Blog 7-Advocacy

Dear Superintendent and School Board

It has come to my attention that a large funding cut to the public school music program is under consideration and will be voted on at the school board meeting this coming week. I would like to take this opportunity to express a few factors that I hope you will take under consideration before finalizing this important decision.

The public school music program provides excellent musical opportunities that are available to all students. The program provides musical opportunities to students in 5th thru 12th grade.  Students perform at least two concerts a semester, learn music fundamentals, and work on sight reading skills. The work done in these ensembles ensures that the music program is compliant with the National Association for Music Education National Standards and opens many musical opportunities for students.

As participation in a musical ensemble begins in 5th grade students are well on their way to achieving a great level of comprehensive musicianship when they enter high school. This has greatly enhanced the high school programs level of excellence which is tangibly shown by the several superior ratings received at both District and State Music Festival.

The skills that students learn in music classes fall into two categories: intrinsic musical values, and non-musical opportunities for growth that are extremely well facilitated by a performing ensemble class. Music requires a unique skill set of technique, subjective interpretation, appreciation of aesthetic beauty, and the cultivation of a desire to communicate subjective, intangible things. The music classroom also provides an unparalleled environment to develop the skills of teamwork, self-discipline, leadership, and responsibility.

Thank you for your time! If you have any more questions regarding the music program in our school district please don’t hesitate to contact me!

Sincerely,

Kira Lee

Music Director

4-20 Observation

I observed Kelly Berhdal's Freshmen Concert Band during their adjudicated performance and sight-reading session for District Music Festival.

I thought that the kids did a really excellent job on both portions. Mr. Berhdal obviously had them very well prepared on their concert music and they have obviously worked on sight-reading skills.

In regards to the music they performed I noticed that one of their pieces definitely had several rhythm challenges (sounded like mixed meter and some interesting cross rhythms). The kids where prepared enough that the main comments from the adjudicators were about increased dynamic contrast and expanded listening skills to work on more accurate intonation as an ensemble

One of the most effective things I observed was before the sight reading session Mr. Berhdal talked through the whole piece giving different sections specific things to watch for and referencing certain points that they would be able to latch on again if they got lost.

4-2 Elementary Band Observation

I observed Jennifer Murphy's 5th Grade band rehearsal at Emily Dickinson Elementary.   They were working on some music for the upcoming 5th grade band and orchestra festival. Also, during this class period she introduced the concept of the concert B-flat scale and how saxophones and clarinets would not be playing a written B-flat scale but they would all be playing the same pitches.

Ms. Murphy obviously had a well established system because all the students seemed to know the drill on how to get their instruments and get set up and ready for band. There were a few stragglers that didn't have music or seemed to take forever to get their instruments out, but overall it seemed to go pretty well.

I was really impressed at how Ms. Murphy was able to mix individual help without the entire group sitting idle. She moves around her classroom a lot so she can hear individual students and offer assistance.

Blog 6-Tone

Achievement of a characteristic tone on each instrument in an ensemble is important for three reasons

1-Good tone is the foundation of a balanced and blended ensemble sound
As we read in the article on balance and blend-an ensemble that is comprised of musicians producing a good characteristic tone within in a pyramid-like proportion of bass to treble will naturally lend itself to a more balanced and blended sound
2-Good tone is key to developing a keener sense of intonation
when students are producing a good tone that is characteristic of their instrument it is much easier for them to hear intonation discrepancies and correct them. 
3-Achievement of a characteristic instrumental tone is more than half the battle of achieving musical success on an instrument
A large portion of the technique that students are learning (bowing, embouchure, air control, ect) is all directly related to tone production. As students make success in these areas the improvement of their tone will be a tangible result of their efforts.

3-22-12 BHS concert band observation

1. I observed one of Kelly Berhdal's concert bands in rehearsal during 1st period at BHS.
2. There were definitely some problems with students being unprepared and unfocused . Like Mr. Berhdal said, sometimes you just have a bad rehearsal day. I was so impressed at how quiet they got when he raised his voice. I'm sure that this style of management probably only works for some people and it probably also only works now that he knows the student body pretty well. I don't think it would be such a great option for me.
3. This ensemble was kind of in a middle stage of repertoire learning--there are definitely some notes that still need to be learned, but they were able to work on some issues of balance and blend.
4. The two main pieces that we heard them work on seemed to be on opposite ends of the spectrum. the In This Quiet Place seemed much too easy and they were definitely bored with it, however the Cowboy piece seemed to be really challenging them.
5. I think this observation definitely made me realize that kids are sometimes just difficult and things don't go very well and you just have to shrug it off and make your next rehearsal better.

