So what are we afraid of?

Through the work and reading I have been undertaking recently really got me thinking about why some music educators may get the fear when asked to teach composition.

So what is the fear?

In real terms, there are music teachers who lack confidence in teaching composition. This is fairly well documented across research. It can also be down to a number of different factors, but the main issue which then presents itself is a scenario where young people are provided with a composition activity focused on the end product and not the development of a process. In many cases it becomes a technical exercise as opposed to a journey of discovery and curiosity.

There is also a fear about time constraints. In a crowded curriculum, there is a need to get things done, to get thing finished, to log the evidence, and to move on. This pressure can squeeze precious time out of allowing learners to experiment with and explore sound. In the rush to keep up to date with assessments and deadlines, it is tempting to adopt a one size fits all approach.

There is the fear about not having the answers. It is difficult to know the answers when you have no idea what the questions might be. For some teachers this may prove a source of tension. The model of the teacher being the curator of all the knowledge that the class needs to know is thankfully changing. Constructivist models of education are becoming more common and teachers are engaging with learners in a different way. That notwithstanding, the teacher may feel the need to take control of creative activities to ensure comfort in the parameters and to think through the process for the class.

For me it has always been an exciting prospect to step into the unknown. I have learned over the years to trust the creative process. To give an example of this:

Several years ago I had the privilege of taking a group of students to work with our partner school in Malawi. I had decided that it would be a good idea to get groups of students from both schools together to write and record some songs. I had no idea whether or not this would work out. The students from our partner school had never written any music let alone writing songs. My own students had mixed experiences in songwriting. So on a hot afternoon in October, I briefly outlined with the students what we were hoping to achieve and left them to it. An hour passed(which felt like a very long time) with very little music being written, however there were lots of conversations. My time was spent touching base with each group and asking questions about the conversations they were having. I felt it was very important not to direct the groups. Another 30 minutes passed and then melodies began to appear. Lyric phrases were written, there was a real buzz beginning to emerge and a creative flow followed so that the next 30 minutes were very intense and focused. Two hours after we had started, each group had written a song. The following day we were able to record the songs.

So what is my point? Well firstly, I had the fear. Fear that it would not work out, fear that it would not be a positive experience for all involved, fear that I would be wasting the time of the all the pupils involved on two very hot afternoons in Malawi. I felt the weight of expectation, and even questioned myself about the feasibility of the project given that very few pupils had previous experience in writing music. However I did tell myself to trust the process and let the creativity happen. In normal school lesson circumstances, it is the equivalent of having an entire lesson where on the surface there is little to show for it. It feels difficult to justify this time. However, what has to be recognised is that potentially a great deal had been explored during that hour and possibly discarded. It helped shape the direction of travel for the songs and provided the group with a clearer focus for the next step.

Real value in developing creativity skills through composition comes in those times where ideas are explored and either discarded or developed. Where discussions take place and carefully structured questions are asked. Where time to reflect on decisions made is given. I want to arm learners with skills which can be developed and transferred between projects. I want to ensure that they are curious about the composition process and understand that it won't always lead to the outcome they might expect. I try not to obsess about the end point, or ensure that every project has a defined outcome. Learners have to build their experiences over time as they bring with them their own cultural backgrounds and experiences.