CULTURALLY-ENGAGED MUSIC LIFE EDUCATION

• The purpose of education is to transmit knowledge, and yet education is blind to the realities of human knowledge, its systems, informities, difficulties, and its propensity to error and illusion. Education does not bother to teach what knowledge is.
• Knowledge cannot be handled like a ready-made tool that can be used without studying its nature. Knowing about knowledge should figure as a primary requirement to prepare the mind to confront the constant threat of error and illusion that parasitize the human mind. It is a question of arming minds in the vital combat for lucidity.
• We must introduce and develop the study of the cultural, intellectual, and cerebral properties of human knowledge, its processes and modalities, and the psychological and cultural dispositions which make us vulnerable to error and illusion.

• Here is a major problem that is always misunderstood: how can we encourage a way of learning that is able to grasp general, fundamental problems and insert partial, circumscribed knowledge within them.
  
• The predominance of fragmented learning divided up into disciplines often makes us unable to connect parts and wholes; it should be replaced by learning that can grasp subjects within their context, their complex, their totality.
• We should develop the natural aptitude of the human mind to place all information within a context and an entity. We should teach methods of grasping mutual relations and reciprocal influences between parts and the whole in a complex world.

Chapter 3:  Teaching the human condition

• Humans are physical, biological, psychological, cultural, social, historical beings. This complex unity of human nature has been so thoroughly disintegrated by eduation divided into disciplines, that we can no longer learn what human being means. This awareness should be restored so that every person, wherever he/she might be, can become aware of both his/her complex identity and his/her shared identity with all other human beings.
• The human condition should be an essential subject of all education.
• This chapter suggests how we can go from current disciplines to a recognition of human unity and complexity by assembling and organizing knowledge dispersed in the natural sciences, social sciences, literature, and philosophy, to demonstrate the indissoluble connection between the unity and the diversity of all that is human.

Chapter 4:  Earth identity

• The future of the human genre is now situated on a planetary scale. This is another essential reality neglected by education, that should become a major subject. Knowledge of current planetary developments that will undoubtedly accelerate in the 21st century, and recognition of our Earth citizenship, will be indispensable for all of us.
  
• The history of the planetary era should be taught from its beginnings in the 16th century, when communication was established between all five continents. Without obscuring the ravages of oppression and domination in the past and present, we should show how all parts of the world have become interdependent.
• The complex configuration of planetary crisis in the 20th century should be elucidated to show how all human beings now face the same life and death problems and share the same fate.

Chapter 5:  Confronting uncertainties

•  We have acquired many certainties through science but 20th century science has also revealed many areas of uncertainty. Education should include the study of uncertainties that have emerged in the physical sciences (microphysics, thermodynamics, cosmology), the environmental sciences, the historical sciences.
• We should teach strategic principles for dealing with change, the unexpected and uncertain, and ways to modify these strategies in response to continuing acquisition of new information. We should learn to navigate on a sea of uncertainties, sailing in and around islands of certainty.
• "The expected doesn't occur." Expect the unexpected and confront it. Every person who takes on educational responsibilities must be ready to go to the forward posts of uncertainty in our times.

Chapter 6:  Understanding each other

• Understanding is both a means and an end of human communication. And yet we do not teach understanding. Our planet calls for mutual understanding in all directions. Given the importance of teaching understanding on all educational levels at all ages, the development of this quality requires a reform of mentalities. This should be the task of education for the future.
• Mutual understanding among human beings, whether near or far, is henceforth a vital necessity to carry human relations past the barbarian stage of misunderstanding.
• Therefore, misunderstanding must be studied in its sources, modalities, and effects. This is all the more necessary in that it bears on the causes instead of the symptoms of racism, xenophobia, discrimination. An improved understanding would form a solid base for the education-for-peace to which we are attached by foundation and vocation.

Chapter 7: Ethics for the human genre

• Education should lead to an "anthropo-ethics" through recognition of the ternary quality of the human condition: a human being is an individidual-society-species. In this sense, individual-species ethics require control of society by the individual and control of the individual by society; in other words, democracy. And individual-species ethics calls for world citizenship in the 21st century.
• The two great ethical-political finalities of the new millennium take shape: establishment of a relationship of mutual control between society and individuals by way of democracy, fulfillment of Humanity as a planetary community. Education should not only contribute to an awareness of our Earth-Homeland, it should help this awareness find expression in the will to realise our Earth citizenship.
  

Natural music environments - what do they look / sound like?

What I notice from working within a local music scene is that there are quite different scenarios for music organised locally, compared to music environments managed by educators, therapists, musicians or cultural leaders who may be external to communities and the local area.

• People gathering together because they want to
• Facilitated by local people or those invited by locals. Leadership may be shared amongst the group, and/or focussed on people with best ability that remain within the community for some time.
• Not necessarily concerned with market forces and profit
• Shared passion for making music
• Can’t stop the music. Music ebbs and flows in natural cycles over time, sometimes dying out and new forms arising
• Occurs anywhere, or everywhere
• Difficult to suppress because it is an outpouring of people’s values, emotions, beliefs and aspirations.
• Meaningful to those involved. Possibly related to local concerns, and knowledge about people’s music heritage, culture and environment
• Attracts attention from spectators and those who want to become involved.
• Music can be effusive and difficult to explain; may take on different forms or have multiple inter-locking strands
• Could be co-operative and/or competitive
• May be rebellious, energetic, emotional, uncontrolled
• May challenge or undermine authority and institutions
• May break down social barriers, or develop through sub-cultures that influence people’s access.
• Profits flow back to community and help to sustain music heritage and culture

Occupational Performanace Model - Australia (OPMA)
The diagram of the Occupational Performance Model – Australia, developed by Chris Chapparo and Judy Ranka (1996), is useful as a schemata for considering different facets of performance in ‘real-life’ situations. Occupational performance such as music making is situated in relation to space, time, social and cultural context so it has relevance to individuals and communities. The bio-mechanical, physical and sensory aspects of performance are considered alongside the psycho-spiritual and emotional aspects of people's musical performance and occupational role.

Further information is available from the Occupational Performance Model Australia website  www.occupationalperformance.com

 HEALTH & ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION APPLICATIONS OF MUSIC

Music has been used to educate people through broadcasting positive messages about dental health (brushing teeth) and environmental protection (eg. recycling waste).

Dental Health Songs  http://www.preschooleducation.com/sdental.shtml

Bashthetrash: Environmental education through music and junk orchestra

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=q-T82OJnkjc Musical recycling initiatives from USA.

PROMOTING HEALTH SERVICES WITH LIVE MUSIC

Occupational therapy students and health professionals have been very creative in making videos that promote their services to the public in a fun and entertaining way.

ET meets OT, the movie! Can ET adapt to life on Earth?

The silent OT movie. This movie says it all about learning to adapt to a temporary physical disability. Life goes on! The star is very resilient. The co-star helps to support and enable. Happy ending.

 The OT MCs... You Know You Can

Elton, from Boaz and the Band, performs a song for OT month:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=mZM9Ol6zILI

The OT Rap: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=uDP1-gcDcAI

It would be great to have some Australian health and environmental education music!

 

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