3-22-12 BHS Jazz band observation

1. I observed Kelly Berhdal's 7:30 jazz band in rehearsal at BHS.
2. It kind of bothered me that they didn't really start on time and it seemed to take a while to get everyone settled in and into work mode. Once they got there though I thought that they got a lot done in a small amount of time.
3. I thought that the warm-up they did was great! I was really impressed at how well all the kids did with their improvised solo and I thought it was great that they also did a call and response type of exercise to focus on ear training.  The band was working on some charts for an upcoming show so they were into a polishing up stage at this point and really working on uniformity of sound, attacks, releases, and dynamics.
4. I'm not very well versed in jazz band literature. I thought they sounded good and it didn't seem too hard for them. There definitely were a few rhythmic things that had challenged them, but none of it seemed beyond them. Can we maybe discuss how to evaluate literature for a jazz band, or an ensemble that isn't our forte???
5. I thought that it really seemed like the kids were enjoying themselves and working hard at the same time. I think its really important to develop strong courses like this outside of your main concert group because it develops musical skills in a different way and also is an extra engagement for the students.

3-20-12 BHS observation/practicum

1. I observed and lead a warm-up for Mr. Certalic's Camerata orchestra (a group of high schools, the majority of whom are juniors and seniors) at BHS during one of their rehearsals.
2. I think the biggest management issue I notices was when the students needed their etude and fiddle tune books and it probably took at least 5 to 7 minutes for everyone to get a book and get re-settled. This could probably be remedied by having more than one storage area for the books (for example keep violins, violas, and celli books in different areas so there is a little less of a stack-up.)  Also, I will definitely want to plan ahead so they have those books at the beginning of class and avoid the disruption.
3. The learning goals of Mr. Certalic's warm-ups are the foundations of everything that he does in orchestra. They are all founded on improving the basic tenants of string playing (intonation, tone, and technique) The call and response exercise that I led was meant to work on ear training development.
4. The variety of warm-ups that Mr. Certalic has is incredible. The etude book is a collection of many of the best traditional etudes for different stringed instruments arranged for an orchestral group. The collection of fiddle tunes is a great way to bring in some American culture/a style outside of western art music and to also work on improvisation which is often a skill that is neglected in the education of orchestra students.
5. I think it is really wonderful that these students are learning the importance of different warm-ups to develop their technique. I think one of the main things that I would add is that time on scales needs to be divided between working very slowly and carefully for accurate intonation as well as developing speed and agility.

3-6-12 BHS Observation

1. I observed Mr. Certalic's Camerata Orchestra at BHS at 7:30 AM
2. I thought that the students did a great job of following instructions quickly and accurately. Also, Mr. Certalic had a wide variety of activities and the students were constantly engaged.
3. The students did a wide variety of warm-ups as a demonstration for us. The four main categories were a call and response echo exercise, scales, etude work, and fiddle tunes
4. The learning objectives here a continued refining of the basic techniques that musicians work on their entire careers: tone, intonation, use of bow, articulation, dynamics, ect
5. Mr. Certalic's class seemed pretty focuses and well behaved. The few times that they did get a little chatty they were quick to quiet down when Mr. Certalic just said "quiet down" or "be quiet"

2-23-12 CJMS observation

1. I observed Sallie Nelson's 8th Grade band at CJMS in a rehearsal at 8:15 am
2. I think the Mrs. Nelson is a really great balance of keeping things upbeat and fun, but constantly giving feedback and correcting small misbehaviors and never missed a beat.
3. The students were working on their music for the upcoming concert. They all know the notes and rhythms so they were really working on dynamics, articulations, and playing as an ensemble.
4. The most challenging piece for the band is Go West because of the key signatures. The group is playing a great variety of pieces that challenge them in different ways.
5. I really liked the way that Mrs. Nelson managed her class. She manages in a very straightforward way, but does it in such an upbeat way that it doesn't create any sort of dissension.

