Incorporating the Socratic Method and Critical Thinking in music education in schools involves creativity and a break from traditional classroom teaching strategies.
What are the benefits of Critical Thinking?
Critical thinking also known as the Socratic Method is based on the question-and-answer style of teaching accredited to the philosopher Socrates. Critical thinking in music education takes the basic premise of debate and inquiry and applies it to music education in schools. This teaching strategy encourages students to question each other, and removes the instructor from all-knowing professor to a fellow seeker of knowledge.
From the University of Phoenix to California’s public school system, educators and students alike have found the benefits of critical thinking strategies in the classroom.
As one student at California’s KIPP High School mentioned, “[Critical Thinking is] thinking beyond what you hear, what you know in your brain, in your heart, in your soul.”
Critical thinking puts the power of influence in the hands of the student, giving students the tools they need to function in college and in society (Edutopia, Geert ten Dam).
Critical thinking strategies extend from private lessons to the public university setting. In the United States, where an emphasis on standardised testing has changed the music teacher’s role in music education in schools, critical thinking strategies aid music classrooms by providing a framework that incorporates reading and writing requirements within an artistic scope.
Music Critique Circle (Secondary)
A key component of critical thinking and the Socratic method involves students learning how to critique each other in a constructive way. In the Music Critique Circle, students present a music project (ex. a simple composition, music performance, or paper presentation) to the class. After the presentation, students take turns responding to the performance or project with thoughtful questions. For example, a student may ask a piano student, “Is there a reason why you performed the Moonlight Sonata in a sad way?” or “What would happen if you played Beethoven’s piece allegro?”
The key here is to emphasize critical thinking, engaging discussion, and constructive debate.
Music Listening Exercise (Primary & Secondary)
Music educators can encourage age appropriate discussions at both the primary and secondary levels using music listening activities. The music educator selects several recordings in different styles and moods. After playing an excerpt, the music instructor engages students in a discussion using critical thinking questions.
Some sample questions include:
“Why do you think this song makes you happy?”
“If the musician played a drum instead of a flute, what would happen?”
“Does this type of music always have strings?”
“What do the lyrics mean to you?”
As a variation to these music teaching strategies for older students, the instructor can divide students into several small groups and give each group a series of critical thinking questions. After fifteen minutes, each group shares their responses to the questions. The music educator follows up with challenging questions that encourage students to view their discussion from alternate viewpoints. Questions like “Why do you think that?” and “Group A stated the opposite view. How can you support your viewpoint?”
To learn more about how to create K-6 lessons including critical thinking questions, check out our video blog here : Fun Music Company Curriculum Video Series for Grade 6
Exit Tickets (Primary & Secondary)
Writer and educator Maria Stefanova encourages the use of “Exit Tickets” in her article “Developing Critical Thinking and Assessment in Music Classrooms”. The “Exit Ticket” teaching strategy requires every child to answer a critical thinking question before leaving the class. This strategy encourages the concept of “Asking a question instead of giving the answer,” a key component in another popular teaching method – the Suzuki Method (Stefanova, pg 30).
Incorporating Critical Thinking Strategies in The Music Classroom
Incorporating critical thinking strategies in the music classroom promotes higher order thinking and engaging discussion and by involving your students in the discussion process, you will prepare students for future success. This article outlines some beginning ideas for the music classroom, at the Fun Music Company we aim to include critical thinking questions and discussions in every step of our approach from playing instruments to through to connecting with cultural music and composition. In fact, you can start implementing some of these strategies into your lessons TODAY.
You can get started with seven FREE k-6 music teaching ideas, one for each grade delivered to your email inbox over the next 7 days here:
Edutopia. (2011, August 17). Critical Thinking Wins the Day at a KIPP High School [Video file]. Retrieved from YouTube.com website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dazO9o2aJU4
Stefanova, M. (2011). Developing Critical Thinking and Assessment in the Music Classrooms. American String Teacher, 61(2), 29-31.
Nobori, M. (2011). Ten Takeaway Tips for Teaching Critical Thinking. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/stw-kipp-critical-thinking-10-tips-for-teaching
Fisher, C. (2008). The Socratic Medthod. Socratic Method–Research Startes Education, 1.
Geert ten Dam, (., & Monique, V. (2004). Critical Thinking as a citizenship competence: teaching strategies. Learning and Instruction, 14 359-379.doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2004.01.005
I am a performer and educator. Very happy to read this news. Thanks for sharing !
I also enjoyed this article. After each lesson I have the student tell me what I want them to work on and why. I will now begin to ask questions about the actual songs with which they are choosing work.
I like it!!! I’ve always been a proponent of open discussion, Q &A, and the like as opposed to the conventional method of teacher talks all the time – even when I was in high school. The initial effect on students, I believe, is that it makes them feel special instead of feeling like they’re being talked down to. I am a one on one teacher, but seeing this article and video has inspired me to take this approach even further with each student. Thanks for turning me on to this!!!
Been wanting something for a more engaging experience for my violin students, to get them enthused & thinking. Need to revise often with them…maybe this will encourage the information to stay in their heads…LOL.
I have done this masterclass type setting where I have students perform for each other and then we would critique each other.
It was not negative at all. In fact, I found it to be very exciting for the students involved!
So basically, instead of asking “How does this piece make you feel?” we could ask “Why does this piece make you feel…?” This makes then makes sense of the rather dry, technical question in the ABRSM aural tests “What in the music gives the piece it’s character?”
Thank you very much!!! Please continue with these questions and maybe even teacher lessons!