Home

The M and D collaborative inquiry group is comprised of five art and music educators from Washington and Greene county in Pennsylvania. The purpose of the M and D CIG was to determine what inquiry strategies could be used in the arts classroom to promote increased levels of motivation and determination among their students. The group's particular focus was on student practice outside the classroom setting. Each of the members felt that their students were not spending an adequate amount of time practicing their art, be it music or visual, upon leaving class. It was decided that each member would work with their classes using inquiry strategies to study practice habits and to try to find ways of increasing student motivation. To begin the process the group created a pretest survey to collect data from the individual classrooms. The pretest contained 13 questions and included questions like, “during the rest of the year in class I want to learn how to...” and “What things help motivate you in your music or arts classes?” Some questions were multiple choice while others were open ended. Each member used the results of that pretest to design a unit that would explore motivation and determination in their classrooms. Here's what happened.
 * Welcome to the M&D CIG Wiki!**

Over the summer my job description changed. Instead of being a middle school general music specialist, I was taking over many of the high school classes. I was both excited and anxious about these changes. I soon discovered that many of my assumptions about previous general music classes lacking motivation were untrue. I had assumed those students were uninterested in the topic and since it was a required class, they had no choice but to stick it out. I always felt that the students who elected to participated in the performing ensembles, particularly at the high school level, did so because they had a passion for making music and they //__wanted__// to be there. Quickly I discovered that they may want to be they may like singing. They, however, lacked the motivation to put in the work necessary to achieve the results they (and I) expected. It was that frustration that fueled my questioning. Was this lack of motivation just a growing pain as part of the the transition between directors? Was this the result of something I did, or did not do? What could be done to inspire these kids to be motivated and practice? When given the opportunity to discuss issues we were having in our individual classrooms at our first Arts Educator 2.0 meeting this year I joined a number of other colleagues who were frustrated by a lack of motivation they saw in their classrooms as well.
 * Jen Joyce- Charleroi High School**

In addition to the pre-evaluation our CIG created I also created a post- concert evaluation for all the students to complete. We watched a video recording of the concert and for perhaps the first time the students were critically evaluating the performance they had given. We discussed the areas the students felt were most improved since the beginning of the year (diction, phrasing, dynamics etc.) and the areas that they felt were weakest (balance, blend, tone). There were some things the students were very critical of that I felt had actually gone rather well and some that they were very happy with that I felt could have been better. After some guided questioning we tried to come up with why those areas were lacking and what things we could do to improve those areas of weakness. Most overwhelmingly, the area of balance was seen as our biggest weakness. Students immediately noted the multiple class periods of the same performing ensemble. They struggled with how to overcome that issue since the schedule is already set, we aren't allowed to pull out students for rehearsals and so many have multiple other after school activities.

After completing the CIG survey with my students we spent a class period or two discussing their responses. I personally was surprised that so many mentioned they practiced outside of rehearsals. I certainly did not feel as though I was seeing that in our group rehearsals. It made me question what they considered 'practice.' After conducting some video interviews it became evident that they consider anytime they sing, regardless of material, to be practice. To them, singing along to Adele on the radio was practice for the a capella Italian piece we were working on in class. Due to my own lack of motivation and time commitment to the spring musical I was not able to create rehearsal tracks in time to be a benefit for our concert. It certainly seems that having practice parts posted online where the students can download them to their iPods etc would be a help. One of the overwhelming themes that came out of the pre-test, the holiday concert evaluations and our class discussions of both was that they students wanted to feel that they had an active ownership of the group. They felt that if they had a hand in the creation of the product they would have a vested interest in its outcome. I'm not one to really enjoy relinquishing control- especially when I'm still searching to find that control myself. But in the spirit on inquiry, and the hopes that they would be right, we looked at a few areas where the students could take a more active role. We decided on three major areas- opportunities to attend other performance, concert attire and concert programming.

For the Christmas concert, I had insisted the students wear the choir robes. The robes are plain black and have a red and white stole. They just look clean and uniform. You avoid the issue of girls’ skirts being too short or blouses cut too low or the gentleman not having dress shirts. It takes the guesswork out of what to wear for the performance. The kids hate the robes. They feel like they look ridiculous. So we created a compromise. I would be willing to have them wear something else, but they had to create the proposal. In previous years the former director would have tshirts created for the group and they would wear those with ‘nice jeans.’ I thought the kids would jump all over this opportunity. So many of them are artistic and we have access to equipment to screenprint shirts with their design. We set a deadline of the beginning of April for their designs so that if needed we would have time for shirts to be made. The deadline was posted on the board, on my class Edline page, announced multiple times in rehearsal. I really tried to encourage the kids to be creative with this opportunity. The deadline passed and I didn’t have a single proposal. They just seemed apathetic.

