Ask a Music Teacher: Flipped Out

Or, to quote They Might Be Giants, "Everything old is new again."

What is a "flipped" classroom?  In a normal class, the teacher presents a lesson and then gives the students homework in order to practice the concepts presented.  "Flipped" classes reverse this process: Students are supposed to watch and/or read the lesson at home, and then practice the concepts during class time.

"Flipped" classes are the newest, shiniest, bestest educational fad.  And I know for a fact, it will be an unmitigated disaster.  How do I know?  I've taught band and orchestra.  Our classrooms are already "flipped," have been so since time immemorial, and will continue to be so until we are all fired due to budget cuts.

Confused?  Here is what the ideal band/orchestra rehearsal looks like: Students take their instruments home and learn their music.  They come to class having mastered the notes and rhythms, ready to work with the rest of the ensemble on the issues of musicality (tone, balance, blend, dynamics, tempo, etc.) The lesson is the notes and the rhythms.  The practice of concepts is the musicality.

In the real world, students do not practice.  Let me repeat that: In the real world, students do NOT practice.  In any meeting of more than three band/orchestra directors, the first question is always, "How do you get your students to practice?"  The younger ones offer every technique just this side of a cattle prod.  The old, experienced directors just chuckle because they know none of these techniques actually works.

It will be the exact same thing in the regular "flipped" classroom.  At least half (probably more like 2/3rds or 4/5ths) will come in, get the day's work - based on the lecture they should have watched last night - and immediately start whining, "I can't do this!  I don't get it!"  Well, did you watch the lecture last night?  "I didn't get it." (Translation: No, I was too busy playing Xbox.)  Then the teacher is forced to regurgitate the lecture during class, and the day's work is then assigned for homework.

Viola!  Flipped classroom is thus destroyed in a single night.