SOUTHWESTERN MUSICIAN
AUGUST 2020
AUGUST 2020
Contents VOLUME 89 ■ ISSUE 1 ■ AUGUST 2020
Features Preparing Ourselves and our Technology . . . . . . . . . 12 While being ready to use the tools needed for distanced or blending learning is critical, we must also prepare ourselves to lead through these times of change . [j o h n m ly n c z a k]
Being Human Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Music educators have the opportunity and responsibility to lift up all students, to celebrate their cultures, and to empower them with skills to not just survive in this world, but to thrive . [c ot y r av e n m o r r i s]
Social Emotional Learning and Music Education: Now More Than Ever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
38
By intentionally incorporating Social Emotional Learning into music education practices, we can better support our students and maximize the true power of music . [s c ot t n. e dg a r]
Music Education from a Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 TMEA members responded to a survey about their end-of-school experiences and shared valuable strategies and reflections on the important practices they will continue, regardless of the environment . [k a r e n c r o s s]
With the response to the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, information printed in this issue is subject to change. For the latest updates, visit www.tmea.org and other relevant websites.
Columns President’s Notes . . . . . . . . . 5 [br i a n
Executive Director’s Notes . . .8 [r o b er t
f loy d]
Band Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 [da n a
Updates
c o at n e y]
p r a d e r va n d]
Orchestra Notes . . . . . . . . . 24
[m ic h a el
s t r i n g er]
Join Your Online Fall Region Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 You’re One Share Away from Music Education Advocacy . . . . . . . . . . 19 Keep Your Member Record Current . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Invest in Our Future: Start a TFME Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Vocal Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 [j e d
r ag s da l e]
Elementary Notes . . . . . . . . 44 [a b i g a i l
h aw es]
College Notes . . . . . . . . . . . 51
on the cover
Trenitee Mackey sings “Stand By Me” with the Duncanville High School A Cappella Choir, in rehearsal for TMEA’s It Starts With Music production at the 2020 Clinic/Convention . Photo by Karen Cross .
[pau l
s i k es]
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Editor-in-Chief: Robert Floyd rfloyd@tmea.org 512-452-0710, ext. 101
Managing Editor: Karen Cross kcross@tmea.org 512-452-0710, ext. 107
TMEA Executive Board President: Brian Coatney
Brian.Coatney@wylieisd.net 2550 West FM 544, Wylie, 75098 972-429-3111 – Wylie ISD
President-Elect: John Carroll
john.carroll@ectorcountyisd.org 1800 East 42nd Street, Odessa, 79762 432-553-2780 – Permian HS
Past-President: Joe Muñoz
Join Your Online Fall Region Meeting
munozj@pearlandisd.org 3775 South Main Street, Pearland, 77581 281-997-3219 – Pearland HS
Regions will host a full Region meetings and division-specific meetings.
Band Vice-President: Dana Pradervand
In addition to important updates, during the full Region meeting, you will vote on Region officers and your Region’s nomination for TMEA President (and for some, Divisional State Vice-President).
pradervandd@yahoo.com 8226 Lakeshore Villa Drive, Humble, 77346 713-743-3627 – University of Houston
Orchestra Vice-President: Michael Stringer
mstringe@aisd.net 1200 West Arkansas Lane (Annex 1), Arlington, 76013 682-867-7662 – Arlington ISD
Vocal Vice-President: Jed Ragsdale
jedragsdale@tomballisd.net 19100 Northpointe Ridge Lane, Tomball, 77377 281-357-3230, ext. 1106 – Memorial HS
Elementary Vice-President: Abigail Hawes
abigail.hawes@cfisd.net 13734 Lakewood Forest Drive, Houston, 77070 281-370-4040 – Moore Elementary
College Vice-President: Paul Sikes
plsikes@txwes.edu 8554 Kensington Court, North Richland Hills, 76182 817-531-4971 – Texas Wesleyan University
TMEA Staff Executive Director: Robert Floyd | rfloyd@tmea.org Deputy Director: Frank Coachman | fcoachman@tmea.org Administrative Director: Kay Vanlandingham | kvanlandingham@tmea.org Advertising/Exhibits Manager: Zachary Gersch | zgersch@tmea.org Membership Manager: Susan Daugherty | susand@tmea.org Communications Manager: Karen Cross | kcross@tmea.org Financial Manager: Cristin Gaffney | cgaffney@tmea.org Information Technologist: Andrew Denman-Tidline | adenman@tmea.org Administrative Assistant: Rita Ellinger | rellinger@tmea.org
TMEA Office Mailing Address: P.O. Box 140465, Austin, 78714-0465 Physical Address: 7900 Centre Park Drive, Austin, 78754 Phone: 512-452-0710 Website: www.tmea.org Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (remotely via email)
Register in Advance to Join Your Meeting Go to www.tmea.org/regionmeetings and find your Region’s schedule based on your 2020–2022 alignment. Click on the link to log into your TMEA account. If you don’t know your password, you can reset it at that point. Once you log in, click on the appropriate Zoom meeting link to join at the scheduled time.
Which meeting do I join? In addition to the your full Region meeting, attend the meeting(s) that apply to you based on your work. Meetings will be held by TMEA division for each Region, and in some cases by level.
Do I need to download Zoom? It is best to download the Zoom software to participate, especially because you will need it on your device to vote (via Zoom polls). This doesn’t mean you need to sign up for a Zoom account to join the meeting with the link provided.
Questions? Email your Region President if you have questions about your Region meetings.
www.tmea.org/regionmeetings
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. Subscription rates: One Year – $20; Single copies $3.00. Periodical postage paid at Austin, TX, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Southwestern Musician, P.O. Box 140465, 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 1941–47 by Dr. Stella Owsley. Incorporated in 1948 as National by Harlan-Bell P ublishers, Inc. Published 1947–54 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 Educators Association, whose official publication it has been since 1938. In 1954, the two magazines were merged using the name Southwestern Musician combined with the Texas Music Educator under the 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.
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It’s Time to Renew Your Membership! Renew your membership for the 2020–2021 year now.
Don’t wait for the rush of deadlines to do so!
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+ p i sh
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www.tmea.org/renew
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Vastly different.
Vast opportunities. 11 fields of study | over 26 major ensembles | 100% passion Find Out More: www.depts.ttu.edu/music
@ttuschoolofmusic
B Y
B R I A N
C O A T N E Y
PRESIDENT’S NOTES
Embracing terrible first times check www.tmea .org for updates
August—Join your Region meeting online (updates on page 2). August—Renew your membership and register for the convention. August 1—Deadline for waivers to the audition process to be received at TMEA headquarters. August 20—Liability insurance purchased through TMEA expires. November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline. January 20—TMEA convention online early registration deadline. February 10–13, 2021—TMEA Clinic/ Convention.
C
ongratulations on surviving a crazy and anything-but-normal end of the school year. Despite the unrest and uncertainty, I hope you still had a restful summer. I wish we could say everything is back to normal this year, but unfortunately that is not the case. I had the good fortune of being part of several task forces charged with providing resources for the upcoming school year. I was truly inspired by the ideas and creativity that came out of these groups. My biggest takeaway was that none of us is on an island. We are all in this together, and we will find new ways to teach and reach students no matter the environment. Like many of you, I attended several webinars and discussion groups. The webinar that inspired me the most was one in which Frank Ticheli passionately spoke about the many positive aspects that will come out of these difficult times. As he so eloquently worded it, “There will be a renaissance of fine arts!” When we can, people will flock to concert halls and performing arts centers to hear live performances again. Performers will be yearning to perform for live
It is up to us to find ways for our students to feel safe and comfortable in the environment we are providing. Southwestern Musician | August 2020
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crowds and showcase all they have created while in isolation. Composers have been working diligently to compose pieces that break away from traditional ensembles to provide a variety of performance platforms (the Creative Repertoire Initiative is a great example—see details on page 11). With a focus on eradicating racial injustice, minority composers and artists will receive long-deserved recognition, respect, and visibility. Most importantly, students will create and show us their amazing talent and skills in performance. Our students are resilient, so don’t be afraid to push them with creative assignments and experiences. And when our students do something remarkable, celebrate those
wins and recognize the creativity and learning that is happening even though we aren’t in our normal environment. Lastly, think about all the new resources and teaching techniques we will have acquired because of this time of adaptation. I recently listened to Brené Brown’s podcast on navigating what she calls “Terrible First Times.” This podcast resonated with me because it is exactly what I feel most of us are experiencing. The reason we feel anxiety and stress while teaching during this pandemic is because it is new and uncomfortable, and we aren’t able to rely on our acquired knowledge and experiences to make it feel like a normal year. Brown explains we are incredibly vulnerable anytime we voluntarily enter or
Distinguished Administrator Award Do you work with a school administrator who was especially supportive of music education during the pandemic and in planning for this new school year? Submit a nomination! TMEA has the opportunity at the state level to thank these individuals for their dedication and support. At the local level, this offers you another opportunity to share your success story with the community.
