Elementary School Orchestra

Despite the fact that I was not attending my regularly scheduled classes at the time of my observation, I still had the utmost hope that I would be able to "pull myself up by the bootstraps" and change my behavior patterns. This did not prove the case, as we well know, but in my hope I still made my way to my second Elementary School observation. Fifth grade orchestra had been my only non-techniques-class instrumental instruction, and so I was excited to see Chandra Lind teach and be reminded of my youthful experiences. I must say, my memories of my final elementary year are still hazy, at best, but I was thoroughly impressed with Mrs. Lind's teaching. Before class began she enlightened me on a small section of her planned teaching: she would be teaching the students a new piece that was required for the district music festival -- one which they had not played before -- and had created large rhythm cards with four beat sections taken directly from the music. I loved this! The students took to the instruction remarkably well, and while the piece was not perfect when played together, it was obvious that the students had applied what they played on the flashcards to what was in the music. Chandra pointed out specific sections that matched those cards that had been played in rehearsal, and the students were able to see directly how it related to the new piece in front of them. What resulted was students who felt confident in their ability to play something new, and who played with a newfound passion to apply their learning. I loved watching Mrs. Lind work with the students, and would love to continue having observations with her in the future. I feel she has a great amount of teaching knowledge from which I could learn.

Elementary School Band.

Jennifer Murphy has been a mentor of mine since I was assigned to her class as a Para-teacher for my General Music Methods class, and continues to be a great friend and professional contact as I venture further into my teaching career. Upon one of my many visits to Irving School to say hello and pick up my daughter, Mrs. Murphy spoke to me about her contact with Dr. Stark and the future arrangements that were being made for us to observe the beginning band and orchestra. This information excited me, as I had so enjoyed working with her students the previous semester, and wanted another opportunity to help her as much as possible. Jennifer has often entreated me to come to her classroom whenever is convenient for me, and she would utilize me in her instruction. I highly admire Mrs. Murphy as a teacher of general music, and the feeling is no different as one of beginning band. While there were some aspects of her teaching that I would change, were it my job, I feel she was very successful in running through the assigned pieces with the students, especially considering the upcoming district festival. However, there could have been more attention given to basics with the students. The saxophone players were playing with broken and chipped reeds, and the resulting squeals were unpleasant, to say the least. This could have been easily fixed by asking the students if they had cracked reeds or, even better, taking 30 seconds at the beginning of class to have students check their instruments. Overall, the students did play pretty well for being in fifth grade. I would enjoy having an opportunity to teach a beginning band, however, so that I might see, more in-depthly, the problems of instruction that arise.

BHS Jazz Band

Jazz band. Where does one begin? I have had plenty of experience performing jazz pieces, singing with jazz ensembles, and listening to famous jazz musicians and/or ensembles in my free time, but to count-off such a group is a daunting task. I found myself more nervous with this teaching episode than I had been with previous ones, excepting, perhaps, my teaching the Junior High students at CJMS. I was sure I would somehow count the ensemble in wrong and be reprimanded by Mr. Berdahl and asked to start again, only to fail miserably once more. As a precaution, I stayed as focused on his starting instructions while he was in front of the ensemble as possible. I paid close attention to his wording, the exact articulations he used, syllable emphasis, and personal mannerisms. My goal, therefore, was to learn from Mr. Berdahl's example as much as possible. It is said that imitation is the highest form of flattery, and my hope was that my imitating would provide me with the skills needed to start a jazz ensemble. Paul went first in counting off the group, and did an exceptional job. I went second, and was happier with my performance than I expected to be. The only comment from Mr. Berdahl was not to "start over", but rather that continuous conducting was not necessary once the band had been counted off. I guess I kept going out of nervous habit. Otherwise the experience was a great success, and is now one in which I feel much more confident.

