Music Education Highlights

Music Across the Curriculum

Written By: admin - Feb• 20•12

Administrators today love to hear music teachers use the word cross-curricular. I agree that music is a great cross-curricular subject and ties in very well with other subjects such as math and history. There are many great lessons that tie in other subjects with music and music also lends itself well to do cross-curricular projects with teachers of other subjects. Unfortunately though, it is becoming more common for administrators to ask music teachers to teach other subjects while tying in music instead of the other way around or even teach other subjects that have nothing to do with music. Throughout my long-term subbing experience I have been involved in both of the situations listed above.

At the school that I am currently a long-term substitute at all of the itinerant teachers (music, art, gym, computer, and library) are required to teach a group of guided reading each day for 45 minutes. For example each day I go into a 3rd grade classroom and lead a different group of guided reading each day. When I was student teaching one of the other elementary general music teachers I observed was required to teach math while tying in music from January-March in order to help prepare students for the PSSA’S.

Also at the school where I am subbing at they have an RTII program, where the students are split by ability level and are given extra instruction in math, reading, and writing. The itinerant teachers get the highest achieving students and are asked to teach reading/writing and math using our subject area. It is on a rotation where one week is reading/writing RTII and the next week is math. We have one grade level for 6 weeks and then switch. This is a challenge because we are not teaching our subject area, but teaching reading/writing and math using our subject area to help challenge the higher level students.

Below is an explanation of the project that I completed with my 3rd grade RTII reading/writing students and some pictures of the students completed projects.

Music that Tells a Story

We completed a unit on how music can tell a story using Peter and the Wolf and Carnival of the Animals. First we read the story of Peter and the Wolf and then we listened to the music and talked about how we can tell what is going on in the story by just listening to the music. Then we did the same with Carnival of the Animals, except we read the poems by Jack Prelusky and then talked about how you could visualize each of the animals by listening to the music. After spending a few class periods doing this and talking about the different instruments we started our projects. I had the students read both of the books out loud to incorporate reading into the lesson and the projects are where the writing was incorporated.

I had some guidelines for each of the projects, but tried to leave it fairly open so the students could use their imagination and show their creativity.

Peter and the Wolf

The students that picked Peter and the Wolf were told to write their own ending to the story. Then they had to tell me if they would use the same instruments or pick different instruments for the characters and then tell me how the music would sound to represent their ending of the story. After the students got that wrote, then they were to illustrate their ending of the story.

Below are examples of some of the students Peter and the Wolf projects.

Carnival of the Animals

The students that picked Carnival of the Animals were to pick an animal not in Carnival of the Animals and write a poem that represents the animal, how it moves, what it looks like etc. They also were to write how the music would sound and what instruments they would if they were to compose music to go along with their poem and animal. Then as above they were to illustrate their animal or add things that would represent their animal.

Below are examples of some of the students Carnival of the Animals projects.

Posted in Band Director, Choral, General Music, Undergraduate Advice , cross-curricular, Curriculum, guided reading, math, reading, Rtii, writing | No Comments »

Teacher: The Wearer of Many Hats

Written By: admin - Feb• 12•12

“Teachers teach because they care. Teaching young people is what they do best. It requires long hours, patience, and care.”- Horace Mann

We have all heard the saying “those that can’t teach.” This is a saying that I of course never agreed with or like, but over the past 8 weeks of my long-term subbing position I am learning that there is much more to teaching than most people ever realize. A lot of non-educators believe that teaching is such an easy job because you work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week and get the summers off. Plus, many people believe all we do as educators is plan lessons and teach them. As educators or future-educators we know that this is definitely not true. I have found that teachers are the wearer of many hats that people don’t ever realize. Unfortunately, there are days where I feel like actual teaching time is only a very small percentage of my day. I don’t want to make this post sound like teaching is not a good profession, because teaching is absolutely wonderful and full of tremendous responsibilities and rewards and I wouldn’t trade it for any thing! Below are some of the many hats that I have discovered, especially over the past 8 weeks, that music teachers and all educators wear (and yes, we wear many of these in one day!).

