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Course Description

Candidates enrolled in this course have an interest in furthering their string education and a desire to critically and collaboratively cultivate professional efficacy, encourage leadership practices, and further advance the scholarship of string teaching by fostering cultures of critical reflection and inquiry. The Additional Qualification course: String Music Education, Part 2 (Viola/Cello & Guitar) supports the expectations outlined in the Ministry of Education curriculum policy documents and other Ministry of Education policies.

The Additional Qualification Course: String Education, Part 2 (Viola/Cello & Guitar) extends the knowledge and skills from Part 1, with a focus on leadership skills for all teachers in both elementary and secondary school settings. The Additional Qualification Course: String Education, Part 2 employs a critical, pedagogical lens to explore in a holistic and integrated manner theoretical foundations, curriculum, recruitment/retention, instructional design and practices, assessment and evaluation, and research/ethical considerations related to string teaching and learning.

Course Outline

Throughout this course, candidates will engage in discussions, reflections, written assignments, and performance assessments in order to better understand the Ontario Music curriculum and the implications when teaching intermediate strings, and beginner guitar. Topics include:

• setting up a string music classroom, instrument care and maintenance, establishing a healthy technical/musical foundation, string equipment/accessories, and inquiry-based teaching.
• bow technique, tone production, bow strokes, skill internalization through scaffolding strategies, critical reflection of learning goals in the classroom, effective practice tools, and shifting/vibrato exercises in the classroom
• choosing intermediate string repertoire, cultural and current issues in music preferences, alternative string styles, teaching styles, basic conducting patterns, and current method books in string education.
• informal music learning in the classroom, the influences of rock and popular music, the importance of technology, Garage Band, and YouTube in current string instruction, lesson planning, and the inclusion of ALL students, focusing on Special Needs and IEP’s in the string classroom.
• common technical/musical issues in the string classroom, remedial strategies, teacher competency, assessment (process versus product), grading, and playing test rubrics

Notes

Required Materials:

Candidates are required to purchase/access/rent the following materials for the successful completion of String Music Education, Part 2:

• a good quality webcam with decent audio quality for submitting performance videos
• access to one full-size viola or cello (Rentals can be arranged through Long and McQuade music stores across Ontario)
• guitar
• a functional music stand
• a copy of Strategies for Teaching Strings, by Hamann and Gillespie
•  Hamann, D., & Gillespie, R. (2013). Strategies for Teaching Strings: Building a Successful String and Orchestra Program. New York: Oxford University Press.
•  a copy of the Essential Elements Book 1 (Strings) Teachers Manual 
• a copy of Jerry Snyder Guitar Today Book 1 (Guitar)
• a digital tuner for daily practicing, which may be a free App download for a Smartphone
• a metronome if desired