Mining for Meaning:

Processes and Performance

Session Outline

Greeting

The greeting song, "Hello," was presented with visual cues. It introduces the concept of imitation, which is a theme for the materials used in the session. This specific song provides a model of material for a primary classroom that is taught through a learning process, and then can be shared in a performance setting.

Defining Meaning

Questions About Meaning

If we are to mine for meaning in our music classes and ensembles, we must first define what is meaningful to teach and for our students to learn. Mining is done for things that have value. Using the mining metaphor, the first exploration must be to define what we think is valuable enough to enter into the mining process.

Q: What is valuable? What is valued in society today?

A: There is a distinct "disjunct" between what music educators usually indicate they value: beauty, friendship, community, peace, collaboration, family, knowledge, communication, art; and the values of the society at large: money, stuff, and success through competition.

Q: What is mined for?

A: Things of value.

Q: Why are diamonds and coal/oil/gas so valuable?

A: Because they are sources of lasting beauty, timelessness, and energy.

Q: What is valued in music education?

A: Beauty, and understandings/skills that provide human energy for creative production: Development of human potential.

Q: Can valued commodities become negative influences?

A: Consider greed, gaudy consumption, and laziness when they are misused. Consider the environmental consequences of mining--destruction of natural resources and processes.

Q: Are there ways that music educators destroy resources through their mining processes?

A: When the process of preparing performances wastes time and money without providing the learning opportunities that should be the result of the preparation process resources are wasted. When the process of preparing performances destroys student enthusiasm, creativity, love of music, and desire to continue involvement in music, then the process truly is destructive to our most natural resource, the human need and desire to created, make, and respond to music.

Sources for Developing Meaning

There is no substitute for quality materials. One piece we developed was "The Old Sow's Hide." It is a favorite of mine, and even though I joke that "pigs is not a theme," this American folk song has a verse with question/answer phrases, and then a refrain. We learned it through first exploring the text out of order, then listening and discovering the organization. Next we created movement to show the form--first in pairs then in foursomes. We discussed working on intervals through solfege and ear training, especially the so-re interval.

As a coordinating author of Share the Music, it was part of my responsibility to review materials for all grade levels. They were selected for appeal, diversity, developmental appropriateness, and conceptual potential. I consider Share the Music the mother lode for mining with meaning! Each selection is developed for its learing potential. By following the instructional suggestions, the end performance will be the result of a justifiable learning process.

The second piece we developed in this workshop was "Echoes," by Linda Worsley. IDEAS has contracted Linda, an incredibly talented composer, to create listening experiences that are not only exciting musically, but address specific pedagogical concepts. Participants in the session immediately wanted to know where to find this amazing piece. It is only one of many pieces you can access through this website. Short exerpts of "Echoes" and other pieces by Linda may be found on the Interactive Arts for Total Literacy page. There are also pieces by Grieg, Schumann, and Bach included in this particular product.

For more of Linda's amazing work, look into the IDEAS Music, a companion product to Movement Scarves. Read the descriptions of these ten pieces designed to teach musical concepts and skills through movement.

The big idea to take home from this section is that you must start with quality raw materials to mine for meaning. If the materials are good, and then a quality process is applied, the product is going to be one that yields the gemstones of pride and satisfaction.

Processes for Developing Meaning

Processes and Standards

Once you have determined the concepts and/or skills you will work toward as you prepare for performance, use the following processes and standards to organize your instruction during classes or rehearsals.

1. Guide students to develop skills and understandings in multiple steps of the artistic processes:

   • Creating,
     

   • Performing, and
     
   • Responding

   See the attached page outlining the steps of the artistic processes. It is important to guide students to learn and use multiple steps of the artistic processes, leading to an umbrella goal of independent musicianship.

2. Use the learning sequence to develop understandings and skills:

   • Experience
     

   • Explore/Imitate
     
   • Describe
     
   • Label
     
   • Practice
     Visually, Aurally, and Kinesthetically--Reading and Writing
     
   • Reinforce
     
   • Create
     
   • Assess
     
   • Maintain

3. National, State, and Local standards and curriculum provide general and specific content guidelines. Although last on this page, the standards are of utmost help in guiding decisional about musical content.

Three Artistic Processes

Close

Think About ...

• Mining can be constructive or destructive.

  In a recent 60 minutes episode, the tops of West Virginia mountains were being blown off to mine coal. The "waste" of this mining process was being dumped into streams that eventually polluted larger rivers. It was also dumped into the backyards of local homes. As we mine for great performances, what processes will allow us to yield results while still nurturing creativity, community, and individual confidence? What processes will allow the performance to be the result of meaningful, deep learning in, about, and through music?

• The goal is lifelong love of music, and use of music as an avenue for communication.

  If our concerts become "informances" that have conceptual themes such as form, question/answer, echo, phrasing, tone color, and so on; the exercises we use during the process, and the compositions of students demonstrating understanding of the concepts become part of the concert. Then perhaps the concert is presented with 5 selections instead of 8, and a bit more demonstration.

• What do you do in the process of preparing for a performance that builds toward a valuable goal?

  This and the following questions ask the teacher to reflect honestly on recent events, and assess her/his process in getting to the product.

• How do you mine for meaning? Is there anything you need to dump, change, or add?

  We are always reflecting, thinking, modifying, changing, and growing. It is the sign of a fine professional.