#musedchat Archive
Each Monday evening at 8PM EST, music teachers get together and share ideas about important topics within music education. It’s a great chance to interact directly with educators from all over the world and to get new tips and tricks to help you succeed in the classroom. The entire #musedchat discussion is organized and moderated by Joe Guarr.
Monday January 25, 2016
Bill Boswell, I teach instrumental music in Mattawan.
Welcome to the chat, Bill! It was good to see you at MMC.
. I need to focus more on pacing. I just want more time.
Amy from MI. Middle school band.
Antoine here from Woodbridge Ontario Canada HS instrumental music teacher MB and drumline director
A1: I would love to acquire more resources for teaching my private string students
Good evening! Alex from MI, HS/5th Instrumental Music. Ready to talk improvement
Sara from IL. I teach MS band and orchestra.
Welcome! Hope you've sufficiently recovered from the weekend.
Adam from NJ. PreK - 6 Music
Welcome back to the chat!
Hi Antoine, great to see you as always
Welcome to the chat. It was great meeting you this weekend!
Hi Sara, great to have you here
Good evening to you, hope your week is off to a good start
. ditto! enjoyed your sessions.
Thanks for joining us. Enjoyed chatting with you this weekend
Thanks! This is my first time here. I using this as an assignment for my Education Technology class
Lani, K-5 vocal music. Reporting from 3 feet of snow in Pa!
Thanks, I appreciate the kind words. Excellent conference all around.
Really excited to see some friends from here! Glad you're all joining in!
Andrea. Alberta, Canada. Grade 6-12 band
Geez, hope you're staying safe and warm
I find pacing while teaching is just a personal goals to improve. I have been thinking about investing in a timer.
It's been a little while, I hope you're doing well!
Okay. Switched. Choir director from Shepherd, MI.
Another day would have been acceptable, but pretty much recovered. Hope things went smoothly for you today going back.
Actually taking my 7th graders down to UM in a week
it’s been a wild ride. Snow day today and tomorrow! Missing the kiddos.
your phone is a great timer! Students also would love to assist - it is a game!
Q1: What part of teaching was most difficult/intimidating to you as a brand new teacher? How did you address that?
Checking in periodically…just got home from open house!
If you're new to chatting, remember you can set up a column in or try something like tchat.io.
Middle school chorus teacher from Wake County, NC
Erica here Music City, USA. HS chorus, piano
A.1 Selecting right level music
Hi, Jennifer k-5 music in Canada
A1: getting to know so many students individually. Still a process.
A1: Understanding all of the non-musical things that go into being a music educator.
A1: managing the variables (the Ss). Had to work on having a plan b and really focused on pacing.
I'm Michelle from NJ. I teach k-5 gen music and 3-5 chorus. I'll be following, but not sure how much I can participate tonight
A1: Curriculum. 5 different disciplines in 5 hours, no curriculum. Pre-existing knowledge varied greatly. Curriculum is essential
A1: Classroom management. Having to balance the needs of so many students at once was a challenge
Yeah, really tough to get a handle on all the "extra" stuff until you've actually started doing it yourself
A1: Keeping my head above water. So much to take in all at once. Finding a go-to person for my music questions was a huge help.
A1 Choosing the right music for my groups, and pacing rehearsals.
A1 justifying that participation marl in band/choir is legitimate according to curriculum.Still find I'm doing that 9 years later
And hello to my lovely wife!
A1. Pacing. If you go too fast you lose a lot of S, if you go too slow a lot of bored S.
following is always welcome!
A1 music selection was most difficult, found mentors and lots of help
Caitlin from MI, MS & HS Orchestra teacher
A1: I found that my more experience colleagues, both musical and non, were the most helpful with management
A1.1: I struggled w/ music selection too. WAY overprogrammed my 1st groups.
Music education major at Augusta University, newer twitter user.
A1: Classroom mgmt was a big issue. Safety net disappears when you get your first job. Observed other Ts. Still do.
Welcome to twitter, and welcome to the chat!