The Many Hats of a Teacher

Teacher- Of course this is our first and primary role/responsibility. We are in charge of teaching students our subject area. As I said before unfortunately it seems like sometimes this is the smallest percentage of the day, which is why as teachers we need to be prepared to teach and do a lot more as well.
Facilitator- A long with being a teacher we are also a facilitator of learning. Many times in the music classroom we aren’t teaching, but facilitating student learning and creativity, by having them create projects and giving them some creative freedom.
Disciplinarian- We are also a disciplinarian on a daily basis. Many days we don’t have big disruptions, but there are constant small disruptions in our classrooms such as talking etc. I have found that if you don’t have a good classroom management procedure you will find yourself spending the majority of your classroom time being a disciplinarian instead of a teacher.
Assessments- As teachers we are constantly observing and assessing our students abilities. As music teachers we may not have standardized tests to worry about, but we are always informally assessing our students by watching and listening, plus giving formal assessments such as playing/singing tests, projects, tests, etc.
Accountant- One thing I have learned from long-term subbing and observing other teachers is that music teachers especially often feel like accountants. All teachers are faced with dealing with budgets and requisitions yearly, which in today’s times can be quite a challenge. Also, ensemble directors are faced constantly dealing with money. From field trips, competitions, buses, fundraisers etc. teachers need to be good with handling and working with money and funds.
Counselor- Throughout the past 8 weeks I have often had many times where I have felt like a counselor as well as a teacher. While of course there are school counselors to deal with severe problems, all students bring baggage into our classroom that we often have to deal with. While I have found that this can often get frustrating as we are trying to teach, it is also a great way to help our students and show that we care about them outside of our classroom.
Team Player- As music teachers we often get accused about being in our own bubble. I feel that all teachers need to be a team player and work together and knowing that our first priority is to teach our students. We need to work together not only with the other music teachers in our building, but with all of the teachers. I have found that there are so many opportunities to tie music into other areas and if we are a team player there are great opportunities for collaboration.
Secretary- Teaching in one position for almost 9 weeks has definitely opened my eyes to the amount of paper work and phone calls that teachers are faced with daily. At first I was extremely shocked with them amount of paper work one teacher has to deal with.
Teacher of Other Subjects- One thing I have found through my long-term subbing experience is that often music teachers are also required to teach other subjects. With the push on standardized testing this is becoming more common. I have been subbing for a K-4 music teacher, but also everyday I teach guided reading and RTii math and reading/writing.
Planner- Teachers are also planners. Not only do we have to plan our daily lessons, but we also have to plan fundraisers, trips, concerts, assemblies, special events etc. I have also found that we need to always have extra plans and ideas in our heads to pull out and use at anytime because as teachers you never know what is going to come your way.
Advocate- This is one hat that music/art teachers have to face more than other teachers. With the constant threat of our programs being cut, we as music teachers are not only a teacher, but an advocate for our program. Also, I have realized the importance of always advocating and not waiting until it becomes to late and their is nothing you can do to save your program.
Caretaker- I don’t want to make this sound like teachers are babysitters, but we are in charge of our students and are in ‘loco parentis” while students are at school. Also we need to make our classroom an inviting place for all students and let them know that we care for them both inside and outside of the classroom.

Above are just some of the many hats and responsibilities that I have learned through being in a long-term sub position and student teaching. Feel free to add any other responsibilities or hats that teachers (especially music teachers wear) or comment on any of the ones I listed above. Happy Teaching!!

Posted in Band Director, Choral, General Music, Undergraduate Advice , responsibilities, teaching | No Comments »

What They Don’t Teach You in College

Written By: admin - Jan• 15•12

“To teach is to learn twice.” – Joseph Joubert

If you are like me after you student teach and graduate college you feel like you should be and are prepared to enter the field of music education and are ready to teach! I am extremely thankful for all of my undergraduate professors, classes and experiences that I received and feel that they have prepared me quite well for my future career. With that being said though, I do believe that there are a lot of things that undergraduate courses do not prepare you for in teaching. Through subbing and especially through the long-term assignment that I am currently in, I have found a lot of things I wish I would have learned or be taught during my undergraduate career.

What You Don’t Learn During Your Undergraduate Courses-

Grades- One thing I feel that you don’t learn as an undergraduate is about completing grades and report cards. While we all learn about the different types of assessments such as formal and informal most colleges do not teach about what to base grades on, best ways to complete assessments or getting grades ready for report cards. Right now in my long term, sub position I am in the midst of this as grades are do this week. Because I haven’t had much experience with grades I am learning as I go.
Requisitions- Budgeting and requisitions are another concept that undergraduates don’t get much advice on. This is a very confusing and time consuming process. I wish undergraduate classes would spend more time on tips for completing a budget and requisitions or even just information on what to expect.
Recruitment/Retention- I believe that undergraduates are not given tips for recruitment or retention when it comes to ensembles at any level. I also believe that many undergraduate courses stress the importance of recruitment, but do not stress the importance or give suggestions for retaining students in ensembles. A huge part of our job as music educators at any level is spent on recruitment and retention which isn’t usually stressed in undergraduate studies.
Instrument Repair- I believe that all undergraduates should have to take a course in instrument repair during their 4 years of study. The only experience I got in this area was from 2 different workshops that I went to at different music education conferences. As a band or orchestra director instruments are constantly going to break and as a educator fresh out of college it is very intimidating when a bunch of students bring up broken instruments to you and you have no idea what to do. One way to get experience in this area is to work with a marching band or ensemble over the summer and during student teaching ask your co-op if you can try and fix any instruments that break or watch them.
Make Friends With the Secretaries and Custodians- This is something that many undergraduate professors briefly mention, but most undergraduates just take it as a joke. I have found that it is extremely important to make friends with these people in your school. I made friends with the custodian where I am subbing and she is always right there for me with whatever I need. If you don’t make friends with them they can easily make your job miserable.
Don’t Reinvent the Wheel- I am quickly learning that even as new teachers we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Many times in undergraduate course we are encouraged to be creative, to come up with our own lessons etc. While this is great and very helpful, it is also very important as new teachers to remember that there are plenty of resources already created available to us so why spend valuable time reinventing the wheel.
Expect the Unexpected- As a music educator we have to learn to expect the unexpected because every we day we enter our classroom we have no idea what may take place. For example, the other day in one of my general music classes I have a sever emotional and learning support student. At the end of class the student got on all fours and was going around the classroom pretending she was a dog and barking. Situations like these are ones that we are not taught how to deal with in undergraduate courses.
Communicating and Dealing with Parents- In our undergraduate career we are not taught how to deal with parents or are not given experience in this area. Unfortunately, many times the first experience we get is during our 1st job when we have to deal with a difficult parent.
Document Everything- This is another thing that professors sometimes warn us about, but we don’t see them importance of it until it is too late. Even as a long term sub I am finding the importance of this. It is extremely important to document everything including phone calls with parents, e-mails, confrontations with students, observations, assessments etc. You never know when an administrator, teacher, or parent will confront you about something and you need to have proof to back yourself up.
You Don’t Just Teach Music All Day- Most music education undergraduates (including myself) think that after landing their first teaching job all they will do is teach music. I am quickly finding that this isn’t true. Unfortunately a lot of our day is spent recruiting, retaining, doing paperwork, dealing with parents etc. Also with more stress being put on academic tests many music teachers are required to teach other subjects. For example, in my long-term sub assignment everyday besides teaching general music and chorus I am also required to teach, RTii reading and math plus guided reading.

