Comments on Communities of Learning

Drumming Workshop, March 2006

Annika Haynesworth:

• I had the opportunity to drum with my classmates.  I learned a lot from drumming.  Drumming taught me that when drumming alone I make a beat and sound.  When drumming with a group of people that can hold their own weight, drumming then becomes music.

Tamika Rios:

• An exercise where my colleagues and I employed interdependence was at the drumming workshop.  Some common goals that were involved with the drumming and interdependence were that we worked together to stay on the same beat, we listened to each other to help us get back on beat if we fell off beat.  What I learned from this experience is that alone you can make a rhythm, but you can’t make a song.  I also learned that, while drumming, we each have to do our part in order to make the activity work.

Esther Rusia (ESL student): 

• We have “Drumming Interdependence Workshop” in school last two months ago. I had never experienced this kind of event before. When I came into the group I feel scared, and shy because I don’t know what to do and there are some other people participating in the group aside my classmates and my professors that I know. When the instructor start to talk and introduced all kinds of drums, I started enhance my feelings to get over it especially when she did the first beat. That was so exciting until we tried the first rhythm which is kai-kai-kai. The best instrument I really like is the one that sounds like an ocean. The sound makes me feel relaxing and makes me feel good too. I found out myself that I am independent person like I can get some of what I want all by myself and I’ll just do without the rest. I realized sometimes being independent is so hard. This strategy shows me that not only being interdependent can help me to reach my dreams and goals but also developing mutual relationships, helping both others and myself. 

Corliss Stubbs:

• By yourself you can get little done, but as a team you can get much done. As part of learning more about interdependence I participated in a drumming workshop. In this workshop we, as a group of people, were making different beats with our hands. Our goal in this workshop was to help each other, as a group, to make one beat or one song. As we beat the drums together we made a song. As we went around the room and beat individually we made a beat. We worked together, and the workshop was a success.

Julie Vuong (ESL student):

• When they are played appropriately together, the interdependence of the drummers is very important in making pleasant music. When not working together, the sound is awful Group drumming and singing is a very enjoyable activity, when we are working together.
• Personally drumming made me feel relaxed and calm. Beating on the drums is relaxing for me. It’s a good way to reduce stress. And I’m looking forward to more opportunity to drum.