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.
It is interesting that even after a year of playing that only now they are getting to the B-flat scale. It is important to remember how slow and methodical we must be with beginners :)
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