The Dome Piece
It all begins with an idea.
“Individuals are necessarily products of the cultural surround in which they exist, according to this viewpoint. We must build societies that not only avoid the dangers of inhumane beliefs and policies, but instead build conditions for their opposite, for ideas and structures that cultivate equitable, beneficent interactions, and as a result, individuals who exemplify such values” (Reimer 2007, 194).
This quote stood out to me as I thought about the way my musical education was shaped by both Taiwanese and American influences. I always thought that there was a certain standard I had to meet, or a box I need to fit into in order to fit in and be recognized as a “real musician”. However I realized that it’s what I can create with others that results in the music we experience in the classroom. Music education should be a space where we build connections with people from all backgrounds. Achieving equity and empathy with one another should be highly valued so that we can build a community.
This philosophy inspired me to create my very first children’s illustrated book, “The Dome Piece”. When I took a graduate course named “Social Justice,” taught by Dr. Hickey, I got a glimpse of the importance of being aware of the differences between people, and being able to empathize and understand as an educator so I can promote meaningful action in the classroom. I designed the illustrated book with the intention of using it for a unit in general music as a tool to teach students about the connection between sounds and visuals, as well as the moral of recognizing that diversity and differences exist, but we should build one another up rather than shutting each other down. This book is also personal to me, as it is a story of my own experience of inequality as an outsider, but also of how I overcame my insecurities through finding community.
Click Here for the Story of “The Dome Piece”
Click Here for “The Dome Piece” K-2 Curriculum
Taiwan Indigenous Music
It all begins with an idea.
“It is vital to keep all potential pathways in view, to acknowledge one’s own biases and adherence to various prevailing ideologies, to interrogate imbalances within the field, and to take deliberate actions for change. It does not put one oppression against another. Nor do oppressions morph into a single undifferentiated mass. Rather, various oppressions (and privileges) are experienced simultaneously and shape each other; like colors in painting, each facet retains elements of nuance and distinguishability, and can be analyzed individually or in various combinations as needed, even though the full picture remains greater than the sum of its part” (Bates 2019, under “intersectionality”).
Through my Virtual World Music Pedagogy course with Dr. Bartolome, I learned the significance in implementing world music as part of a curriculum. I would imagine that in each classroom, each individual student will bring in new ideas and build the culture of the classroom. It is important that not only I acknowledge the diverse backgrounds of my students, but that I also acknowledge how my background is different from theirs. Sometimes, it’s difficult to find the balance of ensuring all elements of the curriculum can satisfy each individual students’ interest and needs. However, it is through recognizing the differences in the classroom and exposing them to different types of music that will slowly shape the individual’s perspectives on cultural differences. My hope is that my classroom would be a safe, equal, and enjoyable place for everyone.
For my final project in the class, I chose Taiwanese Indigenous Music as my choice of a culture that I would like to teach one day. The music is from my motherland and I had the privilege of researching and exploring the rich culture of these indigenous groups in the land that I grew up in. This unit focuses on the music from one of the sixteen tribes in Taiwan, the Amis. I implemented activities that enhances these elements that we learned, through planning a world music pedagogy curriculum that encouraged attentive and engaged listening, interactive listening, creating activity, and integrating activity.
Click here for “Taiwan Indigenous Music” Slides
Click here for Lesson Plans
Songwriting Course
It all begins with an idea.
“Critical thinkers are people who reflect on and challenge their own and others’ assumptions. [...] Critical thinking includes a healthy degree of skepticism about everything that affects music teaching and learning, including colleagues' “common sense,” official doctrines, local and national curricula, textbooks, popular bandwagons, shiny new technologies, and the advice of so-called authorities” (Elliot & Silverman 2014, 29).
As students gain more experience and exposure to a variety of music, they should be able to develop a healthy degree of skepticism about everything they experience so that they can develop as individuals who know how to reflect, analyze, and voice their ideas.
This is the intention behind my curriculum for high schoolers. I would like to give students the opportunity to think critically, analyze texts and experiences, and voice their ideas through the craft of songwriting. Students will be exposed to all types of songs, genres of music, and world music. They will analyze the connections between music and words. Students will also learn the practical skills of how to set up audio recording software and music editing.