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:

  1. 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;
  2. 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;
  3. 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:

 

teacher

contents of studies

learners

 

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.


 

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.

 

Essence of value is connected with the totality of things, phenomena, spheres of human activity, positive features:

  • sense of humour,
  • emotionality,
  • positive attitude,
  • motivation,
  • empathy,
  • goodness,
  • delicacy, etc., which determine usefulness, significance, possibilities of usage, efficiency and is connected with:

 

 


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.

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.

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.

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".

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.

 

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:

 

information

 

counter-information

 

 

 

teacher's activity

learner's activity

and

teacher's activity

learner's

activity

 

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:

-         intellectual structure in which function the following mechanisms: intuition, cognition, analysis;

-         creativity;

-         character;

-         physical processes: thinking, memory, imagination;

-         attitude;

-         abilities;

-         morality;

-         level of culture and education;

-         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:

 

imitation

copying

creative

imitation

 

creative work of imitation

fair authentic creative work

 

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:

-         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:

  

artistic

 

 

aesthetical

 
 

 

 

 

 

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:

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 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Concept of creativity is closely connected with the concepts of self-development, self-actualization.
  4. Development of creative personality's potential is connected with the principle of transformation of cognitive content into emotional one.
  5. Creative artistic activity of music teacher-to-be is related to artistic, imaginative and aesthetically cognitive attitude to the reflection of the reality.
  6. 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.

  1. 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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