Creative Artistic Activity of Music Teachers-to-Be
in the Context of the Values Orientating Education
Skaidrite
Erliha, Dr.Paed., doc.
Department
of Art, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
e-mail:
artdep@dau.lv
Abstract
In this article the author
dwells upon the changes, phenomena and the related mechanisms taking place in
the society, education and music education.
It is necessary to emphasize
that in the centre of modern humane pedagogics there is the person as the main
value and, in this connection, the pedagogical science propounds the
pedagogical values which present the source for the development or for the
perfection of the person. Music is also one of these sources of perfection.
Therefore the problem of teachers-to-be traditional pedagogical activities has
become topical today. The question arises if the model of these activities can
improve the professional skills in the pedagogical process today and if this
model can contribute to the quality of the teaching and educational process.
The author presents the
structural model of music teachers-to-be professional pedagogical activities
which appeared as the result of her long-term research. This model is connected
with the specific character of music lessons. If the lesson in exact sciences
is considered to be the object conducted by the teacher, then, in terms of
music education, the lesson is regarded as an artistic phenomenon. In this
connection and, on the basis of the results of the accomplished pedagogical
experiment, it was necessary to modify the structure of music teachers-to-be
professional pedagogical activities in Latvia. It was also necessary to include
in the model these creative artistic activities which facilitate the revelation
of a student’s personality and present the variety of forms of individual
development as well as the possibilities of education and the variety of
choices in the pedagogical process. With the help of this innovative artistic
model of the lesson it is possible to develop learners’ creative abilities, to
change, enrich and develop the environment, to create new socially important
materials, the orientation in the system of spiritual values. With the help of
this model it is also possible to prevent the traits of disorientation or these
of destructive orientation in the society, due to the cognition of music
reproduction, its perception, comprehension, aesthetic and emotional
experience, etc., in musical activities.
In this connection, in the
course of the research there were elaborated and defined the criteria for and
types of creative artistic activities of music teachers-to-be. The basic
criterion is the ability to plan these activities creatively and to foresee the
goal. The definite subjective and objective factors, phenomena, mechanisms,
which influence the quality of these activities, were considered. The
conceptual creative artistic model of music teachers-to-be was elaborated.
This world can be regarded as
‘artificial’ rather than ‘natural’. ‘Artificial’ in this case means ‘managed by
the man’. A lesson is not a natural phenomenon either, but designed by a music
teacher. The lesson is often placed on the same footing as a theatre
performance; though, to what degree this comparison might be correct is
occasionally argued by teachers. But this is not a good thing to do, as we
speak only about the resemblance, the model relations.
A music lesson includes the
main components of the educational process in their interrelation: the goal,
the content, the methods, the aids, the organization and the results.
The structure of a music
lesson is, primarily, a conceptual model, which, however, has a very definite,
practical task – this is a modelling instrument for the educational way of
thinking of a music teacher.
Speaking about music as a
social phenomenon, we often come across the following statement: the language
of music is the language of image, emphasizing the unique character of the
latter. Thus music appears as part of culture in the world outlook.
It is worth mentioning that
only the survey of the individual course of life – social in terms of its
content and form – makes it possible to characterize the subject of music as
being social, as ‘sociality’ is not an abstract outward quality, but a real
determining factor, influencing an individual.
Introduction
Ongoing social changes in the
society and the problems of education activate the necessity to alter the model
of education. Experience shows that the former traditional orientation of
education to the past experience inevitably leads the development of the
society to crises. But it is essential that educational strategies are
purposefully aimed at the future.
Educational strategies in
Latvia are to be directed to values orientating education, in which the
productive model is based on creativity and humanitarian paradigm. Such model
envisages the development of every personality's creative individuality, who,
in his/her turn, develops new society.
A music teacher as a subject
of pedagogical process is one of the main characters, who participate in
reorganization of educational system.
Therefore at present the
attention is paid to the mechanisms of work, which are connected with the
development of every school, the source of which is to be found in music
teachers' creative work in frames of their innovative activity. New elements
are being introduced, new approaches to the content of education, educational
technology, assimilation of the world experience are being implemented; they
are aimed at realization of a personality's nature in creative work.
