Workshop Year 7

To find out Year 7 would like to do during a workshops I observed a lesson and some children what they would like to do if given the chance to participate in one. Most of the children wanted to just make noise. Some children wanted to learn instruments such as playing drums and learning how to beat boxing. So I decided to designed a workshop to help them explore what they wanted to do.

Starter:
We would play a game called introduce yourself. This is where you play a beat with your hands and say your name. So we went around in a circle doing this and asking other questions. Such as, favourite instrument, favourite colour and food etc.

Strengths: This enable us to get to know them and them us whilst incorporating a musical element.

Weaknesses: When not musically inclined it is hard to keep the same pace. To ensure that this doesn't happen we will have our drummer keeping a basic beat.

Next...

We would play the Conductors game. The Conductors Game is where you can have as manner teams as you want (I usually pick 4) I give them a word and when i point at the team they have to say it as loudly and on time. I usually use the North, South, East and West. This will improve children's timing and volume. I chose this activity as it is a nice ice breaker again allowing children to be loud in a controlled environment and for them to be become more comfortable with us as we will be getting involved also. With listening to what the children wanted I incorporated beat boxing into it with the help of someone in my group. We follow the same principle.

Strengths: By incorporating the idea of beat boxing it will make the children more involved and interested. By giving the game a twist it makes it more music in an urban sense. By helping them with timing in a fun way.

Weaknesses: Isn't any. Unless children get a little rowdy. However I believe that the others and I can handle the children.

Main:
Call and Response (Involving Bells)
Call and Response is an activity which can involve everybody. So I had the idea to incorporate the idea of children doing call and response with bells. I will give them 5 minutes to think of some basic ideas for later if they wish to perform.

However.

I need to ensure that the children understand the idea of call and response. Maybe with a quick demonstration before they go off into pairs. I'm unsure if whether we should pick the pairs or let them pick their pairs at the risk of children being left out.

I believe that this activity will engage the children more as they are more active with the game. It will also help them explore different types of instruments. E.g bells.

Haka (New Zealand rugby chanting)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqfHv9FOpXw
Haka is a pre-game ritual which the New Zealand rugby team do before each game. With the ideology that it will help them win. This has been adopted in other sports. For example, The Uso's in WWE. I think that this will really connect with the children and replicate the same elements (becoming comfortable with music). I will probably extend the time given and they can perform it if they want.

However.

Trying to understand how to perform Haka could be quite difficult to get passed this I could show examples (like previously listed) to help explain what they have to do. Perhaps I could use the other people in my workshop to help demonstrate basic moves.

I believe that this activity will bring a lot more confidence and encourage children to explore other culture. Also Haka being a form of expression they could also learn different forms as of how to express themselves.

Workshop Year 9

In studying Year 9's it is really hard to pin point what they are interested in. In asking them what they were interested in most of them said not necessarily music. In this I decided to design a workshop that doesn't focus on harnessing skills more on having fun musically.

Starter:
We would play a game called introduce yourself. This is where you play a beat with your hands and say your name. So we went around in a circle doing this and asking other questions. Such as, favourite instrument, favourite colour and food etc.

Strengths: This enable us to get to know them and them us whilst incorporating a musical element.

Weaknesses: When not musically inclined it is hard to keep the same pace. To ensure that this doesn't happen we will have our drummer keeping a basic beat.

The Conductors Game is where you can have as manner teams as you want (I usually pick 4) I give them a word and when i point at the team they have to say it as loudly and on time. I usually use the North, South, East and West. This will improve children's timing and volume. I chose this activity as it is a nice ice breaker again allowing children to be loud in a controlled environment and for them to be become more comfortable with us as we will be getting involved also.

However.

This game has no musical relevance. So through the use of my team mate who is skilled in beat boxing will then take over and make them use sounds a replicate the game.

I believe that the Conductor Game will be quite useful in getting the children to engage with the activity a further activities as it isn't them doing anything on their own its all as a collective so they will feel more comfortable. However I run this risk of the children not understanding the game so to rectify it I will use the other people helping me in the workshops as example so that the children don't get confused.

Main:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErnWmYOX2Dk 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeZXQf77hhk 
In this activity I would ask the group to assume an identity. For example, a Disney character etc. They would then pick an opponent out of a hat. They will then be given up to 15 minutes to create some lyrics 'dissing' their opponent. The beat they will use will be playing in the background which they should follow. If they wish to perform their pieces we will set it up like a Rap Battle.

Strengths: Many children at this age a really interested in rap music and it doesn't require much talent just a basic understanding of rhythm. So it will be quite easy to execute.

Weaknesses: Some children may seem nervous and not want to perform. A way of calming their nerves would be for us to give an example using ourselves.

Finish:
Would be a simple drum circle incorporated with a call and response. We'd each have an hand beaten drum. The drummer in our group will present a beat which we need to follow. This would be done until everyone has had the chance to initiate the call and response.

Strengths: A nice way to wine down with music.