Regarding the classroom structure of Mr. Berdahl's Jazz Band, I can say that I was most struck by the warmups, as I'm sure my fellow observers have also noted. The fact that the warmup was a predetermined piece in which each student could showcase his/her learned improvisation skills was one of the best warmup ideas I had ever seen. Not only did it allow each student to learn general jazz structure, but it provided each student with a chance to showcase their learning in a comfortable environment, and for each student to learn from their peers. This is a practice that, should I ever teach a Jazz Band, I would like to incorporate into my ensemble.

BHS Secondary Observation

I fully accept the fact that punctuality is not my strong-suit, and thus was the case upon my observing Kelly Berdahl's band at Bozeman High. While I had every intention, as I always do, of arriving at the observation early enough to speak with Mr. Berdahl, I found myself rushing to find parking and enter his classroom as the bell starting class began to ring. Upon introducing my fellow observers and myself, Mr. Berdahl described myself as a graduate student doing research on the effects of high school students who eat donuts and drink red-bull for breakfast. This introduction provided a hearty laugh from the students, as well as additional comments from those students whose breakfasts, in fact, had consisted of sugary foods and various energy-boosting beverages. This set a atmosphere of the classroom to one of ease, and, unfortunately, non-focus. The students were very often off-task and disrupting class. Mr. Berdahl would wind his way through the chairs and instrumental sections in an apparent attempt to curb the focus, but where one section would stay on task, another would be disruptive. In fact, being as this class took place immediately after Spring Break, the first 1/3 of the class was spent sharing vacation stories, both from the students and from the instructor. While I do feel that keeping student/teacher interactions as relaxed and open as much as possible, these interactions on this particular day took up far too much class time. I'm curious how much time Mr. Berdahl had allotted for this practice, and also how much would be the "norm". Generally, the rehearsal was somewhat successful, but I feel it could have been even more so through more disciplined structure on the part of the instructor. That being said, I commend Mr. Berdahl on his ability to still accomplish general class improvement among such easily distractible students. It shows great skill on his part, and is a quality to be emulated and refined upon.

BHS Conducting Warmups

All my time observing my father play bluegrass, in addition to my single year learning to play the violin in 5th grade, did little to help prepare me leading warmups for the Bozeman High School Orchestra. I was determined the enter the class in a timely fashion after my less than punctual arrival at my previous observation. My teaching designation -- folk songs -- was to be completed last in the arrangement of my fellow students. I sat quietly in the back, observing the teachers before me, and making every attempt possible to calm my nerves and secure my resolve to teach with the utmost confidence. When my turn finally arose, I had psyched myself up enough to at least pretend to be confident. It has been my experience with teaching that if you appear confident, even if you are not, then your students will respect and pay attention to you more. This was the philosophy I took on when moving to the front of the classroom. I spoke with a clear voice, and used my formulated plan for leading this particular warmup: designate student soloists in descending order on three separate pieces, from 4 to 2. When I was done I felt invigorated, and was deeply excited by the experience. I felt confident. Despite my apprehension prior to starting a lesson or otherwise preparing to teach, once I stand in front of the classroom I feel the most confident I have ever felt in the entirety of my life. This is how I know I am meant to be a teacher. I feel most like myself -- like who I want to be -- when I am teaching, and, to be completely self-promoting, I'm good at it. The small teaching episodes I have had so far, in addition to the lessons I have taught for Arts without Boundaries and my church's Sunday School have proven very successful, and have boosted my confidence in my teaching skills. It makes me look forward immensely to the day I graduate and find a job teaching music.

BHS Primary Observation

My observation day for Mr. Certalic's early morning orchestra did not begin on a good foothold. Having failed to anticipate the snow that accumulated overnight, I found myself rushing to get ready and make it to the classroom on time. On my way out of my onto 19th from Garfield, I had a small fender-bender with the car in front of me. The accident was completely my fault, and although there was no damage to her car (and only a small dent on my already beat-up, old Subaru), I still felt extremely bad for what had happened. The other driver was extremely courteous, stating that the roads were terrible, and wishing me safe driving the rest of my way.