Having studied the most
important existing approaches related to the music teachers' work and values
orientating education we can assume, that there is a demand for actualization
of the music teachers' creative artistic work. Thus the aim of the research is as follows: characterizing creative artistic
activity of music teachers-to-be to study its significance in context of
learners' values orientating education.
The tasks of the research:
- To investigate influential factors of values
orientating education, and their interaction in development of a learner's
personality, and to draw up a theoretical model of the essence of values
and their interconnections;
- To formulate a theoretical justification of the
concept of creative artistic activities of music teachers-to-be, and to
reproduce the characteristic of the image of this work in a model;
- To investigate the approaches of creative
artistic activity of actual music teachers-to-be, and its level in
comparison with the development of their professional competence during
the studies.
The methods of the research:
Theoretical method: analysis of philosophical, art, musical, pedagogical,
psychological and methodological literature, comparison of the resent
tendencies in education, vocational training of teachers and music
teachers.
Empiric methods:
observation, documentation (reports, characteristics, diaries, etc.); pedagogic experiment concerning the comparison of approaches to creative
artistic work of music teachers and determination of the level of this work
during their studies.
Pedagogical and Philosophical Aspects of
Values Orientating Education
Latvian educators
and philosophers (I.A.Students, I., P.Dale, Z.Maurina, and others), as well as famous European
philosophers such as M.Scheler, M.Miller, etc. and Russian philosophers
(V.Tugarinov, O.Drobnickis, etc.) have turned their attention to this issue
[1]. Majority of the above-mentioned authors (P.Dale, Z.Maurina, M.Scheler,
V.Tugarinov, and others) admit that a person's values orientation and
development of personality are in constant interaction, therefore it is
important to prevent the features of disorientation or destructive orientation,
because positively orientated people live in harmony with themselves and other
people, thus looking for better opportunities for development of society in
future [ibid.].
For instance, in
Great Britain K.Swanwick in his work "A Basis for Music Education"
has proposed four categories of aims for music education, including also musical values, considering that every person should be aware of importance
of music, in which individual musical expression is possible [2].
E.Husserl (Germany)
observes the significance of musical aesthetical values in music understanding
and knowledge [3]. But R.Miller and P.Gang write that a person as a participant
of creative process acquires his/her own subjective point of view that conforms
with his/her experience. Thus the diversity of subjective opinions is
developed, and in the learning process this diversity acquires its value [4].
R.Miller adds that it facilitates deepening, reconstruction and transformation
of our identity and knowledge. In interpersonal interaction knowledge becomes a
process of creation, in which individuals are connected with the world in
active and delicate way. Thus the findings of these authors are directed to intellectual vales in education [ibid.].
It should be noted
that in all European countries the totality of values – the system of values,
which is to be implemented in educational process, has been defined.
In Latvia the
system of basic educational values – ideas is expressed by the system of basic
principles determined in the Educational conception. This system is to be
implemented by every music teacher regarding every learner. I. states, that the
main mission of the teacher is to create the educational situation
that corresponds to the paradigm (world outlook) that is being established in
the Latvian schools. It is the paradigm of humanitarian education and its basic
feature is the atmosphere of objective values that is transformed into a lesson
[5].
In connection with
this an interesting idea is expressed by German philosopher G.Kerschensteiner.
He describes the model of a lesson in relation to the artistic humanitarian
model that is based on the following basic principle: positive, productive
interpersonal relations that are based on the holistic theory of knowledge – a
trend (pedagogical views that emphasize the unity of physical and intellectual,
and pedagogical situation of a lesson. According to these views an individual
is inseparable and acts as an entirety) [6].
We have to
acknowledge that this model includes transformation
of humanitarian values
(G.Kerschensteiner's term) in learners' awareness
and behaviour that occur with the
help of artistic means. This model is closer to the specific character of a music
lesson (Author's addition).
On the basis of the
assumption that music is a type of art, and as any art it inquires human nature
and universal features connected with it, we can state that music as a social phenomenon has multifunctional character, which influences person's
self-development, formation of taste, enriches his/her intellectual world, at
the same time teaching to notice different phenomena in nature, everyday life,
peoples' relations and choice of values.
