At this writing, I think most of us are in a state of bewilderment in the wake of all that has transpired over the past year. Above and beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic, many of us are struggling to make sense of a deeply divided nation. Following the most challenging presidential election any of us can remember, most of us feel at a loss as to how to adequately address the stark realities of social injustice. Even something seemingly benign, like wearing a mask, has somehow morphed into a political statement of sorts, further complicating the path to building an environment for healthy communities. All this, under the banner of liberty and justice for all…
Meanwhile, teachers in all disciplines have been scrambling for nearly a year now to reinvent themselves, more often than not through the pin-hole camera-lens of their laptop computers. It’s difficult to imagine that anyone has struggled more during these perilous times than the choral director at Anytown High School, or the music and drama teacher at Across The Street Middle School. Who could have imagined that the mere act of singing would end up at the top of the list of the most dangerous activities in which one might participate during a global pandemic?
It’s hardly surprising that people of all ethnicities and political orientation have taken to the streets to make it loud and clear that BLACK LIVES MATTER! Simply looking the other way, tacitly pretending there’s not a problem, is not an acceptable response. Nearly every revered institution, from the church, to the university, to the local bowling league has been challenged with taking a stand. “Do you believe in liberty and justice for all, in an actionable sort of way…” people are asking, “or will this simply be another exercise where words are plentiful and actions are conspicuously absent?” Similarly, those whose livelihoods are grounded in educational settings – faculty, staff, and students alike – are finally coming face-to-face with issues of gender identity, sexual orientation, and the explicit and implicit ramifications of systemic racism with a growing awareness of all forms of othering. The days of saying “Because I’m the teacher, that’s why!” have given way to an era where each and every one of us are challenged to think beyond those ideals we once considered truths, as well as the accompanying habitual behaviors that were simply rationalized or ignored.
Just in case it sounds like I’m preaching to the choir, (which has literally been the predominant tenet of my professional life for the past thirty-five years), these words are largely intended for an audience of one – MYSELF! By now, my life as a choral director has encompassed about ten years as a high school teacher, fifteen years as a church choir director, nearly twenty-five years as a college professor, and serving as a guest conductor for countless honor choirs all over the country. (And oh, let’s not forget about eight years as a music school administrator. ) And yet, I find myself looking in the mirror asking myself, “What happens next? How do we move forward from here?”
THE CHORAL ROOM 2020 is intentionally a play on words, as clearly – and thankfully – 2020 is well behind us with all of its eccentricities and unforeseen difficulties. But with the emergence of the Coronavirus, and the many social complexities unfolding in its shadow, I suspect this past year will remain a bookmark in all of our professional lives, as we categorize life in two segments – that occurring before COVID, and that which lies before us.
The most conducive environment for teaching and learning is one where the eventual outcome is not subject to clear definition, but instead, causes the learner to develop a desire to grow insatiably curious about the subject matter at hand.
As one who has always had a strong affinity not only for making choral music, but also in shaping the lives of “future makers” of choral music, I have found myself unable to provide tangible answers to questions predicated on innumerable and uncertain variables, at a time in history when nobody has a clue as to how the story will unfold from here. Will we be successful in vaccinating an entire nation? Is there such a thing as a bi-partisan political compromise or stance? Will the daily business of running a high school evolve into a permanent hybrid model in the post-COVID age? And have we learned anything from those brave people, from every walk of life, who have finally said “enough is enough” and it’s time to sort things out?
Arts Education professor and theorist, Elliot Eisner wrote about emergent educational outcomes as a blueprint for innovative curriculum design. In essence, he believed that the most conducive environment for teaching and learning is one where the eventual outcome is not subject to clear definition, but instead, causes the learner a develop a desire to grow insatiably curious about the subject matter at hand, whatever that is. Put another way, there are no hard and fast answers, only really difficult questions that we should be prepared to grapple with for the entirety of our lives. There is no point in time when we can say we are fully educated, but instead, we are always a work in progress. Life and learning are complex equations, and we are charged with solving those together, be that in the music room, at the faculty meeting, or even while interacting with friends and relatives on social media.
This is where THE CHORAL ROOM 2020 finds a second definition – in the same way that we hope the eye-doctor might tell us we have 20-20 vision, or when we utter the cliché that we wish we had 20-20 hindsight. Personally, I had scarcely realized how much my own vision had deteriorated until assuming the role of facilitator in a series of discussions with students, alumni, faculty, and professional peers following the turbulent events of last summer. The recurring theme of those meetings was blatantly clear… “Enough talking. Let’s hear about what people doing!“
THE CHORAL ROOM 2020 is a decided effort to start doing!
While I remain intensely focused on helping choral-general music education students at the University of Delaware establish a sense of being, before setting foot into their own classrooms, I’m hoping the discussions and ideals that emerge from these pages will be much larger than that. As this project will likely spill over into the bustling cyberspace of social media, I’m hoping our emergent outcome will be a lively discussion between students and alumni, novice teachers and master teachers, experts and amateurs, the curious and the discouraged. We all need to have a good talk – with each other – with the intent of increasing our collective awareness as to what great teachers do, while building meaningful alliances and relationships between colleagues and mentors who can support and inspire one another.
We all need to have a good talk – with each other – with the intent of increasing our collective awareness as to what great teachers do, while building meaningful alliances and relationships between colleagues and mentors who can support and inspire one another.
I also hope THE CHORAL ROOM 2020 will become a safe space, just as the real choir room was a safe haven for so many of us when we were in middle or high school. When I ask students to identify a remarkable teacher who made a difference in their personal and/or professional lives, it almost always comes down to compassion and empathy. “Not only was she passionate about what she was teaching, but she genuinely wanted me to succeed and love the thing as much as she did, and went to extraordinary measures to help me find my way.”
Where Artistry meets Empathy!
As a conductor, my inherent inclination is to lead from the podium. In this case, however, I hope to abandon that role, but instead, push from behind. I find inspiration in those teachers who dare to ask the difficult questions: the ones that cause each and every one of us to reconsider our own values and perspectives; the ones who guide us into that uncertain realm of emergent outcomes.
I also trust that those who choose to gather in this cyber-venue will bring threads of wisdom, experience, and knowledge, sharing those moments that led to a euphoric triumph in the classroom, or perhaps even an unanticipated breakthrough with a student who seemed barricaded behind the walls of sadness, anger, or insecurity. Stories like these are a source of inspiration to everyone in our midst, reminding each of us that the most valuable lessons we learn about “how to teach” are often derived from those moments when we empathize with our students. That instance of extemporaneously dreaming up a new pedagogical approach on the fly, only to be amazed at the serendipitously spontaneous lesson plan that follows.
Let’s take this opportunity to create an emergent outcome together. After all, as choral directors, we are well acquainted with the old adage that the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts. Let’s come together in these pages to reinvent the CHORAL ROOM of 2020, while building a community of lifelong learners who live for those moments when artistry and empathy collide.
pdh
CHORAL ROOM 2020 