Augmented Learning

Joseph Kruppay is a pianist, composer, and music educator with a deep commitment to holistic and student-centred music teaching. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Composition from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, an Advanced Diploma of Music Industry (Performance) from TAFE NSW, and an Advanced Diploma in Transpersonal Art Therapy from the College of Complementary Medicine. His diverse background also includes a Diploma in Graphic Design, reflecting his broad interest in creative practices. Joseph currently serves as Piano Accompanist at Kamaroi Steiner School, where he provides piano accompaniment for Eurythmy classes across grades 1-6, delivers personalised piano lessons, and collaborates with fellow educators to develop a comprehensive music curriculum. His teaching philosophy centres on creating positive, encouraging learning environments that honour each student's individual musical journey and recognise music's power to transform lives. Joseph is completing his Master o...

The last week of term concluded with what seemed a very relaxed jamming session. Tom invited us into the lecture room. The lights were dimmed, there was a chord progression projected onto the front board, and instruments were set up in a circle, ready to be played. We could choose between keyboards, guitars, bass, and various percussion. Tom kept the talk to an absolute minimum and we just played, with a few directions to improvise or play in groups of specific instruments. As we became more familiar with the song, Tom kept adding layers of detail. The chord progression was based on H.E.R.'s song "I Can't Breathe". We sang through the verses and chorus. We talked about the meaning of the song, and almost everyone had heard of George Floyd. We then looked at "I Can't Breathe" by Dobby. The first song had an atmosphere of healing. This one was visceral, angry and confrontational. We discussed both songs in groups, looking at the differences and similaritie...

Homework task (canon): We were given a chord progression based on the "Un Poquito Cantas" exercise and asked to choose a key, then add passing notes, creating a stacked series of melodies. These were then used to compose a canon. The idea was to do the exercise so that we could teach it to middle years learners. Example Stage 4 assessment task: Topic - Introduction to the Classical Style (Performance/Composition) "You are required to compose two original canons for three voices. Canons should be written using a harmonic progression approved by the teacher." We went through the homework in class, each person talking about their approach to the process. 'Do you think the outcome was successful?' It was a new way of working for me but non-the-less rewarding, compared to other compositional approaches. Canon in G minor "When there are gaps between theory and practice, how do you function? Who gets priority?" This week's question surfaced during PE...

  Week 11's core principle –  ‘music is multidimensional and the teacher is the facilitator for exploration’ – connects with John Paynter's philosophy. Paynter argued that creative music education centers on personal expression, with teachers initiating thought processes rather than controlling outcomes. His emphasis on non-discursive knowledge challenges us: you cannot get the same understanding from talking about music as from making it. This directly supports our approach: music first, then analyse it. The canon composition assignment exemplified this approach. By providing students with a chord progression and asking them to create stacked melodies through exploration of passing notes, we engage them in the compositional process Paynter championed -- selection, rejection, evaluation, and confirmation. This isn't box-ticking; it's genuine musical thinking. The Middle Years Learner guide illuminates why thematic units centered on social justice work so effectively....

Week 10 challenged us to think beyond superficial cross-curriculum connections .  ‘Do we always have to sing songs in other languages to build these?’ This question addresses the dichotomy between authentic integration versus box-ticking. Understanding the Australian Curriculum's structure (eight learning areas, seven general capabilities, three cross-curriculum priorities) helps us frame music education within broader educational goals, but the key insight is this – music first, then analyse it. The "Un Poquito Cantas" exercise demonstrated authentic numeracy integration. Creating harmonised parts required real-time calculations – counting beats per chord, identifying intervals, navigating pathways on X and Y axes. This wasn't forced integration; the musical task demanded numerical thinking. As Week 10 emphasised, we promote sustainability not by singing about the environment, but by preserving cultural music traditions, giving them longevity through performance and ...

Returning from placement, we revisited Elliott and Silverman's praxial music education to frame our shared experiences. The concept of "social praxis" -- music as something fundamentally people-centered that we do for and with each other -- took on deeper meaning after witnessing it in action. Jennifer Rowley's research on Work Integrated Learning helped me understand how reflection develops our teaching identity and tracks our growth over time. Looking back over the lecture slides, I noted an activity we didn’t have time to complete. Summarise Praxial Music Education: • Write a haiku (5-7-5) • Draw a picture • Create an acronym • Use melody of ‘Chumbara’ to summarise S ound and movement weave A tapestry of people,  L iving their best lives. (SAL) – my ideal music teacher. Three positive experiences stood out: providing one-on-one keyboard tutoring to a Year 7 student struggling with chord sequences; collaborating with a Year 12 student on his HSC guitar compositi...