Therefore, speaking
about music as a discipline we should emphasize that
establishment and development of learning process and creation of pedagogical
situations are representations of a music teacher's deliberate creative
activity. All of these find their expression in a definite teacher's activity,
which is aimed at a definite values orientating education.
Thus, a music teacher has definite functions of activity. Taking into
consideration everything said above, we think that a music teacher's functions are based and dependent on his/her
system
of
values.
A subjective
system of values of an educator is the potential expressed in his/her
functions.
Here the question
arises: how is the music teacher's activity evaluated nowadays? It is usually
evaluated in a definite educational situation. But one has to take into account
that this definiteness means also that the educator's activity is determined by
his/her system of values (totality of
interrelated elements – an entirety arranged in accordance with definite
rules), which is carried out in a definite values orientating educational
situation, for example, in learning process [7].
Hereby the music
teacher should be aware of the significance of the learning process functions
(instructive function, educational function, and developing function) in
learners' development. It is apparent that all the functions are equally
important. Special attention should be paid to educational function, for it
determines the topicality of our theme. It means that this function (as
emphasized by Dz.Albrehta) in the learning process helps learners to motivate
the development of their world outlook, moral and aesthetical views,
confidence, ideals, relations, attitudes, system of needs, socially acceptable
behaviour and aspects of activity [8]. Thus the main values orientations
within the situation of values education are formed and developed in
the result of mutual communication, influence and interaction of the music
teacher and the learners.
For example, the
values education pedagogy states that it is: education that consists
of knowledge, abilities, readiness skills,
but the values
orientation, in its turn, is the system of persuasions, attitudes and
priorities used by a person him/herself [9]. This system is based on a
person's attitude towards values, and it is foundation of his/her viewpoints
and actions. That is why it is necessary to take into account which development
of structural model of a music lesson is chosen by the teacher.
For example,
nowadays special attention to specific significance of development of values
orientated lesson is paid by I.Belickis. The scholar emphasizes that the
importance of values orientated lesson is reasonable analytical depth that
depends on the level and type of education. The feature of such lesson is dynamics – rapid intellectual and physical
alteration:
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teacher
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contents of
studies
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learners
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It finds its expression in two
systems of values: learners – teachers. There the interaction of two systems
takes place, in which communication, cooperation, correlation and reciprocal
influence have particular importance. In the result of the above-mentioned
factors it is possible to facilitate the development of the learners'
intellectual and musical needs, as well as to create conditions for the
learners to acquire intellectual values [10]. The authors: Zh.Piazhe,
V.Vigotsky and J.Students deal with the questions concerning the role of
parents and teachers in the development of the rising generation's values. They
consider that it is necessary to help the rising generation to think about
values that are important for them.
In the further study of this
question the authors emphasize that the determinant of a child's development is
the character of adults involvement in a child's life activity, which promotes
also the development of his/her values. But the Latvian scholar I.Belickis
justifies the idea that in the development of a learner's values an important
role is played by his/her corresponding social status – a definite position
among others. A child observes his/her "I" opportunities in
comparison with "I" of other children. Thus the system, in which the
learner's status is closely connected with peripeteias of relationships and
development of values, is established. According to L.Zukovs [ibid.],
establishing his/her values orientation the teacher influences also the
development of the learners' values orientation. The greater connection between
values and dispositions of both parties, the greater the teachers influence on
the learners is [11].
Having analyzed the
above-mentioned features of interconnection we can draw a conclusion that for
every music teacher it is essential to study and understand the significance of
values.
It appears that in the science
of philosophy and pedagogy the explanation of the concept of the essence of
value has been discussed rather widely. I.Students notes that the concept
"value" in aesthetical aspect is the measure of all the good
itself, for nothing is a value itself; it may become one only in comparison
with the good. Writing about the value the author refers to is as the highest
intellectual value [12]. But V.Zelmenis , K.Swanwick, V.Tugarinov and others
investigate the development of values in connection with a person's needs.
