As a student teacher, I have been playing secondary instruments more often.  Since I am searching for a job, I am interested in purchasing several new/used instruments to have in my personal arsenal. 

I am a clarinetist, I know all of the ins and outs of the instrument and its accessories. Even after my techniques courses, I'm still left with a great void when it comes to knowledge about other instruments. And this has given me the motivation to try something. I am going to find a music store/repair shop that has many instruments to try. I'm not talking just new instruments, I am talking about play testing both good and bad instruments. I want to try several new instruments as well as several used instruments, and even some in disrepair. My plan would be to go with a friend who is an expert at their instrument to a music store where we could test play many instruments. I want to know what it feels like to play a saxophone when the pads don't seal, I want to know what a well lubricated trombone slide feels like, I want to feel the effects of a trumpet with a dent in the lead pipe. I want to learn the things that a book can't teach you. I want to learn through guided experience.

My thought is: by increasing my experiential knowledge of the equipment students use, I will know when an instrument is holding a student back, and I will also become a more effective teacher and a better resource for students.

Does anyone have any resources that might prove helpful for this type of endeavor?


~ Neal Raskin

Yesterday, I attended a course regarding the implementation of blogs in the classroom.  I sincerely appreciate those who teach technology courses to teachers, as the spectrum of technology-use amongst teachers often seems as wide as the diversity in our own classrooms.

I generally see three groups of teachers at these events:
"Techies"- who sport the newest smartphone, write professional blogs, podcast, and are constantly following and adapting technology for their own interest.
"Average Joes/Janes" who will incorporate technology into their teaching as required or encouraged by the school district, but who need some guidance along the way.
"Those resistant to change" who may believe themselves to be the "best" teachers and don't need technology, or are too old or disinterested to attempt to learn new technology.

I freely admit that I have my own personal biases.  I have coached a tech club, designed a publishing company's website, and seek to keep up in our ever-changing world of technology.  That being said; those of us educators who are invested deeply in technology also get caught up in the novelty and excitement of technology.  It is important for us to take a step back and see the big picture- what technology provides the greatest assistance to our teaching? How can we use technology in a responsible way?

On the other hand, it makes me sad when teachers are too preoccupied with "the way things were."  Being part of a younger generation, I know that this is a more difficult concept for me to understand.  But like in anything, I think we need to be welcome to change and to examine both the benefits and the consequences of new technology.

Technology will never replace good teaching.  Giving smart boards and Flip cams to every teacher will not improve the quality of teaching in the least.  Administrators need to examine the value of technology before it is implemented in a school system.  Simply finding "the newest thing" that worked in a different school district does not mean it is appropriate for use in your school.  Teachers need to be welcome to the idea of change, and need the education and support of people well-versed in technology to accompany them along the way.

When equipped with proper education, a willing attitude, and research regarding best practices of educational technology; technology can aid teachers in promoting a healthy, up-to-date, interactive classroom.

-Dan Leeman

Whew!  Six months into my first year, and still going strong!

I have noticed, however, that my ears and eyes are in need of energizing and renewal.  Day after day with middle school students has let me "settle for less" in terms of accepting their tone quality, intonation, and sight-reading skills.

In our current focus on standards-based education, we need to remind ourselves as teachers to set reasonable expectations, but to reinforce skills needed to attain our high standards. It is far too easy to give up on a particular student or a particular skill. Listening to the pinched tone quality of an eighth grade brass player used to cause me to interrupt my lesson plan and modify embouchure or breathing.  As of late, I have often moved on, thinking "eh, it's too late to change" or "it will fix itself over time."

I need to refocus on setting high standards, and following through with appropriate modifications.  I need to set time aside for score reading.  No, I will never conduct Persichetti with my middle school band, but even (good) beginning band pieces have some layer of detail that does not reveal itself upon sightreading.  I need to spend more time listening to professional musicians, take advantage of the fact that I live in a tri-college area, and continue to study with professors and other musicians.

This is what I love about teaching music- I can never be so skilled or passionate about my craft to consider myself masterful in every area of music.  There is so much to learn and to embrace from thoughtful and inspiring people around me!

-Dan Leeman

I want to hear your thoughts on how you teach your students to listen? What do they listen for? Do you teach them to listen for exact things or general aesthetics? Do you include investigation into emotional values? 


I'm interested to see what everyone thinks.


- Neal Raskin

One of the blessings of working in my district is that I have had the opportunity to become a peer-observer, even during my first year. While I have been aware of the profound effects of observation in music (watching master conductors with ensembles), I was not aware of how valuable it would be to watch other teachers in my building. 


Observing others causes me to take a step back and realize that my class makes up just a fraction of a students' time at school. It is reassuring to know that other teachers deal with the same students and often experience issues that are similar to what I have faced. Also, through watching others, I have come to realize what a different experience it is for students to come into a class where they MUST participate. Even if a student is soft-spoken in choir (or band), the student has to participate. This is much different than the classes in which a student might easily blend in with others. 


Finally, through noticing the educational process that others use to teach, I am able to refine my own skills as a teacher. I am able to better align my classes to fit within the larger context of a school. This allows the experience that a student has in my class easier to understand in the context of her whole day. 


