Piano Pedagogy - Learn Like Emily Bronte

Did you know that you can look at historical piano teaching materials in the libraries that hold legal deposit collections?  Nowadays, there are a handful of big national and university libraries in the UK that still receive one copy of everything published, under statutory legislation.  But there are other libraries - especially in Scotland - that also received this material, until the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign.

Theodore Latour was pianist to King George IV - Victoria's uncle.  He taught, played and composed, and also wrote some piano tutor books.  See a quick 90-second videoclip about him, here.

Latour - Piano professor & the King's Pianiste on Biteable.

• https://biteable.com/watch/latour-piano-professor-the-kings-pianiste-1902905/ 

It's possible to find copies of some of Latour's works online via Google Books, IMSLP or Archive.org, so if you're interested, we could help you source them.

And yes, Emily Bronte had music by Latour in her collection.  How do we know?  There's a book by Robert K. Wallace that tells us so!  (Emily Bronte and Beethoven: Romantic Equilibrium in Fiction and Music).  We don't have this book, but could get it on inter library loan if any of our readers were interested.

PowerPoints that Teach Effectively

Here's an interesting article about the pedagogy (educational theory) behind effective PowerPoint presentations.  If you ever use PowerPoint in your teaching and learning, this might be helpful:-

Using cognitive load theory to improve slideshow presentations

It's by Andy Tharby, of Durrington Research School, West Sussex - part of the Research Schools Network.  It'll take 5-10 minutes to read, maximum, and will warn you off ever showing  large screeds of text on powerpoint!

Do you Teach the Accordion?

New in the library, the gift of a book - An International Overview of Accordion Pedagogy.  It was edited and published this year by Claudio Jacomucci.  Further publications about classical accordion can also be downloaded here. 

Claudio Jacomucci homepage:- http://www.claudiojacomucci.com/Home.html 

Signor Jacomucci runs an accordion masterclass in Amsterdam and Urbino - you can find out more at his website:- http://www.claudiojacomucci.com/AccordionAcademy/AccordionAcademy.html

Research Projects for the Teachers

Here at RCS, we have hundreds of undergraduates, and dozens of Masters performers, but we also have students taking either a PGCert or an MEd in Learning and Teaching in Higher Arts Education.  That means doing a research project.  And then there are the PhD students, too.

New students are introduced to our e-resources, but unless you've taken a close look, you maybe won't realise that some e-journals are specifically aimed at researchers.

Here's the link that takes you to Research, Education and Guidance journals.  There are about 30 titles, so do take time to browse. For a start, Research in Drama Education must surely be useful to quite a few of our postgrads!



If you find a journal that's right up your street, do let the rest of your class know!


AND A LITTLE EXTRA
We recorded a presentation about getting the most from our library catalogue and e-resources. You will find it here:-

• via the Portal:- https://portal.rcs.ac.uk/shared-docs/karen-mcaulay-library-resources/ 
• and on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Aa87ctLRMZU?hd=1  

Times Higher Education - TEACHING in Higher Education. We spotted this ...

Here's an interesting article in today’s Times Higher Education. We thought it might interest our PGCert students working towards their teaching diploma.  And indeed, any educationalists!

If you are not updating your lectures, you are letting your students down

 Stop clinging to the way you’ve always done things and work a little smarter, says Chris Moore

(Want more books about teaching?  Check out our catalogue!)

What the Teachers are Reading: Mimi Zweig, String Pedagogy

Here's a link for anyone who teaches string instruments.  Indiana University string instructor Mimi Zweig is very highly thought of by fellow professionals. You can access her system, String Pedagogy, online for free:-  http://www.stringpedagogy.com/

Simply click on the link where it says "Sign Up", and you're in!  Our own staff think this is great ...

"This is actually a new online version and you are absolutely right it is free! Wonderful!"

You will find videos of Mimi at work on YouTube, like this one, instructing a student on playing Viotti's Concerto no.23. (Also, a Twitter search on Zweig Violin will give you plenty of links to her work.)

Learning and Teaching Styles: One Size Does Not Fit All

Here's a post about teaching, which recently came up on the American Vitae blog. If you teach, or you're learning to teach, or you're just learning about your own learning style, take a look at this:-

• In the Classroom, One Size Does Not Fit All

Author: David Gooblar (Adjunct/Writer/Website Proprietor at PedagogyUnbound.com) -

• Vitae homepage - click HERE.

What Counts as Effective Pedagogy in Creative Arts Higher Education?

Have you time for a little professional reading?

We put together a short list of some recent books suitable for teachers in the higher education sector.  Do take a look!  HERE.

(These are live links so staff at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland can easily see if books are currently on the library shelves, or if they're already on loan.)

