It is commonly understood that reading literacy is the gateway to a solid educational foundation. Without the ability to read, students would find it difficult to learn without direct instruction. They would rely upon information that would be either experiential or told to them directly by another person. If a student wanted to gather information without outside help, it would be nearly impossible.


Imagine a classroom in which the following happens:
A Ninth Grade student is studying a passage of Shakespeare. One the first read, the student struggles to pronounce some of the words. On the next, the student is able to pronounce all of the words smoothly and without pause. On the third read, the student finally recognizes a few of the words and their meanings. Not until the fourth and subsequent readings is the student able to comprehend anything that is being written. It is long after that before the student is able to grasp for deeper meaning and plot points.


I have come to believe that when my students cannot have any grasp of sight reading, it is similar to the student who struggles reading Shakespeare. Without the knowledge of how to smoothly get from measure to measure, my student does not understand the larger intent of the piece. Once the student learns to read music, however; interpretation, analysis, and style are no longer things reserved only for memorization. A new world has been opened in which the student can truly become an independent musician.


The question of what (sight reading proficiency) is so much easier to talk about than the how. There are so many "If Only's" (Time, money, staff, to name a few) that seem to work against us as teachers that the task seems daunting. After watching Jerome Upton of Duluth, MN work with his choirs, I am convinced that sight reading can be accomplished. His group sang pieces with concert appropriate interpretation on their THIRD DAY of reading the music. His students came alive with expression and with questions and comments about how to better perform the music. Instead of taking time to read and re-read the piece, the students were making music right away! 


As I go on with my musical journey, I will try and share insights into anything I learn about sight reading. Until then, I would love to hear from anyone who has ideas!


-Andrew Beard 

This is the start of an exciting journey for me- my first year of teaching!

I am fortunate to have the wonderful opportunity to work in Fargo Public Schools in Fargo, ND as a middle school band teacher.  I teach brass, percussion, and clarinet sectional lessons, in addition to sixth grade, eighth grade and jazz bands.

One of the greatest benefits to working in a large school district is the chance to learn from other veteran educators.  So many teachers, administrators, and school staff have offered me their time and expertise if I ever have questions or concerns.

I will continue to blog about my experiences as a new teacher, but for a while I have been hoping for more collaboration within the blog world of music education.  I am happy to announce that my friends and colleagues, Andrew Beard and Neal Raskin, will be joining the "Music Education for All" blog.

My philosophy of "Music Education for All" was never intended to showcase wind band-only related ideas, rather this is my own area of concentration.  Andrew Beard will be able to contribute ideas that are more geared for choral music, and Neal Raskin will be able to contribute the ideas and opinions of a senior music education major.

We look forward to sharing and collaborating in the year to come!
-Dan Leeman