An additional area that many of my students overwhelmingly responded to was the question about interest in attending outside music/art events. Many specifically mentioned wanting to attend other school or even professional musical productions. It just so happened that one of my friends from home was recently cast in a touring production of Shrek... as Shrek. The tour was coming to WVU and I wrote a request to fund transportation to the event as long as the student would pay or fundraise for the ticket fee. I contacted my friend and arranged an after show meet and greet. I had over thirty students who initially expressed interest in attending. I ordered the tickets for the production and kept having students drop out of the trip because they 'just decided they didn't want to.' I ended up having to reduce the number of tickets to the minimum group rate of $20 and still only had 15 attend. I then had to pay to make up the difference. The group that went had an amazing time and still now months later talk about it (and meeting Luki) on a daily basis. The frustration comes that the kids beg to get to go and do things, to go on trips, etc. etc. and when the work is done they back out. The band trip is another example. Twice in the last three years the students have expressed an interest in going on a band trip. Some go so far to put in their down payment. Then they back out and the trip is ultimately cancelled because of lack of interest. Then we as a department get questioned as to why we aren't doing enough activities to promote our discipline. So far, I'm feeling fairly disheartened with the results. I'm not seeing much if any increase in motivation. I feel like I'm doing all the work and not seeing the kind of change I was anticipating.

I was very nervous about opening up the concert programming since so many of them generally only want to sing pop songs. So I decided to open up the programming with some parameters. I preselected a variety of pieces that would fit within different genres I wanted to see represented in the concert. I opened the day by saying that we'd end by taking a vote and the simple majority would win. Any of the choices for each section were appropriate and ones that I would find acceptable. Taking one or two genres a day for about a week, we looked at a small segment of the music and listened to the recordings posted on the publishers website. There were some that I was secretly hoping they would pick and they did not. Pieces that I never thought they would like that they raved about and request to sing each day. Without a doubt it has changed rehearsals for the better. Obviously not every person likes all of the pieces, but the students are starting to recognize why some of them were chosen and seem to be excited about singing. A certain piece really works on our blend and dynamics, another works on more complicated harmonies and diction. Previous they would get to a phase where they were disinterested in singing or bored with the music. Now, they're complaining that I'm not there because of festivals or other events such as this and they can't sing. With nineteen rehearsal days left before the spring concert, we still have work to do to get the material at the level I would like to see, but the kids don't seem to complain as much. They sing. They seem to be having fun. Isn't that partly the point of making music? Allowing ourselves to experience the fun and enjoyment of art?


 * Marlynn White, Carmichaels Jr. Sr. High School:**

When bringing our CIG inquiry into the classroom, I knew it could go in a variety of different directions. I started, just as the rest of my CIG, with giving all of my students the prepared survey. After reading through the survey results it was ultimately what I had expected. Answers to questions pertaining to student motivation can be summed up by saying they would like to do what is more interesting to them personally. Artwork and topics that are more trendy and cutting edge, and they feel that they should have more freedom in the classroom. However throughout working in the 6 week ceramics unit, I have found that students working on the wheel were highly motivated. They would begin with frustration and say that it looks easier than it actually is. For those who worked through the frustration and caught on to the process of the potter’s wheel, they wanted to come to the classroom as often as they could to practice. Ceramics is not a new concept and is not cutting edge, it is an ancient art. The students are excited about doing this art because they’ve succeeded with a new skill. With consistent practice the students realized that they can improve and they became determined to create and to experiment with this new found confidence they now have. So it’s not necessarily the cutting-edge concepts, but having some success in a new skill will enhance their motivation.

This shows that there are many different ways to increase motivation, and it seems in this particular case, the line of inquiry did not help determine how to motivate students. In discussing and asking questions pertaining to the survey, students did not follow their own answers.

So I then moved my line of inquiry in the classroom to Art II, the more advanced art class. I gave the assignment to create a thought provoking sculpture from casts of their own body parts. Each student created a sculpture of their own, but lead by inquiry, As a group students discussed ideas and methods. There is one particular student who I feel had shown the most success in this type of learning process. She has a lot of skill and potential, but did not show confidence. Because of this lack of confidence she lacked independence. She would want me by her side every step and asked “Is this how I should do this, Do you want me to do it this way?” Keeping classroom inquiry in mind, instead of offering suggestions as to what she should do, I asked her questions to guide her to her own conclusions. “How do you see this outcome? What would happen if you went in this direction?” She knew right away that she wanted to create a sculpture using casts of her feet. After going through the long process of casting her feet, she set them on her desk and asked, “Ok, now what?” Which was her usual question to me. So my response was to figure out what to do with these feet. I asked her and the rest of the class, “What do you think of when you see these cast feet sitting on the desk? What are they doing? Where could they have been? Who do they belong to?” Each student in this small class had their own sculpture to create but they were all involved in each others projects. So the class discussed possibilities in an in depth conversation, ranging from having the feet step into water, morphing the feet into an animal, to simply painting images on the feet. Using all of these ideas and discussions she decided to use the original look of the feet as inspiration, and thought that some of the imperfections of the casting process could be used to her advantage. They looked like scars and blisters like that of a less fortunate person without proper footwear. The scars and blisters looked sad and tired and worn. She said, “It makes me think of a homeless person.” That is when the ideas came flowing! The outcome was a sculpture of the sad, distressed, dirty feet of a homeless man. Once this conversation started she went above and beyond in the assignment. Asking students questions will lead them to their own conclusions. This student began with lacking confidence which meant a lack in motivation and practice. With this newly found confidence she realized that she can create successful art on her own and do her own problem solving. She knows with more practice she can continue to grow. Gaining confidence and realizing they are capable is how to continue student motivation and realization of the importance of practice.

