This conversation is about using percussion instruments, but it’s much more about the mindset to use when approaching these experiences.
Alicia spends a lot of time establishing the context in which these activities can take place, and creating the tone of the learning. One of the most valuable parts of the conversation to me was hearing Alicia talk about all the artistry and imagination that takes place before students even have the instruments in their hands. The instruments are the extension of the process - not the whole process in and of itself.
We also talked about classroom management with these instruments, and how conversations about classroom management are actually conversations about musical sequencing.
Alicia is someone who brings breathability to music education and I know you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
If you’d like to write Alicia a thank you note I know she’d appreciate it and she certainly deserves it. You can email her at aliciaknox303@gmail.com, and read her bio at the bottom of these show notes.
Keep Learning - Alicia Recommends:
Keep Listening:
Episode 5 - What Are Some Ways to Efficiently Pass Out Classroom Instruments?
Episode 28 - Teaching a Partwork Piece on Barred Instruments
Episode 34 - Strategies for Sharing Instruments
Episode 9 - How Should I Use Percussion Instruments as a Vocalist?
Barred Instrument Exploration Video - It Fell from the Sky
In This Conversation:
03:28 - It’s Alicia Knox!
5:04 - Teaching middle school
09:27 - Alicia’s pathway to Orff Schulwerk
17:38 - What are percussion instruments?
21:06 - What do I do with these instruments?
25:40 - Sequencing with flexibility
35:09 - Musical steps and classroom management steps to play the instruments
40:50 - First Steps for Unpitched Percussion - “The Napping House”
49:11 - “My kids could never do this” Backing up and moving forward appropriately
57:32 - First Steps for Barred Instruments
1:04:36 - Where to Learn More
1:08:51 - Quick Questions - What’s the last fun activity you did?
1:10:20 - Quick Questions - What’s the next teaching project you’re excited about?
1:11:38 - Quick Questions - What makes you so good at what you do?
1:12:48 - Where to find Alicia
About Alicia Knox
Email: aliciaknox303@gmail.com
Alicia Knox is a music teacher at St. Patrick's Episcopal Day School in Washington, DC. She taught for ten years at Colorado Academy in Denver, and then spent 4 years in Shanghai, China teaching at Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi.
Alicia has a Master of Music education degree from the University of Nebraska and completed her Orff training at Southern Methodist University. She attended several Master Classes at SMU and in San Francisco. She has been an approved Orff educator since 2017, teaching Level I courses in Pasadena and San Diego.
As a member of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association, Alicia has coordinated session hosts and monitors and led student performers. She has served on and presented for local chapters as well as mentored music education students. Alicia loves to sing and has participated in chamber and community choral groups in Denver, Colorado, and in Shanghai.