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  #1  
Old 07-23-2007, 03:17 PM
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Markkunkel Markkunkel is offline
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Default Bringing music to our work...

I am a teacher (university psychology) in addition to my other work, and sometimes, rarely and from my point of view preciously and riskily, sing and play to illustrate a particular point. I conclude tomorrow a 17-day intensive summer term in which I'm teaching Intro Psych, Abnormal Psych, and Psychology of Dreams (whew), the latter a grad/undergrad class. Today the theme for the Dreams class was developmental perspectives, or the ways that dreams reflect and echo and amplify phases and struggles in our human journey. We gathered in a circle and I sang a song and then we talked about what it woke up in our dreaming, part of the musical menu including:
"Donald and Lydia" (John Prine)
"Clay Pigeons" (Blaze Foley)
"Buckets of Rain" (Bob Dylan)
"Trouble in the Fields" (Nanci Griffith)
"Birches" (Bill Morrissey)
"I Will Follow You Into the Dark" (Death Cab for Cutie)
and a couple of my songs (they're all mine, but...)

The new Gwaltney Australian Blackwood/Lutz sounded wonderful and brought a lot of joy.

Others use music as part of your work?

Mark

Last edited by Markkunkel; 07-24-2007 at 09:56 AM.
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Old 07-23-2007, 05:25 PM
RogerC RogerC is offline
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I've recounted this a few times, but...

I have 2 good friends who are pathology professors at the vet school at Oklahoma State University. For the past few years, they've been taking rock songs and changing the lyrics to fit the curriculum. We hold a concert every year for the students.

We've done Clin Path City (Paradise City - GnR), Rollin Through the Vessel (Proud Mary), Pretty Lesion (Pretty Woman), etc. It's a great deal of fun and the students just love it.
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Old 07-24-2007, 07:55 AM
orsino orsino is offline
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I play at lunch time at work. I leave the door open sometimes so folks can hear. It's my most productive part of the work day.
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Old 07-24-2007, 08:36 AM
scotchtape scotchtape is offline
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Sadly, none
Corporatey officey place.
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Old 07-24-2007, 08:44 AM
Marshall Marshall is offline
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Well, like Tom, I have an office guitar. It pretty much sits on a stand. But I do play it early in the morning and after hours if I'm working late. I don't play much when anyone else is around. I've taken it to after hours open mics if I don't feel like treking home and around the metro area.

I've recorded a disc and it's in the office disc changer (one of about 200) so a tune pops up on the randon play list about every day.

But, I wouldn't call it therapy for anyone but me.
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Old 07-24-2007, 08:49 AM
dthumb dthumb is offline
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ironically, as much as music means to me, on the job with others i have a "no music" policy because it often distracts folks from their work.mostly its the "type" of music and the diverse tastes on a job that causes the problem, not the music itself.(sometimes i do allow it , though, with smaller tighter knit crews and it seems to help keep them "up"). when i am in the shop or on the job alone my ipod is always on or xm radio is full tilt..it has the opposite effect on me but, then, i'm the boss...if i screw up its my butt that is in a sling.
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Old 07-24-2007, 09:00 AM
gregg gregg is offline
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Quote:
The new Gwaltney Australian Blackwood/Lutz sounded wonderful and brought a lot of joy.
That's a beautiful thing to hear Mark, thank you for sharing. It's wonderful that you are able to share with your students like that...By the way, Mark has a very nice voice(as well as playing ability) as he sang a song or two at the house when he picked up the guitar, I'm sure the students enjoyed that gathering.

All The Best,
Greg

Last edited by gregg; 07-24-2007 at 12:26 PM.
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Old 07-24-2007, 10:21 AM
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Music is a tool I use in my work every day!

cotten
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Old 07-24-2007, 11:09 AM
gtr4me gtr4me is offline
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I teach at the graduate school level. There are lots of creative instructional design approaches. Including music in a unit of study is one of them. Making my students, who are captive, listen to me play music is not a thing I would be comfortable about including.

I understand why others might do this, though.
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Old 07-24-2007, 02:03 PM
ForcesUndivided ForcesUndivided is offline
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Default This just seems silly to me...

