Placing the magic in the classroom TPCK in arts education

Although I have enjoyed the text on TPCK, this chapter was my favorite.  The information related to education and the arts is most relevant to the classroom I work in because many of our students are unable to learn and express themselves in typical ways. Skills that otherwise might remain hidden often emerge when an activity is focused on music, art or movement. I often refer to Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences because of this.

While this chapter is supportive of teachers of the arts, emphasis is placed on the need for all teachers to incorporate the arts into their teaching.  Clearly there is no better way to do this than through technology.

How far we have come since I was an undergraduate. One of my professors enthusiastically developed a PLATO program for students to enhance their abilities with music theory. Now the Internet allows us to watch free performances daily from the Kennedy Center, learn about other cultures through music, art and dance, and use websites that introduce and improve our skills in any of these arts. It is truly an exciting time to be alive!

The quotes I love most from this chapter are “the arts are the magic in education” (p. 190) and “technology provides an opportunity to marry the power of ideas with the power of the imagination” (p. 189).  The websites provided are a great resource.

While it is difficult to keep up and teachers may find themselves surpassed by their students’ understanding of technology, I think this can actually be a benefit for building stronger collaborative relationships between teachers and students.

Finally, “one of the most poignant results of technology use in the music classroom is an increased, more accurate understanding of other cultures” (p. 179).  This is true for all of the arts and in my view, increasing accurate understandings between cultures is the foundation the progress of our world (and education) is being built upon.