A1: Turning to my more experienced colleagues, both musical and non-musical, was what helped the most; love veteran teachers!
Student teaching is usually set up in an ideal situation and first jobs are usually anything but that.
do you get time allotted to observe other teachers, or is that something you have to find time for?
A1: classroom management. I always afraid I was going to encounter a situation that would leave me dumbfounded!
A1 I learned a lot from just doing, reflecting, & asking lots of questions
Lost count of how many times my first few years I wanted to go back to student teaching
I think we all go through this. We're so pumped coming out of college, it's difficult to be realistic sometimes.
A1: It was MY classroom. In student teaching, it was THEIR classroom. It was hard to grasp at first. Daunting even.
Little bit of both. Building sets aside one day for teachers to observe others. Also drop-ins during my prep hr.
A1 this is my first year with a new program at a new, higher level that I'm used to I too find music selection a huge challenge
I still struggle with challenging the ensemble vs. allowing for musical development.
that is a great statement
That feeling eventually made way to "I can't believe they're letting me do this!" for me
I think that's an ongoing struggle, especially when you're first getting to know groups.
Even in the best internship situation, it's difficult for interns to get full picture of what it takes make culture
I love it. Teachers are encouraged to observe outside of their area of expertise
For music choice, finding someone to ask w/ a good knowledge of rep is key. Being able to bounce ideas around really helped
it should be required for ALL teachers. Our contract allows for one day to observe another teacher.
Q2: What musical skills do you find most challenging to teach? What resources are out there to help?
I got to spend a PD day last year observing outside the district. Best PD day ever.
A2: sight-reading in the choral classroom. As a student I learned in band and applied it across, so I'm learning too
I know used to participate here a lot. He has some resources.
A2: I struggle with teaching key signatures. Feel like we can review scales and how they work but Ss still miss them.
A2: On the technical side, Intonation. As a percussionist I simply didn't think enough about it. https://t.co/QHambvPZiA
A2: Workshops with Carol Krueger helped, and I'm trying to observe multiple approaches to combine them in a way that works for me
A2: ensuring Ss rehearse and perform at the highest level daily.Intrinsic motivation is a struggle. Never waste a musical moment!
A2: Percussion is always a personal challenge. I understand but I can't demo like I can with other instruments.
A2. Tuning playing in tune & MB techniques. Next to nill in resources north of the Boarder.
Did a clinic at DePaul once. Prof. told us to envision intonation like an archery target.
thanks for the rec! I've heard so many great things about
A2. Jazz ensemble. I am a classically trained clarinet player. Feel very uncomfortable with teaching improv & style
Right buttons get you on the target. Air support and audiation get you close to the center.
A2.1: the aesthetic side of things are also difficult, though I find it's getting easier with age. Maybe I didn't know it all
A2. Always trying to hire professionals to come work with my ensemble and soak in everything they say.
Daily sight-reading practice reaps huge rewards, even one exercise each lesson.
this for sure! Hard to get the Ss to take a risk when I'm a bit scared myself.
A2: MSchorus-trouble w/diction! Pop music is the norm - difficult to break their habits. Compensate w/quality listening samples
Early Childhood music class at the end of undergrad REALLY helped me develop the beginning of those skills.
A2 Solution: bring my Johnny Carson every day. Though not my personality, engage at a high level that is contagious.
yes! And trying to take pop technique out!
Sweet! Going to try it w/ my new 1 I think. If you're around, we're about halfway through too! Come check it out. :)
I know I can't improv & am scared to put myself out there to try, yet I make my students do it.Not exactly fair
Absolutely. Dr. Mrs. Taggart's classes were the toughest and most rewarding ones I took.
Ask if your school/district will spring 4 a subscription to https://t.co/bUhNyhkG90 - identify as something you with to work on.
A2: I always have the hardest time teaching rhythm to a child that is lacking in that area. Eventually we get there but...jeez
please share this “no wrong notes baton” idea!
You can totally improv! Start w/ just one note and tinker w/ rhythm. Go from there.