They have come to the conclusion that the value is a material or ideal object
in a person's viewpoint, which can satisfy his/her needs [13] (V.Zelmenis,
V.Tugarinov). Educators A.Spona and V.Zelmenis, philosophers M.Kule and
R.Kulis, L.Arhangelsky and others consider that the values not simply record and observe ongoing events, but also
express the attitude to them. This
attitude appears in evaluation: valuable or valueless, important or
unimportant. A.Spona declares that attitude
is an integrated feature of a personality, which characterizes the human
nature, and it finds its expression in the aims, ideals, values, norms and
principles of a personality's life. Thus developing the attitude to impersonal
reality, at the same time also development of intellectual values takes place [14]. M.Scheler, R.Miller and
A.N.Johnson, in their turn, emphasize that the actual task of philosophy is to
facilitate discovery and revision of objective
value, in the result of which a person has to enrich his/her
intellectual world. V.Tugarinov, M.Kule, R.Kulis think that values exist in hierarchical order:
higher and lower [15]. Therefore the music teacher's objective of educational
process is the following: through the contents of education and instruction, and
his/her own activity to encourage the learners to distinguish their values, to admit individual processes, to cultivate
control functions in their personal life.
A.N.Johnson considers that
every educator, who tries to help his/her learners to search for important
commitments in their life, is a mental educator. This is the mission of the
values orientating education.
Evaluating variable approaches
to explanation of the essence of value and its interconnections we have come to
our own theoretical assumption, in the result of which we have established the
explanation of value and its interrelation in connection with the development
of intellectual values (see Figure 1.1.). We believe that this model can serve
as a checkpoint in collaboration of teachers and learners.
Having
evaluated this figure we can conclude
that it is a systemic totality of
elements of values, on the top of which there are the highest – intellectual
values, such as intelligence, holiness, piety, love, deference, harmony;
artistic values connected with the sphere of aesthetics, categories of ethics
(good, fair, ect.), intellectual sphere: education, art, religion – people's
relations, all of which functioning together are based on friendly, favourable
interaction.
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Value is the significance of some
idea, process, thing or another phenomenon for a definite person, part of
society, nation, humanity. It is a very complicated phenomenon that
interweaves and arranges our life,
beginning with the biological one and ending with the highest levels of culture
and intellect.
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Essence
of value is connected with the totality of things, phenomena, spheres of human activity, positive
features:
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- sense of humour,
- emotionality,
- positive
attitude,
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- motivation,
- empathy,
- goodness,
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- delicacy, etc., which determine usefulness,
significance, possibilities of usage, efficiency and is connected with:
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Intellectual
sphere:
education (knowledge, mind, book,
etc.);
science (discoveries, mind, creative abilities,
cognition, reasoning, memory);
art;
religion (belief, certainty of
opinions, humanism, grace, God's love, love to people, holiness, life,
deference, esteem, mind, feelings, harmony, order);
aesthetic categories
-
holy, sacred experience,
-
the beautiful or the gentle,
-
right, genuine.
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Culture:
-
general;
-
individual, musical,
-
intellectual;
-
culture of conduct and action;
-
communication;
-
speech;
-
work;
-
professional.
The
values of culture as a totality of mental values form the basis of a person's
spiritual comfort.
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Morals
(ethics):
Morality
(goodness,
lenience, piety, beauty of work, action, conduct, order, politeness);
basic concepts of ethics
- good – evil;
- fair – unfair;
- honesty –
dishonesty;
- genuine –
false;
- sublime –
sordid.
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Sphere
of art and aesthetics
(values of deep feelings,
artistic vales of composition):
-
aesthetic perception (entirety);
- aesthetic feelings
(beauty, fairness, absurdity);
- aesthetic judgement (moral
and aestheic, beautiful, good, fair, etc.)
- aesthetic evaluation
(sacred, genuine, beauty or fairness);
- aesthetic taste
(emotional attitude and opinion on beauty)
- musical aesthetics,
which reflects life phenomena in "musical images".
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People's
interrelations,
which are based on
communication and beauty, and they contain social norms and culture.
There
exist:
- positive (favourable)
attitude to work, people,
environment, action;
- neutral (indifferent);
- negative (deprecatory).
The primary is the first
type of attitude.
