Music Teaching as a Profession- Emily Young

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Webb- Vocal Health

MUSIC 23241: MUSIC TEACHING AS A PROFESSION
Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, Assistant Professor
Kent State University School of Music
Fall, 2011

CRN: 200910 – Section number: 001 – Class Days: TR 7:45a – 8:35 am - Classroom: SOM E202
Office: Band Office - 330.672.2965 - Telephone: 330.672.2965 (Kent Campus) - E-mail: mneiman@kent.edu
Office Hours: TR 9:00 – 9:55 am (Additional hours available by appointment)

BlackBoard and Text Readings

Submitted by: Emily Young
Submitted for: Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, lecturer
Date: November 29, 2011

Webb, Jeffrey L. (2007). Promoting vocal health in the choral rehearsal.
Music Educators Journal. (May). Pages 26-31.

    Vocal musicians only get one instrument that can’t be repaired. Therefore, singers must take very good care of their voice. Singing is a lot of work and requires the entire body. Choir directors are a big factor in helping their ensemble students have better vocal health. Jeffrey Webb offers several tips to choir directors that can make a difference in the sound of their ensemble.
    As a singer and a future choir director, tips on vocal health are very useful to me. I can use this information now when I have to sing in choir. I will also be able to use these helpful tips with my choir students. I am very aware of the care that is needed to keep the voice healthy. While, I know I can’t control what my students do outside of the choir room, I can certainly encourage good vocal health in the classroom.
    Some of these tips were little things that I never would have thought of doing. Such as having students give each other shoulder massages and doing cool down exercises at the end of a rehearsal. There were also some really good warm-up tips offered in this article that I will likely use with any ensembles I direct. I feel that this article was a very good read and provided a lot of good information. I agree with all of the points the Webb made, the voice is very important and requires proper care.

Smith- Who Told You You Could Sing?

MUSIC 23241: MUSIC TEACHING AS A PROFESSION
Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, Assistant Professor
Kent State University School of Music
Fall, 2011

BlackBoard and Text Readings

Submitted by: Emily Young
Submitted for: Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, lecturer
Date: November 29, 2011

Smith, Gary R. Who told you you could sing.
TRIAD.

    In this article, Gary Smith tells a story of the influence of his music teacher when he was younger. Smith talks about one teacher who really stands out in his mind. This teacher was very encouraging and really boosted his confidence. The following school year, this teacher was gone and a new one had taken her place. When Smith sang for this new teacher the teacher looked at him and asked “Who told you you could sing?” In that moment, all of Gary’s smiths confidence was crushed and he almost never sang again.
    As a future teacher, it is important to be aware of the impact a teacher’s words can have on a student. This story proves that point. Whether positive or negative, students really do listen to their teachers. Especially at such a vulnerable age. It is important for us be very aware of everything we say to our students. As this story illustrates, a teachers words can stick with a student for a very long time.
    I personally feel that a very important quality in a musician is confidence. I have never had much confidence myself. Some of my teachers and peers have been helpful in instilling confidence in me with their words of encouragement. I do not think I would be where I was today if my high school choir director didn’t believe in me. Encouragement from my college professors continues to fuel me today. I know how much a few words of encouragement can do for a student and I hope I can help give all of my students confidence in the field of music.

Freer- Male Changing Voices

MUSIC 23241: MUSIC TEACHING AS A PROFESSION
Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, Assistant Professor
Kent State University School of Music
Fall, 2011

BlackBoard and Text Readings

Submitted by: Emily Young
Submitted for: Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, lecturer
Date: November 29, 2011

Freer, Patrick K. (2008). Boys’ changing voices in the first century of MENC journals.
Music Educators Journal. (September). Pages 41-47.

    Several articles have been written about male changing voices. When young men reach the eighth or ninth grade, their voice begins to change. Vocal teachers have a lot to say about boys’ changing voices and how it effects their participation in vocal music ensembles. Choral ensemble directors have to help these boys feel comfortable with themselves when their voice begins to change. It can be common for boys to drop out of choral ensembles when they enter this stage of their lives. Several people have offered suggestions to make this transition easier for these boys.
    As a possible future high school choir director I will encounter boys that are going through vocal changes. This article will be useful to me in handling those kinds of boys. This glimpse of information is a window to further research that I can do to help understand why boys voices change and how I can work with them through that time. I would like to do everything I can to encourage these boys to continue to sing and be involved in music.
    I think the author offered some very good tips in this article. Having separate ensembles for men and women can be very beneficial to the students. Having more ensembles also allows for more repertoire selections. I like that Freer stresses the importance of the teacher on the students. I feel that an ensembles ability is dependent on the director. The director must be prepared for any issue that may occur in their students musical ability.

Campbell- Chapter 9

MUSIC 23241: MUSIC TEACHING AS A PROFESSION
Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, Assistant Professor
Kent State University School of Music
Fall, 2011

BlackBoard and Text Readings

Submitted by: Emily Young
Submitted for: Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, lecturer
Date: November 27, 2011

Campbell, Patricia S. (2008). Of school bands, orchestras, and jazz ensembles.
Musician & Teacher. Pages 165-186.

