THE GUITAR AS A TEACHING TOOL IN THE ELEMENTARY GENERAL MUSIC CLASSROOM
Kathryn A. Copeland B.A., Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois, 1975
PROJECT
Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF ARTS
in
EDUCATION (Curriculum and Instruction)
at
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO
SPRING 2010
THE GUITAR AS A TEACHING TOOL IN THE ELEMENTARY GENERAL MUSIC CLASSROOM
A Project
by
Kathryn A. Copeland
Approved by:
, Committee Chair Crystal Olson, Ed.D.
Date
ii
Student: Kathryn A. Copeland
I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the
University format manual, and that this project is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to be awarded for the Project.
______, Associate Chair ______Rita M. Johnson, Ed.D. Date
Department of Teacher Education
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Abstract
of
THE GUITAR AS A TEACHING TOOL IN THE ELEMENTARY GENERAL MUSIC CLASSROOM
by
Kathryn A. Copeland
This project is an Alternative Culminating Experience for a Master of Arts in
Education: Curriculum and Instruction with an Elective Emphasis on Arts in
Education. It follows Pathway II: The art of teaching art. The culminating experience for this project was guided by the author‟s motivation to gain knowledge and develop expertise in playing the guitar, and by applying those skills to teach fourth and fifth grade general music students utilizing the guitar as an additional teaching tool in the classroom.
The author had adapted her teaching style for this project by implementing creative opportunities for her students to become familiar with a variety of well- known American and multicultural folk songs. By introducing folk music from around the world, the author was confident that her students would acquire an appreciation of cultural diversity and a greater understanding of the historical and musical significance of folk songs.
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Interdisciplinary connections and integration of the arts as part of the core curriculum are a major focus in this project. The value of group singing in the schools with regard to the positive effects that often result from such blending of efforts and raising of voices within a community is also explored.
Because the guitar is portable, and one of the most commonly used folk instruments throughout history, the author determined that the guitar was the instrument that would be most logical to use to accompany students in the classroom.
This realization was the beginning of her journey to achieve the playing skill level necessary to successfully accompany her students.
The author‟s research verifies the importance of arts experiences as a positive influence in the development of well-rounded individuals. Through a creatively designed curriculum, executed by skilled specialists who value the learning process through true aesthetic experiences, the arts reach the level of importance they deserve.
The contents of the literature review reveals basic philosophies of noted educational theorists and reflect the importance of a creative approach to arts education and its applications in the elementary general music classroom. Numerous studies have shown the positive effects of music in student development and academic success, and it is the author‟s intent to provide experiences that increase the possibilities for higher levels of creativity and participation. Through the inclusion of folk music and the use
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of the guitar, the author expects students to benefit musically, academically, socially, creatively, and emotionally.
, Committee Chair Crystal Olson, Ed.D.
Date
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author wishes to express her gratitude to the following people for their guidance, support, encouragement, and assistance throughout the development of this project:
Crystal Olson
Karen Benson
Lorie Hammond
Roz Van Auker
Vince Martini
Steve Breshears
Jim Copeland
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Acknowledgments ...... vii
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION ...... 1
Overview of the Project ...... 1
Rationale ...... 1
Statement of the Problem ...... 1
Goal and Objectives ...... 2
Procedure of the Project ...... 3
Limitations ...... 4
Definition of Terms ...... 5
Organization of the Project ...... 8
2. REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE ...... 10
Theory and Philosophy of Arts Education ...... 10
Experiencing Music ...... 22
What is Folk Music? ...... 23
Folk Music in Elementary Schools ...... 25
Connecting Music to Other Subjects in the Curriculum ...... 26
Using the Guitar in the Classroom ...... 27
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Folk Music Activities for the Classroom ...... 28
America‟s Community Song Tradition ...... 30
Making Stringed Folk Instruments ...... 42
Folk Music and the Guitar ...... 45
History of American Folk Music ...... 46
3. PORTFOLIO ...... 53
Introduction ...... 53
My Background ...... 53
Journaling the Guitar Experience ...... 56
4. REFLECTION ...... 77
Implementation of the Project ...... 77
Challenges of the Project ...... 78
Success of the Project ...... 80
Next Steps of the Project ...... 81
Appendix A. Regional Folk Songs of the United States ...... 83
Appendix B. American Folk Songs for Children ...... 87
Appendix C. Multicultural Folk Songs for Children ...... 94
Appendix D. Historical American Folk Songs ...... 99
Appendix E. Beginning Guitar Strum Patterns ...... 102
Appendix F. Capo Conversion Chart ...... 105
References ...... 108
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Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
Overview of the Project
The culminating experience for this project was based on the author‟s desire to increase her knowledge of the guitar as an accompaniment instrument in the elementary general music classroom and to gain a level of expertise in playing the instrument for this purpose. Attaining basic guitar-playing skills was especially appealing to the author since the instrument was unfamiliar to her and had never been used in her previous experience as a music educator.
Rationale
Having a Bachelor of Music degree in piano and voice, the author saw the advantages of learning to play the guitar in view of the fact that pianos were not available in her current job description as a traveling music specialist serving 10 elementary locations within her school district. By expanding her musical skills to include the guitar, the author saw the opportunity for greater student participation and overall success in the general music program.
Statement of the Problem
The author is currently assigned to regular classrooms at each elementary school to conduct her music classes. These classrooms are not designed to accommodate large numbers of students adequately in a comfortable and inviting learning atmosphere. It was partly because of this undesirable situation that the author felt the need to pursue a long-standing dream to learn to play the guitar in order to
2 better serve her students in her music classes. Although the author‟s main area of expertise was the piano, she regarded her current teaching assignment as more challenging because there were no pianos or other accompaniment instruments available in any of the elementary classrooms where general music was taught.
Furthermore, all materials needed for the planned music lessons were transported from classroom to classroom daily as the author traveled to schools throughout the district each week.
The author believed that with the use of the guitar as an accompaniment instrument, the level of student participation and ability would improve, and music class would be a place where the students could feel welcome, safe, and successful through positive musical experiences.
Goal and Objectives
The principal objective of this project was to gain technical skills to play the guitar in order to accompany the students and increase opportunities for presenting a wide variety of vocal music. In the hope that students would become more actively involved in learning various song styles, particularly folk songs, the author continually displayed her enthusiasm, which encouraged the students to become more actively engaged in the learning process.
Typically, the general music classes were comprised of approximately 24 to 30 students, although there were as few as 12 and as many as 40 in some classes. Because of the large numbers in most classes, many of which included students with special needs and English learners, another objective to consider was the importance of
3 reaching and being sensitive to all students in a classroom that was comprised of such a wide variety of ability levels. With the assistance of instructional aides and very supportive teaching and administrative staffs, this did not present difficulties for the author.
The ultimate goal was to gain a new skill, and through intense study and practice, to enhance the curriculum through the means of the guitar as the primary accompaniment tool in the general music classroom. The author developed the technical skills necessary to successfully master the guitar at a level appropriate for the elementary school music program.
Procedure of the Project
The procedure for this project started with the author finding an experienced guitar instructor and scheduling weekly lessons to study guitar fundamentals and technical skills. The author visited a high school guitar program and spent a considerable amount of time at local music stores searching for guitar method books to use in her study and for personal growth. The author researched music materials and lesson plan ideas that incorporated the use of the guitar as an accompaniment tool to create lessons that could encourage musical growth in all of her students. Special performances at end-of-the-year programs were planned to include folk songs that used the guitar as the major accompaniment instrument.
The author documented her work by keeping a practice log of her progress and by journaling her story from the beginning of the project throughout the entire process.
She also included her instructor‟s observations, comments, and critiques indicating
4 improvement in skills as they developed. Concerns and struggles were also documented.
The author evaluated her own growth for this project by assessing her ability to play major, minor, seventh, and bar chords as well as various picking styles and simple strumming patterns in folk songs for use in the classroom. All the skills the author developed were used to teach general music lessons and helped expand the repertoire of music, including folk songs and patriotic music that all children should know.
Limitations
In order to attain her goal for professional growth during the course of this six- month project, the author realized possible limitations and planned ways to avoid them. The greatest obstacle arose from a hectic daily schedule, which made practicing on a daily basis difficult. In order to overcome this situation, the author maintained a weekly practice log and worked hard to discipline herself to practice daily. Scheduling a weekly private lesson was a challenge as well, but the author realized the necessity of obtaining instruction from an experienced guitar teacher in order to develop good habits and properly executed playing skills.
It was critical that the author maintain a positive attitude and a passion for learning, realizing that improvement would only happen through perseverance and striving for excellence. The author also found that learning a new skill, especially as an adult, was very time consuming and required a great deal of energy. Because the process of learning to play the guitar required practice over an extended period of
5 time, intensive study with an experienced professional, and a deep commitment and desire to improve, the author found patience throughout this project was essential to its success.
Definition of Terms
Terms relating to the study and technique of playing the guitar for this project are as follows.
Accompaniment instrument: A musical instrument used to enhance the performance of another.
Acoustic guitar: Any non-electric guitar.
Acoustic guitar parts: Head, tuning keys, nut, frets, sound hole, pick guard, bridge, strings, finger board, neck, body, bridge pins, bridge saddle, waist.
Ballad: A song that tells a story with short, simple verses.
Bar chord: A chord played with one finger lying across all six strings.
Bass: The lower regions of pitch in general. On guitar, the fourth, fifth, and sixth strings.
Bass runs: A succession of individual, low pitched notes which may be played in place of a chord. A bass run may be used to break the monotony of the same chord being played in succession for several beats.
Binary: A musical form with two sections and contrasting themes.
Bridge: The part of the stringed instrument that supports the strings.
Capo: A device placed across the neck of the guitar to allow a key change without alteration of the chord shapes.
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Chord: Three or more notes sounded at the same time.
Chord progression: A series of chords played as a musical unit (as in a song).
Epistemology: The philosophical study of human knowledge.
Ethnomusicology: The study of the music of human cultures.
Form: The shape or order in which a piece of music is written.
Fret: Narrow ridge of wood, metal, or ivory fitted to the fingerboard of the guitar to divide the neck into fixed segments at half step intervals.
Harmony: Two or more pitches sung or played at the same time.
Improvise: To play spontaneously without a written copy.
Key: Describes the notes used in a composition in regards to the major or minor scale from which they are taken.
Lyrics: Words that accompany a melody.
Metronome: A device which indicates the number of beats per minute, and can be adjusted in accordance to the desired tempo.
Multicultural: Involving a diversity of cultures.
Open: No fingers of the left hand pushing on the strings while the right hand is stroking the strings or string.
Open chord: A chord that contains at least one open string.
Pentatonic Scale: Scale of five tones, usually with the fourth and the seventh tones of the major scale omitted.
Pick: The act of stroking the string to produce a sound. Also another name for plectrum.
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Plectrum: Another name for pick, a small object (often in a triangular shape) made of plastic, which is used to pick or strum the strings of a guitar.
Power chord: Type of chord commonly used in rock and blues guitar playing.
Only two strings are played on each chord.
Primary Triads: Most important chords in a key. The primary triads (chords) are built on the first, fourth, and fifth notes of the key (more commonly known as the
I, IV, and V7 chords).
Recorder: A member of the woodwind family that has eight finger holes and is played by blowing into a mouthpiece.
Repertoire: A list of works adopted by a performer or group of performers.
Root note: The note after which a chord or scale is named (also called key note).
Semitone: Smallest interval used in conventional music. In guitar, a distance of one fret (also called half step).
String instruments: Instruments that produce tones when their strings are struck, plucked, or bowed.
Strum: Stroking more than two strings at the same time so the strings vibrate simultaneously. Use of a downstrum movement with the right hand is from top to bottom. An upstrum moves from bottom to top.
Strum pattern: A series of down and up strums combined to form a rhythmic pattern.
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Ternary form: Consists of three main sections of music (usually called A B A form).
Tone: A distance of two frets; the equivalent of two semitones.
Organization of the Project
This project is organized into four chapters. Chapter 1 introduces and describes the purpose of the project and identifies the procedure by which the author developed new skills in order to teach general music classes with the use of a guitar as the primary accompaniment instrument. Limitations and challenges were expressed and terms were defined in order to present a better understanding of the entire process.
The Literature Review in Chapter 2 provides valuable information to confirm that music and all experiences in the arts are essential to a well-balanced curriculum, and through careful planning by the instructor, creative experiences will have a positive influence on the intellectual and social growth of the students. The arts teach students in a manner that shows how to overcome obstacles and achieve goals through a creative process.
Chapter 3 presents documentation of the author‟s journey to accomplish a skill to use in the classroom. This chapter includes journals of the development of learning to play the guitar and using the instrument as a teaching tool in the elementary general music classroom.
Chapter 4 serves as a reflection of the culminating experience and provides recommendations and implications for the classroom based on what was learned in the
9 project. Appendices are included containing information to assist others interested in the study of the guitar and folk music for the classroom.
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Chapter 2
REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE
Theory and Philosophy of Arts Education
In this review of literature, the author considered the importance of the arts in education, and more specifically, the value of music in the classroom. After collecting considerable research conducted by major theorists in the field of arts education, it became apparent that music education has a positive effect on student development, both socially and intellectually.
