Reflective Essay

In contemplating what I have learned through the A.R.T.S. process and class I have come up with several worhtwhile mentions. Let me start with the reading. I think as an educator it is vitally important that we keep learning. A great way that I learn is through reading. Reading gives me a sense that I am learning through my eyes and not someone elses. The reading we have done in this class has been very worthwhile. In Pink, it was amazing to learn more about how the brain works, why it applies to what we do, and how it will help us in the future. As a music teacher, we constantly hear how our programs are in peril of becoming extinct. We are threatened with that even now with budgetary crisis' and shrinking revenues. It is nice to know that at least we will have some kind of future, but we will probably have to fight our way there, as usual. Pink has some very good ideas about what our future in the workplace holds. To know that more people will be looking for people who can create unique solutions to problems is again a comfort. Music teachers have always known that we are a key element to any educational endeavor. We hold a lot of knowledge with how the brian works and why music is important in the learning process. We know the reasons why kids who learn more, faster, and better just happen to be in our music classes. Music helps, it connects, it shapes. To know and see it in writing in Pink's book that our genre of education, our little corner of the world is about to be rediscovered is comforting. We have known all along as music teachers that we held a critical key component of learning and shaping minds, now the whole world might discover us again is heartening. I found Gardner's book helpful as well. He explained the concept of synthesis very well. His book was a little harder to read, but once you became familiar with the sytax it started to take on the effect of being a really brainy adventure. Synthesis is again something that music teachers use all of the time. We teach our kids where the music came from, why it was written, who the composer is, and how they came to write the piece. We also indulge our students with synthesis everytime we play something. After all, it is math and science that we use every time we play an instrument or sing. We are using science techniques to tune (sharp/flat), to physically play our instrunent; math to determine note counts and rhythmic passages. We use all of this at a split second. It is nice to see that Gardner has put this technique in writing and put it in writing for the layperson to see and read. It is also important as an educatior that we not forget how important it is that synthesis should be a part of everyday school life. These kids need to know how and why things are interconnected. They need to understand that what they are learning is important and does have an affect on their situation and world around them.
Next, the portfolio. I admit this has given me some trouble. I have had difficulty in determining how to get my portfolio items uploaded onto the blog. Some things have been very difficult and I have felt very frustrated at times with the blogging uploading aspect of the class. I do, however see the importantce of keeping portfolios and evidence of learning. At times it has been difficult deciding what I wanted to include because I did not want to betray anyone's trust by putting something on a blog for the whole world to see. I think the blogging idea in itself has been really nice. It has been great to sit down at my compter and be able to complete a blog, much faster than I could have ever written it by the way.
I have started to think more about how to deliver these ideas into the classroom and what I can include at what grade level. It has been interesting to think about synthesis, Pink's ideas, and the components of the action research project when contemplating lesson plans. Using the ARTS concepts and including them in the classroom has been a worthwhile endeavor. It has given me a chance to really think about how to include another aspect into my classroom that I might not have thought about otherwise. The concepts of syntheis, community, and integrating whole brain thinking has helped me make more out fo my classess. The ARTS class in itself has proven to focus my teaching in the classroom and make it more enjoyable for my classes. I have seen surprises along the way. When doing the action research project, I saw my kids get excited about something I never would have imagined or tried otherwise. As a travelling band teacher, it is hard for me to give up time to focus on a worksheet, I prefer to tie it in with what we have been learning in the book. In doing my action research project though, I included a simple worksheet. The kids went crazy. They absolutely loved it. Although I'm not sure if it was because it was just something different, or that they really liked the worksheet I'll never know. The point here is that I have learned and I will start including more of those types of activities. That this class has shown me that there are things I can still do to up my game and make my students enjoy and learn more, this class has definitely proven to be an asset.