We Should Teach Music History Backwards

#1

Post by jeffreyrogers » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 4:13 PM UTC

We Should Teach Music History Backwards
smithsonianmag.com

Re: We Should Teach Music History Backwards

#2

Post by newsbinator » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 4:33 PM UTC

This makes sense. I've always been an advocate of teaching the majority of things backwards.

Re: We Should Teach Music History Backwards

#3

Post by ddebernardy » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 4:44 PM UTC

Not just music. This applies to all of history.

Re: We Should Teach Music History Backwards

#4

Post by rm_-rf_slash » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 4:44 PM UTC

newsbinator wrote: post #2

This makes sense. I've always been an advocate of teaching the majority of things backwards.

I often argue the same for computer science education: either teach backwards, or start at the abacus.

Re: We Should Teach Music History Backwards

#5

Post by emilga » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 4:51 PM UTC

"As a great Swiss historian once pointed out in another connection, history is the one subject where you cannot begin at the beginning." - J. M. Roberts

Re: We Should Teach Music History Backwards

#6

Post by dghughes » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 4:54 PM UTC

As a terrible programmer my trick is to read statements backwards. Maybe programming should be taught that way too not just reading of it but the history of it all the way back to Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace and even weaving looms.

Re: We Should Teach Music History Backwards

#7

Post by oldsklgdfth » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 5:02 PM UTC

rm_-rf_slash wrote: post #4

newsbinator wrote: post #2

This makes sense. I've always been an advocate of teaching the majority of things backwards.

I often argue the same for computer science education: either teach backwards, or start at the abacus.

I we started with the abacus schooling would take a while.

Judging by your username you want to see the world burn.

Re: We Should Teach Music History Backwards

#8

Post by matte_black » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 5:06 PM UTC

newsbinator wrote: post #2

This makes sense. I've always been an advocate of teaching the majority of things backwards.

How would you teach mathematics or reading backwards?

Re: We Should Teach Music History Backwards

#9

Post by YouAreGreat » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 5:08 PM UTC

The author observes that self-driven students of very selective parts of Music History are "driven by emotion rather than obligation" and usually start from a passion for some current music. This seems true enough. The next step, however, is a giant leap:

> shouldn’t music history writing and teaching be done in the same backwards direction?

No, that doesn't follow, because we are now talking about obligatory learning of the rest of Music History, which will be what I just experienced for most of the author's text: An endless litany of names, names, names, names, names, some arrows drawn between them, some dates and places attached.

It doesn't matter which order you teach me all the rest of Music History. It doesn't get better that way, although it probably doesn't get worse, either.

Re: We Should Teach Music History Backwards

#10

Post by gravypod » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 5:10 PM UTC

matte_black wrote: post #8

newsbinator wrote: post #2

This makes sense. I've always been an advocate of teaching the majority of things backwards.

How would you teach mathematics or reading backwards?

"Backwards" is relative to the original way a subject was taught. My from my experience math is taught formula first rather than by starting with an intuition based on physical representation.

Starting with developing an intuition like 3B1B and then deriving a formula would be "backwards" to how I've been taught in the past.