Throughout history many philosophers, educators, and authors have contributed significant literature relevant to educational theory and have presented suggestions for the implementation of practices to enhance experiences in arts education. In an attempt to cohesively connect the works, theories, and practices of several educational theorists and philosophers, this review will commence with John
Dewey (1934) and his philosophies concerning arts in education and their implementation into the curriculum as well as the realization of a true aesthetic experience. Through this review process, other philosophers‟ ideas will be presented and various practices will be explored and will be related directly to the pathway selected for curriculum development in today‟s schools. The ultimate aim is to reveal the imposing need to consider arts in education as a key to the attainment of meaningful learning experiences in all areas of the curriculum and produce students with the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute successfully to an ever-changing society in a complex world.
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John Dewey (1934) valued the creative spirit, and through his comprehensive approach to education, he stated that feeling is connected to an experience whereby one is actively involved by thinking and becoming engaged in the process. Dewey pointed out that having an experience is determined by the perceptions and emotions directly involved in that experience, but it takes much time and thought to reach the level of emotion considered artistic. Furthermore, as an experience moves toward a conclusion, there is a continuous blending of an individual and a part of his environment with which he connects in order to assume a total experience (Dewey).
“Inner harmony is attained only when, by some means, terms are made with the environment” (Dewey, p. 16). The importance of the past and its connection to the present intensifies what happens in the moment and allows movement toward the future. This, in turn, enhances perception, thus resulting in deeper understanding
(Dewey). Dewey continued by presenting the importance of the relationship between undergoing and doing in order to attain meaning as it relates to understanding in any experience. He described the importance of a constant succession of prior experiences, in connection with the present state and future aims. The important point to stress is that through means of the senses by which one communes with his surroundings, and at completion, the implicit esthetic quality of an experience has emerged (Dewey).
The arts have the “capacity to foster qualities of experience that will enhance a very broad range of learnings” (Arnstine, 1995, p. 87).
Having an experience must incorporate thought and not fall into the category of routine, mechanical, or capricious. To be considered an experience, as Dewey
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(1934) projected, it must maintain a continuous flow, be emotionally charged, exhibit some degree of tension in order to attain resolution of the undergoing qualities, and reveal connectedness with the past and the future as described previously. “All experience is the product of the features of the world and the biography of the individual. Our experience is influenced by our past as it interacts with our present”
(Eisner, 1998, p. 34).
Qualitative thinking was described by Dewey (1934) as every bit as demanding as thinking in terms of verbal or mathematical ways. If all meanings could be expressed by the written word, music or painting, for example, would not exist. It is the visual and audible qualities that create meaning in the arts. Furthermore, “seeing comes before words” (Berger, 1972, p. 7) and “the way we see things is affected by what we know or what we believe. To look is an act of choice. As a result of this act, what we see is brought within our reach” (Berger, p. 8). In essence, Berger is saying that it is not as much what one says about a work of art, as what one perceives it to be, or its uniqueness. The work of art, which is typically more expressive than the written words surrounding it, allows the viewer an opportunity to share in the artist‟s experience (Berger). Likewise, what is seen is affected by past experiences, and the aim is the preparation, the continuous process, and the completion of the actions coupled with emotional movement as they transform into finality.
Learning through experience, rather than strictly by texts and teachers was prominent in Dewey‟s (1934) philosophy of most worth. In his position regarding curriculum, Dewey integrated and restructured certain ideals presented by his
13 contemporaries in the development of 20th century educational doctrine. His position in curricular matters did not align with any of the established movements, but instead represented a synthesis of ideas, and during the period of 1896 to 1904, he established the Laboratory School at the University of Chicago, which became a symbol of educational reform (Kleibard, 1982). One of the primary goals of the Laboratory
School was to show students how to make connections, and Dewey attempted to tie the curriculum to reality in an interdisciplinary manner in order to unify the curriculum. Dewey‟s educational theory emphasized the idea of continual reconstruction of experience and the realization that “ it is only by giving an artistic expression to their own life experiences that children can get any real aesthetic training” (Tanner, 1997, p. 39). Furthermore, teachers at the Laboratory School believed and practiced the idea that mental activity was connected to physical movement.
Visitors to Dewey‟s Laboratory School observed students not in straight rows, but instead, moving physically, speaking out to express ideas instead of raising their hands as would be expected in society outside of the school environment (Tanner,
1997). The teachers based their work on the Dewey (1934) concept that knowledge starts with the child‟s activities. In today‟s curriculum, these concepts can be instituted as well. It is important to realize that all ideas may not be effective in curriculum design, but perhaps restructuring the plan can offer notable results, especially if used in collaboration with other educators. Also, plans should be tentative, while having a purpose concerning the curriculum as a whole. Finally, a theme should be in place that
14 can be related to the school‟s social purposes and the child‟s psychological development that can encompass other subjects of a unified curriculum (Tanner) and provide insights into curricular design in our schools today.
Arnstine (1967, 1995), a Dewey advocate and follower, held similar views and incorporated Dewey‟s philosophy in his approach to curriculum. Both emphasized the importance of the teacher providing conditions conducive to learning, where the classroom is a safe harbor, embedded with a positive atmosphere. Both men agreed that the teacher was the one with the knowledge to best select the material to be taught in the classroom, but always with careful consideration to accommodate student needs and interests. The teacher must display a keen awareness of the student‟s prior knowledge and a sincere sensitivity to each individual who enters the classroom. Also, the knowledge and skills that students acquire need to arouse their curiosity, be considered meaningful, and be presented in a context of appropriate dispositions.
Students should be encouraged to formulate their own decisions and be allowed freedom of thought. A student must develop dispositions that enable him to learn to learn (Arnstine, 1967) in order for him to develop his own purpose. By equipping the student with conditions which provide the opportunity for making careful choices, the teacher creates a learning atmosphere whereby the student deals with problems and learns to acquire dispositions as presented by a sensitive, knowledgeable teacher
(Arnstine, 1967).
Many educational philosophers of the past believed that education in the arts provided life-enriching experiences, much like arts educators believe today. Elliot
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Eisner (1998) stated that a curriculum is needed that fosters the student‟s uniqueness as well as individual strengths and abilities. In other words, the need for a broader, more diverse conception of literacy is essential (Eisner). Eisner made clear his point that without diverse and appropriate forms of representation, growth that occurs through modes of expression will not be realized. Minds are made, and it is the curriculum that has the power to shape the mind and the culture. A rich environment is necessary to facilitate vast, deep cognitive experiences, and to provide a means of expansion of the mind (Eisner). By planning activities involving the needs and interests of the student, meaning is more easily clarified, and the likelihood of a truly aesthetic experience is much more probable. The arts should be enjoyed, because without that ingredient, the quality of the experience is diminished, learning suffers, and the flowing aesthetic experience will not be successfully accomplished (Arnstine,
1995).
The curriculum is one of the first topics considered in any discussion regarding schooling, and the activities that foster learning are ones that satisfy curiosity and involve thought and effort on a path to understanding. When teachers are clear about their aims, games can be a fun and educational way to learn (Arnstine, 1995).
Teachers in Dewey‟s Lab School believed that mental activity could not be separated from the opportunity of physical movement, and that concept development begins with student activities (Tanner, 1997).
One valuable means of incorporating games and play into the curriculum is
Education Through Music (ETM), a process of teaching and learning through song
16 and play. By using language, song, movement, and interactive play, the students develop musical skills and literacy as well as a joy for music as they build cognitive skills. Based on English-language folk songs inspired by Zoltan Kodaly‟s philosophy of music education, the singing-based curriculum introduces the musical concepts of each song through a variety of musical and physical games. Since Kodaly-based music is a physical activity, students are taught sounds before notation in order to gain a greater sense of pitch and rhythm. Kodaly believed that children should learn folk songs from their native land just as they learn language from exposure at a very early age. As children continue to learn in a comprehensive and sequential manner, it is likely they will grow to treasure their musical heritage to a much greater degree
(Grice, 2005). Kodaly stated, “The bad taste of adults can hardly be improved. On the other hand the good taste developed early is difficult to spoil later on. Therefore, we should be very careful with the initial impressions. They affect the whole life” (Grice, p. 137). Because Kodaly‟s objective was to ensure that music education was available for every child at an early age, he wholeheartedly believed that the life of every human being was enriched by good music (Sinor, 1997).
Mary Helen Richards (1978), the founder of Education Through Music (ETM), was advised by Zoltan Kodaly to utilize folk songs as the foundation to create successful musical experiences. Richards‟ approach incorporates song-experience- games built on simple English and American folk songs. As Richards (1977) expressed in her book, Aesthetic Foundations for Thinking Rethought:
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The song experience is designed to set up conditions in social interaction,
movement, language, music, symbolization, and thought, through activities
that develop interest in what is happening. This creates a good environment of
study for all things that can happen in the song experience. It also creates
interest in what makes the song sound the way it does, providing an ideal
atmosphere for the study of music and the language in song. (p. 13)
Furthermore, communication results from song-experience-games because they often create an atmosphere in which the students are able to relax and become more self-confident and comfortable with other participants (Richards, 1980). Also, since non-competitive exploration is a basic activity in Education Through Music, fear is diminished greatly (Richards, 1977).
Dewey (1934) characterized the initial stage of any complete experience as impulsion. “Impulsions are the beginnings of complete experience because they proceed from need; from a hunger and demand that belongs to the organism as a whole and that can be supplied only by instituting definite relations with the environment” (Dewey, p. 61). A child‟s impulse is very important, and opportunities should be made available through engaging activities (Tanner, 1997). These activities, including games, typical of the rich song experiences in the ETM approach, make learning fun, while at the same time, help develop skills in strategy, community, how to learn from mistakes, and how to win and lose gracefully (Dewey).
Another method in which games, chants, poems, rhymes, songs, dances, and instruments are used in a non-competitive atmosphere is Orff Schulwerk, a way to
18 teach and learn music (American Orff Schulwerk Association [AOSA], 2008). Orff
Schulwerk began in the 1920s by composer Carl Orff and his colleague Gunild
Keetman. In this educational approach, children actively participate. By the use of language, rhythmic patterns, improvisation, instruments, and movement, students become sensitive listeners and develop creativity. Teachers break down each activity into its simplest form and then layer additional steps one at a time to create a more complex completed performance (AOSA). For example, the students‟ musical development begins with experiences guided by the teacher with an emphasis on spontaneity and exploration. The students imitate given examples, and finally are guided to apply musical patterns that lead to improvisation. This approach encourages creativity for all students, regardless of the level of musical talent. This type of sequential learning helps develop a sense of confidence and self-esteem (Honn, 2005).
One of the major advantages of the Orff method is the opportunity for students to work together in collaboration to create and perform complex musical form. Through such musical activity, as well as through any work of art, the experience involves a community effort as a sign of unification toward a fulfilling conclusion (Dewey,
1934).
The importance of the contribution of the arts to education, where in the past, the sciences have maintained prominence, was explored by Elliott Eisner (1998). He spoke of the need for expanding the kinds of meaning through the curriculum and development of multiple forms of literacy in an effort to build cognitive skills. The curriculum has always played an essential role because the experiences of students and
19 the forms of representation available to them determined their ability to gain meaning and understanding. Different forms of literacy enable different forms of knowing, which is made possible through the curriculum. Literacy is not limited to text, and varied forms are necessary to create meaning (Eisner).
The need exists today to consider redesigning testing practices and university requirements, which have historically regarded the arts as a low priority within the curriculum. Connections exist among all facets of a well-developed curriculum, and visual learning has always been an important way of constructing meaning. The ability to create visual forms allows one to communicate those meanings with others. Eisner
(1998) noted that images are immediate, they have the ability to simplify, and visual examples allow creative imagining to surface. He suggested open dialogue with policy makers in order to create a curriculum to include the education of vision. Eisner believed that there is a gross misunderstanding of the role of the arts in the educational process. One reason for this belief is the limited amount of time given to the arts in our schools. Even though the research shows incomplete results, it appears the arts raise the academic achievement in reading and writing. We need to understand the importance of the arts, develop policy to include them as an important part of the existing curriculum, provide students with competent teachers, and help parents understand what arts education can do to enhance and better the lives of their children
(Eisner).
Eisner (1998) encouraged the use of alternative paradigms as a way of utilizing different forms whereby mind and knowledge “reject the idea that there is only one
20 single epistemology” (p. 104). He explained the growing interest in alternative paradigms and how a greater awareness exists in which the presence of methods and knowledge recognize that there is not just one philosophy that maintains dominance.
Literal language needs to be supplemented by various forms of representation in order to convey meaning. New models have raised the awareness of research, evaluation, and the potential to provide more equitable methods to reflect the values the teacher considers worthy. History tells us that American schools are at risk of failing, and a need for school reform is essential. After the 1970s, achievement tests became the way schools accepted accountability, but Eisner made it clear that mandates of the 1980s have not been successful and stated the need for assessments that have more validity than what has been traditionally used by the educational system. Different forms of assessment are needed for different functions, and growing pluralism will continue to develop the area of assessment and continue to improve it (Eisner).
Coherence, imagery, and particularity are the end result of artistic thinking.
With that in mind, it makes perfect sense that artistically crafted research will help us recognize what teachers actually do. Even more importantly, it will help us understand the unique qualities of each student through the development of empathetic knowing, especially since we are aware that not everything is measurable, but everything can be felt (Eisner, 1998).
The programs we provide in our schools reflect the direction we expect our children to follow. What is chosen to include or remove from the curriculum demonstrates the value we place on those subjects. Most curricular decisions neglect
21 individual idiosyncrasies or aptitudes by assuming one size fits all (Eisner, 1998).
Education should reflect every form of literacy that enables students to participate in, enjoy, and find meaning in their education and in their lives. If we believe aesthetic values are important, we must purposely introduce them as only education in the arts can do.