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Figure
1. Essence of value and interconnections of intellectual values
Interpretation
of the creative artistic activity of the music teacher
Investigating this question we
will at first turn to the activity. For example, philosopher M.Kagan deals with
action as a form of a person's
attitude to environment, emphasizing, that every action has a definite
structure, i.e., totality of specific acts of activity and definite sequence,
according to which these activities occur, for every activity has its grounds,
goal, means, result and process. This activity is acknowledged [16].
But philosopher, who is famous
in Europe, Aristotle, elaborating his morality doctrine, anticipated the
connection between quantity and quality and the great significance of quantity
in a person's sphere of activity. It should be noted, that more than 2000 years
after Aristotle this rule was clearly and knowingly defined by Hegel. Hegel
thinks that quality depends on quantity [17].
Comparing these two
characteristics of activity we can establish a fact that activity is a
structural and systemic aggregate, in which quantitative activities may acquire
new quality.
The development of this idea
is closely connected with the paradigm of creative education, and that is why
many scholars in Latvia (L.Zukov, I.Belickis) and in the whole world
(V.Slastenin, V.Proseckis, J.Ponamoryov and others) rather often write about it
generally – as about the character of creative activity of educator's
profession, precisely pointing at the significance of the principle of creative
activity, but not indicating its artistic sphere [18]. That is why we were
interested in a more thorough research of this issue. In the result of numerous
investigations, we had to come to the conclusion that attention is not paid to
the music teacher's creative artistic activity.
It was not accidentally that already
in the 17th century classical pedagogy, the founder of the science
of didactics Yan Amos Comensky, observing pedagogic activity, came to a very
important conclusion: didactics is
the art to teach well. To teach well to do everything, to get others learn
quickly, with pleasure and properly [19].
It means that the music
teacher is the one who controls not only his/her own activity, but also
activities of others (learners). And here it is necessary to study what the
direction of his/her activity is. For instance, the world-famous
representatives of didactics A.Disterveg, J.Bruner (USA), V.Klafki and others
recommend directing pedagogical activity towards the principle of creativity.
J.Bruner in humanitarian pedagogics takes as a basis the skill to solve
problems and to transfer knowledge to a new situation. But V.Klafki holds the
idea that acquisition of material in educational process has to be creative and
heuristic, i.e., practice orientated, applicable in real life [20].
Thus we can
conclude that the scholars discuss the direction of creative development of
contents of education and cognition in order to create a possibility to
evaluate the result of education
taking into account creative abilities, level of intelligence.
Continuing
investigation of this question V.Zelmenis (Latvia) pays special attention to
the development of educational process. He notes that the development of
educational process has its didactic functions that include teacher and
learner' activities. It can be illustrated in the following way:
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information
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counter-information
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teacher's
activity
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learner's
activity
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and
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teacher's
activity
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learner's
activity
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This model of activity can be
referred to problematic learning type
that is based on the creative exploratory
activity. Here the teacher does not present complete information, but
offers necessary consultations, at the same time evaluating learners'
preliminary knowledge and quality of their exploratory activity. The teacher
tries to give necessary explanations asking leading (heuristic, Socratic)
questions thus facilitating learners' thinking. This type of education is
intellectually effective, but it takes more time; good resource basis,
sufficient preparedness of learners and teachers' methodological proficiency is
essential. It is aimed at creative
process, development of a personality's creative potential [21].
Also in Latvia one of the
principles of education is the principle of creative
activity, which means that education
develops and activates and individual's creative personality [22].
Y.Yakovleva asserts that creative process itself is the
expression of a personal individuality in the light of personal emotional
conditions and feelings. But investigating the development of a creative
personality's potential the author proposes the main principle, which is as
follows: principle of transformation of
cognitive content into emotional one, and creative activity (creativity) as the realization of a human
being's personal individuality [23]. But for a personality to realize
him/herself both in this and cognitive activity, according to the theories
elaborated by outstanding European scientists (H.Gardner, S.Arieti, E.Torren,
Y.Ponamaroyov, K.Stanislavsky, and others) direction of creativity is
necessary, as well as mutually connected features of personality such as:
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intellectual structure in which function the following mechanisms:
intuition, cognition, analysis;
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creativity;
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character;
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physical processes: thinking, memory, imagination;
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attitude;
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abilities;
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morality;
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level of culture and education;
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emotionality, etc.