w w w.tmea . org /adminaward
are forced into a new environment such as a new job or becoming a parent for the first time. While we may be excited, we are also anxious about how we will navigate the changes we face. New is difficult, and we don’t like discomfort. There have been several times when I experienced something new and was so afraid of the vulnerability that I became motionless and found it difficult to move forward. Rather than embracing the new environment with eager anticipation, I denied myself growth opportunities. Brown explains that the best tool to defend against discomfort is to normalize the discomfort and realize that the foundation of courage is getting through the vulnerability. The first step in working through that vulnerability is naming and recognizing you are in a terrible first time. We all too often don’t give ourselves this leniency, but instead expect to produce the same results as if we are experienced and know exactly what to do. Brown explains that we are often afraid to name the terrible first time because we feel it gives it power. The truth is quite the opposite. By naming that we are teaching in a pandemic and aren’t sure how to do this gives us the power
Review scores and listen to MP3s of all of our new products for 2020 In case the pandemic caused you to miss reviewing our 2019 new products you can also review them online Our 2020 Concert Bands include: American Curtain Time - Arranged by Charles Booker Battle Of The Titans - By Dennis Eveland Black Horse Troop - Sousa - Edited by Charles Booker Canon Noel - By Nathan Hervey Celebration For Winds and Percussion - By Dennis Eveland Convivial - By Dennis Eveland Island Dreams - By Charlie Hill On The Mall - Goldman - Edited by Charles Booker Race Before Us - By Philip Loewen Soliloquy (Trumpet & Winds) - By Jim Colonna Walk In The Park - By Dennis Eveland
Our 2020 Jazz Ensembles include: Angels We Have Heard On High - Arranged by Philip Loewen Fascinating Rhythm - Arranged by Charles Booker Groovisimo - By Michele Fernandez ‘Na Proxima Vida - By Michele Fernandez Phat Burger Boogaloo - By Charlie Hill
Please check out our new jazz curriculum: Jazz Zone…The Beginning at www.jazzzoneonline.com
Raise A Ruckus - Arranged by Anthony Susi Til We Meet Again - By Anthony Susi What’ll I Do - Berlin - Arranged by Charles Booker
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to overcome the uncomfortable feeling of being vulnerable. Recognizing that we do not have all the answers and tools to teach comfortably in a pandemic gives us the power to discover the answers and find the tools. I have experienced several paralyzing moments when I didn’t even know where to begin. Once I recognized and named that I was experiencing a terrible first time, I was able to free my mind and discover ways I can teach in various scenarios. Naming it also normalizes the new and hopefully gives us peace of mind, knowing this is how new feels and realizing we can keep moving forward. We’re normalizing the discomfort of new. The second step is to put the terrible first time in perspective. We have to realize this is not permanent, and it is okay to feel disappointed in the results. We’re exploring new techniques for the first time, and while some may work brilliantly, others will not. This is how we grow and learn. So, don’t be afraid to try new things. Keep the lessons that work well, tweak those that are semi-successful, and scrap any that are disasters. But don’t beat yourself up over any one lesson that didn’t work as well as you expected. The silver lining is that this pandemic isn’t permanent. And if we do not go back to what was once normal, we should embrace it and keep moving forward. I hope we will have new perspectives on music education, and most definitely new tools to effectively teach and reach students. The last step in working your way through a terrible first time is to reality check your expectations. Brown creatively explains expectations are resentments waiting to happen. I have learned that when I am in a terrible first time, my only expectation is that it is going to be difficult until I get more experience. In our current state, it would be detrimental to both you and your students to expect the same results that you achieve in a typical year. With all the potential environments in which we will be teaching, it is safe to say we will not achieve the same types of performances we’ve enjoyed in the past. To hold ourselves to that expectation would lead to significant disappointment and frustration. I encourage you to break away from that mindset and focus on improving each student individually. Take this opportunity to focus on other aspects of music like theory, music history,
and composition. I am excited to see how many students will shine in these arenas. We also must be cautious about listening to those who pedal absolute certainty in these uncertain times. You might hear others tout the amazing lessons they are putting together for their students. Your reaction might be to feel like you aren’t doing enough, and that could lead to a competition for who can do more for their students. Remember that only you know what is best for your students. Make sure you are properly filtering resources and finding the ones that most help you and your students. My hope is that by recognizing we are all in a terrible first time, we will give ourselves leniency and patience. The most
important thing we can do is be positive examples to our students. They, too, are experiencing a terrible first time and need us to show them uncertainty is okay and that you can still feel safe during terrible first times. More than ever, our students will need a place to belong and outlets to express themselves. It is up to us to find ways for our students to feel safe and comfortable in the environment we are providing. I have no doubt we are ready for this challenge and will come out stronger than ever. Our association is comprised of intelligent, resilient, and creative members who will prove to our communities that music education is essential. Hang in there, and let’s work through this terrible first time together. 0
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Last month, the Executive Board invited a diverse group of members to examine TMEA programs and areas of influence and recommend changes that could increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in music education. On July 14, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee had its initial discussion. We expect the committee will continue to meet and offer their perspective and recommend changes to the TMEA Executive Board. Because this issue’s print deadline was the day after their initial meeting, we were limited to this brief announcement. I plan to offer more details in my September column. We look forward to our continued work toward change that will benefit all current and future music educators, and we offer our gratitude to the following initial committee members for their contributions to that change: Derrick Brookins, Trivium Academy, Carrollton Jesse Cannon II, Duncanville HS, Duncanville ISD Julissa Chapa, Garfield ES, Pasadena ISD Yvonne Davila-Cortes, C.D. Fulkes MS, Round Rock ISD Horacio Gomez, Hanks HS, Ysleta ISD Anne Marie Harmon, Moore ES, Arlington ISD Erin Huston, North Shore MS, Galena Park ISD Andre Jackson, Marble Falls MS, Marble Falls ISD Eric Jimenez, Prairie View A&M University Tim Linley, Dallas ISD Karen McAfee, Orchestra/Retired, Midland Coty Raven Morris, Crosby HS, Crosby ISD Vincent Morris, Garcia MS, Conroe ISD Desiree Overree, Seven Lakes HS, Katy ISD William Owens, Composer/Editor, Fort Worth Bennett Parsons, Victory Lakes IS, Clear Creek ISD Darryl Singleton, Texas Black Music Educators/Texas Southern University Nathan Templeton, Texas A&M University–Commerce Loretta Walker, Reagan Magnet School, Ector County ISD David Wilborn, Texas A&M University Reginal Wright, Mansfield HS, Mansfield ISD
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTES
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Everything that matters will last
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n a recent morning jog, I was listening to a podcast on which two authors were sharing their impressions of the pandemic’s impact on our country. One shared that she was most impressed by the caring and giving nature of the American people, how we were reaching out to care for those who needed it most and how we have embraced first responders, medical personnel, and all those who desperately need support as well as assistance. When questioned where this was all taking us, she shared that the only thing she knew for sure was that when we come down on the other side of this pandemic, everything that matters will last. I have not been able to get that short yet powerful statement out of my mind, because nothing better describes our staying power. Our love for and connection with each other and our students is not in jeopardy because of the passion we share for our discipline and our belief that we touch our students’ lives like no other subject in the curriculum. It is the magic that binds us. We have all run the gamut of emotions since last March when we moved our school and work lives to our homes. As I wrote this column a month
We touch our students’ lives like no other subject in the curriculum. It is the magic that binds us. 8
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check www.tmea .org for updates
August—Join your Region meeting online (updates on page 2). August—Renew your membership and register for the convention. August 1—Deadline for waivers to the audition process to be received at TMEA headquarters. August 20—Liability insurance purchased through TMEA expires. November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline. January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline. February 10–13, 2021—TMEA Clinic/ Convention.
