Eva Blog 3

• Who: 

Creative aging course co-teacher 

• Date: of activity implementation.

4/19/2024

• Date: of feedback.

4/21/2024

• Need: Briefly restate the need that you are striving to address (1 sentence).

Throughout this session, we are addressing what musical form is and how to find it in common songs as well as in classical pieces. 

Activity three primarily focused on form. We addressed such by starting with a commonly known song, Superstition, by Stevie Wonder. After reviewing these chorus and verse elements we translated them into A and B terminology. Following, we were able to transfer these ideas into classical pieces. This class we primarily focused on binary form, though moving forward we will address ternary, sonata, etc. 

Throughout this course, we have accomplished our basic goal: allowing adults to create, regardless of their musical experience/knowledge. As we are on our last couple of sessions, we’ve focused on creating tracks on the DAW, Soundtrap, as well as utilizing many music fundamentals. These fundamentals include reading music and identifying where notation lies on the piano. 

I’ve learned throughout almost every lesson to slow down and allow time for discussion. This works because this class is very comfortable with one another. I’ve also learned to visually plan my lessons as well, such as drawing each planned part in a pie chart. I do believe I have been successful in this class, I’ve received great feedback from my students as well as my supervisors. I’d love the opportunity to carry this course forward, if not offer it next year.

When creating this lesson, it was assumed that everyone knows the song Superstitious. It ended up being the case in my class, however if I would have done this lesson with a younger group, it’s possible they may not know this song by Stevie Wonder (although that hurts my soul). If I were to do this lesson with another group, I’d focus on popular music in that age range as the first introductory example to this lesson. 

Throughout the course I’ve learned that students with disabilities need materials presented in various ways. I’ve also learned how detrimental it is to have various solutions for hearing aid to audio issues (i.e. feedback). We are able to propose a grant for various headphones for our next class which is really exciting. 

In creating this activity, I believe I’ve gained a new perspective on how to alter lessons for various groups as well as improve my own techniques within the classroom. Through feedback I’ve learned to set certain goals with my teaching as well as with my students. Moving forward, I’m focused on improving discussion time as well as having multiple lessons to move forward with should something go awry. This experience was particularly fun because it was not strictly classical music based. I enjoyed our final step most of all, creation, which went particularly well this time. 

Now that we are finishing the course up, I am in the final steps of submission for the following course proposal for this summer. This course will look similar, but we will have more time to expand upon previously presented ideas. I particularly look forward to delving into other digital audio workstations.