Just another helpful posting from your colleagues at the Whittaker Library!

Provocative! Do We Actually Loathe Learning?

This came up on our Twitter feed last night.  Teaching artists, and indeed educators everywhere, might find Dr Edward O'Neill's blogpost of some interest. 

O'Neill authors a blog entitled, Managing Learning Technologies.

Here is his posting, Is it Possible that we Actually Loathe Learning?

Telling the World about Teaching Artistry

Rising at 4 am, breakfasting at 10 - conference habits!

Teaching Artists, Teaching Librarians

Whilst Karen was at the IAML UK and Ireland* Annual Study Weekend in Cambridge last weekend, she had the dubious privilege of being the first speaker  at the academic music librarians’ seminar.  She talked about the Teaching Artist short credit-rated course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland!   (Indeed, she'd worked away at her teaching plan and theoretical study during her annual leave, so she could talk about it at this seminar.)  Another librarian there made a Storify page about the session, so here we are for all the world to see!   

Learning to Teach, Teaching to Learn

Do academic librarians need teaching skills?  How does a chartered librarian establish a place in the community of teaching artists?  Karen's PowerPoint is here.

* The International Association of Music Libraries, UK and Ireland Branch. 

Rolland String Pedagogy - Teaching String Playing

Whittaker is pleased to forward this invitiation to enthusiasts of the Rolland string teaching method :-

Paul Rolland Workshop 

George Mason University, July 29 through August 2, 2013

Full details on the workshop is at the following website: www.PotomacAcademy.org

Director Lynne Denig has assembled a team of Paul Rolland's students to share his string teaching methods. Paul Rolland's book "The Teaching of Action in String Playing" is the textbook for the workshop, and the DVD of his film series by the same name is used to give participants an in-depth understanding of his pedagogical principles. College credit through George Mason University is available for those who need it. The workshop embraces professional string teachers, college music students, and interested high school students. Current enrolment includes participants in all categories.  Peter 'Doc' Rolland will be teaching evening classes in fiddling.

• General PR workshop home page
• Faculty page
• Schedule page
• Location
• Paul Rolland Resources
• Fees and registration

One-World Schoolhouse (Salman Khan)

Flipping the Classroom, and teaching via YouTube

One of the most exciting books Karen has read for a while, this is about Salman Khan's revolutionary new approach to education via online technology.  Reading it, you begin perhaps with a little scepticism - does this approach really work?  What about the pedagogy behind it?  But the figures speak for themselves - the Khan Academy gets results.

We've bought a copy for the Whittaker Library - click here!

Details here

Teaching postgraduate composition

The latest issue of Contemporary Music Review focuses on teaching composition at postgraduate level:-

Pedagogical Praxis and Curricular Infrastructure in Graduate Music Composition

Supervisors of Masters and doctoral students will find this of particular interest. 

• Click link for details.
• Available as print copy in Whittaker Library.
• Registered staff and students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland can also access it online.

Flipping

 Flipping

There's a new buzzword - 'flipping'.  Flipping the classroom, and now, Flipping the conference. 

What's it all about?

Using technology to deliver what used to be delivered in the classroom (or conference).  And then spending classroom (or conference) time talking about what pupils (students, delegates) have already had the chance to view.

• LearningConversations.co.uk on the concept of the flipped classroom
• YouTube on 'The Flipped Classroom':- 

"Peer into Aaron Sams' classroom as he explains why he flipped his classroom. Aaron Sams, along with Jonathan Bergmann were the first to flip their classes. They currently teach in Woodland Park Colorado and are writing a book about the Flipped Class."

So today, Whittaker offers you a posting from InsideHigherEd.com - Flipping the Conference.  Mention it to our own educational technologist, Gordon McLeod, and see his face light up. (Well, it might not, if too many people mention it, but you could be the first ...)

Innosight's Michael Horn on How 'Blended Learning' and Technology Can Bridge the Education Gap

This interesting article came up on the Twittersphere today:

Innosight's Michael Horn on How 'Blended Learning' and Technology Can Bridge the Education Gap

Don't lecture me: how students learn (an article on MindShift.kqed.com)

Interesting piece about current teaching and learning theory.   Here's how it begins:-

 

"Don’t Lecture Me: Rethinking How College Students Learn

"At the star-studded Harvard Initiative on Learning and Teaching (HILT) event earlier this month, where professors gathered to discuss innovative strategies for learning and teaching, Harvard’s professor Eric Mazur gave a talk on the benefits of practicing peer instruction in class, rather than the traditional lecture. The idea is getting traction. Here’s more about the practice [...]" 

Visit the KQED website to read this article

February 20, 2012  - article by  Emily Hanford, American RadioWorks