CONNECTIONS: STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS IN THE SECONDARY MUSIC CLASSROOM.

BY ANDREW SALZMAN

A student in their first year of high school entered the band room anxiously, clearly stressed about something. I noticed this and asked what was bothering her. She was worried about the band performance at the upcoming basketball game and her conflict with a shift at work. She was afraid that being late to the game because of work would cause an issue. We discussed it, I told her I appreciated her letting me know, and I reassured her that being late to the game because of work was okay. I then reminded her that if there was anything about our class that she worried about again, she could let me know early on, so we could work through it so it did not feel like such a big deal.

Perceived conflicts such as the one illustrated above have become commonplace in my day-to-day teaching, and I view helping students through these situations as a requisite part of my position as a high school band director. A positive relationship with a teacher can be even more important than the content in which the teacher instructs the student. Terms for building relationships with students vary in the research and practitioner literature (e.g., mentorship, apprenticeship), but the core principles are similar. Shields (2001) wrote, “A specific component of mentoring is caring, one of the strategies of effective teachers” (p. 275). Wentzel (2009) posited that teachers who strive for student relationships that provide a feeling of caring, safety, and trust are often an indicator of an effective teacher. Most recently, Martin and Collie (2019) espoused that students reporting a more significant number of positive relationships with teachers were more apt to be more engaged in school.

STRATEGY 1 - KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ONE ANOTHER

Students generally do not learn well from teachers they do not respect. While it is understandable that not every student will enjoy all their teachers, it is still essential that teachers strive to build a mutually respectful relationship with them. Students in my teaching context often base whether or not they like a teacher on first impressions, some of which are terribly misguided. However, in such situations, student opinions appear to change once they learn about a teacher and the principles for which they stand.

With the power of first impressions in mind, I have started using a straightforward approach to help students learn a little about me from the beginning and to lay groundwork for me to learn about them. I begin every semester with a short visual presentation about myself, including where I was born and raised, a little about my family, where I went (and am going) to college, and some things I like. I then have them fill out a note card that, in the end, acts as a flash card of sorts for me in case I have not had a student in class before. On this note card, students put their name, a nickname if they go by a shortened version, pronouns if they wish, what the student feels their “superpower” is (i.e., something they are good at), and what their “thing” is (i.e., what they identify with). Finally, I ask that they contribute something they want me to know about them.

This activity generates many different responses, some novel and others surprisingly insightful. Students may choose to divulge that they struggle to speak in front of the class or do not perform well on tests. I even had a student I had previously taught as an elementary student, now a freshman, choose to divulge that I was still their favorite teacher, which was a much-needed boost during a hard day of public-school teaching. In sum, this approach is a very unobtrusive way to open communication between students and me. It allows them to be vulnerable and communicate something personal passively. This passive approach then allows communication to evolve into organic conversations, such as the opening vignette of this article. Learning about one another

Connections: Strategies for Building Positive Relationships ..., Andrew Salzman, cont.

begins building a solid and positive relationship with students. It is necessary to go further and, at times, work alongside them to establish a connection.

STRATEGY 2 - WORK ALONGSIDE STUDENTS

In my time teaching at the high school level, I have noticed a trend in the most significant teacherstudent relationships I have. These relationships are not necessarily the result of lengthy time spent in the classroom or even the outcome of my tireless effort to get to know the student or vice versa. The trend I notice comes from the time spent working alongside the students in community work, particularly hard and thankless community work.

For example, we spend a portion of any given year fundraising to cover the costs of band shirts, marching shoes, other apparel, and basic travel costs to our performances. My students and I have the opportunity to work the concession stand at our county fair. Operating this concession stand is not a simple endeavor, nor is it for the faint of heart. Students sign up for time slots to work, and the organizers write a check to our program, but in each student’s name. The students who have worked this fundraiser from their freshman year on are hard work personified. They have learned skills, such as dealing with the general public, that are immediately applicable in any context.