In conclusion, it is clear that many notable philosophers, educators, and authors were in agreement on several of the challenging concepts in arts education and shared the general awareness that creativity is essential to any successful curriculum.
They also expressed concern for the lack of attention given to the arts in education. It is clear that teachers must possess knowledge of the subject matter and understand how students learn in order to expect learning to occur. Teachers must also provide a creative, yet challenging environment that is sensitive and genuinely interested in each student‟s life. The creative climate is not constant, is always changing, requiring adjustments and sometimes even major changes as challenges present themselves
(Arnstine, 1995).
Working your way through a challenge is like riding a rowboat in a storm.
Everyone in the boat knows how to row, but when a storm comes up, the
waves and wind can hit you from any direction. To make it through the storm,
you have to keep rowing in the right direction while giving the boat the
freedom to go left and right as it needs to. And remember, your team members
are your rudders. (Imagineers, 2003, p. 142)
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Educators have the duty to develop a curriculum where the challenges can be met with renewed enthusiasm and an intrinsic ability to meet the needs of each student. Arts education has the potential to enhance all subjects in a well-planned and executed curriculum.
Experiencing Music
Music has always been an important part of the history of mankind.
Throughout the ages, music has played a significant role in the human experience through celebrations, rituals, and everyday events, where human emotion and intellect are expressed and woven into a rich musical tapestry. Expressing one‟s feelings through a pathway of musical experience can be accomplished more effectively through a comprehensive music education program which encourages all students to develop knowledge and skills. By providing creative opportunities, students can truly learn to use music as a means to enjoy life and gain the ability to express themselves more clearly and communicate more effectively in the present and perhaps more importantly, in the future. By expressing themselves through music, a sense of self- confidence will likely present itself in a variety of positive ways, providing a solid foundation by which the students gain understanding. By actively participating in a standards based music program, the students will likely develop into individuals who embrace aesthetic experiences and appreciate the fact that music connects them to their world.
One of the most common ways for students to experience music is through singing. Through frequency and sequential development, students will learn to sing on
23 pitch with rhythmic accuracy and expression. Music educators must guide the students by including a diverse repertoire of music from various styles and cultures. The importance of studying and performing world music will raise cultural and social awareness. After gaining knowledge and skills, aesthetic valuing should result from the students emotional response and reflection of the musical experience through the perceptions and critiques of the performances they heard or performed (California
Department of Education, 2004).
Even though a comprehensive music program should be the basic building block for student success, growth can be expanded greatly by inviting community members, whether professional or amateur, to work and perform with students. By inviting guest musicians and encouraging parent involvement in the music classroom, students will not only gain additional support, but also may be motivated to seek out additional musical opportunities outside the music classroom to further their development and love of music for the rest of their lives (California Department of
Education, 2004).
What is Folk Music?
The author chose to discuss ways to improve the elementary general music curriculum through an intensive study of American folk music and the use of the guitar as an accompaniment instrument in the classroom. In order to define folk music, first it is important to understand that folk songs can be dated back hundreds of years, but many are recent. Second, folk songs are not all anonymous as many people think.
Finally, folk songs do exist in written form and nearly all have been collected and
24 documented (Praver & Praver , 1984). In 1955, the International Folk Music Council created the following definition of folk music:
Folk music is the product of a musical tradition that has been evolved through
the process of oral transmission. The factors that shape the tradition are (i)
continuity that links the present with the past; (ii) variation which springs from
the creative impulses of the individual or the group; and (iii) selection by the
community which determines the form or forms in which the music survives.
The term can be applied to music that has been evolved from rudimentary
beginnings by a community uninfluenced by popular and art music and it can
likewise be applied to music which has originated with an individual composer
and has subsequently been absorbed into the unwritten living tradition of a
community. The term does not cover composed popular music that has been
taken over ready-made by a community and remains unchanged for it is the re-
fashioning and re-creation of the music by the community that gives it its folk
character. (Praver & Praver, 1984, p. 57)
It is imperative to realize that an important characteristic of all folk music is change through the folk process. Lomax (as cited in Praver & Praver, 1984) described this folk process when he wrote:
...the mass of a people participate in folk song‟s growth forever reweaving old
materials to create new versions, much as an old lady creates a new quilt out of
an old by adding, year by year, new scraps and patches. So folk song grows in
small steps, with every slight change tested for audience reaction, thereby
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achieving a permanence in man‟s affection matched only by the greatest art.
This art lives upon the lips of the multitude and is transmitted by the grapevine,
surviving sometimes for centuries because it reflects so well the deepest
emotional convictions of the common man. This is a truly democratic art,
painting a portrait of the people, unmatched for honesty and validity in any
other record. (p. 57)
So in simple terms, folk music is the music of the people. It reflects the wide cultural diversities of the American people and literally tells the story of the people who are the fabric of our country.
Folk Music in Elementary Schools
The author was in agreement with Jerry and Bev Praver (1984) who suggested that if children do not hear American folk music in school, they will not hear it at all.
Very few children will be exposed to their rich musical folk heritage at home, and most will miss out on the benefits that experiencing folk music can provide. This is why it is of critical importance to introduce students to folk music, as a carefully designed comprehensive music curriculum may be the only avenue for students to experience and enjoy the music of their cultural heritage. Not only does folk music possess humor, wisdom, and historical information, but it also utilizes instruments that are typical to folk music and may not be heard elsewhere. The acoustic guitar is perhaps the most common, but other instruments representative of traditional folk music include the banjo, mandolin, autoharp, harmonica, Appalachian dulcimer, as
26 well as simple instruments like the kazoo, spoons, bones, Jew‟s harp, tin whistle, and limberjack (Praver & Praver, 1984).
Connecting Music to Other Subjects in the Curriculum
Interdisciplinary teaching, a style that includes elements of more than one subject at a time, can be of immense value, especially when working with students who do not consider themselves musical. The National Standards 8 and 9 emphasize the links between music, culture, history, and other academic subjects. Therefore, it is important to initiate lesson plans in which connections are made to enhance learning in all areas of the curriculum. An example is how music connects to language. Literary devices like alliteration, similes, metaphors, and song lyrics in connection with poetry could help strengthen musical and language skills through such collaboration (Block,
2009). If music teachers will guide their students by connecting music and language- based instruction, the probability of improving their speaking and reading skills exists.
Children love to sing simple songs over and over again, and each time they do, their language skills improve and their love for music grows. Susan Kenney, professor of music at Brigham Young University wrote in the Winter 2008 issue of General Music
Today:
Simple folk songs...are most appropriate for young children. One of the
reasons they have lasted so long is that they are carriers of the flow of
language. Of course, other songs may be used for other reasons, but they are
not as valuable for building the music-literacy connection. (as cited in Moore,
2009, p. 57)
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Even though the connections already exist between the arts and the other subject areas, arts teachers must work diligently and creatively with their colleagues to integrate all areas of the curriculum in order to gain respect and support for their programs within the school and the community (Lyon, 2005).
Using the Guitar in the Classroom
Research has shown how the work of the nonprofit organization, Guitars in the
Classroom, has been successful in reinforcing spelling, rhyming patterns, vocabulary words, history lessons, and math and science facts. The program (GITC), founded in
1998 by Santa Cruz, California, music educator, Jessica Baron Turner, was designed to create a more positive approach in declining music education programs. By training teachers in guitar fundamentals and technique, teachers use their basic guitar skills to help students pay attention and increase retention. Turner points out that such creative approaches often work extremely well with “unconventional learners, anxious children, kids with disabilities, and kids who are not fluent in English” (Turner, as cited in Capone, 2005, p. 26).
The GITC program was created in part because guitars were portable and relatively inexpensive, and Guitars in the Classroom now boasts programs in nearly a dozen states. Teachers take free lessons using Turner‟s Smart Start guitar books to learn songs using open G, and by the end of an eighth week course, teachers master two more chords C and D which makes it possible to play a wide variety of simple songs (Capone, 2005).
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Many folk songs use chord progressions of three chords, so the GITC program could be a great means of introducing American folk songs in the elementary classroom for those teachers who wish to utilize the guitar as a teaching tool in their classroom.
Folk Music Activities for the Classroom
One of the most simple folk song activities for the classroom uses folk songs based on a pentatonic scale. Carl Orff and Zoltan Kodaly used folk music as a major source in teaching music. Both Orff and Kodaly asserted that folk songs were not complex and were based on spontaneous music from childhood day-to-day experiences. Kodaly stated the following regarding folk music:
First of all, a good folk song is a perfect masterpiece in itself. Only the music
which has sprung from the ancient musical traditions of a people can reach the
masses of that people...folk songs offer such a wide variety of moods and
perspectives that the child grows in human consciousness, feeling more and
more at home in his country. (Kodaly, as cited in Hardy, 2007, p. 29)
Most folk music is binary or ternary with a verse/chorus pattern, is uncomplicated with much repetition, uses a limited range, and primary triads (I, IV,
V7). Most folk songs are pentatonic (do, re, mi, sol, and la) which contain no half steps. Since the tones in a pentatonic scale sound good together, it makes improvising and harmonizing patterns much more effective, giving the student a much greater opportunity for success. Orff instruments including xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspeils can elevate the experience when set up with the bars of the pentatonic
29 scale so that students can improvise patterns that complement each other in a given song. Rhythm instruments can also be added, whereby students spontaneously create patterns. An aesthetic ensemble results as children learn to play and sing without hesitation and learn to work together with freedom in a non-threatening environment.
Some familiar pentatonic songs that can be sung and performed by students in the classroom and accompanied by the guitar are:
“Mary Had a Little Lamb”
“Rain, Rain”
“Hush Little Baby”
“All Night, All Day”
“Old Brass Wagon”
“Steal Away”
“Every Time I Feel the Spirit”
“Shake Them Simmons Down”
“Git Along Little Dogies”
“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”
“Goodbye, Old Paint”
“If I Had a Hammer”
“Going Down to Cairo”
“Nobody Knows the Trouble I‟ve Seen”
“Tom Dooley”
“Rock Island Line”
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“O Susanna” (first part)
“Old Folks at Home” (first part) (Hardy, 2005, pp. 29-30)
America‟s Community Song Tradition
For more than 100 years, group singing was the main activity in American public school music education. Once a singing nation, our heritage was brought to life through community singing, which not only provided enjoyment, but also an understanding of the rich music unique to our country. Singing once played a major role in our educational, social, religious, political, and community activities, but today community singing has experienced a dramatic decline, and it seems we are rapidly becoming a nation of non-singers who no longer celebrate our cultural heritage in song as we once did.
Will Schmid, President of Music Educators National Conference from 1994-
1996, met with invited representatives of several other music organizations in April,
1995, to discuss singing in America. It was agreed that something needed to be done to encourage people to sing, so a campaign was launched, and the result was a book published by Hal Leonard Corporation entitled Get America Singing...Again! The campaign sought to present a common song repertoire that “Americans, of all ages, know and can sing” (Schmid, as cited in Music Educators National Conference
[MENC], 1996). Another main objective of the campaign was to promote community singing including audience participation at concerts, public gatherings, meetings, clubs, and at home. Through the efforts of Americans from every walk of life, Schmid and his selected committee believed a positive change could occur by including the
31 members of a community in the act of singing. The creation of Get America
Singing...Again), a compilation of 43 songs, helped establish a renewed interest in group singing in the United States. Volume two was added in an attempt to broaden the repertoire and include more songs that the public considered their favorites, with special emphasis on selecting singable songs that represented a wide variety of folk, popular, and cultural styles (Schmid, as cited in MENC, 2000). Schmid described the importance of group singing when he said:
Singing with others builds community, and America and the world are in bad
need of that. When people join together in song it creates a sense of being
connected, of belonging, and of being an active participant in life. This feeling
is so needed in an age of electronic isolation and „virtual‟ participation in life.
There is also mounting evidence that singing and other forms of interpersonal
active music making (drumming, playing guitars or keyboards, participating in
a band, choir or orchestra) has significant health and long-term wellness
benefits. (Schmid, as cited in MENC, 2000, p. 4)
This trend of more and more Americans referring to themselves as “non- singers” should be of great concern to music educators. Many people believe that modern technology has led to less participation, allowing most people to become music spectators. Although this may be partially true, music educators must assume part of the responsibility for the decline in America‟s community song tradition. In the early part of this century, it was the goal of music educators to teach every student about his or her cultural heritage through a common body of song. It was a common
32 belief that there were specific songs that all American students should know in order to fully contribute in the life of their community. Group singing in class, as well as assembly singing was the norm, and music teachers were expected to maintain the necessary skills to conduct effective assembly sings. Such organized group singing resulted in the publication of a variety of songbooks used for community singing; some popular songbooks included 18 Songs for Community Singing (Casterton, 1913, as cited in Elliott, 1990), 55 Songs and Choruses for Community Singing (Dykema,
1917, as cited in Elliott), and Twice 55 Community Songs: The Green Book (Dykema,
1923, as cited in Elliott). Today, however, such songbooks are rarely utilized as teaching tools, and the de-emphasis of group singing, especially for those students not enrolled in performance based vocal groups, has been detrimental to the celebration of our cultural heritage through music education. Today it is common for specialists to approach music education from the appreciation standpoint with songs strictly selected from a concept perspective, with little concern or value given to the simple joy of singing (Elliott). Since music programs have limited time constraints, and the majority of students are not enrolled in performing groups, it is of great importance that these students experience music with a positive attitude, value it in their lives, maintain skills to participate at some level within their communities, and have familiarity with their cultural heritage. These goals can be accomplished through group singing
(Elliott). Music educators should be concerned that our students are not familiar with much of the rich music that is an important part of our heritage, and by taking some responsibility for this decline, could develop a music curriculum that would include an
33 enduring understanding of our cultural heritage accomplished partially through group singing. The community song movement influenced the general music curriculum mostly during the period of 1913 to 1930, but over the past few decades, its impact has diminished a great deal in our country (Foy, 1990).
