Musicking through Life: Adult Music Learning Class

Sarah Wilson
Course Description

This class, which will be offered to adults in community learning centers and retirement

communities, will provide music-making and learning opportunities for adults. The class will

have three foci:

1) personal motivation

2) social motivation

3) musical motivation

These motivations will work together to provide positive adult music engagement. Personal

motivation will be different between individuals; however, the idea is to know what type of

things the class is interested in: are they looking only to participate, with learning happening

collaterally? Are they specifically looking for learning? Do they want to learn a new

instrument/song/genre/etc. or improve on one? Will this class present itself as a good use of

leisure time? These are the personal motivations that will keep them coming to the class and that

will need to be set up on a class-by-class basis, as a group at Virginia Mennonite Retirement

Community may not be looking for the same thing as a group at Sunnyside Retirement Home.

Social motivations will include the type of community we seek to build, the sense of belonging,

and the value of the relationships. This will be done by group projects and opportunities to

perform with and for others.

Musical motivations will be the type of musical activities done that are satisfying. Some

examples of these activities are:

---Learning various instruments such as guitar, ukulele, piano, or band instruments

---Developing a group performance aspect

---Learning songs from an important time in their life

---Learning music from different cultures in an authentic way

---Different types of musical therapy sessions

---Learning different types of dancing such as contra dancing, square dancing, etc.

---Learning musical notation

Need for Course

This course seeks to increase the quality of life and lifelong engagement of older adults. Quality

of life (QOL) can generally be defined as the general well-being of a person determined by

health and happiness rather than materials and wealth (Health-Related Quality of Life, 2016;

WHO, 2002). QOL can be increased by motivations that encourage lifelong engagement with

some type of activity.

The motivations listed as the foci of this class are important as the reasons that older adults

become involved in activities stem from these motivations. Adults seek personal satisfaction in

their life, generally in the form of hobbies; they long to be accepted and be around others, as

many humans do; adults want to be successful in some way in the activities in which they

engage. This class gives them those success stories to increase their QOL. Music is a fantastic

way to facilitate this (Sol Resano et al., 2010; Stebbins, 1992; Tsugawa, 2009).
As noted by Small (1998) and Thibeault (2015), participatory musicking is a great benefit to all

involved. This class allows people to participate in a low-pressure environment, which leads to

diminished self-consciousness, because (ideally) everyone present is similarly engaged (Turino,

2008, p. 29).

Expected Impact on Students

As stated in the prior section, the purpose of this class is aimed less at musical instruction and

more as a way to bring a better life to the adults in the class. With less formal structure than a

public school, this class can take detours for the different needs and interests of the students.

Older adults have a lot to bring to a class like this, even if they have never formally been

involved in music education. The curriculum in this class is student and participation driven

rather than teacher and assessment driven.

Expected Impact on Community

As in most classes and community groups, a sense of social capital will be built. That is

important to social functioning, but especially to older adults and their QOL. The community

created in this class will be one that nourishes participation, safe learning, and a non-threatening