Importantly, I work in the concession stand during this time alongside my students. There is nothing like working the sandwich station next to a student (who can make sandwiches twice as fast as you) and getting yelled at to work faster or get out of the way. One might bristle at the thought of being yelled at by a teenager, but in this situation, we are colleagues. Students never forget these experiences. In these moments, in the middle of the stress of getting behind in orders, the strongest bonds form. Students get to see their teacher in a different way, however brief, as a colleague. Doing the work alongside one another opens up a new level of respect and stronger relationships among all. This bond translates back into the classroom. While it is crucial that the line between teacher and student is reestablished and reinforced after a community work experience, the working relationship in the classroom becomes stronger. In the end, a more durable and meaningful group emerges. The motivation to work with someone who has worked hard alongside them is a powerful and sometimes overlooked strategy. While getting to know each other and working alongside one another are integral components of solid relationship building, they do not fully provide a feeling of genuine caring.

STRATEGY 3 - INVOLVEMENT IN THEIR LIVES

Many of our students in music classes are involved in extracurricular you describe something from their game or event, and their face lights up when they realize you were there. The excitement in their body language and how they talk to you about it makes it completely worth the time spent. During these moments of connection, the students develop the feeling of genuine care from their teacher.

Connections: Strategies for Building Positive Relationships ..., Andrew Salzman, cont. activities, be they school-sponsored or community offerings. I keep a calendar containing when my students participate in sporting events, and then I make a concerted effort to attend. Often, such events need an extra adult for tasks such as running the clock, taking tickets, or even announcing players. I know very little about the game of soccer, but I often walk out to the stadium in the spring after school to sit in the press box, help fill the needed jobs, and watch the games. I get to see students in my program, students I teach in a non-performing class, students I have previously had, and students I have not had the opportunity to teach. I see them struggle and succeed, and I get to talk to them about it when I encounter them next in the hallway or class. Students notice when you miss events they expect you to attend, but they notice even more when you attend events at which they do not expect to see you.

Concluding Thoughts

Striving to build positive relationships with students is imperative while teaching. Students are more likely to be engaged and succeed in school when they have more positive interactions and better relationships with their teachers. Teachers and students learning about one another, working alongside each other, and genuinely showing students care through an interest in their lives are all essential parts of a positive school relationship.

Attending students’ extracurricular events can be time-consuming and require sacrifice. However, it can also be some of the best time you can spend regarding the relationships you can build with students. Being present in their lives puts you into a different category of how they view you. Putting in the extra effort to invest in what students are involved in helps to solidify that you care about them and their interests. Some of the most rewarding conversations I have had with students are when

Sometimes these actions do not seem incredibly impactful to a teacher, and maybe they are imperceptible during a busy day . However, to the students, they are monumental. Above I tell of a young lady who came to me with concern. In the moment and years that followed, it was a small thing to me, and I was doing my job. However, to her, it was a significant interaction that impacted the rest of her high school experience. I would not know it until years later, after she graduated and was on stage in front of our entire school district as valedictorian, awarding a teacher who most impacted her education with a crystal apple. As she was telling the story, I was trying to guess which teacher she was referring to as the story was unfamiliar to me. She explained how the discussion with the teacher helped her anxiety and the offer of continued support when needed shaped her high school experience and impacted how she did in school. To my confusion, the teacher she awarded the apple to was me. When I spoke to her later, embarrassed for not remembering, she said it was okay. That conversation probably did not seem like a massive moment to me, but to her, it provided a sense of security and a safe place to go for help. This past year I was humbled to receive this award again from a student who recounted the “good mornings” I offered them every morning. The student noted, “now, that may not seem like much, but over the years, I have noticed it is the small things that matter. From small things like a high five to other small things like asking if I am okay on days where I was trying to hide that I am not.”

I extend these two personal stories not to boast but to illustrate the impact of positive teacher-student relationships. These students felt a safe, caring connection with a teacher that shaped their school experience for the better. The more we as teachers can build these relationships with our students, the more good we can do for them. The better they hopefully do in school and the finer they become as human beings. Education is a challenging field; however, making a concerted effort to build meaningful and positive relationships with students will create a better atmosphere for you and your students.