2021 AUDITIONS Admission and scholarships/assistantships available H October 24 H November 14 H February 6 H March 6
music.txstate.edu Texas State University, to the extent not in conflict with federal or state law, prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, veterans’ status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. Texas State University is a tobacco-free campus.
before its mailing, the return to school remained a moving target for most. Yet it’s comments from music educators—like the following that we received in our May member survey—that reassure me that no matter the circumstance, music teachers are committed to their work, and that has only increased in its importance to our students: I am currently teaching myself online to play the guitar. I am a French horn player. I am doing this because I am using 100% online resources to do so. I am trying to teach myself how to teach in a digital world so that I can offer my students the best possible instruction for next year. While I know that teaching virtually is not the best practice, I will grow and adapt for what comes next. Music is a big part of what is keeping my own mental health sound, and I have no doubt the same will be true for our students when they come back to school. So what role has TMEA played since March to help us be ready for the unknowns of what August brings? Based on the extensive survey we distributed in late May (of which over 2,700 of you
completed in its entirety), as well as our TMEA Connections events, we are in the process of identifying your priorities for assistance. Our COVID-19 resources webpage changes often, and with the coming revision to our website, that resource page will be more robust and valuable, including filtering tools to help you more quickly locate meaningful online resources. While the website revision will continue to be a work in progress after it’s launched, I’m confident you will find it was worth the wait, especially as you access it from your mobile device. Advocating to School Administrators Representing music and arts education in law and rule will always be a priority for our Board and staff. In June, the Texas Administrators and Superintendents Association (TASA) transitioned their summer event to a virtual conference. We were fortunate that TASA leadership accepted our request to participate, and this became an opportunity to tell our story about how music educators serve students to the decision makers at the local level. In addition, throughout their four-
day conference, TASA shared seven virtual performances by Texas music students as a part of the program—another incredible opportunity for great exposure. As I wrote this column, the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) was considering language to include arts education as a part of their proclamation defining their priorities for the 87th legislative session, beginning in January. Special thanks go to Lewisville ISD for moving that recommendation forward. Such priorities must begin at the local level and be advanced by a local school board. Our thanks go to the members of their board and especially to Katherine Sells, president. Recruiting and Retention In mid-May, members of the Texas Music Administrators Conference identified remote recruiting and retention of students as an immediate priority for which members needed assistance. Through a quick survey to TMEA members, we received many amazing new ideas from educators across our state and offered them through our COVID-19 resources webpage. Further information on this topic has
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think. perform. explore. 10 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
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been shared on the TMEA Connections event for middle school band, which is still available for viewing from www.tmea.org/ connections. Texas Education Agency While TEA was making decisions related to social distancing and restrictions on singing and playing wind instruments, TMEA communicated with Commissioner Morath and his staff about the importance of music education for every student, even more so during these times of uncertainty. We assured them that educators stand ready to deliver high quality music education, regardless of the environment. We also championed the importance of ensemble music-making and how it is an irreplaceable facet of a high-quality music education. We encouraged Commissioner Morath and his staff not to base decisions on anecdotal information but only on the latest empirical scientific data, ensuring that the health of students not be jeopardized in any way. To help support the advancement of sound research in this area, TMEA contributed to a nationwide consortium to fund a U.S. aerosol research study, the results of which were just released and will allow us to recommend a safe learning environment in large ensembles to students, parents, and school districts across the state. Those results are linked from our COVID-19 resources webpage, www.tmea. org/covidresources. TMEA 2021 Clinic/Convention Plans for the 2021 Clinic/Convention are moving forward. Certainly, we all realize the unknowns and challenges before us that could impact that event. However, we are working toward the goal of an in-person convention, while considering other alternative options that will be shared later. No matter the convention format, the Board has committed to an audition process at the high school and middle school levels to continue to recognize outstanding musical achievement at the Region, Area, and State levels. In addition to email updates on this, you should learn more about this at your fall Region meetings (be sure to join online!). Social and Emotional Learning The TMEA Board believes our strongest advocacy tool for protecting music
and fine arts in the curriculum rests with social and emotional learning. Please visit the SEL section of the COVID-19 resources webpage for further information and read the article on page 30 by Scott N. Edgar, a leading U.S. music authority on this topic. While the concepts are inherent in music education, Edgar makes the important point that we must still intentionally integrate SEL in the music learning opportunities we offer. Professional Development Take advantage of the wonderful professional development still being offered this summer through the online events by CEDFA, TBA, TCDA, and TODA. TMEA members can also participate in TMEA Connections events throughout the school year, gaining professional development hours via these online opportunities. TMEA Connections is an exciting new offering that has unlimited potential to improve your teaching skills. Events are free as a benefit of your TMEA membership. Stay tuned for more information on this new service and be sure to renew your membership so you can take advantage of this benefit throughout the year! Go to www.tmea.org/ connections to register for upcoming events and to view archived recordings. It Starts With Music Production After you began working from home the TMEA staff finalized approval to host the full It Starts With Music production online. We hope you have taken time to be
inspired again (or for the first time) by this incredible production that was premiered at the First General Session of the 2020 convention, where we celebrated TMEA’s Centennial. Consider how this production and our eight music education advocacy videos could be incredible materials to help you begin the new year with parents, students, administrators, and the community alike. TMEA Anthem Arrangements In February 2020, composer Frank Ticheli gifted TMEA an a capella anthem in two and four parts as a part of our centennial celebration. It All Begins With Music is based on a theme from Sailing the Sky, the work TMEA commissioned Ticheli to write in honor of our association’s centennial. To supplement the two- and fourpart versions, the Executive Board asked Gabriel Musella, assisted by Brenden Steber and Amy Williams, to write band and orchestra arrangements to expand performance opportunities. The project expanded into 13 arrangements, including everything from vibraphone solo to clarinet quartet. These arrangements can be downloaded free from www.tmea.org/anthem. Enjoy sharing this anthem and the varied arrangements with your students! As always, reach out to our staff for any assistance we may provide as you approach the beginning of school. We are here to serve. 0
Creative Repertoire Initiative If you aren’t already familiar with the Creative Repertoire Initiative, please take a moment to learn more at www.creativerepertoire.com. This collective of composers and conductors are committed to creating adaptable wind and string music for ensembles in the coming academic year and beyond. It’s inspiring to see so many composers discovering new opportunities for creativity during a time that could have otherwise appeared limiting. Be sure to check out the CRI Facebook group, where you’ll find composers announcing their works. Adaptable music is available from the usual places: distributors, publishers, and self-published composers or their representatives. Scores and parts for adaptable music are most often available in PDF, although some publishers may also provide sheet music. The Wind Repertory Project (www.windrep.org) has added a Creative Repertoire Initiative category to their site. This category features adaptable works listed alphabetically by composer name. Our thanks go to these amazing wind and string composers who have taken the lead on creatively responding to the challenges we’re all experiencing. Southwestern Musician | August 2020 11
Preparing Ourselves and Our Technology
by John Mlynczak
T
here you were, preparing for spring concerts and enjoying the daily gift of music-making with a classroom full of students. Then suddenly you were racing to the copier to create take-home packets, quickly converting your dining table to a workstation, and investigating new ways to connect with students and move your lessons online. Now almost five months later, we can be assured that online learning isn’t going away. So it’s time to prepare ourselves, our digital classrooms, and our technology for a future of blended learning opportunities. Preparing Ourselves To say the least, the shift to distance learning was abrupt, and being rooted in a global pandemic, fear and frustration ran high. The first thing we need to do is release our fear and frustration and focus on opportunities. Before we can effectively lead through change, we must concentrate on ourselves, our emotions, and, most importantly, our expectations. To be clear, I am not advocating for lower expectations; however, I am suggesting that we must reimagine them and focus on smaller wins while staying positive. While we shouldn’t lower our expectations, we must lower our frustrations, and that will be possible only if we can shift our expectations. It’s Your First Day Do you remember your first day of teaching? I certainly do. A framed music degree over my desk, crippling student loan debt, and a perfectly balanced conducting baton in its wooden case. I was prepared. I had everything I needed to teach music! If you’re like me, in our first year of teaching, we learned that we have a lot more to learn. And we loved it and have been striving for excellence and learning more ever since. Whether this is your first or your thirtieth teaching year, it might feel like you’ve returned to that first day. And just like our beginning days of teaching, we should love it, strive for excellence, and learn more! 12 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
The End Zone Hasn’t Moved No article in a Texas publication would be complete without a football analogy, right? In times of change, it is important to step way back, look at the entire picture, and remember the goal. This was not easy or frankly even that possible in the spring, as we hurriedly moved programs and curriculums online. But now we’re in a new academic year, and we need to remember our end zone— changing lives through music. As music teachers we know we change lives. Our passion and persistence might manifest in shouting “One more time and make it better!” but ultimately, we are pushing our students toward greatness because we know that through hard work and dedication they will be successful. Through music, we teach students how to work consistently toward a goal, strive for more success, and be lifelong learners. That has not changed. As we restructure our curriculums, keep in mind that whether we teach online, in person, or blended, we must reimagine our expectations, be enthusiastic about our first day of this new school year, and remain laser-focused on the same goal of changing lives through music. Preparing Our Digital Classrooms Just like in your physical classroom, you must establish the organization, communication, and behavioral norms in a digital classroom to have a successful year. You can’t simply take what you are used to and try to move it all online. Instead, look at your online environment and consider how your online class will best function in that environment, and learn from others. It’s Only New to You Established online learning models and pedagogies have been available for years. Take the opportunity to enroll in an online course to experience what’s possible. You can also examine online course outlines, structure, and organization to get some ideas. Reach out to other teachers and professors who have online teaching experience for mentorship.
