Category: Free Inquiry

Final Post #7

My Free Inquiry Project for my first semester in the East Kootenay Teacher Education Program has been a cross between a passion I already had for music and my new learning through technology. Over the past few months, I have researched and collected many different resources I can use in my future classroom.

I have learned many new apps, programs, and strategies to use in the classroom to enhance my future students’ learning. I researched Virtual Reality, using music for mindfulness, background music, movement music, how music affects our mental health, and even a project of building recycled instruments that my future class can do.

Having an Inquiry-based way of learning, opened my mind to another way to learning.

Step #1- Ask

I asked how music can be used in my future classroom

Step #2- Explore/Investigate

I researched how Virtual Reality can be used through music, Recycled Instruments, and how music helps with mental health, and different apps to use- Duolingo, GoNoodle, YouTube.

Step #3- Create

I created a blog weekly with my findings. I started Duolingo and have a 40-day streak that I will continue as it helps with my skills. I explored apps I had never heard of before and ventured into a world of technology.

Step #4- Discuss

I spoke with classmates about how they enjoy music and what they use it for in their lives.

Step #5- Reflect

My reflection on my Free Inquiry helped support my ideas and explore how I can use my previous knowledge, to build a music-loving classroom. Music can foster creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration for students and teachers. By exploring music’s various dimensions, I developed a deeper understanding of how music has impacted my life and how it can impact students. It also reinforced that music is a vital tool for enriching my future classroom.

I started with very little knowledge of digital platforms. How to create Stop-Motion films, using Canva to make graphics, and how apps can be beneficial were just a few things I learned. I was using basic skills that I had learned in the past, that did not involve technology. Through this course, I have engaged in many different ways to express my projects. This will help me support my future students as technology is continually growing in our world.

I was excited to be able to choose my free inquiry project. Music has always been a part of my life. It is part of who I am. To be able to deep dive into my passion for music and explore how I can use that in my future classroom, was enjoyable. I also got to reflect on my past experiences and how they can be used as stepping stones to creating a future classroom.

Summary of my Free Inquiry Posts

1- Why I chose this project

2- Virtual Reality for Music

3- Benefits of listening to Music in the Classroom

4- Recycled Instruments

5- Duolingo Music

6- How Music helps Mental Health

Wrapping up my Free Inquiry Project, I want to include one of my favourite quotes

I often think in Music. I live my Daydreams in Music. I see my life in terms of Music – Albert Einstein

Post #6

Have you ever started dancing around your living room with music blaring, or driving down the road, and your favourite song comes on, so you crank your stereo and start singing to the lyrics?

Music is said to enhance intelligence and focus, but it can also improve your mental health. Our mental health is important for our overall well-being, influencing how we think, feel, and interact with others. If we are struggling mentally, it can affect every avenue of our life. Our quality of life, resilience to stress, and physical health, are challenged making it difficult for personal fulfillment and stability. Music can change your mood, relax, and boost your energy. It can help you express your feelings and mend a broken heart.

Sharing music with others, whether through playlists on Spotify or live in-person concerts, helps with feelings of loneliness and builds connections. There are also several YouTube videos, Instagram posts, and Tik Tok videos that exhibit how music can connect you with your audience, and help you express your feelings.

Benefits of Music on Mental Health -Improve Focus -Lifts your mood -Boosts confidence -To relax -To express and channel anger or negative emotion -Therapeutic benefits -Can support mindfulness

Music can lower stress levels, reduce anxiety, and promote relaxation. An upbeat song or your favorite tune, can boost your mood and promote feelings of happiness which can help to combat depression. Listening to music encourages you to concentrate on the rhythms, melodies, harmonies, and beats of the music, which can help you stay present and in the moment.

Using music to express and channel anger or negative emotions can be a powerful coping tool. Genres like rock and metal, often express themes of anger and frustration. This can be a good outlet for feelings. For me, playing an instrument was cathartic. I would channel my anger into my violin, playing faster and more challenging tunes, that would bring up my feelings.

Music offers a range of therapeutic benefits that can positively impact mental, emotional, and physical health. Research has shown that playing an instrument can enhance cognitive function and memory.

In Psychology Today, they wrote “Music therapy can help people manage physical pain and has proven effective in treating a variety of health conditions, including cardiac complications, cancer, diabetes, and dementia. It can help:

• Lower heart rate and blood pressure
• Reduce stress
• Improve sleep
• Boost memory and cognitive function.

Music can also have powerful effects on a person’s psychological health. It can influence anyone’s mood, causing a range of effects from providing comfort to soothing physical pain to boosting energy. Studies have shown that music therapy can be particularly helpful for people who have an autism spectrum disorder or depression” (Psychology Today, 2024).

Music can encourage mindfulness, helping individuals to stay present and grounded. Calming music can support deep breathing and relaxation, which are key components of the practice of mindfulness. Music can also be used as a way to guide your thoughts when you are meditating.