Above are just 10 things that I wish I would have learned or got more experience in during my undergraduate studies and things that often aren’t focused on or taught to undergraduates. Feel free to comment below with lessons or concepts that you learned through doing and instead wish you would have learned as an undergraduate!

Posted in Band Director, Choral, General Music, Student Teaching Advice, Undergraduate Advice , budgets, Curriculum, documentation, grades, instrument repair, recruitment, requisitions, retention | No Comments »

METOS: Spotlight on Creativity

Written By: admin - Jan• 14•12

“Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand.”- Chinese Proverb

What is METOS?

METOS which stands for Music, Education & Technology Online Summit sponsored by the SoundTree institute will once again be presenting an online conference entitled Spotlight on Creativity. METOS is a completely online conference which was started by SoundTree a few years ago and has been very successful in the past. This completely online conference is a great professional development opportunity where you don’t have to even leave your home. This is a great way for music educators to connect with other educators and learn valuable information in regards to music education and especially incorporating technology into music education. METOS conferences are great for future or current music educators who are looking for new ways to include technology into their music education classroom.

METOS: Spotlight on Creativity

This METOS conference is going to focus on fostering creativity in the music classroom. The keynote speaker is going to be Scott Watson author of Using Technology to Unlock Musical Creativity. The other presenters will be Barbara Freedman, Nick Jaworski, Richard McCready, and Amy Burns. It is still not to late to sign up just go to the SoundTree Institute for more information and the schedule of the day. All you have to do is be a member of the SoundTree Institute which is a great resource for all current and future music educators.

Being a part of the Sound Tree Institute offers many benefits such as; technology training and support, lesson plans, affordable graduate courses, free online conferences, webinars, resources for music educators, Web 2.0 tools, discounts and much more. A membership to the Sound Tree Institute is very valuable to any music educator. If you are not a member consider signing up and being able to take part of all the great resources such as METOS !!

Follow along on Twitter from 1-4 on Monday for tweets highlighting the conference! I hope to “see” you there!!

Posted in Band Director, Choral, General Music, Music Technology, Professional Development , creativity, metos, music technology, sound tree, technology | No Comments »

A New Year Brings New Changes

Written By: admin - Jan• 07•12

“It does not matter where you are, you are nowhere compared to where you can go.” -Bob Proctor

As the New Year begins it also brings with it a lot of changes. Some of these changes include a new look, new opportunities, and perseverance. I am looking forward to see what all the new year has to bring for me professionally as a recent graduate and music educator. Below are some of the changes I am facing professionally in 2012.

A New Look

As you may have noticed my website has a new look. As the new year approached I thought it was time for a new look and upgrade. I have learned so much from blogging and being involved in music technology in the past few years and I hope to continue that this year. Along with my blogs new look my online portfolio www.elizabethheist.com also has a new look. Please feel free to comment on either site with suggestions for things you would like to see or suggestions for improvement.

New Opportunities

As the new year began I was presented with a great professional opportunity. This past week I started a 7-8 week long-term substitute position in K-4 general music. This is a great opportunity for me to start learning what it is really like to be a music educator and get some teaching experience before I land my first full time teaching job. I only started 4 days ago, but have already learned so much valuable information.