K.Stanislavsky adds that
creativity is formed by the totality of activities of thoughts and feelings.
V.Proseckis and other scholars express the idea that activity includes elements of imitation
and creativity. V.Proseckis states
that imitation is reproduction (reflection), but creativity – invention. The author admits that imitation and
creativity are interrelated and are included in each other [24].
Thereby V.Proseckis views the
development of an individual's activity in accordance with the following
scheme:
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imitation
copying
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creative
imitation
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creative work of imitation
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fair authentic creative work
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The scholar emphasizes that
the problem of correlation of imitation and creative work is especially apparent
in activity of young teachers. Their creative activity has a character of
imitation. In this context it is a phase of creative individuality's
development, which in perspective, when free of imitation, leads to fair and
authentic creative work [24].
We think that the proposed
line of the development of an individual's activity is very close and specific
to professional activity of music teachers-to-be, which is aimed at development
of activity.
Psychologist A.Vorobyov
(Latvia) emphasizes that in any process of creative activity it is possible to
notice three phases:
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a phase of preparation, when the goals are set, possible ways of problem
solution are considered;
-
a phase of correction of implementation of new images and opinions and
their carrying out in a real object, phenomenon, etc.
-
a phase of approbation and
implementation of a new object (phenomenon).
Thus creative work, according
to A.Vorobyov, Z.Freud and other scientists, is a person's activity that
produces new material and spiritual values. Creative work is ability (that
appears in the result of a person's activity) to create from the material
'offered' by reality (on the basis of study of interrelations existing in the
objective world) the new reality that satisfies the needs of extensive society.
Creative work is determined by the character of creative activity (creative
work of an inventor, scientific and artistic creative work, etc.) [25].
As noted by scientists of
pedagogics A.Disterveg, A.Lihtvar, R.Shteiner, satisfaction of society's needs
is closely connected with artistic value. A.Lihtvar proposed to introduce
artistic value into all the subjects. Emotional experience was brought to the
fore [26].
Thus, returning to the
artistic value we should turn to the interpretation of understanding of the
concept of artistic value proposed by O.Divnenko.
The scholar asserts that the
artistic value is the measure of aesthetical
values of the product of art (musical composition), the indicator of its
level of beauty. The source of artistic value is the
genuineness of features of its aesthetical singularity, which is genuinely
reflected in the musical composition (product) [27].
To continue our research we
have to pay attention to an important philosopher M.Kagan's statement
concerning creative artistic activity.
The main idea of his findings is that this activity includes two parallel
activities which are dialectically closely connected with each other:
- aesthetical activity – first of all it is
practical creation of aesthetical values, and, secondly, it is
introduction of objects with aesthetic character. The author relates this
expression of activity with
- artistic
activity. The scholar does not separate these two activities, because he
holds that they intersect each other. He illustrates it by two circles:
The author concludes that in each definite
situation one of these activities may more or less manifest itself. Wherewith,
we can state that this interrelation (correlation) of artistic and aesthetical
activities is flexible [28].
Thus, summarizing various
approaches, theoretical conceptions and ideas about the artistic value and
creative artistic activity established by the above-mentioned scholars, we can
make a conclusion, that the question
has been investigated in general, but there is no direct research concerning
activity of a music teacher.
In connection with this, in
the process of her research the author interprets theoretical conception of
this activity, which is essential for music pedagogy and psychology [29]. Thus, in the profession of music teacher
creative artistic activities are connected with the fact that they figuratively
reflect the reality, in which artistic and figurative discovery of life is
united with creation according to so-called laws of beauty… It is a sphere,
type or variety of creative activity, characteristic feature of which is
aesthetic cognitive attitude towards the reality. Music teacher is the artist
being like the whole world with its inner rules and uniqueness, with a certain
reaction and impulses, using in his/her work elements of art typical for music,
which correspond to criteria of the art of music, artistic image, shape,
artistic figurative thinking, stylistic means, quality, at the same time
developing artistic skills of both teachers and learners.