The supervising teacher introduced us to some excellent resources: https://auralpapers.com/ We used these online resources for preparing senior students for listening tasks. https://www.musicconcepts.com.au/ GCSE Music Revision DSO Kids | Resource | Arc The Song Room - What's That Instrument? | Resource | Arc https://www.fivesenseseducation.com.au/musical-elements-concepts-aural-skills-student-book-print-digital An Introduction to the Concepts of Music: A Book for Senior Music An Introduction to the Concepts of Music is available for teaching staff in the school’s Google Drive folder. A few links to resources that I stumbled across: Musical Terms and Concepts | SUNY Potsdam Essential Classroom Tested Resources for Teaching the 6 Concepts of Music Musical Futures: An Approach To Teaching and Learning 2nd Edition Teacher Pack Stage 4 Concepts of music For Primary School: SAMPLE TEACHING AND LEARNING OUTLINE THE ARTS – MUSIC Music Educators Toolbox | Carnegie Hall Some of the learning...

Week 4 synthesised previous learning into practical strategies for teacher placement, emphasising our role as culture bearers and sharers. The Basque Clapping Dance (Esku Dantza) demonstrated how providing cultural context enriches student engagement -- knowing this dance was historically used as battle practice could resonate with junior high school boys. This activity reinforced the importance of ethical sourcing and respectful presentation of music from diverse cultures. Movement-based activities, though challenging for some students, develop the corpus callosum through cross-body coordination. The "Come Follow Me" canon exercise illustrated how simple pentatonic material can develop complex multiliteracies. Adding two ostinati created individual part work, training awareness of others while developing each student's musicianship through layered complexity -- exactly what we discussed in Week 2 about building from simple to complex, and based on the concept of Bruner...

This week's focus on peer teaching illuminated the practical pedagogical tools I'll need in the  classroom. The systematic approach to teaching songs -- question and instruction, echo,  immersion -- emphasises active engagement through music itself, not excessive teacher talk.  Clear cues, chunking information, and repetition allow students to gradually join in as  familiarity grows. The Three R's framework provides a powerful structure: Review activates prior learning ("We already know..."), Reason explicitly states new learning goals ("Students will..."), and  Reinforcement provides immediate practice using the same repertoire. This approach ensures pedagogically relevant progression while building on existing knowledge. Finishing by singing the song musically brings everything full circle. The concept of praxial music education resonated with me. Elliott and Silverman's philosophy emphasises music as a socially situated, people-centred endeavou...

The concept of "musical multiliteracies" has transformed my understanding of what it means  to be musically literate. Mills and McPherson's assertion that musical literacy extends  beyond decoding staff notation opened my eyes to the multimodal nature of  musicianship -- visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic learning working simultaneously. This week introduced the eight talents of a musician (McPherson and Williamson, 2015): performing, improvising, composing, arranging, analysing, appraising, conducting, and teaching. The lesson planning strategies we discussed -- starting small with one activity and gradually spiralling outward to include greater levels of complexity, incorporating 10 short activities for young learners (to match their attention spans) -- demonstrated how we build students' abilities systematically while avoiding cognitive overload. The question of older beginner sequences particularly intrigued me as I prepare for secondary placement. While Year 7 st...

This week's exploration of Kodály's philosophy deeply resonated with me. His holistic  approach to developing musicianship -- a well-trained ear, intelligence, heart, and  hand -- challenges the narrow view that music education is only for the elite. Instead, Kodály believed every individual has the right to be a musician.  His quote about single experiences opening young souls to music reminded me of my own early  childhood encounter with the song "Day-O" at a music performance after school assembly. Though I ended up in trouble for  staying in the school hall with the wrong year group, that moment felt like home. It reinforced my belief that  music has the power to transport us, connecting us to ourselves and to others in profound  ways. The question that lingers: how do I facilitate positive singing experiences in my classroom,  especially for self-conscious students? Kodály's reminder that "you have an  instrument in your throat, with a m...