Katherine Felthauser

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN 6 FACETS OF UNDERSTANDING*

Explanation: Why is that so? What explains such events? What accounts for such action? How can we prove it? To what is this connected? What is an illustrative example? How does this work? What is implied? Musical Example: A 10th grade saxophonist improvises a solo during a jazz band piece. The student is able to explain why he chose the notes being played because of previous music theory knowledge.

Interpretation: What does it mean? Why does it matter? What of it? What doe sit illustrate or illuminate in human experience? How does it relate to me? What makes sense? Musical Example: A college junior is studying English opera in music history and how John Gays The Beggars Opera is used to satirize the government and opera traditions of the time.

Application: How and where can we use this knowledge, skill or process? How should my thinking and action be modified to meet the demands of this particular situation? Musical Example: A high school band director uses knowledge gained in conducting class to make decisions on what music to program, how to conduct certain pieces, and which musical decisions to make with gestures.

Perspective: From whose point of view? From which vantage point? What is assumed or tacit that needs to be made explicit and considered? What is justified or warranted? Is there adequate evidence? Is it reasonable? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the idea? Is it plausible? What are its limits? So what? Musical Example: A middle school band director takes into account and represents at least three different instrument rental companies and explains to his students that these companies are better to rent from (i.e. quality, price, and availability) rather than buying an instrument at a pawn shop.

Empathy: How does it seem to you? What do they see that I dont? What do I need to experience if I am to understand? What was the writer, artist, or performer feeling, thinking, seeing and trying to make me feel and see? Musial Example: A senior percussionist, giving a senior recital, understands the program notes for the marimba duet being played and hears all of the sweet sounding harmonies and melodies. The student must be able to portray the feelings and emotions given by the piece to the audience through dynamic contrast, loose tempi, and bringing out different voices at different times.

Self-Knowledge: How does who I am shape my views? What are the limits of my understanding? What are my blind spots? What am I prone to misunderstand because of prejudice, habit or style? Musical Example: A beginning band director realizes that students do not just understand how to practice and he cannot explain it himself because it was never really explained to him. Throughout his learning experiences from beginning to the end of his degree, he just understood how to practice and what worked for him.

*Wiggins & McTigue (2005).