August 2016 Southwestern Musician by Texas Music Educators Association

AUGUST 2016

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AUGUST2016 8 5

I S S U E

contents

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V O L U M E

columns

Vitality: Reviving the Life in Your Teaching . . . . . . . . 12 $V \RX SUHSDUH WR UHWXUQ IRU DQRWKHU VFKRRO \HDU HPSOR\ WKHVH Ă&#x20AC;YH strategies to help you rediscover your joy for the work and revitalize your teaching. BY PEGGY D. BENNETT AND VICKY SUAREZ

Striking a Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Four music educators who made changes to improve their work-life balance share their stories and offer advice for any teacher who wants to achieve better balance.

Meeting Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Maintaining a positive working relationship with your administrators is a key element for any music educatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success. Get the inside scoop on what your administrators expect from you. BY MARK A. CRIM AND NATHAN R. TEMPLETON

Your First Six Months: Survive & Thrive . . . . . . . . . . . 42 As you prepare to step into the classroom, consider these ways to help you not just survive but to thrive in this most challenging and rewarding career. BY DAVID M. HEDGEC OTH AND RYAN S. KELLY

Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Notes ............................................. 5 by Dinah Menger

Executive Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Notes.................10 by Robert Floyd

Band Notes ............................................................ 17 by Joe MuĂąoz

Orchestra Notes ..............................................27 Vocal Notes ...........................................................35 by Robert Horton

Elementary Notes ..........................................39 by Juli Salzman

College Notes .....................................................44 by Si Millican

updates

by Penny Meitz Attend Your Fall Region Meeting............................................................. 2 Welcome Back! ........................................................................................ 4 Music Students Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Just Learn Notes................................................. 9 Invest in Our Future: Start a TFME Chapter .........................................11 2017 TMEA Clinic/Convention ..............................................................16 2015â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2016 TMEA Memberships Have Expired ..................................37 On the cover: Members of the University of North Texas Mariachi Ă guilas warm up for their music showcase performance during the 2016 TMEA Clinic/Convention. Photo by John Kneten.

TMEA Collegiate Music Educator Award ..............................................46

Southwestern Musician | August 2016

Editor-in-Chief: Robert Floyd

Attend Your Fall Region Meeting

UĂ R\G@tmea.org 512-452-0710, ext. 101 Fax: 512-451-9213

Managing Editor: Karen Cross

kcross@tmea.org 512-452-0710, ext. 107 Fax: 512-451-9213

Go to www.tmea.org/ďŹ ndmyregion to conďŹ rm your Region. Region Date

Time

Location

TMEA Executive Board

Aug 13

10:00 a.m. meeting, Amarillo HS Cafeteria 9:30 a.m. food

President: Dinah Menger

Aug 13

10:00 a.m.

Guyer HS, Denton

d.menger@sbcglobal.net 1305 Westcrest Drive, Arlington, 76013 817-891-1095 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fort Worth ISD

President-Elect: Andy Sealy sealya@lisd.net 4207 Plano Parkway, Carrollton, 75010 469-948-3011 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Hebron HS

Past-President: Keith Dye keith.dye@ttu.edu 6607 Norwood Avenue, Lubbock, 79413 806-742-2270 x 231 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Texas Tech University

Band Vice-President: Joe MuĂąoz munozj@pearlandisd.org 3775 South Main Street, Pearland, 77581 281-997-3219 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pearland HS

Orchestra Vice-President: Penny Meitz pjmeitz@mac.com 5407 Coral Gables Drive, Houston, 77069 281-468-2593 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School

Vocal Vice-President: Robert Horton rhorton@conroeisd.net 3205 West Davis Street, Conroe, 77304-2039 936-709-1200 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Woodlands HS

Elementary Vice-President: Juli Salzman julis@angletonisd.net 625 Milton Street, Angleton, 77515 (281) 660-4776 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Northside Elementary

Aug 13

10:00 a.m.

Lake Highlands HS

Aug 19

5:00 p.m.

Mt. Pleasant HS

Aug 14

2:00 p.m.

Martin HS

Aug 13

1:00 p.m.

Lee HS, Midland

Aug 13

10:00 a.m.

Graham HS

Aug 6

10:00 a.m. meeting, Belton HS 9:30 a.m. food

Aug 13

9:00 a.m.

Conroe HS

Aug 8

6:30 p.m.

Lamar Univ Music Bldg

Aug 6

12:00 p.m.

Southwest HS

Aug 6

10:00 a.m.

Madison HS

Aug 13

10:00 a.m.

George Ranch HS, LCISD

Aug 6

10:00 a.m. meeting, Del Mar College 9:30 a.m. food

Aug 13

10:00 a.m.

Sharyland Pioneer HS

Aug 6

10:00 a.m.

Frenship HS Friendswood JHS

Aug 13

9:30 a.m

Aug 20

10:00 a.m. meeting, Akins HS 9:30 a.m. food

Aug 6

10:00 a.m.

Deer Park HS, South Campus

Aug 13

9:00 a.m.

Duncanville HS

Aug 13

10:00 a.m.

UT/Tyler

Aug 20

11:00 a.m. meeting, Eastwood HS 10:00 a.m. UIL

Aug 20

9:00 a.m. meeting, 8:30 a.m., food

College Vice-President: Si Millican si.millican@utsa.edu One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, 78249 210-458-5334 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; UT/San Antonio

TMEA Staff Executive Director: Robert Floyd | UĂ R\G@tmea.org Deputy Director: Frank Coachman | fcoachman@tmea.org Administrative Director: Kay Vanlandingham | kvanlandingham@tmea.org Advertising/Exhibits Manager: Tesa Harding | tesa@tmea.org Membership Manager: Susan Daugherty | susand@tmea.org Communications Manager: Karen Cross | kcross@tmea.org Financial Manager: Laura Kocian | lkocian@tmea.org Information Technologist: Andrew Denman | adenman@tmea.org Administrative Assistant: Rita Ellinger | rellinger@tmea.org

70($ 2IĂ&#x20AC;FH Mailing Address: P.O. Box 140465, Austin, 78714-0465 Physical Address: 7900 Centre Park Drive, Austin, 78754 Phone: 512-452-0710 | Toll-Free: 888-318-TMEA | Fax: 512-451-9213 Website: www.tmea.org 2IĂ&#x20AC;FH +RXUV Mondayâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Friday, 8:30 A.M.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;4:30 P.M.

Heights HS (Houston ISD, formerly Reagan HS)

Aug 20

10:00 a.m.

Plano West SHS

Aug 20

10:00 a.m.

Allen HS

Aug 13

10:00 a.m.

Stony Point HS

Aug 13

9:00 a.m.

Cypress Creek HS

Aug 6

10:00 a.m.

Harlingen HS Band Hall

Aug 6

12:00 p.m.

Brandeis HS

Aug 13

10:00 a.m.

Chisholm Trail HS, EMS ISD

Aug 13

10:00 a.m.

Colleyville Heritage HS

Aug 13

10:00 a.m.

Leander HS

Aug 6

10:00 a.m.

Aldine SHS

Southwestern Musician (ISSN 0162-380X) (USPS 508-340) is published monthly except March, June, and July by Texas Music Educators Association, 7900 Centre Park Drive, Austin, TX 78754. 6XEVFULSWLRQ UDWHV 2QH <HDU Â˛ 6LQJOH FRSLHV 3HULRGLFDO SRVWDJH SDLG DW $XVWLQ 7; DQG DGGLWLRQDO PDLOLQJ RIĂ&#x20AC;FHV 32670$67(5 6HQG DGGUHVV FKDQJHV WR 6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ 3 2 %R[ Austin, TX 78714-0465. Southwestern Musician was founded in 1915 by A.L. Harper. Renamed in 1934 and published by Dr. Clyde Jay Garrett. Published 1941â&#x20AC;&#x201C;47 by Dr. Stella Owsley. Incorporated in 1948 as National by Harlan-Bell Publishers, Inc. Published 1947â&#x20AC;&#x201C;54 by Dr. H. Grady Harlan. Purchased in 1954 by D.O. Wiley. Texas Music Educator was founded in 1936 by Richard J. Dunn and given to the Texas Music (GXFDWRUV $VVRFLDWLRQ ZKRVH RIĂ&#x20AC;FLDO SXEOLFDWLRQ LW KDV EHHQ VLQFH ,Q WKH WZR PDJD]LQHV ZHUH PHUJHG XVLQJ WKH QDPH 6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ FRPELQHG ZLWK WKH 7H[DV 0XVLF (GXFDWRU XQGHU WKH editorship of D.O. Wiley, who continued to serve as editor until his retirement in 1963. At that time ownership of both magazines was assumed by TMEA. In August 2004 the TMEA Executive Board changed the name of the publication to Southwestern Musician.

Southwestern Musician | August 2016

k c ! a B e m o c l e W And a special welcome goes to new members, those who are beginning their first year of teaching, and those who moved to our great state to continue in this most incredible profession!

The TMEA Executive Board and staff look forward to serving you and hope you find great pride in your TMEA membership! 4

Southwestern Musician | August 2016

B Y

D I N A H

M E N G E R

PRESIDENT’S NOTES

Saving our corner of the world

August—Renew your TMEA membership online and preregister for the convention. August—Attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2 for details). August 20—Liability insurance purchased through TMEA expires. October 4, 6 am CT—TMEA convention online housing reservation system opens. November 15—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA mail/fax convention preregistration deadline. January 19—TMEA online early registration deadline. February 8–11—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio.

reetings to what, I hope, is a well-rested battalion of dedicated music educators ready to inspire and lead students in a year of artistic projects and high standards in music and character. Now, more than ever, our focus on human development through music is imperative. As current situations in the world and in our own cities and towns become increasingly divisive, our constant presence and connection in the lives of the students we are charged to nurture should remain our top priority. Your presence in your school is necessary as a reminder to your students and your colleagues that music can eradicate rhetoric and promote something powerful and unifying. Believe, be brilliant, and save your corner of the world. The TMEA Executive Board supported hosting another Summer Dialogue this June. The charge for this event was to focus on the changing demographic of our Texas schools, the changing needs of modern Texas students, and how we can address these changes while maintaining high music standards. Participants met June 15–16 and represented the Band, Orchestra, Vocal, Elementary, and College Divisions and included some music administrators. The book used to guide our dialogue was Urban Music Education: A Practical Guide for Teachers by Kate Fitzpatrick-Harnish. I highly recommend adding this book to your reading list! The time spent together in conversation and sharing was exciting, and our ultimate goal was to identify tangible ways that new or experienced teachers can attain success in today’s music classroom. “Texas remains home to a greater share of people in poverty than the nation as a whole,” according to Bee Morehead, Executive Director of Texas Impact, in her September 2015 article in the Austin American-Statesman. The State of Texas Children 2016 report states that 1 in every 4 Texas children live in poverty, and this figure increases for our ever-growing population of Hispanic and African-American students. In addition, 27% of Texas children

A child will become what they think you think they are.— Shaunda Butler, Dallas ISD Southwestern Musician | August 2016

2016 Summer Dialogue

live in households that are “food insecure.” These sobering facts underscore an even stronger personal conviction that our music programs provide the solace and sustenance for a new generation of Texas students. The following encompassing points shared during the Summer Dialogue are those that many teachers already employ. There are, after all, few ideas that are ultimately new. What affected me, while listening to these impassioned teachers, is what they consider to be the most important points in dealing specifically with those students fitting the above description. Point 1: Know Your Students Your students are your children. You are their “school parent.” This title is unique to our profession because we teach the same students for several years and, unlike other teachers, we witness maturity, emerging personalities and character, and musical growth, and we often develop long-term relationships with our students’ families. On the flip side, changing demographics mean a more transient student body. When these students choose (or are placed) in our disciplines, it is extremely important to learn about each one as quickly as possible. Without seeming intrusive, we must research their backgrounds and support systems. Taking the time to know the template of each young person we “inherit” or “adopt” can make a profound difference for our students in how we teach, see, listen, and react to them, being ever mindful that we are teaching the musician, not the music. Point 2: Color-Blindness/CulturalBlindness Doesn’t Help Our Students According to Gloria Ladson-Billings in her 1994 book The Dreamkeepers, “Given the significance of race and color in American society, it is impossible to believe that a classroom teacher does not notice the race and ethnicity of the children he/she is teaching. Further, by claiming not to notice, the teacher is saying that he/she is dismissing one of the most salient features of the child’s identity” (p. 33). Being aware of cultural behaviors, practices, and ethnicities within different races gives teachers a better understanding of the attitudes and expectations they may face when instructing students. For example, in most Asian, African, and Latin American cultures, extended eye