Tons to Learn

Over the past 4 days I have found that there is so much to learn that you never see or learn during your undergraduate career. One of these is discipline and classroom management. Of course we all learn about this in our methods classes and begin to put it in practice during student teaching I have found that nothing truly prepares you for discipline and classroom management. For exaple on my first day I had 90 3rd grade students for chorus. The stage was being used so we had to practice in the cafeteria without any piano. Talk about really needing to have good classroom management! Also this experience is teaching me a lot about duties that you don’t learn about in school such as, hall duty, bus duty, procedures for getting copies made, doing grades, and completing requisitions (yes, even as a long term-term sub, I will be responsible for grades and requisitions)

Making Connections

Long-term subbing is a great way to make connections and learn from veteran teachers. Just in 4 short days I have made quite a few connections and have been given a lot of valuable resources that will also help me in the future. Being a long-term sub is a great way to work towards a full-time position.

Nothing Like Student Teaching

While student teaching is a wonderful and very valuable experience I found out that full-time teaching and long-term subbing is nothing like student teaching. Now I am completely on my own and have no co-ops or supervisors to turn to when I get into a pinch or need help with classroom management. Also, in student teaching most of the time your co-op takes care of things like budgets, requisitions, entering grade into the computer etc. While student teaching is a great learning process, nothing prepares you for you1st days as a teacher!

Job Search

One thing I have learned over the past year and am continuing to learn is being a music educator definitely requires perseverance. Once again as the new year begins I am beginning the long, tiring, and stressful process of job searching. Through job searching I have learned to never give up even when it seems discouraging. I learned a lot from the job search process this year that I hope I can approve on this year and land my first full-time teaching position.

What’s Next

Throughout 2012 I am hoping to continue to use this blog and technology to help my improve professionally. As I continue the job search process again this year stay tuned for a series of blog posts on the job search process, filling out applications, and interviewing. Also, keep checking back to see blog posts on what I am learning through being both a long-term and day to day substitute.

Posted in General Music, Undergraduate Advice , job search, long-term sub, perseverance, substitute | No Comments »

Small and Mighty

Written By: admin - Nov• 07•11

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed performers can accomplish great things.

Take a look at ensembles all around the United States and what do you see? Chances are you will see a much smaller ensemble than you would have 10 or 15 years ago. Many music programs are continuing to diminish in numbers, but that doesn’t mean that they do or have to diminish in quality. I believe that a small band, choir, or orchestra can still be a quality ensemble and produce a mighty sound. Over the past year I have gotten the opportunity to work with a lot of small bands, which is different for me as I came from a fairly large band program. Through working with these small bands I have found that there are many myths about small bands and that with hard work and perseverance it is possible to get a small band to sound big.

Common Myths About Small Bands

In regards to ensemble size, bigger does not always equal better. I have heard many small bands that produce a better quality sound than bands that are double or triple their size. Just because a bigger band produces a louder sound it does not mean the sound is of better quality. Another myth is that smaller bands cannot play challenging repertoire. I believe that this is not true. I know of a few bands that have fewer than 30 members and are playing level 4 or higher music. It may take hard work and some creativity, but produce a strong quality sound with a small band is very possible when approached in the correct way.

Techniques to Achieve a Small, but Mighty Band

Ensemble Balance- While ensemble balance is a challenge with a band of any size, it is often even more difficult to get a smaller band to produce a balanced sound. I believe it is very important to make sure what a balance ensemble sounds like for them. A small band balance will sound much different that a larger bands balance.
Director Attitude- When a director is faced with low numbers it is very easy to get discouraged and believe that your band will not be successful. It is extremely important as the director to believe that your band, no matter of its size can be successful with hard work and perseverance. Unfortunately, I have seen the results of a director not believing in their ensemble due to its size. If we as directors do not believe in our groups, no matter how much work we put into them they will not succeed.
Quality Over Quantity-As directors we need to realize and find ways to show the community that quality over quantity is more important. I would rather have an ensemble of 25 dedicated players that work hard and sound good instead of 100 players that don’t really care about what they are doing and produce a not as high of quality sound.
Be Yourself- We must find an identity for our band and not try to be like another larger group. Each band needs to define their own sound and look and work on perfecting that sound. Not every band, whether the same size or not, is going to look and sound the same so it is important to define your style and stick with what will help to make your group the best quality as possible.
Repertoire Selection- One downside to smaller bands is that the instrumentation is often not ideal. When working with a small group with poor instrumentation it is best to stick with publishers that provide flexible instrumentation and part choices. No piece of music will be perfect for every situation so you still may have to arrange parts and customize the piece to work for your particular group. In order for a small band to produce a good quality sound choosing the correct repertoire is imperative.
Play to Your Strengths Not Your Weaknesses- With a small band it is not as easy for students to hide or cover up mistakes. This is why it is even more important to play to your bands strengths. For example if you have a 25 piece band with only 8 brass players, you probably do not want to pick music that features the brass a lot. Find repertoire that is going to show off your strengths and help to hide your weaknesses. I believe that it is possible for a 25 member band to sound like a 50 member band, but only if the music correctly fits the ensemble.
Add Weight Not Volume- As I said before it is important to remember that a bigger sound doesn’t always mean a louder sound. The want to have a small group fill up a venue through volume is understandable, but asking the students to play louder can often be a double-edged sword. This can play havoc on intonation and tone quality. Instead make sure that the students are playing with proper posture and horn positions appropriate for their instrument. Good posture will automatically increase a students breathing capacity and will help the player play louder with a better tone. Also the way a small ensemble is positioned on the stage or on the field can also help to improve the sound.
Student Pride- I believe one of the biggest factors of improving a small bands sound has nothing to do with music at all. It is all about attitude and pride. The students need to respect themselves, the adults and charge and most importantly what they are doing to have a good outcome. With a small band you as the director have to be very supportive and help to develop the ensemble as a team. Without pride an ensemble will not be able to reach their full potential.

