So I Have This Idea...(pt 2)

A couple of weeks ago, I shared about an idea that I had to have my students go beyond choosing a piece for the Spring Concert and actually teaching it. After getting feedback from students through a Google Form and class discussions here's where we stand:

• Students got John Williams Blockbusters a few days ago.  At first, I wanted to choose something completely unfamiliar to force them into more reading more music instead of just playing what they know. However, after thinking it over some more, I went with something more familiar that they'd be excited to play and work on. 
• They met in sections to determine things parts that may prove challenging and choose a "contact person." This Contact Person is who the student groups will go to if they have a question about something to do with that instrument so that students are getting their information from each other instead of me. I was picking up on a little bit of drama as students worked this part out, but it seems they all got it sorted so far without my intervention.
• I broke the piece up into chunks by rehearsal number and student groups (that they chose) picked the section they'd work on by entering their names on a Google Sheet I created with the rehearsal numbered sections.
• After I scanned the score into Google Classroom as a PDF, students started working together to determine how they'd teach their section. So far, I've have very few questions directed at me and have witnessed students going to each other for help.
• I did offer some very basic conducting and score reading lessons over the last couple days so that they'd have a better idea what they're looking at and how to work through their part.
• Once a few chunks have been taught, the plan is that I'll take notes on how they teach a part and conduct as we put parts together. When we get closer to the performance in May, we'll go through a nomination process to determine a student conductor.

Next week we'll start working through the piece starting from the beginning. So far it's been really cool to see and hear students using the musical knowledge they already posses to start working through things! It's also been enjoyable to relinquish control and brainstorm how to make this work best along with students. I'll post again next week after we've gone through some of the sections together.

See Part 3.