Southwestern Musician | August 2016

contact can be considered disrespectful, especially to an elder or person of authority. Avoiding direct eye contact is not considered a submissive or defiant behavior, merely a learned sign of courtesy and respect. How often have you assumed a student’s lack of eye contact was a sign of defiance or disrespect? I know I have certainly made this mistake. As music educators, we have an advantage in that every culture has a rich, musical heritage. Using this universal language serves as an effective way to connect with and welcome all of the students we are privileged to teach. Point 3: Predictability, Procedure, and Process Having an established routine that students can depend on creates an atmosphere of trust. Many of our students don’t experience any semblance of dependability in their home lives. Taking the time to practice procedure and to set clear rules and expectations will reap great benefits longterm. Process does not come instantly, and, for some of your students, finally learning and adhering to procedure may be the closest that you, as the instructor, can expect. Part of these 3 P’s is addressing

social behavior and social responsibility. Never overlook the opportunity to teach a life lesson. This takes precedence over music-making! The most important reason for emphasizing the 3 P’s is to create a safe house for all students. This safe house should be clean, organized, and welcoming. As many of you experience, students greet you first thing in the morning and you have to kick them out of your room at the end of your very long day. Do you ever wonder why they stay with you so late? What awaits them at home? Point 4: Do Not Compare Your Situation to Others’ Each school has a unique combination of circumstances, students, and administration. It is our job, as the campus music educator, to sort out the quirks and challenges that come with our set of classroom keys. Find solutions rather than bemoaning shortcomings. Other schools have different criteria for what is deemed “successful” and they’re on a different leg of the journey. Your job is to showcase what is excellent, honest, and unique about the students you are teaching. Our wonderful dialogue group adopted the

phrase “Saving our corner of the world” from participant Sam Harris. You are the voice for your students, your campus, and your community. Do not underestimate your effectiveness and presence in their lives. For many modern students, witnessing your tenacity and hard work will be their only model for not giving up. As this article goes to print, the TMEA staff continues to work on documenting the outcomes of this dialogue and identifying how we can best share the many wonderful ideas and practices developed during the event. During the 2017 TMEA Clinic/Convention, you’ll find events in the schedule on this topic so that anyone who wants to learn more or share their strategies for success can become part of the larger conversation. My takeaway from spending two days with these passionate music educators is that there are so many heroes leading the way in the ever-growing challenge of diversity and demographic change. They teach hard, they teach with grit and conviction, and they teach every day with the bare minimum in resource support. Theirs is a sacred profession.

RhythmBee salutes

The Greenville High School Band "When I came to Greenville HS, our 6th grade center band director showed the staī the Rhythm Bee program. We used it daily and saw a HUGE impact on our everyday reading skills with our beginning students. This year, for the

UIL Sweepstakes 2016 Their First Sweepstakes Award in 36 years!

Band Staī Joel L. Weisberg Richard Burt Amy Lawhead Marshall Hoybook Kent Tidwell

part of our warm-up EVERY DAY at the high school, and middle school. Our kids responded very Joel L. Weisberg, Director Greenville HS Band

reading, and we were fortunate to receive the UIL Sweepstakes years. . . thank you, RhythmBee!" Southwestern Musician | August 2016

Maximizing Tone Quality Among Your Clarinets with Iris Gonzalez The mouthpiece and reed must work in tandem to maximize reed vibration and not hinder the tone production or technical responsiveness.

What have you and your students found success with as far as equipment?

Iris Gonzalez, educator in the gretaer Houston area

A lifelong educator, Iris Gonzalez spent the majority of her career in southwest Houston at Hodges Bend Middle School, recognized as one of the biggest band programs in the country. Iris taught up to 110 beginning clarinets and numerous woodwind classes as assistant band director before taking over as the Hodges Bend Middle School head band director in 1995. Upon retirement, Iris began a small clarinet private studio and remains active as clinician and adjudicator to bands and clarinet sections around Texas.

What has been your experience teaching in the Houston area? Through the years since 1981 when I began my teaching career I’ve worked with many talented students and had many All State Band and Orchestra clarinet students. At Hodges Bend Middle School, we all believed in team teaching and worked with the students

based on our instrumental specialty. During my time there, we were selected as the CCC Honor Band for the State of Texas and had the opportunity to perform at the Texas Music Educators Convention and the 50th Anniversary of the Midwest Clinic.

I’ve dealt with reeds since 1972 and have learned how to identify excellent quality of cane that is aged appropriately and precision cut to maximize response and tone quality. I grew up playing Vandoren reeds and mouthpieces. As a college student, I tried everything on the market and always had my Vandoren reeds as my trusted back-ups. Once I began teaching I knew my student’s success would be determined by a clarinet in proper working condition, responsive mouthpiece and reed. I can honestly say that my students have played Vandoren mouthpieces through middle school and beyond for my entire teaching career.

I was very interested and excited to learn that Vandoren was introducing a new reed in January 2015. The Vandoren representatives have been very helpful with providing sample I can honestly say that my students have played Vandoren reeds for me and my students to try. mouthpieces through middle The V21 is, in my opinion, the best reed Vandoren has ever made since school and beyond for my my clarinet playing in 1972! I began be entire teaching career. The reeds are perfectly balanced and I have not had to adjust them. The V21 hav is a terrific reed and I highly recommend it to my students and everyone What are your thoughts else! I’ve also been trying the new on student equipment? Vandoren Hygro Reed Case that is keeping my reeds in constant humidIt is imperative that students have quality instruments and mouthpieces ity in the controlled environment. with great reeds to be successful. A clarinet in proper adjustment provides For more on Vandoren and how it the best opportunity for student’s ease can benefit you and your students, of playing without tension. visit www.bit.ly/vandorenusa

Music students don’t just learn notes.

They learn to create. They learn to innovate. They learn to analyze. They learn to collaborate.

John B. King Jr., U.S. Secretary of Education: “There’s evidence that kids get better at math when they’ve taken classes that make the connection between STEM and the arts—and that when they’ve had certain courses in the arts, kids can grow in self-confidence, and in linguistic skills, as well as in creativity . . . I’ve had the opportunity to see struggling schools make real change by infusing the arts into their school models” (May 2016).

Texas schools with more students in music classes have: • better academic ratings • fewer discipline problems • higher attendance rates

Top Ten Skills Children Learn from the Arts Creativity Confidence Problem-Solving Perseverance Focus Nonverbal Communication Receiving Constructive Feedback Collaboration Dedication Accountability “Top Ten Skills Children Learn from the Arts” by Valerie Strauss. The Washington Post, 1/22/13.

Share This Message! A PDF of this page and an image designed for social media posts are available at www.tmea.org/morethannotes. Spread this word throughout your program, school, community, and the world! Southwestern Musician | August 2016

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTES

B Y

R O B E R T

F L O Y D

A cooperative spirit

cooperative spirit is a critical component of negotiation when families, staffs, directors and their students, or an organization’s leaders strive to tackle a challenging task and arrive at an outcome that fairly serves all involved. Hopefully the input of all those affected was considered and had an influence on the final decision. In its 96-year history, TMEA leadership and membership have been faced with challenges that, depending on the outcome, could have shaped a current TMEA with an entirely different mission and structure. Addition of divisions, changes in the leadership chart, decision to not unify with NAfME, celebrations of TMEA’s 50th and 75th anniversaries, addition of All-State ensembles such as the recent All-State Small School Mixed Choir, uniting membership with ATSSB, new realignments too numerous to remember, convention location decisions, moving the TMEA office from Houston to Austin, and legislative agendas fought for and won are but a few monumental decisions made collaboratively through the years by the TMEA membership and leadership. One could question whether each of those, as well as other decisions made, were the appropriate ones, but each action taken reflected the collective beliefs of the membership and the leadership at a particular time in TMEA’s history. While there was often disagreement and sometimes tense dialogue prior to reaching consensus, that is a part of the process. Each of those decisions, however, demonstrated a cooperative spirit that ultimately resulted in a final outcome. Our future will always be shaped by how our members and their elected leaders address these kinds of issues.

Our recent realignment is a classic example of the cooperative spirit that has become the cornerstone of our amazing association. 10 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

August—Renew your TMEA membership online and preregister for the convention. August—Attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2 for details). August 20—Liability insurance purchased through TMEA expires. October 4, 6 am CT—TMEA convention online housing reservation system opens. November 15—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA mail/fax convention preregistration deadline. January 19—TMEA online early registration deadline. February 8–11—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio.

I have been reflecting on this topic lately based on my almost 50 years of involvement in TMEA as a member, a Region officer, an Executive Board member, and Executive Director the past 22 years. This bit of reminiscing has been triggered in recent months by an observation of how effectively the Vocal Division dealt with the development of the All-State Small School Mixed Choir and how the Region leadership and general membership have handled the recent realignment. The complexity of the new alignment developed over the past two years is something I’m sure I don’t have to explain—I believe every member gets that part. Creating a new Region structure involving over 12,500 members and their 125,000 students involved in Region auditions required a significant level of commitment and cooperation by almost 200 Region officers. In addition to developing and refining audition rules and policies, securing audition and clinic sites, and selecting and hiring clinicians, most do not tend to think about the challenge of fairly dividing current Region assets among 33 Regions as part of this realignment process. The complexity is under-

scored with each Region consisting of five divisions, in total involving 135 bank accounts and over one million dollars plus Region-owned equipment. This Executive Board and office presented a set of suggested recommendations to guide this massive sharing process but charged Region leadership with sitting down at the table with neighboring Regions and devising an equitable plan to divide the assets. Again, with the complexity of the realignment (including the addition of five Regions), hundreds of ISDs will enter the fall with a new Region number and new district TMEA partners. Despite the challenges of such a task, this office received very few calls related to asset sharing from new Region officers. And in those cases it was not to complain about how one Region was attempting to take advantage of another but rather a question of process. This successful undertaking was a classic example of the cooperative spirit that has become the cornerstone of our amazing association. Four times a year I attend a meeting with CEOs of several successful associations, and at each meeting some-

Invest

how the discussion evolves into a dialogue about how ego-driven leadership and infighting among the membership have in some capacity eroded the charge of the association to accomplish its mission. I am so thankful that TMEA has risen above such distractions through the years, and in this most recent case through successfully tackling this massive realignment project. So I wish you the best as many of you begin a new school year in a new TMEA Region home. I challenge you to do your part to make it a successful one through assuming your responsibilities in the audition process and managing Region activities in all divisions as needed. With nearly 160,000 students entering the process, it takes thousands of members simply to manage and adjudicate the state high school and middle school band, vocal, and orchestra auditions. Everyone must do their part, in a spirit of cooperation, to make these events both professional and successful in every way. The ultimate beneficiaries will be the 600,000 secondary music and over two million elementary music students in our Texas school programs.

in our future

Texas Future Music Educators offers students who have an interest in a music education career the support and information they need to help them prepare for their future. TFME members who preregister may attend the annual TMEA Clinic/ Convention on Friday and Saturday. 1. Go to www.tmea.org/tfme to create a chapter—it’s easy! 2. Market TFME to all high school music students. 3. Submit your chapter charter and dues to TMEA.

www.tmea.org/tfme For more information, email kvanlandingham@tmea.org

4. Request a grant to help your chapter get started. 5. Support TFME members and enjoy the significant return on your investment!

Sta r t a er chapt ll! this fa

Convention Travel Reimbursement Chapters can request reimbursement of $50 per student for up to 10 chapter members for convention travel expenses. Take advantage of this great opportunity to reduce costs!

Southwestern Musician | August 2016 11

V I T A L I T Y

REVIVING THE LIFE IN YOUR TEACHING BY PEGGY D . BEN NET T AND V ICKY SUAR EZ

e love teaching! Yet, being a teacher can deplete us by degrees. The highs are so high, and the lows are so low. Managing to stay emotionally afloat as we interact with students, coworkers, administrators, and parents is no easy task. Schools are ecosystems and any highs or lows, celebrations or tensions, tend to seep through the fabric of our daily teaching lives—and then they follow us home. Because teaching is such a personal act, we often internalize the ups and downs as if they reflect our character, knowledge, skill, and potential for success. Our responsibilities seem overwhelming and unrealistic, and we often become envious of others’ achievements and accolades. We can feel hurt by overt or covert treatment that we believe is unfair. We can interpret words and behaviors as criticism, even when they are not intended that way. We can feel untethered and out of balance as we vacillate between I can do this! and I can’t do this! The following are five ideas for regaining equilibrium and being the teacher and colleague we want to be. For each topic we examine attitudes and behaviors that could help you regain your vitality for teaching. We encourage you to incorporate these ideas as experiments in a quest to regain your spirit for teaching and a vitality for healthy interactions with everyone in your schools. Try them and see what happens!

