Megan Tompkins

Summer 2018

Constructivism in Instrumental Music Education

Anyone who has been involved in a typical western instrumental ensemble will tell you

that the conductor is the dominant figure in the rehearsal setting. They are placed at the front of

the group and are usually the ones who tell the musicians what went wrong and how to fix it.

This essay will aim to answer the question: What happens when the conductor takes a step back

and lets the musicians lead the group? It will also focus on the question: Would this have a

positive or negative response on the music as well as the musicians overall experience?

Before we can continue on to the idea of musician or “student centered” learning, one

must fully understand director or “teacher-centered” learning (Scruggs, 2009). Behaviorism,

otherwise referred to as “teacher-centered” learning, is the theory that learning is the adaptation

of behavior patterns (Scruggs, 2009). Whether those behavior patterns involve crying at the sight

of a rodent (Winokur, 1971), or performing a piece of music that the conductor has placed in

front of a beginning musician, both instances focus on the fact that the subjects were “trained,” to

do a specific action (Rushing, 2010). Behaviorism in its nature does not allow for much wiggle

room when it comes to changing to a “student centered” approach.

Since the teacher in a behaviorist environment is focusing on training the behavior, many

learners miss out on the opportunity to be “fully creative” (Bates, 2017). The term “fully

creative” refers to the idea that the learner is given enough opportunities to connect and explore

the material from any angle. It is only when the learner has fully grasped the information, that
they can create something using the new information (Bates, 2017). This new, hands-on

approach is referred to as the constructivist theory. Commented [1]: maybe better to rephrase and instead
transition to your next paragraph without consolidating
Bates' conception as a new approach and exclusive to
One theorist whose work was revolutionary to constructivism is John Dewey. Dewey had constructivist theory.

the idea that schools should not focus on memorization skills (such as rote), but instead

recommended a “direct living” approach (Allsup, 2003). Although controversial, Dewey pushed

for students to engage in workshops and other real-life experience learning. He felt that students

should be provided with opportunities to think from themselves and articulate their thoughts

rather than just be lectured (Allsup, 2003). Through his research, he inspired many others in the

theory of constructivism. Some of those other theorists include Jean Piaget (1896-1980), Lev

Vygotsky (1896-1934), and Jerome Bruner (1915-2016).

As discussed in Shively’s article, constructivism is not a method, but is rather much Commented [2]: year

broader or higher level thinking than an exact method (Shively, 2015). He warns teachers of the

trap: “...there is a danger in becoming wed to the specific constructivist approaches that one first

encounters. We, as teachers, should apply a critical eye to what is presented to us and consider

whether it is best for our students in our classrooms” (Shively, 2015). His main focus is that the

students should be at the center of all learning (which is the core of the constructivist idea), and

that teachers should not get caught up in the how but rather the why. He elaborates his thought

by connecting constructivism to music learning and expresses how there will need to be a shift in

the mindset of modern educators (Shively, 2015). Since most instrumental class sizes are

generally larger than a typical math or science class, it can be intimidating to break the cycle and

let the learners dictate the direction of the classroom.

Large ensemble instruction

 As stated above, the majority of large group ensembles tend to have more students than

the the general elective class, so how are instrumental teachers expected to connect to those

students on a individual level? The answer could be found in a variety of ways. The teacher can

train their class to respect each others ideas and allow students to keep an open flow of

communication throughout the classroom (Abramo, 2014). They can also allow students to take

on more of a leadership role in their classrooms. Finally, they can allow their class to vote on

music that they want to learn (Scruggs, 2009). The following research aims to show how these

educators connected to the learners while in a student-centered large group instruction setting.

