My Pentatonic Warmup

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Identifying/Incorporating Different Learning Styles

I highly recommend that you read this post.

Ever since one of our first assigned readings Theories of Learning and Their Roles in Teaching -Bransford, I have striven to be more metacognitive, observing myself and my learning style, along with my ability to functionally transfer memorized information.

Since my uptake of this task, my ability to retain memorized information HAS, in fact, drastically improved.  But I'd had some trouble identifying my learning style.  The fact is, I've found through some general reading, although there are 4 main types of learning, (kinesthetic, aural, auditory, and read-write learners) very few people fit into just one category.  I thought I was a kinesthetic learner, but I am in fact closer to an even split between kinesthetic (dominant), auditory, aural, and read-and-write learning.  Although I adapt to new concepts best with movement/participation-based exercises, my long-term retainment is better guaranteed through a combination of reading, writing, listening, and performing.

This discovery posed a serious question for my future in teaching.  How, if all types of learners are present in a class, many of whom cannot be put into just one category of learners, will I be able to guarantee in all of my students proficiency and long-term retainment of advanced musical concepts?  And how, after already developing a teaching style and curriculum, will I be able to re-cater my curriculum ALL OVER AGAIN to a new class composed of new learners?

I am not the only one who has asked this question in the past, apparently.

This article is a teacher's account of their own difficulties integrating and emphasizing all learning-styles into their classroom, and a well-thought-out model, designed by a man called Jerome Bruner, which, along with other such models (which are unfortunately not mentioned) helped her succeed in doing so.
Here's the link! Enjoy.
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=8bb25530-0601-4324-aea3-a8554d4be0a8%40sessionmgr110&vid=1&hid=110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=aph&AN=20359065

This is obviously just one model, and is to be used only as a supplementary guide to learning how to think in multiple styles. This model is not enough to base an entire teaching philosophy around, but I found the perspective from which it was written extraordinarily useful (POV of a blooming new music teacher).

I also found a cool few resources for identifying your musical learning styles, and how to adapt your study and practice to your learning style.  This page may be for harpists, but I found it engaging and relevant.  http://www.myharpsdelight.com/learning-styles.html

If you have never really considered what you're learning style is, this article should help you define your category.  http://www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/learning_styles/

Ghost of John canon

Jazz Standards Visual Aid and ONLINE FAKEBOOK

I stumbled upon this site looking around for a jazz standard harmonic analysis database. For anyone planning on teaching a jazz take on improvisation, this resource is for you.
http://jazzstandardsvisualaid.com/html/introduction.html
It simplifies and breaks down jazz standards in a clearly explained and visual manner, showing and explaining how to easily memorize many of the standards by following a system of "jazz building blocks," and how to properly organize [and better transfer] the information. Included are a list of "chord Legos," popular chord progressions which build most bebop standards, and how these legos are put together to make a jazz head. The progressions are all in Harmonic Analysis (roman numerals), as opposed to the usual lead-sheet symbols, so that the progressions can be transferred into any key. I like this website because it provides a neat and tidy visual stimulus to study while listening to a recording. Many jazz standards, not just the ones listed, can be broken down into these progressions, with smaller 2-3 chord-long phrases in between. The next resource I've found is a link to an ONLINE FAKEBOOK. For those of you who don't know, a fakebook is a compilation of popular jazz standards with lead-sheet chord-symbols for easy improvisation. I encourage many of you to check it out, search for your favorite jazz standard - it's likely there.
http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0788174606&amp;id=vlP2sv6GuJIC&amp;pg=PP17&amp;lpg=PP17&amp;dq=jazz&amp;as_brr=1&amp;sig=btWRRcE0yVxKxy00k3etaMrMSmI

PLN Resource: Pandora Radio

Generally, the first thing I do when I want to find out about a new type of music is to listen to it. Pandora Radio, for several years now, has been one of my most reliable listening resources. As most of you already know, this online streaming site enables us to build a "station" based upon a musical artist, which will play popular or new music across the world which meets SIMILAR CRITERIA to the musical artist you submitted, and to the music that you continue to "like" or "dislike" over time. To put it simply, type in a band and the "radio station" will automatically pick and play music for you. But you can also type in individual songs, which I have found extraordinarily useful. For instance, if you want to base a station off of an electronic artist, but find that some of your favorite songs are actually REMIXES, composed by someone then recomposed by another, my best bet, I've found, is to type in the song name rather than either artist's names. (I.E. Bassnectar - Boombox ILL GATES REMIX rather than typing in Bassnextar or Ill Gates). Also, if you find that you like a particular song by an artist that happens to be completely different than any of their other music, but still wish to expand your knowledge of music like that one composition, you can just type in the name of the track and boom. Pandora takes into account the differences between artists, albums, and individual tracks. I have learned a positively extraordinary amount about European, Latin (especially), electronic, pop, alternative, jazz, and funk music. THIS RADIO IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE POPULAR MUSIC. There is, in fact, way more underground music on the Pandora database than popular music. To steer yourself clear of music that is overplayed, old, or less interesting, simply click like for songs that are more what you want to hear. I stay away from the dislike button, as that limits what kind of underground music the computer may have generated that I may not know that I would have liked. It takes me a lot of listening to build a Pandora station that I am content with and can call "complete." The entire time subsequent to this completion, Pandora simply throws new music at the listener, allowing them to sort it out for themselves. I've learned an UNREAL amount about Latin percussion and the chordal contour of latin music through osmosis listening to these stations. Try it out for yourselves!! http://www.pandora.com/