Klarinet Archive - Posting 000837.txt from 2002/11

From: Bi6W@-----.net (Bill Wright)
Subj: RE: [kl] Poulenc Sextet for Winds and Piano
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 00:01:05 -0500

Sometimes we (the list members) approach
'Will-you-do-my-homework-for-me?' requests from a simplistic point of
view.

Namely, we react as if the only issue is whether the student is trying
to avoid hard work. We tell the student to visit the library, to open
up the books (and sheet music) and to start reading.

Yes, it's true that every student should learn and demonstrate library
skills, but......

Accumulating and paraphrasing facts is only one part of research.

Another important goal --- perhaps the most important one --- is to sort
through information from disparate sources and to put it together in a
meaningful way and to contribute to the extent of human thought about
this information. To do something more than paraphrase. To suggest
new interpretations and to show why they 'make sense'. Or perhaps to
show why a previous interpretation doesn't make sense.

Some of the questions that began this discussion are simple facts.
Example: "Who was Salle?"

But the important questions require analysis and synthesis of disparate
sources --- not just a paraphrase of someone else's published thoughts.
Example: "What inspired Poulenc to write the sextet?" Unless the
researcher happens to find a letter from Poulenc which declares "I was
inspired by...", the student must collect facts about Poulenc, must play
or listen to the music itself, must take into account what was happening
during Poulenc's era, must question whether Poulenc was aware of
everything that was happening during his era, etc etc etc --- and
finally synthesize a concept from all of this and defend it.

To use my daughter as an example: Should I help her with her homework?
"No", if she's simply ducking the mental effort of searching and
organizing the information that is available to her. "Yes", if she is
trying to think but is truly on the wrong track.

A previous post asked: "What's wrong with asking on the Internet?"

My reply: "Is the person confused and mystified, or just unwilling to
invest some thinking and/or to declare his/her results in public?"
This is what makes the difference, imo.

Regards,
Bill

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