HERRING, MICHELLE L.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL CHORAL CLASSROOM

FLORIDA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

JANUARY, 2015

Listening/Improvisation/Composition Sample Lesson

CRP Lesson Series Lesson #1

Objective: Students will listen to and watch Walk Off the Earth’s “Somebody I Used to Know,” and apply ostinati using body percussion to accompany “Somebody I Used to Know.”

National Standards applied in this lesson:

Standard 2: Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire ofmusic

Standard 3: Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments

Standard 4: Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines

Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music

Standard 7: Evaluating music and music performances

NEW CORE STANDARDS:

CREATING STRAND:

Imagine: Generate musical ideas for various purposes and contexts

Plan and Make: Select and develop musical ideas for defined purposes and contexts.

Evaluate and Refine: Evaluate and refine selected musical ideas to create musical work(s) that meet appropriate criteria.

Present: Share creative musical work that conveys intent, demonstrates craftsmanship, and exhibits originality.

CONNECTING STRAND:

Connect #10: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make music.

Connect #11: Relate musical ideas and works with varied context to deepen understanding.

Materials:

  • Authentic video of “Somebody I Used to Know”
  • Handout containing the text to the song. (see Attachment A)
  • Listening guide (see Attachment B)

Procedures: Students will:

  1. Receive text handout (Attachment A) and Listening Guide (Attachment B).
  2. Listen to recording of “Somebody I Used to Know,”while following along with the text (Cultural Competence, Academic Success). Note: It is important that students hear the video prior to watching so the quality of improvised instruments can be heard.
  3. Complete the Listening Guide and discuss answers with the class (Academic Success).
  4. Watch the YouTube video so students can check their answers on the Listening Guide (Academic Success).
  5. Answer the following questions: (Cultural Competence, Academic Success)
  6. In what ways did the musicians utilize the guitar?
  7. What are some of the different patterns you heard played on the guitar? Did some repeat throughout the entire song? (Teacher: “Rhythmic or melodic patterns that repeat in a cycle during a song are called ostinato(i).”)
  8. What are some different ways you can use your bodies to create and ostinato (body percussion)?
  9. Watch the body percussion video by THUD.
  10. Practice creating ostinati with a metronome (♩=100 for 30 seconds).
  11. Practice ostinati while listening to “Somebody I Used to Know.” Note: Have small groups play ostinato and stop ostinato at different times, so students can listen to student examples.
  12. Complete Assignment
  13. Create an ostinato pattern to accompany “Somebody I Used to Know”using body percussion and teach it to the class (Cultural Competence, Academic Success).
  14. Homework (in preparation for lesson 2)
  15. Bring an item(s) from your house that you could use as an instrument. This instrument could be percussive or pitched. (Sociopolitical Consciousness, Cultural Competence, Academic Success)

Attachment A

Listening/Performance Sample Lesson

CRP Lesson Series #1

HERRING, MICHELLE L.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL CHORAL CLASSROOM

FLORIDA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

JANUARY, 2015

Now and then I think of when we were together
Like when you said you felt so happy you could die
I told myself that you were right for me
But felt so lonely in your company
But that was love and it's an ache I still remember
You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness
Like resignation to the end
Always the end
So when we found that we could not make sense
Well you said that we would still be friends
But I'll admit that I was glad that it was over
But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened
And that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger
And that feels so rough
No you didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records
And then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
But had me believing it was always something that I'd done
But I don't wanna live that way
Reading into every word you say
You said that you could let it go
And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know
But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened
And that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger
And that feels so rough
No you didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records
And then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Somebody
I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Somebody
I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
I used to know
That I used to know
I used to know
Somebody

HERRING, MICHELLE L.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL CHORAL CLASSROOM

FLORIDA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

JANUARY, 2015

Attachment B

Listening/Performance Lesson

CRP Lesson Series Lesson #1

1.How would you describe this piece?

2.What is this song about?

3.How many voice/instrument parts do you hear?

4.In what setting do you think you would hear this piece?

5.Did you like this piece? Why or why not?

Improvisation/Composition/Performance Sample Lesson

CRP Lesson Series Lesson #2

Objective: Students will createand apply ostinati on improvised instruments to the traditional South African song, “Siyahamba.”

National Standards applied in this lesson:

Standard 2: Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire ofmusic

Standard 3: Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments

Standard 4: Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines

Standard 5: Reading and notating music

NEW CORE STANDARDS:

CREATING STRAND:

Imagine: Generate musical ideas for various purposes and contexts

Plan and Make: Select and develop musical ideas for defined purposes and contexts.

Evaluate and Refine: Evaluate and refine selected musical ideas to create musical work(s) that meet appropriate criteria.