There are days when I'm jealous of Mr. Holland getting to use that beater and football helmet.
what rhythmic techniques do you use?
Practice improv every day as well, even for five minutes. Use the MusiClock iPhone/iPad app - amazing.
A2: I find myself struggling with assisting students in forming their own means of expression through their solo repertoire.
Best thing you can do is not pedagogical. Just create safe space for your Ss to explore improv
thank you for the recommendation!@mymusiclock looks like exactly what I need!
I did it so often as a gen music teacher. Too much time in the rhythm section in jazz band.
YES! I always have to resort to the metronome. A helmet and a drumstick would be so much quicker
I think it's esp. difficult with S who play technically well, but haven't developed the expression alongside it.
Take a class suck as Jazz Improv 1 as part of ur prof development. Seriously, you need to be comfortable with improv.
I did hear a cool idea to use a Garageband beat instead of typical metronome click at . Diff beat might help?
I actually acquired a little floor bound drone and my Ss improv to the movement.
it is difficult to express to great beginner Ss. They are so happy with technique, they forget the music.
I want to do a school wide recording of a song for Music In Our Schools Month but cannot take time out of my school day ideas?
they just released GarageBand for iPhone! It is fantastic for on the fly.
Something like Acapella app where you can record groups separately, but playback all together?
get a vid of each group as you see them then splice them all together in a video app?
Audacity multi-tracks with about 20 classes are going to be difficult.
is there a common time during the school day that you could do it? Lunch, electives planning...?
I am in a K-5 building. I am looking to stream line things for ease of staff and principal.
can you do a full school assembly for it?
as a trombone player I learned it from Rochut. what are the books for other instruments?
I've had a friend make a Hip-Hop beat under a Viola da Gamba Sonata...never thought to do that for a student though
That's what we're here for - helping each other!
Special baton only for when Ss have mastered a piece or section. Sets up fun expectation for Ss.
A great ?. I know Rochut, Blazhevich, Tyrell, Gillis, and Arban's. Not what everybody else uses. https://t.co/jzLZcsx2Fd
as a trombone player I learned it from Rochut. what are the books for other instruments?
for Horn: Kopprasch, Gallay, Maxime-Alphonse
And give a shout to , he probably has some experience here
Q3: What are some of the challenges you face while teaching technical skills to your students?
For SD, harder to find good lit to develop expression. Cirone is good, though
A3: not sticking with drilling the technique for the time required. Moving on too soon.
True. Can each class record parts of the melody? Easier to splice horizontally than mix vertically
A3: How can you convince flautists that the Boehm system actually makes sense when all they play is Bb thru F in band music
A1: teaching harmonic theory to students in the band setting. I would suggest directors turn to Mr Lisk's The Creative Director
A3: assessing individual student achievement of techniques in the midst of the class
Gotta go.....great topic looking forward to reading the transcripts.
A3: Ability to demonstrate. Once past a certain level, I can explain and sing, but can't play it on many instruments.
A3: The wide range of maturity levels in beginners can get in the way of developing great habits immediately.
Hey Im Brandon Essick, music education major, whose already gotten some hands on experience in band directing and percussion tech
A3: Limitations with understanding nuances in embouchures required for my weakest instruments.
I would take the approach of Whitacre. He gave a conducted video to keep the students together. vertical
A3: Anything oboe is my downfall. Try to breathe like a trombonist. Makes me want to pass out. Never learn.
An excellent question indeed. Big deal made of clarinets going over the break, but most flutes do it on day one.
Thanks for joining us tonight, Brandon
beginner flute every year is kicking and screaming. Second year they are all the jaded veterans :)
Baroque works so well with beats! Great way to add vitality if only in rehearsal
A3 Differentiating for huge differences in ability
I focus on one instrument a semester. 10th grade mastery is my goal
I had to try and fix an uncooperative bassoon today, might as well have handed me jet engine parts. Felt pretty useless.
Time to break out the hammer and blowtorch
not just understanding, but conveying. It is hard to describe when it is not your primary.
