The Old Ways Pre-literate pedagogies in the (post-)/(multi-)literate classroom Texas Tech University Teaching Academy series: "What the Best Teachers Do" series, Feb 2009. Dr Christopher Smith, Associate Professor & Chair of Musicology; Director: Vernacular Music Center & TTU Celtic Ensemble Texas Tech School of Music - [email_address] http://ttuvmc.org

Disclaimer!

VMC

“ Vernacular”?

Example West Africa

What, where, and who?

What, where, and who?

What, where, and who?

What, where, and who?

The Bandstand & the Ivory Tower

Pre- versus post-literacy One key insight

The world & the classroom One key insight

Example West Africa

Goals Life-long engagement

Intuition 1 Vernacular pedagogies

Intuition 2 Those pedagogies’ precision

Intuition 3 Paying attention to these pedagogies

Intuition 4 Relevance beyond the ancient

Premise 1 Topics versus mindsets

Example North India

Premise 2 Learning modes, ancient & post-modern

Premise 3 Students: strengths

Premise 4 Students: handicaps

Premise 5 “ New” literacies

Archetypes Premise 6

Premise 7 Visceral/intuitive

“ Once upon a time…” Premise 8

Patterns & their power

Example The Near East

Patterns & their power Memory, orality, recall

Patterns & their power “ Read one, see one, do one.”

Patterns & their power Extending this use

Patterns & their power “ Let me tell you a story…”

Patterns & their power Context & content & their interplay

Problem-solving Why is “it” the way “it” is?

Demonstration/imitation/critique Ancient, archetypal, post-modern

Questions for YOU What is your OWN discipline’s useful folklore?

Questions for YOU What do you already teach in this way?

Questions for YOU MORE intentional, conscious, and effective?

Questions for YOU “ Method”

How do YOU employ demonstration/imitation/critique…already? For further/future consideration

Which are unique to your discipline’s perspectives & archetypal experiences? For further/future consideration

How to link your teaching, your discipline, and your students ’ experiences? For further/future consideration