The Old Ways TLTC Jump Start Fall2009

The Old Ways:Energizing Your Students with

Participatory Learning

Fifth Annual Jumpstart ProgramTeaching, Learning, and Technology Center (TLTC)

Texas Tech UniversityAugust 19th and 20th, 2009

Dr Christopher Smith, Associate Professor & Chair of Musicology;Director: Vernacular Music Center & TTU Celtic Ensemble Texas Tech School of Music - christopher.smith@ttu.edu

http://ttuvmc.org

Disclaimer!

VMC

“Vernacular”?

Example

West Africa

Audience[s]: what, where, and who?

Audience[s]: what, where, and who?

Audience[s]: what, where, and who?

Audience[s]: what, where, and who?

The Bandstand & the Ivory Tower

Literac[ies]: to be pre-, post-, and/or differently-literate

One key insight

Knowledge[s]:The world & the classroom

One key insight

Example

West Africa

Goals

Life-long engagement

Intuition

The efficacy of vernacular pedagogies

Intuition

The precision of these pedagogies

Intuition

The continued relevance of these pedagogies

The continued relevance of these pedagogies

Premise

Topics are less problematic

than are mindsets

Example

North India

Premise

Teach to students’ expert learning modes, ancient & post-modern

Premise

Teach to students’ expert learning modes, ancient & post-modern

Premise

Trust the visceral and intuitive

Premise

Trust archetypal teaching modes

Premise

Recognize student strengths

Premise

Recognize student handicaps

Premise

Exploit “new” literacies

Exploit ancient literacies: “Once upon a time…”

Premise

Patterns & their power

Patterns & their power

Exploit memory, orality, recall

Patterns & their power

“Read one, see one, do one.”

Patterns & their power

“Let me tell you a story…”

Patterns & their power

Context & content & their interplay

Patterns & their power

Extending these usages

Problem-solving

Why is “it” the way “it” is?

Demonstration/imitation/critique

Ancient, archetypal, post-modern

How do YOU employ demonstration/imitation/critique…already?

Questions for YOU

Questions for YOU

What are your OWN discipline’s “archetypal narratives”?

Questions for YOU

How could your usage become MORE intentional, conscious, and effective?

How to link your teaching, your discipline, and your students’ experiences?

Questions for YOU

Thank you!