I NTERPRET MISBEHAVIOR AS SIMPLY BEHAVIOR One of the most profound changes we can make in our teaching comes from a unique definition of misbehavior offered by C. M. Charles: misbehavior is knowingly and willingly obstructing, disrupting, or interrupting (1985, p. 4). What would change 12 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

if we adopted this definition for interpreting students’ behaviors? What would happen if we applied this filter to adults in our schools? If there is no intention to misbehave, should that warrant a different response? Behavior problems often cause us to become hypervigilant; we pounce on any behavior we see as directly opposing our rules or potentially becoming a problem. Shifting and restricting what constitutes misbehavior alters what we say and what we feel about the behavior challenge confronting us. Can we fathom that students or adults who annoy us may not be intentionally annoying? Feeling insulted does not necessarily mean someone is knowingly insulting. Feeling a specific emotion does not mean another is guilty of causing it. What could happen if we changed how we interpreted others’ behaviors? We could more often retain a calm internal and external countenance, allowing us to address the behavior and the consequence matter-of-factly, clearly, and without accusation. Consider this: Sometimes we adults are rude, annoying, unfair, rough, vulgar, or imposing, according to other adults. Does that mean we are misbehaving? When we give up assuming intent, it changes us: we respond differently internally and externally (Ruiz, 1997). We do not necessarily ignore the behavior, but we also do not presume malicious or disrespectful intent. Just as adults have wide ranges of normal behaviors, so do students. Embracing this simple habit of taking a second look can save us from frustration, tension, and heartache. Redefining misbehavior can allow us these opportunities: we can respond with the appropriate level of assertiveness, give the benefit of the doubt or a moment of grace, identify neutrally what

we see and hear, and explain why something needs to change (Bennett & Bartholomew, 1997, pp. 204–213). Consider neutral directives that are informative: • The noise level is way too high right now. How fast will you fix it? • I see your hand, Toby, but I’m listening for Jamey’s answer. • If your voice/instrument is too loud right now, I’m going to assume you are not listening as you sing/play. Let’s see what it sounds like if each of you listens to others as you sing/play.

R ELEARN HOW TO BE PLAYFUL No matter how many years you’ve been teaching or what ages you teach, an attitude of playfulness can help rebalance a pattern of discouragement. Playfulness steers us toward replacing harsh criticisms or quick judgments with lighthearted responses. (Bennett, 2014) Adopting playful responsiveness may seem like letting people off the hook for their annoying behaviors. Yet it may also be crafting a quality of interaction that serves both the sender and receiver. Examples of playful commentary could be:

• That wasn’t quite what I had in mind when I said “Grab A IM TO UNDERSTAND R ATHER THAN AGREE your folders.” When someone agrees with us, we can feel validated and • Okay, your giggles are interrupting our study. Let’s take five relieved. When someone disagrees with us, we can conjure all sorts of negative reactions. Conflict has the reputation of producing stress, fatigue, paranoia, short-sightedness, and many other dis-eases. Thankfully, we have more power than we may realize to manage those inevitable tensions. A simple antidote to fear and anger during conflict is easily within reach: aim to understand rather than agree (Rusk, 1993). With conflict, we often jump immediately to conclusions, not only about the action but also about its underlying reasons. That is why we suffer—we think we know the intent of another’s choices (Ruiz, 1997). But if we momentarily suspend our assumptions, we can pursue a path of understanding. Then, we have a broader palette for interpreting disagreement. Spoken with calm curiosity, not sarcasm, • Learn about health problems associated with learning aggression, or confrontation, simple quesand performing music tions and statements like these can pave the • Improve your understanding of the need for health path to understanding. education in music education • Can you tell me a little more about what • Gain practical insights on meeting TEKS requirements led you to that decision? during the 2016-2017 school year • Why do you think that?

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• Interesting. I had a very different reaction. Tell me how you interpreted that.

• What can you tell me that will help me understand what just happened? Conf licts, large and small, can be reframed by shifting from agreement to understanding. Even if you leave a conflict in disagreement, sharing perspectives with civility and intent to understand will serve you well. If the other person happens to explain without asking your opinion, simply say, “I think I understand your position on this better. Now I’ll tell you my thoughts, so you can understand my perspective as well.” Releasing the pressure valve of conflict in this simple way can refuel each party’s vitality.

Southwestern Musician | August 2016 13

seconds to get the giggles out so we can study the sounds in that piece. • This lunchroom talk is a little tough on my digestion. • The students are so fortunate to have such an array of teachers as us! Important here is to stress what playfulness is not. It is not the teacher telling jokes, entertaining, dominating the lesson, or using sarcasm as humor (Bennett & Bartholomew, 1997, pp. 155–158). Playfulness is instead an eagerness to teach and engage with curiosity, suspended judgment, lighthearted banter, and genuine puzzlement. Beware that if playfulness becomes too clever or too showy, students’ behaviors may escalate rather than comply. PRESERVING MUSICALITY Our passion for music and our desire to share music likely motivated us to become music teachers. It should be no surprise, then, that the quality of the music in our classrooms and rehearsals can influence our vitality for teaching! Musicality, the quality of expression, fluency, and nuance that makes music musical, is at the heart of our passion for music. Yet sometimes it is our quest to teach the intricacy and accuracy of music notation that diminishes the very thing that inspires our passion for music (Bennett, 2016). What a paradox to consider that teaching music can cause us to lose our musicality! How does this happen? When we turn music reading into an arithmetic drill (beats, note values, measures) and let the notation of music rule its performance, we may be strangling the aesthetics for our students and for ourselves. If this sounds familiar, it may be time to reconnect to musicality in all music classes, for all ages. Do you teach rhythms and intervals out of context and use arithmetic relationships, rather than sounds that musically and linguistically cluster together, to define patterns to study? Are ensemble warm-ups more routine than musical, more habitual than aesthetic? Are students encouraged to be expressive and nuanced in even the simplest patterns as they sing and play? • Watch my hands as I conduct your scales. You’ll notice some nuances. Will I hear you match my expressions? • Sing the song like you’re telling the story. That’s what anyone listening wants to hear: your expressiveness.

Starting Your First Job? If you graduated in May and will begin work as a music educator this fall, be sure to do the following when you renew your TMEA membership: • Select “Active” as your TMEA member type. • Purchase liability insurance—no teacher, including private instructors, should work with students without this important coverage! • Once you renew as an Active Member, enroll in the TMEA Mentoring Network. Veteran teachers are here to help you succeed! 14 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

• Let’s sing/play the fourth phrase. Disregard the bar lines, because I want you to shape the sound for that cluster of notes. And the cluster doesn’t fit within the bar lines. • How will you make your hand signs as musical as your singing while you perform that pattern? Teaching music in lifeless and unmusical ways can wear on our spirits. Prioritizing musicality and expressiveness can revitalize us. We can give ourselves permission to choose music we enjoy and to preserve its musical integrity in our teaching. When we teach what we love, we are passionate about it, and our teaching will reflect that vibrancy. TAKE YOUR BEST SELF TO SCHOOL Too easily and too frequently, we can adopt a habit of being in perpetual fight-or-flight mode at school. The stress caused by living in constant anxiety can interfere with sleep, mood, digestion, resilience, and, of course, good teaching. We can all-too-easily slide into a pattern of seeking (and finding!) behaviors that rile us, people who threaten us, and conflicts that make us want to fight or flee. When we consciously choose the intention to be our best, all sorts of interactions, big and small, shift our focus and recast our feelings. Manifesting our intent each morning can powerfully frame the way we want to behave, react, comment, and care. The simple yet powerful attitudes and behaviors described here will not eliminate the hard, sometimes wearisome work required of all educators. These ideas can, however, revive you in moments of doubt and vitalize you in the midst of myriad emotional challenges every teaching assignment presents. Regaining the life in your teaching may require the baby steps of experimenting with these dimensions of playfulness, understanding, musicality, behavior, and your best self, but your mental, physical, and social health is worth every step! Peggy D. Bennett is Professor Emerita of Music Education at 2EHUOLQ &RQVHUYDWRU\ RI 0XVLF DQG LV D FHUWLÀHG PHGLDWRU DQG OLIH coach. Vicky Suarez is an Elementary Music Specialist at Prairie Creek Elementary (Richardson ISD). R EFERENCES Bennett, P. D. (2016). Questioning the unmusical ways we teach children music (286–307), Teaching general music: Approaches, issues, and viewpoints. Eds. Carlos Abril & Brent Gault. New York: Oxford University Press. Bennett, P. D. (2014). Playfulness is an attitude: A practice that revitalizes teaching and learning. Alfred Music. Ledger Lines email blast. Bennett, P. D. & Bartholomew, D. R. (1997). SongWorks 1: Singing in the education of children. Van Nuys, California: Wadsworth. 2014 republished by SongWorks Press. Charles, C. M. (1985). Building classroom discipline: From models to practice. New York: Longman. Ruiz, D. M. (1997). The four agreements: A practical guide to personal freedom. San Rafael, California: Amber-Allen Publishing. Rusk, T. (1993). The power of ethical persuasion. New York: Penguin.

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2017 CLINIC/CONVENTION N OT H I N G C A N C O M PA R E

FEBRUARY 8–11 • SAN ANTONIO • TMEA.ORG/CONVENTION 16 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

B Y

J O E

BAND NOTES

M U Ñ O Z

In Memoriam

DONALD HERBERT MUERY December 28, 1937–November 8, 2015 MICHAEL A NTHONY FASSINO January 20, 1939–April 24, 2016 JIM BLACKSHEAR June 10, 1944–May 27, 2016

Blockbuster or sequel?

August—Renew your TMEA membership online and preregister for the convention. August—Attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2 for details). August 1—Deadline for waivers to the audition process to be received at TMEA headquarters. August 20—Liability insurance purchased through TMEA expires. September 1—Deadline to submit All-State etude errata to the Band Division Chair. October 4, 6 am CT—TMEA convention online housing reservation system opens. October 22—Deadline to receive All-State Jazz audition CDs in the TMEA office. November 12–13—All-State Jazz judging. November 15—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA mail/fax convention preregistration deadline. January 7—Area Band and Vocal auditions. January 19—TMEA convention online early registration deadline. February 8–11—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio.

s we exit the summer movie season, will our new school year be an exciting blockbuster or just another predictable sequel? How do we keep students, parents, administrators, ourselves, and our programs current, with surprises and perhaps an unexpected turn in our yearly plot? How can we deliver a blockbuster? First of all we need a great script. Our educational script includes the music we program and the schedule of activities, performances, and contests our students will experience during the year. The planning of how your students travel from scene to scene (activity to activity) will help set the story line or plot of your students’ experiences. Using feedback you received at the end of last school year can help you adjust your plan and keep students feeling part of a dynamic and constantly evolving script. Every year will have its ups and downs, but having a structured plan that is studentfocused can help keep your program moving in a positive direction of growth and success. Next you will want to plan some unexpected twists and turns. Varying our daily process to incorporate new experiences for students does not limit our ability to maintain a consistent approach to reaching growth and performance goals. This is often more an issue of an unwillingness to get out of our own comfort zone. Trying new techniques could move our students—and ourselves—in a new direction. By using the technology that is an integral part of your students’ daily routines, you could provide an unexpected twist that piques your students’ curiosity to discover ways to use their personal devices to help in their musical development and growth. Another twist might be to invite a “guest star,” a visiting clinician who gives your students a different

Our educational script includes the music we program and the schedule of activities, performances, and contests our students will experience during the year. Southwestern Musician | August 2016 17

perspective or another way to approach attaining greater musical maturity. I have always found that bringing in outside guests to our program makes our students sit a little taller and work harder to present their best for our guests. These twists and turns can also be a part of their musical experience that they will never forgetâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; like when you said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe they did that to Han Solo!â&#x20AC;? Instead of repeating the same routine year after year, offer a fresh script through curriculum adjustments that keep your experienced students involved and feeling

like they are part of something different from their previous activities. Be committed to trying a new activity or rehearsal strategy each month. It could be simple things like using a different setup, having a student lead the fundamentals for a day, getting a student to conduct a small portion of your music, or using a new app in class. These small variations can help your cast be part of a new and exciting script rather than just another expected sequel. Publicity and marketing are always a critical element of any blockbuster. Production and marketing companies

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work to build massive excitement and anticipation for their movies. We can learn from this example. How do we market and publicize our own programs? In this new age of education, it is important to build a visible presence in our school and in our communities. Work with parents, staff, administrators, school board members, and local community members to publicize and highlight the positive contributions your program is making to your students and the community while stressing the importance of music education for every child. This can be achieved by utilizing several communication strategies. The incorporation of social media to publicize performances can increase public awareness and interest in your program. Staff members or parents can take this on. (Be sure to follow district policies.) After performances, send out a message about how great the performance was and how proud you are of the students and what they accomplished. We all know how fast news can travel via social media, so work to create a social footprint for your program. People who may never attend your concerts or performances can still be influenced by what they see and read about your bands. You may never know who will see the positive effects your organization is having on your students and how that might lead to them being an advocate for your program and music education. Increasing your social footprint can also help advocate for other music programs. As our schools and rehearsal halls begin to fill with excitement for the new school year, I hope you are energized to have an Oscar-winning influence on your studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; musical journey.

