Mayterm Review

This year, I did not spend Mayterm tromping around Europe. I spent three weeks at a nearby high school and elementary school observing and learning from two teachers. It was an interesting experience, really stretching. I drove back to college one night a week to discuss the experience with 6 other students and our professor. And we took one field trip to two inner city schools to observe what it was like to teach under very different circumstances. At the end I had to write up a report on my experiences. Rather than write an entire blog entry separately, I'll just post my report (which was limited to 2 pages). I've taken out the names of the teachers I observed. If you're simply dying to know who they were and where I observed, please feel free to ask.



During the course of my Mayterm observation experience, I learned much about the world of music education in our schools. There are many responsibilities and challenges facing music educators today. Music educators are not only responsible for introducing students to the world of music and increasing their knowledge of the subject area. As educators, they are responsible for the safety of students whenever they are with them during school or at other events. This can be a challenge when there are close to 100 students in one band or chorus. At one point during my observations, a student had to be suspended because he did not report directly to band afterschool and instead went to his daycare, and neither the classroom teacher nor the band director knew where he was. Communication between music educators and administrative staff can also be a challenge at times. If an administrator was not part of a music program as a child, they may not understand the importance of the program to the school, which puts the program at risk when budget cuts are necessary. When parents express concerns about the program, it is helpful to have the support of administrators support the program. Another challenge involving music educators is in creating continuity between various grade levels in the program. Differing teaching philosophies amongst educators, and an unwillingness to reach a compromise, ultimately stunts the students’ musical growth as well as the growth of the overall program.

There are many different skills and qualities needed in order to become an effective music educator. Patience is needed when dealing with students, teachers, administrators, parents and community members. Being flexible is also important, in order to deal with unexpected situations. Creativity is also needed to find solutions to problems that may not have been discussed in college. High school band directors especially need to be able to multitask and have enough stamina to last through before and after school rehearsals and evening music activities. Music educators also need to learn how to do basic and common repairs on instruments, especially school owned instruments, in order to help cut down on costs and so that students will have instruments to practice instead of waiting a week for them to come back from the repair shop. Music educators also need to be able to manage their time effectively and have good communication skills, both written and oral.

School music instruction is very important for the overall education of children. Students who participate in music programs tend to do better in their other studies. Music allows a different means for expressing oneself. It also teaches valuable life skills, such as team skills (there are no people on the bench in music), responsibility, commitment, and time management skills. And with various leadership positions, especially in marching band, students have the opportunity to gain important leadership skills. Music can also be used to enhance what the students are learning in other subject areas, especially through the use of comprehensive music education units. One method for expressing to administrators the importance of music education is to create a day where they can actually be given lessons on instruments, sit in a general music class and work on a piece as a choir. This helps them to better understand the skills needed to perform in a band or chorus, as well as the breadth of material covered in a general music class. This idea can also be used to create an open house for parents.

Mrs. _____ had several different comprehensive music education units that she used with her young bands. One unit was used each year and it typically involved the band, chorus and at least one other class, such as art. For the Big Band Unit, the students performed music by Gershwin and Glenn Miller in band and chorus. They also studied the major artists of that period. They completed listening logs and other projects as they learned about the history of the composers and artists. For the final concert they created a radio show that included interviews with the composers and artists in between performances of the music. Mrs. _____ also had similar units that focused on Classical Composers, Program Music and World Music. In this way, she integrated other subjects (other units integrated geography, science and language arts), helping meet content standards numbers eight and nine of the national standards for arts education. Mrs. _____ also developed an assessment method which involved video taping the students twice a year and having them complete rubrics and reflection statements on each video. At the end of each year the students would look back at the videos from previous years. This method of assessment will soon be added to the curriculum for Middle School and High School students. The idea of comprehensive music education was not observable at the high school level, and it would be beneficial to also use it with those students.

There were many effective teaching methods in use. Mrs. _____ used a checklist to help remind her students of proper “Musician Position”, “Embouchure” and “Air Support”. She also had them set goals for each half of the school year and referred to those goals in each lesson. By constantly reinforcing the proper basics of musicianship, she was creating a solid foundation for the students. Her emphasis on self-reflection helped to develop the student’s early cognitive abilities and aided them in taking ownership of their instrument. In lesson situations, Mr. _____ would take time to break things down into smaller chunks, making them less overwhelming for the student to process. He also gave a balanced amount of positive and negative remarks to help encourage the growth of musicianship in the students. There were also approaches that clearly were not working. Since students in the Wind Ensemble were not graded on lesson attendance, none of them came to lessons, which hurts the overall musicianship of the music program. It also creates resentment from the students in the Concert Band who are still required to attend lessons. While Marching Band is optional in the Fall, in the Spring the students are required to attend two parades, but those who did not participate in the Fall vigorously protest having to be involved and some even worked to undermine the performance. It is now being proposed that only the students who choose to do Marching Band will have to attend competitions, football games and parades. There also were no effective means of getting the students’ attention during marching band rehearsals, both indoor and outdoor, indicating a lack of respect for the director.

This experience has expanded my understanding of what it means to be a music educator. This course did make me question my choice to be a music educator. When I observed the challenges and difficulties of not having enough money in the budget, or facing staff reductions and the amount of stress that puts on a director, I began to doubt whether or not I could handle those challenges. I also observed what happened in an area where music was not generally supported by the public or the administration, and the challenge of working with students who had little respect for the subject or the director. I was unsure as to whether or not I could ever teach under those circumstances, and if I should reconsider what I was doing. But as I talked with the teachers, I learned that the rewards of the job far outweigh these challenges. As I watched the younger students get excited about music, both in band and lessons, I learned that while a music educator may not receive public accolades, knowing that you have been able to ignite a passion for what you love in a student is worth everything.