Present: Share creative musical work that conveys intent, demonstrates craftsmanship, and exhibits originality.

PERFORMING STRAND:

Analyze: Analyze the structure and context of varied musical works and their implications for performance.

Interpret: Develop personal interpretations that consider creators’ intent

Rehearse, Evaluate, and Refine: Evaluate and refine personal and ensemble performances, individually or in collaboration with others.

Present: Perform expressively, with appropriate interpretation and technical accuracy, and in a manner appropriate to the audience and context

RESPONDING STRAND:

Analyze: Analyze how the structure and context of varied musical works inform the response.

Interpret: Support interpretations of musical works that reflect creators’/performers’ expressive intent.

Evaluate: Support evaluations of musical works and performances based on analysis, interpretation, and established criteria.

CONNECTING STRAND:

Connect #10: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make music.

Connect #11: Relate musical ideas and works with varied context to deepen understanding.

Materials:

  • Handout containing background information on “Siyahamba”(see Attachment A)
  • Authentic recording of “Siyahamba”Choral Concert: Tapiola Choir - Tormis, V. /Asheim, N.H. / Busto, J. / Debussy, C. / Mellnas, A. / Kortekangas, O. / Kostiainen, P. (Rainbow Sounds), Ondine Records, 1996
  • Handout containing the sheet music to the song. (see Attachment B)
  • Video of improvised instrument performance by THUD
  • Video of how to make homemade instruments

Procedures: Students will:

  1. Watch video of improvisational instrument performance by THUD and answer the following questions (Academic Success):
  2. What improvised instruments were being used?
  3. In what ways were these instruments being played to create the desired sound?
  4. In what ways was body percussion being utilized to create the desired sound?
  1. Receive background information handout (see Attachment A), text translation, and sheet music (see Attachment B).
  1. Listen to recording of “Siyahamba,” while following along with the sheet music (Cultural Competence, Academic Success).
  2. Answer the following questions: (Sociopolitical Awareness, Cultural Competence)
  3. What ostinati do you think would be culturally appropriate for “Siyahamba?”
  4. Are there different types of instruments or beats that are associated with music from other cultures?
  5. Create ostinato with improvised instruments while listening to “Siyahamba” (Academic Success, Cultural Competence).
  6. Watch homemade instrument demonstration video and answer the following questions (Cultural Competence, Sociopolitical Awareness):
  7. In what situations would playing improvised instruments be a viable option?
  8. Complete Assignment
  9. Bring a recording of a song from a culture from which you identify for the class to create ostinati using body percussion or improvised instruments (Cultural Competence, Sociopolitical Awareness).
  10. Be prepared to answer the following (Academic Success, Cultural Competence):
  11. Why was this song chosen?
  12. What ostinato do you think would be most culturally appropriate for this song?

Attachment A

Improvisation/Composition/Performance Sample Lesson

CRP Lesson Series Lesson #2
Attachment A

Improvisation/Composition/Performance Sample Lesson

CRP Lesson Series Lesson #2



Resources:

  1. Bond, J. (Ed.). (1995). Share the Music. New York, NY, Macmillian/McGraw-Hill School Publishing Company, 308-311.
  2. National Core Arts Standards (June, 2014). National Coalition for Core Arts Standards. Retrieved from:

Composition/Performance Sample Lesson

CRP Lesson Series Lesson #3

Objective: Students will create an ostinato composition using improvised instruments or body percussion based on a photo to perform in a community concert.

National Standards applied in this lesson:

Standard 1: Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music

Standard 2: Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of

music

Standard 3: Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments

Standard 4: Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines

Standard 9: Understanding music in relation to history and culture

NEW CORE STANDARDS:

CREATING STRAND:

Imagine: Generate musical ideas for various purposes and contexts

Plan and Make: Select and develop musical ideas for defined purposes and contexts.

Evaluate and Refine: Evaluate and refine selected musical ideas to create musical work(s) that meet appropriate criteria.

Present: Share creative musical work that conveys intent, demonstrates craftsmanship, and exhibits originality.

PERFORMING STRAND:

Select: Select varied musical works to present based on interest, knowledge, technical skill, and context.

Analyze: Analyze the structure and context of varied musical works and their implications for performance.

Interpret: Develop personal interpretations that consider creators’ intent

Rehearse, Evaluate, and Refine: Evaluate and refine personal and ensemble performances, individually or in collaboration with others.

Present: Perform expressively, with appropriate interpretation and technical accuracy, and in a manner appropriate to the audience and context

RESPONDING STRAND:

Select: Choose music appropriate for a specific purpose or context.

Analyze: Analyze how the structure and context of varied musical works inform the response.

Interpret: Support interpretations of musical works that reflect creators’/performers’ expressive intent.