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Honor Band Committee Update The Honor Band Review Committee met on July 19, 2016 (after this issue went to press). You will receive an update at your fall Region meeting. Please give your Region Band Chair any feedback on the items discussed. You can also contact me directly to provide feedback on the Honor Band process. TMEA Membership Renewal and Convention Updates It’s time once again to renew your TMEA membership at www.tmea.org/ renew. You must be a current TMEA member to enter your students into the TMEA All-State audition process. You can also preregister now to attend the 2017 TMEA Clinic/Convention held in San Antonio, February 8–11. Remember that your previous membership expired at the end of June and liability insurance purchased through TMEA expires on August 20. At $30 annually, this is insurance you don’t want to neglect. And, like any insurance, you can’t buy it after an event causes you to need it, so don’t put it off! All-State Conductors and Clinicians Conductors for the 2017 TMEA Clinic/ Convention All-State Bands and Jazz Ensembles are: Kevin Sedatole, Michigan State University (All-State Symphonic Band); Cynthia Turner Johnston, University of Georgia (All-State Concert

Band); Rodney Dorsey, University of Oregon (5A All-State Symphonic Band); Denis DiBlasio, Rowan University (AllState Jazz Ensemble I); David Caffey, University of Northern Colorado (AllState Jazz Ensemble II). Our featured clinician will be Alan McMurray, Distinguished Professor and Professor of Conducting Emeritus at the University of Colorado. More detailed information about these outstanding musicians and educators will be in future editions of SOUTHWESTERN MUSICIAN. Give Back Please also consider serving TMEA in two important ways. Serve as a one-onone mentor in your area for young band directors or directors new to the state. You can provide valuable professional support for your colleagues and help ensure their continued development and longevity by enrolling online to serve as a part of the TMEA Mentoring Network (www.tmea.org/mentor). Also, please consider serving as a convention volunteer for 2017. It truly takes a cast of thousands to produce a successful convention experience for our membership. There are many critical roles available through which you can give back to the organization during the convention. To submit your information and availability, go to www.tmea.org/ bandvolunteer.

Band Division Updates Please make plans to attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2 for the schedule). In addition to important local business and UIL updates, each Region will be charged with nominating candidates for TMEA President-Elect. Elections for these posts will be held in February in conjunction with the 2017 TMEA Clinic/ Convention. The TMEA All-State audition etudes are posted on the website along with performance guides and errata. The website is the only official posting of these items and September 1 is the deadline for errata submissions to the State Band Chair. Please monitor the website frequently for updates. Thanks go to this year’s etude selectors for their musical expertise and presentations at the TBA convention. Thanks also to the Board of Directors of the Texas Bandmasters Association for preparing and presenting an exciting, educational, and rewarding lineup of clinics and events at the recent TBA Convention in San Antonio. Congratulations to these Texas ensembles invited to perform at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. If you attend the Midwest Clinic be sure to support our Texas ensembles with your presence: • Hebron HS Wind Ensemble – Andy Sealy, director • Spring HS Wind Ensemble – Gabe Musella, director • Creek Valley Honors Winds – Kimberly Cooley, director • Artie Henry MS Honors Band – Robert Herrings III, director • Roma MS Symphonic Winds – Corey Graves, director • Cockrill MS Honors Band – Gary Williams, director • Round Rock HS Trombone Choir – David Mobley, director • Ridgeview MS Percussion Ensemble – Megan Wike, director Finally, a sincere thanks goes to those dedicated educators who served as judges, Area Chairs, contest hosts, and room monitors for the TMEA Honor Band process. We’ll recognize finalists and highlight those ensembles presenting honor concerts during our convention in upcoming issues of this magazine.

20 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

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Striking a Balance

his spring, we surveyed TMEA members about balance and burnout. From that survey many members offered strategies they’ve been using to combat burnout and to achieve a better work-life balance. (If you haven’t read the details, go to www.tmea.org/balanceresults.) We recently followed up with a few of those members to learn more about the changes they made to improve their work-life balance. We hope their stories can help others discover ways to have satisfying and successful careers as Texas music educators! Our thanks go to this month’s contributors:

• Travis Almany, Texas A&M University Bands (TA) • Amber Nowlin, Bonham Academy (Elementary) (AN) • Marla Ringel, TCU graduate student, previously Carroll Senior HS Choir Director (MR) • Sadie Awad, Smith MS Orchestra Director (SA) :KDW ZDV WHDFKLQJ OLNH EHIRUH \RX PDGH VLJQLÀFDQW changes? (TA) I was quickly on the way to burnout and a career change. I obsessed over wanting everything to be perfect, especially with student attitude and behavior. I had difficulty relating to students who did not give it their all, did not want to take lessons, or did not practice. I especially had trouble dealing with disruptive students. I took everything personally and it negatively affected me at and away from work. Over time I realized I needed to be happier or my career would not last. (AN) I was exhausted and stressed out! I ultimately had to take 22 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

a medical leave of absence due to severe stress-induced reflux problems. (MR) I was tired and worn out and often felt isolated. I had a lot of anxiety about parents’ and directors’ perceptions of me. I thought if I didn’t give every moment to my job, I would be open to criticism. If I gave everything I could, I thought it would be harder for people to criticize me because I was doing my best. I ultimately hit a wall where I knew couldn’t go on in that same way. (SA) I was easily working 12- to 14-hour days and still going home feeling like I should have done more and realizing that tomorrow would be an even longer day. Even after all the time and energy spent helping students be their best, I felt no sense of accomplishment. How could students be as successful as I expected when I myself couldn’t do that? Something had to change. What was your personal life like? (TA) I made no distinction between my life and my career. Away from work, I thought about work, talked about work, focused on work. A bad interaction with a student or parent would keep me up at nights, make me a miserable person, and in turn make me not want to go back to work. I was very focused on career advancement. Life, family, and enjoyment outside work often took a back seat. (AN) Even when I wasn’t there, I obsessed over work (which sometimes I still do, but not constantly), and this wasn’t a “creative flow.” It was worry. Meanwhile, my physical health suffered as well. (MR) I was so tired! My brain never shut down from workrelated thoughts, so when I went to work, I was already stressed

and anxious for the day ahead. I dreaded opening my email. I hated seeing the new list of issues. I rarely slept well. I was always thinking about all the things I still needed to do—not because they were important, but because I wanted to guard myself against the opportunity for criticism. (SA) I had no life apart from work. I would typically get home late at night, make dinner, watch an episode on Netflix, and go to bed. On weekends instead of spending time with friends I graded assignments, created assignments, or researched projects for the students to do. :KDW VLJQLÀFDQW FKDQJHV GLG \RX PDNH" (TA) I changed several things: I decided to give it my all while at work and not think about work once I walked out the door. (While not always possible, my wife helped me with this greatly!) I learned to keep things in their proper perspective. There are no “band emergencies.” I remind myself to relax. I am just a band director. I shifted my focus from career advancement and impressing others to helping my students have the best possible musical experience. I found the job I connect to best. The first job wasn’t bad—others may have great success in it. The second job wasn’t good—others may have failed there. You have to find the right age, environment, school/community philosophy, and position that fits you. I also found things I am passionate about aside from music and teaching. My time outside school is now spent with family, a strict workout regime, travel, learning new things in and out of music, and taking up new activities. (AN) I transferred to a different campus assignment in my district. While this isn’t always an option, for me, a literal change

of scenery and change of grade level helped me get out of a negative rut. I started eating healthier and taking multivitamins on a regular basis. With better nutrition and fewer work hours, I had more time and energy to start hoop dancing for exercise. I also began cooking in large batches and freezing meals for my family. Taking the guesswork out of “what’s for dinner?” is huge. In teaching, I became more efficient in lesson planning. The more steeped I am in my knowledge of music and pedagogy, the less time it takes to make plans that work well. Taking Kodály levels continues to make a huge difference for me with lesson planning. (MR) My two biggest issues were time management and setting job expectations and boundaries. I began by consolidating reminder notes and random lists to declutter my work space. I now use the Erin Condren teacher planner to organize the administrative parts of my job. This streamlines my daily responsibilities. I prioritize to-do list items and assign a time or day to do each. This helped me mentally structure my workday to be most efficient. I also rewrote my handbook to help manage parent and student expectations. At the start of the year, I inform parents and students that I want to respect family time—theirs and mine. I tell parents I will give their kids 100% of my effort during work hours, and then I need to go home and not be a choir director after that time. I was surprised to see how much respect parents and students paid to this boundary. (SA) Time management was key for me. I started limiting the hours I spend outside school working on school-related things. With my time at work, I plan everything by most important to least important and plan the time of the day I do each item on my list. If at the end of the day I reach my cutoff for time, I wrap up

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what I am doing and save it for the next day. With this one change, I got more accomplished in less time and had more energy and a sense of accomplishment every time I left my classroom. :KDW ZDV PRVW FKDOOHQJLQJ LQ PDNLQJ VLJQLÀFDQW change? (TA) It is very difficult not to let it get to me when students aren’t trying or are disrupting class. I have learned not to take the student discipline and attitude issues personally. (AN) Consistently great nutrition is still what plagues me the most. This spring when my schedule reached its most demanding point, I was running on junk food, takeout, and caffeine. This slowly chipped away at my energy levels, and I was increasingly stressed out and gaining weight. Fortunately, as soon as school let out I was able to get back into an exercise and nutrition groove while in the throes of a Kodály Level 2 certification course! My energy is back, and I’m remembering why these routines are so important. (MR) The most challenging was realizing I didn’t just need a procedural change, but rather a complete shift in mentality. At first, I felt guilty for not being at my job 13 hours a day. I realized that my identity and self-worth were rooted in my success as a teacher. Some days were great and I felt on top of the world, and then some were bad and I felt awful. It was a slippery slope. I couldn’t give that much power to my job, so I had to do a lot of soul-searching in terms of who I wanted to be aside from my job. (SA) The most challenging thing was setting a time for myself, sticking to it, and being okay with walking away from something that wasn’t finished. But if I didn’t set a limit for myself I would

have kept going until I physically couldn’t anymore. Many teachers say that to achieve a good balance you have to “leave work at work.” What do you think? (TA) Except in rare circumstances—when something is timesensitive or after a longer time off—I don’t check work email when not at work. I don’t study scores, make lesson plans, select music, or any other job task at home. This requires being very organized at work. I do not put off any task that can be done immediately. I study scores and make rehearsal plans well ahead of time, I respond to emails immediately, I make phone calls as soon as I can, and I do administrative tasks ahead of time. This ensures that on most days, I do not have to stay any later than necessary and that when I get home, I do not have to do work tasks. I have also tried to train myself not to think about work, especially the small, troublesome parts, when I am away from the office. When I return to work, the problems seem far less challenging to resolve. The key is to figure out what works for you. For me, it is not thinking or talking about work away from the office. For others, it is important to talk things out with someone away from work. (AN) A lot of my best classroom ideas don’t always happen at school. In fact, many come to me during our yearly trip to Port Aransas. However, aside from allowing creative lesson ideas to flow to me when they strike, I don’t bring much work home with me anymore. Of course, if my back is up against the wall with a deadline, then I might enter grades at home, but I try to avoid that whenever possible, and reserve most of my at-home work to the fun, creative parts of planning.

