Are They Really Collaborating?

As music educators we often tout the collaborative efforts needed to put together a performance.  But how often are our kids truly working together? Listening and adjusting is a vital part of making music. But if they're just doing what we tell them and not thinking musically on their own, it's compliance, not necessarily collaboration.

Having students who can anticipate issues on their own and use different resources to problem solve on their own is a huge step toward encouraging independent musicians.

Here are some ideas on ways to have your students start collaborating:

• Get them talking. Have students teach and remind each other about fingerings. Ask them to review the new rhythm they learned yesterday with someone nearby. Stop after a part doesn't go the way it should and have them talk it out to figure out what went wrong without you telling them. A quick turn and talk (or a silent turn and show) can go a long way.
• Make small ensembles the norm. Give them a class period every now and then to put together something short from their method or chorale book or play a chunk of their concert music. Our sixth graders have done this a few times this year. Currently, we're putting together a chamber music night where ALL our middle school and partnering high school students will play in small ensembles at our local park. Middle school students are choosing their own groups and music. Many are actually picking short pieces written by the high school students just for them!
• Let them work in sections. Teach them what a sectional should look and sound like and let them try it out. There will be speed bumps, but even middle school students can benefit from working together in sections. It works better when there are practice spaces for them to use, but we even make it work by spreading sections around the class (in a group of 55) and giving them time. It's noisy, but they work.
• Have them figure out new music. Going through a sight reading process is beneficial, but why not change up the routine? Some of my favorite days this year have been when learning new music with the sixth grade (our beginners). We'd get to a new line in our method book and they'd get ten minutes to figure it out with their section. Challenging them to see if we could make it through without stopping when coming back together really motivated them. When they got new concert music, they had time to work together to mark their music and look up new terms with their personal devices. 
• Three before me. In any of these activities, students are not allowed to ask me a question until they've asked three other students. Get them relying not only on you, but on each other to problem solve.

Walk around the room while your students try these. It's a great way to gauge your students' progress and understanding of musical concepts. There are few things as awesome as hearing your students have musical conversations and truly collaborating!

What are some other ways you get students working together? Please share in the comments!