In our house, we go by the ‘Dance It Out’ Method. The “Dance It Out” method from the famous Drama, Grey’s Anatomy emphasizes using dance as a form of emotional release and self-expression. It shows how movement and music can be therapeutic while offering a fun and engaging way to cope with emotions and improve mental health at the end of a long day. It is also a way to connect with others while dancing in your house, street, or in your car.

Sometimes you just have to ‘Dance It Out”

Post #5

The app Duolingo was launched in 2012. It is offered on Apple as well as Android. The idea was to offer a platform for individuals to learn different languages. It has now expanded to include math and music. For Duolingo Music, it teaches music theory as well as instrument skills. It launched in Fall of 2023, offering 36 units, which in a year has increased to 69 units. Users can explore topics like rhythm, melody, and harmony, often through exercises that involve listening, identifying notes, practicing scales, and even playing songs. The app includes various formats, such as quizzes, listening exercises, and even a virtual piano to help reinforce skills that are being taught.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to refine your skills, Duolingo Music offers a fresh, exciting way to keep expanding your music skills day by day, at your own pace. Anyone can be a musician with this app. It teaches basic skills that will help individuals thrive and feel accomplished.

Duolingo Music is divided into 3 sections., basic first notes and songs, playing songs with white keys, and playing songs with black keys. During each accomplishment, you are that much closer to opening a gem chest, that gives you badges, and unleash abilities through your quests. There are leagues that allow you to compete against other users in the app. It is not too difficult to rise up the ladder, if you do your practices daily and on time. There is also an option to add your friends to your list and compete against them, for some friendly competition.

I started using Duolingo to learn Italian. I then added Duolingo Music. I already know a lot about music, so I clicked the more advanced version. It has been a fun addition to my evenings, as music has always been important in my life. I found this app to be a great ‘take home’, that is free for everyone. Students can learn skills, theory, and songs, while at home. Just as reading at home is important, I believe, so is music. It can relieve stress, build confidence, and give joy.

Duolingo Music can be used by all ages. There are different levels and can offer something for everyone. I believe as time goes on, units will be added, as the popularity goes up. I look forward to getting on my phone and trying my new lesson. I noticed at the beginning that I would push the notes too early, but once I understood how the app worked, I do not have that trouble anymore.

Duolingo Music is an app for everyone.

Get ready to unleash your inner musician!

Post #4

A Youth Orchestra in Cateura, Paraguay, has their instruments made out of trash from the landfill. Favio Chavez and Luis Szaran came to Paraguay to open a music school. They quickly realized they had more students than instruments. Being resourceful, they went to the landfill and made violin, cellos, and other instruments artfully put together from trash and recycled them. The village is build on a landfill.

“Illiteracy is rampant there, and Cateura’s youngest inhabitants are often the ones responsible for collecting and reselling the garbage. The water supply is very dangerously polluted; on rainy days, the town floods with contaminated water. “A violin is worth more than a house here,” says Favio Chavez, the orchestra’s director and founder. In the midst of such an existence, these musicians have created something both special and truly awe-inspiring. “My life would be worthless without music.” says one girl in pigtails. A young man named Juan Manuel Chavez, nicknamed Bebi, has a cello fashioned out of an oil can and old cooking tools. “People realize that we shouldn’t throw away trash carelessly,” says Chavez at the end of the trailer. “Well, we shouldn’t throw away people either.” (Tsioulcas, 2012).

Instruments do not need to be expensive. They can be made of every day items, that play beautiful music. I had the privilege of meeting students, as well as Favio and spending the weekend with them, when they came to Cranbrook. It was a humbling experience that I will not forget. My youngest daughter also played her violin in their concert at the Key City Theatre.

Learning about other cultures and beliefs, is vital in a classroom. Not everyone is the same, but there are things that connect us all. These are students, not adults, from a range of ages. The Landfill Harmonic Orchestra beautifully illustrates that you don’t need expensive instruments or advanced technology to create music. They emphasize resourcefulness and creativity, showing that everyday materials can be transformed into unique musical instruments. By using items like plastic bottles, tin cans, oil cans, and scrap wood, the musicians demonstrate that music can be made accessible to everyone, regardless of economic circumstances.

A Recycled Orchestra not only teaches music and environmental stewardship but also fosters creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking among students. This would be a great project to have in the class. From designing their own instruments, to talking about waste management and the importance of recycling. Discussing how music can raise awareness about environmental issues, to organizing a performance where students showcase their instruments and what they’ve learned. Through this exploration, students not only learn about a unique cultural phenomenon but also develop a deeper appreciation for diversity and creativity in addressing social challenges.

