Teaching Using The Right Hemisphere of My Brain

According to Daniel Pink A Whole New Mind, the brain is divided into the two hemispheres; right and left. The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, is sequential, decodes text, and analyzes details. Although the two have these separate functions, they could not function without the other.


My way of thinking is totally right brained or R- Directed. I tend to see the big picture, or the finished result, although the way I arrived at such an end point is just as important. Being a R-Directed thinker ties in to the way I have been allowed to creatively express myself over the many years of my musical education. I am an entertainer and inventor.



Usually I start my lessons with the end clearly in mind. Case in point when the subject of the lesson was Rhythms: Notating and Creating. OUTCOME?/Objective: At the end of this unit, students will be able to recreate the rhythm to a song that has been played on the radio and play it on their chosen instrument (simple transcribing). According to the GPS standards, the students of the orchestra are supposed to be performing at or very close to their level, and if not, then definitely by the end of the 5 weeks for assessments, show evidence of trying to achieve this goal.



After teaching note and rest values, I show students how these values are placed in a measure that contains 4 counts. I show them how a whole note/rest looks with counts underneath, I show them how 2 half notes/rests are placed in the same measure, all the way down to how sixteen 16ths look all in the same measure. After making this Rhytmic Chart with notes and rests in each beat, the students enjoy clapping the entire chart, going around the room so everyone gets a chance. Can you say BIZ-ZEE NOISE??!!



After this major exercise, the students learn that we can then take any of these notes and rests and make simple little rhythms with appropriate counts. So on their lap top dry erase staff charts, they copy the 4 measure rhythm I place on the board. They are shown how to place counts underneath and when they are done, they challenge each other to see who can be the first to clap the rhythm. So by the 3rd or 4th week of rhythm exercises, they can clap out the rhythm to a well known song off the radio and soon after that, we place the notes to it and they can play it on their chosen instrument.



Some other supplemental exercises I do pertaining to rhythms are "Rhythm Taps" or as I say "Whack It" using the bow to tap out rhythms on the stand. The kids get such a big kick out of it, so much so, that I do it as we begin all of our new selections.