An all-school sing at the elementary level can provide a rewarding experience for students and teachers. Because many students are self-conscious about singing in public, it is the responsibility of the music teacher to help alleviate the fear the student may have by providing experiences that help contribute to promoting confidence and self-assurance. After the students learn songs in a small group setting, and the administration and teaching staff are all onboard with the idea of performing folk songs that relate to other areas of the curriculum and to the specific culture of the community, the music teacher should make a list of appropriate songs for large-group singing, including call-and-response songs, story songs, patriotic songs, simple folk songs, and simple rounds with the intention of accompanying the group on piano or guitar. The goal is for the entire school to come together for a performance when it has been determined that the students are prepared. The all-school sing can have a positive, lasting effect in the lives of students (Sins, 1990).
Research conducted by Anat Anshel & David A. Kipper (1988) investigated the effects of two components of group singing--music and activity. The component of activity, coordinated and active interactions among the group members, caused greater cooperation (Cartwright & Zander, as cited in Anshel & Kipper, 1988). The musical experience contributed to better communication and manifested into greater group
34 cohesion, trust, and positive self-image (Anshel & Kipper). Several authors claim that exposure to music in group situations enhances self-confidence, self-awareness, emotional relief, pleasure, and communication, and that it affects interpersonal behavior. Some authors believe that these could have a positive effect on cooperativeness (Gaston, as cited in Anshel & Kipper), which could be strengthened in group singing and might possibly create greater trust in the participants. The research found that the involvement in group singing was shown to promote trust and cooperation among its members (Ansel & Kipper).
Little research has been conducted on the impact of singing on human emotion or mood, and in the research study entitled “The Effects of Group Singing on Mood”
(Unwin, Kenny, & Davis, 2002) participants were randomly placed into three groups in which each participated in one session of either singing or listening. All three groups experienced the same singing program, and the results of this study supported the hypothesis that singing can alter mood. Although not confirmed, the results also were clear that the singing group showed greater positive changes in mood compared to the listening group. Because singing requires the use of breathing and vocal muscles to express emotions, it may result in a much different physiological effect compared to passive listening (Unwin et al.).
Peter Amidon (2009), a seasoned workshop presenter in storytelling, traditional dance, and music expressed his views on the all-school sing. He considers each all-school sing as unique since each is guided by the personalities of the teachers, school administrators, and the students. Also affecting the experience is the size of the
35 group, the space where the gathering occurs, and the frequency of the sing (Amidon).
Mr. Amidon included specific examples of all-school sings he has observed or been involved with over the past several years as follows:
Townshend Elementary: K-6, about 100 students, Townshend, VT: When
Townshend found themselves without a music teacher in 1983, some of the
parents and teachers started singing with the students every day. As the
children came off the playground first thing in the morning they came in
through the front door and up the stairs on the left and on the right. The adult
leaders wrote out songs on oak tag, often one sheet for each verse of a song,
and held them up, while a parent who could play piano accompanied. When
Mary Kay Brass started teaching music there in 1984 she found a school
transformed by singing. Singing was as essential as reading and writing and
eating, and the school sounded like a children‟s chorus. As a matter of fact
they have put out a couple of tapes of their singing, which are great resources
for all-school sing songs. They still sing every day. (para. 2)
Marion Wilder School; K-6, 300-400 students, Norwich, VT: The
Wilder school has had a weekly event called Rep held faithfully every
Thursday afternoon to which the public is also invited. The music teacher
Mary Ann Wilde starts and ends with a song for all; all the other performances
are created and performed by the students. They have to let Mary Ann review
the performances first, and she coordinates the whole thing. Performances
might be acting out the beginning of a favorite book, “...and you‟ll have to read
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it to learn the ending”, or a performance of student instrumentalists and
singers. (para. 4)
Molly Stark School; K-6, 300 students, Bennington, VT: Molly Stark
starts each week with an all-school sing Monday morning. A couple of the
classroom teachers lead the singing along with the music teacher; one of the
classroom teachers plays guitar and mandolin to accompany the singing. The
principal plays a central role in the planning and leading of this event, which
includes the giving out of awards, other important messages, and the
celebrating of birthdays on the first Monday of each month. (para. 5)
All of the schools Amidon (2009) described have found that the all-school singing activities have created a positive impact on their school community. Because of the differences in each school, it is important to determine what works for a specific school and creatively search for techniques and material in order to have a significant effect on the spirit and culture of the school in order to sustain its existence (Amidon).
Family music nights have been organized as a community service in some schools. In a Music Educators National Conference (MENC) online forum, a participant from Napa, California explained how his family music nights have been mostly based on echo singing with the teacher as the leader. The simple, familiar songs with words projected for greater participation, as well as some simple folk dances, served to help families understand the value of music in their lives. The teacher found that recruiting other teachers and adults to participate helped encourage parents to join in with greater enthusiasm. The purpose was not only to educate
37 parents about the music curriculum, but also to encourage families to make music together (David D., participant, Napa, California, MENC, n.d.).
Second grade teacher Jinny Vroom, in the Folsom Cordova Unified School
District, Folsom, California, (personal communication, October 17, 2009) started the
“Gator Sing” program when the Sandra J Gallardo Elementary School opened in 2003.
The 25 minute sing-fest is scheduled every other week throughout the school year, and includes all students in first and second grades, or approximately 240 students. Songs sung with the assistance of Mrs. Vroom and other teachers are accompanied by compact discs and include several patriotic and folk song selections. To boost enthusiasm and create an exciting atmosphere, a parent often dons an alligator costume, which is the school mascot. Mrs. Vroom explained her inspiration for starting the group-sing at her elementary school by saying:
I wanted to start this program so we could get together and establish a
community while having fun singing our hearts out! The children look forward
to “Gator Sing”, and I have had numerous parents applaud the program.
Teachers love it, and have become very creative in leading us in song. Music
can be used in all areas of the curriculum, and I know that it has spread into
other areas of study such as math, social studies, and science in my classroom
and in others too. “Gator Sing” has established a great sense of community
with the children and teachers as well. Sometimes we are so moved that we are
all up dancing while we are singing in unison. It is a lovely thing. (Vroom,
personal communication, October 17, 2009)
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According to Abbie Ehorn (personal communication, November 11, 2009), an elementary music specialist from the Evergreen Elementary School in Redding,
California, school unity and pride are instilled in her students through a monthly school sing focusing on character, community building and self esteem. She plans performances by grade level and stresses singing for the pure joy of many voices coming together.
Pulitzer-winning author Thomas L. Friedman discussed the importance of meaningful musical experiences, such as group singing, and their life-long effects as they apply to globalization and its “flattening” effect on the world (Friedman, as cited in Beckmann-Collier, 2009). Now is a critical time for music teachers to prepare their students for a changing global economy. In his research to identify the kind of education young people need to survive in the new global economy, Friedman concluded that “the abilities that matter most are now closer in spirit to the specialties of the [brain‟s] right hemisphere--artistry, empathy, seeing the big picture and pursuing the transcendent” (Friedman, as cited in Beckmann-Collier, 2009, p. 28).
Friedman states:
To flourish in this age, we‟ll need to supplement our well-developed high-tech
abilities with aptitudes that are “high-concept” and “high-touch.” High concept
involves the ability to create artistic and emotional beauty, to detect patterns
and opportunities, to craft a satisfying narrative, and to come up with
inventions the world didn‟t know it was missing. High touch involves the
capacity to empathize, to understand the subtleties of human interaction, to
39
find joy in one‟s self and to elicit it in others, and to stretch beyond the
quotidian in pursuit of purpose and meaning. (Friedman, as cited in Beckmann-
Collier, p. 28)
Now possibly more than ever before, music teachers must reevaluate their goals and strategies in order to establish greater participation, redefining how to help their students learn to learn, awaken passion, develop people skills, and engage in activities that focus on empathy and artistry (Beckmann-Collier, 2009).
The author agrees with Friedman and recognizes the importance of a sense of community. Through activities such as group or community singing, a stronger sense of teamwork and an enhanced group identity can result. Also a sense of pride and an atmosphere of trust and sensitivity to others will likely prevail. The introduction of folk music can influence values and feelings by helping students develop musical skills as well as encourage personal skills necessary to be successful in a flat world.
Beckmann-Collier (2009) states that “Teaching that creates meaningful, comprehensive experiences for students will result in inspired and inspiring music making and lifelong learning for both students and their teachers” (p. 30).
The Importance of Using Multicultural Folk Music in the Classroom
It is the responsibility of the music educator to encourage student interest in music by choosing material such as timeless folk songs, including multicultural selections, in order to broaden musical awareness and appreciation. Folk music has always had a tremendous appeal to children, and when presented with a creative, fresh approach, students embrace it with joy and emotional responsiveness. Folk music has
40 a stabilizing emotional effect with which students can identify and the elements of lyrics and music can be easily adapted to fit current community needs in celebration and local happenings. Harmony of folk songs can be altered to fit the taste of any generation and experimentation in chord progressions can lend another creative twist to a familiar folk song.
By supplying students with vital folk songs from around the world, including
Africa, South America, the East and Middle East, Australia, Europe, as well as our own country, students will be better equipped to express their own feelings through music by singing, dancing, and performing. Folk music is popular music of enduring quality (Landeck, 1968) and has the ability to develop growth in our youth emotionally, physically, socially, and musically.
The importance of presenting American folk music to elementary students is equaled by the importance of designing music programs that implement multicultural folk music. Besides providing students with a wide variety of folk songs from around the world, teaching about music from many cultures can lead students to value cultural diversity. When Americans truly acknowledge and accept all of its cultures and the worth of each, only then can we develop into a truly great society. Teaching music from a multicultural perspective will augment the music program in our schools and enable all students to establish a sense of pride in their specific racial and ethnic background. When developing a curriculum that includes multicultural folk music, the following guidelines may assist the music educator in the selection of various issues regarding multiculturalism:
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1. Music teachers should learn as much as they can about the cultures that their
students represent. Open minds and sincerity in accepting music that is
representative of all Americans will help students overcome their prejudices.
2. Music teachers should also encourage their students to share their unique
cultural backgrounds in the classroom.
3. One way to celebrate the diversity of our student population is to incorporate
opportunities for creativity and improvisation into the curriculum. When
students improvise, they are involved in spontaneous musical composition,
drawing upon musical skills and understandings that are truly culturally
creative. Music of all cultures incorporates improvisation as an integral part of
its creation and performance. This includes vocal as well as instrumental
improvisation.
4. Music teachers need to learn as much as possible about students‟ homes and
communities, interests, talents, skills, and potentials and construct the music
program to reflect these.
5. Music teachers can invite parents to help collect materials and other resources
that pertain to a particular ethnic group. (Rauscher, 2005, pp. 112-113)
To ensure that all students benefit from a wide variety of multicultural experiences in the elementary general music classroom, the future will depend on music educators who believe that we must consider cultural diversity in order to provide enriching musical experiences for all students (Rauscher, 2005).
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There is an abundance of information on the web under the topic “multicultural music education”. Due to the change of our student populations in our schools, multicultural education has risen to a higher level of importance. With classrooms filled with students from many cultures, it has become critically important to emphasis cultural diversity in music instruction and to develop strategies to include the cultures of all students in a given classroom (Fojas, 2009). It is of utmost importance to approach the musical cultures of others and our own with respect and seek meaningful ways to engage the students especially when the music may be unfamiliar. Our teaching methods must be authentic to the culture of the music, preserving their intended meaning and integrity, by not simplifying or altering their structure. We must also be authentic to the students who are being taught. The teacher must be sensitive to the needs, backgrounds, experiences, and skills of each student, with a clear understanding of the importance of allowing the students to connect past experiences with new ones and valuing each child as an individual musician (Blair & Kondo,
2008).
Making Stringed Folk Instruments
Whether in a group setting or as a solo performer, making music can be a positive way in which to channel feelings and emotions. Music can create joy or express sorrow in a language that all people understand. Musical experiences can create a magic unlike anything else, and a creative way to extend the pleasure music gives us, is to provide opportunities for young children to experiment with building simple, primitive instruments by which they will learn not only from an historical
43 perspective, but also provide an exciting, hands-on approach to creating a unique instrument to express a wide variety of sounds. This, in turn, would develop a keener musical ear. Children are naturally curious, and with encouragement, building an instrument, although quite simple, can expand the imagination of the child and help develop musical skills and engrain a love for music at an early age. Making and playing an instrument will provide an outlet for creative energy that can enable children to become sensitive musicians, becoming aware of their own artistic talents
(Waring, 1990). It is common to skip some basics and start young children playing sophisticated instruments such as the piano, violin, or flute. However, if young children begin their music training by making basic sounds on simple instruments, they can acquire a deeper understanding of where and how sounds originate, and they will be able to discern simple tunes and play them on the instrument. Helping young children make their own simple instruments can be a great source of learning and enjoyment and can be a means to encourage creativity in sound production (Cline,
1980).
One of the oldest references of stringed instruments is found in the wall paintings in the caves of Les Trois Freres, dated circa 15,000 B.C. It is believed the wall painting depicts a shaman dressed as a bison holding a musical bow against his mouth and performing an enchanted dance with a real bison. Throughout history, instruments have been an important part of ceremonies and rituals and continue to be associated with such pageantry with the power to induce mood changes. Modern
44 stringed instruments also share the basic components of their earlier counterparts in that the strings and the resonator have remained basically the same.