As stated in both Shively and Morford’s research, Scruggs discusses the importance of

allowing the teacher to step back from the traditional role of director and let the learners take

charge. In her article, Scruggs bluntly calls out teachers and their behaviorist roles in the learning

process. She states that even though teachers might have their students best intentions at heart,

most educators main concern is the end result, a.k.a. the concert, rather than the material learned

(Scruggs, 2009). This idea of the process rather than the product connects to the central ideas of

constructivism, that being that the knowledge the learners take in should be the center of

teaching rather than the showcasing of knowledge through performance or another form of

assessment. Most teachers are put under intense pressure to have their students sound good for

the concert, but Scruggs argues that if we were to put students on the podium, educators will find

it both a successful experience as well as a meaningful connection to their musical education.

One researcher whose primary focus is the large ensemble is Joseph Abramo. In his Commented [3]: omit first name and include year of
publication
research with Stephen Austin, they aim to discover the effects of peer teaching and learning in Commented [4]: same

the western modern band setting (Abramo & Austin, 2014). The teachers who participated in Commented [5]: was it a modern band as that term is
being used now in the PME lit?
their study were those who were forced to teach a concept that they were not particularly
experienced in, and modify it into their band classrooms. One thing that was determined after the

conclusion of the research was that when the teachers were asked to teach the new concept, they

would do so with their primary instruments. These findings brought about the idea that when the

learner is asked to complete a task they are unfamiliar with, they will make connections using

materials they feel comfortable with and are able to find a deeper meaning (Abramo & Austin,

2014). This is only further justified when the researcher looks further into the student side of the

experiment. After the material had been discussed, all of the students experienced hands-on

learning by using ach of their primary instruments to further explore the concepts presented in

the composition class. This connects with the constructivist idea that learning is “hands-on” and

through the use of schemas, learners can store the new information in a relevant way (Palincsar,

1998).

One thing that both studies shared in common was the idea that when given time to Commented [6]: are you referring to Palincscar and
Abramo & Austin?
explore on their own, the learners will make connections to the material even after the teacher

has been taken out of the center of the learning environment. As discussed in Scruggs, if the Commented [7]: I'd rephrase this

teachers classroom management allows for a “student-centered” learning environment the

learners will meet the challenge (Scruggs, 2009). Also, as explained in Abramo and Austins

research, when the students are left alone to figure out a topic, they will connect to the topic by

means of familiarity (Abramo & Austin, 2014). Both of the central ideas of these articles tie back

to the constructivist learning theory brought up at the beginning of the essay that the learner must

be at the forefront of their education.

Small group instrumental instruction

 Even though learners are able to make deep connections through large group instruction,

small group instruction can account for most of the individual learning that occurs outside of a

private lesson. Teaches are able to work one-on-one with students more so than if they were only

experiencing a large group ensemble (St. John, 2006). When focused on the western small

ensemble, most musicians are put on one a part or are in such a small group that they are able to

have more face time with their instructor and possibly be guided rather than instructed (St. John,

2006).

The idea of individual instruction while in a classroom setting is called differentiated

learning (Townsend, 2003). This method of allowing the teacher to connect the material to the

learner through meaningful one-on-one instruction is the key element to a differentiated

classroom. A form of instruction that can take place in a smaller group instruction is through the Commented [8]: is a differentiated classroom or a type
of learning or a type of instruction?
use of group lessons. Small group lessons can allow the learners to interact with their peers while

learning the new musical elements. One particular form that is very prevalent in the American

string community is the Suzuki style group violin instruction (Townsend, 2003). Since most of

these classes feature a variety of students in a various of stages of development, the teacher must

differentiate to make sure they are reaching all of the students (Townsend, 2003). Unlike most

small group instruction, Suzuki style small group classes do not show case the individual student

talent, until the learners have fully memorized the material and there is a greater focus on the

process rather than the product (Townsend, 2003).