It’s also critical to understand what our students experience. Whether it’s Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, etc., take a fresh look at your school’s learning management systems (LMS) through the lens of your students and determine what works best for them. Ask your IT department for a student login so you can interact with your lessons as they will. Have students show you how they use their LMS and on what device. Ask other teachers in your school to show you how they set up their digital environments and work to align the experiences for your students. Remember our students communicate digitally far more than we do and in a very different way. How many readers regularly use Snapchat, TikTok, or any popular app that launched since I wrote this article? To reach students, we must understand where they are. I’m not asking you to buy a phone mount and a ring light and start learning TikTok dances, but I am asking you to learn from your students. Ask them how best to communicate with them. And I absolutely believe students can make great musical projects using TikTok! Staying Connected Community-building and mentorship are critical elements of every music program. While more easily done in person than online, it is imperative that we continue to help students maintain relationships with each other and with us. Consider these suggestions: • Make welcome videos. Chat hello and ask everyone to respond. Start lessons with a short welcome or check-in. • Use a daily check-in Google Form or survey to ask students how they are. Use a checklist to ensure you are connecting with each student weekly. • Establish reaction norms like waves, smiles, thumbs up/down, and chat responses, and expect students to consistently engage with reactions. • Promote peer interaction. Create small discussion groups and include collaboration with assignments. Have students peer review their work with three classmates. Establish a peer mentor program. • Use videos. Record videos for lessons and make sure your face is visible. Record your online classes for students who can’t attend.
We as musicians and music teachers are better prepared to adapt to online learning using the skills we have acquired as musicians. Be confident in your ability to learn and adapt. Personalized Learning The shift to online and blended learning means that students will need to take more responsibility for their own learning. Again, this is not a new concept; technology integration advocates have always emphasized the need for more personalized learning. Here are some ideas to help transition students to personalized learning in music class: • Following a lesson, students answer what they’ve learned. Use a discussion group, form, or survey. Adapt for younger students by providing multiple choice options or graphics. • Have students reflect on how they can improve and make this part of their own assessment. • Have secondary students make practice plans based on their own situations. • Incentivize students differently to support their personalized learning. Reward their self-reflections. Promote positive peer collaboration. Include sharing their music with others at home in lessons. • Invest in new repertoire for individuals and small groups. Empower students to compose and arrange songs they like. Prioritize the understanding of transposition and transposing instruments. Make sure a student at home has access to and can create their own repertoire they will enjoy playing alone or in small groups. • Online lessons in music theory or history or analysis are certainly valuable, but it’s even more significant to learn these concepts though making music and sharing it with others. Have students write and perform their own rhythms to learn rhythm. Compose and share with harmonies to learn harmony. Preparing Our Technology There are many new skills and technologies to learn and certainly no shortage of options. This is the aspect of distance
learning that caused great frustration for many, as individuals and organizations published long lists of online resources and companies extended free trials of music software. However, if you skipped here first, please go back and read everything before it—I put this section last for a reason. Technology and software are just tools. No music software program alone allows you to effectively teach music online. The most important factor in online learning is us as teachers. So before we start integrating tools, we must prepare ourselves and our digital classrooms for success. What Tech Do You Need? The first skill I recommend investing in is becoming proficient with video-making. To be clear, I don’t mean virtual ensembles. We must be able to deliver effective online lessons and assessments in a flipped learning environment. Online asynchronous and blended learning assignments are best accomplished with video lessons and assignments that include active engagement. When we can see our students, through video conferencing or in person, we should take that opportunity to check in socially, interact in groups, or have them share or perform the music they are working on. Lectures can be prerecorded and edited. Video-making sofware examples: Screencastify for Google Chrome, Loom online, Screenflow for Mac, Camtasia for Mac or Windows. Second, I recommend learning the basics of a Digital Audio Workstation for audio-recording and editing. Online lessons will certainly include sharing audio or even sections of audio clips for learning, so splicing and fading in/out are useful skills. Having a good USB microphone and understanding levels is also useful for the audio quality of your videos. Any performance-based software your students use will also include recording audio, so you will need to learn to be tech support for getting the computer/Chromebook Southwestern Musician | August 2020 13
audio to work, adjusting levels, and sharing audio files. It is also valuable to have students learn to use a DAW to be able to create and produce music. DAW examples: SoundTrap, Soundation, Garageband, Studio One. We all need to become more proficient with music notation and composing/ arranging. With expected fluctuations in class size, we will need to write out parts and arrangements for students frequently (something many readers of small school programs have likely been doing for years). We should also have students actively engage with music notation and understand how to arrange music for their own instrument or voice. Notation software examples: Noteflight, Flat, Finale, Sibelius, Dorico I also recommend investing in a comfortable pair of headphones. I rotate between three different styles of head-
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phones for comfort and to protect my ears from fatigue. An audio interface is the ideal option for your remote learning setup, and there are many great USB options. This allows you to have full control over using any type of microphone and easily adjusting the levels of your mic and headphones. Also the sound quality is much improved, which can help you avoid frequency fatigue. Audio interface examples: PreSonus, Focusrite Last but certainly not least is a MIDI controller or digital piano for note entry into music notation or DAWs. This also comes in handy for online lessons where you need a quick pitch reference or to play a short example. How to Evaluate Software The most important factor with software is student privacy. The Children Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) includes many regulations on what information can be shared with companies, and most school districts have even more strict
regulations. Become familiar with your school district’s software policy first and understand how to get your chosen software approved. At the highest level, students should not be giving their personal information to another company. COPPA-compliant software rosters students in a way that protects their data and the interaction employees can have with students. Most districts require data-privacy agreements with companies, so the best strategy is to reach out to the software provider you want to use and connect them with the appropriate data-privacy officer in your district. If a software provider is unaware of COPPA or cannot provide data-privacy documentation, do not use them. (To read the act, go to www.tmea.org/coppa.) So now that we have student privacy covered, how do we sort through the options? Yes, many companies and apps have generously (also opportunistically) provided extended trials. I understand it can be difficult to discern the differences of the available apps and software. However, online music software isn’t new, and there are a handful of well-established tools with
experienced teams who can support you. Here is how I would evaluate software: • Is it COPPA compliant? What student information is required for use and how is it protected? • Does it integrate with your LMS? This is important as integration prevents the need for multiple student logins and makes assignments and collaboration much easier. • How long has the company been around? How many teachers are using the software? Look at the website’s About page, ask around your network, or even ask the company directly. • Does the software provide resources and lessons? Any software designed for music education will have established lessons and resources both from the company and through other teachers using the software. Try searching “[software title] lesson plans” to get a sense of what is available. • What support is offered? Look at the support pages of the software tool. Contact the company to ask a question. Does the company reach out to you right away for your trial? Getting the support you need and having learning resources available is key. • Are support resources appropriate for students? Are there existing how-to articles and videos you can send your students as part of a lesson to help them use the software? Notice, I didn’t ask, “Is it free?” While there are free trials and some free apps available, any company that provides a COPPA compliant resource with great support and lessons must pay their employees. I do understand budget constraints, but we often forget to put a dollar value on our time and student learning. Using free software can ultimately add hours of time while you try to share lessons and students try to submit work with software that doesn’t integrate with your LMS. As that effort increases, the value of that software diminishes. In a time where education is investing in online learning, we need to invest in the right tools. How to Incorporate New Software When you add a new technology tool, your lessons and expectations should adapt to the tool. Technology affects pedagogy. The most common mistake made
For you have learned. One school is finished, and the time has come for another to begin. —from Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach is trying to add technology into existing pedagogy based on previous methodology and expectations. Remember, frustration is directly connected to expectations. Take time to understand the software’s intended purpose. Software is built with user stories in mind, for a purpose, to solve a problem. Make sure you adapt your instruction methods and goals to align with that purpose. The good news is that students will always learn software more quickly than we will, so you don’t have to worry about fully learning all the details first. I suggest Dr. Ruben Puentedura’s SAMR model for integrating technology (www.tmea.org/ samr). Start simply, with substitution, and work collaboratively with your students toward augmentation, modification, and redefinition. In addition to SAMR, these are additional suggestions on adding a new software: • Start with only one or two tools that work for your program. • Be honest with your students about your comfort level and set the expectation of learning together. • Start with small lessons, focusing on working out any technical hurdles, how to turn in the work, etc. • Collect all the support resources for the software and create a single resource file or folder for your students. • Practice your lessons as if you were a student before you send out the assignment. This is especially helpful on the details of turning in, accessing work, etc. • Focus on active engagement in musicmaking and learning. Lessons should not be about learning the software. Students should learn the software through making music. • Hide your fear. Proofread your assignments for hesitations or warnings of frustrations. Keep your lessons positive.
