Appendix
Suggested Reading for Educators
Fires in the Mind: What kids can tell us about motivation and mastery.
Kathleen Cushman
Synopsis from publisher: “What does it take for young people to get really good at something? Teenagers from diverse backgrounds explore that game-changing question in Fires in the Mind. As they describe what fuels (or quenches) their interest and effort, they offer exciting new perspectives on why students choose to engage and persist with challenging work. WKCD writer Kathleen Cushman—whose landmark book Fires in the Bathroom brought youth voices to the national stage—here asks adolescents and their teachers to think more deeply about how we develop mastery, both in and out of school. Starting with what youth already know and do well, Fires in the Mind uses the latest research on cognition to help students and teachers together gain insight into motivation, practice, and the need for high standards. Filled with thought-provoking exercises and resources, this book lights new fires in the minds of both teachers and students, and galvanizes them toward more powerful learning for all.” (2010)
What I learned about:
Listening to your students and acting upon feedback.
How to engage all students in powerful, meaningful work.
Collecting valuable feedback through the use of Exit Cards, Focus Groups, and Interviews.
How it changed me:
It completely changed my perspective of expectations for students.
High expectations are great, but meaningful ones are even better.
I now fully understand the importance and power of letting students choose how they experience learning within my classroom.
Do “The Practice Project” with your students. PERIOD!
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
Daniel H. Pink
Synopsis from Publisher: “Most of us believe that the best way to motivate ourselves and others is with external rewards like money—the carrot-and-stick approach. That’s a mistake, Daniel H. Pink says in, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, his provocative and persuasive new book. The secret to high performance and satisfaction—at work, at school, and at home—is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.
Drawing on four decades of scientific research on human motivation, Pink exposes the mismatch between what science knows and what business does—and how that affects every aspect of life. He demonstrates that while carrots and sticks worked successfully in the twentieth century, that’s precisely the wrong way to motivate people for today’s challenges. In Drive, he examines the three elements of true motivation—autonomy, mastery, and purpose—and offers smart and surprising techniques for putting these into action. Along the way, he takes us to companies that are enlisting new approaches to motivation and introduces us to the scientists and entrepreneurs who are pointing a bold way forward. Drive is bursting with big ideas—the rare book that will change how you think and transform how you live.” (2009)
What I learned about:
The power of autonomy and its effect on motivation. Approaching mastery, focusing on the process and progress instead of concrete performance goals. Deliberate practice, practicing with one purpose, to improve performance.
How it changed me:
By using these key concepts in class I learned to never underestimate what students are capable of and to challenge them to create high expectations for themselves. Always have a piece of music or a task that challenges everyone in the group in someway. Create an environment that supports growth and failure. With out accepting failure, we will not be able to learn from it and move on. Teach HOW and support with WHY: Be clear about the PURPOSE behind everything you do. Let students have more control by asking them to be involved in choosing what they study and how they experience learning. By exploring and discussing these topics alongside my students I was better able to understand how to motivate all students as team towards one goal.
The Inner Game of Music
Barry Green with Timothy Gallwey
Synopsis from publisher: The Inner Game of music is that which takes place in the mind, played against such elusive opponents as nervousness, self-doubt, and fear of failure. Using the same principles of "natural learning" Timothy Gallwey developed so successfully for tennis, golf and skiing and applying them to his own field, noted musician Barry Green shows how to acknowledge and overcome these internal obstacles in order to bring a new quality to the experience and learning of music. And for those who don't play an instrument but who feel their appreciation of music will be enhanced if they understand more about the process of playing, this book is Ideal.
In precise, easy to understand language, Green and Gallwey explain how natural skills can be nurtured and enhanced, and through a series of special exercises they demonstrate the ways in which musicians can achieve exact intonation, artistic phrasing, and improved technique.
There are also chapters on ensemble playing, improvisation, composition and creativity, and listening skills - an essential part of the Inner Game - are discussed throughout.
A methodology with a proven track record, The Inner Game of Music will be invaluable to anyone seriously interested in music, whether professional or amateur, composer, performer, or simply an appreciative listener. (1986)
What I learned about:
Specific and detailed information about teaching and learning music for individuals and group ensembles. The advantages of awareness instructions instead of “do this” instructions. Helping students to understand and establish learning goals as individuals and as a group.
How it changed me:
This work helped me to focus on how students experience practice, learning and performing. It further strengthened my belief in autonomy for my students. The book helped me to understand how to teach kids how to listen. Model the habits you want students to embody in their own practice. I understand the importance of establishing clear learning and experience goals for students. I have moved on from using performance goals and instead focus on the growth that student’s experience.
Study what others have discovered about experiencing practice and becoming an expert.
The topics of deliberate practice and motivation are going to be driving factors in how we design the education systems and schools of tomorrow. Here is a link to author Johnathan Harnum’s website dedicated to practice. I cannot wait for the release of his new book, The Practice of Practice: How You Become a Musician.In the meantime, the website serves as a terrific collection of resources dedicated to practice.
http://intentionalpractice.wordpress.com/
The Practice of Practice: How You Become a Musician. Synopsis from publisher: Practice is little bit like the first rule of Fight Club: Do Not Talk About Fight Club. It’s rare for musicians to talk much about practice, and even more rare that beginning musicians (of any age) are taught specific practice techniques, strategies, or ways of thinking about this most essential skill. We usually have to work it out for ourselves, alone in a room. This can lead to frustration and lack of progress, or even quitting music altogether. It doesn’t have to be that way.