Welcome... ‍My name is Sherry Knight and I have been a Visual Arts Educator at Trinity High School for 35 years. This is my second year in being involved with Arts Educator 2.0 and classroom inquiry. The following line of inquiry was developed out of the previous assumptions about inquiry strategies: **How can inquiry strategies are incorporated into music and arts classes to improve motivation and effort toward students' practice habits?** ‍Although I am considered a Master Teacher, I am constantly frustrated at the lack of effort by my art students and that their question to me regarding the production of art work is "Am I through with this?" instead of "what do you think that I can do to make this a better work of art?". Trying different ways to motivate them to think through process and be motivated to create works of art based on their own inquiry and exploration was my drive in my line of inquiry. What a challenge! ‍Originally, I was thinking about trying to work with all of my classes, which consist of Drawing 1 and 2, Painting 1 and 2, Sculpture, Asian Arts and Culture, Printmaking and Independent Art, but found that this was going to be too overwhelming, especially with the introductory classes who are trying to just learn different techniques and skills and only want to do what is the minimum requirement. Our group created a survey that I asked al my classes to complete and compiled the results.
 * Sherry Knight- Trinity High School**

I knew at that time that could not be so broad in my study and started focusing more on my Independent Art Class, a year long course consisting of 9 talented young ladies who have been struggling to "find their voice visually" in their art. ‍Part of the requirement for Independent Art is each student is required to create a concentration of 4-6 pieces that follow a “theme” or “thread” which reflects research and personal inquiry. Materials, techniques and ideas are all independently chosen, based on the interests of the student. The Independent Art class first semester was falling back on traditional ideas and materials and was afraid to “break out of the box” due to their lack of confidence regarding their art. In other words, they were making art to fulfill the course requirement and not making art for art’s sake or for the joy of creating art to find their style. I began by scheduling an “interview” with each of the girls to have them talk about what they had been doing with their concentration and what they thought they could visualize by stepping outside of their comfort zone and pushing their art with different materials and ideas. Individual interviews grew into small group interactive discussions with a few directed questions or comments and then into question and answer sessions with little or no direction from me. The classes went from “I don’t know what to do” or “what you think that I should work on next”to“what do you think of this idea?” As new ideas emerged from students who originally kept falling back on traditional drawing and painting skills, my comments to them were “where were all these ideas and concepts hiding?” I started pushing more “research” into new techniques- mixed media using found objects, altering books not as a journal, but as a sculptural forms, trying materials that were not normally considered art materials and encouraged the girls to find other artists that were also experimenting or working with similar concepts so they would realize that they were not alone. The group went from “what should I do now?” to “look what I was working on last night” or “I found this out in the parking lot of the mall and I am going to incorporate it into this piece of art”. Direction and inquiry was no longer teacher based, but student driven and the level of motivation was off the scale! I forced the students to talk about what they were doing and how “boring” their ideas were to really exciting works of art! They started to think about their process and began to listen to one another regarding the production of their art. The more personal the artwork became, the more motivation and effort were visible. The girls were asking one another to be critical in viewing their progress and listened carefully to suggestions and questioned reasons for the comments. They became more critical in their own thought and creative process and more motivated, spending study halls, lunch and after school time in the art room. Now I am seeing the artwork that they are working on at home! The more they explore, the more they have been motivated to create! The final chapter of this process will be their own Independent Art show and opening reception on May 16th at the high school showcasing their effort in creating incredible works of art!

My name is Michael Bruno and I worked with my elementary band students to develop a line of inquiry that would try to determine what strategies might promote increased motivation and determination regarding individual practice habits.
 * Michael Bruno, West Greene School Distric**

I administered the pretest survey to my elementary band students and scored the results. More than 70 percent indicated that they practice less than 4 times per week and 0 percent indicated a private teacher outside of class, though over 80 percent said that they would like one. What interested me most was that nearly all of my students said that they would be more motivated to practice if there was some sort of rewards system in place. As such we began operating under the line of inquiry,**"How will implementing a practice rewards system impact individual student practice?"** For the remainder of class we discussed what the rewards should be, how often they should be given, and what criteria would be used to justify getting a reward. Two ideas prevailed; a short term award given to individual students every week, and a long term award that all students would need to work toward.