...just my opinion. I never had a professor who sang to the class and I am very glad that I didn't. It speaks of "I don't really like what I do professionally, so let me force my hobby on you"; might be time for a change of occupation. If you want to play for people go to a coffee house or some other venue, but playing in the classroom takes away from the teacher's credibility in my book. You could play like Hendrix and sing like Elvis, doesn't matter. I would be pretty disappointed if my teacher pulled that crap on me when education is so expensive these days. Just my 2 cents, take it for what it is. Keep the faith.
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Last edited by ForcesUndivided; 07-24-2007 at 02:35 PM.
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  #11  
Old 07-24-2007, 02:13 PM
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Mark,

This is kind of off topic so I apologize but have you read the book "This is Your Brain on Music" by Daniel Levitin? Since you teach psychology you might find it interesting. Really great book.

To answer your question, teaching music is my work and I love it!

Kindly,
Danny
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Old 07-25-2007, 06:06 PM
RogerC RogerC is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ForcesUndivided View Post
...just my opinion. I never had a professor who sang to the class and I am very glad that I didn't. It speaks of "I don't really like what I do professionally, so let me force my hobby on you"; might be time for a change of occupation. If you want to play for people go to a coffee house or some other venue, but playing in the classroom takes away from the teacher's credibility in my book. You could play like Hendrix and sing like Elvis, doesn't matter. I would be pretty disappointed if my teacher pulled that crap on me when education is so expensive these days. Just my 2 cents, take it for what it is. Keep the faith.
Music is actually a great teaching tool. My degree is in English, but I can understand a lot of my friends now when they talk "shop" (I have lots of friends who are vets) because of what I learned through these songs that I've played with the vet school band. If someone like me, who has no background in this stuff, can start to understand and remember it, then imagine how it helps the students who are studying this stuff on a daily basis.

Music is a very powerful medium.
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Old 07-26-2007, 12:52 PM
ForcesUndivided ForcesUndivided is offline
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Default I dont see how your comment rebuffs mine...

[QUOTE=RogerC;1230046]Music is actually a great teaching tool. My degree is in English, but I can understand a lot of my friends now when they talk "shop" (I have lots of friends who are vets) because of what I learned through these songs that I've played with the vet school band. If someone like me, who has no background in this stuff, can start to understand and remember it, then imagine how it helps the students who are studying this stuff on a daily basis.
QUOTE]

...maybe I missed something. We are all entitled to our own opinions. I was refering to how expensive a college education is and that teachers should teach, not noodle in the classroom. The exception of course being a music class, Jazz 101 if you will, had a Jazz teacher who played in class to demo scales and times. I found this appropriate. My English teacher read to us. There lies the difference, about as plain as I can state it.
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Last edited by ForcesUndivided; 07-26-2007 at 01:08 PM.
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  #14  
Old 07-26-2007, 03:50 PM
RogerC RogerC is offline
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[QUOTE=ForcesUndivided;1230639]
Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerC View Post
Music is actually a great teaching tool. My degree is in English, but I can understand a lot of my friends now when they talk "shop" (I have lots of friends who are vets) because of what I learned through these songs that I've played with the vet school band. If someone like me, who has no background in this stuff, can start to understand and remember it, then imagine how it helps the students who are studying this stuff on a daily basis.
QUOTE]

...maybe I missed something. We are all entitled to our own opinions. I was refering to how expensive a college education is and that teachers should teach, not noodle in the classroom. The exception of course being a music class, Jazz 101 if you will, had a Jazz teacher who played in class to demo scales and times. I found this appropriate. My English teacher read to us. There lies the difference, about as plain as I can state it.
I agree that "noodling" in the classroom would be a gross waste of time. If, however, a teacher used music as another medium to reach students (as mark said he does and as my friends do), then I see no issue with it. I just took your post to mean that just because a teacher uses music, then he isn't teaching.
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  #15  
Old 07-26-2007, 07:04 PM
Hodges_Guitars Hodges_Guitars is offline
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One of my college professors (music appreciation) insistedx on whistling classical music. One of the tests was actually "name that tune" with him whistling the songs... bad choice as he couldnt whistle worth a (*&^(*&

GLad you at least included a good guitar with your vocals.

On a side note, I have been accused of listening to too much Motown music because I can come up with a song for just about any phrase you can say... I miss the old Motown music !
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