References

Martin, A. J., & Collie, R. J. (2019). Teacher-student relationships and students' engagement in high school: Does the number of negative and positive relationships with teachers matter? Journal of Educational Psychology, 111(5), 861–876. doi.org/10.1037/edu0000317

Shields, C. (2001). Music education and mentoring as intervention for at-risk urban adolescents: Their self-perceptions, opinions, and attitudes. Journal of Research in Music Education, 49(3), 273–286. doi.org/10.2307/3345712

Wentzel, K. R., & Wigfield, A. (2009). Handbook of motivation at school. Routledge.

Connections: Strategies for Building Positive Relationships ..., Andrew Salzman, cont.

ARE YOU PROGRAMMING NOTES? YOU SHOULD, AND HERE'S WHY.

BY TRAVIS J. WELLER

Many directors speak at concerts in between pieces. In these brief moments, they educate the audience, build a culture of appreciation for the music being performed and the ensemble performing it, and advocate for their music program. The ability to speak with purpose and passion at a concert regarding the repertoire is in direct proportion to how well one has studied and prepared the work for performance. All verbal comments should grow organically from the relationship that a director and their ensemble forge with the repertoire.

Some directors elect to include written notes in their concert program. In a similar fashion to the verbal comments, written program notes can also provide perspective and enrich the concert experience for the audience. However, not all directors elect to provide written notes in concert programs.

In the late fall of 2019, I invited band directors to participate in a survey. The invitation was made available through several different social medial platforms, and I am thankful to several professional band organizations who shared the invitation (Phi Beta Mu, The National Band Association). The purpose of the survey was to learn about their use of program notes. While higher participation is always desirable, I am delighted that 100 directors responded. I am thankful for the perspective these directors lent to this discussion. It is obvious that individual teaching context, schedule, resources, and personal preference all factor into the decision on how best to provide program notes (either written or verbal). The results below provide interesting perspective to consider.

• This group of directors averaged 17.5 years of teaching, and 24% identified as female while 76% of the directors identified as male.

• 67% of the respondent directors taught at more than one grade level, including 20% who taught all facets of their band program (elementary through high school).

• 85% of the respondent directors taught more than one ensemble in their daily teaching.

• On average, this group of directors gave 4 concert performances per year.

• 37% of the directors reported using printed program notes.

• 87% of the directors reported using verbal program notes during the concert.

• 39% of the directors provided program notes that were prepared by students in the program.

• 29% utilized program notes that were researched by students.

• Directors who engaged students in the preparation of program notes cited it being an effective writing assignment for all students. Some directors (14) indicated that it is a way for a student to remain engaged in the event of a physical injury or an instrument problem that keeps from participating in the time leading up to the concert.

• Several directors who engaged students in the preparation of program notes also indicated they did review and edit student work prior to using it for a concert or printed program. has moved them forward in the band program curriculum. Additionally, directors can also highlight other areas in which the study of a piece has enhanced the experience for the students including, but not limited to:

• 29% of the directors had students in the band deliver the program notes during the concert.

• Directors who taught only one ensemble were twice as likely to prepare written program notes to be printed in the concert program than directors who taught more than one ensemble.

• This group of directors were asked why they did or did not provide written program notes. Directors who did not provide program notes in the concert program frequently commented that the printing cost, space in the program, time necessary to prepare notes, and concert venue being too dark to read the notes were primary reasons to not include notes.

• Directors who did provide program notes in the concert program stated that it gave the audience more of a connection to the work, kept their own comments brief, and provided a way to enrich the experience for the audience. A few directors admitted to having some anxiety over public speaking and utilized notes in lieu of addressing the audience.

• personal growth from studying the piece (both director and student)

• the relevance of the work to modern learning and society

• the history of a piece and its significance for study

• how the work celebrates part of culture or history

• the deep centered emotional impact of the work most important facet of the work. In addition to the Teaching Music through Performance in Band series from GIA, there are useful textbooks and websites from which composer and composition information can be accessed. Consider these examples:

• how the piece properly reflects the life of a person or group of people.

Any of the reasons that a director selects a piece of repertoire can be brought to the attention of the audience to develop their appreciation for the ensemble, the music, the rehearsal process, and the artistry of the group and individuals. Repertoire is the vehicle to realize the goals of the band program curriculum, and program notes provide a way for the audience to better understand that process.

