"Glued to the String" seems to have run its course. It's nice to see there are still readers coming here occasionally, and I apologize for not having posted any new content for so long.
At some point, I hope to begin writing further blog posts specific to music education, string teaching, music in the schools, and the like. Not right now, though, and no longer in this forum. This blog was created as a summer project, creative outlet, and writing exercise. I don't see any reason to continue maintaining it. I will leave all of the posts which I feel may be useful or pertinent, but many of the archives will gradually be deleted.
Best,
Stan
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Blog recommendation - "Thoughts of a String Educator"
Here's an excellent blog I just ran across, by an orchestra teacher calling himself "orchestra guy" (which is a bit like "batman", except without all the pricey gear)
[quote from Thoughts of a String Educator]
First, we need to encourage or even force our students to be musicians. They need to be scientists in science class. Be mathematicians in math class. Be writers in English class. You get the point. It is not enough to be a music student in an orchestra. You have to be a musician. You have to think like a musician, feel like a musician, listen like a musician, count like a musician, BE a musician. Too often, I think that we expect our students to be music students, not musicians. But, how do we get them to do this?
We have to teach them how a musician thinks. We have to teach them HOW a musician counts, how a musician listens, how a musician moves, how a musician feels. I think that too often, we get so caught up in the facts ("make that C sharp higher, hold your bow this way, etc.) that we forget to teach the thought process. . . .
[end quote]
Bravo.
[quote from Thoughts of a String Educator]
First, we need to encourage or even force our students to be musicians. They need to be scientists in science class. Be mathematicians in math class. Be writers in English class. You get the point. It is not enough to be a music student in an orchestra. You have to be a musician. You have to think like a musician, feel like a musician, listen like a musician, count like a musician, BE a musician. Too often, I think that we expect our students to be music students, not musicians. But, how do we get them to do this?
We have to teach them how a musician thinks. We have to teach them HOW a musician counts, how a musician listens, how a musician moves, how a musician feels. I think that too often, we get so caught up in the facts ("make that C sharp higher, hold your bow this way, etc.) that we forget to teach the thought process. . . .
[end quote]
Bravo.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Sound and Fury: individual practice in group settings?
I'm an experienced school string teacher. I've gone through loads of coursework and professional training over the years, and have seven years of full-time, professional school experience under my belt.
However, I think that being a parent is teaching me more about the processes of teaching and learning than I ever could have grasped through reading, practice, or any pedagogical training. Two of my three children have been studying with good Suzuki studio teachers for some time now (one is playing piano, the other violin), so I have a front row seat in watching the whole process unfold.
Sometimes things become obvious when you change your perspective.
That long introduction was intended to lead into a fairly simple point: one of my daughter's private teachers threw me for a loop a few weeks ago when she advocated for students to practice periodically with lots of distractions. She specifically mentioned playing pieces in one key while someone else in the same room practices an entirely different piece in another key.
This is something I would never allow in my lesson groups. Since the first time I started studio teaching well over a decade ago, I've always instinctively encouraged students to listen hard to what's going on around them. In the opportunities I've had to start or take over school string programs, one of the first things I've always done is to forbid students from practicing individual parts during lesson groups or rehearsals. I always try to have students in group lessons play either in unison or complementary parts - I have always tried to break the habit of students playing without listening.
Now, a very good teacher who I pay to help teach my own children has me thinking I may have done all those students a disservice. Did I discourage them from developing the skill of focusing in the midst of distractions?
Music teachers and musicians: any thoughts?
Here are some of the points that I've thought about. I've obviously come to no conclusions:
-The teacher in question got this idea while hosting Japanese Talent Education teachers and students years ago. As I understand it, Japanese families are used to living in very close quarters and don't share the same need for "personal space" that I do . . . I've noticed that many of my students (who, by and large, come from "inner city" backgrounds) are also accustomed to very close quarters and are not as leery about "close personal contact" as I . . . so, by not allowing them to be noisy or to work on parallel paths, am I "shutting them down"?
- I personally have a very high ability to tune out and focus on singular tasks with lots of noise and distraction when necessary. However, I find it impossible to focus specifically on teaching in the midst of any noise or interruption. So, ultimately, am I silencing the kids just for my own convenience?
- Many of my kids, for a variety of reasons, don't or can't practice outside of school. Should I let them have the time to do it during our scarce group lesson time? Is some better than none? Does anyone have experience integrating practice time into lesson time?
I'm looking forward to getting some input on this one . . .
That long introduction was intended to lead into a fairly simple point: one of my daughter's private teachers threw me for a loop a few weeks ago when she advocated for students to practice periodically with lots of distractions. She specifically mentioned playing pieces in one key while someone else in the same room practices an entirely different piece in another key.
This is something I would never allow in my lesson groups. Since the first time I started studio teaching well over a decade ago, I've always instinctively encouraged students to listen hard to what's going on around them. In the opportunities I've had to start or take over school string programs, one of the first things I've always done is to forbid students from practicing individual parts during lesson groups or rehearsals. I always try to have students in group lessons play either in unison or complementary parts - I have always tried to break the habit of students playing without listening.
Now, a very good teacher who I pay to help teach my own children has me thinking I may have done all those students a disservice. Did I discourage them from developing the skill of focusing in the midst of distractions?
Music teachers and musicians: any thoughts?
Here are some of the points that I've thought about. I've obviously come to no conclusions:
-The teacher in question got this idea while hosting Japanese Talent Education teachers and students years ago. As I understand it, Japanese families are used to living in very close quarters and don't share the same need for "personal space" that I do . . . I've noticed that many of my students (who, by and large, come from "inner city" backgrounds) are also accustomed to very close quarters and are not as leery about "close personal contact" as I . . . so, by not allowing them to be noisy or to work on parallel paths, am I "shutting them down"?