2-11-12 Pep Band Observation

1. BHS, Saturday afternoon, Kelly Berhdahl, high school pep band performing at a game
2.  I thought that the students were very well behaved. I think that this is because they all know the procedure and expectations. I think that its much easier to enforce es and regulations when they are clearly explained.
3. I think that the learning goals of pep band are basically similar to that of other ensembles, they might just be a little less obvious since they are playing mostly pop and rock pieces
4. The repertoire here is obviously significantly easier than in concert band, yet there are still lots of things for the students to work on.
5. This experience is obviously relevant to my future as a music educator because it is very likely that I will have a job at some point that will involve pep band.

2-16-2012 CJ TE Day 2 Blog

For this TE I was with the 8th grade orchestra (2nd violin section) at CJMS during their first period. We were working on fine tuning some of the details of their music for the upcoming concert.

I was hoping to get the students to blend more as a section and play a little more precisely in terms of rhythm, dynamics, and articulation.  Also, especially since 2nd violins often have an inside voice or a countermelody, it was very helpful for them to work on their part apart from the whole group.

I didn't have a partner for this activity, so she didn't teach the rhythm assignment. I worked with the second violins in the hallway. I had them all introduce themselves and tell me their favorite color.  We only worked on one piece, but it had lots of complicated issues and I was pretty nit-picky.  A lot of the problems that the students were having were rhythmic accuracy problems, so I had them clap and count several passages. Besides some rhythmic problems, I spent a lot of time working on dynamic contrast, and having matching articulations. One technical issue that I did address was having them anchor their thumbs while pizzicato-ing.

I was not assessing the rhythm using the created this TE, since that is what I did last time. I felt in general that the objectives for the sectional were met. I think that the most effective thing I did was to try to mix it up a lot, and not just continuously dwell on one thing, but by changing what we were working on I think I was more effective at getting them to think about blend, rhythm, articulation, and dynamics all at the same time.

I felt quite good about the lesson overall. I wasn't nervous, and just had a good time working with the students. I think that I had lots of good ideas for them, but I'm not sure if they all applied them... I think this experience relates to the future challenge as a music educator to combine musicality, technique, and motivating the students all into one small session.

Elements of a Successful Program

 Some of the essential elements of a successful program include:

1. Desire for a program by students, parents and administration
2. Qualified, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic director
3. A vibrant and enthusiastic environment
4. Mission Statement
5. Instruments, music, equipment and facilities
6. Efficient and Effective rehearsals
7. Home Practice
8. Commitment by students
9. Support of Parents (Booster Club)
10. An adequate budget to maintain and advance the program.

2-9-12 Teaching Episode/Observation

1. CJMS, 8:15-9:15, 8th Grade orchestra
2. I was pretty excited about the teaching episode. I had a very detailed lesson plan and I felt very "in my element" leading a violin sectional.
3. The kids were pretty good. We only had common issues such as sometimes not stopping playing right away, and some wandering attention. Otherwise the kids were attentive and did what we asked.
4. Our pacing went pretty well. It was dragging a little at the end, I think maybe the kids were a little tired since we were pretty intense for the first half of their sectional. The most difficult part was to move quickly enough to keep students engaged, yet not too fast so they wouldn't get things.
5. My overall experience was great. I think the most frustrating part was having such contrasting skill levels in our group. We had one student who was very advanced, some that were very comfortable in the middle, and one who was definitely struggling and didn't really pay attention very well.

Band & Orchestra: Recruiting Beginners

In their first year of instrumental music students should learn: how to properly assemble, hold and care for their instrument; how to produce a pleasing tone; how to produce a variety of pitches; play a variety of rhythms (probably whole through 8th or possibly 16th notes); and students should experience the joy of making music collaboratively with others.

I would organize an opportunity for students (and hopefully parents also) to hear an ensemble of older students (possibly the 8th grade..."see what you will sound like in three or four years") and then an opportunity for them to try out various instruments. I would then provide information regarding rentals of instruments and how being in band or orchestra works to the parents and have some sort of an orientation night. I would be sure to stress that it is best to join now, because it would be very difficult to catch up in the school program if they decided a year later that they wanted to play in an ensemble. I would also point out that great opportunities, both curricular and extra-curricular exist for students in music through high school, into college and throughout a lifetime! :) Music is one of few areas where you truly have the opportunity to continue and improve outside of the frame of scholastic involvement.