-Andrew Beard


Endnote: While I cannot pretend to know everything about Peer Coaching, I will share the process that I use when watching others and how I talk to them after the fact. I write down in Objective terms what is happening in the class. I try to include the time at which most things happen (i.e. At 11:42 you asked "What is the answer" and Tom said "Four."). Then, on the side of this list of objective observations, I will include questions for the teacher ("Why did you answer in that way?" "How do you know that students had the knowledge to complete that", etc...). In this way, I am able to enter into dialogue with the teacher as someone who is interested in learning and not as one who is trying to judge their teaching. When the teacher being observed sees this, he will be much more likely to engage in meaningful dialogue.

Here is our official review of the new movie "El Sistema." Please see our forum to connect with others who are interested in this ground-breaking idea.

"El Sistema cries out for music in a time when music programs are getting cut and government dollars are dwindling. Largely funded by the government of Venezuela, this nation-wide music education program is teaching over 250,000 youth not only how to play instruments, but also how to play a positive role in society. Paul Smaczny and Maria Stodtmeier do a fantastic job bringing the real struggle of Venezuelan citizens to life – including several interviews with people who are scared each day for their own lives and the lives of their children. It is in just this kind of intense environment that El Sistema has thrived! José Antonio Abreu, the founder of el Sistema, makes frequent appearance in the film and it is clear that his perseverance has inspired those around him to continue to promote and sustain el Sistema for years to come. The profound impact of el Sistema has given thousands of Venezuelan children a new chance at living. Musical expression has given them a way to create a bright future in a country where that future once seemed questionable."
 
- Music Ed for All

As I continue to reflect in my first two months of teaching, I have started to notice what pushes my buttons- this week, it was incessant chatter during rehearsal.

If students are goofing around during rehearsal time and time again, one's natural inclination might be to get mad at the students.  "Why aren't you paying attention?! You're distracting everyone!  If I have to tell you one more time..." But should I really be mad at my students? No- I should be "mad" at myself for not having better classroom management. 

Why are students goofing around? Oh, she's probably bored.  Why is she bored?  She plays percussion and hasn't been assigned to either of the last two pieces I was rehearsing.  Hmm... maybe I should find something for my percussionists to do when they're sitting... 

These are the internal conversations I need to have.  I am still young enough to vividly remember rehearsals as a trumpet player in middle school.  I was used to getting the melody- if I had a "boring" part on a lyrical piece, my mind was anywhere but in that rehearsal. If I, the student who knew he wanted to be a band director since middle school, still find myself antsy in professional ensemble rehearsals, surely I shouldn't blame my own students.

Yes, some students have ADHD.  Yes, some students are being disrespectful of other students, teachers, and the learning environment. Yes, we all have "off" days.  But I still think our focus should revolve around our ability as teachers to foster an environment where students are engaged and excited about what they are learning.

-Dan Leeman

Technology has created new concert etiquette challenges...


While checking my Facebook page, I noticed one of my younger brothers friends post: 

I've found that teaching tuning and intonation to students can be very challenging. It is not something that can be learned instantaneously, but is a skill that must be carefully developed over time.

In my experiences, tuning is taught by saying, "Get rid of the beats," "Pull out," or "push in." This probably sounds very familiar to some people, but is there an understanding of what is actually happening? My instincts tell me that there isn't. Amidst the time crunches and pressures from administrators and parents to put on a concert, we become completely engulfed in preparing that concert. When really as MUSIC educators we neglect teaching the skills necessary to become fine musicians.


To nurture a sense of intonation, one must get students to listen. Not hear, but listen. Once a student becomes focused and listens to the sound, work with intonation can begin. 


It seems that there is a giant black hole where knowledge about tuning exists, but so many are afraid to delve into it in the correct manor. More to come in future posts about my specific thoughts on the sequencing of instruction needed to nurture Intonationally independent students.


~Neal Raskin

As I have thought about how to advocate for music, there is a theme that keeps coming up. Do I stand up for music because it helps students' standardized test scores? Or, do I argue that music for musics' sake is enough for people to understand? 


The obvious answer is a hybrid of the two questions, but nevertheless, I would like to lay down a framework of ideas that have come up.


#1:  When we make connections between music and student achievement in other disciplines, we need to explore WHY this achievement has climbed. Music gives students a new way to see math. The dimension of time relationships in music is a way that students can feel math. They can sense proportions of 2 to 1, 2 to 3, etc... when they perform the differences between quarter notes, half notes, and triplet figures. This is a way to experience mathematical ideas in a different way. Students who may never have understood fractions can still perform notes of different lengths. When a student can begin to understand how their performance relates to what is printed on a page of music, that student can make connections between performance and mathematics.


#2: Students "Read" music in a way that creates connections with English test scores. In traditional reading, students can stumble over words and spend a lot of time fumbling around for understanding with what they read. In music reading, students must read in a given tempo, which forces them to read at a faster rate. Since musical line can be left up for interpretation, a student learns to make inferences about possible meanings of notes on a page. This kind of creative thinking adds depth to that student's understanding of classroom texts in reading and other reading-based disciplines.


#3: Students who participate in a music ensemble have a chance to be part of a group in which NO SINGLE person is un-important. If one musician does not play a solo, or if one player holds onto a note for too long, an entire performance can be jeopardized. This is a unique situation that does not happen in a normal classroom or any sport (except for individual sports). This kind of accountability teaches students much more about life than many experiences in their adolescent years. 


While I do not claim to be an expert in cognitive research and music, I do think that, as musicians, we must find ways to speak up for ourselves as important independent from our affect on test scores. This is a short list of items I believe are crucial to advocating for the arts and music specifically. I hope to add more as time goes on and I hope to edit these as I learn new things about music and education.


-Andrew Beard