I believe that a small band can be just as powerful as a band twice as big. As band directors we can’t always choose the size of our band, but no matter how many players we have there are many techniques we can use to bring out their best. While none of us want to see our numbers dwindle we can still produce a quality sound and give our students a quality musical experience with a small group. There is no magic of how to produce a quality small band, but remember that every band small or large has untapped potential and it is our job to bring that potential to life. As ensemble directors we need to be careful not to fall into the trap of “bigger is always better!!” Your band may be little, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be mighty!!

Posted in Band Director , band, pride, small ensembles, technology | 1 Comment »

Deciphering IEP’S-What They Mean for Music Educators

Written By: admin - Oct• 10•11

If you think you can or you think you can’t, either way, you will be right.”- Henry Ford

Another session I attended at PMEA 2011 was entitled “IEP’S and What Do They Mean to Music Teachers” presented by Carol Burgman of Pace School. As most educators would agree IEP’s can be a daunting document to have to sift through and follow. This is especially true for music educators as we often think there is not much valuable information for us in a student’s IEP. Through this session I learned what exactly an IEP contains, what parts of an IEP are most useful for music educators, and how can music teachers best include special education students in their classrooms. Hopefully this blog post will help music educators (especially newer teachers) know which parts of a students IEP is the most important and give ideas for how to help these students succeed in the music classroom.

What is an IEP?

IEP= Individualized Educational Plan
An IEP starts by the student being identified by a teacher, administrator, or principal
It is a document that specifies a year-long comprehensive educational program designed for an individual student to help them succeed
The IEP drives the educational process and the IEP mandates must be done in the time frame allotted and described in the document
An IEP is a legally binding document between the educational system, teachers, school therapists, and the parent or guardian
The document can be challenged through a legal procedure known as due process
It is usually written by the special education teacher, but the regular classroom teacher bears primary responsibility
Must be re-written yearly by a specific team
Rarely mentions music class except indirectly as an opportunity for inclusion
Includes academic or behavioral goals. Some of which may apply to the student’s entire program (including music class)
An IEP contains specifically designed modifications that are useful for all the students teachers. Modifications listed as “throughout the school day”, or “at all times during student attendance” apply to the music classroom.

What Matters to the Music Educator

Communication Plan- describes the students communication needs. This sections specifies the challenges and interventions for the student. It will state if the student has an alternative reading plan
Positive Behavioral Support Plan- an accompanying document that supports the IEP if the student has specific behavioral issues. It specifies triggers, the student’s process when in crisis, methods to intervene, and recovery information
Present Levels of Achievement and Function- gives specifics of the student’s academic abilities, strength, weaknesses, and overall function of the student.
Goals and Objectives- Review this section to determine your role in assisting with objectives implementation
SDI (Specially Designed Instruction)- Special methods or modifications to help the child. Modifications indicated as constant or cross-curricular are your responsibility
It is important to read the IEP because there is a lot that we can learn about the student that may help us better serve them even though it doesn’t specifically mention music
The special education classroom teacher or resource room should be your contact for specific information on adapting activities

Tips for Successful Inclusion

Treat all students with utmost respect no matter of their disability or ability level
Keep your focus on the objective- functional inclusion
Modifications should be simple and transferable
Present your lessons in a structured, well-organized, appropriately paced manner. Allow enough time for students to respond
Remember to consider your sub-skills and prerequisite skills when students struggle. Back up and then move forward
Make sure your classroom expectations, rules and consequences are clear and concise
Keep expectations high and allow students to rise to the occasion. NEVER settle and use the excuse that they have an IEP so they can’t do it
Think outside the box, be creative, and think quickly on your feet
Remain positive!!

Where is Music Education Highlights Heading?

Unfortunately due to job searching, starting to substitute teach and a recent death in my family I have been unable to post as much as I would like. Hopefully over the next few weeks I will be able to post more regularly again. After I finish a few more PMEA recap posts I will begin a new series on Music Education Highlights. I am planning on starting a series of posts covering the job search process, application process, interview process, common interview questions, applying for substitute teaching, and tips to succeed as a substitute.

If you have any suggestions for posts that you would like to see at Music Education Highlights please let me know. Also if you would like to write a guest post please contact me. I am always looking for post suggestions and new voices!

