imagine this huge churning cauldron (think of this ever-changing environment with which we have great responsibility). With each new ingredient, the color may change, or the consistency and that may give you a hint as to where to go next for an optimal potion
Tag: ensembles
Is This You? Building Perceptual Awareness in Listening
Listen to the clip once more and this time, point out the times that sounds came into the scene. Ask students to guess what those sounds were. Stop and start the clip as often as you like so that students are refining their observations each time. They may discuss with their team and with the class (10 minutes)
Now, show them the clip with sound. Write down any sounds that they may have missed.
“I Don’t Even Recruit…” (spoken in the snootiest voice ever)
Why not reach out to your feeders? Isn’t it better to let them know that they are wanted than not? Wouldn’t it ease the transition just a bit more if the students knew for certain that the new music teacher had a place for them?
Inspiration – The Cycle of Awe
Their dedication to his practices is a testament to the relationship between student and mentor and to the quality and depth of his contribution to string teaching. So, I have been thinking about what I need to do to honor those who have inspired me, and to begin compiling my own life’s work. Here are a few of the many people who have inspired me and how I try to honor their role in my life as I progress in daily teaching, researching, and thinking.
Humor – There is a Place for it During Rehearsals!
Basically, encourage your students to have fun with music and with your class. When I surveyed my students, the vast majority said that their favorite thing about my class was my crazy stories. And I actually don’t tell them all that often, but students remember them. This brings them back day after day for another taste of our favorite thing in the world: music!
MUSIC ED MAJOR RANT
In each year of teaching music, I have always had at least one student who was interested in majoring in music education. Many of them have went… Read more “MUSIC ED MAJOR RANT”
Makin’ Music in Juvie
In some cases, the students even were able to re-define themselves instead of as “criminal,” into “musician.” One of the inmates even said, “Instead of getting in trouble, just sitting there and play tunes, and stuff.” One student was so effected that he went so far as to dream about “helping out in the community, yeah. Helping other people learn music. Yeah, teach them,”
Student Retention & Johann the Orchestra Rat Rides Again
So that the students feel so at home in your group that their identity transforms from “student” into “musician,” or “violinist,” or my favorite: “orch dork!” You will find that attrition becomes obsolete the more your students identify with your class, your room, and the culture you have created.
The Big Fish Little Pond Effect
I had a student once who was an enormous fish in this teeny tiny pond of little musicians who all looked up to him as if he were Heaven-sent to play cello with them. He was beloved in my program and really was a good cellist with great potential. But his arrogance was a huge issue for him as he began to compete for chairs in All-State and eventual college acceptance as a cello performance major. I remember thinking “Such a big fish may struggle in a sea of sharks once he gets to college”
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