As stated above, the small ensemble setting is very prevalent in the string world. One

person who really focused on the individual learner in a small ensemble setting was Dr. Suzuki. Commented [9]: omit

His Suzuki method, although behaviorist in regards to the teacher/student relationship, features

some constructivist theories such as scaffolding and the idea that the teacher is meant to “fill in
the gaps” (Küpers, Van Dijk, & Van Geert, 2014). Suzuki uses the constructivist idea of

scaffolding by focusing on the very basics of violin performance. After the learner has shown

that they understand the basic level of the violin, he adds in more challenging material that only

builds off of the violin basics that had been taught at the beginning of instruction (Küpers, Van

Dijk, & Van Geert, 2014). He also believes that there should be an overlap of student and teacher

connection in order for the student to reach their full learning potential. By keeping open

communication between teacher and student, he feels that the as the student grows, the teacher

will begin to take on the role of mentor rather than instructor (Küpers, Van Dijk, & Van Geert,

2014). This can be done in both a private lesson, as well as a small group lesson as shared in the

previous paragraph.

Through the use of differentiated instruction, small string group instruction has shown

that students are able to thrive in student-centered models. By using peer connections as well as

teacher guidance through tiered instruction, the learners are able to make connections from the

new material to their string instruments. Although the original premous of Suzuki’s method was

though a behaviorist leanse, the studies suggested above seem to allude to the idea that his

method can be structured in a constructivist setting.

Instruction in the general music classroom featuring instruments Commented [10]: omit

Instrumental instruction does not only take place in the large or small group western

ensemble setting. Many teachers can incorporate instrumental learning in the general music Commented [11]: same

classroom. In most western instrumental settinging, the students are financially responsible for Commented [12]: not sure what this means

their physical instrument. That means the only other instrumental instruction all students are able
to receive is through the general music curriculum established in most public and private schools

(Pierce & Abramo, 2013). Another idea that will be discussed is the notion that not all students Commented [13]: why future tense

learn in the same way and for the “general” classroom, there tend to be much more of a variety

of abilities and specific individual needs than a traditional western instrumental ensemble (Pierce

& Abramo, 2013). One final area which has only been touched upon in the reasoning above is Commented [14]: by whom?

the idea of teacher collaboration. If teachers are not able to successfully collaborate, then they

will not be able to create a learning environment that promotes mindful collaboration between

peers (Stanley, 2012). Hopefully though a positive learning instrumental learning experience in

the general music classroom, more students might be inclined to experiment and find a Commented [15]: omit

connection to instrumental ensembles (Stanley, 2012).

Teacher collaboration is an important aspect of any learning environment (Stanley,

2012). As stated above, if teachers do not know how to successfully work with their peers then Commented [16]: what is meant by this?

they will have a much harder time opening their classroom up to peer-learning (Abramo &

Austin, 2014). Through the use of social constructivism, students as well as teachers are able to

connect to the learned material in a social aspect. Humans are social creatures and thrive off of

communication, so when the educators are able to guide students through social setting, they are

able to relate the material to their everyday lives (Mckerrell, 2016). When students are able to

make those connections through social settings, then they are able to not only immerse

themselves but hopefully enjoy the company of others while learning. Collaboration facilitates

students self-expression and independence, which are key to a constructivist learning

environment (Stanley, 2012). What is also remarkable is that when both teachers and students are

comfortable collaborating with peers, they are then much more willing to collaborate through the

teacher, student roles (Abramo & Austin, 2014). Commented [17]: can you make this paragraph better
connected to your subheading on elementary
instrumental?
 The idea of learning by doing and through group discussion ties into the ideas expressed

by John Dewey in Pierce and Abramo’s study on students attending a school for the blind (Pierce

& Abramo, 2013). They explore the idea that Dewey believed students should experience new

concepts through a “hands-on” approach (Pierce & Abramo, 2013). They also brought up the

idea that when students have severe disabilities such as blindness, Dewey would not only support Commented [18]: is this a new sentence?

the claim but elaborate that learning by doing is essential for these students/learners. Since their

study focused on students with vision imperness, they discuss both the social learning theory as

well as differentiation. Even though these particular students are not able to see things, they are

still able to understand and accomplish the same things as students who have no disabilities

