Technology and My Lessons

In the past 6 months, I have been incorporating different computer programs as a tool during my lessons. All my students are keyboard/piano players between the ages of 5-12, all girls. The evolution of the computer has changed the way we learn and perceive information.  Our cognitive skills have sharpened and this is evident from an early on.

Earlier today, I was thinking about the first time I used a computer.  It was 1988, a prehistoric Apple. The screen black, the fonts green.  Computer class was once week for us fourth graders. Sometimes we had to take turns. I think about some of my fourth graders. Most have there own personal computers that they might share with another sibling. All with the latest programs including music related ones like ITunes and Garage Band.  Having access to a program like Garage Band exposes them to a library of musical sounds and allows them to create original compositions without even having to know how to play the specific instruments. Although some may look at this as a hindrance to ones' musicality; I see it as inspiration.  They gain the confidence to be able to create these original compositions which can then spark there curiosity in wanting to learn the actual instruments.

To be a great writer, be an avid reader. To be a great musician/song-writer, listen to all kinds of music.  Developing these habits at an early age is optimum.  A program like ITunes allows us to keep libraries of our favorite tunes, share them with others and make portable, uploading to an IPod.  I have used Itunes in my lessons.  Back in March, I gave a few voice lessons to one of my students in preparation for a competition she had with school.  She had never taken any vocal lessons before and I wanted her to listen to singers with unique, rich and sultry voices. We then went through my library to sample a few songs. The task proved to be successful as she was very curious about the singers she heard and wanted to hear more. I exposed her to a whole new world of music and voices she had never heard of before.  I recorded all of her lessons using GarageBand.  She was fascinated with these programs wanting to learn how to use them herself.

Teaching has become a much more interesting experience for me.  I love that I can integrate the latest technologies to enrich their minds beyond learning the instrument.