The word “string” is used even though the strings are made of various materials, such as steel, nylon, or gut. Silk, twine, and plant fibers have been used in some cultures in the construction of stringed instruments, and the kind of sound produced is determined by the material used (Waring, 1990). Waring explained:
These three factors affect the sound of any stringed instrument.
1. The tension of the string affects the pitch. (the tighter the string, the higher the
pitch).
2. The length of the string affects the pitch (the longer the string, the lower the
pitch).
3. The thickness and the material of the string affects the pitch and tone quality
(the thicker the string, the lower and fuller the sound). (Waring, 1990, p. 11)
Strings are played by plucking with the fingers or a plectra made from a quill, bone, or plastic pick (for the guitar). The material and the style of picking have an enormous effect on the tone produced. After the string has been activated, a hollow chamber to which the strings are attached reflects the sound. Resonating cavities, often used in their natural form, include gourds, logs, pods, tubes, shells, framed skins, crafted boxes, and even human skulls (Waring, 1990).
Some typical, simple stringed instruments young students can build themselves include the rubber band harp, Indian mouth bow, wall harp, ground bow, washtub
45 bass, bleach bottle banjo, board zither (Waring, 1990), and ham can guitar (Cline,
1980).
Folk Music and the Guitar
In his book, Guitar, An American Life, Tim Brookes (2005) stated, “I didn‟t want an expensive guitar, or even necessarily a beautiful one. I wanted a guitar that would feel at home, that would curl up in my lap like a cat” (p. 4). He went on to say,
”What a remarkable thing a guitar is, a small miracle of wood, vulnerable but oddly resilient” (p. 5). In the United States, during the 20th century, the guitar has become the instrument that has been sold more than all other instruments combined. For example, in 1940, 190,000 new guitars were sold. Between 1940 and 1959, guitar sales doubled. They doubled again in 1964 and in 1970 to more than two and a half million. Its immense popularity could be attributed in part by the fact that the guitar is portable, relatively inexpensive, can be learned in a short period of time, and has a range that encompasses both treble and bass voices (Brookes). The guitar became the most popular accompanying instrument with the resurgence of American folk music in the 1960s and early 1970s, and with this popularity, we have seen an increase in guitar classes offered in the music curriculum of many public schools throughout the nation.
The guitar is especially appealing since it can be used as a melodic or a harmonic instrument, and can be applied to both large and small group instruction (Wilson-
Marsh, 2005). More and more music schools and university music departments are offering guitar classes as well as degree programs in guitar performance.
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History of American Folk Music
Folk music, passed down through generations, is usually less sophisticated and complex than other music styles, but it is often extremely beautiful and filled with emotion. Popular American folk music can be traced back to singer-songwriter Woody
Guthrie. Guthrie, born in Oklahoma in 1912, grew up in a poor but musical family.
After a great dust storm forced his family to leave in search of employment in the west, Guthrie hitchhiked to California, where he wrote songs about his experiences.
Later, he traveled all over the United States and became an advocate for migrant workers, as well as a critic of politicians. Guthrie was the most important folk artist of the first half of the twentieth century, and his recordings during the 1940s influenced such folksingers as Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, both of whom were responsible for a revival of folk music in the 1960s (Cutchin et al., 2005).
In his book entitled The Folk Songs of North America, Alan Lomax (1960) introduced us to the social and historical setting of American folk songs in an effort to tell the story of the people who made and sang them. He pointed out that most folk songs did not have a direct connection with political events, but rather reflected economic conditions that directly affected the common man. Some songs were a response to major social changes, and often transformed slowly into new versions as the songs were passed down from one generation to another by word of mouth
(Lomax). Each group of immigrants to the New World brought with them the musical heritage of their native land, but the main influence of our country‟s traditional folk music was mostly British. Anglo-Scots-Irish ballads continued from the time of World
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War I well into the 20th century all across the country (Davis, 1982). Some of these folk songs were sung in England, Scotland, and Ireland before Columbus discovered the New World, but others became popular during American colonization, and as the population pushed westward, many Anglo-Scots-Irish ballads traveled along with them. Even though the ballads remained primarily the same, changes in phrasing and melody became common, as were geographical variations as time passed (Davis). Folk music, as described by Davis “synthesizes the values and anxieties of the group, and in expressing the feelings of the community reaffirms that community‟s basic values and social solidarity” (p. 230). He continues by stating:
The folk song essentially applauds its community for feeling the way it does
and serves to unite its society to the past. Unlike the art musician, who
perceives life individually, freshly, and with the desire to go beyond the
conventional, the folk musician seeks to maintain the status quo. Like the city
that supports him, the creative artist favors change, while the folk artist, linked
to the hinterland, emphasizes accepted values and existent experience and
resists departing from a known that is understandable. (p. 230)
Folk songs changed very slowly, but new versions arose gradually, transmitted by word of mouth. In more remote areas such as the Appalachians, folk songs often remained unchanged, but in more socially dynamic areas, many of the original folk songs died out or were dramatically altered. The Anglo-American folk ballad was most commonly sung without accompaniment, but in the early 19th century, a banjo, fiddle, or dulcimer were sometimes used, followed more recently by a guitar
48 accompaniment. By the mid-19th century the old folk ballads had all but become extinct, especially in the urban areas where a growing excitement in commerce existed. The conflicts and stress associated with the traditional Anglo-Scots-Irish ballads were replaced by Native American songs, associated with aspects of a regional environment. Many early American folk songs did center on political and economic issues. Street vendors at the beginning of the 18th century sold their goods on the streets in many cities, singing street cries that became popular songs of the day.
Likewise, with the Industrial Revolution came labor songs, oftentimes expressing discontent among workers concerning work conditions, long hours, and low pay.
Songs about various occupations were common, as were comic songs, often using uncouth frontier humor that appealed to urban folk. As industry expanded in the
Northeast before the Civil War began, shipping experienced great growth on the
Atlantic seaboard. Sailors established the custom of singing while they labored aboard their ships. Chanteys, or work songs, were sung by the crew as they toiled vigorously, partially in an effort to maintain a positive spirit and make the time pass more quickly as they rhythmically sang to the particular work being done. Chanteys generally consisted of a solo sung by a leader, also known as a chantey-man, who was considered one of the most important members of the crew. The solo parts were improvised, whereas the chorus lines were standard melody and words. Even though steamships replaced the sailing vessels, many of the folk songs survived. Furthermore, many seamen were also lumberjacks during the winter season. The bunkhouses of loggers were known as “shanties”, and the term “shanty-song” described the songs
49 sung by the lumberjacks after a long, hard day of labor. Their songs were mostly lonely in nature, with lyrics reminiscent of home (Davis, 1982).
In the days of the westward expansion, pioneers experienced feelings of loneliness and solitude as they traveled across the plains and wilderness in covered wagons. Many of the folk songs they sang referred to sadness and a feeling of rootlessness. With dangers lurking constantly, many embraced humor and fun to endure the trip. By singing tall tales of a ridiculous nature, the travelers poked fun in order to withstand the dangers that surrounded them every step of the way. Laughter became the medicine that soothed the soul and allowed the pioneers to persevere. As
Anglo-American frontiersmen began to settle in the west, the Spanish borders from
California to Texas were enjoying music on a large scale. Many women played the guitar, and men were skillful on the violin. Spanish folk dances linked with singing and fiestas often lasted for days (Davis, 1982).
Alan Lomax (1960), American folklorist, musician, and renowned ethnomusicologist stated, “The most one can say at present is that folk songs, even the seemingly factual ones, are expressions of feelings, and many of them, in our guilt- ridden and repressive culture, provide outlets for all sorts of unconscious fantasies...”
He continues, “An ideal folk-song study could be a history of popular feeling”
(Lomax, p. xxi). “Folk music sums up the patterns of family, of love, of conflict, and of work which give a community its special feel and which shape the personalities of its members” (Lomax, p. xv). Each group of settlers brought with them songs that were popular in their homelands, so the American folk songs were a blend of folk
50 traditions of many other lands (Lomax). Many early folk songs were crude, but possessed a quality of honesty that did not exist in other forms of American music
(Davis, 1982).
Lomax (1960) described folk songs as “part dream and part reality” (p. xxviii).
From the depths of the heart of the people, folk songs represented the experience of the people who created them. They evoked feelings and a belonging to the human family, and having been kept alive and reshaped over time, they have “acquired the patina of art” (Lomax, p. xxviii). They reflect the creativity of the heart and result in true beauty (Lomax).
It is Lomax‟s (1960) belief that many young folk musicians in the entertainment field are turning to folk music as a means to express their political discontent and voice their feelings through their music. It is his belief that some of the modern ballads created presently may become the folk songs of the future, maintaining the staying power that the folk songs of our past have endured. American emotional problems are relatively constant, regardless of a specific historical period, and our folk songs are a symbol of these problems. Lomax expressed his understanding of this by pointing out that young people may discover the source of their own emotions and those of the American people by singing folk songs, and
“begin to face these problems with increased maturity” (Lomax, p. xxviii).
Folk music needs to come to life, be sung and played, and what better place to start this process than in our schools, teaching children not only the songs, but learning our history in the process. Lomax (1960) is convinced of the importance of singing
51 and feeling folk songs as they were originally intended to be sung and felt by those who created them. If we wish to learn to sing folk songs well, it requires knowledge and effort in order to cultivate the singing style necessary to master the style. First, the singer gains the ability to capture the style through imitation, next by absorption, and eventually understanding is consummated. Through listening, then applying what he has learned, the singer will successfully perform folk songs in the style by which they were intended.
Lomax (1960), one of the great field collectors of folk music from America, referenced folk songs according to specific sections of our country, including the north, the southern mountains and backwoods, the west, and the Negro south. Many of his folk song selections from these geographical areas will be included in an appendix at the end of this project for use in a general music classroom (Lomax).
In this literature review, the author documented that the arts are essential in offering a comprehensive and high-quality education to all students. As a part of the core curriculum, the arts have a real impact on learning and achievement, and through interdisciplinary teaching can greatly enhance learning across the curriculum.
Consequently, students overcome obstacles and enjoy accomplishments through the learning process. The author revealed an in-depth look at American and multicultural folk music through historical background information, shared the importance of the guitar as a teaching tool, and offered suggestions for its use in the elementary general music classroom. Finally, the author emphasized how community singing can provide an opportunity for students to build character, a sense of pride, confidence, and self-
52 esteem by merely joining together in song. Although the arts tend not to be a high priority item in many school districts, this literature review identified research to substantiate the need for arts education to maintain its prominence in our educational system. In music education, all students are equal. Even those students who feel ineffective in other areas of the curriculum can be successful in the music classroom, given guidance through the efforts of skilled and creative teachers. Every student who participates in a musical experience will likely acquire not only greater musical skills, but also a much greater sense of self and a deeper appreciation for the art experience.
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Chapter 3
PORTFOLIO
Introduction
This chapter consists of journal entries written in narrative form for the purpose of documenting my growth and development as a musician for a period of six months. By developing skills to play the guitar in my elementary general music classes, my ultimate goal was to successfully accompany the students in classroom music lessons and in a concert in May at each school. The written entries, which show the progress of the project through weekly guitar lessons, are presented in a journal style and show the challenges as well as the joy of accomplishment in this undertaking. Not only are the entries informative in direct relation to the project, but they also explain the goals and expectations during the process from my perspective and from the viewpoint of my private guitar teacher. Many of the journal entries describe in detail specific feelings and concerns experienced throughout the project, including struggles regarding practice and performing with an accompaniment instrument in the classroom and in a prospective concert situation.
My Background
My first musical experience began as a piano student at the age of six. Through the encouragement of my parents, I continued to study the piano throughout high school and focused all of my musical interest to the development of piano skills. It was not until I attended college that I was introduced to the acoustic guitar as an instrument that could be a valuable accompaniment tool in a general music classroom.
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As a requirement in an elementary methods class, the guitar was taught in an effort to familiarize the students with the basic skills, which included learning a few major and minor chords with simple strumming patterns. I purchased a small guitar, learned to play simple folk songs, but did not continue to develop my skills. This was my only exposure to playing the guitar until this project was conceived.
After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in music education with a piano major and voice minor, I taught kindergarten through high school vocal and general music in a small public school in Illinois for more than 20 years. All students in grades
K-6 were required to participate in regular general music classes in a large room designed strictly for that purpose. The piano was used whenever an accompaniment instrument was required, and students often performed using rhythm instruments, soprano recorders, and Orff instruments such as metallophones, glockenspiels, and xylophones, which were available in the spacious and well-equipped music classroom.
My teaching career continued in California when I relocated in 2001. After a brief time as a substitute teacher and teaching part-time in the Folsom Cordova
Unified School District, I was hired as a full time elementary music instructor, assigned to general and vocal music in fourth and fifth grade in all of the Folsom elementary schools. In the Folsom Cordova school district, a team of elementary music specialists are required to travel from school to school each day, scheduling all fourth and fifth grade students twice weekly for a period of 35 minutes per class. Since general music is taught in regular classrooms, instruments and equipment are generally not available or easily accessible. Hence, accompaniment is primarily
55 accomplished by the use of Ipod systems or compact discs. Due to the logistics involved in teaching music classes in this particular manner, the use of guitar to accompany the classroom music lessons seemed to be a logical choice. Furthermore, the use of the guitar as a teaching tool would most likely entice more students to participate more enthusiastically, since the guitar is such a popular instrument with youth of all ages. It was my hope that many of the students would be encouraged to pursue musical experiences outside the classroom through the use of the guitar in my general music classes, and perhaps even be inspired to seek private lessons to learn basic skills on their own. Developing such skills can be very rewarding as a life-long learning opportunity, and can provide an avenue for expressive qualities to emanate and create beauty through true musical aesthetic experiences.
