The Happy Classroom Part 3 by William Gourley
You Get What You Expect.
The artist in us would love to think the rewards from playing great music is reason enough to endure hours of scales, long tones, rhythm, bowing and tonguing exercises, etc. and stay in band or orchestra year after year. The fact is we are not teaching ourselves we are teaching our classmates that did not go on to become music ed teachers. What factors encouraged them to sign-up for band each year and what factors encouraged them to discontinue? Of all the reasons to stay-trips, marching band, drum line, color guard, friends, great performances-if the student isn't in a happy environment on a daily basis it is difficult to cling to the other incentives.
Let me clarify, happy does not necessarily imply a lack of order, discipline or high expectations. I know many teachers who have a reputation for being disciplinarians and their students toe-the-line. Teachers, students and parents are amazed that these same teachers instill laughter and joy into their teaching and the students. Everything from academic expectations to classroom behavior is taught, reinforced and administered in a positive, respectful and joyful manner.
Let the Games Begin
Using games to teach concepts helps make the class fun. Placing poker chips or small pieces of candy (Hershey Kisses or small candy bars) on shoulders and not letting them fall off can help with posture. Placing them on the top of shoes can help students restrict tapping their feet so loudly (see Newsletter Archives – Educational - The Games We Play by Al Johnston). Practice card lotto (see Newsletter Archives – Here's an Idea) is a contest between the director and students. Once a week a date and student name are randomly selected and if the student's signed practice card has any time at all on it the day selected everyone in the band gets a small candy bar. If the student doesn't have time on the date and the card properly signed by the parent the director gets the candy bar. Have a contest of naming the notes in a song or exercise in rhythm with students taking turns on each measure. Every four measures correctly done is a point for the class. Any mistake is a point for the instructor. Finding creative ways to review the material other than the old flash card, or point and repeat method will pep things up.
Beat the Boredom Magic
We all know that the best musicians and ensembles have an impeccable sense of time. We also know the only way to acquire this skill is to practice constantly with a metronome and that becomes very annoying and definitely not fun. An inexpensive electric keyboard loaded with 30 or more preset accompaniment rhythms with amplification is a great metronome. Everything from long tones to scales and rhythm studies can be performed over a steady fun pulse (just stay away from the swing styles). The added feature of pressing a key and including some harmonic function to the beat gives students a pitch reference as well. By changing the accompaniment styles you can play an exercise twenty times and keep everyone happy.
I used the Rubank Drum Method with my beginning percussionists along with an electric keyboard or the Movement to Music record of Dr. James Froseth to instill pulse and add a little fun to the class. It was a lot more fun than just hearing the class hit a snare drum while I beat a woodblock. Teaching rhythm reading accompanied by the music of Spira Gira, Weather Report, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Blood Sweat and Tears, Chicago, Bela Fleck, etc. develops a strong inner sense for pulse while creating an enjoyable atmosphere in the classroom.
Get creative, remember the method books are the roadmaps to music learning and making. They tell you where to go to get to your destination. Just as we take time during a trip to see a great waterfall, see the biggest ball of twine or some curiosity to keep the trip enjoyable we need to get out of the book and create interesting strategies that reinforce the lessons in the book or on the page.
Seek Success in Every Student
In every ensemble there are various levels of proficiency among the members. The more advanced the ensemble the fewer levels of proficiency differential. If you can help a student experience some success on a regular basis you will add to the pleasure of his/her experience. This may mean allowing a student to play something the class learned a month ago, acknowledging the slightest improvement in posture or tone ("Your sitting on the front edge of the chair, great! Can you get that back straighter?") or going down the line on a section you know even the least accomplished student can play. Before anyone calls this, "dumbing-down" I would ask you how do we inspire a student to want to challenge him/herself to work harder on his/her instrument? By helping the student find the joy in success perhaps we can motivate them to work a bit harder to improve, have more fun, be happy and stay in the ensemble. You never know when a student will blossom.
You Get What You Expect
I have heard teachers say how they dreaded a certain class. The students were all monsters or worse. I have always felt the class responds to your expectations. If you expect proper behavior and quality music making you will teach to that level and the group responds. If you expect the class to be monsters, you will teach to that mentality and reinforce that behavior by continually focusing on it. Recognized behavior is reinforced behavior, remember? It's a head game but it works. I have encouraged teachers to see the class differently to expect them to be a great class and focus on the positive. In a couple weeks I get a phone call or email saying it worked. It takes patience and a strong will, but it works.
In the competitive school environment with students being enticed with fourth year French, drama, sports and the need for earning spending money we must exercise a bit of the Music Man's Prof. Harold Hill's salesmanship while maintaining integrity. High performance standards and classroom expectations do not have to be sacrificed to sustain a Happy Classroom. In fact, they add to the pleasure of the class. It is up to the teacher to determine if they want to achieve these goals through intimidation or exaltation. The Happy Classroom needs to be our goal 80% of the time. Of course there are times teachers stray from the path but the better the teacher the closer he/she is to 100% realization of a Happy Classroom. Simply stated, at the minimum there needs to be four positive experiences to every negative experience.
Going back to, "students come to band or orchestra for the music but stay because of the teacher," or "10% talent 90% personality," we must realize we are not teaching music. We are teaching people how to play music. Until students become proficient enough to perform music well so the music can provide the joy of a Happy Classroom, the teacher needs to provide ways to make the journey enjoyable and encourage students to return next fall. A Happy Classroom is the result of accomplishment and environment which are determined by the teacher.
William W. Gourley is the Senior Program Development Executive and Educational Coordinator for the Marshall Music Company of Lansing, Michigan where his responsibilities include editing and writing Marshall's educational newsletter, mentoring music teachers throughout the state, lecturing at universities, presenting workshops and coordinating educational programs and seminars for music educators. Mr. Gourley is in demand as a clinician, adjudicator, guest conductor, and lecturer for student and adult ensembles in the state and nationally.
Mr. Gourley is also a featured clinician at the Conn-Selmer Institute, the preeminent educational workshop in the music industry. For more information, visit www.csinstitute.org
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