Differentiate!

In recent years, public education in the state of California has begun moving toward uniting all courses and standards under the umbrella of a set of so-called Common Core ideals. This movement is meant to broaden the scope of education in public schools to include various ways to impart and measure learning. It will replace some of the emphasis on standardized testing with other assessment instruments allowing students to demonstrate in multiple ways their grasp and understanding of content material.

We, who teach in the Arts fields, are welcoming this change for a number of reasons. For one thing, we are hopeful that classroom teachers will feel less stressed about "teaching to the test" and will embrace the curriculum-enhancing activities that we make available to their students. For another thing, art, music, drama and dance are important ways to build meaning for students, and give them ways to show what they have learned. If implemented properly, Common Core should be building stronger foundations and deeper understandings across all curriculum areas.

There is another aspect to this that is relevant to us music teachers. In the last two years, due to budget constraints state- and district-wide, our student load has increased almost to the breaking point. I, personally, had nearly 200 students last year, and this year, I have about 300. Some of them I see twice a week, some once a week, and because of field trips, holidays and the like, some I don't see for weeks at a time. All my classes are mixed instrument and mixed skill level. Gone are the days (for now...they're coming back, right?) of Beginning Flute class, Beginning Clarinet, etc. for the beginners and Band and Orchestra for the second year students. It's all Band and Orchestra. Beginners and experienced players are all smushed together.

There is a word that administrators, GATE advocates and parents like to toss around: differentiation. In terms of the Common Core, differentiation is implicit in the means of delivery and assessment of content comprehension. In this age of Common Core and giant, mixed classes, this word has become my mantra. What to do with the second year violinists who practice lots at home and are really ready for something beyond Hot Cross Buns, while getting the basics into the hands of the beginners, for whom Hot Cross Buns is the best thing since sliced bread? How to make a meaningful musical learning experience for a 6th grader in the Orchestra who has never touched an instrument and has decided this year he wants to learn the flute?

I have had to think hard about these questions this fall, and I am having some reward for my thoughts. I am still dialing it in, and it will be a couple more years before I feel like I have it down.The first thing I did was throw out my method books. I have made my own sheets for my classes, and eventually will have a whole set for the year, which I can use every year, regardless of the makeup of my classes. Following are a few guiding principles I have been keeping in mind as I make my sheets.

1. Assume that at the beginning of the year, everyone, regardless of skill level, will welcome some super-easy basics that everyone will be able to do fairly quickly. The more advanced players will recognize this as review, while allowing me to focus on basic skills for the beginners. With the advanced players, I expect better position, more sound, better breath control etc. They also really like demonstrating for the beginners, and this gives me a chance to praise them for their position, etc. which motivates the beginners to follow suit.

2. Take simple songs, such as Hot Cross Buns and Twinkle, and fancy them up with variations and "soli" sections that only the second year players will be able to handle. I have made arrangements that include whole notes, open strings, etc. for beginners while putting the advanced parts into new territory for the second year players.

3. Be okay with "close enough" so we can keep moving forward. Fingers and bows and tongues moving, eyes looking, ears hearing are all good, even if it doesn't sound like the philharmonic quite yet. Don't give up on perfection, but know that we will get there with two steps forward and one step backward. With the advanced players in the group, even if everyone isn't playing every note perfectly, there will be an overall musical sound resembling the song we are attempting to play. And it WILL get better.

4. While moving ever forward, also find time to go back and play things from earlier in the year. Beginners who are just starting to GET it will be excited and if it's only part of the class, where the rest of the time is forward motion, even the advanced players will be fine.

5. Understand that even with these accommodations, I am going to lose some. It happens anyway, no matter what I do.

At this point in my career, a half dozen or so years, probably, from retirement, I am finding new challenges and new fun, and I think I like this Common Core thing. It has gotten me thinking in new directions. Well, that and having 300 students.