• Be ready to pivot. If something isn’t working as intended, call it off and try again. Ask your students for feedback and suggestions and how to make lessons with the software more engaging. • Assess the entire process of musicmaking, not just a product the students create. With technology and online learning, it is important that we also rethink how to assess students when using new tools. Students could earn a grade of 100 by actively engaging in music-making with music software and never produce a final product. As musicians, we learned to be lifelong learners. We have learned to practice, rehearse, perform, take critique, fail, succeed, and do it all over again. Arguably, and I may be just a little biased here, we as musicians and music teachers are better prepared to adapt to online learning using the skills we have acquired as musicians. Be confident in your ability to learn and adapt. Be confident that one year from now you will have new skills that feel daunting right now. Take this opportunity to empower your students and establish new norms of collaborative learning. Manage your expectations and frustrations. Most importantly, keep changing lives through music. Whether it’s with a marching band, an elementary school choir, or a Chromebook, we can change lives through music in a time where it is needed more than ever. 0 John Mlynczak teaches online graduate courses at VanderCook College and is Managing Director of Noteflight, a Hal Leonard company, and PastPresident of TI:ME: Technology in Music Education. As an educator Mlynczak taught general music, band, choir, marching band, and music technology.
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BAND NOTES
B Y
D A N A
P R A D E R V A N D
In Memoriam Janet West Miller October 14, 1928–April 28, 2020 Michael Dean Barker November 7, 1953–May 3, 2020
Welcome back?
W
elcome back to school! I have said that sentiment thousands of times, always delivered with feelings of excitement and joy in anticipation of the challenges and opportunities of a new year. This year, however, that sentiment has a variety of meanings for many of us. This is an unprecedented time, and there is no doubt the beginning of our school year looks much different than it has in the past. I firmly believe this unprecedented time is giving us unprecedented opportunity—for a renaissance! Typically considered a rebirth or renewal, a renaissance is perhaps a renovation or reset. This got me thinking about Dr. Paul Cutter, who was my music history professor at Texas Tech University. Armed with A History of Western Music by Donald Grout, one of Dr. Cutter’s favorite lectures was on the Renaissance. At the end of the Medieval era, following the Black Death, there was a time of cultural, artistic, political, and economic rebirth. It was a period that saw increased innovation and discovery. The printing press was invented, and as a result, music became a vehicle of personal expression. Some of the greatest thinkers, scientists, authors, and artists such as Leonardo da Vinci,
This is an unprecedented time that is allowing for unprecedented opportunity! 16 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
check www.tmea .org for updates
August—Renew your membership and register for the convention. August—Join your Region meeting online (updates on page 2). 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. November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention preregistration deadline. January 9—Area Band and Vocal auditions. January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline. February 10–13—TMEA Clinic/ Convention.
Shakespeare, and William Byrd hail from this era. Today’s global pandemic has changed the world as we knew it. We have the opportunity for cultural and artistic rebirth, renewal, renovation, and perhaps reset! The innovation of music publishing and teaching of the 1400s is the blended and synchronous curriculums of 2020. The renovation of our culture is the shift to social emotional learning in today’s education! We have all had to change some aspect of how we will teach this year. We have developed models for delivering quality music education in a virtual or blended environment. Through our TMEA Connections events this summer, our middle school/junior high school directors shared strategies for starting beginners.
Our high school directors shared models for conducting marching band rehearsals. Others have developed strategies for having small chamber group ensembles and presenting performances in a new, innovative virtual way. It’s time for us to find new ways to connect our students, parents, administrators, and community to the very activity we are so passionate about. We are our best resources, and through the sharing of new teaching strategies, and perhaps a new philosophy, we can reset and engage our students in new and exciting ways. Let us be the greatest thinkers, artists, and educators of this renaissance! Who knows what ground-breaking innovations will come from this time—I have no doubt there will be many. This is an unprecedented time that is allowing for unprecedented
opportunity! Welcome back to school! A Note of Thanks and Gratitude Our thanks go to the Board of Directors and staff of the Texas Bandmasters Association for taking the initiative to transition to a virtual convention! While at the writing of this column the event is not yet underway, we are grateful that, despite our inability to be together in San Antonio, we could still have this opportunity for professional development and connection. TMEA Membership Renewal It’s time to renew your TMEA membership and to purchase liability insurance for this year. If you don’t take advantage of TMEA’s low-cost option, be sure you obtain this coverage elsewhere—no
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educator should go without it. All memberships expired June 30 and, if purchased last year, liability coverage ends August 20. When you renew (www.tmea.org/renew) verify and update your member record to ensure its accuracy. You must also be an active member to enter students into the TMEA audition process. Avoid the panic of waiting until the last minute by renewing well in advance of any deadline. 2021 Clinic/Convention Update I am pleased and excited to announce
our All-State ensemble conductors and featured clinician for the 2021 Clinic/ Convention. More information about each will be offered in future issues of the magazine. • Kevin Sedatole, Michigan State University (Symphonic Band) • Mark Heidel, University of Iowa (Concert Band) • Damon Talley, Louisiana State University (5A Symphonic Band) • Vincent Gardner, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (Jazz Ensemble I) • Aaron Lington, San Jose State University/Pacific Mambo Orchestra (Jazz Ensemble II) • She-e Wu, Northwestern University (6A Percussion Ensemble) • Lalo Davila, Mid-Tennessee State University (5A Percussion Ensemble) Our featured clinician is Gary Lewis, Director of Orchestras at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Be a Volunteer! Please consider serving as a volunteer for the 2021 convention. It truly takes a cast of thousands to produce a successful convention experience for our membership. There are a wide variety of critical roles available for you to choose from. Please go to www.tmea.org/bandvolunteer to submit your information and availability.
Adler Bassoons F. Lorée Oboes Fox Oboes & Bassoons Fox/Renard Oboes & Bassoons Yamaha Oboes
Band Division Updates It is important to attend your fall Region online meeting (see page 2 for details). There are always important dates, agenda items, and more to discuss and learn at these meetings, and you’ll vote on officers! Go to www.tmea.org/regionmeetings for meeting schedule and connection information. All-State audition etudes are on the website (posted July 13), along with performance guides and errata. The website is the official posting of these items, and September 1 is the deadline for errata submissions. Thank you to the etude selection committee for their musical expertise and video presentations at the TBA student day. You will be able to enter students in auditions once your Region Chair creates the applicable contest. Congratulations to the Texas ensembles invited to perform at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. While this event will be held virtually this year, it is still with great pride that so many of Texas’s finest ensembles were selected. Join me in congratulating these ensembles and their directors! For a list of selected groups, go to www.tmea.org/midwest. Finally, sincere thanks go to those who served on the selection committee for our 2021 Clinic/Convention Invited Ensembles. Next month, we will announce the ensembles invited to perform at the 0 2021 TMEA Clinic/Convention.