Figure 2. Model of characteristics of the
image of creative artistic personality and activity of music teachers-to-be
As a possible realization of
this activity the author has elaborated and proposes the model of the
characteristics of the image of creative artistic activity of music
teachers-to-be. This model reflects the transfer from a didactic situation to a
school situation (see Figure 2), and it can be applied by experienced music
teachers as well.
To compare the approaches to
creative artistic activity of music teachers-to-be in the study year 1993/1994
a pedagogical experiment was done, in which the students of Daugavpils
University, Music Faculty were involved during their teaching practice. The
participants of the experiment were 35 third-year-students of the specialities
"Music Teacher" and "Primary School Teacher". The research
was based on the method of system worked out by outstanding director and
educator K.Stanislavsky. The method is connected not only with creativity of an
actor-teacher, but also with control over the unconscious, logic of
intellectual and physical activities, means of pedagogical influence,
development of different abilities and skills (artistic, theatrical,
pedagogical, etc.). We have to admit that the author's system optimally
develops intuition, memory, initiative, reaction, thinking, creative
imagination and attention. For example, in connection with the development of
actor's and teacher's initiative, imagination, attention and creative
exploratory activity, the author distinguishes four types of people. From these
four we will take a closer look at two of them: a teacher with initiative,
well-developed imagination – he/she constantly looks for new methods; a teacher
having no initiative – he/she needs help in work, etc. These two types were
taken as a basis for our research (see Table 1).
The method chosen for the
research was the observation method.
The main tasks were defined as follows:
- to elaborate a nonstandard lesson structure;
- to search for new methods, using additional
sources of information, music materials (songs, games, music materials for
listening, sports breaks, etc.);
- demonstrating (presenting) a new song to use all
the necessary musical expressive means, as well as accompaniment on the
piano, which could incite children's interest, develop imagination and
activate their attention.
The determinative indicator of
this activity is ability to design artistic activity and to anticipate the goal.
We were interested in the
following indicators of a student's activity: ability to set the goal without
any assistance; skill to be flexible in one's work; skill to evaluate and solve
problems; expression of artistic cognitive cooperation of teacher and learner;
essential professional knowledge and skills.
Having analyzed and summarized
data of the research we came to the conclusion that the second type of teachers
is the prevailing one. These teachers in most cases work without initiative,
ask for support, they are unsure in their actions, but at the same time they
are determined and love children. We concluded that for students it is
necessary:
- to get acquainted with general psychological
statements that influence the level of development of creative activity,
for instance, self-suggestion, body positioning, tension relief, which is
very important for a student's presentation of a song (conducting, playing
the piano), for the transfer of image from teacher to learners, public
depends on the work of a teacher's verbal and non-verbal means of
expression;
to direct their skills towards
creative activity integrating all necessary professional pedagogical expertise
(knowledge and performance techniques of general and special subjects).
We have established that one
of topical problems is skill to combine emotional, expressive, clear
performance of a song with accompaniment on the piano, observing both vocal
technique (diction, nuances, and articulation) and technique of playing the
piano.
Table
1. Comparison of students' approaches to artistic activity
|
Type of teacher –
learner
|
Characteristics of the type
of music-teacher-to-be and criteria
|
Year
3, 1993, specialities: "Music Teacher", "Primary School
Teacher". In total: 35 respondents: 27 girls, 8 young men
|
Year
4, 1994, specialities: "Music Teacher", "Primary School
Teacher". In total: 35 respondents:
27 girls, 8 young men
|
|
Number of
learners
|
In the beginning of practice
|
Number of
learners
|
In the end of practice
|
|
I
|
They
fascinate children with their initiative, have well-developed imagination, and intuition, originally model a
lesson, constantly search for new methods of work. They are able to design
and anticipate the goal. Creative cognitive cooperation.
|
6
|
18.18
|
9
|
27.27
|
|
II
|
Without
initiative, they need support, but at the same time they are determined, children
like them.
|
9
|
27.27
|
13
|
39.40
|
|
III
|
Irregular
work, children's interests are not balanced; they are performers of
instructions, directions, there is no creative search in their work.
|
11
|
33.33
|
8
|
24.24
|
|
IV
|
No
feel, skill to see and imagine, formal approach, inefficient,
unskilled, uneducated.
|
7
|
21.21
|
3
|
9.09
|
As students and methodologists
say:
N. …"Comparing with the
accompaniment on the piano, during presentation of a song I cannot achieve
sufficiently artistic, emotional performance. I feel uncertain, unconvincing. I
think that vocal performance is too subdued, because I cannot balance joint
performance of our ensemble ".