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Dr. Troy Robertson Director of Choirs (254) 968-9240 robertson@tarleton.edu

The Tarleton State University Chamber Choir before their March 27, 2016 concert at Carnegie Hall. 24 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

(MR) I prioritize my to-do list and assign days and times to each item so that I’m constantly considering my schedule. Time at work is time spent working. I also delegate duties to my officers, choir aides, boosters, or associate director to help create group ownership. I set boundaries with parents and students regarding the expectations for our program and my job as the head director. I state in our handbook and tell them at our initial meetings that I walk away from email at 4 P.M. and they are not guaranteed an answer until the next work day. You’ll get sucked in if you check work email from home. Accept that there will always be things left on the to-do list when you leave for the day, and that is okay! (SA) When I leave the office I tell myself that I have the car ride home to decompress from work. When I park the car, work is done. Only occasionally will I come home and truly feel the need to tell my husband something about work. If I do need to talk about something, either good or bad, I allow myself five minutes to let it out and then it is time to move on. I also will not do any work at home unless it is an emergency, must be done tonight, and it couldn’t get done at work. How can teachers say no to extra commitments without appearing as if they aren’t being a team player? (TA) Building good relationships with administrators and other stakeholders is key. Make sure they are aware of your commitment to the well-being of the students. Administrators need to know that you support them, the school, and other activities in the school. When you get a request for a performance or a personal task that is too much and not good for the students, respond in terms of student time and what is best for the students. Given your established support and cooperation, administrators will know that you are not just trying to get out of doing your part. (AN) Being a people pleaser, I’m terrible at saying no—I try to do everything that I can. However, I know the limits of my various ensembles, and if they aren’t able to perform, I explain to my administrator what we are currently working toward and why we can’t accommodate the (often last-minute) request. Be transparent about why you can’t do something; explain that fulfilling this request will cause other priorities for your campus to suffer in quality. Offer an alternative; if the ensemble they asked for can’t handle another event, suggest another ensemble that could. (MR) Make a decision early in the year with your administrator about how many extra activities you can take on, keeping in mind a respectful balance of their time as well. Most teachers and administrators understand not wanting to take on a bunch of extra commitments when you explain that you can’t reasonably ask that of your students. We often hear that planning is key to greater job satisfaction. What’s your approach to planning? (TA) In addition to not putting things off that can be done right away, I keep lists of things that need to be done. I divide the tasks into what is more important and less important and into what needs to be done now and what can wait until the other things are done. I then work my way down the list. I put any task that I know I may forget to do on my computer’s calendar and set it to give me a reminder. It may be a reminder 25 minutes from now or it may be a year from now. In the summer, I handle any logistics that can be accomplished ahead of time—literature selection and score study, roster, instrument inventory, calendar, and more.

(AN) I do much of my planning during the summer. I am currently in the middle of zeroing in on more efficient and effective planning through my Kodály coursework. While the focus of Kodály is on the elementary grade levels, I strongly recommend it for secondary teachers as well. Not only does it hone your aural skills, which is useful for all music teachers at all levels, but it also teaches efficient score study, vertical alignment, and individual lesson planning that is developmentally appropriate and addresses multiple learning styles. (MR) I’m diligent about creating long-term and short-term plans for my classes. Once I select literature, I determine the sections of the piece (considering repetition or familiar patterns) and how long it will take me to teach each section. I create a longterm plan based on how many rehearsals we have prior to the concert. Then, daily planning is established from that long-term plan. During the summer, I listen to music and build a spreadsheet with title, composer/arranger, voicing, difficulty level, and initial notes on the piece to help with literature selection. (SA) I plan the tasks I need to accomplish each day, week, month, semester, and year. I also set goals for my students and myself and plan accordingly. I make lots of lists as well as put things in my calendar to make sure I can keep to my plans and goals. In the summer, I update planning binders for each grading period with curriculum guidelines and goals, homework, worksheets, tests, scale sheets, warm-ups, etudes, and anything else they might need and I make notes on what to alter for the next year. If someone wants to improve their work-life balance but doesn’t know where to start, what advice would you offer? (TA) I display this quote by Ludwig Wittgenstein outside my office door and offer it for anyone seeking change: “If life becomes hard to bear, we think of a change in our circumstances. But the most important and effective change, a change in our own attitude, hardly ever occurs to us, and the resolution to take such a step is very difficult for us.” (AN) Start with nutrition. It is still the most difficult for me to remain consistent with, but it is also where I see the biggest impact across all areas of my life. Even if taking a multivitamin and having a good breakfast is the best you can manage, that will help. Eventually you can expand to having better lunches and dinners too. I also recommend taking professional development courses like Kodály or Orff, or a conducting seminar. Being around other passionate music educators will really recharge your batteries and your skill set! (MR) I think the best thing I ever did was take a step back to consider what I wanted my life to look like. Based on that, set boundaries or create structure that enables you to establish that lifestyle. Once you know what you want your life to look like, it will be much easier to see what is in the way. You can’t fix a problem you don’t understand! (SA) Start the change with yourself! When you feel better about yourself you will have more energy and more drive to keep pushing your students and yourself to the next level. Our thanks go to these four music educators for offering such valuable information on maintaining a better work-life balance. Throughout this volume, look for more stories like this to gain even more strategies that might work for you. Southwestern Musician | August 2016 25

THIS IS THE HOUSE INNOVATION BUILT. Welcome to the Powerhouse.

MOORES SCHOOL OF MUSIC AU DI T ION DAT E S 2016 November 5 2017 January 28 2017 February 4 2017 March 4 & 5

uh.edu/music

B Y

P E N N Y

ORCHESTRA NOTES

M E I T Z

August—Renew your TMEA membership online and preregister for the convention. August—Attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2 for details). August 1—Deadline for waivers to the audition process to be received at TMEA headquarters. August 20—Liability insurance purchased through TMEA expires. September 1—Deadline to submit All-State etude errata to the Orchestra Division Chair. September 15—HS String Honor Orchestra online entries due. October 4, 6 am CT—TMEA convention online housing reservation system opens. October 22–23—First and second round judging of HS String Honor Orchestra CDs. October 29—Protected date to record for All-State String auditions. November 12–13—First and second round All-State CD judging. November 15—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA mail/fax convention preregistration deadline. January 7—Area Band and Vocal auditions. January 19—TMEA online early registration deadline. February 8–11—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio.

Energize your program

believe that one of the many great things about teaching is the opportunity to start anew each fall. By the end of a school year, we teachers are spent. Patience has run thin. We are tired, and we are tired of. Even after more than 40 years in the classroom, when summer vacation comes to a close, I’m excited to begin a new school year with new students and new classes. A new school year gives us a clean slate and a chance to try new ideas. During the summer, I spend time looking at music for the new school year. Many of us take advantage of the exhibits and new music reading sessions at the TODA convention to do this. Eternally optimistic, I’m always searching for those perfect pieces of music that showcase strong players and build the skills and strengths of those average students who are the lifeblood of our programs. Finding new possibilities for energizing my students and myself is something that gives me joy every year. How fortunate we music teachers are! Every year we can customize our curriculum and selection of classroom materials to address the needs of our students and programs. Unlike many academic classes that require using the same books and materials year after year, we have a wealth of repertoire from which to choose. The quantity and richness of our teaching resources make it possible to teach for many years with a constant supply of literature new to us. In addition, new pedagogical literature is published frequently, regularly refreshing those resources. The gems in the standard repertoire are so numerous that it can take many years to cover them. Every year, one of my goals is to balance teaching repertoire that is new to me with the standard selections with which every string player should be familiar.

A new school year gives us a clean slate and a chance to try new ideas. Southwestern Musician | August 2016 27

As we assess our students’ achievements at the end of a school year, the flip side of that is recognizing and addressing their (and our) shortcomings. A new school year presents a chance for a redo. We can add new or improved ideas and leave behind anything that went stale or didn’t work to our satisfaction. To this day, one of my unending quests is to find a tuning routine that keeps students engaged without losing precious rehearsal time and that results in an in-tune ensemble. When recently watching a colleague at a summer camp, I learned a method I’m looking forward to trying with my orchestras: tune one section at a time, very quietly, using only the upper part of the bow. The pitch produced by the tuner should be audible at all times without turning up the volume to an ear-splitting level. When students are not actively tuning a string, they are shadow practicing or sitting quietly. Even the teacher communicates only through gestures. For me, the challenge will be keeping the students quiet and patient while waiting for their turn to adjust a string. Too often, I get caught up in the

cycle of teaching a piece without paying enough attention to the fundamental techniques required to perform it well. There are many advanced method books and pedagogical materials available today that weren’t around when I was a young teacher. Incorporating some of these materials consistently in rehearsal contributes to building individual skills and strengthening ensemble playing. This is another one of the challenges I look forward to each new school year. Over time, the rewards of this investment of time and effort become clear. The thought process and consideration needed to set a path and select materials and repertoire that keep us and our students on that path is one of the elements that makes our jobs interesting. Changes Ahead There are changes ahead that will affect teachers and students at the Area level of the All-State process. The first of these pertains to the TMEA Active Director/Member Sponsor. TMEA state audition policies have long required the TMEA active director/member sponsor to be in attendance and available to serve

as an audition staff member for the activities in which their students are involved. This same policy will be applied to the Orchestra Area judging rounds. The Orchestra Division will now be aligned with current state policies as well with the Band and Vocal Divisions, which already require the TMEA Active Director/ Member Sponsor to accompany students and judge at the Area round. The following has been added to the TMEA Audition Policies and Procedures, under Director/ Member Sponsor Responsibilities: “For Orchestra and Jazz Area auditions, the director of record entering students in the Area process must be available to judge or monitor at the Area level.” To implement this change, we have created a database using archival information about schools and programs that consistently place students in the string sections of the All-State Orchestras. The names of head directors of these schools will be placed on a first-call list. This list will be supplemented with names of middle school teachers and directors, private teachers, and college professors who can help fill the need for Area audition judges and monitors. Panels for both Area rounds will be constructed early enough for teachers’ planning purposes. More details about this were given to Region Chairs at the summer Region Chair training meetings. The second change is being made in an effort to reduce the length of the first day of Area judging. In the first round, it is not unusual to listen to excerpt recordings that are considerably under tempo. Each excerpt selected for recording will be timed at the slowest prescribed tempo. During playback, the maximum time allowed for listening will be 125% of that slowest-tempo baseline time. When that time has elapsed, the monitor will stop the recording and move forward to the next cut or, if on the final cut, to the next entry. The excerpt will be evaluated on the quality of what was heard and, if applicable, how much was not played. For example: • Cut 1, at the slowest prescribed tempo, takes 32 seconds to perform. The amount of time allowed for playback, starting when the music begins on the recording, will be 40 seconds (32 × 125%).

28 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

• Player X-42 played this excerpt in 50 seconds. The monitor will stop the recording at 40 seconds. The judges score the excerpt, working to be consistent within their scoring system. The monitor will advance the recording to the next excerpt or next candidate. • Player X-43 plays this same excerpt in 30 seconds. The excerpt is heard in its entirety. The judges score the excerpt, again striving to stay consistent within each individual judge’s scoring system. The length of listening time for each excerpt will be posted on the TMEA website with the Area recording excerpts. We are optimistic that adjusting the playback timing in this way will help the efficiency of the Area audition process, particularly for Round 1, and will promote objectivity in judging. Honor Orchestra On June 18 and 19, Martin HS in Arlington ISD hosted the first round of Honor Orchestra auditions for Middle School/Junior High String, Middle School/Junior High Full, and High School Full Honor Orchestras. Many thanks go to Michael Stringer, Sammy Branch, and Jamie Ovalle for hosting a well-run contest. The first round included entries from 23 middle school/ junior high string orchestras, 11 middle school full orchestras, and 16 high school full orchestras. State finalists and winners will be printed in the September issue and may be found at www.tmea.org under the Orchestra Division menu. Thanks also go to the first-round judges and others who worked hard to make this contest run smoothly.

Region Meetings and More Please plan to attend your fall Region meeting (details on page 2). Region Chairs will ask you to complete the online volunteer form. Help your colleagues and our students by dedicating a little of your time—we need you! Be sure you attend the correct Region meeting by looking up your school district at www.tmea.org/findmyregion. Congratulations and thanks go to Sandra Vandertulip and the wonderful TODA Board for presenting another outstanding TODA convention. I hope you were able to attend this excellent event! Renew Now and Get Covered Don’t wait until a contest entry deadline requires you to renew your TMEA membership! Renew now and avoid the

panic that is almost guaranteed if you wait until the last minute to complete this transaction. Be sure your contact information is correct so that you receive important TMEA updates throughout the year. When you renew your membership, also purchase liability insurance coverage if you don’t otherwise have a policy—no educator (including private lesson teachers and student teachers) should ever be without it. And just like any other insurance, you won’t be covered if the reason you need it occurs before you purchase. The $30 policy available to active TMEA members is effective August 21–August 20 (and does not automatically renew). Go to www.tmea.org/liability for coverage details.

