Southwestern Section Update

Dr. Tamara Thies Southwestern Section President

As the curtain falls on the 2023 California All-State Music Education Conference, many ideas surfaced that offered new insights, reinforced established practices, and possibly even challenged our own perspectives and approaches to our personal teaching styles and philosophies. Many California music teachers are designing and implementing strategies, curriculum, and experiences that are guided by their own students’ backgrounds and knowledge. For this reason, this edition of the Southwestern Section report will spotlight a perceptive, responsive, and forward-thinking young music educator, Dennis Feinland, and his approach to beginning a new songwriting/music production course for his students at Cabrillo High School in the Long Beach Unified School District.

Dennis Feinland is a second-year music teacher who teaches three guitar classes, band, marching band, and an introduction to songwriting course. Cabrillo High School is a Title I school serving 2,007 students (grades 9-12) who reflect a minority enrollment of 99% with 80% of the students considered economically disadvantaged. Like most beginning music teachers, Dennis spent his first year getting to know the students and how best to approach student learning needs in the differing music classes of guitar, band and marching band. As he adapted to the needs of his students, he realized that he wanted to open some opportunities for his students that often are not implemented in Title I schools. He learned about a grant within his district, applied for monies to build a portable Mac lab, and acquired the funds to purchase equipment needed for this technology-based course. Additionally, the district already approved an Introduction to Songwriting course in the past, so he was set to immediately begin teaching this new course at Cabrillo in the Fall of 2022—his second year of teaching. The response to the program and the musical productivity of the students indicate that Cabrillo’s new songwriting/music production course is a positive fit for the students in this music program.

The following interview has been reproduced to offer insights into how the songwriting course at Cabrillo began, note challenges and solutions, and offer benefits to the students and community.

Why begin a songwriting/music production program?

The number of students attending Cabrillo had been decreasing in the school as well as the music program. This prompted me to question why we are offering classes that do not appeal to the students. The songwriting class provides an opportunity for students who like music but have no interest in playing a clarinet, trumpet, or guitar. I saw this as a way to get more students into music.

There was also a personal bias involved. One of my mentors once told me to “create a job that you’re excited to wake up for.” I enjoy playing the guitar and writing songs, so creating a course around this idea appealed to me. Additionally, I like to do things that others are not doing. Even as I was growing up, I wanted to play every instrument or try a new way to make music. I enjoy developing and creating, so I was excited to try this course with our students.

What did you need to set up the program?

I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to learn about a grant that brought over $90,000 to our music department. A portion of this money was used to purchase a mobile MacBook lab. We purchased 40 MacBooks, 40 headphones, a couple of audio interfaces, 5 MIDI keyboards, a couple of microphones, and Logic Pro licenses for each MacBook. The primary reason we purchased Logic Pro was because I was most familiar with this software so I could guide students more easily through the production of their music.

In addition to the money, I provided a justification for the administration highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of the course, how the course could access more students, as well as guide students to use current industry technology. Because the district already developed a songwriting course that was available to implement in any of the Long Beach schools, I did not need to recreate the standard course outline.

We also needed a physical space. Coincidentally, a teacher next to the music room was transferred so that opened a space for the class next to the music area.

Finally, I needed students. Administration required I attract a particular number of students to offer the course in the fall semester. I talked with the ASB teacher to advertise the course frequently in the school announcements as well as put up posters and talked with students. By the time school started in the fall, I had too many students for the physical space and actually had to turn away three students. (I did tell those three students that they would be first on the list for next year, however.) Everything had fallen into place, and our first class met in the Fall 2022 semester.

What challenges have you faced?

The primary challenge has been teaching the class…deciding what to teach and how to present the information, as well as assess student growth. While college programs open many opportunities to teach students in band, orchestra, and choir, there are not many programs that teach songwriting or music production so undergraduates can practice this very different style of teaching.

I remind students, a lot, that I haven’t taught this class before and appreciate their patience. We have some weird and confusing days, but we are learning together and the students are very accepting within this collaborative community.

Every lesson I start with a finished product for the students to hear. I model a lot of the information in different ways. If students have prior knowledge, I will throw things together in the moment; whereas, we will do things together, step-by-step, if there are new technological functions they are implementing. There are times when something goes wrong and I can’t figure it out quickly, so one of the more advanced students will step up and show everyone. If a student is struggling, I will ask them to check out their neighbor’s computer and often the issue is remedied. Finally, I use a lot of repetition throughout the classes. As I’m figuring out how to sequence the information, teach, and assess, I find that I often have to go back and reteach.

What might someone expect if they would like to start a songwriting/music production program?

Students bring a lot of themselves into the class. They are making music that they like. Students expect you to bring yourself into the class. Share your own music with students. Share successes and mistakes. Be willing to make mistakes.

Get comfortable with being uncomfortable and not knowing what is going on. You will learn as you go and adapt on the fly every day. There is a lot of second guessing after the fact through reflection. You will likely feel like a first-year teacher, again.

There are different kinds of barriers for student success. Some students had never used a MacBook before, so they did not necessarily know how to turn the computer on. You will be teaching technological literacy, so be prepared to be staring at screens a lot.

Students have differing levels of competency. Some are more advanced than the instructor. For example, I was teaching quantizing and was getting frustrated because the beats would not align; a student pointed to the “flex and follow” box which assisted me to show students in the moment. Some students struggle, some sound professional, and most fall somewhere in the middle. Because of this, allow students to work at their own pace and be open to differing levels of assessments for student submissions. For some students, creating four measures is enough; whereas other students will elaborate significantly for the same assigned four measures. This course is about the process and not necessarily the perfect product.

Prepare for administrative questions especially around cost effectiveness. While the majority of your colleagues (teachers and administrators) will be positively supportive, expect some push back from some colleagues who may not understand why these kinds of classes are important for students.

Finally, expect to have fun! Students will notice that you are a different kind of teacher in this setting and will appreciate this approach to teaching. I know these students really well because they share a part of themselves every day they come into class.

What are some benefits related to your songwriting/music production course?

Students attending Cabrillo High School often struggle to attend classes, let alone turn in homework, which leads to a lower graduation rate. However, students in the songwriting class attend class regularly and rarely miss a deadline for homework. In my mind, there are several contributing factors for this success.

There is a great sense of pride within the students because they know that they are only one of two schools offering the songwriting course in the district. When they learned that their school was the only mobile Mac lab in the district, it made them feel special. This assists with their mindsets.

The act of songwriting itself is a more intimate process. The subject matter requires us to bring in our personal music tastes to the table. I can get a picture of who the students are; therefore, I feel I really know these students in a different way.

Finally, I am forced to limit what is achievable during class time. I can’t really assign much homework because students don’t have access to MacBooks or Logic outside of class. Homework assignments might include listening, but work must be completed during class time. Subsequently, students never feel like they can’t show up to class because they haven’t finished their homework. This alleviates a stress students carry.

Rewriting the Title I Stigma

Students in Title I schools are aware of how they are categorized and perceived. This can lead to a sense of low self-esteem, a fear of failure, and/or a fear of embarrassment. Songwriting and music production courses offer easier entrance points for high school students who may or may not have prior musical knowledge. This form of music making is more accessible to students, and it builds student identities while developing musical skills. Songwriting shows students that we can all create music.