Posted in Band Director, Choral, General Music, PMEA Recaps, Special Education , due process, IEP, inclusion, special education | 1 Comment »

Tried and True Choral Repertoire

Written By: admin - Jul• 16•11

Unfortunately due to job searching, interviews, and some family circumstances over the past few weeks I have been unable to write any posts lately. I am hoping to get back to posting again on a more regular basis. I will continue with writing recaps of sessions from PMEA 2011 and then am hoping to start a series of posts on job searching, applications, and interviews. One of the sessions I attended was a choral reading session. While this session does not offer many tips or suggestions for teaching, we sight-read many choral pieces that work great in many choral ensembles. Below are the pieces and basic information about each piece.

Choral Repertoire

2 Part

Prepare Thyself Zion by Michael Burkhardt- For unison voices and optional C instrument part. Can be performed in either English or German.
Clap Your Hands, Rejoice by Andy Beck-includes hand claps and choreography great for young voices.
Ezekiel and David by Sally Albrecht- A traditional spiritual for young voices. Independent parts make it easy for young students to learn and perform. Also available in 3 part mixed.
Shooting Star by Andy Beck- A lyrical piece for elementary students. Also has easy triangle and mark tree parts included.
Ton The by Susan Brumfield- A very catchy and humorous piece that is easy to teach. For two-part treble and is also available in SATB. Includes optional xylophone and percussion parts.
Ask the Moon by Thomas Ahlburn- A more intricate piece for 2-part treble voices. Includes optional percussion and string bass parts.
Think On Me by James Mulholland- A more complex, beautiful lyrical piece for treble voices.
Hot Chocolate by Andy Beck- A kid favorite piece that is great for the winter and holiday season.

3 Part

The Snow Begins To Fall by Andy Beck- A lyrical winter piece for 3- part mixed voices. Also available in 2-Part, SSA, and SATB. A good piece for upper middle school choirs.
Nutcracker Jingles by Chuck Bridwell- A holiday favorite that even high school students will enjoy. Also available for SATB.
Furaha (Joy!) by Sally Albrecht- An energetic piece in Swahili, also available in 2 part and SATB.
For the Trumpet Shall Sound by Sally Albrecht- A biblical inspired piece also available in SATB and SSA. A great piece to feature one of your outstanding trumpet players.
Festival Sanctus by John Leavitt- A very complex piece with frequent changing meters. Also available in SSA, TTB, and SATB.
Ring the Bells by Libby Larsen- An upbeat holiday piece for women’s voices. Very accessible for younger voices.
The Pink Panther by Jay Althouse- a fun piece also available in SATB and is a great piece for teaching rhythms and scat singing.
The Cuckoo by Robert Hugh- A fun and rhythmic piece that includes optional percussion parts and choreography. A great piece for advanced middle school choirs.

SATB

Esto Les Digo by Kinley Lange- Based off of Matthew 18:19-20. A lyrical a cappella piece in Spanish.
Make A Joyful Noise by Raymond Wise- An easy to learn piece that makes a great concert opener or closer.
Steal Away by Howard Helvey- A religious piece with complex harmonies. Includes a Soprano Sax/Clarinet part and Violin or other C instrument part.
I Carry Your Heart With Me by Randall Stroope- A musical setting of a poem by E.E. Cummings. Includes a violin solo part and is for a more advanced high school ensemble.
Al Shlosha D’varim by Allan Naplan- A lyrical setting of the popular Jewish morality laws. Written in the form of a partner song with counter melodies.
The Epitaph by Joseph Martin- Another lyrical piece that is good for working on teaching expression and dynamics. Includes and optional violin part.
Ritmo by Dan Davison- A very challenging and rhythmic piece for SATB choir and 4 hand piano. This piece works best for an advanced/mature large choir.
Vieni Nel Mio Cuore by Jonny Priano- An A Capella piece for very advanced choirs.A very challenging piece harmonically.

As I said, while this session didn’t really cover tips for teaching choral music it was extremely beneficial especially for me as an instrumentalist who is not extremely familiar with the choral literature. While there are hundreds of choral pieces out there to choose from these are just a few that experienced choral directors have found to be successful with their students. I hope you find the above list helpful whether you are a choral specialist, choral director, or undergraduate who isn’t as familiar with good choral repertoire. Happy singing!!

Posted in Choral, PMEA Recaps , choral music, ensembles, repertoire | No Comments »

Getting Your Students to Transfer Knowledge

Written By: admin - Jun• 19•11

“The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, the children are now working as if I did not exist.”- Maria Montessori

During student teaching especially at the high school level, one of the most frustrating things I encountered was students not transferring knowledge. For example I would teach the students about a sforzando or forte piano at a certain spot in the music and the students would perform it with no problem. The next time we would come to this in a different spot in the music or most of the students ignored it and did nothing. Sound familiar? I believe that dealing with this transfer of knowledge is an issue most music teachers deal with at some point. How can we get our students to transfer their learning from one situation to the next? While at the PMEA State Conference one of the sessions I attended was entitled “Getting Your Students to Perform the Sforzando Every Time.” This session was presented by Dr. Scott Meier, Associate Professor of Music Education at Mercyhurst College Pennsylvania. During his session Dr. Meier presented some great tips and resources for getting our students to transfer their knowledge and learning.

