January « 2009 « Music, Teaching, Learning, and Life

Entries from January 2009

RtI (Response to Intervention) from a Music Teacher’s Perspective

January 19, 2009 · 2 Comments

On August 22, 2008, I attended a presentation given by a leading speaker about RtI, a relatively new initiative. It is in the process of being implemented in schools across the country. The following are thoughts I wrote later that day..

Research shows that the number one intervention proven to improve students skills is time…time in core instruction, not specialized instruction. In other words, if a student is falling behind in reading, the most important thing for that student to receive is more instruction time in the subject area–not necessarily different instruction, but more of the same! (Although improving the quality of core instruction is often necessary as well.) One possible example given was a school setting where many students need more time in core instruction. In the example, only about 50% of the student population were successful with the existing schedule: 90 minutes of reading/language arts instruction each day. According to the data and research, in order for that school to reach the desired 80% of its population reaching proficiency, they needed to build a school schedule with about 180 daily minutes of core reading instruction! If I remember correctly, 90 minutes a day is required by the state of IL.

As a teacher of the arts, I see scheduling for music, orchestra, band, chorus, visual arts, etc, as a major issue. However, I can’t deny that in the society in which we live, many students are in dire need of more instruction in reading, especially at the elementary levels, in order to help those students be successful later in life.

Is the problem going away? I don’t think so. In my opinion, blaming parents doesn’t help; blaming administrators doesn’t help; blaming the state or federal government doesn’t help. Complaining about how the schools don’t value music anymore isn’t the answer either.

Are the arts an important part of students’ education? YES. Daniel Pink in his book A Whole New Mind gives implicit reasons for us to consider the arts a vital part of a child’s education. That being said, schools ARE changing how they schedule their days based on newer data and research. The way public education has approached these problems in the past hasn’t worked. Schools are scrambling to reach the desired 95% “meeting and exceeding” by 2014.

Possibly the way music educators view their jobs also needs to change. Change…not an easy thing to even consider. Maybe what is required most is for music teachers to collaborate with the whole school community. Perhaps we need to better educate ourselves about the issues rather than assuming they don’t involve us. Maybe we need to think in terms of the Win-Win problem solving that Stephen Covey advocates in Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Maybe the solution is already beginning at the university level where music teachers are being trained?

What is the immediate answer for the elementary music teacher who is told a number of students will miss music class regularly because of RtI requirements? What is the answer if whole school systems (CPS for example) rarely offer ensembles during the school day at the lower grade levels? I don’t know. But the problem isn’t going away…

After being involved as a reading “interventionist” now for several months in my new job, I see first hand the benefits of giving lagging students more instructional time. However, I worry about the possible negative effects on fine arts programs because of the resulting scheduling issues. I’m interested in hearing how the RtI initiative is affecting other public school teachers in the arts.

Note: The numbers and percentages quoted on August 22 were written from memory several hours after the presentation. I wouldn’t stake my life on their accuracy!

Categories: Uncategorized

No Delusions

January 18, 2009 · 2 Comments

I’ve been battling some discouragement related to clarinet playing, professional development, and writing. As a result, I’ve avoided writing. I tend to write directly from my heart, so I feel threatened in this setting. I read a “tweet” the other day that got me thinking along those lines, again. It was really more of a rhetorical question-something along the lines of why there are so many delusional people out there. I don’t know the answer to that, but I certainly don’t want to BE one of those delusional people that puts myself out there as someone who has “something to offer the world.” What I have to offer may only be of interest to a few.

However, I was encouraged once again when I read a post entitled “Violin Surprise,” by my Twitter friend timtfj. (For anyone not familiar to Twitter, that’s his screen name.) Tim wrote in his post about getting back to his violin practicing after taking a couple of weeks off and the benefits he noticed. Well, I’ve been struggling to maintain a practice schedule for several months now, since September, for a myriad of reasons: a new job, personal and family issues, and just plain old lack of discipline! I had spent the previous two years practicing daily almost without exception and had made much progress. I’ve even been able to substitute a couple of times for 2nd clarinet players in a couple of orchestra concerts in the western suburbs of Chicago.

I thought I was back on track in late December, but had another week of no practicing soon after. Then I read Tim’s post. For some reason, it struck a chord with me (no pun intended!), and I practiced yesterday and again today. I know that’s only another start, but with any goal we set for ourselves, it’s the small steps we take on a daily basis that lead to the big changes.