I made it to the Orchestra classroom ten minutes late, and although I was not the latest MSU student that day (Austin received that honor), attention was still brought to my tardiness once the class had started. Mr. Certalic introduced us all, and used the rest of the period to show us the different warmups we could choose to teach the ensemble in two weeks' time. To say that I was intimidated was an understatement. When Sallie asked if we had to play the violin when introducing the warmups next time, I knew I was not the only non-string playing individual there who felt daunted by Mr. Certalic's ability to lead his ensemble through warmups and showcase his amazing talent at the strings. We discussed which areas we would tackle the next time we were to enter his classroom, and I immediately jumped on the final section: folk songs. I had grown up in a household that regular played bluegrass and other fiddle tunes, and although I, myself, did not play the violin past 5th grade, I knew that I would feel the most comfortable with this designation. I ended my observation nervously anticipating the next teaching episode, thinking for the next two weeks (when I wasn't sick on my couch with the flu watching Doctor Who) of how I might introduce my portion of the warmups to the students, and generally forming a game-plan for my next teaching episode.

CJMS Secondary Observation

I began my observation of the CJMS orchestra having already heard some of the classroom descriptions spoken of in class. As Becky and I entered the classroom we made small talk with Mrs. Van Zee, joking jovially about not bringing her coffee. I took in my surroundings: inspirational signs and rules on the walls, designated spots of folders and instruments, and chairs/stands ready to be arranged and used the incoming students. Mrs. Van Zee moved to set up the rooms behind the two internal doors so that they could be used by the students for playing tests that day. I do not remember the pieces used that day, but I certainly remember the playing test structure, as I was most struck by it. After assembling the students and reminding them of the structure for playing tests, Mrs. Van Zee instructed the principles to go in to the two rooms to take their playing tests. From that point students were allowed to enter as they felt comfortable into the designated areas to take their playing tests. While I do like this setup, in general, for playing tests, I can see the problems that may arise. It can be difficult to ensure that all students take the test, as teacher attentions can be divided among the remaining students. Furthermore, given that the recording device is at the student disposal, there can be no telling how many times a student plays through a piece, recording over their previous entry, to improve their score. Finally, if a student does not follow the prescribed procedures and forgets to state their name, then it could be very difficult to tell who performed during that particular selection, and thus grading may be difficult. I like the thought of keeping the classroom running during playing tests, but I would love to figure out how to keep the tests supervised to ensure student honesty and that all procures are accurately followed.

5th Grade Band Concert Observation

On the 26th of April the Bozeman Elementary Schools assembled their 5th graders and put on a concert to display their learned playing abilities from the previous year. On that same day, I became thoroughly enthralled with the teaching abilities of our local music teachers.

The 5th grade orchestra started the concert and performed three pieces under the direction of three separate conductors. All conductors showed remarkable prowess in leading the students, but I was particular struck by the final two, one of whom included Chandra Lind. What I found most remarkable about Lind and the final conductor was their ability to not only lead the students through their learned pieces, but also how they helped the students to continue playing and find the right spot once lost. In particular, there was one boy in the back of the ensemble who completely lost his way. The conductors each took turns helping the boy, pointing to measures, and lightly touching his back, keeping him encouraged to continue. This act of affection and care in teaching was the most profound for me of the evening.

Once the orchestra had concluded their performance, predetermined volunteers, including myself, made their way to help transfer the stands from the orchestra to the band. I saw one of my former voice students in the back preparing to play her trumpet, and was encouraged by her smile and her excitement to show what she had learned that year. The band also played three pieces, and showed remarkable intonation and counting abilities for the grade and skill level.

The experience, in general, made me wish to observe the general music teachers of the valley even more so that I might glean some knowledge from their classrooms. Each teacher, as far as I could tell, achieved remarkable results in teaching their students the basics of the instrument, as well as the foundations for successful instrument playing. It made me look forward, even more, to the day when I will be teaching in the public school system.

CJ Teaching Episode

I love teaching. It is the one area in my life where I feel absolutely confident about my abilities. When I teach I feel like the person I was meant to be, and all doubt about what I can and cannot do disappears. It was the same when I was teaching the 6th Grade Band at CJMS.

