Delta Middle School
Listening/Counting Lesson Reflection

On November 21, 2006, Bruce Fane and I taught a 45-minute lesson in the 8th grade general music class at Delta Middle School. We focused on two main concepts: variations (not the strict compositional technique but, rather, different arrangements and styles of performing pre-existing pieces) and rock music. The class was to begin learning about rock and roll music the next week (following Thanksgiving), so our lesson served as a bit of a transition. We played Bach’s Toccata in D minor (as originally written for organ) and showed then three variations on a DVD I edited for class use. Next, we played the Beatles’ Penny Lane followed by two variations. For each of these pieces we gave a bit of a history/background of each piece, and then passed out a guided-listening worksheet, so that the students could compare and contrast each variation of the original pieces. Then, we taught the students the Takadimi counting system. Next, we played two version of Bob Dylan’s All Along the Watchtower, guiding the students to listen for the bass line (a very short and easily-recognizable ostinato). Finally, Bruce and I played this song (without singing) on bass and guitar, changing the rhythms just slightly such that they would fit easily into a Takadimi representation. Bruce then led the students through counting the ostinato in Takadimi.

As to our strengths, Bruce and I were fairly well-prepared. He and I both have a good understanding of Takadimi, we both we quite familiar with at least one of the sets of variations, and we both are skilled enough on bass and guitar to be able to play the pattern and teach through it. Also, we are relatively comfortable teaching in front of students – even middle school students. Quite frankly, our classroom management training came in very handy as the kids worked on the worksheets and discussed with one another their answers and observations. We used proximity to keep them in check, and we involved the students individually by talking specifically with each and every one of them as they worked.

For our weaknesses, I would say that we were just a little underprepared. We had plenty of material prepared, we just hadn’t talked through the entire teaching in its final form sufficiently. We decided what and how we would teach, and then I made the lesson plan. In doing so, I nailed down a few specifics without Bruce present, and we just didn’t have the time to review this enough before our teaching, so a few transitions were a little bit shaky. For example, at the end of the lesson, if time allowed, we wanted to allow the kids to dictate the bass ostinato rhythm by using movable Takadimi cards on the chalkboard. There was enough time (though barely), but Bruce forgot this part of the plan and just asked the kids if they wanted to hear anything else, like the Jimi Hendrix recording of All Along the Watchtower. This effectively ended our lesson, but it wasn’t a huge loss as, in all honesty, there was not a lot of time left. Also, it might be worth noting, Bruce and I taught on a combined sleep total of zero hours. I’m not sure that it was apparent, though, as we were both wide-awake at that point and stayed focused just fine. Perhaps that is even a strength – we have the ability to teach middle school students on no sleep! I just wouldn’t recommend doing it very often.

Overall, I would say that our lesson was effective. It involved the kids more than they were used to, particularly by engaging them in conversation (with each other!) about the music they had heard. Also, they learned to count! At the end, when Mrs. Olfier had each student state one thing they liked about our lesson, one of them said, “We learned to read music!” Exactly.

In the future, we will apply some that we have learned. For example, it is even more impressed upon us now that the students have to be kept busy. They need to have some sort of stimulus nearly constantly, or they will drift off and no longer pay attention. This was not a huge problem in our teaching, in part because we planned for this somewhat, but we could see them just beginning to drift away at times, especially during the second listening portion. Also, we will just continue to involve the kids actively as much as possible. Hands-on is great, getting them to talk to fantastic (because they actually will!), having them sing would be awesome (we just might try it!). Overall, I thought the lesson went well. We hope to be even more effective next time!

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