• Norman Smith’s Program Notes for Band

• The Wind Repertory Project founded by Nikk Pilato

• The Foothills Symphonic Winds Program Notes Index

• The Palatine Concert Band Program Note Index

Written and verbal program notes offer directors the opportunity to share what students have learned from the repertoire and how that

Program notes can be constructed from a variety of sources including the score, composer websites, music history textbooks, and analysis projects and articles in scholarly journals. Program notes need not be long, but they should highlight the

Directors can infuse personal experiences and narratives that that are part of the musical journey into their program notes. For many directors, a singular piece of music could have left a profound impact on their decision to enter the music education profession. If they revisit such a work with their students, sharing that part of their journey with students and the audience is a valuable reflection. As many directors are a musical role model within the community in which they teach, this personal perspective provides a deeper view of the reciprocal relationship in the medium. As the director and ensemble work on the music, the music works upon the director and ensemble.

The emphasis on writing in school curriculums continues to be at the center of school reform movements. By utilizing this opportunity, students

Are You Programming Notes ..., Travis J. Weller, cont.

can develop program notes to share either in the written program or verbally at the concert. There are obvious benefits of engaging students in researching and providing additional background on a piece. In addition to giving them opportunity to do research on a subject in which they have a vested interest, students can also be assessed on their ability to conduct ethical research, develop articulate writing skills, and learn basic citation skills in a specific style (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago). Research projects of this kind are a unique type of assessment that affords students a way to demonstrate their intelligence in music other than a playing examination or scale test.

These activities also provide directors a way to collaborate with other faculty members in their English and Language Arts Departments. A writing assignment for a student in band that culminates in a program note for a piece in the repertoire could include:

• A Short biography, background of the composer, or influences upon the creation of the piece. (e.g., Encourage your students to reach out to the ones who are living!)

• A description of the important features, form, or style of the work (e.g., What are the important aspects that contribute to the style of Softly Speaks the Night by Carol Brittin Chambers?)

• Students could be asked a series of questions including how elements of music in the piece influence their perspective. (e.g., How does Anne McGinty’s choice of mode in The Red Balloon impact the emotion of the piece?)

• The significance of the work to the band repertoire. (e.g., Why should bands play 1st Suite in Eb for Military Band by Gustav Holst?)

• A practical view on the work to make it more relatable to the audience. (e.g., Why is it important to study spirituals like Swing Low, Sweet Chariot set by Stephen Rouse?)

Written program notes communicate important aspects of the work to the audience prior to the audience hearing a piece. The audience’s reception to a new or unfamiliar musical experience will be better with effective use of program notes. As an audience member waits for the start of the concert their anticipation can build as they review written notes in the program. Aural program notes are effective in helping the audience gain further insight into the artistic and pedagogical reasons for the repertoire that being performed. While students have a longer period in which to assimilate and identify the artistic and pedagogical reasons a piece was studied and performed, audiences have only the window of the concert performance to arrive at the same conclusion. Directors may want to consider guiding the ears of the audience by identifying themes, demonstrating a concept within the work, or identifying unique sounds present in the sound canvas. Several examples are listed here:

• Playing an octatonic scale and a short section of the theme to model the melodic language found in Unraveling by Andrew Boysen, Jr.

• Playing a short section at a slower tempo to help the audience understand a musical suspension found in Suspended Animation by Patrick Burns.

• Demonstrating the extramusical effects found in The Cave You Fear by Michael Markowski

• Playing some of the connected themes and chord progressions from each of the movements of The Incidental Suite by Claude T. Smith

The concerns expressed by some band directors who responded to this survey are legitimate and understandable given the many responsibilities music educator might have. Still, there are solutions for providing notes that will not necessarily increase the burden or cost of printed programs. The use of a QR Code that audience members can scan could provide the audience with additional written notes not included in the program. Engaging students in the research process can also ease the responsibility on the director to prepare program notes by themselves.

I fully acknowledge that written program notes may take extra time to properly prepare. If we choose to involve students in that process (and I encourage directors to do so), it might require additional patience, planning, and perspective. However, I believe that it is vital for our profession to embrace this opportunity so that we can build in our audience a genuine respect and interest for the repertoire we study and perform. While our bands play many right notes, writing some additional notes will help our audience and communities appreciate the students, our ensembles, and the music even more.