Nick Rail Music

and teachers see themselves as a rural education community. This included the idea that much of the curriculum is, or has been made to seem, irrelevant; forcing the students to leave the culture to go to college or remain within the close-knit community where much of the education was not needed.

My mind went back to Thailand. I hosted the head of the Northeast Region of Thai schools in my Northern CA home for two weeks. He asked me to help him record English words and phrases so the HS students could hear a native speaker. English was required for all HS students but most of them felt they would never interact with tourists or leave home. They were indifferent when it came to learning the language. He was trying to figure out how to make it ‘fun.’

The book’s chapter on ‘Poverty and School Achievement’ by Howley and Howley was particularly relevant to rural schools in California. They conclude that the culture of schools in agricultural communities as more cooperative and egalitarian students have a similar socio-economic status and family values. Schools in primarily resource-extraction communities, such as mining and timber, have at least two sets of ‘classes,’ those who do the extraction and those who are managers. The families regard education in very different ways, and that affects self-perception as well as the perception teachers and administrators have of the students. It is a more competitive, more biased, less cooperative environment.

What does this mean for music programs? How can we foster a curriculum that emphasizes the values of cooperation and equality, those concepts that we have always believed are of great benefit to participation in music -making?

The word ‘ensemble’ comes to mind. In order to keep a steady beat ‘in ensemble,’ even the youngest student has to be aware of the tempo of the music and keeping the beat with the group. This requires a developmental leap, giving up a bit of ‘self’ to make music with others. Being the fastest is not the same as being the best or being the winner; being the slowest is not the same as being a loser. Orff ensembles are great vehicles for developing these concepts.

How about the importance of full participation in a group? The value of individual and group creativity, and sharing both process and product? Video ‘publishing’ for the small community?

Advocacy to improve bandwidth and access to the internet so online lessons are possible? Every student who would like to play a band, orchestral, recorder or fretted instrument must have access? Access to a credentialed music teacher?

The last topic has been a long-standing issue where I work: several small elementary schools (under 180 students K-8) have had sporadic music programs or none at all. Next year we will have an experienced, credentialed music teacher that will go to 5 schools, one per day to teach classroom music plus band and chorus. The curriculum and schedule in each school will be similar. There will be one school that will be the coordinating school for salary and benefits and bill the other schools to create a full-time music position.

When it comes to teaching music in rural schools, we must continue to treasure what we give each student. Our work is of particular significance as we emerge from semi-hibernation over these past 18 months.

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CONTACT HARRISON KIRK FOR ALL YOUR SCHOOL BID NEEDS HARRISON@NICKRAILMUSIC.COM . 800-649-5354

AGOURA HILLS BAKERSFIELD REDLANDS SAN DIEGO SANTA BARBARA VALENCIA CAMARILLO