The methodologist of the
subject expresses the idea that during performance a young teacher has to be
more emotional, artistic, creative, freer, and she has to be able to control
her voice and body more flexibly.
We deduced that this result is
connected with the above-mentioned factors, as well as with a student's
individual abilities, typological structure of personality, disposition or
indisposition to work actively, to realize oneself, inexperience, and
reflection in approaches to creative artistic activities.
The above-mentioned skills are
the most characteristic skills of the music teacher's varied professional
activities, as then students are able to direct methodology of people's
aesthetical feelings development, because these skills form the basis for
pedagogical influence, ability to properly organize learners' aesthetical,
artistic instruction and education.
But in the years 2002 and 2003
on the basis of the research of records (teachers' characteristics, diaries)
and comparison of the approaches to creative artistic activity used by the 3rd
and 4th year students of the speciality "Music Teacher",
we have acquired the description of interpretation of this activity. To
illustrate it we offer several fragments of what was said by the teachers –
methodologists.
J. …"Responsible,
hardworking. Has great creative potential, which is especially revealed when
performing rhythmical exercises, in sports breaks, which take place in a music
lesson".
I. … "Professionally
purposeful, well-designed, organized and conducted music lesson, favourable,
friendly atmosphere in the classroom, the student has good posture, good
elocution. The teacher is well-read, competent, creative, artistic, has good
imagination and intuition. To achieve the aim of the lesson she applies various
efficient methods. Brilliant, emotional performance of the song".
J. …"The student is
friendly, emotional, very polite, kindhearted, respects children. Children love
the teacher. She is artistic, has great erudition, elocution and initiative. Her classes are interesting
and exciting; she uses various visual and technical aids, musical instruments.
She always achieves the goals set for the lesson. Free, creative artistic
cognitive cooperation with learners."
Carrying out the research it
is possible to conclude that the level of expertise of creative artistic
activity of music teachers-to-be is average – 63, 60%, but over the years we
can notice dynamics of the development of skills. But there is also a negative
factor to be mentioned: this direction of activity is not studied in connection
with a definite values orientation in education. Therefore this issue needs
further research and it is necessary to improve the creative artistic activity
of music teachers-to-be.
Summarizing the content of the
research we can draw the following conclusions:
- Values orientating education and development of
learner's personality are influenced by the following factors: environment
created for educational situation and conditions, which are based on
transformation of human and intellectual values; direction of teachers and
learners' education, content of studies and activities; their mutual influence
and interaction, etc.
- Productive educational model that is based on
creativity, aesthetically artistic approach. It is considered that it is
an innovation that directs towards crucially new approaches.
- Concept of creativity is closely connected with
the concepts of self-development, self-actualization.
- Development of creative personality's potential
is connected with the principle of transformation of cognitive content
into emotional one.
- Creative artistic activity of music teacher-to-be
is related to artistic, imaginative and aesthetically cognitive attitude
to the reflection of the reality.
- Having investigated the actual principles and
level of creative artistic activity of music teachers-to-be during their
studies, we conclude:
1) in most cases they
work without initiative, search for support, they are uncertain, but at the
same time determined, children like them, they have no explicit artistic
imagination, etc.;
2) that creative
artistic activity is average – 60, 63%
3) that direction of
this activity is not realized in connection with the values orientating
education. That is why further research of this problem is necessary, it is
essential to work in order to improve activity of music teachers-to-be, as
direction of activity nowadays is mediated, reflexive, modeling.
- It is essential to develop teachers and learners'
skills in choice of values:
- to look for alternatives if there is choice;
- to anticipate consequences before making
choice;
- to make choice without assistance,
independently from others;
- to be aware of one's choice doing something
and to be ready to confirm one's choice in public, etc.
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