This week we again explored music and visual arts. I started in the music workshop where we explored rhythm and pulse. We began with tapping the beat of a tune on our laps with drumsticks. We then used squares which represented one note (crotchet) and circles which represented a half beat (quaver). We used this knowledge to practice playing along to the beat of a number of song – this started with easier songs and the level of difficulty progressed.  We then used tuned percussion instruments such as xylophones and glockenspiels to learn the chromatic scale. To make this learning easier and more enjoyable we learned the notes through the acronym Every Green Bus Drives Fast and FACE. This helped me visualise the notes so I knew what note to play. After practicing the notes for a while we again played some tunes including Hot Cross Buns and The Grand Old Duke of York. I enjoyed this class as it allowed me to see ways this can be taught to pupils. Although we completed this class quickly it was emphasised that this will take much longer to teach to school pupils.

In today’s visual art input, we were discussing our experiences of the arts so far on placement. From the discussion, I was able to identify lessons I could incorporate into my future teaching such as using a variety of materials. I was also able to identify techniques I would not use in my teaching such as giving pupils examples and demonstrations as this can be counterproductive and may lead to them being less imaginative. In addition to this I was able to relate one of the visual art lessons I have observed on placement and relate this to theory. The lesson I observed involved pupils creating a sunset background using only red, yellow, black and white paint. By doing so pupils were made to experiment with mixing paints and create different shades, this demonstrated problem based learning in action. I was also able to observe children’s imagination coming to life. From such a simple task the variety of artwork produced was vast. Some pupils chose to create a background using one colour where others used upwards of 10. This lesson was similar to the input we had at the beginning of the module where we painted our interpretation of the picture being read to us as, in both instances, learners used their imagination and had limited resources. Art lessons in Finland can take a similar approach by means of using the environment to create art. This is similar to the lesson I observed as both involve creativity and exploration with few materials. In Finland, art lessons are a sustainable way of learning as the likes of sand and snow can be used to create beautiful sculptures. From this type of learning – where the finished product will be temporary – the process is often more valuable (Burnard, 2006).

From today’s workshops, I am now aware that having access to many materials is not a priority when it comes to creating art. This was evident firstly in the music class where we used beaters and no instruments, the lack of instruments did not impact our ability to tap the beat or develop and understanding of notes. Secondly, in the art workshop we were also shown this as the artwork in Finland is made using easily sourced materials from their environment.

Reference List

Burnard, P. (2006) Rethinking the Imperatives for Reflective Practices Arts Education Landscapes: the Arts, Aesthetics and Education. Vol.5 pp.3-12. Dordecht: Springer.