Oboe & Bassoon Rentals Oboe & Bassoon Reeds Reed Making Tools Reed Making Supplies Books & Music Accessories
www.forrestsmusic.com www.facebook.com/forrestsmusic 1849 University Ave., Berkeley, CA 94703 800-322-6263 510-845-7178 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Pacific Time Weekdays 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Time Saturday 18 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
You’reOneShareAwayfrom EffectiveMusicEducationAdvocacy Music Makes Me Happy
Music Helps Us Believe in Ourselves
Music Education Changes Lives
Music Prepares Us for Success
TMEAproduced eight compelling videos that offer personal accounts about the power of music education in our lives. Music Class: A Safe Place to Grow
Music Brings People Together
Music Connects Us
Downloadable versions with Spanish subtitles
Music Makes Me the Best Version of Me
NOW IT ’ S YOUR T UR N! +Share on Social Media + Email to Your Community +Download &Show at Any Event + Embed on Your Website W W W. T M E A . OR G/I T S TA R T S WI T HM US I C Southwestern Musician | August 2020 19
by Coty Raven Morris
Let me tell you a story about Ruby Bridges . . . She was the first Black child to desegregate the all-White William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans on November 14, 1960. This is often where the retelling of this story ends. But if recent months have taught us anything, it is that there is more to her history than meets the eye, or in this case, even meets our textbooks. The now 65-year-old activist recalls the overly difficult entrance exam and how it was designed to limit the number of students who would be accepted. Even though Ruby was one of six who passed the exam, the other parents were fearful for their children’s lives and chose not to have their children participate. On her first day of school, she sat in the principal’s office while parents pulled their children out of school because they did not want them to be in the same building with a Black child. Barbara Henry was the only teacher willing to teach Ruby, so they worked together in a classroom alone for a year. When Ruby finally had recess time, she recalls asking another student why he and the other children would not play with her. His response was, “My mama said I couldn’t because you are a [n-word].” When an interviewer asked Ruby Bridges if she was angered by the student’s response, she explained that she wasn’t because she was taught to listen to her elders and that’s all that young boy had done. 20 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
From this perspective, I have come to realize the following: 1. The pressure Ruby was under to stand up for herself in that climate surely had to make her feel more terrified than brave. 2. Racism, like most things, is a taught trait. And thus, can be untaught. 3. Despite human effort, systems and organizations can also express prejudice. 4. The only way to break a cycle is to admit there is a cycle that needs breaking. What if we stopped focusing on praising kids who persevere through microaggressions and circumstances and instead turn our attention to holding systems and ourselves accountable for the existence of these environments? Lean into the Dissonance. With the global pandemics of COVID-19 and civil unrest, our nation has been struggling to find the words to process the events surrounding us. In these moments of uncertainty, we have spent more time reconnecting and practicing the lost art of communication. The time has come for us to take a hard look at how our classrooms and vocabulary serve to heal (or harm) our students. Beauty can come from conflict. If it weren’t for the aching dissonances of music, the resolving chords wouldn’t have any magic! No one enjoys conflict, especially when it involves complex issues of race and culture. Ignoring the truth, however, will only amplify the problem. Instead, we should lean into the dissonance and learn how to effectively navigate difficult situations.
view. Remember, it isn’t the job of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) to teach others. It is imperative that those in positions of privilege seek out resources and not demand the emotional labor of others. Build Rapport. On the first day of school, educators are bombarded with various types of greetings. “I didn’t want to be in this class.” “You’re nothing like my last teacher.” Though these alternatives to hello can be startling, don’t let them drive your classroom momentum. Make your expectations of communication, procedures, and respect clear through practice. Instead of assuming a student is being rude, allow the situation to be a learning opportunity. Just like you teach the appropriate ways to get the director’s attention or ask a question, model acceptable ways to greet each other. Explain why it is important to return materials to their original spots. If teaching virtually, establish conversation etiquette as well as ways students can communicate that things aren’t going well for them today.
Recognize and celebrate your students’ cultures through their life experience, not just your perception.
IT BEGINS WITHIN To our students, programs, and schools, we are essential personnel. We have the ability to lift up all students, to celebrate their cultures, and empower them with skills not just to survive in this world but also to thrive! Here are a few things you can do to create classrooms where all students feel represented, respected, and loved: Self-reflection: Start with self-examination of your identity and root out your own biases. Don’t wait for someone to hold your hand through the journey. Search a specific topic or phrase that hits home with you and go from there. Our ways of thinking have been influenced by living in a society that values certain cultures over others (see privilege). Therefore, understanding and working through your own limitations and prejudices is the most important thing you can do. It will equip you to begin doing the actual work of fighting for racial justice. Empathetic Listening: Instead of listening to understand, we often listen to respond, and this dynamic teaches the speaker that their words don’t matter. When the conversation is about the culture of others and the issues in their community, this can be very damaging—especially when they’ve been receiving that message their whole lives. When we don’t listen for understanding and instead listen to respond, we affirm the status quo that values certain experiences and identities over others and continues to take up space that should be occupied by and centered around other voices. Take a moment (or several) to soak in information from your students and colleagues of color. This act of empathy shows that you genuinely care about their opinion and point of
Build classroom expectations together so that if guidelines are not met, you have a starting point for a productive conversation. It’s not “teacher vs. student” or “class vs. the offender.” It’s everyone working toward healing. If things get out of hand, take a breath before you call for discipline intervention. What if you simply started over? Seriously. I am a big fan of students arriving to class and being asked to wait in the hallway so we can review procedures. If they aren’t meeting my expectations, I clearly have not explained them thoroughly. The cool thing about starting over is that it’s really a clever reset button. Everyone has the opportunity to start on the right foot and make better choices for the entire ensemble without feeling like they are building a “crime sheet.” Color-cognizant, not colorblind: The days of “I don’t see color” are over! Not recognizing the differences in our peers and students means that we don’t acknowledge the beauty and pain that comes with a person’s culture. By being color-cognizant, we can create opportunities for discussions and community-building that could lead to healthier environments in and outside the classroom. Be open to learning: Make racial justice a normal part of your conversation. If you have questions or follow-up statements, be sure to respond nondefensively. Be aware of inequity and supremacy, and speak up when you see it. Don’t be afraid to call out microaggressions, and lend an additional perspective in conversations that leave out issues of equity. Challenge colorblind remarks made by students and adults! Be active! Expand your network to include educators of color and engage with them so you can hear their perspectives. Find ways to support them by sharing and talking about their work within your sphere of influence. Recognize and celebrate your students’ cultures through their life experience, not just your perception. Resist the urge to center yourself and rush to do something when you’re still in the beginning stages of learning about social justice. Southwestern Musician | August 2020 21
Give yourself some grace as you navigate these uncharted waters. While difficult to do with close friends and family, your opinion means the most in those areas, so it’s imperative to speak up. WHAT CAN I DO RIGHT NOW? We might feel the desire to return to normal, but it’s imperative that we understand normal wasn’t working for everyone. This is the perfect time to reevaluate your syllabus, curriculum, and lesson plans. The uncertainty of schedules gives the opportunity for flexibility and change. Ask yourself the following questions: • Are my students’ identities portrayed in the content I teach? • Does my teaching style or content center on limited voices? • If the demographic of my classroom is not diverse, are my students still learning about a wide range of identities? There’s a lot of power in simply asking your students if they feel represented, appreciated, and valued. Sometimes all it takes is creating a space where students know they can be honest with you.
Essential Vocabulary Privilege: Unearned advantages that are valued but restricted to certain groups. The societal scale is not balanced and only certain people benefit.
Everyone has a different set of heroes and motivators. When asked about who inspires my philosophies the most, I often refer to my grandmother. Can you imagine a classroom where next to an image of Mozart, there was a photograph of a student’s grandmother? Someone who told them stories, taught them lessons, inspired them to be great? Whether it’s a composer wall, a mural of motivators, or solfège symbols in different skin pigments, I challenge you to add diverse symbols of greatness to your classroom decor and teach with them! Comb through your essential knowledge and skills and see where there are discrepancies and opportunities for modifications. Just because you’ve always programmed a certain piece at a certain time of year doesn’t mean that you can’t change. The key to being a great educator is being humble enough to also be flexible. Let’s build a habit and stamina for score study, curriculum creation, and research (whether academic or in conversations with others). OTHER TIPS • Expand on your classroom traditions: sing Happy Birthday in different languages, teach the works and stories of BIPOC, use music examples that invite conversation and connections to real life experiences. • Discuss the difference between appropriation and appreciation.
Ethnicity: A characterization of people based on having shared culture (e.g., language, food, music, dress, values, and beliefs) related to common ancestry and shared history.
• Build a list of diverse repertoire for future lessons and performances and teach the history thoroughly.
Culture: The belief systems and value orientations that influence customs, norms, practices, and social institutions.
• Make the effort to say your students’ names correctly. Don’t give them nicknames because it’s easier for you to pronounce.
Race: The societal construction and categorization of people based on perceived shared physical traits that result in the maintenance of a sociopolitical hierarchy.
• Normalize difficult conversations in your classroom by modeling healthy dialogue.
Microaggressions: The everyday, subtle, intentional—and often unintentional—interactions or behaviors that communicate some sort of bias toward historically marginalized groups. Empathy: The action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present, without having those feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner. Racism: The belief in the superiority of one’s own race and inferiority of another race and the power to take individual or collective action against the racial group(s) deemed as inferior. Cultural Appropriation: Also, extractivism. Dialoguing with a story that is not your own, taking parts and making it work. A form of plagiarism where characteristics are reabsorbed and falsified. Appreciation, instead, is when people share mutually with each other. Cultural exchange lacks a systemic power dynamic.
Download the Being Human Together Discussion Booklet at www.tmea.org/BHT 22 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
• Discover your role(s) in the social change ecosystem (great activity for self-reflection and with students). • Advocate for continuous equity and inclusion training in your schools (follow-through is key)! BEING HUMAN TOGETHER So what can we do for the Rubys in our classrooms? We can’t make our students tell us their whole story, but we can create spaces where they can see themselves evolving. Taking the time to reflect on empathy and work for equality is the work we must all accept. Remember, no one is perfect! Reach out to colleagues for suggestions and invite your students in on the conversation. Give yourself some grace as you navigate these uncharted waters. The first step is always the hardest, but you have already taken it by being here and reading this. Lastly, always remember, love is a verb. This is a journey we must all go on. Don’t worry, you won’t be alone. Welcome to the conversation! 0 Coty Raven Morris is the Choir Director at Crosby HS.