Weaknesses: N/A maybe not enough drums

Workshop Year 10

In observing year 10's in music lessons I find that a majority of them are novices. So I decided to produce a work shop which help them identify the instrument and genres they want to pursue. This idea is perfect as a whole, as the people who I'm working range with different type instruments and genres.

Starter:
I would begin by introducing ourselves to them a vice versa. The type of instrument that they are interested in versus the music that they listen to. For example, 'I like grime music however I'm a beginner on guitar.' They don't really mix so we'd adapt that and have them listen to artists of both spectrum's and see which one they were most inclined to.

Strengths: By finding out the type of music that they like you are more likely to find the music they are more likely to play this eliminates most confusion.

Weaknesses: With the example given people musical taste does vary. So to fix this we'd put everyone in groups based on what instruments they liked to play and we'd talk about alternative roots whether its to slow down the grime song etc.

Main:

We'd set up like a 'speed dating' circle and have people discuss the instrument they'd want to pursue and why. By having one of your peers talk to you about the instrument they like may cause you to change the instrument you have previously chosen.

Strengths: You are more likely to listen to someone your own age about instruments which may interest you.

Weaknesses: You cannot keep changing the instrument you want to play you could play many instruments however the way the workshop is set you can only chose one.

Secondly

We'd then split you off into groups depending on what instrument you want to play. We'd give some sort of seminar in why our instrument is important and play little activities to help develop skills field.
Mine specialising in vocals(Would be my ideal workshop ideas)

Strengths: This helps them to develop basic skills in the musical aspect they would like to pursue.
Weaknesses: -

Finish:
We gather everyone together to discuss what they chose and whether or not they will pursue it.

Workshop Year 12

In researching what people ages 16-17 years old like to do in music it was I came across some interesting information. For example, they like to explore ideas in song writing and performing. So I catered all of my ideas to accommodate those two bold ideas. So my ideal workshop for Year 12 would include activities which help improve performance and songwriting skills.

Starter:
I would begin my workshop by identifying my participants name and the instrument they are most comfortable with and why?
For example,
'Hello my name is Bibianna Fasogbon I'm a singer and I got into singer because I was close to my sister and she was really into music and it rubbed off on me.'
We'd continue this until everyone had said there instrument.

Strengths: By identifying people and knowing their instrument it breaks down some walls and allows people to be comfortable with one another.

Weaknesses: The start of the workshop is based for people who already play and instrument or at least the basics. So people without an instrument will not be able to take part. However a way of fixing this is by looking back at the aim. On average 16-17 year olds' want to focus on songwriting or performing so if you don't an instrument you are most likely to want to write songs so you could focus more on that element.

Next...
I would encourage people so say the type of genre they are into. For example soul, pop, rock etc. This will enable people to find out who they would most likely work with.

Strengths: It makes it easier to find people to work with.

Weaknesses: People may have more than one genre that they work with and find it hard trying to fit into one category. A way of fixing this is to just say the genres that you are the most confident in.

Next...
I would have people put there names in a respective box saying what they do. For example, Singer who is into Soul. Or a guitarist who is into folk. I would then make someone pick names out and that then becomes their group.

Strengths: By not being in control of who you pick it becomes totally impartial and fair. Also you work with people that you wouldn't necessarily work with on your own.

Weaknesses: In music they are a lot of genre which are now appearing. Too many to make a definitive group. Perhaps I will go down the root of making people choose between 4 genres. For example, metal,pop,soul and hip-hop. The most popular genre.

Main:
With people now in groups we'd either give people a basic pattern to follow or they think of a song and change the lyrics completely and own their own flare (for the other instruments). With that they need to create a song. I will ask them firstly what they would like their song to be about and give them a basic structure to follow. For example, verse, hook, chorus, verse, hook, chorus, hook, hook, chorus. They will have the chance to develop a pitch of the idea for their song and present to the others. Once everyone has done this they will then commence writing their song.

Strengths: By presenting this pitch to the other participants it will allow them to be able to focus on a common goal and stick with it.

Weakness: With the pitch it comes across as more of a lesson so to make it more of an activity and get the people holding the workshops more involved. So to improve this I was thinking more of a voice type feel what we select which idea we like and can help with. Included with audience feedback.

This activity would take up a bulk of the time so we'd perhaps have to have an entire day to do this workshops effectively.

Finish:
Competition between the groups with audience voting.

Initial Ideas.

Our task is to produce a viable workshops for primary school children. The aim of our workshop is to enable the children to become confident through music and explore different avenues of expressing themselves. When thinking of ideas originally my group consisted of myself, Pierce and Kai. Knowing that we specialise in different aspects of music I thought that it would be a good idea a split our group into groups of 3. Have me work with singers, Pierce work with guitarists and Kai work with people who would like to do sound engineering. However when discussing this idea we came to the realisation  that not many activities would take place it is more likely to become more of a lesson than a workshop. So this idea was abandoned.