    In this chapter, Campbell talks about instrumental music programs in the schools. Instrumental music teachers should be prepared to teach many different types of ensembles. Ensembles can be large or small and consist of a different make-up of instruments. Teachers should also be aware of their students’ instrumental and musical background. Instrumental teachers must also be aware of the costs of maintaining instruments and what effect that will have on the students. Leading an instrumental music program requires a lot of knowledge and skills.
    There is a possibility that I could get a job as an instrumental music teacher. If that happens, this information will be very valuable to me. Knowing what to expect can be very helpful to any kind of teacher. This chapter made me realize all the different instrumental ensembles that I may run into, teaching at a middle or high school level. My own high school only had a couple different instrumental ensembles.
    I agree with Campbell that instrumental training is very important to kids. By learning to play an instrument, a student can gain many other skills. Music is very important to children to have an opportunity to be creative and conquer the challenge of learning to play an instrument. Playing in an ensemble can also show a student how to effectively work as a member of a team. There is a good reason that music holds its place in the school curriculum.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Tagart- Developing musicianship

MUSIC 23241: MUSIC TEACHING AS A PROFESSION
Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, Assistant Professor
Kent State University School of Music
Fall, 2011

BlackBoard and Text Readings

Submitted by: Emily Young
Submitted for: Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, lecturer
Date: November 17, 2011

Tagart, Cynthia C. (2000). Developing musicianship through musical play.
TRIAD, (June), Pages 25-27.

    Children can learn music in the same way they learn music. Starting at a young age and enforcing music practice often can be very helpful to the child in developing musicianship. Children can start by learning through movement. Children encouraged in their musical achievements frequently. These theories are rooted in Edwin Gordon’s ideology of music methodology.
    I will surely learn more about Gordon’s theories throughout my studies to become a music teacher. He and others focus on the importance of beginning music education at a very young age. Students can learn so much from exposure to music at a young age. Even just listening and moving to music can do a lot for the child. Unfortunately, this early exposure to music depends on the parents.
    I feel that it is still possible for people to become good musicians without early exposure to music. I feel that music educators can use this information to encourage parents to allow their children more exposure to music. Being involved and music can do so much for a child. I wish that my parents had been more involved in music and allowed me to be more involved in music. Developing great musicians definitely takes more than a half hour music class once a week.

Howell- Curricular pillars

MUSIC 23241: MUSIC TEACHING AS A PROFESSION
Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, Assistant Professor
Kent State University School of Music
Fall, 2011

BlackBoard and Text Readings

Submitted by: Emily Young
Submitted for: Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, lecturer
Date: November 17, 2011

Howell, Allen C. (2009). Curricular pillars in the elementary general music classroom.
Music Educators Journal, (March), Pages 37-41.

   Often times, when students learn something at a young age they will forget it very easily. For this reason, elementary general music teachers should consider the use of pillars in their lesson planning. Using pillars allows teachers to focus on a few key areas and revisit them frequently. Teachers can focus on the nine national standards for music education and stick with a few activities that work. These activities can be used each year to reinforce the lesson, and may increase in difficulty and skill level.
   When I try to remember what I learned in my own elementary general music classes, I can’t think of much. I think that I would have benefited from frequently revisiting subjects that were learned. This can be a very useful method of teaching. It is a scary thought to think about sitting down to make lesson plans for my first year of teaching. Thinking in terms of pillars based on the national standards provides a much better idea of the overall structure of the class.
   I am really glad I got the chance to read this article. The author mentioned at the end how thankful she was to have discovered this method of teaching general music. I am happy that I got the chance to learn about it before even entering the profession. However, reading about an idea and actually doing it are two completely different things. I can’t wait to use all of these ideas that I am learning about in an actual classroom. I think that these teachers learn these things through a system of trial and error and I will eventually develop a style that works best for me.

Campbell- Chapter 12

MUSIC 23241: MUSIC TEACHING AS A PROFESSION
Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, Assistant Professor
Kent State University School of Music
Fall, 2011

BlackBoard and Text Readings

Submitted by: Emily Young
Submitted for: Mr. Marcus L. Neiman, lecturer
Date: November 10, 2011

Campbell, Patricia S. (2008). Classroom management and motivation.
Musician & Teacher, Pages 235-252.

    In this chapter of Musician & Teacher, Campbell discusses classroom management. One may be a very good musician and a very good teacher, but classroom management in very important to the profession as well. Teachers have to deal with students who are trouble makers or who do not want to learn. Teachers have to be able to motivate their students to want to learn. There are many different things a teacher must consider in terms of how to manage their classroom.
    As I am preparing myself for a career in music education, I am consistently learning more about the profession. Teaching music is requires a lot of dedication. I must be prepared for many different situations that I may face in my career. I may be given many different kinds of students to work with or I may end up teaching at a position that I am uncomfortable with. It is best that I prepare for these things now and learn how to handle different students and situations.
    I feel that motivating students to want to learn music will be an exciting challenge for me. I want others to see music the way I do. The more I learn about being a music educator, the more it seems to fit. It is a very scary and challenging field to go into, but with the right preparations it can be incredibly fun and rewarding.