Whether or not a student considers private lessons outside the confines of the general music classroom, the fact remains that by participating in a music class in which the guitar is the main accompanying instrument, a sense of community and a real feeling of cohesiveness within a group of students can and often will be born.
Given enough exposure and time, it will likely bloom into real joy and a genuine love for continued musical involvement. As educators, our goal should be to provide musical experiences, presented in a way that encourages the love of music, all the while carefully developing skills that create a well-rounded individual who appreciates the arts through participation in a wide variety of methods, including listening, performing, creating, and analyzing.
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This project hopes to open the students‟ eyes to the music of the people, the music we know as folk music. Many believe there are songs in America that all students should know and learn to appreciate, and it is the responsibility of the educator to provide meaningful and creative experiences through a carefully planned curriculum. To make it interesting, the music teacher should incorporate other areas of the curriculum in order to bring the music to life and enlighten the students in a more meaningful manner. For instance, when learning a song about the Gold Rush, a short history lesson could be included for a deeper understanding. Other areas of the curriculum could also be introduced to create a more comprehensible visualization of the song, its derivation, the geographical section of the country from which it came, and the true meaning of the lyrics. The opportunities for learning and enjoyment are limitless when creativity is valued as an important ingredient in the teaching process.
Journaling the Guitar Experience
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
My son gave me his guitar that was being stored at his father‟s home in
Illinois. While visiting my family nearby, I retrieved the instrument and shipped it to
California. Shipping was very costly, but much less expensive than purchasing a new guitar. I believe this guitar will be suitable for my purposes in the classroom.
Friday, June 19, 2009
I visited Sierra Music in Diamond Springs, California to inquire about guitar lessons. This location appealed to me because of its close proximity and convenience
57 to my home. However, I plan to contact other guitar instructors before making a final decision.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Vince Martini, a music educator at Vista Del Lago High School in the Folsom
Cordova Unified School District, agreed to advise me in my quest to explore the use of the guitar for my general music classes. I drove to his studio at his home in Shingle
Springs, California, and he recommended I take my guitar to a reputable music store and replace the strings and have the action checked. Vince gave me a book entitled
Mastering the Guitar (Bay & Christiansen, 1996), a Mel Bay Publication that he uses as a student text in his high school beginning classes. He also printed some sheets for my use, which included descriptions for playing open chords, minor chords, seventh chords, sixth chords, suspended chords, bar chords, and moveable power chords. All of this information, seemingly overwhelming at this point, will hopefully prove helpful given time. Vince invited me to contact him at any time if I had specific questions or needed more guidance, which I appreciated. He also told me I was welcome to visit his guitar classes at Vista Del Lago High School when school resumes in August.
After leaving Vince‟s studio, I gave several piano lessons in Folsom and then proceeded to Nicholson Music Company to have the needed repairs and adjustments done to my guitar. It was an unusually hot day, and the guitar had been in my car for several hours. When I opened the case, the repairman was concerned that some damage may have resulted due to heat exposure. That possibility did not occur to me.
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Otherwise, I would have been diligent to take the guitar into each of the homes where
I was giving piano lessons in order to shield it from the extreme heat in the car for an extended period of time.
Friday, June 26, 2009
A representative of Nicholson Music Company called today to inform me that my guitar was not damaged by the heat, the strings had been replaced, the bridge adjustment was complete, and the instrument was ready. This came as very good news, since I was fearful that the heat could have done enough damage to force me to purchase a new guitar.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
I picked up my guitar from the music store, and plan to work on my own with the comprehensive method book that Vince Martini gave me. I plan to study the vocabulary, correct hand and arm positions, and basic strumming and tuning techniques. I do not intend to move ahead aggressively in the book, as I do not wish to establish bad habits prior to commencing private guitar lessons.
Friday, August 7, 2009
I called Steve Breshears to inquire about his availability for beginning guitar lessons. Steve teaches acoustic guitar at all levels at Nicholson Music Company. He agreed to provide weekly lessons if we could find a half-hour slot that would accommodate both our schedules. After a few phone messages back and forth, we decided on 12:30-1:00 each Friday.
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Friday, August 21, 2009
My first guitar lesson was today at 12:30. I finish my morning teaching schedule at 12:05, so I have just enough time to drive to Steve‟s studio at Nicholson
Music Company. It works perfectly since I do not begin my afternoon classes until
1:20 at an elementary school nearby. Steve began the lesson by asking me about my goal. Once he understood that this endeavor was directly related to my completion of the requirements for my masters project and understood that I wished to use the guitar in my general music classrooms as an accompanying instrument, he knew what direction to lead me. At this lesson, Steve demonstrated the proper way to hold the guitar and the pick, also known as a plectrum. He also discussed simple, strumming patterns suitable for folk music. He provided me with chord diagrams for E, A, and D to practice this week and pointed out that many folk songs can be performed using these three chords, the primary chords in the key of A major. I purchased a footstool after my lesson in order to elevate my left leg for a comfortable position while playing seated.
Friday, August 28, 2009
We reviewed the chords and strumming technique provided at my first lesson, then moved forward with new chord diagrams and instructions for practice. The new chords included C, G, C2, B7, E minor, and A minor. Steve reminded me that now I have learned the primary chords in the key of G major as well as A major, which gives me more flexibility in playing chord progressions.
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I was concerned that I could not play for more than 15 minutes at a practice session because my fingers were quite sore from pressing on the metal strings. Until my fingers build strength and develop calluses, it will be difficult to practice for longer periods of time.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Steve introduced the bar chord at my lesson today. This is a chord played by fretting several strings with one finger. The moveable bar chords that he demonstrated were built with the root note on the sixth string, which is the E string. By playing the E chord with fingers two, three, and four, the first finger is able to depress all of the strings of the fret preceding the fingered chord. By moving the entire shape of the chord to each ascending fret, the chord also ascends a half step. Playing bar chords such as these is a tremendous benefit for building strength as well as increasing the possibilities for various chord patterns. I found this very challenging at first, but each time I practiced the bar chords, I could soon tell I was gaining strength and accuracy.
Friday, September 11, 2009
I shared with Steve that I struggled this week to find time to practice. Having practiced only three days, I tried to utilize what little time I had available by reviewing all of the chords I have learned thus far, as well as continuing to develop strength by practicing the bar chords. Steve wrote out chord progressions using C, F bar chord, and G bar chord. He stressed the importance of lifting, shifting, and then replacing the fingers in an effort to maintain accuracy and clean technique. Also he pointed out that
61 these three chords have the third finger in common which makes the movement from one chord to the next technically less difficult. He continued to explain that to identify a common finger between two consecutive chords is a fundamental principal at all proficiency levels. In order to execute chord changes effectively, an understanding of this principal is essential.
This week I used the metronome to set a realistic tempo for strumming and changing chords in a progression. As I felt more comfortable, I increased the tempo gradually. At first, in a four beat pattern, I changed chords on beat one, next I changed on beats one and three, and finally was able to accomplish a change on each beat at a relatively slow tempo. Each day I increased the tempo slightly.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
I spent time at the Folsom Public Library searching for guitar methods books that may assist me in my understanding of basic skills and help develop a deeper appreciation of the process of learning a new instrument.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Steve diagramed the root six bar chords, including major, minor, and seventh chords. He asked me to practice these chords with various rhythm patterns. He also created two chord progressions using G, D, C2, and E minor that he suggested I practice. By playing these progressions repeatedly, movement from one chord to the next will eventually become more flowing and cohesive, which is imperative when using the guitar as an accompanying instrument in a classroom or concert situation.
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Steve demonstrated several chords including G, C2, and D in an attempt to clarify terminology known as the shape of a chord. Chords such as these have common strings and the movement from one chord to another maintains a similar shape. He explained that guitarists relate chord types and formulas to particular shapes. This is especially important to understand and be able to perform, especially when playing the guitar as an accompaniment instrument.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Since I have been experiencing difficulty setting aside time to practice in the evening, I have decided to practice in the morning before going to school. I am extremely tired when I return from a full day of teaching, and finding 30 minutes to practice is never easy. Since I am more focused and rested in the morning, I am better able to accomplish my practice goals.
Using chords that I have already learned, Steve notated two progressions using a new strumming pattern. First, I pick the root string, and then I downstrum on beat two, three, and four. An alternate strumming pattern was also given with an added upstrum between beats two and three. I am eager to learn more sophisticated strumming patterns to add interest to my basic skills.
Steve encouraged me to be patient with myself and to practice slowly remembering to lift, then move or shift, and finally replace the fingers on the proper strings. This will result in greater accuracy with a much cleaner sound. I am starting to move more quickly with ease as I change chords and develop muscle memory.
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I spent about 15 minutes reviewing my lesson assignment for this week when I returned home after school. I will continue to practice bar chords this week to increase my strength. I will play C, then move to an F and a G bar chord in succession.
Friday, October 2, 2009
After reviewing the chords and strumming patterns introduced at last week‟s lesson, Steve reminded me of the importance of developing a relaxed strumming style in order for the music to flow more smoothly. I need to practice with less arm movement, allowing the strumming action to come from the wrist instead of the elbow and allowing for more smoothness with greater potential for rhythmic accuracy and interest.
My progress seems unusually slow, but Steve indicated that perhaps because I am a musician, I have placed too much pressure on myself to improve my skills at an unrealistic rate. Due to the fact that I have very limited time daily to practice the instrument, I must realize my limitations and accept the fact that my progress will be achieved at a slower pace than originally anticipated. Steve is extremely patient, and his expectations are realistic. I am very grateful to have found a teacher with such an understanding nature.
This week Steve wrote a progression using C, A minor, D minor, and G7, along with diagrams of the chords, accompanied by a strumming pattern in which the root is picked on beat one followed by downstrums on beats two and three. An upstrum is added between beats three and four, and finished with a downstrum on beat four. He also included a sheet of chord progressions containing bass note runs between
64 the chords. He explained to me the importance of keeping my fourth finger strong, and never allowing it to collapse. There are no scheduled lessons next week, so I should have more time to practice and improve my skills.
Friday, October 2, 2009, Afternoon General Music Classes
This was the first time I accompanied a music class with the guitar. I admit I was slightly nervous, even though I was working with fourth, fifth, and sixth graders.
The students already knew the lyrics and melody of “This Land is Your Land” so it seemed a logical choice. This American folk classic requires only three chords and can be successful with a simple strumming pattern. I used A, E, and D, and the students were quite responsive. I noticed they sang along, but many of them watched me intently as they sang. Unfortunately, I still need to watch my fingers as they assume their positions on the strings, so I could not watch the students to assess their participation at all times during this activity.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
I asked my husband to help me with bass runs, since I was having trouble understanding some of the patterns. He was able to assist me, and then I practiced until it felt comfortable. I also worked on strumming patterns that picked the root string on beat one. I am feeling a bit more confident and am achieving greater strength as I play.
Friday, October 16, 2009
This week Steve played a song from a CD in his collection that he thought might interest me. The composer and performer is Jack Johnson. I plan to purchase some of his selections from itunes and add to my library. After listening to several of
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Johnson‟s songs, I agree with Steve that students in fourth and fifth grade could relate to his pop-folk style.
He also wrote out two turnaround progressions for my practice this week. I have noticed that I am able to move more easily and smoothly from one chord to the next in a progression after several weeks of lessons.
Friday, October 23, 2009
I expressed my frustration at my lesson as usual due to lack of practice, and as usual, Steve encouraged me to be satisfied with whatever progress I make each week.
I am improving slowly but surely. This is not an easy process, but I will continue to stay the course in an effort to accomplish my goal. It will be satisfying in the spring when I can successfully accompany my students in a short end of the year concert.
Steve helped me with “This Land is Your Land” by writing the chord progression on paper in the key of G. It is amazing that so many folk songs use only three chords, which make playing the guitar for my purposes a bit simpler and much more achievable.
Friday, October 30, 2009
After some review and discussion, Steve wrote another bass run for my practice this week. I am finding that if I do not go home Friday after school and practice my guitar, I forget much of what was accomplished at the lesson. It is best for me to play on Friday or early Saturday to retain the information and directions for accurate practice from the lesson on Friday. When it is fresh in my mind, I have a
66 much more successful week of practice. I just need to discipline myself to do this on a weekly basis.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Steve is challenging me to develop more advanced strumming patterns. By using bar chords, Steve wrote five varied rhythm patterns to practice utilizing downstrums, upstrums, muted strums, and ghost strums, which are those that use the correct wrist action without actually strumming the strings.
This week he wrote a pattern to practice that involved both downstrums and upstrums within two measures using G, D2/F#, E minor7, and C2. This progression is rhythmically exciting and has a great deal of potential for many other folk songs. The chord diagrams Steve provides are very helpful.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Much of today‟s lesson was based on the review of bar chords, strumming patterns, previously learned chord progressions, and bass runs. Steve stressed the importance of repetition and finding joy in small victories. I now realize that this undertaking was far more difficult than originally anticipated. As a pianist and vocalist, I totally understand chord structure, and can read chord symbols successfully while performing on a piano. However, when transferring that knowledge to a guitar, the technique becomes a barrier, as it requires an entirely different technical skill set.
