In education, there is a theory of higher orders of learning called “Bloom’s Taxonomy”. This theory divides learning into different hierarchical levels, from “remembering” as the most basic form of learning, to “creating” as one of the highest forms of learning. The theory says teachers need to move past just testing if their students “get it” to see if their students can apply the material, use it to analyze something and create something new with it.
I have “Issues” with this Theory…
Blooms Taxonomy Assumes you have to Understand and Apply Stuff to Create
I knew almost nothing on the the guitar and could still create on it! I was writing songs with just G and C chords! And writing songs got me excited about learning new chords, which allowed me to write more songs.
Blooms Taxonomy lacks “Exploration” as a means of Learning.
It was more meaningful for me to learn a little and explore a lot. Some people are different and would rather learn a lot before they try to create something new. Either way is valid.
By listening to other players and exploring my instrument, I developed an intuitive sense of where the scale notes were, although it wasn’t the most efficient, it gave me a sense of empowerment. It made me feel like I could find my way around the guitar. Later I learned more efficient pathways around the guitar, after reaching a limit with my own map.
This is the type of learner I am. Other people like to follow the progression of Blooms Taxonomy. They feel a need to really get the guitar before they try to improvise. I can respect that. But I also want my students to see that improvising isn’t just about showing what you know. Its about exploring the instrument and taking risks. It's about making mistakes and learning from them instead of just reading a map. It’s like exploring a town and finding a cute cafe instead of methodically going to every cafe listed on Google Maps until you find one that meets all the criteria.
With these perspectives in mind, I develop a curriculum for my students in the following steps:
Asking them what type of learner they are at this stage in their lives
Asking them what they want to achieve in guitar lessons (for many people, this is an emotional question. Some people say, I just want to entertain my friends, but what they really mean is creating deeper connections. Others may say I just want to let go and play and have fun. Another group may say, it just is important to them to stick with this, to not let it go. Perhaps they know something deeply satisfying will emerge in their hearts from sticking with it.
Developing a month-by-month plan. I’ve found making a long-term plan makes students feel a ton of pressure to get somewhere, and they lose sight of the joy in the journey.
Create some fun learning activities for when students “didn’t do their homework”. People are busy and don’t deserve to be shamed for not getting to something over the week. That doesn’t mean we cancel the lesson. They can get something out of the lesson even when they haven’t done anything over the week. There may also be mental blocks to practice, and these are good to discuss in lessons. Learning an instrument is an emotional endeavor. The blocks are emotional.
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