I’m so thankful that Tim took the time to write yesterday. If I hadn’t read his thoughts on practicing, I might not have taken my baby steps over the last couple of days. I have no delusions that what I have to say is going to be for the masses, but maybe, just maybe, one person will read this and be encouraged.

I think that’s why I’m writing.

Categories: Encouragement · Practicing

Changing Teaching Methods

January 10, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Why do we teach the way we do? When faced with a roomful of students, the easiest course of action is to teach using the same methods we’ve always used. Change in the classroom is just as difficult as change in any other part of our lives. For those reasons, I think it’s a little too easy not to ask ourselves the questions, “Are my methods of teaching helping students learn?” or “How could I change my teaching to better serve students?”

I read an interesting article in the Journal of Research in Music Education, October, 2008, about the effectiveness of Curwin hand signs in teaching sight-singing using a group of high school students with an extensive background in the movable do system (Alan C. McClung, author). McClung came to basically the same conclusion as the authors of five previous studies: the use of Curwin hand signs when sight-singing had no statistically significant positive affect on sight-singing scores compared to using solfege without the signs. He strongly urges music educators to consider that although the hand signs may benefit some students, it may put others at a disadvantage.

I only began using ideas from the Kodaly method this year. It hasn’t been an easy change, but the change itself has energized my teaching. Now, based on the article I read, I might want to pay less attention to the Curwin hand signs since students are now familiar with them and give more time to teaching the direction of the melody and the accuracy of the intervals they sing.

Categories: Teaching Methods

New Directions

January 8, 2009 · 1 Comment

I find it interesting how various experiences and interactions with people have influenced the direction of my life. I’m certain most others would say the same. I don’t intend to sound like an advertisement for VanderCook College of Music, however, the people and classes there made a huge impact on my life and my teaching!

My husband and I made the “irrevocable” decision when we married that we would raise our kids in a single community. I had moved several times before I went to college and had no desire to do that to my kids. To make a long story short, we did end up moving when our kids were 13 and 10, after 16 years of marriage, in spite of all we had previously vowed. The move happened VERY quickly: a phone call, job interview, and job offer beginning in early July, 2004 for my husband; and subsequently I filled out applications, had a job interview, and received a job offer for middle school general music/assistant band director at the end of July. Our family completed the move two days before my girls started the school year!

That first year was difficult in several ways, but as I mentioned in my last entry, it led me to start the band track classes in VanderCook’s Masters Program. Through the course of that next summer and throughout the following year, I came to several conclusions that I’m embarrassed to say I hadn’t figured out before! First, I had never REALLY learned how to listen to music, either while teaching or when playing myself. Also, I realized I hadn’t tried terribly hard to develop my clarinet skills during earlier school years. I had been guilty of coasting along on whatever talent I had and a smattering of practice every once in a while.

Elizabeth Green in her book Practicing Successfully (GIA Publications, Inc., Chicago, 2006) writes, “Practicing is an adult activity. It takes mature determination. No wonder children view it with little enthusiasm!” (p. 19) When Dr. Menghini referred to that statement in one of my classes, I began to wonder what might happen if I practiced with focus, deliberation, and consistency. More importantly, I began to see students differently. I certainly don’t have the answers, but because of the people I met and the classes I took at VanderCook, I learned how to ask myself some of the questions that I needed to ask to make me a better teacher.

The idea presented in Green’s book created the desire in me to see what would happen if I practiced regularly…four to six times a week, for at least 30 minutes as a goal. I became my own personal experiment! That was two years ago. Many times, I haven’t quite met the goal for the week, but sometimes, I far exceed it! Have I become better than my wildest dreams? No. BUT, I’ve slowly come to a place where I’m playing better than I ever have! The last few months haven’t been my best practicing months, but I’m back on track since the end of December. It’s similar to what I read in Brian Stephens’ blog a day or two ago: like a toddler, I’ve had to pick myself up after a fall and get going again!

Two years ago, I made the decision to take lessons and start practicing regularly not with the goal of making money or a career out of playing, but as a means of continuing to learn as a musician myself. The journey is SO worth it!!! Today, I pulled out a “new” piece of music: Schubert’s Shepherd on the Rock which I haven’t played since college. Even after a really good day of teaching today, I was exhausted emotionally and mentally. After the first 15 minutes of practicing my clarinet, though, I not only felt revived, but I was reminded again why I chose to TEACH music! I want students to love the experience of music as much as I do.