The previous day Becky had taught, and at the beginning of her teaching episode, before the students had found their seats, I tried helping to rally the players. The students had begun talking and were not focusing on finding chairs or music stands and preparing to play for their new instructor, Becky. I will admit that I raised my voice a bit, but in my mind it was to get their attention and let them know we meant business: we were not there to talk with our friends...we were there to learn, and we needed to show respect to the instructors, even if they are college students. The students did not seem upset by my raising my voice (though, really, I just tapped in to the acoustics I've learned in singing and projected my voice). On the ride back to class, however, Becky told me that I came across as yelling, and suggested that I tone it down when I teach the next day. I had her drop me off at my house, where I immediately burst in to tears around my husband, recounted the conversation, and asked him if he thought I came across as mean. Thank God for my husband, because without him I have a very difficult time calming down. He boosted my confidence and told me to just teach how I know. I have a different teaching style to Becky, and I shouldn't hold myself to her standards.

So the next day I entered the World Music classroom with the 6th Grade Saxophone players with a plan in mind. I had reviewed the music, listened to each piece dozens of times, and had narrowed each composition down to a few measures that, to my mind, appeared to be the most difficult. In the minimal time I had I was able to work through all the pieces I had planned, and even taught the students an easy way to remember a rhythm with which Mrs. Nelson said they were having difficulty. I had taught the students the rhythm at the beginning of our time together, and reviewed it at the end as well to ensure they retained that knowledge. To my great delight they did! Each student could play the described rhythm after playing other pieces for extended periods of time!

I really do love teaching. Every time I teach I feel like the person I have always dreamed of being. I always end each teaching opportunity feeling confident, successful, and beginning to form ideas of how that particular lesson can be expanded into the next. I feel completely satisfied in my career choice, and, after ten years of college, I am eager to start.

CJ Primary Observation

My first day observing the CJMS 8th Grade Band was certainly not what I expected. I had anticipated on observing teaching style, classroom management, and perhaps, were the time available, introducing myself to the ensemble. What I wound up doing was distributing music with Becky to the ensemble, as they had just performed a concert the previous week. This was most certainly a test for me, a non-band musician! While I know the instruments, and know generally where they are seated, I found myself asking students to direct me to where I certain performer was. During this time I kept my confidence up as much as possible, trying to maintain the appearance of authority with the students. Thankfully, this worked out well. The music was distributed, Becky and I introduced ourselves, and we enjoyed hearing part of the recording from the concert.

Recruiting for Beginners

Since I decided to become a music teacher I have had one main ambition: To teach kids to love music. In my mind, love is synonymous with having an outside person, object, or thing leave an indelible mark on ones desires. That is what I hope to impart on my students. When they walk away from a beginning instrumental music class, I want them to feel as if they cannot go through life without some sort of music. I want them to feel as if their instrument, whatever it may be, is not only an enjoyable pastime, but is also an extension of their emotional self. At the same time, I want them to feel as if playing music is fun. The best way to engage students, I feel, is providing them with a fun and emotional connection to something.

My hope, therefore, is to have students learn more than the basics. Yes, they will be learning how to accurately play, assemble, and handle the instruments. However, they will not be restricted to repertoire in their methods book. My students will be given opportunities to play original compositions (which can be done in groups). More than that, students will also listen to examples of trained musicians playing their instruments as solo instruments, as well as in background to their favorite songs, television shows, and movies. Basically, I want my students to learn to play the instrument, have fun with what they play, feel proud of their playing, and hear what sort of quality they can obtain with practice and dedication.

Of course, before any of the above is possible, I must get students in to my program. This is not limited to the first few weeks or even months before the instrumental program begins, however. From the early years of grade school I will have my students hear quality music and begin to make connections to how it is used throughout everyday life (such as on the radio, in the store, or at the doctor's office). Through this I will attempt to establish an emotional connection between my students and instrumental music.

