Well, that's really what it felt like when I was up there trying to tell J.S Bach's life story. Of course afterward I realized that I should have focused in on one small aspect of my material and develop it, as well as build in student activities and discussion to use as assessment tools. If I did it over again I might focus on what a fugue is and look a fugue by Bach. As an introduction I might have had students sing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," and compare that to the little fugue in g minor that I didn't have a chance to play. Then I could have also used the cool examples of modern jazz interpretations of that fugue as a springboard for more class discussion. I guess I knew in the back of my mind I had too much stuff, however I get so into the history behind the music and wanting to share all of it. We should remember that these lessons aren't about us, though, they should be about what the students' needs are. Brandt asked: What do students really need to know about Bach? Certainly not everything that I had, although I do believe supplying context to music is important. Got to find a balance.
Looking back on class today I really wonder about using You-Tube videos, they seem so unwieldy. Everyone (including me) interrupted that flow of presentation by waiting for an advertisement to finish, or allowing a video to load, etc. When you only have ten minutes that interruption can seem catastrophic. Is there a way around this and still include all the neat audio-visuals the You-tube can contribute? Any ideas?
Spotify is a great tool if you're only looking for audio. It has commercials, but only after you've played a few songs.
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