Teaching students how to listen to music is one of the most important tasks we can strive toward as
educators. In fact, it is my opinion that listening skills take precedence in importance even above
performance skills. I believe this not only because of the performance improvement students will
achieve through active listening, but because of the role active listening will take in my students’ lives
when they leave my classroom.
educators. In fact, it is my opinion that listening skills take precedence in importance even above
performance skills. I believe this not only because of the performance improvement students will
achieve through active listening, but because of the role active listening will take in my students’ lives
when they leave my classroom.
The vast majority of our students will not grow up to be producers of music on a professional level.
They will be the consumers. Our students will shape the music industry by how they perceive, analyze,
and respond to music. Armed with that knowledge, the job of the educator changes from teaching
students the Bb scale and sight reading to teaching students how to effectively respond to the music,
both in and outside of our ensemble.
They will be the consumers. Our students will shape the music industry by how they perceive, analyze,
and respond to music. Armed with that knowledge, the job of the educator changes from teaching
students the Bb scale and sight reading to teaching students how to effectively respond to the music,
both in and outside of our ensemble.
The author, Willlam Bauer, makes the same point on page 108 of Music Learning Today: “Few students will continue to perform or compose beyond their school years, but most people will continue listening to music throughout their lives.”
As an elementary music teacher, Bauer also proposes that I am in the best position to help students
expand their listening abilities, since younger children show more open-eardness than older children.
That is, younger children are more willing to listen to a more varied selection of music (p. 109).
expand their listening abilities, since younger children show more open-eardness than older children.
That is, younger children are more willing to listen to a more varied selection of music (p. 109).
Technology can support the spreading of musical ideas and responses in ways unprecedented by past
generations.
generations.
For example, using an application like Seesaw, even young students can share music they enjoy and
interact with others’ opinions about their musical selections. This sharing is important as we build
vocabulary because, according to Dr. Bauer, students get fulfillment out of sharing music for social
reasons (p 112).
interact with others’ opinions about their musical selections. This sharing is important as we build
vocabulary because, according to Dr. Bauer, students get fulfillment out of sharing music for social
reasons (p 112).
This video shares a variety of practical ways Seesaw can be used in the music room, including
assessment and parent communication. Though I currently use Seesaw in my music room, I was
challenged this week to further investigate its quality as a software by the standards on pages 38 - 39
of the textbook. Though further study I realized that though I was using Seesaw for performance skills
and parent communication, my use of it for responsive listening was quite underdeveloped.
assessment and parent communication. Though I currently use Seesaw in my music room, I was
challenged this week to further investigate its quality as a software by the standards on pages 38 - 39
of the textbook. Though further study I realized that though I was using Seesaw for performance skills
and parent communication, my use of it for responsive listening was quite underdeveloped.
Dr. Bauer advocates for the use of call charts and listening maps (p. 113 - 114) to develop students’
responsive listening skills. I believe these activities are immensely valuable for my students, but
surprisingly, I rarely use them. This week’s assignments challenged me to look at how I could
incorporate more listening activities using technology my students already love.
responsive listening skills. I believe these activities are immensely valuable for my students, but
surprisingly, I rarely use them. This week’s assignments challenged me to look at how I could
incorporate more listening activities using technology my students already love.
Inspired to do more active listening with my students, I decided to create a listening map for my
students to use in Seesaw. I have some background in graphic design, so I used Adobe Illustrator to create a listening map for a piece we could study in class: Kangaroos from Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals.
students to use in Seesaw. I have some background in graphic design, so I used Adobe Illustrator to create a listening map for a piece we could study in class: Kangaroos from Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals.
After listening and following along with the map on Seesaw one time, students could listen to the
recording again, this time playing a game on the app where they put the sections of the song in the
correct order.
recording again, this time playing a game on the app where they put the sections of the song in the
correct order.
This activity could be taken a step further using an interactive whiteboard and Audacity. In preparation
for the class, I could cut portions of the piece using Audacity. After exporting them as mp3’s, I could
assign the sound to an image on my interactive whiteboard. Students could create their own
arrangements of the song by moving around the icons on the whiteboard and share why they chose that
particular order, as well as get feedback from their peers on their musical decisions.
for the class, I could cut portions of the piece using Audacity. After exporting them as mp3’s, I could
assign the sound to an image on my interactive whiteboard. Students could create their own
arrangements of the song by moving around the icons on the whiteboard and share why they chose that
particular order, as well as get feedback from their peers on their musical decisions.
This activity would challenge students to listen actively to the musical decisions of their peers and give
a thoughtful response to those musical decisions. I see this working even with young students in
1st - 3rd grades.
a thoughtful response to those musical decisions. I see this working even with young students in
1st - 3rd grades.
As a result of this module I am excited to look for engaging and purposeful ways technology can assist
my students' responses to music.
my students' responses to music.
Bauer, W. I. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music. New York City: Oxford University Press.
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