellent way for Music departments to aid schools in affirming their mission and goal statements to the entire community. Musical productions also give the Arts a unique opportunity to work together and produce a combined work that students from a diverse range of abilities, age levels, and interests can participate in. This slideshow of the musical from IICS in December 2010 is, unfortunately, missing the original recording. However, I think you can still get a sense for the excitement, passion, and triumph that the the entire community felt in putting on the show. Please click on the picture to start the slide show.