After scouring through hundreds of published research studies on practice, dozens of books, and conducting in-depth interviews with world-class professional musicians and master teachers, Harnum discovered a slew of interesting and useful information about practice he presents in this book.
Musicians who have shared their knowledge about practice with him include some of the best musicians and teachers on the planet: world-class jazz musicians in Chicago and New York, phenomenal classical musicians from the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and Hong Kong Philharmonic, stellar singer-songwriters, hardworking well-paid musicians, as well as professional musicians from non-western traditions like West African djembe and Indian classical music. They all have something interesting and useful to say about practice.
You can get better faster. It’s easier than you might suspect.
Surveys and Interviews
Appendix (A) Interview Questions for Teachers
Practice
· What is Practice?
· How did you learn to Practice?
· How do you teach students to Practice?
· What do you want student practice to look like?
Practice Requirements and Design
· Describe your current requirements for practice. How has this been effective/ineffective?
· Describe the process of introducing “practice” to your students? How has this been effective/ineffective?
· How do students know what to practice for your class?
· How do you support individual student practice?
· Do you design or assign homework/practice that meets the needs of each student? Describe how.
· Do you design or assign homework/practice that challenges every students ability? Describe How.
· Do you grade individual practice? Describe why and how.
Teacher Perceptions/Thoughts about Practice
· What are your perceptions about students individual practice habits and routines?
· What do students need to know in order to practice effectively? Why/How?
· What do students need to be able to “do” in order to practice effectively? Why/How?
· What could be improved or changed in regards to current homework/practice routines in place for your classes?
· What motivates students to practice? Why/How?
(B) Survey for teachers
· What is an effective amount of time for middle school students to practice per week?
· Does your class have homework/practice requirements?
· Do you grade individual homework/practice? How?
· What % of the grade is based on student practice?
· What are your expectations for the amount of minutes students practice on a daily/weekly basis?
· How do students get feedback about their individual practice?
What % of students meet your homework/individual practice requirements?
1. 10-25%
2. 25-50%
3. 50-75%
4. 75-90%
5. 90-100%
Rate the level of your student’s engagement with individual practice.
1. Not engaged (does not practice individually, little or no progress being made on specific skills and techniques)
2. Somewhat Not engaged (plays outside of class once or twice, plays through what they know and can all ready play proficiently)
3. Somewhat Engaged (plays outside of class more than 3 times a week, works on tricky passages occasionally and demonstrates slow progress on specific skills and techniques)
4. Fully Engaged (plays outside of class on a frequent and regular basis, tackles difficult passages and demonstrates an ability to progress on specific skills and techniques)
In regards to your specific homework practice requirements, what percentage of students do you feel meet your practice requirements on a monthly/regular time period?
1. 10-25%
2. 25-50%
3. 50-75%
4. 75-90%
5. 90-100%
(C) Interview for Students
· What does practice mean to you? Why is practice important? How important is practice to you?
· What do you do when you practice? (Describe an entire practice session in detail)
· Tell me about a time when you had an effective practice session.
· What do you need to be able to do before you can practice effectively?
· What is hard/difficult about practice? What stops you, or makes you quit?
· What is simple/easy about practice? What encourages you, or makes you move on?
· What are you good at when you practice? Why?
· What is the best part of your practice?
· What makes a “Good Practice”?
· What are you struggling with when you practice? Why? What do you do?
· What makes practicing difficult?
· What makes a “Bad Practice”?
· How do you know when you make a mistake?
· How do you know when you played something correctly?
· How do you see/hear improvement in your own playing skills/abilities?
· How would you teach someone to practice?
· What do you expect to learn or “get” out of being in Band/Orchestra class?
· What do you want to be able to do with the knowledge you gain from learning to play an instrument?
· What is the most important thing to know/understand about practicing?
· Why should anyone practice anything?
(D) Survey for students
How many minutes do you practice each week
< 5min a week
< 30 min a week
< 1 hour a week
< 2 hours a week
> 2 hours a week
How do you choose what to practice?
What was assigned as homework
What I am good at playing
What I am struggling at playing
Other: ___________________
How do you overcome a challenging piece of music?
1. Give up
2. Ask a friend, brother, sister, parent, teacher
3. Practice outside of class alone
4. Practice outside of class with a partner (friend, brother, sister, parent, teacher)
5. Wait to practice the piece in class
Describe Why to any response #1-5:_______________________________
What motivates you the most to take on or practice a challenging piece of music?
The Music
My self
My Parents
My Friends
My Teachers
Explain how they help motivate you?:_____________________________________
Do you have expectations set for yourself? Yes/No Explain:_______________
Do you have goals set for yourself? Yes/No Explain:_____________________
How do you feel after a good practice session? Explain why:______________
How do you “know” when you are “prepared” for class?
How does it make you feel when other students are not prepared for class?
What creative ways can you come up with to encourage yourself and your classmates to practice?
Why do students (YOU) choose band or orchestra class?
You’ve been playing an instrument for a few years
Your Personal Interest in music
Friends
The teacher
The Instrument
Your Parents
Other: ________
Circle or choose 1 answer below. Where do students practice the most?
Before or after class in school
During class at school
At home in a quiet room
At home with friends/brothers/sisters/parents
Other:
(D) Other Ideas
- How do parents support practice?
- Do parents support practice?
- How involved are parents with practice?
- What do parents want/expect from student participation in band/orchestra?
- How do parents feel about practice requirements?
- How do parents feel about students NOT practicing versus students who practice regularly being in the same ensemble?
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