From there I will use the skills I have acquired dabbling in Photoshop to create an eye-catching poster to grab the students' and the parents' attentions. I would also have a "meet-and-greet" type of day, where students can "meet" the instruments first hand and try them out. If I am teaching in the Bozeman area, I will set up a field trip to attend MSU's "Petting Zoo" as another way of introducing my students to their playing possibilities. Then my students will each have a card on which to write their name and rank the two instruments they would be most interested in playing.

Whether or not any of my ideas will work in an actual classroom, I do not know. What I do know, however, is that the best way to engage anyone is to have them get emotionally involved and have fun. Those will be my main goals when teaching first year instrumental music.

F.E. Blog #2 -- High School Pep Band

What an adventure observing the Bozeman High School Pep Band turned out to be! The call time I was given to be at the High School was 3:15, and so I had made plans for my brother to watch my children. As 2:55 rolled around, he was no where in sight, and I soon learned that he had forgotten his duty as babysitter. I hurriedly got my two little ones ready to leave the house and was in the process of telling them how to behave at the school when a knock startled me: my brother had been awakened by our mother, and despite being sick with a cold, was here to watch the children. By this time I had already promised my daughter that she would get to see a real basketball game, and given that her school had been given the privilege of having a Harlem Globetrotter come and entertain the student body, my promise to her was one that I could not easily break without much wailing and gnashing of teeth. So my children, my brother, and I headed out in the cold, gray afternoon to Bozeman High.

We parked behind the band room, only to find upon entering the building that it was deserted. Lights were blackened, gates sectioned off the corridors of the school, and note a life was to be found, save for that of my family and the family of Adam, who we ran in to when searching for answers. We all walked as a group to the South Gym where we knew the game would took place, and being still at a loss for where the Pep Band could be, decided to wait to learn more information. In the meantime, I fed my kids junk-food and sports drinks while we looked toward the back parking lot from the warmth of the BHS weight-room ramp.

Nearly an hour passed by before we saw any sign life stirring with instrument cases in hand, and when we did my family and I decided to wait until a larger crowd had assembled. I informed Adam that some band members were showing up, as he was in the gym watching the pregame with his lovely wife and daughter, and returned to watch for Mr. Berdahl, the instructor. When a substantial enough crowd had formed, we made our way out to wait for the director. The air was extremely cold while we waiting for him to come and unlock the door (which had apparently locked since we had all been in there before), and my children were soon anxious to get inside. Once Mr. Berdahl showed up, I introduced myself, as did Adam (who had also made his way down from the gym), and we began waiting for any further instruction. When no instruction was given we followed the band out the door, back in to the cold, and back to the gym where the game was about to begin.

I wish that I could say what I remember most about that day was the quality of the Pep Band. While I did find the Pep Band to be quite skilled -- I was amazed that all Mr. Berdahl had to do was conduct the first few measures before the band could carry itself through the rest of the piece -- I must admit that what struck me the most about the day was the difficulties in its beginnings. However, given the unnecessary and lengthy prose above, I will note what I did observe about the High School Pep Band:

1. The students were so comfortable playing with one another that, as I mentioned above, they could continue playing a piece without direct cuing from the conductor. What struck me most about this wasn't the idea that they could count, but more the idea that they could listen so well for being in High School. Granted, I base my assumptions on my younger brother who, although extremely bright and very talented musically, tends to not want to spare a free second to really listen to anyone other than himself. My beliefs are biased, and I am happy to say now, have been completely annihilated. Students can learn to be great listeners, as this band has proven, if they are taught by a gifted instructor.

2. Watching Mr. Berdahl, I was amazed how little attention he paid to his students, and how much he focused on the game. It was awe-inspiring to me, the way he knew the exact moments to begin the band, not to distract from the game, but to enhance it. He had a book of, what I could only assume were, plays of the home team, and was referencing that more than his musical scores. This was an aspect of directing a Pep Band that I had not considered before this experience.