Observation 2-2-12: CJMS

1-I observed Desiree VanZee's 8th grade orchestra at Chief Joseph Middle School in a rehearsal
2-Ms. VanZee has her students very well trained to respond to her signals to be quiet. In order to remedy some common classroom problems she had a poster hanging in her classroom to explain the procedure for getting a drink, going to the bathroom, taking care of forgotten music, ect. This saves her a lot of time in class!
3-I really liked how she started off her class with working on rhythm. Rhythmic accuracy is a life-long musical goal. I thought it was great that she approached the learning of the rhythm in a way the promoted a subdivision of the 8th note.
4- I thought that the students were playing a nice variety of repertoire. It is obvious that Ms. Vanzee has gone through all of the parts and has very clear ideas of how to articulate the solutions to technical problems.
5-I think the biggest thing I am struck by is the large disparity of abilities by students in the ensemble. This is one of the things I am most concerned about-challenging students so they aren't board but not over-whelming students who are struggling. There are obviously students in this ensemble whose technique is not up to par with other students. I wonder how much these students are getting out of orchestra compared to students that are more confident on their part.

Purpose of the Resource Notebook

Remember to use this resource notebook!!! You worked hard on it, and now it will help you out! Three ways that this is going to help you are:


1. It is going to show Dr. Stark what you learned in Instrumental Methods. This means that you have taken in the information that was presented and processed it and are able to assimilate it into your teaching

2. This resource notebook is a fabulous showcase of your work that you can present to a prospective employer! Many of your best projects and writing samples are already organized so you can focus on rocking that job interview!

3. Having many of these materials on hand is going to make your first year of teaching just a tiny bit easier. Already having a document, lesson plan or idea will be a better starting point than having nothing!

My Core Values

It is important to have clearly articulated core values as a teacher in order to justify the importance of your program and to create a program that is beneficial to all of your students in multiple ways.

My Top 6 Core Values:

1. “One of the greatest accomplishments of the human spirit is music and an education that lacked an experience with this elemental part of humanity would be incomplete.

2. All students have the right to a safe environment in which to learn to express themselves

3. Every child has the right and the ability to learn 

4. Everyone has some amount of musical aptitude that can be nurtured and developed
5. Success in music as well as in life is much more due to dedication and effort than innate talent
6. Exposure to and involvement with music should not be limited based on perceived talent.  
 

Observation 1-17-12: SMS Concert

1.  I observed Sacajawea Middle School's 6th grade concert at 7:30 pm. Three ensembles performed: orchestra with Hollie Sexton, choir with Charlotte Colliver and Jacob Malcyk, and band with Laurie Hickman and Susan Wadsworth.
2. The students were quite well behaved and the concert was organized very well and ran smoothly. I thought it was a good idea to have all the students sitting in the place of their performance the entire time in order to cut back on transition time, but also I think that since the students were in front of the audience the whole time even when they weren't playing they were less likely to misbehave.
3. The two most obvious learning goals I saw in the music that was performed were the variety of styles and cultural contexts and a strong emphasis on developing rhythmic accuracy.
4. I thought that the selections of repertoire were great! All of the pieces were different and allowed the students to make discoveries about different styles and different technical challenges
5. After seeing this concert I think I understand how important it is to make concerts an enjoyable event for the parents as well as the public. The key points involved in this were having a variety of repertoire, keeping the concert short enough, and having minimal transition time between ensembles.

Hello Future Me! :)

Hello Ms. Lee!

Congratulations on your  first real, grown-up job! This is a big step! Remember that you decided to become a music teacher because of your wonderful experiences working with students at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and because of both the exemplary and not-so-exemplary teachers you have had both as private instructors, ensemble directors, and teachers in the classroom.

Remember that all students are in the process of becoming. Very few, if any, will pursue music as a career, however, all of them deserve to be challenged, accepted, and offered opportunities to discover more about themselves and the world they live in. There is a difference between giving students attainable goals and stifling their personal and artistic development. 

Instrumental music belongs in the schools because it is essential to the well-being of humanity that students learn to appreciate beauty, think outside the realm of a language, and develop a deeper respect of and appreciation for the human spirit and the great deeds it can achieve. One of the greatest accomplishments of the human spirit is music and an education that lacked an experience with this elemental part of humanity would be incomplete.

Remember as you start of this year that all large wholes are composed of smaller pieces. Take all large obstacles one piece at a time and the whole will turn out well. Remember that your responsibility is great, but it is worth it to provide students with experiences like the ones that have formed you into who you are today. Remember that all students are in the process of becoming, don't judge the results too soon or too harshly. 

Sincerely,
 Kira Lee (2012)