environment.
Music and Dance of the Swing Era
Music and Dance of the Swing Era will focus on the musical era of the 1920s to the 1940s. The
class will explore the musical elements such as beat, rhythm, and instruments, as well as the
different dances associated with the era.
ESTABLISHED GOALS with
Standards
Students will relate artistic
ideas and works with
societal, cultural, and
historical context to
deepen understanding
(MU:Cn.11)
Students will perceive and
analyze artistic work
(MU:Re.7)
Students will generate and
conceptualize artistic ideas
and work (MU:Cr.1)
Students will convey
meaning through the
presentation of artistic
work (MU:Pr.6)
Stage 1 Desired Results
Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to
Reflect on art in their lives
Use their bodies to physically move
Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will understand that
Music and dance from the Students will keep
swing era have roots in considering
experimentation and How do socio-political
various cultures and climates affect the
ethnicities creation of swing era
Music is created in context music?
and in response to socio- How can people learn
political happenings. to make music and
dance to swing music?
How might music that
is meaningful to
you/me have
connections to swing
music?
Acquisition
Students will know Students will be skilled at
Identify basic musical
elements of swing era Dance specific dances
music (beat, rhythm, and from the swing era,
instrumentation) such as: Lindy Hop,
The evolution of swing era Balboa, Shag, Lindy
music Charleston, and their
Reflect on music from the derivatives
swing era using different Create music through
musical elements, such as different platforms
beat, rhythm, and
instruments
 Stage 2 - Evidence
Evaluative Criteria Assessment Evidence
<type here> PERFORMANCE TASK(S):
Students will show that they really understand by evidence of musical
creation and reflection, as well as a true swing dance with their own
created music in addition to other classic swing dance music. The
students will not be assessed not on quality.
Stage 3 Learning Plan
Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction (these would be the summaries of the actual
experience designs: Outline a project for 6+ days
Day 1
Introductory dance show movement
Historical info about the swing era
Personal experience stories from the swing era

Day 2
Discuss:
What factors of the sociopolitical/historical climate are brought up? What musical
elements are mentioned (beat, rhythm, instruments)?
What are the problems presented?
Listen to examples of swing era music
Continue learning dance from Day 1

Day 3
Discuss musical elements central to the swing era
Beat, rhythm, and instrumentation
Become familiar with garage band on macs/iPads
Begin using garage band to build composition based on musical elements in the swing
era

Day 4
Group practice of swing dancing
Continue working on compositions

Day 5
Discuss information found on sociopolitical and historical climate of the swing era
Determine which dances to focus on for final swing dance
Practice dances together

Day 6
Share composition assignments
Class-wide swing dance, prepared by students with chosen music and dancing! A celebration
rather than an assessment.
ADAPTATIONS & MODIFICATIONS What changes related to color, size, pacing, and modality
will you need to make available overall? How can you increase or decrease the challenge/complexity
while retaining focus. Be specific and provide examples.
The teacher will provide additional resources on a website or handout for students that
want to work outside of class
Different color-coding will be used throughout class
 Adapting dance moves to what is feasible to members of the class
EXAMPLE END OF PROJECT ASSESSMENT RUBRIC:
1 2 3 4

no evidence of basic understanding understanding and above and beyond in

understanding of evidence demonstration of understanding and
present throughout throughout the class evidence throughout demonstration of
class the class evidence throughout
the class

Budget

The learning center or retirement communities will have Macbooks with available software.

Budget

Cost
Item Name Use (per Quantity Overall
(linked to provider) (How will this be used by students/teacher?) unit) Cost

Guitars Students and teacher will play them in $120 5 $600

class

Ukuleles $55 10 $550

Projector Used to project videos $130 1 $130

Projector Used for projector $100 1 $100

Screen

Total Cost: $1,380

Works Cited

Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL). (2016, May 31). Retrieved from

http://www.cdc.gov/hrqol/concept.htm

Small, C. (1998). Musicking: The meaning of performing and listening. Hanover, NH: Wesleyan
University Press.

Sol Resano, C., Mercadal-Brotons, M., Gallego Matas, S., & Riera, M. (2010). Contributions of
music to aging adults quality of life. Journal of Music Therapy, 47(3), 264-281.

Stebbins, R. A. (1992). Amateurs, professionals, and serious leisure. Buffalo, NY: McGill-
Queens University Press.

Thibeault, M. D. (2015). Music education for all through participatory ensembles. Music
Educators Journal, 102(2), 54-61.

Tsugawa, S. (2009). Senior adult music learning, motivation, and meaning construction in two
New Horizons ensembles (Doctoral dissertation).

Turino, T. (2008). Music as social life: The politics of participation. Chicago: The University of
Chicago Press.

World Health Organization (WHO). (2002). Active Ageing: A Policy Framework. Available
online at http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/67215/1/WHO_NMH_NPH_02.8.pdf