Things that Inhibit Transfer:

The creation of subject based “compartments”. As music educators we need to try and combined all subjects together instead of putting each subject into a compartment.
The tendency of learning to be situated.
Transfer is inhibited when the creation of systems based on social behaviors are disguised as learning.
We inhibit transfer when we teach groups of facts without striving for learning that is founded on principles.
Telling students exactly what they have to do to receive and A. Instead we need to emphasize learning for learning sake and learning because you love what you are doing.

Things to Avoid:

Mentioning rather than teaching. Transfer is more likely to occur when learning has become conceptual knowledge. Teach more about less!
Avoid presenting learning that is considered to be essential basic knowledge in just one experience or situation. It is best to create multiple visits to a key concept in a variety of situations.
Try not to only teach to the next concert, but instead, teach to the future success of independent musicians and critical thinkers.
Negative transfer of learning is also possible and something that all educators want to avoid.

Tips for Transferring Knowledge:

We must teach our students about transfer of knowledge/learning and why it is important. Without this step transfer of learning is almost impossible to achieve. Students must know what it is and its importance before it will ever take place. In order to do this we must give the behavior an identity and purpose.
There must be a role model present who values and practices transfer. This role model should be us, the educator. Just as like anything in music that we want our students to accomplish we need to model the behavior.
The students must be immersed in an environment(the classroom) that fosters and supports the idea of transferring knowledge.
It helps if students are exposed to the outstanding transfer thinkers who have already mastered transfer and its resulting creative output.
Students need to practice transfer. The simple act of recognizing transfer when it occurs in class should be rewarded and in some cases celebrated. We need to celebrate and reward each transfer experience we see taking place in our classrooms. It is important to find an age appropriate way to reward a students transfer of knowledge. This shows that transfer is an important skill and that you as the teacher value that skill.
One reason certain concepts transfer more easily than others is because it is almost identical to something else the student already knows.
Allow students to explore and learn on their own. We shouldn’t always just tell the students exactly what to do.
Getting transfer of knowledge is very possible, but as with most things there is not one sure fire fix or solution.
Most importantly we need to get the students out of the “what do I need to do to get an A” way of thinking. When students are thinking in this manner transfer of knowledge is never going to take place.

Resources for More Information:

Transfer of Learning: Cognition, Instruction, and Reasoning by Robert Haskell
Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

As I found during student teaching getting students to transfer knowledge can be a challenging process, but can save a lot of time and shows that students are truly grasping and understanding the concept. While the above tips deal with transfer of knowledge in general and not necessarily dealing with music, there are a lot of concepts that can still be used in the music classroom and ensemble. I hope you found the tips from Dr. Meier on how to successfully get your students to transfer knowledge helpful and also please share other ideas and resources of how you accomplish this in your classroom.

Posted in Band Director, Choral, General Music, PMEA Recaps , transfer of knowledge, transfer of learning | 2 Comments »

Making the Transition from Student to Teacher

Written By: admin - Jun• 14•11

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”- W.B. Yeats

As someone who has just graduated from college one of the hardest transitions that I already faced to some extent and am continuing to face now is making a smooth transition from being a student to becoming a teacher. This is a transition that happens gradually throughout your undergraduate career and then before you know it you are no longer a student and are finally a teacher. I found and am continuing to find that if you are not prepared this transition can hit you in the face and be a challenge. We spend at least 17 years of our lives being a student and then suddenly we find ourselves back in the classroom, but only this time we are on the other side. I believe there is a lot that we can be doing during our undergraduate studies to help make a the transition from student to teacher a little smoother and more gradual.

Transitioning from Student to Teacher

One day you are sitting at a desk learning about how to become a successful teacher and then before you know it you are standing in front of a classroom and are responsible for teaching the students that sit in front of you. During my student teaching experience I found out that the transition from student to student teacher and then eventually to teacher is a challenge. Below are some suggestions that I found help to make this transition happen more smoothly.