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All-State Audition Material All-State etudes were posted online May 1, and errata are updated as reported (with September 1 being the submission deadline). The TMEA website is the only official location for these errata, which are posted on the audition materials page. Please check often for updates. They will be dated and listed in red. Orchestral excerpts were made available on the TMEA website during the TODA convention, July 20–23.

Southwestern Musician | August 2016 29

by Mark A. Crim and Nathan R. Templeton usic educators quickly discover that administrators hold great influence over their programs. Administrators control budgets, schedules, staffing, and sometimes, it seems, the quality of your day. Influenced by growing state and federal mandates and budget priorities, they can often appear distant or seem to have unnecessary expectations for music educators. However, the vast majority of district and campus administrators do see the value in music and want large, effective music programs to be part of their school. Administrators can be and often are your greatest champions, and developing good professional relationships with them can make the difference between your program being perceived as an integral part of the school or as a costly elective. We realize that in our previous work as music educators, we were fortunate to have been mentored well. Our campus administrators were caring professionals who wanted to be in a shared partnership with us to build a foundation that supported student learning. Each of us also recalls those same administrators reminding us that our programs were just one piece of that foundation. With experience as music educators and campus administrators, we understand the perspectives and challenges inherent in each role. So, last February, in a TMEA convention panel discussion, we posed the question to a group of music educatorsturned-administrators, “What do my administrators expect from me?” This inquiry revealed areas where music educators can make positive gains in their work and relationships with their administrators. Whether you’re beginning your first job or have many years of experience, consider the following as you start this school year, striving to develop productive working relationships with your administrative team.

30 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

Be a Member of the Instructional Team Like instructors in every other curricular subject, music educators at all levels are responsible for teaching grade-level specific TEKS. • Plan and document your lessons and turn them in as requested. • Plan and document your assessments, and post grades in a timely manner. • Participate fully in faculty training. Yes, they do apply to you. • Coordinate calendars, facilities, and support staff so that you can take care of your business and so that everyone else can as well. • Work to see the big picture and how your program supports and benefits from it. • Follow the policies for delivering instruction that apply to all teachers on your campus. Be a Professional Educator Being a professional educator means doing the things expected of every teacher on your campus. Music educators at all levels, as certified professionals, must strive to establish friendly professional relationships with other teachers and administrators. • Do your share of duty and committee assignments. • Work the hours expected of you as a music educator. Understand that at times this will mean early and late hours. • Follow district policies for discipline management and set and enforce policies for your program. • Have procedures in place for handling money (especially

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Intentionally become part of the decisionmaking team. Provide candid and honest input. Your perspective is needed and important. cash) that are in line with campus and district policies, and follow them without variance. â&#x20AC;˘ Be self-directed. Act without needing reminders. â&#x20AC;˘ Accept and work with change. Be a Communicator Well-developed communication skills are essential for educators. Music education is no exception. Taking a proactive approach will be noticed and appreciated

â&#x20AC;˘ Meet often with your administrators to check in and talk about what is happening in your world. Share your good news (and even the bad). â&#x20AC;˘ Return phone calls and emails promptlyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the same day whenever possible. Keep documentation of communication (especially email). â&#x20AC;˘ Written communication by email or text message to anyone needs to be crystal clear, grammatically correct, and spell-checked. If you are angry or frustrated, consider addressing the issue in person instead of writing something that might be misinterpreted (and possibly used against you in a disciplinary matter). â&#x20AC;˘ Communication with parents needs to be positive. Take the high groundâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it belongs to you! â&#x20AC;˘ Social media can be a useful tool to disseminate information and build recognition for your program. However, follow district policies, be careful what you post, monitor what is posted on any page you administer,

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32 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

and remove anything that might be offensive to parents, colleagues, or administrators. Social media is not the place to rant or gossip about a school problem. â&#x20AC;˘ Educate administrators about your program. Invite them to camps, contests, concerts, banquets, and trips. Invite them to sit in on a rehearsal, walk into the stadium with the marching band, or participate in the choral sightreading process. As a result, they will have a better idea of what you are doing and how hard you and your students work! Be a Problem Solver (Not Crisis Manager) Challenges happen every day and in every school. How you respond determines the level of confidence your administrators will have in you to make good decisions in tough situations. Identify problems before they escalate, and use every resource at your disposal to develop and implement solutions that are fair and that comply with policy. â&#x20AC;˘ Respond to student or parent issues

with open ears and a cool head. Look for common ground. • Your administrators can best support you if they know the facts. Communicate problems clearly, thoroughly, and truthfully. If you made a mistake, own up to it. • If you have a problem, explore possible solutions to present prior to meeting with your administrator. • Don’t issue ultimatums to your administrators, parents, or students. Agree to disagree until you are sure policy is on your side in a conflict. Having to pull back from an ultimatum can damage your credibility far more than losing the argument. Pick your battles carefully. • Be proactive. Do your best to anticipate issues that may cause you problems and fix the root cause ahead of time when possible.

Rather than worry about things you can’t control, always consider better procedures, scheduling, and curriculum as well as other ways to make your program and school better. administrative assistants and aides or without clean and well-maintained buildings, safe bus transportation, and a good student nutrition program. Make friends with the important members of your school team who ensure each of these happens.

who show up make policy; therefore, intentionally become part of the decision-making team. Provide candid and honest input. Your perspective is needed and important. Fight for your area of responsibility while remembering the big picture. What is in your program’s best interest might not be in the school’s best interest at that moment. Work to find win-win solutions.

• Regardless of your level of agreement, demonstrate your support for departmental, campus, and district policies to students and parents in positive ways. More often than not, those

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Be a Collaborator Find ways to become involved on your campus. Contribute your gifts and talents in an area outside the rehearsal room and invite your colleagues to do the same. • Be visible and available. Volunteer for projects that make the school better. • Be a mentor for a new faculty member or seek the counsel of an experienced teacher if you are new to the profession or campus. • Get to know other faculty and staff. Relationships inside and outside your area are important to the school’s mission. • Know what is happening in the school and district. Know how your program affects the school’s schedule, budget, and staffing.

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Southwestern Musician | August 2016 33

Be a Great Music Educator While it sounds obvious, it’s important to remember the core reason you are in the job—you were hired to teach music content, manage a program, and instill a love of music in your students. While a music supervisor may be able to identify good teaching and offer music-specific ideas for improvement, your campus administrators are unlikely to know exactly what you are doing when they come into your room. We need to recognize, however, that they are educational professionals who can quickly discern whether there is evidence

of good planning, effective delivery of your lesson, and evidence of appropriate assessment. Accept their observations and implement their suggestions for improvement. Start with the assumption that your administrators want you to be successful. Music programs require many human, material, and financial resources. We must manage them well. Make the case for what you need in terms of staff, schedule, and budget, and know that there are other priorities competing for resources. If you take students to contests, know that you don’t have to win all the time;

however, your work needs to reflect careful planning, sequential instruction, positive outcomes, and growth. Awards and trophies reflect a met standard of excellence, but that is not the only thing on which your work will be evaluated. Most importantly, your program should be student-centered. Your administrators know that achieving excellence requires hours of work, but your students are also enrolled in mathematics, science, foreign language, social studies, technology, language arts, and more. They love you and what you do, and they want to be with you. Be sensitive to their many other demands and don’t require so much time that they can’t study, do their homework, or possibly have an afterschool job. Rather than worry about things you can’t control, always consider better procedures, scheduling, and curriculum as well as other ways to make your program and school better. Making the program better means you have to get better as well. Find an accomplished and proven mentor and ask lots of questions (this could be someone in your district or campus or a TMEA member assigned through the TMEA Mentoring Network). It’s equally important to stay abreast of innovation and emerging trends. Read. Study. Keep current in your content area. Pay attention to the details by focusing on the little things. Getting the little things right is key to building trust and gaining support from your administrators. Strive for excellence, not perfection. Don’t be afraid to fail. Improvement and innovation never happens without some growing pains. Your administrators will support you if you plan thoroughly, give your best effort, and expect the same from your students. When administrators and music educators each consider doing what’s best for students, the journey toward creating and sustaining a school culture of excellence becomes a shared responsibility. Mark A. Crim is Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at East Texas Baptist University. Nathan R. Templeton is Assistant Professor and Director of the Meadows Principal Improvement Program in the Department of Educational Administration at Texas A&M University Commerce.

34 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

B Y

R O B E R T

H O R T O N

VOCAL NOTES

The only constant

eginning my 27th year in public school music education, I can agree with the ancient saying attributed to Heraclitus, “Change is the only constant.” The world has certainly changed: mass shootings, Brexit, the potential to elect the first female president of the United States. Yes, as Bob Dylan sang, over 52 years ago, “The times, they are a-changin’.” After 16 years of the PDAS model, teachers will be appraised under the new Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS). We definitely are in a season of change in Texas choral music as well. This spring was the first time we have ever used digital submission for the Invited Performing Choir auditions. In the All-State audition process, realignment to 33 Regions and 8 Areas is a big change from the past 12 years. Apportionment is a new factor in large school Area auditions, and the small school audition process has been streamlined throughout its three years of existence. All-State choirs have been renamed based on voice parts of those choirs. Although much of the change in our lives is incremental, many of these changes are happening concurrently. So how do we adapt? Seeking to understand the new normal is an important way in which we embrace change. In our new Regions and Areas, getting to know and learn from different colleagues is critical. Much like the way in which we seek to involve new students in our ensembles, forming new relationships is an intentional endeavor. Finding common interests and purposes is one way in which people begin to connect. Looking past surface information and discovering who a person is, rather than just where they work, can be powerful. Why should we put effort into making these connections? We all work better when we have a sense of common purpose. Choir directors are among

Seeking to understand the new normal is an important way in which we embrace change. Southwestern Musician | August 2016 35

the friendliest and most helpful people I have ever known. We tend to like each other, and we want to help each other. I believe that this happens because we teach and work with people. A choir is made up of people. Singers—even tenors—are people! T-TESS Those of us in public school music must believe that the T-TESS is our friend. At a recent training to become a certified appraiser, I was struck how the four domains and 16 dimensions of

DR. TYRONE BLOCK Department Chair, Instrumental Director : tblock@sagu.edu

DR. JOANNA FERNANDES Voice Director : jfernandes@sagu.edu

T-TESS so closely mirror great choral music. Planning, Instruction, Learning Environment, and Professional Practices and Responsibilities are the four domains. You can examine the 16 dimensions more closely at teachfortexas.org. Who wouldn’t want a choral program in which instruction was planned with students in mind? The greatest choral directors I have known have always embraced the practices of achieving expectations, building their content knowledge and expertise, communication, differentiation, and learning how to monitor and adjust. One of the

DR. AMANDA LEE HING Piano Director : aleehing@sagu.edu

CHRISTI GUYNES, M.M.ED. Worship Arts Director : cguynes@sagu.edu

greatest aspects of the new T-TESS is the opportunity to be validated as a teacher for knowing your students as individuals. Further, the environment we create in our choirs as a safe space for expression and belonging is a key factor in successful programs. All-State Choirs In the spirit of knowing your students as individuals and designing the best possible choral experience for them, I inform you about this significant change in the All-State audition process. Ranges for the 2016–2017 vocal audition literature are listed on the TMEA website on the audition material page. As you will note, voice parts no longer include a gender designation. As part of this change, the TMEA Executive Board renamed the affected choirs so that the following will be our 2017 All-State Choirs: All-State Mixed, All-State Treble, All-State Tenor-Bass, and All-State Small School Mixed. This change will be in effect for all choirs auditioned through the TMEA audition entry process (Region, Area, State). Directors should enter their students to an audition based on the voice part that most accurately reflects the student’s vocal range. Colleagues, this is a wonderful opportunity to counsel students about the best part for their vocal development. When we sponsor students in the All-State process, we must ensure that we consider individual vocal development that occurs throughout participation in the process (as always, students who advance from an

Attend Your Fall Region Meeting See page 2 for details.