(Pierce & Abramo, 2013). The students involved in the study stated that they felt they did not Commented [19]: here you've fallen into the trap of
summarizing one article in a paragraph.
learn much from their old general music classrooms in the public schools because they were not

taught in ways that complimented their strengths and “muted” their weaknesses (Pierce &

Abramo, 2013). Teachers were reluctant to teach them instruments due to the fact that they could

not see, but the authors of the article explain how the conditions of the classroom in the school

for the blind helped build upon their musical experience and their skills were heightened by their

blindness (Pierce & Abramo, 2013).

As discussed above, instrumental instruction in the general music learning environment Commented [20]: take another look at this subsection
and make it clear how it relates to instrumental
instruction in general music learning environments.
can vary from setting to setting, but one thing still seems to be the same; the idea that students

should be at the forefront of their learning experiences. Though collaboration, students are able

to make connections between both other students as well as their teachers (Stanley, 2012), and

with the use of differentiated instruction, learners can master concepts in ways that apply to their

needs. Both ideas focused on multiple aspects of the constructivist theory through the use of a
student-centered learning environment. They both shed light on two classrooms that tend to get

overlooked when talking about instruments.

Conclusion

As stated above, there are a variety of approaches when running an instrumental rehearsal

with the constructivist theory in mind. One key item that all of these approaches has kept in mind Commented [21]: rephrase

was the idea of a “student-centered” learning experience. No matter the age level, it appears that Commented [22]: no need for quotes unless citing

all of the instructors mentioned above focused on connecting the students to the material by

being a facilitator rather than a “director.” Whether looking at the constructivist theory from a Commented [23]: same

large ensemble, small ensemble, or general music instrumental group, the essay was able to

answer the questions: “What happens when the conductor takes a step back and lets the Commented [24]: same

musicians lead the group,” and, “would this have a positive or negative response on the music as

well as the musicians overall experience?”

By allowing students to take on more of a leadership role in their education, it appears

that they are able to successfully connect to the new material. It is also important to note that

they seem to be capable of doing this with only the guidance rather than complete reliance of the

instructor. It also seems to have a positive response on their overall musical experience, as

expressed in the Pierce & Abramo article on musicians within the school of the blind (2013). Commented [25]: include year here

There was also mention to student approval of the constructivist theory found in the student

reflections after the research done in the DeLorenzo study of sixth grade students involved in Commented [26]: same

peer learning (1989). Finally, as Scruggs suggests, when the instructor takes a step back and lets Commented [27]: I don't think you've included this
earlier
the students find themselves in the music, they are able to value and incorporate music into their

lives in a meaningful way (2009).

 Suggestions for further research would include qualitative as well as quantitative studies Commented [28]: set this up better

with a focus on the instrumental classroom. Both studies feature more concrete evidence and

would directly answer the questions the essay aimed to answer. One thing in particular that could

be researched would be the skill level of the musicians after experiencing a constructivist

learning environment. Would their performance sound better if there were more assessments

based on performance ability after the students learned the material rather than before the

material is fully mastered. It is not to say that some of the articles listed above did not have any

assessment afterward, but it would have been beneficial to have concrete evidence.

As a way to further reach educators who are not implementing any constructivist ideas in

their learning environments, it would be beneficial if there was more quantitative research with a

focus on performance levels. Quantitative would be the ideal method because it is easier to prove

a point with exact numbers and data to a person who is skeptical, rather than just qualitative

research. This is especially true when an educator comes from a militant background and can Commented [29]: maybe, but that's not the best
rationale for getting to the truth or uncovering
something new
find the qualitative to be more generalized rather than purely number driven. These gaps in
Commented [30]: or something important for the
profession to consider
studies will hopefully lead to further research rather than just speculation on performance ability.
Commented [31]: ?
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