In my teaching, I've learned that while my students come from different areas of New York and from wildly different cultures, music is the great connector for them.
My students are passionate about all kinds of music and have a deep connection to interacting with the arts in their school and home communities.
After I started and grew our school choir six years ago, I realized that although my students care deeply about music, many did not understand the language that connects all music together. When I've attempted to teach my students harmony while singing, they could sometimes do it, but only by memorizing the exact tone to sing (basically, a complex game of Simon). I started our first ever music theory class this year, with the hopes of giving students understanding of this universal language, so they could build off of their immense natural skills to interact with the world of music at their fingertips together.
My Project
While my students are passionate about learning the fundamentals of music, I've learned that it is very difficult to relay this information to students without a way for them to play and hear what is being taught to them. What's the point of reading a C note on a music staff if a student doesn't know how to play it or why it matters?
These keyboards will let my students immerse themselves in the world of music by actually hearing and playing what they're learning.
When we learn about major and minor scales, students will be able trace the steps and see for themselves what makes them different. When we learn about chords, students can experiment with combinations for themselves, instead of trusting what I say are the rules.
These keyboards will take my class from a place where students are forced to take my word on what makes effective music to a hands-on environment where students can make the meaning for themselves.
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