It is rather like learning a new language. Although you may know the meaning in one language, you must be able to express that meaning through the context of something totally different and unfamiliar.
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This can create an uncomfortable situation, but like all things, with continuous practice, soon a comfort level prevails by which the person presented with the challenge accepts the situation and looks toward a future of vast improvement.
Perseverance and a positive attitude are essential in learning any new skill.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
My lesson was scheduled for one hour, since I missed two regular lessons in
November due to the holidays. Besides reviewing everything I have learned so far, I selected “Feliz Navidad” and “Go Tell it on the Mountain” to practice and use in my music classes in December before our winter break. Steve helped me with these two songs, and encouraged me to keep practicing to develop greater strength and confidence. He also suggested I continue to select songs for the classroom to practice now that I have some basic knowledge and skills. I purchased an old Peter, Paul, and
Mary songbook, which included twelve of their hits. I selected “Blowin‟ In The Wind” to practice for future classroom use. Since it only uses three chords, I plan to learn it in three major keys in order to practice more chords. That also gives me the opportunity to use the best key to fit the children‟s voices in each particular situation. Steve reminded me that using a capo, a device placed across the neck of the guitar, the same results could be accomplished. The use of a capo allows a key change without alteration of the chord shapes.
Friday, December 4, 2009
We spent the lesson today working on the two holiday songs I selected for use in the music classrooms. I expressed my plan to continue guitar lessons upon
68 completion of this project. My original time-line of six months of scheduled weekly guitar lessons to journal my progress will be followed by lessons to increase my skills and continue to play for the sheer enjoyment of playing the instrument and accompanying students in the general music classroom. However, we discussed a two- month break in order to complete the project and commence again on a regular basis in April or May.
Monday, December 7, 2009
I awakened early this morning to about fourteen inches of snow and no electricity. It was absolutely beautiful, but impossible to get up the steep hill near my house and drive to school in Folsom. I found it a perfect time to play the guitar with no pressure, and I found it more enjoyable than ever before. I played the two holiday songs repeatedly for 30 minutes, and totally enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere with no distractions. It is a blessing to have a day when the hectic pace of life is buried in a foot of snow. It was truly a joy to sit by the fire and strum the instrument that is becoming my friend.
Monday, December 7, 2009, 5:30 PM
After enjoying a relaxing day, I received a phone call from my sister-in-law in
Illinois informing me that my mother had been taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital after suffering a massive stroke in her home. It seemed everything came to a sudden halt.
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Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The shock of my mother‟s stroke has had a tremendous effect on my ability to focus. My brother said he would call to report on her condition and advise me regarding my trip to Illinois, which is eminent in the near future. I practiced my two holiday songs that I will use this week in the classroom, although my heart is elsewhere. The A7 alternate chord that Steve showed me at my last lesson seems to move easily from D and G, which helps make my chord transitions more smooth and connected. After playing for 15 minutes, my emotions refused to allow me to continue, so instead of playing I started praying.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The first week in December I taught the lyrics to “Feliz Navidad” to my general music classes, and today I accompanied the singing of the song with the guitar. It went well, and the students rose to the occasion by singing in a spirited style.
It was truly an uplifting experience to have such great participation.
Friday, December 11, 2009
After having talked to my brother in Illinois this morning, it was clear to me that I must travel to my mother‟s bedside immediately. I called Steve to cancel my weekly lesson. He was very understanding, and I told him I would call as soon as I returned to resume lessons. I made airline reservations for early tomorrow morning, so my plan to practice and accompany my classes next week will not happen as planned.
When I return after the New Year, the chords I practiced for the holiday songs can be transferred to other folk songs that will be more appropriate in January.
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December 12, 2009-January 2, 2010
My mother passed on December 13, 2009 at 2:30 AM. She had a compact disc player by her bedside with beautiful Christmas carols being played softly as she slipped away. I sat beside her bed when I first arrived at approximately 9:00 PM, spoke to her, and then sang “Silent Night,” one of her favorite carols. I thought about how lovely it would have been to be able to accompany myself on a guitar at this particular moment, similar to the first time it had ever been performed so many years ago.
I spent almost three weeks in Illinois taking care of what details I could before returning to my life in California on January 2, 2010. I expect it will be difficult to return to a sense of normalcy right away.
Friday, January 8, 2010
I have been unable to practice since returning home after the death of my mother. It has been almost a week, and I have yet to pick up the guitar. I have found it difficult to function at school as well, but the students and teachers have been extremely kind and compassionate. I did not take my guitar to my lesson today, but instead talked to Steve about my project. He agreed to offer his own perspective and write down his thoughts to questions and concerns I have regarding this project.
Friday, January 15, 2010
We discussed in detail the questions and responses I presented to Steve via email. I asked him about his main goal as a teacher, and he answered by saying that he discerns and assesses the student‟s motives, makes a plan, and discusses how to best
71 accomplish the goals of the student. His job is to help and encourage growth and tailor his teaching style to the individual needs of each student. He considers himself a coach and a source of encouragement.
When asked his best advice for an adult beginner, Steve recommended the student be cognizant of the fact that the study of a new instrument such as the guitar requires regular practice, and the student needs to make certain that ample time is available in their schedule to make improvement. He also stressed that the student needs to be patient, enjoy the process, and above all, have fun.
Steve indicated that significant progress could be achieved if regular practice is maintained, and continued by saying most students show improvement within two to three weeks. At that time, the teacher can assess the ability level and be better able to set expectations for the student. However, he stated that it might take as much as one to two years before a comfort level is attained whereby the student plays with confidence and poise.
When asked what benefits he could identify for utilizing the guitar in a general music classroom, Steve reported that the portability of the guitar makes it quite accessible not only to the instructor as a teaching tool, but also to the students who may wish to learn to play the instrument themselves. He continues by explaining that the guitar has been historically one of the most popular American folk instruments, is easy to travel with, and relatively easy to learn to play.
Steve expressed his thoughts about my goals for learning to play the guitar as I had described them at my first lessons. Since my goal was accompanying a group in a
72 classroom situation, he stressed skills that would provide volume in order to be easily heard in a large area, with a bold style to provide direction through my playing.
Steve expressed his belief that folk music is an important and easily understood genre of music, and agrees with the importance of exposure to folk music in the elementary school. He also sees the relevance of incorporating multicultural folk songs into the general music curriculum.
Friday, January 22, 2010
After teaching the students “We Shall Not Be Moved” in celebration of Martin
Luther King‟s birthday, the students also learned to play the melody on their recorders.
I had practiced the chords on my own, and showed Steve what I had practiced this week. He agreed that I am starting to play with more strength and confidence and feels
I am ready to start accompanying the students during music classes.
Friday, January 29, 2010
I added the Mexican folk song, “De Colores” to my repertoire with the plan to teach the students the Spanish lyrics and accompany them on the guitar at the end of the year concert. I play the accompaniment with a picking and strumming technique. I plan to add choreography using multicolored scarves in the final performance.
I accompanied the students this afternoon as some played “We Shall Not Be
Moved” on their recorders and others sang the song. It was very successful, and the students seemed pleased with their performance.
Steve and I discussed the plan to take a break for two months and start lessons again in April or May, allowing me the time needed to complete this project without
73 the stress of regular daily practice and weekly lessons. He suggested we schedule a lesson to design an Appendix for suggested folk guitar strumming patterns for beginners and more advanced patterns for the player with more experience. Another matter to discuss will be capo options, and could be included in the Appendix as well.
I am hoping to plan this lesson in February.
Friday, February 5, 2010
I accompanied the students in four classes today. It is becoming more comfortable each time, and much more enjoyable. It is my goal to continue practicing as many days a week as I can fit into my daily schedule in order to learn a number of new folk songs for general classroom use and the concerts performed at the end of the school year.
Monday-Thursday, February 8-11, 2010
The continued use of the guitar to accompany previously learned folk songs in several classrooms proved to be a positive experience for the majority of the students.
The novelty of the guitar is diminishing, and the students are less intimidated by its use to accompany them. As the comfort level improves for the students and for me, so does their ability and skill level. They seem to respond to the guitar in a very positive manner.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Strap buttons were replaced on my guitar today at Nicholson Music Company so that I can play my guitar during music classes while standing for a better view of the students. It may also encourage greater participation by being able to watch them
74 perform as I walk around the room and interact with the students.
A guitar lesson was scheduled at 12:30-1:00 to discuss the journal entries.
Steve clarified a few issues regarding guitar terms and provided a clearer understanding of important terms and techniques he used during my lessons. I felt it was important to discuss this information with him in order to present an accurate depiction of the procedure and the progress made during the course of my study.
Monday, February 15, 2010
As I looked through several songbooks, I compiled a list of folk songs that would be appropriate to teach my general music students. I plan to begin to practice each of them today and continue adding more to my repertoire as I am able. Once these selections feel comfortable, I will teach them to my students. Many of these songs will become great warm-up activities to generate excitement and create an atmosphere conducive to learning more about the music of our nation and its vast cultural heritage. The songs I selected are as follows:
“America, the Beautiful”
“Camptown Races”
“Cindy”
“Follow the Drinking Gourd”
“I Love the Mountains”
“Michael, Row the Boat Ashore”
“My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”
“Puff the Magic Dragon”
75
“Shenandoah”
“Simple Gifts”
“Sweet Betsy From Pike”
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Today I practiced the chord progressions for the folk songs “Michael Row the
Boat Ashore,” “Follow the Drinkin‟ Gourd,” and “I Love the Mountains.” Although my chord changes are still rather slow, they are becoming more fluid.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
I added “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” today to my folk song repertoire.
To keep a moderate waltz tempo throughout, I deleted a few chords to keep it flowing.
This did not affect the accuracy of the melody or the overall sound.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Today I practiced “Camptown Races,” which used the A7 and D chords, with only one G chord in the refrain. “Puff the Magic Dragon,” which was more challenging since it had six chords in the accompaniment, was accomplished by practicing very slowly with a metronome. I was able to play it eventually at the moderate tempo suggested.
Monday-Friday, February 22-26, 2010
I continued to add other folk song selections to my repertoire this week. I practiced “Cindy,” “Sweet Betsy From Pike,” and “Shenandoah.” Since my project is nearing completion, my practice sessions are of shorter duration and fewer times a
76 week. If I continue to accompany the students at school, my skills should improve. I plan to resume lessons in late spring and continue my study of the guitar.
77
Chapter 4
REFLECTION
Implementation of the Project
This project was implemented in an effort to guide students on a musical pathway through the diverse cultural and geographical backgrounds from which they came. By introducing folk songs from America and other countries, with the assistance of the guitar as the main accompaniment instrument, the students in my fourth and fifth grade general music classrooms enhanced their ability to sing with confidence and joy. I observed that most students participated freely, and a sense of community within the classroom developed as they learned and performed folk songs in music class.
It was the development of a new skill, that of playing the guitar, which enabled me to provide lesson plans which spilled over into areas of the core curriculum. By including elements of American and multicultural folk music literature, it was my hope that teachers seeking to implement similar folk song material into their curriculum, with or without the skill of guitar playing, could find the suggested folk songs in the appendices helpful in regular classrooms, as well as in general music classes. Children in every culture sing, dance, and play instruments, so the educator has a very important task to encourage and provide rich musical experiences of the highest quality for all students.
I am of the opinion that the music specialist must seek out and design musical experiences that will carry over throughout the lives of their students. For example,
78 accompanying the class with a simple acoustic guitar and playing a few basic chords as the class sings, may not seem to be a great accomplishment, but through this type of experience, the students may develop a love for music or the guitar, which could serve as a life-long learning experience. Singing or playing folk songs (as students) could have an enormous effect on later adult activity, and could provide the basic knowledge necessary to enhance the quality of life as they encounter musical opportunities throughout their adulthood. As teachers, we must be committed to what is being taught and its great importance, and in the field of music, provide ways in which children can thrive and experience musical growth. By learning relevant examples of our own native American folk songs and folk song selections from various countries throughout the world, and to be able to perform them by sharing in a community spirit, we can recapture our connectedness to our historical roots through folk music.
Challenges of the Project
The initial challenge of this project was a matter of making the experience of learning a new skill a priority in my life. Finding time to practice regularly and maintaining a schedule, which included a weekly private guitar lesson, was difficult.
The lessons, although initially intimidating, soon became something to which I looked forward. However, it was difficult at times to persevere with a positive attitude, especially on those lesson days when I had little time to practice during the previous week. Realizing my limitations and the time constraints surrounding my hectic life were issues I had to deal with, and once I acknowledged and accepted the problems, I became more relaxed and able to enjoy the process. I put a great deal of pressure on
79 myself to excel in guitar playing skills within a short period of time in order to satisfy the requirements for this project. Having a patient and understanding private teacher helped tremendously. He was very encouraging during the six-month time frame for the completion of the project. I am looking forward to continuing guitar lessons this summer to hone my skills and to further my guitar-playing abilities for use in the classroom and for my own personal pleasure.
Becoming a student again and being taught a new skill forced me to realize that perfection was not as important as the creative journey I had embarked upon. It became clear to me that in order to appreciate the experience, I needed to celebrate small accomplishments while learning to express my musical gifts through an avenue, which had never been explored. Learning to discipline myself to practice allowed me to realize the struggles all students face when learning a new skill. This realization made me more compassionate to similar struggles my students face.
Like children, many adults thirst for continuous and valuable life-long learning opportunities. We must never stop seeking knowledge, and as educators, we must always provide students with multiple ways to build understanding through the creative process. We must employ different techniques to keep students engaged, and we must provide a variety of activities in an attempt to reach all students. The arts can build self-confidence, which, of course, can have long-lasting positive effects in all other areas of the curriculum.
