Scaffolding Creativity

Goal: To teach students to take a creative/generative approach to music (to "synthesize" and not just "regurgitate.")

Problems:

1. When left in an unstructured environment, students go berserk or do not know how to respond
2. Students do not have enough concrete musical experiences to draw upon when making musical choices (Can't just tell kids: "Go and create!" - Create WHAT? And how?)
3. Creativity and problem solving is not part of the cultural context.

Now, how do I apply my own problem-solving skills to try and achieve the goal?

Solutions and words to remember (Contemplation):

1. Give students more concrete musical experiences (sing more songs, play more musical games, etc.)
2. Provide a strong structure to guide learning, produce flow, and provide predictability.
3. Think of creativity in different forms, such as choices made in in musical games.
4. Get instruments to use as tools/aids for creativity and play (have been ordered and are now on the way!!)
5. Simplify activities and take small steps at a time.
6. Remember that learning is a process. It takes TIME. In a couple of years, a school culture will develop.

And yes, that is the interesting thing about my situation; since the school is completely new, there are a lot of things that seem impossible to achieve at this point, but I have to keep reminding myself that after a structure and school-culture is in place, the only ones who really need to ease into it will be the newcomers, and they will have a much easier time as they will see the older children as examples. In the meantime, everyone's a newcomer. And that is ok; I just need to adjust my expectations!

Finding Happiness

I felt compelled to write this blurb after being reminded in a good talk with a friend/colleague during break in October:

You cannot wait for others to hand happiness to you; you have to be proactive and find what makes YOU happy. And ALLOW yourself to BE HAPPY.

Things have been difficult as I am now removed from the structure of being schooled and the drive to achieve (grades, degrees, etc.). School is tough in the sense that you bring work home in the form of studying, writing papers, or reading; it always looms overhead.

At this point in life, I have gone beyond schooling and am supposedly free to do what I like. I have a well-paying job and am constructing a music program from scratch. Yet, I am not fully satisfied.

Well, what do I even do with my time, or free time for that matter?

For some reason I feel the "need to be productive" and focus on work in my free time, as I had been doing for the past several years. I would also like to do other things, but cannot motivate myself to do so. I have recently been asking myself: what happened to the joy of playing a great video game, reading a novel, taking a walk, playing music for enjoyment, talking with people (NOT about work), or creating things?

I feel like I'm going nuts.

I introduced the song "Simple Gifts" (a Shaker song) to my 7th graders - I think the lyrics may speak some truth in light of this craziness:

'Tis a gift to be simple, 'tis a gift to be free 

'Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be, 

And when we find ourselves in the place just right, 

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,

To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come 'round right.

Here's a beautiful rendition/cover done by The Piano Guys - hope you'll enjoy it :)