A3: As a percussionist, I find teaching embouchure to be very challenging, and I often turn to texts and colleagues
A3: Particularly with wind instruments I find it difficult to convey to students exactly what composers want with articulations.
say out loud "I know how to fix it, I just don't have the tools." Then walk away, but not too quickly.
I can't make a flute better. Everything I do makes it worse.
yes! I find myself running to fb to ask old college friends for help.
A3: I have a rough time teaching breathing techniques for any instrument. String player so it's not something I think about much.
felt the same way when starting a HS bassoon. Needed a day to remember it before teaching.
vary the warm ups? C scale, all marcato/legato/staccato/etc. ?
all I remember from bassoon methods was "You probably use your thumb."
Flutes are never a quick fix. Flutist here and every quick fix turns into a complete rebuild.
Are you on the Band Directors FC page? Some good visual aids for that in the "files" section.
breathe is the 1st thing I talk about after we stop every rep. It is FIRST in music. 99% of problems are solved w/air
I teach breathing to strings as well as winds. We have full Orch. They have to learn to phrase w/winds eventually.
A3.1 I'm fortunate to sometimes have fantastic lesson teachers in the building willing to help students when we hit a wall.
Flick! Whispa key! And that's it.
also teach bowings to wind players. Helps strengthen their articulation and phrasing.
you have a fortunate situation, both with lessons teachers and being close to university resources
I refer to the string instruments all the time, especially string bass. Especially helpful for tent
And I understand that logic. My logic leans towards, "When notes start to get fuzzy it's probably time to breathe."
breathe. buzzing. repeat. breathe. buzzing. repeat
I am the band teacher that also teaches strings. I sympathize. It has been a learning curve.
just need to have them write and plan breath marks in music just like string players write bowings.
Q4: What areas of music education do you wish had more readily available resources?
A3 As a female & as a soprano, trying to help my tenors & basses/baritones
A3: Also need to figure out how to get trumpets to go for high notes w/out looking or feeling like their heads are going to pop.
YES. Are there other area teachers you can have come work with them? Or college profs?
Buzzing sirens on their mouthpieces. Buzzing is the brass equivalent of "more air".
horn player tip: use the bottom lip to drive the sound. Support with lip. Combined = magic
A4: The new NCAS require Ss to select repertoire to study. Wish there was more out heir to help guide this process.
A4: I wish there were more curated video resources. Sometimes I just feel like it's easier to do it myself
A4: free private lessons teachers.
Learning so much helpful instrumental pedagogy tonight!
flexibilities all day, every day. weightlifting for your face.
I use that for string players that forget to breathe. I will definitely keep that in mind though!
agreed. https://t.co/j4v5xet7ku grants CCL to their material. I am going to narrate the lessons and post on YouTube
yes, any way there could be more time for Ss to get 1-1 learning without having to give up more precious free time
students will always choose the most unfortunate places to take a breath
The US Army Band YouTube channel has some fantastic instrumental pedagogy materials. But yeah, could always use more.
bc my S are already always 'so busy' with everything else theyre already doing. Huge gymnastics town.
nice! I've been making presentations using Google Slides and narrating over them with ScreencastOMatic
A4: Access to clinicians when in a more isolated area. Was really a challenge as a rural T to find private Ts or clinicians.
I would gladly give up class time for weekly lessons. The time lost would be time gained in technique.
and as a chorus teacher... :D I tend to use more for musical examples and basic theory
A4 I teach French Immersion music. Wish it were easier to find French choral music, or a book series like Game Plan in French
that standard seems noble but a bit too far. Picking for an ensemble, is everyone's getting picked then?
yes, when they have run out mid phrase because they didn't support.
awesome! share those resources with us! I use QuickTime. It is the easiest way on Mac.
A4: Quality multicultural literature for early bands. Too much "in the style of." Not particularly authentic.
I do assignments where I give a our state list or criteria and set them loose on JWPepper.
Yes! A lot seems forced. Fun for Ss, but not a particularly deep learning experience.
A4 private instruction for Ss
I agree. I try to teach breathing with the phrase but that can be a little tricky sometime
