overcoming barriers to creative teenage group success

BARRIERS

Castle Walls © Bill C Martin 2009

To Group Music Success with 11-18s

...and how to overcome

them

Berlin 1989. Photo: Gavin Andrew Stewart via Creative Commons

Teenage groups have always been based

on:

age

Blue Candles on Birthday Cake. Photo: Joey Gannon via Creative Commons

abilityPhoto © Bill C Martin, Schools Prom 2009

friendship groups

& in music: genre/ensemble

Photo © Bill C Martin, National Festival of Music For Youth 2009

But there’s aPROBLEM:

In his work with teenage composing & performing groups, since 1989, music educator Bill Martin has noticed that...

Pupils are often reticent

to engage fully with creative group tasks

Pupils are often reticent to engage fully with creative group tasks

HYPOTHESIS:

In extended group work...

...it can be too challenging, personally,

to take creative risks

WHY?

Able students can gain peer approval

when they perform(low social risk)

Photo: © Bill C Martin 2009

Uncertainty in creative group work means:

Risk of losing status

Photo: Graeme Maclean via Creative Commons

That’s why both able & less able

pupils may lack confidence to take creative risks

The Social Risks

are just too great

The Social Risks

Photo: © Bill C Martin 2011, Holmfirth High School, parental permission obtained

Friendship groups? They seem safer

but...

Many are based on similar personalities,

tastes & preferences

Those similarities can cause

territorial rivalries & clashes

during concentrated projects

THE CHALLENGE

How can we minimise social/personal

obstacles to musical group success?

MODELS FROM BUSINESS

Including: Meredith Belbin's work on management teams

And:Daniel Goleman's work on emotional intelligence

Meredith Belbin’s book: 'Management Teams: Why They Succeed or

Fail'www.belbin.com

Belbin identifies:

Belbin identifies:9 team roles in successful

teams

Most successful teams:

1 team role = 1 person

Most successful teams:

1 team role = 1 person

No roles duplicated

Most successful teams:

Belbin's original workwas with adults.

Belbin's original workwas with adults.

In his PRS Composer-in-Education work (1989-93) Bill first tried a light-touch version (11-18s)

Just 5 team roles, equivalent to:

He formed some groups using team role preferences

In later projects he also used an emotional intelligence

audit (Goleman)

http://danielgoleman.info

to help young people improve their

personal/social skills

& increase personal

attainment in group work

Together, this changed

Everything!

Regardless of pupils' musical or academic ability...

Regardless of pupils' musical or academic ability...

…having sole responsibility for a

team role increased confidence

Regardless of pupils' musical or academic ability...

Pupils felt safer to contribute creative musical ideas

More pupils felt better able to:

More pupils felt better able to:

Take creative personal risks

More pupils felt better able to:

Take creative personal risks

Support others' ideas without judgement

More pupils felt better able to:

Take creative personal risks

Support others' ideas without judgement

Build rapport

More pupils felt better able to:

Take creative personal risks

Support others' ideas without judgement

Build rapport

Take pride in own team responsibilities

More pupils felt better able to:

Take creative personal risks

Support others' ideas without judgement

Build rapport

Take pride in own team responsibilities

Contribute musically without fear

Academically less able pupils became more engaged

Academically less able pupils became more engaged

More able pupils found it safer

to venture creative/risky ideas

BILL’S REALISATION

“I had prevented some pupils from achieving...

“I had prevented some pupils from achieving...

when I didn't attend to non-musical obstacles

to engagement”

THE RESPONSE? (c 2013)

To work with schools & young people to

explore & develop ways to:

1. Increase pupil engagement2. Raise pupils’ attainment

…through collaborative groups

in authentic music-focussed projects

THE RESULT?

A partnership project between Bill C Martin &

Elsium Solutions

A schools' project in which pupils:

Design, Curate,

& Performmusic events.

Where music is the vehicle for a range of

learning

Where music is the vehicle for a range of

learning(not just music)

Where young people can develop the skills to

overcome personal barriers to success

A partnership project between Bill C Martin & Elsium Solutions

THE STRUCTURE

4 strands:

4 strands:1. Musical communication

4 strands:2. Team/interpersonal skills

4 strands:3. Technical

4 strands:4. Staff CPD - covering everything

1. Musical communication

2. Team/interpersonal skills

3. Technical

4. Staff CPD

iPads are used:

As musical instruments(alongside other instruments

& voices)

& to create video learning diaries

& document the work

THE GOAL

To increase engagement &

individual success

THE STRATEGY

Focus on:team roles, emotional intelligence & communication skills...

Focus on:team roles, emotional intelligence & communication skills to...

overcome barriers to full engagement

in the music & in other project teams

Options

1dayWeekend

3 days5 days

1 term2 terms3 terms

Shorter programmes focus more on music & iPads

Longer programmes also develop team skills &

emotional competences

CHOOSE FROM:

Schools seeking improved pupil attainment or cultural change...

Schools seeking improved pupil attainment or cultural change...

...should choose programmes

lasting 5 days or more

For further info: www.showcreatorproject.info

Email: bill@billcmartin.co.uk