“Music Learning Theory is simply this:
What do you need to know in order to learn something else?”
–Edwin Gordon
Author: Joy Morin
Joy Morin, MM, is a teacher, pianist, composer, speaker, and writer of a blog at ColorInMyPiano.com. A devoted teacher and lifelong learner, she teaches students of all ages at her independent piano studio near Ann Arbor, Michigan. Joy is a frequent attendee and presenter at conferences and workshops, and enjoys connecting with fellow piano teachers through her blog and beyond.
New Facebook Group: Edwin E. Gordon and MLT for Piano Teachers
Just a quick note today to let you know about a brand new Facebook group intended for piano teachers who are interested in learning more about Music Learning Theory (MLT) and explore how they can incorporate it into their teaching. Any teacher interested in MLT is welcome to join! The group is called “Edwin E. Gordon and Music Learning Theory for Piano Teachers.” The group is moderated by a few MLT piano teachers including Marilyn Lowe, the author of the Music Moves For Piano method.
If you’d like to join, visit the group here and then click the “Join Group” button to request to join the group.
Hope to see you inside the group!
Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom
“Just as speech developed before the written word, sound of music existed long before music notation was developed.”
—Edwin E. Gordon
What is Audiation, Exactly?
Have you heard of “audiation” before, but perhaps weren’t exactly sure what it meant? Have you wondered: why do we need this new word? Why should audiation matter to us as musicians and music educators?
Audiation isn’t an idea that is going away anytime soon. We are going to continue hearing more about audiation within music education circles. As the term “audiation” is becoming more widely known and increasingly used, it would benefit us to ensure that we have a clear and accurate understanding of the term.
Why did Edwin Gordon coin the term “audiation”?
The term “audiation” was coined around 1976 by music professor, researcher, theorist, and author Dr. Edwin Gordon (1927-2015). Audiation is the central focus of a collection of theories about how music is learned, known as Music Learning Theory (MLT).
Audiation refers to a mental process that is both a natural and integral part of music making — and has been since the beginning of time — but has gone unnamed (at least, in the English language) until Gordon came along.
There is power to naming something. Giving something a name means acknowledging it. Continue reading “What is Audiation, Exactly?”
Wednesday Words of Wisdom
“Music literacy involves more than being able to read and write music notation.”
–Edwin Gordon
Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom
“All learning begins with the ear, not the eye, and learning music, of course, is no exception.”
— Edwin Gordon
YouTube: Music as a Language by Victor Wooten
I recently came across this video by musician Victor Wooten on YouTube and thought to myself: the ideas expressed here fit very well with MLT (Music Learning Theory)!
Below are my favorite points from this video, along with some of my own commentary regarding the agreement with MLT.
1. Music is in many ways like a language. Think about the way you learned to speak as a child.
MLT practitioners find it very useful to compare the process of language acquisition to music acquisition. It’s not a perfect comparison (as with any analogy), but I have personally found it to be an incredibly useful analogy to keep in mind as a piano teacher.
2. Imagine children being allowed to speak only with those at their same speaking level. It would stunt their progress compared to being allowed to interact with more experienced speakers such as their parents. It’s the same with music: it’s helpful for students to jam along with professionals.
This is a good reminder to play often alongside our students, whether it’s informal duet-playing during lessons or preparation for a performance. And to have our students play together. And consider other ways we can provide opportunities for students to experience playing alongside professional musicians.
This is related to the reason why I like combining multiple ages/levels among my students at our monthly group classes, “Piano Parties.” Students already have individual lesson time instruction customized to their age and level, so why not combine levels for monthly group classes? They can learn so much from interacting with and watching each other. It’s about creating opportunity for the less experienced students to learn from the more experienced, and more experienced students to model for and mentor the less experienced. Continue reading “YouTube: Music as a Language by Victor Wooten”
Piano Teachers as Music Educators
We’ve accomplished so much in the realm piano pedagogy over the decades. So many fine teachers, fine books, and fine pedagogical piano literature.
The music education community can tout similar advancements, and yet we piano teachers tend to know so little of them. We know little of the theories and recent research regarding music learning, and of the approaches music educators use in the school systems. Does anyone else find it odd?
There seems to be a certain degree of separation between the worlds of piano pedagogy and music education. We don’t interact much. We took separate courses while in college. We have separate professional organizations.
Do we piano pedagogues consider ourselves under the same umbrella as music educators?
Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
— Nelson Mandela
Wednesday Words of Wisdom
“The teacher is the compass that activates the magnets of curiosity, knowledge, and wisdom in the pupils.”
–Ever Garrison
Teachers As Learners
I remember my band instructor from high school as the type of teacher who is always working to improve their craft. It wasn’t unusual during any given rehearsal for him to introduce and implement a new teaching idea or learning activity he had picked up, whether from a book or colleague at a music educator’s conference.
He was a wonderful role model for us students. Even as a high schooler, I admired his choice to consider himself ever on a journey towards self-improvement as a teacher.
As a music educator myself today, I am on that same journey. I want to be — and am — the kind of teacher who is always learning, always trying something new, and always improving.
No matter how new or already-experienced I am at something, I prefer to take this approach of striving for self-improvement. As my pastor sometimes says: “It’s fine to be where you are. It’s not fine to stay there.”
Learning involves experimentation and “it might not work.” There might be failures or less-than-successes. Mistakes.
Learning also involves possibility. The possibility of being able to do something you couldn’t do before. The possibility of insight, new skill, more ease.
Even though it’s a messy process and doesn’t (normally) go in a straight line, I personally choose to find learning enjoyable. No matter the topic area, I’m interested in opportunities to learn new things — although at times I must make choices about what I have or don’t have time to devote energy toward.
I know I’m not unique in this regard. When I talk to other teachers, I often observe a similar mental posture. A positive energy towards new ideas. An openness to change and the possibility of being wrong.
We teachers tend to be learners.
This, most likely, is why we are teachers: we love the learning process.
My thought for the day is this:
Do we consciously model for our students what it means to be an eager learner? How openly can we demonstrate being the sort of learner we want each of our students to be? How can we display our open attitude towards change and improvement, as my high school band instructor did?
After all, such is the purpose of a teacher:
The ultimate goal of the teacher is not to create those who have learned, but to create learners.
• • •
Call to Action:
Leave a comment: How can YOU openly model for your students how to be a learner? And what new things are you currently learning in your endeavors?
Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom
“If knowledge is power, learning is your superpower.”
–Jim Qwik