Classroom Management

Classroom management. If there is one thing that veteran teachers talk about all the time is Classroom management. I will be imputing band classroom management ideas and tips from different sources.

Habits of a Successful Middle School Band Director

• Concrete Rules with Clear Consequences (If this…,then this…) Consistency from the very beginning.
• Expectations: Add three to four at the beginning of the year and grow the list as the year goes on. This is where life lesson can be applied. Keeping your work area (band room)clean.
• Procedures: “Procedures attempt to answer all of the questions new students have about to function in the classroom or rehearsal setting. ” Sometimes veteran students need reminders. Write down procedures you have so you remember what you have and also to remind new students.
• Rehearsing Classroom Procedures: “Procedures have no consequences, you just practice until you get it right (like music)” Be consistent!

Reed Procedures: Students may ask for a reed at the beginning of class. If students break a reed during class the student will raise there hand and ask

How to enter the room: Students will put backpacks at a wall. Getting all supplies before class starts.

Organization in the Band Classroom

Organization in the Band Classroom. This is a working list to keep organization in top shape. These ideas have been taken from Habits of a Successful Middle School Band Director by Scott Rush. I have added commentary for myself.

• Inventory (Music and Instruments)
• Send Instruments to repair shop(data on place, time, date, why and person)
• Write the master schedule (full year schedule to present to school and parents and administration)
• Order method books ( Who pays for the books? Order extras!)
• Schedule band recruitment( Don’t recruit too late. At least one recruitment in the fall to get students thinking)
• Schedule the rental meeting
• Prepare for concert contest/solo ensemble ect. (Forms that need to be filled out and money to be sent. Look in to how long PO and implement a schedule)
• Schedule Trips(Funraiser? Chapearons? Students Money? What will the student do during the trip)

In the Hall of the Mountain King Lesson Plan

In the Hall of the Mountain King helps with;

• • Predicting an ending to a story
  • Story telling through music
  • Decrescendo and Crescendo
  • Musical Form

I start the lesson with reading a story of Peer Gynt. I use this version: THE LEGEND OF PEER GYNT

I play the piece without visuals encouraging students to use their ears and listen to what happens with Peer. I take predictions from students. I then finish the story and ask if that it is what they expected.

I share this video and have a discussion on what was on the video. Discuss form.

Discuss what a remix is and show this video.

Have a movement activity as a brain break. Just Dance just released In the Hall of the Pixel King. Video could be used as a discussion tool as well.

Notes on the Staff Twister

Pre-Reading Plan

Watch the clips twice. Once with audio and once without.

Jaws (1:38 – 1:53)

Group 1: Star Wars 1:30-End

Group 2: Harry Potter 2:59-3:50

 

Group 3: Indiana Jones 0:30 –  1:25

Group 4: Schindler’s List  (0:00-1:21)

 

Group5: Jurassic Park (1:20-end)

ArkMEA Fall InService 2015

On Thursday November 5th, I had to the pleasure of going to the ArkMEA Fall Conference.

Legendary Leaders in Bass:

This highlighted the history of the bass guitar. From mo-town to slap bass. They incorporated music educators in there address making there address more interactive.

Salsa for Kids!:

In this session we looked through the book of Freddie the Frog. The newest book talk about Reggie. We salsa danced and played different rhythms with different instruments. Something I learned about this session is that sometimes children have a hard time talking to the teacher or to anyone. Having someone like Freddy could help the child open up.

Drumbeat for Success: Teaching Good Character through Rhythm, Song, and Dance:

This was a very fun interactive session. They incorporated instruments and rhythm to be able to also learn about good character. I have a lot of trouble with rhythm in general but was able to pick up most of the rhythms easily(I even had a solo!) so I believe children could pick up the rhythm fairly easy.

Featured Concert: Southside Fort Smith Band

Feature Concert: Runaway Planet

Empowering your Ensemble with Student Leadership

This session talked about the Southside band and how they have been helping there students’ success.

Final Thoughts:

I wish I was able to spend more time at the conference and be able to talk to Victor Wooten. However, I loved the conference. Ours days in college are so stressful and full of so much activity, sometimes we lose sight of what we are aiming for. Being able to go to conferences like this remind me of my goals. I want to be able to teach music with as much passion as the educator that took time to come to the conference. I want to be able to teach with as much enthusiasm as the people doing the guest speaking. I can’t wait to become an educator.

RECORDERS!

Wolf Dance

Happy Halloween!!

Today we make believe!

Ninjas:

(Rhythm)

Royalty:

(Dancing)

Scary:

(Singing, Listening)

Now that we learned about all the different things that we can be, lets dance and make music! Choose a character or make up your own character.

Rethinking Music Education

Taylor, R. (2015, September). Rethinking music education in the 21st century. Segue, 28-30.

Synopsis: In Taylor’s, Rethinking music Education (September 2015), he provides ideas for teaching music in new ways.

Reaction:

• Victor Wooten wrote The Music Lesson, a novel about a struggling musician that told a story and let readers arrive at the “truth” on their own.
• In music there are no beginners: They are experienced in music but expressing it in a new way.
• Students should actively participate in their own instruction: “Students have something valuable to contribute to their own education in music; it is our job to help them discover what that is”
• Music education should privilege playing not just practicing: We don’t allow room for true playing, we focus a lot more on the lecture or demonstrating. When we do play almost always in a regimented (military) fashion.
• Above all, listen: Focus on how to listen well to what others in the band are playing.
• Music is Emotion: Our own emotional and psychological realities could affect how we play the music. Roles should be discussed in connection with music performances.

Follow Up:

This article has had me look at teaching in new way. Teaching is ever evolving. As a teacher, I have to be able to change my teaching in way to better my students. I would like to be able to expand on the ideas that were stated in the article.

 

Quotations:

“In our ideal world, the best of the traditional pedagogy merges with the best of the new and innovative.”(29)

“Students have something valuable to contribute to their own education in music; it is our job to help them discover what that is” (29)

“We emphasis correct technique and proper note selection, but many successful musicians credit their ability to listen to their band mates as a defining factor in getting and keeping a gig.” (30)

“Music is a sound first, one that can transform an audience through emotional and psychological connections.” (30)

Don’t Worry, Be Happy!!

1. Listen to Don’t Worry, Be Happy
2. How does this song make you feel?
3. Play on BoomWhackers. Listen before playing to figure out the pattern.
4. As the song is playing improvise rhythmic patterns that would fit the song.

CR.1.3.1 Improvise more complex melodic and rhythmic patterns

R.7.3.3 Describe personal responses to music, referencing applicable elements of music