Throughout this project I attained an increased appreciation for the guitar as an accompaniment instrument and for folk music in general. It became dramatically clear
80 that folk music is the music of the people, and our children are the people who need to have an understanding of our great musical heritage, as they will be the ones to carry it on into the next generation. There are folk songs that all children and adults should know, and this could be considered the greatest challenge and the ultimate goal of this project.
Success of the Project
Student reaction to the use of the guitar in the classroom as an accompaniment instrument was rewarding from a teaching perspective. As a general observation, I assessed the overall participation as excellent. By using the guitar as a teaching tool in the classroom, I found that vocal ability improved over time, since students could match pitches with the help of a tuned instrument. Likewise, intonation and ear training ability improved in most cases. It became obvious that the students were proud of their ability to sing with confidence in the classroom, and behavior improved as their body language and facial expressions displayed their satisfaction and enthusiasm as they participated in their respective general music class. The success of this project will be an on-going process involving continuous and meaningful musical experiences focusing on folk music with the use of the guitar.
My personal success was the achievement of a proficiency level in guitar playing which could be effectively utilized in a general music classroom for teaching simple folk songs. Being able to select folk songs that were appropriate for the grade level, fun to sing, and that introduced important musical concepts were of great consideration in the project. By using a general theme, I selected folk songs that could
81 be integrated into other areas of the arts as well as other subjects in the curriculum. For example, “We Shall Not Be Moved” was introduced during January, in celebration of
Dr. Martin Luther King‟s birthday. This lesson started with learning the lyrics and melody. After the students could successfully sing the song, instruments were added, and the historical significance was shared leading to a short discussion of freedom, brotherhood, peace, and civil rights. Alternate interdisciplinary experiences could include such activities as reading books about the civil rights movement, writing poems or short stories, creating movement to freedom songs, creating posters or drawings, or writing a play to portray freedom and its meaning in the world today.
Next Steps of the Project
In light of the economic concerns that currently face our school districts across the nation, arts educators must be proactive in support of their programs now more than ever. Perhaps the time has come for music educators to think outside the box to express the benefits of music education in new and innovative ways. Through communication with the teaching staff and administration, a project such as this one could result in weekly or monthly group sings whereby students, along with their teachers, could enjoy singing the folk songs learned in music class in a group situation, and by doing so, create a bond among students from diverse backgrounds.
Also, by encouraging parent and community involvement, valuable connections could be strengthened and support for the program would exist as the economy rebounds.
In order for our students to grow academically, socially, and emotionally in the world today, the arts are essential. The arts, along with the sciences and humanities,
82 are equally important parts of a well-balanced curriculum and should receive the same priority as any other core academic subject. If children are given opportunities to learn through creative experiences in all of their subjects, growth will occur and the creative potential of each child will be realized.
83
APPENDIX A
Regional Folk Songs of the United States
84
REGIONAL FOLK SONGS OF THE UNITED STATES
Alan Lomax (1960) referenced folk songs according to specific sections of our country, including the north, the southern mountains and backwoods, the west, and the
Negro south. The following selections are examples that can be used in general music classes or in the regular classroom.
THE NORTH: Includes the Provinces of Canada, New England and the
Middle Atlantic States, the area between the Ohio River and the Great Lakes, and the
Western Canadian border regions (Lomax, 1960).
“Cape Cod Girls”
“El-a-Noy”
“I‟ze the Bye”
“Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier”
“Oleana”
“Shenandoah”
“Sow Took the Measles, The”
“Springfield Mountain”
“Turkey in the Straw”
“When Johnny Comes Marching Home”
THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS AND THE BACKWOODS: Includes most of the areas of marginal land and centers of ‟poor white‟ population in the Southern
States as far as East Texas, the Southern Appalachians being the center of the region
(Lomax, 1960).
85
“Cindy”
“Cripple Creek”
“Cumberland Gap”
“Down in the Valley”
“Jubilee”
“Shady Grove”
“Sixteen Tons”
“Uncle Joe”
THE WEST: Includes the states across the Mississippi, with the exception of
Louisiana, parts of the Midwest and the Spanish Southwest (Lomax, 1960).
“Blue”
“Doney Gal”
“Drill, Ye Terriers”
“Fiddle-i-fee”
“Night Herding Song”
“Roll On, Columbia”
“She‟ll Be Comin‟ Around the Mountain”
“Sweet Betsy”
“Talkin‟ Blues”
“Wabash Cannon Ball, The”
THE NEGRO SOUTH: Includes the Negro ghettos of certain northern cities as well as the areas of large Negro population in the South; however, the region is not as
86 much geographic as it is social, created by economic and racial circumstances
(Lomax, 1960).
“Bile Them Cabbage Down”
“Blue-Tail Fly, The”
“Casey Jones”
“Cotton Needs Pickin‟”
“John Henry”
“Old Ark‟s a-Moverin‟”
“This Train”
“Wade in the Water”
“When the Saints Go Marching In”
87
APPENDIX B
American Folk Songs for Children
88
AMERICAN FOLK SONGS FOR CHILDREN
“Amazing Grace”
“America (My Country „Tis of Thee)”
“America, the Beautiful”
“Ballad of the Boll Weevil”
“Battle Hymn of the Republic”
“Bile Them Cabbage Down”
“Billy Boy”
“Blue Tail Fly, The”
“Camptown Races”
“Cape Cod Girls”
“Charlottetown”
“Cindy”
“Clementine”
“Columbia, Gem of the Ocean”
“Cotton-Eye Joe”
“Cotton Needs Pickin‟”
“Crawdad Hole”
“Cripple Creek”
“Dixie”
“Doney Gal”
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“Down by the Riverside”
“Down in the Valley”
“Drill, Ye Terriers, Drill”
“Dry Bones”
“Erie Canal, The”
“Every Time I Feel the Spirit”
“Fiddle-I-Fee”
“Five Hundred Miles”
“Follow the Drinkin‟ Gourd”
“Frog Went A-Courtin‟”
“Get On Board”
“Git Along, Little Dogies”
“Go Down, Moses”
“Go Tell Aunt Rhody”
“Go Tell it on the Mountain”
“God Bless America”
“Goober Peas”
“Goodbye, Old Paint”
“Great Granddad”
“He‟s Got the Whole World in His Hands”
“Hey, Betty Martin”
“Home on the Range”
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“Honey, You Can‟t Love One”
“Hop Up, My Ladies”
“Hush, Little Baby”
“I Love the Mountains”
“If I Had a Hammer”
“I‟ve Been Workin‟ on the Railroad”
“Jim Along, Josie”
“John Henry”
“Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier”
“Kum Ba Yah”
“Let There Be Peace on Earth”
“Lift Ev‟ry Voice and Sing”
“Li‟l Liza Jane”
“Long Legged Sailor”
“Love Somebody”
“Make New Friends”
“Michael Row the Boat Ashore”
“Music Alone Shall Live”
“My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”
“My Home‟s in Montana”
“New River Train”
“Night Herding Song”
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“Oh! Susanna”
“Oh, Won‟t You Sit Down?”
“Old Ark‟s A-Moverin‟”
“Old Chisholm Trail”
“Old Dan Tucker”
“Old Folks at Home”
“Old Joe Clark”
“Old MacDonald Had a Farm”
“Old Paint”
“Over the River and Through the Woods”
“Pallet on the Floor”
“Pat Works on the Railway”
“Peace Like a River”
“Pick a Bale o‟ Cotton”
“Puff the Magic Dragon”
“Red River Valley, The”
“Rock-A-My-Soul”
“Rock Island Line”
“Roll On, Columbia”
“Row, Row, Row Your Boat”
“Shady Grove”
“She‟ll Be Comin‟ „Round the Mountain”
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“Shenandoah”
“Shoo Fly”
“Shortnin‟ Bread”
“Simple Gifts”
“So Long”
“Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child”
“Sow Took the Measles, The”
“Springfield Mountain”
“Star Spangled Banner, The”
“Sweet Betsy From Pike”
“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”
“Take Me Out to the Ballgame”
“Tenting on the Old Camp Ground”
“The Red River Valley”
“This Is My Country”
“This Land Is Your Land”
“This Little Light of Mine”
“This Train”
“Turkey in the Straw”
“Wabash Cannonball, The”
“Wade in the Water”
“Water Is Wide, The”
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“Wayfaring Stranger”
“We Shall Overcome”
“When Johnny Comes Marching Home”
“When the Saints Go Marching In”
“Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”
“Yankee Doodle”
“You Are My Sunshine”
“You‟re a Grand Old Flag”
94
APPENDIX C
Multicultural Folk Songs for Children
95
MULTICULTURAL FOLK SONGS FOR CHILDREN
AFRICAN:
“Banuwa” (Liberia)
“Sansa kroma” (Ghana)
AUSTRALIAN:
“Kookaburra”
AUSTRIAN:
“Silent Night”
CANADIAN:
“Chumbara”
CARIBBEAN:
“Mango Walk”
“Mary Ann”
CHINESE:
“Fung Yang Song”
CUBAN:
“Guantanamera”
DUTCH:
“Sarasponda”
ENGLISH:
“Blow the Wind Southerly”
“Derby Ram,The”
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“May Day Carol”
“Oh, How Lovely is the Evening”
“Scarborough Fair”
FRENCH:
“Frere Jacques”
“On the Bridge at Avignon”
GAELIC:
“Morning Has Broken”
GERMAN:
“Music Alone Shall Live”
“Trout, The”
HAWAIIAN:
“Hukilau”
“Ulili E (The Sandpiper)”
IRISH:
“Danny Boy”
“Gypsy Rover, The”
“Little Beggarman, The”
“Macnamara‟s Band”
ISRAELI/ HEBREW:
“Hava Nigila”
“Shalom Chaverim”
97
“Tzena, Tzena”
“Zum Gali Gali”
ITALIAN:
“Funiculi, Funicula”
“Ninna Nanna”
“Tarantella”
JAPANESE:
“Sakura”
KOREAN:
“Arirang”
LATIN:
“Dona Nobis Pacem”
MEXICAN:
“De Colores”
“La Cucaracha”
NORWEGIAN:
“Oleana”
RUSSIAN:
“Kalinka”
SCOTTISH:
“Auld Lang Syne”
“Over the Sea to Skye”
98
SOUTH AFRICAN ZULU:
“Singabahambayo”
WELSH:
“All Through the Night”
99
APPENDIX D
Historical American Folk Songs
100
HISTORICAL AMERICAN FOLK SONGS
REVOLUTIONARY WAR:
“Johnny‟s Gone For a Soldier”
“Yankee Doodle”
19TH CENTURY:
“Billy Boy”
“Star Spangled Banner, The”
“War of 1812”
EARLY 1800‟S TO CIVIL WAR:
“America”
“Buffalo Gals”
“Long, Long Ago”
“Simple Gifts”
“Turkey in the Straw”
CIVIL WAR:
“Battle Hymn of the Republic”
“Dixie”
“Drinkin‟ Gourd, The”
“When Johnny Comes Marching Home”
POST-CIVIL WAR:
“Grandfather‟s Clock”
101
GOLD RUSH AND WESTWARD JOURNEY:
“Clementine”
“I‟ve Been Working on the Railroad”
“Paddy Works on the Erie”
“Sweet Betsy From Pike”
COWBOYS:
“Red River Valley”
“Streets of Laredo”
“Yellow Rose of Texas”
SONGS OF THE SEA:
“Drunken Sailor”
“Rio Grande, The”
“Shenandoah”
AFTER 1900:
“Casey Jones”
“Cripple Creek”
“Old Joe Clark”
“Sourwood Mountain”
102
APPENDIX E
Beginning Guitar Strum Patterns
103
104
STRUMMING
For music to flow smoothly, it is important to develop a relaxed strumming action. Strumming forms the foundation of a guitarist‟s technique. Strum patterns can be used to accompany your own or someone else‟s singing. Being able to play the guitar using a variety of rhythmic strumming patterns enables the player to perform a wide range of musical genres.
Several strum patterns are shown on the preceding page. Twenty various patterns are arranged in order of difficulty for the beginning guitarist. The downward arrows indicate a downstrum, while the upward arrows denote an upstrum. It is important to remember that the strumming action comes from a relaxed wrist, without excessive arm movement. To attain a level of fluency in rhythm playing, careful attention must be given to mastering the technical skill of strumming. By practicing these patterns repeatedly, skills will be developed and repertoire expanded.
105
APPENDIX F
Capo Conversion Chart
106
107
DESCRIPTION OF THE CAPO CONVERSION CHART
This capo chart can be helpful when the guitarist wishes to change the actual sound of a chord that is being played. Frequently, the capo device is placed on a fret that will provide a suitable key for a song to be sung comfortably. Many guitarists find the ability to change keys helpful when accompanying vocalists. Capoed chords accommodate different vocal ranges and allow greater versatility in performance.
For example, the guitarist moves the capo to the fifth fret and plays a D chord.
Look at the capo conversion chart and find the D chord in the far left column. Next, look to the right and find the column labeled “5.” By placing the capo on the fifth fret and using the same fingering shape of a D chord above the device, the result will be the sound of a G chord.
Other chord/capo combinations can be found for the same key. For instance, using the example above, you chose to play a D chord with a capo at the fifth fret, which created a G chord. By looking under the different capo position columns
(1,2,3,4, etc.), you find another G under the “3” column, “E” row. That means if you play an E chord with the capo on the third fret, the actual sound will be G.
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