Evaluate: Support evaluations of musical works and performances based on analysis, interpretation, and established criteria.

CONNECTING STRAND:

Connect #10: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make music.

Connect #11: Relate musical ideas and works with varied context to deepen understanding.

Materials:

  • Photo of urban street singers (see Attachment A)
  • Description of photo (see Attachment B)
  • Improvised instruments (i.e., spoons, pots, zippers if not using body percussion)
  • Paper
  • Writing utensil

Procedures: Students will:

  1. Receive photo of urban street singers
  2. Write interpretations of the photo using prompts of Who, What, When, Where, and Why (Academic Success, Cultural Competence, Sociopolitical Consciousness).
  3. Discuss photo interpretations as a class. Use the following as discussion topics: (Academic Success, Cultural Competence, Sociopolitical Consciousness)
  1. Describe the musical role of each person performing in the photo
  2. What is each performer using as an instrument? (i.e. body percussion, traditional instruments, or singing)
  3. Why type of music do you think the urban street performers were performing? Why?
  1. Read description of photo (see Attachment B)
  2. Complete Assignment (Cultural Competence, Academic Success)
  3. Form a group of five students
  4. Ask each group member to take on the role of one of the performers. Create an ostinato for that person using body percussion or an improvised instrument.
  5. Arrange the group’s ostinati into a 2-minute composition with a beginning, middle and end. Layering ostinato, a verse/chorus structure, or using a form similar to ABA can be ways to design compositions.
  6. Perform compositions for class.
  7. Perform compositions as a community recital
  8. Project or provide copies of the urban street singers photo to the audience.
  9. Nominate one person from each group to discuss interpretations of the photo.
  10. Perform each group’s interpretation of the assignment.

Attachment A

Composition/Performance Sample Lesson

CRP Lesson Series Lesson #3

Attachment B

Composition/Performance Sample Lesson

CRP Lesson Series Lesson #3


Internet Resources:

  1. National Core Arts Standards (June, 2014). National Coalition for Core Arts Standards. Retrieved from:

References

Bowers, J. K., & Small, A. R. (1997). Strategies for teaching: Elementary and middle-level chorus. Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference.

Bradley, D. (2009). Oh, that magic feeling! Multicultural human subjectivity, community and fascism’s footprints. Philosophy of Music Education Review, 17(1),56-74.

Brown-Jeffy, S., & Cooper, J. E. (2011). Toward a conceptual framework of culturally relevant pedagogy: An overview of the conceptual and theoretical literature. Teacher Education Quarterly, 65-84.

Blair, D. V., & Kondo, S. (2008). Bridging musical understanding through multicultural musics. Music Educators Journal, 95(5), 50-55.

Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five traditions (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53, 106-116.

Gay, G. (2007). The rhetoric and reality of NCLB. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 10, 279-293.

Goldston, M. J., & Nichols, S. (2009). Visualizing culturally relevant science pedagogy through photonarratives of black middle school teachers. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 20,179-198.

Gruwell, E. (Contributor). (1999). The freedom writers diary: How a teacher and 150 teens used writing to change themselves and the world around them. New York, NY: Broadway Books.

Irvine, J. (2010). Culturally relevant pedagogy. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 75(8), 57-61.

Irizarry, J. G. (2007). Ethnic and urban intersections in the classroom: Latino students, hybrid identities, and culturally responsive pedagogy. Multicultural Perspectives, 9, 21-28.

Ladson-Billings, G. (2001). Crossing over to Canaan: The journey of new teacher in diverse classrooms. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995a). But that’s just good teaching! The case for culturally relevant pedagogy. Theory Into Practice, 34(3),159-165.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995b). Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, 32, 465-491.

Ladson-Billings, G., & Tate, W. F. (1995). Toward a critical race theory of education. Teachers College Record, 97, 47-68.

Mason, E. (2010). Multicultural music represented in current elementary music textbooks: A comparative study of tow published music series. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 28(2), 29-41.

Milner, H. R. (2010). Culturally relevant pedagogy in a diverse urban classroom. Urban Review, 43, 66-89.

Payne, R. K. (2001). A framework for understanding poverty. Highlands, Texas: Aha! Process.

Tuohey, T. V. (2009, Fall). World musics and multicultural education: Synonymous? Triad, 75-78.

Small, A. R., & Bowers, J. K. (1997).Strategies for teaching: Elementary and middle-level chorus. Reston, VA: MENC—The National Association for Music Education.

Young, E. (2010). Challenges to conceptualizing and actualizing cultural relevant pedagogy: How viable is the theory in classroom practice? Journal of Teacher Education, 61, 248-260.

Michelle L. Herring

University of North Texas