36 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

initial audition must continue auditioning on that same voice part). We must also ensure that we consider the long-term vocal health and sustainability of choosing an audition part for every student, with careful consideration of the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vocal range and timbre as it relates to the audition literature. If you have any questions about this change in process, please contact your Region Chair or me. The opportunity to work for the Vocal Division of TMEA and to serve on the Executive Board is an honor that, to me, is accompanied by a great amount of responsibility and work. Rest assured that I view this as a labor of love. It is very obvious that many of you feel the same way I do. Please be sure to thank your Region and Area Chairs for their service. I do love TMEA and what we strive to do for students through music. I treasure that you, my colleagues, have trusted me with this office and the opportunity to serve. If I can be of assistance to you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Region Meetings and More Please plan to attend your fall Region meeting (details on page 2). Be sure you attend the correct Region meeting by looking up your school district at www.tmea.org/findmyregion. Among other important business, Region Chairs will ask you to complete the online volunteer form (www.tmea.org/vocalvolunteer). Help your colleagues and our students by dedicating a little of your timeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;we need you! Congratulations and thanks go to Kari Gilbertson and the wonderful TCDA Board for presenting another outstanding TCDA convention! I hope you attended this fantastic event and enjoyed reconnecting with your colleagues during this fun time in San Antonio. Renew Now and Get Covered Avoid panic! Renew today! Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for an audition entry deadline to motivate you to renew your membership. Also, be sure your contact information is cor-

rect so that you receive important TMEA updates throughout the year. By renewing now, you can also renew (or begin) liability coverage with TMEAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s low-cost policy. No educator (including private lesson teachers and student teachers) should ever be without it. And just like any other insurance, you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be covered if the reason you need it occurs before you purchase. The $30 policy available to active TMEA members is effective August 21â&#x20AC;&#x201C;August 20 (and does not automatically renew). Go to www.tmea.org/ liability for coverage details. Now is also the time to put the 2017 TMEA Clinic/Convention on your calendar and to register online to attend (February 8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;11). When you register early, you can save money and experience an efficient check-in upon arrival. Registration includes the opportunity to prepurchase family badges and access to audio files of the clinics. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not too early to start thinking about this amazing event!

2015â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2016 Memberships Have Expired! All TMEA 2015â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2016 memberships expired June 30. Also, if covered, liability insurance expires August 20. Renew now to ensure you receive the benefits of your TMEA membership for the entire year.

Renew Online Today

Plan to enter students to an audition?

Just click Renew from www.tmea.org

Your membership must be active to do so.

Membership â&#x20AC;˘ Renew Existing Membership â&#x20AC;˘ Become a New TMEA Member â&#x20AC;˘ Reset My Password â&#x20AC;˘ Update Member Information

Verify and update your email and mailing addresses. Your receipt and membership card are sent to your email address.

Thank you for your membership in TMEA! Our association continues to be the largest state music educators association in the country, and for that we are justly proud. The strength of TMEA, however, is not only in its size but in the quality of its membership. The strength of music programs in our schools is rooted in the dedication of its teachers, all united in a mission to provide the best music education for all Texas schoolchildren. Membership in an organization of over 12,000 music educators carULHV ZLWK LW EHQHÂżWV LQKHUHQW IURP WKLV strength in numbers. TMEA is your voice to the Texas Legislature and the

State Board of Education. In addition to representation by TMEA leaders, PHPEHUV HQMR\ D P\ULDG RI EHQHÂżWV including access to group health insurance, low-cost liability insurance, professional development opportunities, online and printed pedagogical and advocacy resources, and more. TMEA strives to provide meaningful professional development for our members and wonderful opportunities for our high school students through the audition process and through Texas Future Music Educators. Renew today to continue supporting the future of music education in Texas.

Renew now, and remind your colleagues to do the same! Southwestern Musician | August 2016 37

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ELEMENTARY NOTES

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Tackling T-TESS with less stress

August—Renew your TMEA membership online and preregister for the convention. August—Attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2 for details). August 20—Liability insurance purchased through TMEA expires. October 4, 6 am CT—TMEA convention online housing reservation system opens. November 15—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA mail/fax convention preregistration deadline. January 19—TMEA online early registration deadline. February 8–11—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio.

very time there is a change in testing, teachers in the tested grade levels become more anxious for fear of the unknown. When there is a change in evaluation criteria, every teacher naturally feels stressed. The new teacher evaluation system, while it is more complicated, is actually a chance for the specialists to shine. By investing in a little bit of time up front to document what you are already doing in your classroom, your principals will now have a better way to see how valuable music specialists are on their campuses. In the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS), there are four domains: Planning, Instruction, Learning Environment, and Professional Practices and Responsibilities. For this article, I will discuss the first domain, Planning. According to feedback from principals who piloted T-TESS in their districts last year, they wished they had more time to spend with teachers prior to the evaluation process on this domain. In the Planning Domain, there are four subcategories: 1. Standards and Alignment 2. Data and Assessment 3. Knowledge of Students 4. Activities For Standards and Alignment, first make sure your lesson plans have clearly stated goals that are aligned to the Music TEKS (revisions were in effect last

Look at T-TESS as your opportunity to show your principal how amazing music is for higher order thinking and pulling the real world into the education process. Southwestern Musician | August 2016 39

school year). The Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts (CEDFA) offers an excellent vertical alignment chart that can be handy when planning your lessons (linked from www.tmea.org/cedfacharts). I use a similar chart that I laminated. As I cover each of the TEKS, I put a tally mark in the appropriate square. At the end of each grading period, I quickly see what I’ve accomplished and where I need to go. By the end of the year, you ideally will have covered each of the TEKS at least once, preferably more, if needed for mastery. It can be helpful to use a different color for each grading period. While use of a TEKS chart makes the coverage and sequencing easier, you will also need to ensure your lessons relate to the real world and that you reinforce concepts from other disciplines. When doing your planning, write down a couple of relationships, such as fractions, social studies, or science, so you are more likely to mention them in your lesson. If you think you will forget them, write them on the board with your objectives at the beginning of the week. At the end of your lesson, ask the stu-

dents questions to broaden their understanding. For example, ask them how one of the songs they learned relates to a previous song. Ask them how they could change part of a game to make it more fun. Have the students use what they have learned to create something new. Finally, your classroom should be technology-rich. If you are using the Quaver curriculum, that doesn’t always count. The students need to be actively using technology to create. If you are a teacher who uses Orff or Kodály processes, simply having one smart device in your classroom for the students to interact with can be sufficient. You don’t need a classroom set of Chromebooks or iPads to have a technology-rich environment. Applications such as Aurasma and Garage Band, or even a video app, can provide all you need to document higher-order thinking in your lessons. For example, if you just learned a new song and game, have a student record the class playing the game while singing and post it to your website. Using QR codes, you could also link student performances in newsletters. (Make sure you are using a public domain

Featured Teacher: Beth Shier, Birdville ISD Beth Shier teaches K–5 music at the Academy at CF Thomas Elementary in Birdville ISD, in northeast Tarrant County. She has been the music specialist at her campus for almost 20 years, and previously taught elementary music in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD. She has received training in Kagan Cooperative Learning and was eager to incorporate her training into her classroom. Thanks go to Beth for sharing with us her experiences

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folk song or other music that you have copyright permission for before you post any performances.) Although anything new can be stressful, if you look at T-TESS as your opportunity to show your principal how amazing music is for higher-order thinking and pulling the real world into the education process, you will do fine. After your evaluation, you will have a chance to discuss the observation with your principal and set goals for the next time. Use this feedback to become an even more awesome teacher for your students!

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with cooperative learning in the music classroom: Cooperative Learning isn’t a new instructional strategy, but as elementary music specialists, we often feel like this is something for the homeroom teacher who has the same 20 or so students all year. We teach all of our students for short periods of time, so how can this work for us? In cooperative learning, students are grouped strategically into teams for learning. Social skills are embedded into the group structures, as students learn their content and interact with each other in a positive way. Teacher training is highly recommended, so if you see it offered, I would say go for it! While it was awkward at first, very quickly I noticed that my student engagement, attention to their task, and getting the work done was nearly always 100% when using a cooperative learning structure. I heard students talk who previously never participated, and that one student who always answers was not monopolizing. Students worked together better in workstations, and I could monitor student work and see who needed a re-teach or some special help. Students also enjoyed working and learning this way! How does it work? I do a lot of the work on the front end—teaching the structures and procedures. The Kagan training I received has a strategic way to group students, but since I had to move quickly, I did it a different way that worked for me. There are so many structures that it could be overwhelming, but I simply chose a few that work for my classes, including timed-pair-share and rally robin—those are probably our most used structures. We often start a class with a quick partner review of a concept—each partner is responsible for telling or doing something and may have a short time limit before the other partner shares. Students often work with partners to read, play, or create music. Students review recorder notes using a quiz-quiz-trade structure. Students can make videos explaining why audience etiquette is important. Students have choice in creating an end-of-year project. Students can do just about anything using a cooperative group structure! Some key considerations: When students are working in their groups, your classroom may be louder than you are used to. This is okay. Talking (about the

content) = learning. Always add a social skills element, including greeting your partner and thanking your partner for working with you. This is the part that is easiest to forget, but it’s so important for students to practice these skills. For more information, contact me at beth.shier@birdvilleschools.net or visit www.kaganonline.com. Upcoming Reminders Be sure to attend your Region meetings this August (see page 2 for the schedule). Your Region Elementary Chair will share with you their plans for the upcoming year, and this is your chance to have a voice in programing for your area. Make plans now to attend the TMEA Clinic/Convention, February 8–11. The online hotel reservation system opens October 4. Recruit a new member to come to TMEA in February and receive bling for your name tag! Each member who brings an Elementary Division member to our convention who has never attended or hasn’t for at least five years (not including new teachers), can come to the Elementary Division office and receive a “Recruiter” ribbon to proudly display on

their badge. This recognition is to support our specific goal to increase veteran teacher membership in our Elementary Division. There are a lot of great surprises and outstanding clinicians lined up for this convention. I am looking forward to seeing you in February! Renew Now and Get Covered If you haven’t yet, now is the perfect time to renew your TMEA membership and update your contact information so you will receive important TMEA updates throughout the year. When you renew your membership, also purchase liability insurance coverage if you don’t otherwise have a policy—no educator (including private lesson teachers and student teachers) should ever be without it. And just like any other insurance, you won’t be covered if the reason you need it occurs before you purchase. The $30 policy available only to current TMEA members is effective August 21– August 20 (and does not automatically renew). Go to www.tmea.org/liability for coverage details.

How do you do that? This month’s issue is full of effective strategies and sound advice from music teachers like you. If you have methods and fresh ideas to offer, this is a great place to share them! Learn more about the submission guidelines at www.tmea.org/magazine.

Texas is home to many amazing music educators who are our best resource! Help your colleagues across the state by sharing what you know!

www.tmea.org/magazine Southwestern Musician | August 2016 41

Your First Six Months: Survive and Thrive

by David M. Hedgecoth and Ryan S. Kelly

f you’re a recent college graduate beginning in this amazing career, congratulations! This is definitely an exciting time of growth and opportunity. In the days and weeks ahead, you’ll spend many hours preparing music, creating handbooks, and setting up your music rooms. These activities can build excitement and instill a sense of ownership over the direction of your new music program. There will also be numerous facets of your position over which you may not have complete control. As you learn more about your students (and their parents) keep the following in mind to help you better understand them and to provide some insight into understanding and nurturing the most important person in your new program—you.

Your Students (Who May Not Like You) You simply can’t make everyone happy. There will be days when it’s clear that some students are driven by their continued admiration for your predecessor. Regardless of how students may judge you, being fully prepared to teach every class is an important step in earning their respect. Be aware of how your predecessor managed the class. What types of warmups were used? How do the students enter the room? What types of music have the students performed in the past? Select 42 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

music you know the students will respond to. Be aware, your musical standards may not align with theirs. Help them reach your standard by teaching through the repertoire that they enjoy performing. How can you build on musical practices already in place? Remember, be genuine. Students will know if you are trying to portray yourself as someone you aren’t. Soliciting feedback is another important element of communication. Having a dialogue with parents, administrators, and students on a regular basis will provide a format for open and honest communication. This will allow for a more accurate external assessment regarding the health of the program. Communicating with Parents The number-one thing that parents want most is what’s best for their kid. This presents a problem only when a parent either doesn’t believe that you want what’s best for their kid or what’s best for their kid doesn’t align with what’s best for your class or your program. When communicating with parents, remember to keep this perspective in mind, and speak with empathy and appreciation for their point of view. Seeing parents’ concerns through their eyes will help you find a better starting place for a conversation about how to reach mutual understanding. Being defensive or offering justifications for

your decision-making can sometimes end up being counterproductive. In conversations with parents, inexperienced teachers often act on the instinct to prove they really do know what they’re talking about. However, in proving your expertise, you’ll often miss the mark of addressing parent concern number one— what’s best for their kid. If you’re worried that a parent is becoming overly confrontational or if the issue seems more difficult than you’re comfortable handling alone, make sure to bring in an administrator who can support your efforts and help you establish more effective communication. Communicating with Administrators Just as parents want what’s best for their kid, administrators want an excellent teacher-musician who is independently successful, highly organized, and proactively communicative. Making sure this describes you will minimize any conflict you may have with your administration, and often it will help align them with your vision for the music program. It’s important when asking your administrators for additional support for your program that you understand how they perceive your music program, and also how they perceive you as a teacher. (These two perceptions are often closely aligned.) If you believe that your administration

doesn’t view your program as valuable or worthy of investment, evaluate your situation objectively, and be realistic about the role your program plays in the greater context of your school’s overall success. When the time comes to address your administration or ask them for something you need, be prepared to separate your convictions from your emotions. Speaking truth to power can be intimidating, but don’t resort to emotional emphasis to help you achieve your goals. Professionalism and poise are essential qualities of every educator—no matter how challenging the circumstances! (For even more guidance about working with your administrators, read the article on page 30). Facing Your Fears Know thyself. You are a professional. Accept that there are still numerous ways you can grow as a musician and teacher. Moments of self-reflection will provide you opportunities to answer these questions: What is going well? What is not? Are the current challenges a student issue or a teacher issue? We encourage you to invite guests into your music room. Whether they guest-teach or observe your teaching, you will gain insight into your strengths and areas for improvement. Remember that professional development should be a year-round, career-long endeavor—one that extends beyond an annual state conference. Talk with mentors, observe master teachers, peruse the most recent text on music teaching, attend a professional concert, and more. The list of potential professional development opportunities is endless. The key here is that you take action. Be brave. Stepping beyond one’s comfort zone is essential for personal and professional growth. Avoiding Burnout Fatigue happens. As a first-year teacher, you will spend many hours preparing for the next class, event, performance, and more. Everything will take longer in your first year, so remember that there will always be more work to do and that you need to take time for yourself. Failing to do so will result in professional burnout, which can lead to personal unhappiness. Work to live a balanced life. What non-musical interests do you have? What musical outlets, apart from your school music program, are available to you? What makes you happy? How do you recharge?