Seeing the potential in what might be considered waste and to explore creativity with simple, recycled materials, it reinforces the idea that music is a universal language. This can be taught in a classroom setting. Building your own instruments, give students pride and explore creativity, which is important for the mind. It is ok to make mistakes and your instrument does not play, you can go back and revamp it. This will help a student with a growth mindset. A recycled orchestra can help students thrive on imagination and collaboration, reminding us all that the heart of music lies not in the cost of instruments, but in the joy of expression and connection.

In a Future Classroom, students can bring items from home to help build their instruments.

Examples

cardboard

milk jugs

elastics

soup cans

balloons

magazines/newspaper

straws

References

Tsioulcas, Anastasia (December 19, 2012). The Landfill Harmonic: An Orchestra Built From Trash. Web. The Landfill Harmonic: An Orchestra Built From Trash : Deceptive Cadence : NPR

Free Inquiry #1

In our Technology course, we were allowed to have a free inquiry project on something that interested us for our classroom. I decided to involve music, as it has always been important in my life. Since before I started Kindergarten, I began playing the violin. It was something my Grandfather and I could share. He made violins and played many different instruments. This was a connection we had. He also had a sense of humour, that always made me laugh.

As I grew up, I started taking exams to get my certificate levels from the Royal Conservatory of Music. When I was 12, my Grandfather passed way and I received his violin, per his wishes. This was very special to me. I continued with my music, advancing my levels and branching out to other instruments. It was a challenge to try new instruments and teach myself how to play.

When I graduated from High School, I was already teaching violin. I opened my own studio and continued this for over 20 years. Music has always been apart of my life. I taught my daughters music, from when they were young. It is an extension of who I am. I could not see my classroom without music in it. It can be incorporated into many different subjects, including:

Math: Music involves patterns, rhythms, and beats, which can help students understand fractions, ratios, and counting.

Language Arts: Analyzing song lyrics improves reading comprehension and vocabulary. Rhyming can be a fun poetry activity, making your own song.

Science: Studying sound waves, acoustics, and the physics of instruments deepens understanding of scientific concepts, such as how the violin has a soundpost inside.

Physical Education: Movement and dance in music promote physical fitness and coordination, while also teaching about rhythm and timing. This is a fun group activity for everyone.

Social Studies: Exploring music from different cultures helping students with cultural beliefs and traditions. Music can be studied through the eras.

I wanted to do a free inquiry project on music and the classroom, because it holds a special place in my heart. It can be used in many different aspects, for as much or as little as wanted.

Music is Life…….That’s why our hearts have beats

Free inquiry Post #3

In the classroom, teachers are looking for effective ways to enhance learning and engagement. A powerful and inspiring tool that often gets overlooked is music. Listening to music in the classroom can transform the learning experience, offering a range of benefits that support cognitive, emotional, and social development. It helps with all areas of a child’s development, including fine and gross motor skills, language and literacy, and
social-emotional (Childcare Education Institute, 2021).

Music playing in the background in a classroom creates a calming environment that can help students concentrate. Soft instrumental music has been shown to improve focus and reduce distractions, allowing students to immerse themselves in their work. Music also has a unique ability to elevate mood. It can engage students with learning and increase motivation. “Listening to music releases endorphins, which are the brain’s “feel-good” chemicals. This has many benefits, including calming anxiety”. (Childcare Education
Institute, 2021).

Music is a reflection of diverse cultures and histories. Introducing students to music from various genres and backgrounds can enhance cultural awareness and appreciation, fostering empathy and understanding in an increasingly globalized world. Music can serve as a useful tool for transitions between activities. A specific song can signal the end of one task and the beginning of another, helping students adjust smoothly and reducing disruptions. This can help with a routine if you have the same song each time. By incorporating music into lessons, teachers can inspire creative thinking and problem-solving,
allowing students to approach tasks from different angles. There are many apps such as GoNoodle and YouTube. Music stimulates the brain’s creative centers, encouraging students to think outside the box.

Listening to music with lyrics can help students learn languages and improve vocabulary. The benefits of listening to music in the classroom are vast and varied. It boosts concentration, fosters creativity, and emotional well-being. Music can enrich the learning environment. By incorporating music into their teaching practices, teachers can help students thrive academically
and personally.

Music takes me out of myself for a few hours and can be very healing. It has helped me to concentrate on a task longer and with more confidence. When I work on my blog posts, I have music in the background. I have tried a variety of different types, instrumental, classical, 80’s (which usually I start singing to), so I stick to different types of instrumental, depending on my mood. I have played movie soundtracks, Disney, and calming music with ocean waves. I noticed typing with music in the background, gave me more of an uplifting feeling when I came off the computer, than when I was in silence.

Embrace the power of music and watch your classroom transform!

References
Childcare Education Institute. The benefits of music in the classroom. (Dec 14, 2021). Web. The Benefits of Music in the Classroom | CCEI A StraighterLine Company (cceionline.com)

Pro Solutions Training. The benefits of music in the classroom. Web. The benefits of music
in the classroom (prosolutionstraining.com)