Hickey, M. (2009). Can Improvisation be 'taught': A call for free improvisation in our schools. International Journal of Music Education, 2009 27: 285. DOI: 10.1177/0255761409345442
After I read this article I found it a really interesting one because it actually gave us an idea of how to move away from traditional teaching of improvisation instead of just explaining that it is not useful for students to learn. I enjoyed how the author told us his point of view as well gave us an explanation of why this is. I feel like I agree with his view because improvisation to me can't be taught. I feel like it comes from the musician and what they are feeling at that point in the music.
I was surprised at the evaluation rubric that schools used to mark students based on how creative they were in coming up with an "answer". This ties back to the discussion we had on Monday about creativity and how it is debated that it can or cannot be taught. In my opinion I feel that creativity cannot be taught because if it is then what is being taught is someones opinion of a subject an not the individuals own point of view on the subject. I feel that everyone has their own way of thinking and because of this they all have a different creative mind and way of coming up with "answers" to the teachers "question". I also agree with the author when he sated that the rubric was very unfair to students because they are marked on the ability of repeating almost the exact same thing the teacher just played for them, which I feel is not improvisation at all, but rather imitation. I feel that playing a rhythm that is similar to the teachers is considered good it just demonstrates that this is not the way to teach improvisation since they are essentially just imitating the educator.
I found this article also very helpful to me as a future teacher because it gives me an idea in which direction to take my lesson when trying to teach improvisation or a similar element. I think the article was very specific and efficient in proving these tips for future teachers to know about when teaching in their classrooms.
I also liked the quote that David Borgo used "throw them in the deep end and work with what naturally happens."(as cited in Hickey, 2005, p. 2) I think that this could be the most efficient way since students are just put in the situation and they have to use their creativity to come up with an improvisation rather than just telling them specifically they have to improvise. I find that if the students don't know that they are doing this, they will feel less under pressure to mess up in front of the other students or feel intimidated if other students are better then them. I think in the future I will definitely be using this method of teaching improvisation.
Overall I would say that this, so far, is the article which I found the most interesting as well as very helpful with tips of the do's and don'ts of teaching. I feel like I agree with the author in all of the points he touches on in this article.
Hickey, M. (2009). Can Improvisation be 'taught': A call for free improvisation in our schools. International Journal of Music Education, 2009 27: 285. DOI: 10.1177/0255761409345442
After I read this article I found it a really interesting one because it actually gave us an idea of how to move away from traditional teaching of improvisation instead of just explaining that it is not useful for students to learn. I enjoyed how the author told us his point of view as well gave us an explanation of why this is. I feel like I agree with his view because improvisation to me can't be taught. I feel like it comes from the musician and what they are feeling at that point in the music.
I was surprised at the evaluation rubric that schools used to mark students based on how creative they were in coming up with an "answer". This ties back to the discussion we had on Monday about creativity and how it is debated that it can or cannot be taught. In my opinion I feel that creativity cannot be taught because if it is then what is being taught is someones opinion of a subject an not the individuals own point of view on the subject. I feel that everyone has their own way of thinking and because of this they all have a different creative mind and way of coming up with "answers" to the teachers "question". I also agree with the author when he sated that the rubric was very unfair to students because they are marked on the ability of repeating almost the exact same thing the teacher just played for them, which I feel is not improvisation at all, but rather imitation. I feel that playing a rhythm that is similar to the teachers is considered good it just demonstrates that this is not the way to teach improvisation since they are essentially just imitating the educator.
I found this article also very helpful to me as a future teacher because it gives me an idea in which direction to take my lesson when trying to teach improvisation or a similar element. I think the article was very specific and efficient in proving these tips for future teachers to know about when teaching in their classrooms.
I also liked the quote that David Borgo used "throw them in the deep end and work with what naturally happens."(as cited in Hickey, 2005, p. 2) I think that this could be the most efficient way since students are just put in the situation and they have to use their creativity to come up with an improvisation rather than just telling them specifically they have to improvise. I find that if the students don't know that they are doing this, they will feel less under pressure to mess up in front of the other students or feel intimidated if other students are better then them. I think in the future I will definitely be using this method of teaching improvisation.
Overall I would say that this, so far, is the article which I found the most interesting as well as very helpful with tips of the do's and don'ts of teaching. I feel like I agree with the author in all of the points he touches on in this article.