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ORCHESTRA NOTES
B Y
M I C H A E L
S T R I N G E R
New year, new opportunities
E
ach August, I am so excited about the beginning of the school year. Meeting new students, learning new repertoire, and experiencing the new dynamic of each ensemble all culminate in a highly anticipated moment. Even with the fear of the unknown, this year is no exception. The beginning of this school year will be like no other, and it will undoubtedly be one that each of us will always remember.
New Techniques I hope you were able to attend the Texas Orchestra Directors Association virtual convention. I have no doubt you were able to pick up some wonderful new teaching techniques that you can apply in your classroom this year. One of the most intriguing ideas I studied this summer was expanding small ensembles within the larger ensemble. Teaching our students in smaller groups can have a great impact on their individual technique. This technique can be accomplished in several ways. In my teaching, sectionals were one way I was
Invest in developing great relationships with and between your students, and watch your program become stronger than ever. 24 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
check www.tmea .org for updates
August—Renew your membership and register for the convention. August—Join your Region meeting online (updates on page 2). 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 AllState etude errata to the Orchestra Division Chair. November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention preregistration deadline. January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline. February 10–13—TMEA Clinic/ Convention.
able to help advance my students’ performance quickly, allowing me to concentrate on one segment of the orchestra at a time. However, I always found that it was difficult to accomplish in-class sectionals with my less mature ensembles. With the most advanced ensemble, I was able to assign a student to lead each sectional. I would walk around to each group and work on a part of the music with that specific section while the other students were productive with their assigned student leader. With less advanced ensembles, I found that
before and after school were the only times sectionals were as successful. Another successful small ensemble technique I have learned is the use of small groups within the larger ensemble. Assigning students to quartets within the ensemble will allow students throughout it to perform with others from other sections, and it allows the director to quickly assess individual mastery without students fearing playing by themselves in front of the entire ensemble. I have also assigned students by birthday month, favorite color, a randomly assigned number, or seating position in the orchestra. Students enjoy the change of pace and can give quick and effective feedback to their peers. Have each group listen carefully to the other groups and ask them to give one positive and one consideration to the ensemble that just performed. I hope you have found a great technique that will help you be an even more effective teacher this school year.
New Relationships Another extremely exciting part about each new school year is building new relationships with students. More than ever, our students need our presence in their lives. One of my greatest joys was seeing students grow and mature for multiple years. Even today I beam with pride as I witness some of my former students begin their careers as music educators in schools around the state. We must invest in our students and become strong role models for them. As you begin the school year, take time to get to know your students and allow them to get to know each other. Performing at the highest levels requires trust and dedication to the ensemble. This trust takes time to build and is only achieved when the students understand that their peers and teacher are equally dedicated to the achievement of the goal. With the abrupt ending of the past school year and students
Join Your Region Meeting Full Region and Divisional meetings will be held online via Zoom. No travel required! Votes, including officer elections, will be held via Zoom polls. Download the Zoom software to your device to ensure you can fully participate in the meeting. See page 2 for updates to the TMEA Region meeting process.
www.tmea.org/regionmeetings 26 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
missing out on so many of the traditions that are a part of our orchestral culture, now is the time to begin rebuilding the spirit of our programs. Invest in developing great relationships with and between your students, and watch your program become stronger than ever. New Literature For many years, I found it easy to simply recycle music I taught in the past. I was confident in my ability to teach the students everything they needed to know for them to have success at their performance. As I grew as a teacher, I realized that learning new literature kept me sharp and helped me become a better technician for my students. Today, we are so fortunate that new music is so easily accessible to our ensembles. A quick Internet search puts so many pieces at our fingertips where we can listen and often even look at perusal scores to make great selections for our ensembles. I challenge you to find at least one new piece to study with every ensemble for every concert this year. I have challenged myself to programming works that are diverse and are new to me with every ensemble I conduct. While it is difficult to
learn new music, it is also thrilling to learn along with the students. This helps us continue to grow as educators and musicians. I hope the beginning of this new school year fills you with excitement! Find ways to connect with and grow along with your students, learn new music, and always find the positive in any situation. While there may be some unknowns in what the school year will bring, I’m certain we will be prepared for whatever we encounter, and we will provide the most outstanding experiences for our students in the process. Educators have been and will always be willing to adapt to every situation because of our drive to be lifelong learners. Keep learning and growing, and your students will be the beneficiaries of your dedication to our art. Have a great year! All-State Changes The deadline for any All-State errata is September 1. That is also the date on which All-State recording cuts will be posted. When you enter students to an audition, be sure to download the applicable audition procedures to stay updated on changes that affect this year’s process.
Summer Conventions Our thanks go to the Texas Orchestra Directors Association Board for transitioning to a virtual convention! The hours that were poured into the planning and execution of this convention that offers so much have not gone unnoticed. While this event is still underway during the printing of this issue, I am confident that its impact on instruction will be felt across Texas in just a few weeks. Attend Your Region Meeting During the summer convention the Region Chairs were given information regarding new policies and procedures for this school year. Please attend your fall Region meeting so you can be apprised on the latest information from TMEA. Go to www.tmea.org/regionmeetings for a schedule and links to your Region’s online meetings. There will be a full Region meeting and separate meetings within your Region by TMEA Division. Go to page 2 for more details on how to attend your Region’s meetings. 0
Southwestern Musician | August 2020 27
Social Emotional Learning and Music Education now more than ever by Scott N. Edgar
S
ocial Emotional Learning (SEL) was around before I believe everyone will soon come to realize that our arts the COVID-19 pandemic and will be around long educators are the secret weapon to implementation of after. The common trauma we are Social Emotional Learning in our schools. experiencing, however, has put a magnifying glass on the need for —Dr. Maurice Elias schools to help students survive and thrive when confronted with profound challenges. The singular priority of schools as they seek strategies to navigate the paninto our time with students. When done well, Musical SEL (MSEL) demic is student and staff safety—physically, mentally, socially, should feel like great music teaching! If it feels like SEL detracts and emotionally. SEL is a skill-based approach that can help from teaching music, we aren’t doing it optimally, nor are we achieve that safety by building students’ self-awareness, self-manmaximizing the true power of music. agement, social-awareness, relationship management, and responIntentional MSEL can begin with four broad ideas: sible decision-making skills (simplified to the three goals of: self, • Connection: We need to foster every opportunity for students others, decisions). Rather than react, SEL enables us to respond to to connect with us, the music, and each other. Relationships challenges. are essential for meaningful teaching and learning to occur. Music is inherently emotional: it makes us feel. Admittedly, this has become more difficult with remote learnMusic is social: it has been a rallying call for humans, always. ing and distancing. Two of the best ways to build relationships Music teachers must capitalize on the connections between SEL between music educators and student musicians are to honor and music because our students need it and music education now students’ voices and give them choices. Give up some control more than ever! and allow students to take ownership and have active roles It ’ s Not Just a Byproduct—We Must Be Intentional For SEL to be effective in teaching students the life skills needed to navigate their world after they leave our music classroom, it must be embedded into curricular content—for us, it must be musical. We must make SEL intentional and meaningful—it doesn’t just happen, and we can’t rely on the inherent fertile ground and potential that music education provides to teach our students these skills. SEL is not another box to check or another item to squeeze
30 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
in the educational process. Offer students choice, as simple as whether to sing a song first or last today or as involved as repertoire selection and musical decisions that affect performance or self-assessment of a musical activity.