- I personally have a very high ability to tune out and focus on singular tasks with lots of noise and distraction when necessary. However, I find it impossible to focus specifically on teaching in the midst of any noise or interruption. So, ultimately, am I silencing the kids just for my own convenience?
- Many of my kids, for a variety of reasons, don't or can't practice outside of school. Should I let them have the time to do it during our scarce group lesson time? Is some better than none? Does anyone have experience integrating practice time into lesson time?
I'm looking forward to getting some input on this one . . .
Saturday, January 19, 2008
The elementary orchestra: nuts & bolts
One problem that's been nagging me lately is one I'm sure other instrumental teachers will recognize: the challenge of maintaining motivation, interest (and enrollment!) in the school program, retaining as many members as possible, while simultaneously trying to challenge the more gifted and faster-moving students, encouraging them to participate in select ensembles outside of the school.
My orchestra program is based very heavily on the concept of "teamwork". A large part of what motivates students to continue with the school program is their involvement with their peers, working toward a common goal, playing different parts, contributing to the same music. This means that students who are part of my orchestras (elementary, first through third year players, most of whom have no additional experience or instruction on their instrument) spend most of their time working on "ensemble music". I do the best I can to help them develop good technique and musicianship through their studies, but due to limited available time, most of this is done through the ensemble music they need to play for concerts or upcoming auditions, and not necessarily closely tied to a sequential method of instrumental study. Unfortunately, much of the "skills-based" material covered in the student's method books tends to fall by the wayside as they struggle to prepare themselves for school concerts, all-district orchestra auditions, and all-county auditions. I've yet to have any all-state players come through my program.
At this time of year, this seems to cause a chronic problem. All of the students have done their best to prepare and perform for a "seasonal concert" which is done before winter break. Most of the second and third year players are encouraged to go on to the all-district orchestra, which requires an audition to enter. By and large, the students (especially the second year, but also a large contingent of third year sixth graders) Are not able to competently learn their audition pieces without a lot of help. They depend on me to make sure they know how the notes and rhythms in their excerpts go. It's an exceptional case who can take the music home and read through it on their own without a huge number of basic mistakes. Most of them are usually just not ready to accomplish this: it's analogous to a kindergarten student being asked to read and comprehend short stories that are beyond their reading level without assistance. The few who can handle the material on their own are generally preparing for additional auditions, like the all-county orchestra (which is far more competitive.
Here's the problem: all of these students are in lesson groups with others, some of whom are not preparing for these select ensembles due to lack of interest, scheduling problems, or simple lack of ability to handle the material. All of these students are, however, still part of the school group. Meanwhile, they don't receive as much attention or help during this period, as we're busy working on audition material.
I make it my goal to keep those kids. I'm not sure why: many of the teachers in my district are more than happy to lose the students who aren't making adequate progress and focus on the select few who are handling the material more competently due to a variety of factors. But the way I see it, I need to retain as many of the "fair to middling" students as I can. I even make every effort to retain poor and problematic students. I need them on stage, my program needs the enrollment, and, though there is very little idealism left in me at this point in my life, I like to think that their involvement in the music program will help them in the long run, even if they don't do everything the way I want them to.
This is a train of thought I'll have to come back to later. I appreciate any input via email or comment (below).
My orchestra program is based very heavily on the concept of "teamwork". A large part of what motivates students to continue with the school program is their involvement with their peers, working toward a common goal, playing different parts, contributing to the same music. This means that students who are part of my orchestras (elementary, first through third year players, most of whom have no additional experience or instruction on their instrument) spend most of their time working on "ensemble music". I do the best I can to help them develop good technique and musicianship through their studies, but due to limited available time, most of this is done through the ensemble music they need to play for concerts or upcoming auditions, and not necessarily closely tied to a sequential method of instrumental study. Unfortunately, much of the "skills-based" material covered in the student's method books tends to fall by the wayside as they struggle to prepare themselves for school concerts, all-district orchestra auditions, and all-county auditions. I've yet to have any all-state players come through my program.
At this time of year, this seems to cause a chronic problem. All of the students have done their best to prepare and perform for a "seasonal concert" which is done before winter break. Most of the second and third year players are encouraged to go on to the all-district orchestra, which requires an audition to enter. By and large, the students (especially the second year, but also a large contingent of third year sixth graders) Are not able to competently learn their audition pieces without a lot of help. They depend on me to make sure they know how the notes and rhythms in their excerpts go. It's an exceptional case who can take the music home and read through it on their own without a huge number of basic mistakes. Most of them are usually just not ready to accomplish this: it's analogous to a kindergarten student being asked to read and comprehend short stories that are beyond their reading level without assistance. The few who can handle the material on their own are generally preparing for additional auditions, like the all-county orchestra (which is far more competitive.
Here's the problem: all of these students are in lesson groups with others, some of whom are not preparing for these select ensembles due to lack of interest, scheduling problems, or simple lack of ability to handle the material. All of these students are, however, still part of the school group. Meanwhile, they don't receive as much attention or help during this period, as we're busy working on audition material.
I make it my goal to keep those kids. I'm not sure why: many of the teachers in my district are more than happy to lose the students who aren't making adequate progress and focus on the select few who are handling the material more competently due to a variety of factors. But the way I see it, I need to retain as many of the "fair to middling" students as I can. I even make every effort to retain poor and problematic students. I need them on stage, my program needs the enrollment, and, though there is very little idealism left in me at this point in my life, I like to think that their involvement in the music program will help them in the long run, even if they don't do everything the way I want them to.
This is a train of thought I'll have to come back to later. I appreciate any input via email or comment (below).
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