I imagine most music teachers reading this entry feel the same!

Categories: Practicing

Of Jobs and Music Teachers

January 6, 2009 · 2 Comments

I think being an elementary music teacher is the best job in the world! I’m fortunate that I have those feelings on most days. I admit that yesterday after two weeks of winter break, I was struggling with the idea of going back to work. However, the pacing of teaching, the energy of the children, and my subject matter combined to re-energize me within just a few minutes of walking in the school door.

I teach general music in a K-5 building in Villa Park, IL. The first through fifth graders come to me twice a week for a total of 55 minutes (25 minutes on one day and 30 minutes on the next). My school community has a very active PTA, and parents and other staff members are supportive of the arts. About seven years ago, a new wing was added to the building which includes a beautiful art room as well as a huge music room. I have many classroom instruments and the children (for the most part) are eager to participate in my music classes. Last summer I earned my Orff Level I certification (at VanderCook) then began teaching in my new position this fall.

Not all of my previous jobs were quite as ideal as my present one. I’ve spent many hours traveling between buildings as well as traveling “on a cart” inside the buildings. However, in each case my decisions to change jobs came as a result of family considerations. I even took six years off after my oldest daughter was born in order to stay home with her and my younger daughter.

People often choose to accept jobs that don’t fit their images of the ideal. That was certainly true of my first teaching job after college graduation! I graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in Music Ed and a concentration in clarinet, fully expecting to take a middle or high school band job. After several interviews, by July I still hadn’t procured a position. Fortunately, I wasn’t completely close-minded about interviewing for general music jobs and finally received an offer four weeks before the start of that school year to teach general music and chorus to 3rd through 7th graders. At that point, I had very little experience teaching chorus. Looking back, I can barely believe I survived! Over the years I’ve also taught 1st, 2nd, and 8th grade general music. Four years ago, I even had the opportunity to teach 4th and 5th grade band. Since so many years had passed after my undergraduate band method classes, I felt the need for some intensive help! I made the best decision of my professional life at that point and enrolled as a graduate student at VanderCook in Chicago. Even though I no longer teach band students in my present job, I continue to use the principles I learned at VanderCook.

After having taught band for four years, I now have a clearer vision of the positive contributions I make to students’ music education as a general music teacher. I’m certain that subject will come up again in the future!

Categories: Teaching Positions

The Early Life of a Musician

January 4, 2009 · 1 Comment

Writing for an unknown audience is proving much more difficult than the writing I did in my password protected blog! After all, what can one person offer that hasn’t already been said by many others in this same format? It’s been said about blogging, “Never has so much been said about so little, by so many, to so few.” That’s why I hope this will be a place for discussion, not just one person voicing views from a very limited perspective. I chose the title “Music Teaching, Learning, and Performing” because most music teachers can relate to all of those areas. Most musicians who consider themselves performers teach in some capacity, and most music teachers perform in some capacity.

As for me, I started my musical life at a very young age, listening to LP’s of Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony and Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. My family attended church services weekly where I learned to sing hymns in four-part harmony, and I began imitating my Mother’s alto voice as a young child. I took piano lessons from my father sporadically from the age of 5 until I started with another teacher in 9th grade. However, I was truly hooked when I started on the clarinet at the age of 10. I had one particular teacher while living in Toccoa, Georgia to whom I credit my ongoing love of music. Archie Sharretts was my band director during my freshman and sophomore years of high school. It was his example that inspired me to choose Music Education as my major field of study in college.

Musicians reading this entry probably have similar stories of their early musical life. Feel free to comment on your experiences!

Categories: Beginnings

Sweaty Palms and a Rapidly Beating Heart

January 3, 2009 · 5 Comments

In May of 2007 I took a weekend class at VanderCook College of Music, Chicago, IL, taught by Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser and Dr. Charles Menghini. After listening to these two dynamic individuals for two days, I walked away with a burning desire to write about music, teaching, learning, and performing. As the months ensued, I added many entries but kept the blog password protected. I’ve been a rather timid Web 2.0 participator! However, during a more recent weekend class at VanderCook I was presented with the idea (again) that social networking and blogging are wonderful tools for reflection, information gathering, and learning from a much broader group of people. To that end, I started making connections with people of similar interests through Twitter.

Now, with sweaty palms, a rapidly beating heart, and shaking fingers, I begin a new blogging journey here. I hope others will choose to read, comment, and participate with me!