For the short term award the students decided on coupons that could be redeemed at the school store. I met with the president of the parent organization and together we created 'Band Bucks' which came in two amounts, 50 cents and 1 Dollar. I then designed a rubric that I could use to grade student performances.

For the long term award students asked for an end of the year band party. In order to do so we decided that every student in class would need to reach a certain level of proficiency measured by the scores on the playing tests. I created a poster to chart the students' progress. If the student scored at least 8 points (out of 15) on the weekly playing test, they would earn a star on the chart.

The first week yielded positive results. All of my students earned at least a 50 cent band bucks coupon and several earned a one dollar coupon on the first playing test. The students were excited and I felt good about the chances of this working.

The second week was a different story. One student earned at one dollar coupon, and 2 students earned 50 cent coupons. The rest earned scores below the target lines, and several did not achieve the 8 points required to earn a star on the board. I hoped this failure would show the students the importance of consistent practice habits. There was a slight rebound the following week, but not to the degree I had expected. All of my students earned the 8 points for a star on the board, but only a handful earned coupons. Since then I have continued with the weekly playing tests and have seen similar results. I believe that although the prospect of earning a reward might spark initial interest in a student, it will not necessarily keep them practicing or motivate them to practice more.


 * Hi! My name is Mark Poole,** and I teach 4th - 12th grade chorus and 7th and 8th grade band at Washington High School and at Washington Park School in the Washington School District:

I administered the pre-test to my 7th / 8th grade band, 7th / 8th grade chorus, and my high school "Choralaires". This encompasses approximately 120 students. After checking the results of the student surveys to find out what would motivate the students more, one of the things that was a consistent answer was "doing songs that they liked".....so, when we came back to school after the Christmas holiday, I grabbed a bunch of Hal Leonard's sample CD's and catalogs, and the students and I listened to sample recordings of new music that was available to order for various ensembles. At the end of each sample, I would ask the students whether they liked that arrangement or not, and those that did raised their hands. We would go through many different sample recordings to make sure that we covered a wide variety of music samples and styles. I then would go through the results of the students voting on music that they liked, and ordered music according to the ones that were their "favorites" (I also made sure I picked songs that I felt were musically sound for these ensembles, as well!!!!) So now, all of my choirs are doing music //THAT THEY HAVE CHOSEN// and it seems to be working. The students work harder on pieces of music that they like, and it's much more enjoyable in class - FOR ALL OF US!!!!

Another one of the things that the students seemed to be interested in was some sort of "rewards system". Now on this idea I collaborated with Mr. David Dayton, who is the 5th and 6th grade band director in Washington. In discussing this rewards system, he thought it would be easiest to experiment with how this works with the younger, 5th and 6th grade band students. So, Mr. Dayton started using just a simple "gold star" on charts with all of the 5th and 6th grade band students names on them. The students would get the opportunity EVERY DAY in class to play any line that they are working on in band class for a possible "gold star". Now, the student doesn't have to play any of the lines perfectly, they just have to show that they have worked on it and that they have improved their playing on that particular line. It seems to be working, because now these 5th and 6th grade band students are seeing how many gold stars they have accumulated, and are also counting their stars in comparison to how many stars their peers have accumulated. The competitiveness seems to be catching on! Students are asking to play lines for gold stars every day in class, and are anxious to come to class for the chance to accumulate more of them!!! I have interviewed a few 7th and 8th grade band students and most of them are in favor of a rewards system as a motivator as well. I may be trying this with the 7th and 8th grade band students next year if it continues to work well with 5th and 6th grade band students!

Each educator in the M and D CIG used a multitude of inquiry strategies to determine what motivates students to practice. Some strategies were more effective than others, some yielded positive results while others yielded results that were not as favorable. Rewards systems, though initially motivating did not keep students interested in the long run. Some students felt that singing along with the radio constituted good practice. Others were content to simply be part of the class and showed little desire to improve their skills. The students who made a personal connection with their art were the ones that demonstrated the highest levels of increased motivation and determination. In some cases this happened when a students gained confidence in a new skill. In other cases it happened when they were given ownership of the music they would perform for a concert. In all cases, increased motivation and determination was demonstrated most in students who had a personal reason for engaging in artistic endeavors. So what does it all mean for arts educators? No matter what you do, make sure your students are able to make their own personal connection to the art and music you are creating and performing. More than anything else it will give your students a reason and the desire to continually improve. The proof isn't in the pudding, it's in the practice.