[HANASHIR:8077] Teaching Jewish Music

[Burton A. Zipser <zipmusic...>]

        Much discussion in the past week has been concerned with 
Jewish songs, specifically for Tu Bish'vat, but also involving what 
we should teach, whose songs we should use, and the relevance of 
using music whose only relationship to Judaism may be based on a 
topic which relates to a Jewish event or concept.
        Many of the readers of these "rants" are trained educators 
and/or music educators. Yet there is rarely any discussion of what we 
should be teaching, when we should teach certain topics, concepts, or 
ideas, and how the education of those in our classes will promote 
positive attitudes about the wonders of Jewish ideas.
        I would like to suggest that we utilize the same training we 
may have learned in our college education classes. To wit:
        When teaching a course, first decide what are the basic 
underlying ideas or guidelines which are involved.  Then use that 
skeleton to expand into specific educational concepts, ideas, and 
activities which are both age-appropriate to those in the class, and 
are also part of a cumulative process which will eventually create a 
Jewish child who is able to function as a knowledgible member of the 
Jewish community, knows what makes Judaism unique, and who has a 
basic in Judaic knowledges, understandings, and ideas which will 
permit him/her to make choices based on the unique history and 
experience of a people who have been evolving for over five millenia.
        Why not create your school by:
1)  Finding out from rabbis and scholars what religious concepts and 
ideas are the basis of the learning experiences of a child from ages 
6-13 and 13-17 or 18.
2)  Then utilize educators and educational psychologists to determine 
the best order to present these ideas so that children will be able 
to understand the concrete and abstract ideas which are both 
universal and specific to Judaism. At the same time you should 
determine when the children should be taught about Jewish history and 
about Jewish literature that should be included in any experiences 
designed to create a Jewish person who knows what his heritage is all 
about and what makes Judaism uniquely different.  Perhaps (along the 
way) the child may be encouraged to develop the ability to include 
alternatives based on Jewish belief as part of his/her 
decision-making processes.
3)  The third step requires that you involve the cantors of your 
congregations and decide what musical experiences will make it 
possible for that child to be able to function as a member of both 
present and future congregations.
4)  At this point the Jewish music educator, song-leader, or other 
provider of Jewish musical experiences, can take the guidelines 
created in 1, 2, and 3 above and find music which reinforces many of 
the tenets which should be apparent from any outline created in 1, 2, 
and 3.
        If this sounds very convoluted, try to place your musical 
instruction in the same context as the child is learning about 
American history, literature and world history and literature.  Does 
anyone remember the word "carry-over"?  It is an educational concept 
which suggests that an ability or idea or concept has more meaning 
and relevance when we apply it in more than one situation. When you 
went to school, you learned to write a good essay in English class. 
Your history teacher expected your history essays to be legible, have 
proper spelling, and show that you had the ability to organize your 
thoughts. In your science class you were expected to write a lab 
report which suggested that you had somehow acquired some abilities 
in English, etc.  Logic was also expected in math.
        Or would you rather continue to try to include musical 
experiences in the lives of the children in your classes in an 
isolationist environment?
                Burton Zipser

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