3. There was no dynamic cuing -- just the carefully honed skills of the players. The students worked as one, despite having little visual reminders, to incorporate dynamic contrasts and phrasing in to their pieces. This was fascinating to me: how a group of so many students could make minute adjustments so succinctly, in order to play the music at their best. Again, I can only attribute this to having a highly skilled director in Mr. Berdahl.

I wish that I could remember more about the band, but I was quite distracted by my children once the game began, as both of them had now grown tired of remaining in one place for longer than 5 minutes. However, as has worked in the past, I'm sure I will remember further details about what I heard upon classroom discussions.

Purpose of the Resource Notebook

I tend to be a rather forgetful person, despite my best efforts. When it comes to matters of the house and family management, I can recall finite details with near perfect clarity, much to my husband's chagrin. When it comes to all other life obligations however -- appointments, oil changes, bills, birthdays, and even homework -- I tend to have vital information slip my mind. Having a resource notebook available for all categories of classes I have taken, especially one for instrumental instruction (the area in which I have the least confidence), would be vital to my teaching career. I think that it would help me in the following ways:

1. The Resource Notebook would, first and foremost, provide me with a resource, in which I will be able to quickly find lesson plans, teaching strategies, and other tips/techniques to help me when I am teaching.

2. As is alluded to above, the Resource Notebook will also serve as a sort of portfolio, keeping not only my notes from class, but also the assignments I feel best showcase my ability to teach.

3. Finally, the Resource Notebook will help me to see how I have grown as a student/teacher, allowing me to look back, evaluate my work, take into account my current situation, and understand where I can grow as a teacher.

My Core Values

We all have a central set of core values by which we live our lives. Whether or not we can put these values in to a verbal context is another matter entirely. We may wish to write our values down as a source of motivation to keep our families focused on the "big picture" when we might otherwise be "sweating the small stuff". We might also wish to write them down as a testament to our faith or other convictions. As for myself, I believe I may have to give a verbal contextualization to my core values for the purpose of answering the questions of a potential future employer or a parent of a future student, or to keep myself focused on the larger picture of my time teaching when I might otherwise get caught up in the exhaustion and trials of teaching impressionable and opinionated students. Suffice to say, providing myself with a list of my main values of teaching is important to my career and my mental well-being. Given previous discussions on teaching values, I have prioritized those that are at my core as follows:

1) Love children and desire to work with them, for every child can learn and has a right to learn.
2) Music is worthy of curricular study on its own right and exists for its own sake, and should not need justification to be included in the school curriculum.
3) The classroom is a place of safety, freedom or expression, and should be a place where children can discover and learn without fear of ridicule.
4) Have integrity -- Do the right thing, and do your best, whether someone is watching or not.
5) All classrooms, especially music classrooms, should be structured as communities that teach vital life skills: listening, cooperation, understanding, empathy, and self-confidence.
6) Be proud to celebrate your accomplishments, whether they be as a teacher or a student, whether they be small or large, and whether they seem significant or not: they are still important on their own merit.

Hello Future Me!

My dear Karen,

CONGRATULATIONS!! After ten long years of study you've finally obtained your Bachelors! Remember: It was all worth it. I know you originally came in to the Music Education field out of desperation. How else would you be near guaranteed to find a job upon graduation that would help support your family? But hopefully after the decade-long struggle to complete your educational goals you have come to the same realization I have: You are passionate about teaching. You have learned as much from Professor Harney and Jennifer Murphy, and hopefully from the rest of your cooperating teachers. Remember how much you loved helping teach the kids at Irving? Keep hold of that. You'll be tired. You'll wonder why you ever entered this field. You may even wonder if all the work you're doing is worth it in the end. But don't forget your love for teaching kids to love music. That's why you're in this -- why you've stuck with this degree through all the difficulties and stress -- and why you know you can continue on the path towards being a phenomenal teacher.