Answering these questions is a critical step in preserving (and restoring) your mental, physical, and emotional energy. In the technology age in which we live, information overload is the norm. Allowing yourself time to disconnect and refocus is invaluable for maintaining mental health. Several authors have written on this topic. We suggest the following: Daniel Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow; Daniel Goleman, Focus, The Hidden Driver of Excellence; Daniel Levitan, The Organized Mind.

For more guidance on this topic from other TMEA members, read the article on page 22. Also, go to www.tmea.org/balanceresults for results of a recent survey of TMEA members. Learn strategies our members use to achieve better work-life balance. Finding Your Passion What gets you excited about your work? What do you love most about your job? Chances are high that some part of your answer revolves around your students and their successes. Don’t ever forget that the biggest personal return on investment in this profession comes from your work with your students, and not from anywhere else. It’s all too easy to become absorbed in an endless stack of papers, an overflowing email inbox, and fundraisers every other month. Your primary responsibility is to be the best musi-

cian and teacher you can possibly be—not the best accountant, email correspondent, or travel agent! Invest the greatest amount of energy and time on those you teach, and the odds are in your favor that you will continue to cultivate a love of teaching music. It’s also important to remember that you were a musician long before you became a teacher. Find opportunities to play, sing, or otherwise share your artistic talents with others, even if it’s outside your school. The greatest rewards in music come from sharing it with other people, so find opportunities to do this often. The many new experiences that come from starting a career in teaching music can seem overwhelming, daunting, or exhausting. And it’s because they will be—unless you are able to put things in a healthy perspective. See problems and challenges for what they are rather than what they seem to be, and remember to connect with that which inspired you to enter this profession in the first place. Don’t forget that you are getting paid to spend every day teaching and making music with young people. When you view what we do in the broader context of the professional world, how lucky we are to be able to say that! David M. Hedgecoth is an assistant professor of music education at the Ohio State University. Ryan S. Kelly is the assistant director of bands and associate director of the Longhorn Band at the University of Texas at Austin.

Everyone can use a hand The TMEA Mentoring Network is a proactive program of one-on-one mentoring to each new music teacher.

If you need a mentor, sign up. If you can serve as a mentor, sign up.

www.tmea.org/mentor Southwestern Musician | August 2016 43

COLLEGE NOTES

B Y

S I

M I L L I C A N

I don’t have the answers

began my music teaching career 25 years ago in the sunny band room inside Hutcheson JH in Arlington, affectionately known as “Hutch.” Before that exciting day, I was a starving substitute. Having graduated with a music education degree the previous December, I found myself just trying to make ends meet by taking sub jobs in several area school districts. One day, after a particularly challenging substitute assignment, I came back to my apartment to find the light on my answering machine blinking (Google it, millennials). The message was from a supervising teacher from my student-teacher placement. She let me know about a friend who was searching for a band director in Arlington to fill in while her assistant completed an administrative internship at the school. I jumped at the chance to have a steady music substitute gig! Now I could pay my bills and hone my skills as a band director. What I didn’t realize at the time was how valuable those short months as a long-term substitute had been. The band room at Hutch was a sunny place not only because of the huge windows that lined the north and south walls of the room but also because of the teachers. I watched in amazement as Carol E. Allen ruled over the classroom simultaneously with an iron fist and a warm, open heart for her students. She gave her students the rigid structure and discipline they seemed to need with an extra helping of love and understanding. I consider my short stint at Hutcheson with Ms. Allen as one of the best

The best teachers I have worked with constantly consult with friends and ask questions about the best ways to accomplish goals and solve problems. 44 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

August—Renew your TMEA membership online and preregister for the convention. August—Attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2 for details). August 20—Liability insurance purchased through TMEA expires. September 1—Online submission of poster session proposals available. October 4, 6 am CT—TMEA convention online housing reservation system opens. October 7—College Division Fall Conference in Austin. October 15—Poster session proposal deadline. November 1—Deadline to nominate students for the new Texas Collegiate Music Educator award. November 15—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA mail/fax convention preregistration deadline. January 19—TMEA online early registration deadline. February 8–11—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio.

educational experiences of my life. She took the time to mentor me and visit with me about the decisions and problems she encountered. One afternoon, we were sitting in the band office recapping a particularly challenging day. Ms. Allen shared that one of her students had come to her with a distressing personal problem. After offering some details, this veteran, master teacher paused. She leaned back and confessed, “I don’t know what to tell this kid.” Hearing someone with her experience and wisdom say “I don’t know what to do” was a powerful lesson to me as a young teacher. If it was okay for this teacher to admit that she did not have all of the answers, perhaps it was okay for me—a young, novice teacher—to admit that perhaps I didn’t have all the answers either. I learned so many things from my time at Hutcheson. Years later, I still definitely don’t have all the answers, but as I consider the challenges we face in today’s music education field, three things really stand out: It’s okay to admit you don’t know all the answers. It takes great strength and humility to admit that you don’t know

everything. While we want to be confident and decisive in front of our students and parents, we often need to confide in our colleagues and mentors to determine the best course of action. Visiting with colleagues can be a valuable way to sort through issues. The best teachers I have worked with constantly consult with friends and ask questions about the best ways to accomplish goals and solve problems. We need to establish communities of colleagues with whom we feel comfortable sharing problems and who are receptive to hearing and offering different solutions. Whether it’s an informal visit with fellow educators in our subject area or weekly staff meetings with our colleagues, dialogue can often reveal hidden solutions. Find a mentor. If you are reading this column, you and your students need a mentor. College faculty are in an excellent position to encourage their recent graduates to enroll in the TMEA Mentoring Network. This free program pairs new teachers (as well as teachers who are new to Texas or new to their TMEA Region) with an experienced teacher in their geographical area. Please encourage each of

your recent graduates to take advantage of this valuable program at www.tmea.org/ mentor. I don’t have answers for all the complex questions we face, but I do have questions that I’ve been thinking about over the summer: • How do we respond to the changing demographics of the students and families who send their children to our school music programs? • I am a huge fan of our state’s highly successful performing groups, and I believe educator preparation programs generally do a good job of preparing future teachers to teach these groups. I wonder though, how might we also equip the next generation of music educators to teach musical concepts and skills through ensembles, forms, and genres that may be more relevant to the changing culture of our students and their families? • In a state that is increasingly urban, financially challenged, and ethnically diverse, how can TMEA support current and future teachers in these settings?

TMEA Collegiate Music Educator Award Through this new TMEA program, Texas college faculty can recognize their elite music education graduates. Award recipients should represent the finest and most dedicated future music educators across the state. Designation as a Collegiate Music Educator Award recipient should be an indication of potential quality for those looking to hire outstanding new teachers. Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the TMEA staff.

Nominations: Open September 1 One active TMEA member who is a member of the institution’s music education faculty may nominate that institution’s students at www.tmea.org/collegiateaward. By nominating a student, the faculty member confirms the student meets the above qualifications. A student may be nominated only once, during their graduation semester. Application Deadlines

4XDOLÀFDWLRQV Award recipients must meet all of the required criteria to receive recognition. • Current TMEA member. • Undergraduate music education major/concentration (pursuing certification in EC–12 music). • 3.5 or better overall grade point average (GPA) at the close of the previous semester. • Student has provided non-mandatory music instruction or has been significantly involved in the local music education community.

• Fall graduation: November 1 • Spring/Summer graduation: March 15 Recognition Award recipients receive a congratulatory letter, printed certificate, regalia cords, and inclusion in a listing on the TMEA website. All recognition materials will be sent in a single mailing to the designated TMEA member at the institution who will distribute them to each student. If you have any questions about this new program, email Si Millican, College Vice-President, at si.millican@utsa.edu.

W W W.TM E A .O RG/C O LLE G IATE AWARD 46 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

The University of North Texas College of Music welcomes five new faculty members Our faculty of outstanding and internationally recognized performers, composers, scholars and researchers is dedicated to providing our diverse student body with a rich musical environment and an excellent education through private lessons, large and small ensembles, and highly interactive classes.

Alan Baylock

Director of the One Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Clock Lab Band

Fabiana Claure

Director of Career Development and Entrepreneurship in Music

Steven Menard Assistant Professor of Trombone

Natalie Mannix Assistant Professor of Trombone

Alan Hightower Director of Choral Studies

This summer, TMEA President Dinah Menger led an impressive two-day dialogue bringing together teachers from urban schools across the state to visit about some of these issues. Refer to her column on page 5 for more information about this event. For our February convention, we will schedule and design clinics in which members can share strategies for success in working in an urban music setting. I encourage those of you who prepare future music educators to attend as many of these sessions as you are able, and I encourage you to recommend them to your students as well. We may not have all of the answers to these and other issues, but together, in dialogue with each other and through guidance from great mentors, we can continue to serve music teachers and students in our continually evolving environment. College Division Fall Conference I hope that as you plan for the upcoming semester you keep Friday, October 7, open so that you may attend our annual TMEA College Division Fall Conference. Email me at si.millican@utsa.edu to reserve a spot! The conference kicks off at 10 A.M. at

the TMEA headquarters in Austin. This is a great way to network with colleagues from public, private, two-year, four-year, large, and small institutions as we work through the issues and challenges of our profession. Lunch is provided. Renew Your Membership and Get Covered Please remind your students and colleagues to renew their TMEA memberships if they have not already done so. Memberships expired on June 30 regardless of when they were initiated. Being a current member shows your support for this organization that gives so much back to our profession and it allows students and faculty to take advantage of opportunities, such as scholarships and the new TMEA Collegiate Music Educator Award (see details on this program on page 46). Additionally, TMEA members can purchase low-cost liability insurance. No educator (including college faculty and student teachers) should ever be without this coverage. Just like any other insurance, you won’t be covered if the reason you need it occurs before you purchase. The policy purchased through TMEA is

effective August 21–August 20 (and does not automatically renew). Renew your membership today, and whether you purchase liability insurance through TMEA or another entity, be sure you are covered before you step into the classroom, studio, or rehearsal hall. Volunteer for Convention Please consider volunteering to help with our annual convention, February 8–11. We need volunteers to help with a variety of tasks including assisting with registration, presiding at clinic sessions, or helping in the College Division office. To volunteer just a bit of your time, go to www.tmea.org/collegevolunteer and complete the webpage to submit your information. Call for Research Poster Presentation An online submission process for the TMEA Poster Session will be available September 1. Please visit www.tmea.org/ papers to submit your abstract proposal. The deadline is October 15. Email Amy Simmons if you have any questions at asimmons@austin.utexas.edu.

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trinity.edu/music June 2014, the Trinity University Music Department was recognized as an ALL-STEINWAY SCHOOL by Steinway and Sons, for its commitment to excellence and purchase of 32 Steinway pianos.

48 Southwestern Musician | August 2016

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Bringing a fresh approach to your festival experience and providing the best for the students and teachers of Texas.

2017 San Antonio Events April 21, 22, 28, 29

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