Performing arts professors rework curriculum for remote learning
Music students are stressed and upset, but how are their professors handling the new remote instruction?
Classes such as English, math and history are easier to move to a remote instruction platform, whereas performance based courses are almost impossible to learn remotely.
Performing arts professors plan in advance what their curriculum will consist of, the music/scripts that will be performed and when the performances will take place. Generally, performances count as large test grades, since that is the final product of their semester/time period.
With the COVID-19 virus causing schools to turn to remote learning, arts professors almost literally had to throw their entire curriculum out the window. There is no way to have performances in our current state of social distancing.
Music professors have had to scramble and come up with a new way to grade their students.
As the conductor of the USCA Wind Ensemble, Dr. Hayes Bunch, sent an email with an alternate assignment for the remainder of the semester.
The jazz professor, Ms. Lauren Meccia, has decided to meet regularly with her jazz students to make sure they are all healthy and safe. She also has elected to continue her woodwind methods class over “Blackboard Collaborate Ultra” with meeting her students individually for lessons as well as together as a class at their regularly scheduled time.
Dr. Emily Stumpf, the flute professor, has her student sending in recordings of their weekly assignments and sending comments back.
The low brass professor, Dr. Matthew Henderson, has his students meeting weekly for individual lessons over skype.
Even though these professors are saddened to lose the opportunity of creating music face to face, they are pushing through to give their students the best they can during these stressful times.
In this time of uncertainty, the music professors have done a great job at completely redesigning their courses as well as keeping in touch with their students.