Okay, so you're teaching career didn't lead to a position like you thought it would. You're not teaching General Music...you're teaching a Junior High Band! How did that happen? You're probably beyond frightened by the prospect of your being unable to adequately teach your students since you yourself are not an instrumentalist. Stop worrying! I know that's been the motto of your life for God knows how long, but it's true. All music teaching comes down to the same core values:

1. Passion Breeds Passion: If you show your love for all things music through your words, your demeanor, and your daily preparations/teachings, then your students will learn to be passionate about music too. You're not just teaching them notes, you're teaching them to love what they do.
   
2. Practice Makes Perfect: You practice so your kids can learn to practice. This may seem common sense, but remember that to many of your students this may be a foreign concept. It's your job to show them that practice isn't merely a requirement that needs to be met, but it can help build self-confidence, skill, and can come from and build a love of the instrument.
   
3. Music is Auditory Emotional Expression: Teach your kids to express themselves through the notes on the page. Music doesn't have to be rigid. Every one of your students at some time in their lives will experience fear, hope, loss, love, and anger. Teach them to focus those emotions in to their work, so they can make the piece have greater depth than the harmonic structure.
   
4. Love What You Do: We can't always get our way. You know this. Your life has been led by this fundamental concept since as far back as you can remember, and it will never deviate. But love is a choice. Sure you didn't expect to be teaching instrumental music. So what? You have to do it. You  have a choice of being bitter about not being in your "ideal" job, or you can take what you're given, learn from it, and become the best instrumental teacher possible. It's your choice: Complain, or love what you do.
    
5. Anyone Can Learn Anything: The brain is a remarkable thing. Every sensory input we gain creates and reinforces pathways for learning. You think you can't teach instrumental music because you didn't play an instrument? Wrong! You can learn anything. Remind your students of this. Remind yourself of this. The brain is a pliable tool, able to easily learn great things, and able to stop learning just as easily. Keep trying, and when you fail, try again. Remember: You never know what you are capable of until you have no choice but to do it. You are capable of greatness...allow yourself to be great.

I know you're scared of making a mistake with your students and what they, and your supervising administration, will think of you. Don't be. Music is music, and is merely expressed in different venues. Instruments are made to mimic the human voice. Apply what you know about vocal music to that of playing an instrument. If anything, instrumental music requires even more skill than singing, and I know you know this. Playing an instrument requires kinesthetic skill, mental knowledge and preparation, as well as the same concepts of breathing you find in singing. Try to recall the studies you've read: Performing music uses both sides of the brain, thus enhancing the skills needed in many other left and right-brained activities. Does this guarantee that students in Band or Orchestra will be better students? No. But many of the higher achieving students are in an instrumental ensemble. What if other students, those who were not such high achievers, were to participate in the same ensembles with their higher achieving peers? Would they become friends? Would they potentially see that seeking to do well at school in their curricular requirements could be beneficial? Possibly. Participating in instrumental ensembles helps build confidence, enhances many curricular subjects, and provides a construct for working as a team to meet a common goal. Not every student can be in sports, but every kid can learn to play an instrument or sing. It's your job to enlighten the school board, the district, even your local and state officials as to the importance of music in the schools. Show your passion, and prepare useful data concerning these matters -- It may mean your job some day.

Okay, so that last part may sound a little dire. Let's focus on the here and now: It's August and the school year starts in less than a month. Do you have enough time to relearn how to play all the instruments? Unlikely. However, you can review your Instrumental Methods notebook, as well as all your books from your techniques classes. Concentrate on the music your ensembles will perform this year, knowing it inside-and-out, and being able to conduct it in your sleep. Know each part like you know your child's voice: you'll know when something is wrong. It's easy to be overwhelmed. Don't be. Take what the previous instructor left you and adapt it to your teaching style. A lot of change for your students will not make for a great learning environment. Make small changes gradually, and above all, FOCUS ON THE MUSIC!! After all, isn't that what this is all about?

Be excited! You'll do great, even though this is all new. It's all about learning to adjust. You can learn anything, remember that. Don't be scared: Be confident. You are going to be a phenomenal teacher. And above all: Remember why you became a teacher.

You love every part of it, and it makes you blissfully happy.

All the best, Dear Karen.

Love,
You