Summer School by Jonathan Tesser
Take advantage of the warm-weather months and earn the graduate credits you need to further your career
A teacher's education is never complete. As a philosophical statement, that's tough to argue against, but it also applies in a more specific context as well. That's because every state has requirements that educators must meet to maintain their certification.
Whether it's continuing education credits or a master's degree, furthering professional development means that teachers must eventually return to school. Of course, finding time to do that during the school year can be next to impossible. There are some outstanding solutions to that problem, however, and all have at least one thing in common: They happen during the summer.
To take one example, an excellent source for continuing education credits is Conn- Selmer University. The summer sessions offered there (see www.connselmeru.com) allow students to receive credit through arrangements made by CSU with a list of colleges and universities.
With the support of such partners as NAMM (International Music Products Association) and MENC (National Association for Music Education), and a faculty comprising national leaders in music education led by Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser, CSU provides an opportunity for teachers to continue learning at all stages of their careers.
That's because there are three programs running simultaneously during the four-day sessions. The first is for educators who are just starting out, the second is a master's level track for those who have more experience under their belts, and the third is for music store representatives, with sessions geared toward maximizing the synergy between educators and their reps that helps build a strong program.
Julee Kaye Bayliss first attended the program for new teachers in 2003 and then returned last year to attend the master-level sessions. "I was looking for information on how to improve both my band recruiting and retention, as well as information on instruments," says Bayliss, the Leipsic Local School District band director in Leipsic, Ohio. "I received all of this and much more."
Dave Schreier was also a return visitor to CSU, and he appreciated the relaxed and supportive atmosphere. "It was great to talk with other educators/students about their experiences," says Schreier, who is the Osceola High School director of bands in Kissimmee, Florida. "The same goes for the presenters and the CSU people. But the best was having Dr. Tim serving coffee and juice in the morning and drinks and dessert in the afternoon and evening, just to make the experience that much more special."
VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois (see www.vandercook.edu) also provides continuing education credit opportunities through its Music Education Center of America program, which offers a diverse selection of graduate level courses on a weekly basis throughout most of the summer.
There is also a summer master's program at VanderCook. Sessions run for six weeks, and students can complete their degree in three sessions. Master's candidates are expected to perform in a major ensemble, whether it's band, string or vocal. Everyone also sings in the chorus. "We strongly believe that everybody gains when they sing," explains VanderCook's president, Dr. Charlie Menghini. "Doing it develops their ear-training ability, their communication skills and their musicianship."
There's also a wide range of courses, including those in technology, instrument repair, conducting, selecting literature, the latest in repertoire, methodology, instrument techniques, and rehearsal techniques for band, orchestra and choir directors as well as the general music teachers.
But the program is more than just the sum of its classes. Menghini believes it is "for people who are looking for renewal. If you want to gain more information and have a better experience — both with students and faculty — well, that's what our program is designed for."
To reach those goals, students go through an intense six-week program. "You have a variety of classes from morning until afternoon," says Phil Donley, the band director at Liberty High School in Renton, Washington, and a 2001 graduate. "The rest of the time is pretty much spent in either a midi or computer lab, or in the practice rooms preparing for your next class."
It succeeds because of the noncompetitive working environment that allows students to flourish. Hand in hand with that is the support and assistance offered by the faculty. "It's our whole life," Menghini explains. "Every ounce of energy we spend goes into helping them become better teachers."
Donley agrees with that assessment. "They're always there for you," he says. "And they were open to letting us share our experiences with each other in class, as opposed to doing something strictly by the book.
"It was very hands-on, and they made you go through the process. The fact that it was very comprehensive and they touched all the bases was great. If my school told me tomorrow I had to teach choir, I could teach choir. Of course, it wouldn't make me a better piano player, but I could still teach choir."
There's another master's program that's offered each summer on the campus of Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon. In fact, it often starts on the first day of summer, as the main two-week session runs from June 21-July 5.
Max McKee started the American Band College in 1991 (see www.bandworld.org) and is currently its executive director. He has watched the program grow from a three-person class that first year to the 260 expected to attend this year's session, and he has a pretty good handle on what's made it so successful.
"It's not at all like a traditional college curriculum," McKee explains. "Students go flat out from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are basically eight different sessions during the day, and everybody goes to them regardless of what they do or don't know."
That immersion allows students to work on their areas of weakness, a main focus of the ABC program. Those weaknesses are identified through an exam that's given to students the first day they arrive on campus. They also devise three thesis projects — one each summer that's worked on at home — called practical applications that relate to these same areas.
There are also two bands at ABC (260 people in one band is simply too unwieldy), and they rehearse three hours a day in preparation for the concerts that cap off each session week. The first takes place in a theater in nearby Medford, Oregon. The second is on the Fourth of July at the Ashland High School football field, where the last 30 minutes of the concert is coordinated with a fireworks display.
A crucial aspect of the ABC program is the atmosphere fostered by its staff. There is a lot of internal support for students, who in turn help each other out as much as they can.
"In the evening, the focus pretty much shifts to the dorms," says Paul Kassulke, the music department chairman at St. Croix Lutheran High School in West St. Paul, Minnesota, and a member of ABC's first graduating class. "Different study groups are formed; clinicians will often appear at the dorm and give lessons for groups of students. One time there were 17 bassoons all playing together in the lobby of the dorm — it's an incredibly unique sound."
All of this combines to impact ABC's students in a big way. "I completely changed the way I was teaching after the first summer," says 1995 graduate Steve Accatino, the band director at Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord, California. "My kids saw it right away, asking me, 'What happened to you this summer?'
"What's great is that you do the program while you keep working, so you have an immediate lab, which is your band or orchestra. What you find is that the stuff you learn works and makes sense."
The same can be said for the program at VanderCook College and the sessions offered by Conn-Selmer University. You will come away with valuable, practical information that is immediately applicable. Probably the hardest part of the whole experience will be waiting for September to roll around.