Get Inside the Classroom Early: I found that getting into the classroom as early as possible can help to make the transition from student to teacher easier. The more you get into the classroom the more you learn and the more you begin thinking like a teacher. While in the classroom you can learn a lot about what works and what doesn’t work as an educator. Also one of my biggest pieces of advice is when in the classroom don’t just sit there!! Be active, even if you don’t have the opportunity to actually teach walk around the room, help students if possible and ask questions. All of these things will begin transitioning you into the position of teacher.
Start Building your Library: Begin building your library early on in your career so that you have some resources ready to go when you begin your first year teaching. Start collecting books, magazines journals, choral octavos, scores, recorders, anything that one day may be helpful in the classroom. If if you aren’t able to buy some of these things write down titles of pieces you hear or play that you like, keep a list of books that you have seen that you eventually wish to have etc. This way when you begin teaching you will have resources to start with and will know where to look to find more.
Define Yourself as an Educator: Start defining yourself as an educator. Think about who you want to be as a future music teacher and make a plan of how you are going to get there. Also begin thinking about your future classroom, what would your ideal classroom look like, what will your discipline plan be etc. Not only will this help make the transition to becoming a teacher easier, but it will also help to prepare you for job interviews. One of the most beneficial assignments for me as an undergraduate was my final for elementary music methods. We were given a scenario where we were hired as the new music teacher. We were given a budget, materials we had, what was expected of us etc. The we had to plan out specific units, give a rough plan for the first few weeks of school, write how are classroom would be laid out, what we would use our budget for etc. This really helped to get us thinking about decisions that we will have to make as educators that we never had to think about as students.
Think as a Teacher Instead of a Student: One of the biggest things you can begin doing is start thinking like a teacher instead of a student. Approach every situation with the eyes of a teacher. When observing in a classroom think about what you would do and how you would handle specific situations as the teacher. In ensemble rehearsals, stop just thinking like the student or performer. Put yourself in the directors shoes and think how you would run the rehearsal. Also begin listening with the ears of a teacher. Don’t just listen for your part, but begin listening for pitch errors, wrong notes, stylistic errors etc.
Save Everything: Okay well maybe don’t save everything, but definitely save a lot of your handouts, books etc. Make sure to save all of your lesson plans and materials you mae as well. These are great resources to help you when you are first beginning as a teacher. You never know when this stuff may be helpful down the road. There were many times during student teaching the I referenced stuff from classes earlier in my undergraduate career or used lesson plans that I had created for some of my college courses. These resources can save you time and help you out when you are in a pinch.
Dress More Professionally: I am sure you get sick of hearing this during your undergraduate career, but it is extremely important when stepping into the role of teacher. Begin dressing like a professional early on. Firs of all this helps people and students realize that you are a professional. This is especially important when in the classroom with high school students because you are only a few years older than them. Also starting to dress professionally early on helps to build your wardrobe. While this may seem silly, it is good to begin acquiring more professional clothing during your time as an undergraduate so you don’t have to get a completely new wardrobe right before you start student teaching.
Make Outside Connections: Begin making connections with other people outside of your college, both of your age and older. Developing professional relationships can really help make the transition to becoming a teacher much easier because you have other people to ask questions to and bounce ideas from each other. Make connections with other undergraduates, music educators, other educators, professors etc. Of course with all the technology we have today this is extremely easy. Below are some resources that are great for undergraduates to connect with our music educators and undergraduates and some that have helped me over the past few years as I make this transition from student to teacher.

Twitter and #Musedchat: Take advantage of the wonderful community of music educators and undergraduates to collaborate and communicate with.
Music PLN: A wonderful site created by Dr. Joseph Pisano for music educators and undergraduates to collaborate. A great place to ask questions that you have while transitioning from student to teacher.
Music Ed Major: A very helpful site created by Andy Zweibel for music education undergraduates. This is a great resource for music ed undergraduates to gain more knowledge about the field of music education and to communicate with each other about being a music education undergraduate.
Future Music Educators: A wonderful sites created by Andrew Ritenour, a senior music education undergraduate as Grove City College. This site is geared specifically for music ed majors and covers a lot of topics that often aren’t covered in your courses as an undergraduate.

Take Advantage of Professional Development Opportunities: There are tons of opportunities available for undergraduates so take advantage of them now. Use your undergraduate experience as a time to learn as much about the profession as possible. Attend workshops, conferences, seminars, subscribe to journals etc. The more you know and learn during your undergraduate career the easier your transition to being a teacher will be.
Begin Working on Your Areas of Weakness: As students we are usually just worried about making it through our classes and doing the bare minimum. As future music teachers we need to realize that we have a huge calling ahead of us so we need to go above and beyond. Instead of just doing what is necessary to survive do more and work on your areas of weakness. For example if you can only play one or two instruments begin working on other secondary instruments to become proficient on them. Not only does improving our areas of weakness help us gain more knowledge and become better educators, but it also helps us become more marketable.
Start the Job Process Early: I can’t stress enough how important this is. The job search process is extremely time-consuming and exhausting. Get a head start to help you transition easier and so that you don’t miss any job opportunities because you weren’t ready. While jobs aren’t often posted until the summer start getting all of your materials and standard applications ready to go so when the jobs do begin to open you can quickly gather your materials and send them.

While this is still a very tough transition I hope that the above tips and suggestions will help you to make this phase in your career a little smoother. While I am still very much in this transition phase as well, any comments or suggestions for transitioning from student to student teacher to teacher is very much appreciated. Stay tuned as I continue through this journey for more posts on transitioning to first year teaching.

Posted in Student Teaching Advice, Undergraduate Advice , first year teaching, professional development, student teaching | No Comments »

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