College Research Topics

Does the teaching of rhythms, or counting assessment interest you? Are you looking for potential topics for class work or to do advanced research on? I am also a middle school band director who teaches at risk students in an innercity school. I find that most band method books are really designed to be "eliminators," used to weed out students, unable to teach students multi?levels of abilities. I also found, through my three years of research, if you take time to assess students individually, that reading rhythms is one of the weakest areas of our specific discipline. There are many gaps in each young students "rhythm vocabulary." I have written three supplemental band methods books, and would be glad to share one or all three with you. In South Carolina accountability in aall subjectsis slowly becoming a reality. In my third book I tried to come up with some form of efficient, accurate and performance evaluation strands and rubrics. I have met with State Department of Education People that might be interested in this information, and they have shared with me several research areas that can be expanded upon.

Below are several topics approached in my "Rhythm Master" series of books, designed to be supplemental counting instructional method and individual evaluation systems. See if any of these might interest you for research projects, or to explore further in your classroom environments. Please share any findings and thoughts you have with your fellow educators here at "rhythmmasters.org".

• Phonetics to Whole Language comparisons to reading language and rhythms. Its strength in teaching rhythm comprehension to students.
• The topic of individual counting evaluations and cross referencing accuracy.
• Experimentation of rhythm evaluation rubrics and standard.
• Multi level tasking in beginning band ensemble instruction.
• Success, or lack there of, of the Rhythm Masters system at 4 different levels of participation.
• Cumulative vrs. division approach to the teaching counting.
• Researching "over-processing" as a source of student counting problems (this hooks into multilevel teaching).
• Using "pictographs" rather than numbers for more accurate analysis and performance accuracy.
• Incorporating tactile instruction to further aid in rhythmic comprehension, as well as reinforcing subdivision. I call it the "See it, say it, touch it, play it."
• Use of "miscuing" as an evaluation tool and instructional aid.
• Rhythm Reading Pacing and Learning Ceilings". Can students at the end of their 8th grade year can be reading grade level "5" & "6" rhythms. I say it can be done rather easily!

Secondary Methods Class

Using Ch. 8 and Ch. 9 in the "Rhythm Masters" book, go through the chapter(s) on basic 16ths and dotted 8ths and 16ths. Discuss and debate the "pros" and "cons" of a cumulative counting system vs. a more traditional division approach. After the discussion, assign your students to construct their own lesson plans and curriculunm aides for teaching these same counting aides to young instrumental musicians for the first time. In addition to the lesson plan, in proper format, a minimum of two pages of aides in "Finale" or some other comparable music editing format, should be included. Page one should be a theory page, where the concept is introduced. Examples are given, and exercises are written for the students to complete. The second page should be some kind of ensemble etude or study sheet, reinforcing the counting concepts introduced. Key the playing etudes for all wind instruments: C, Bb, Eb, F, Bass Clef, and Tuba. Considerations need to be given for key selection and range and, if needed, some keys may need to be in two different octaves (for example: flute as wellas mallet and oboe, or Bb trumpet and Bb tenor sax). Additional pages may be used if it will help clarify or reinforce the assigned lesson.

Each student should then briefly present this approach to the class, possibly with instruments, in like a "mock" beginning band class situation. After all class members have made their presentations, the class should try to put themselves in the mind-set of a 6th or 7th grade beginner, and discuss the various approaches' strengths and weaknesses. Be sure to take into consideration: clarity and ease of analysis, phonetic adaptability, pulse and subdivision reinforcement, multi-level tasking, and "over processing". With the cumulative system presented in the "Rhythm Masters" book acting as a catalyst, it should be a very lively, controversial, and informative class.