• Repertoire: One of the most important elements of quality repertoire is that students can connect with it and become motivated by it. Every music teacher remembers that performance and the piece that helped spark their interest in
becoming a music teacher. As we consider music selection (at every level) we should always consider how we can make it personal for our students. MSEL is only as good as the repertoire it is connected to—music first! • Experiences: Students must be given the opportunity to do MSEL. This is the culmination of connection, repertoire, and reflection in a musical experience that allows students to explore, create, contribute, choose, and encounter music with other students. To maximize the effect these experiences can have on students, exploring music that interests students must be melded with the music we see value in teaching. These experiences must be intentional and thoughtful and put on the same level as we have traditionally placed performance. • Reflection: To achieve voice and choice and to connect students with the music, every performance, activity, or objective should have a student reflection component. The process is just as important as the product and can help unpack creativity, self-awareness, self-assessment and can support students’ goal-setting. These reflections often result in the best responses online, and they give valuable information as we continue to design in-person and remote music education. While reflection typically follows an activity, consider peppering reflection throughout the process so students can connect and consider the why as they complete the what. For safety reasons, performance won’t have the role it had prior to the pandemic disruption for some time. We need to adapt our pedagogical approaches to capitalize on other elements of music education including creating, responding, and
SHARE THE POWER OF MUSIC. www.tmea.org/ itstartswithmusic 32 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
connecting. Some music educators might view this as lowering the bar. While I am confident we will return to focusing on musical excellence through performance, for now, we must reconceptualize our standards. We cannot lower the bar; we need to change the bar and keep it high. This adaptation—adjusting the how we teach music—will allow us to continue to teach music at a high level and still reach our students. But it will be different. When we give ourselves space to prioritize nonperformance elements, it makes room for essential components of music education including creativity, personal connection, and MSEL. Reentry into the Music Classroom and How MSEL Can Help The trauma everyone is feeling as a result of COVID-19 is real. Individual situations greatly impact our ability to respond to these profound challenges, including resources, family support, and existing SEL competencies; however, many of these are out of students’ control. Students have been away from school and their friends for five months. Issues of reentry, trust,
and mental health will be paramount (along with the obvious need for physical health precautions). Students often rely on music teachers and the music classroom for security, school connectedness, and support. They need us now more than ever. This doesn’t mean we disregard music and focus solely on social and emotional challenges. These conversations can be valuable; however, we must remember we are music teachers, not licensed counselors. Students gravitate to us because of music; we must not forget that. As the school year begins, students will need opportunities to regain trust, interacting with people and reconnecting and rebuilding relationships, and they will be starved for music. It will be our job to meet all those needs. SEL skill-building can help with these challenging tasks. Below are the three broad goals of SEL (derived from the CASEL, Illinois SEL Standards), relevant skill sets, and musical strategies. While music classrooms will look, feel, and sound different than they did prepandemic, with purposeful, thoughtful, and realistic instruction focused on the
SEL GOALS
SKILLS
STRATEGIES
Self: Develop self-awareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life success.
• Identify and recognize emotions • Persist • Cope • Manage stress • De-escalate emotions
• Utilize emoji worksheets for reflection, listening exercises, and current mood assessment. • Give students opportunities to selfevaluate their current emotional state and the time and space to recenter (e.g., “I need a break” pass; calmcorners; anxiety meters).
Others: Use social awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships.
• Cooperate • Be empathetic • Build relationships • Have concern and compassion for others • Seek and provide help
• Collectively develop a soundtrack of meaningful music that can be played as students enter class. • Develop teams of students willing to help with reasonable tasks to keep music classrooms safe (following all school, district, and health professional guidance and only allow students to do what is possible and safe).
Decisions: Demonstrate decisionmaking skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts.
• Promote one’s own health • Have students inventory and rank music classroomactivities in terms of risk, their • Avoid risky behaviors comfort performing them, and protocols • Anticipate consequences that could make themfeel safer. • Analyze situations • Create a new mission statement • Plan realistic and adaptive accounting for musical, social, and response strategies emotional objectives accounting for a decreased emphasis on performance.
students and MSEL, you can facilitate an environment where students can reconnect with the space and the people who mean so much to them. Advocating Utilizing SEL SEL represents a widely accepted construct that policy makers at all levels value. To effectively make an argument, all elements of SEL are needed: • realizing the personal–collective value of music education (self-awareness), • understanding how this value will be perceived by decision-makers (socialawareness), and • promoting music education through advocacy (responsible decision-making). Engaging students in this process not only lends relevance to music education’s value but also models/teaches students these important skills while forwarding the cause for music education. Compelling arguments for music education utilizing SEL are: • Purposeful integration of SEL into music education will enrich the students’ personal connection to music. • The relationship built between teacher and students over multiple years of instruction fosters the caring environment necessary to help build school connectedness and foster empathy. • The perseverance needed to dedicate oneself to musical excellence fosters resiliency in and out of the music classroom. • Musical creation fosters self-awareness and allows students to develop a greater sense of autonomy and emotional vocabulary. • The collaborative community developed in the music classroom around music-making welcomes discussions and an awareness of acceptance and embraces diversity. • Musicians learn the necessity of personal goal setting, self-assessment, and accountability as they develop high standards for musicianship and themselves. • Music education provides developmental experiences that actively allow students to practice and hone socialemotional competencies.
Rough, uncomfortable waters lie ahead; however, music is a cultural necessity and is fundamental to being human. Music education and SEL exposes and deepens this for our students. SEL will be front and center for administrators, and MSEL can provide one solution to help our students cope, heal, and move forward through music. Onward We have often been told the only way out is through. This is true as we prepare for musical performances, struggle to teach a musical concept, persist through personal musical roadblocks, and navigate the profound social and emotional challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of our students are mourning the loss of music education as they know it and are craving the support and security they have relied on. Rough, uncomfortable waters lie ahead; however, music is a cultural necessity and is fundamental to being
human. Music education and SEL exposes and deepens this for our students. Through our intentional integration of SEL, our students will build the social emotional skills to thrive in our classrooms and beyond. 0 Scott N. Edgar is Associate Professor of Music, Department of Music chair, and Director of Bands at Lake Forest College. Edgar is the author of Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music, and he delivers clinics internationally on the topic. He is a Conn-Selmer Educational Clinician and VH1 Save the Music Foundation Educational Consultant. He can be reached at edgar@lakeforest.edu.
Resources for SEL and Specific Strategies for Implementing SEL in the Music Classroom • Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music (and student workbook), by Scott Edgar, GIA Publications. • Optimism Through the COVID-19 Disruption: Utilizing Social Emotional Learning for Reflection and Growth, by Scott Edgar, Andrew Morrison, & Bob Morrison: https://sbomagazine.com/6934-optimism-through-the-covid-19-disruption-utilizing-social-emotional-learning-for-reflection-and-growth.html • Music Education and Social Emotional Learning, by Scott Edgar, NAfME blog: https://nafme.org/music-education-social-emotional-learning/ • Music Education and Social Emotional Learning, by Scott Edgar and Bob Morrison, NAfME webinar: https://nafme.org/advocacy/quarterly-advocacy-webinars/ social-emotional-learning/ • Music Education and SEL During COVID-19: Resiliency and Empathy Now More Than Ever, by Scott Edgar, NAfME webinar: https://nafme.org/my-classroom/ nafme-online-professional-learning-community/#Webinar%20Recordings • Advocating for Music Education Utilizing SEL, by Scott Edgar and Bob Morrison, NAfME webinar: https://nafme.org/my-classroom/ nafme-online-professional-learning-community/#Webinar%20Recordings • Music Education and Social Emotional Learning Facebook Page: @MusicSocialEmotionalLearning • New Jersey Arts Education and SEL Learning Framework: www.selarts.org • Collaborative for Academic Social Emotional Learning (CASEL): www.casel.org Southwestern Musician | August 2020 33
VOCAL NOTES
B Y
J E D
R A G S D A L E
Prepared for any environment
A
re you ready to get back to work? Even those who work from home on a regular basis still keep a daily schedule. What’s your day going to look like? Hopefully by the time you read this, any mandates from the state, your district, and UIL will be known. However, if there ever was a model for remote learning, most of you in the Vocal Division have been doing it all along. The Texas All-State Choir and middle school audition processes all require those skills. More on those in just a bit. While reviewing previous August columns, seeking motivation and inspiration for what I would write, I found little, including from my own last August. That seems so long ago, and what we celebrated then seems a little less significant. It’s true that our lives will never be the same again, and hopefully for the better. We will look at the world around us through different lenses, perhaps with more appreciation of what we so often took for granted. What will you appreciate more? That old office chair? The early morning sound of the antiquated copy machine slowly making copies of a key signature quiz to give in place of the warmup activity you forgot to plan? Having a conversation with your colleagues in person? The smell of the choir room—even after boys’ choir? Okay, maybe not that. I do know each of us will more deeply appreciate sharing a space and enjoying the sound of beautiful music coming from our students—kids just standing there, creating pleasing tones without much more than effort and good vocal technique. When that time comes your students will appreciate it like never before.
We will look at the world around us through different lenses, perhaps with more appreciation of what we so often took for granted. 34 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
check www.tmea .org for updates
August—Renew your membership and register for the convention. August—Join your Region meeting online (updates on page 2). August 1—Deadline for waivers to the audition process to be received at TMEA headquarters. August 20—Liability insurance purchased through TMEA expires. November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention preregistration deadline. January 9—Area Vocal and Band auditions. January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline. February 10–13—TMEA Clinic/ Convention.
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Their lives have been changed, just as everyone else’s in the world. They are musicians, charged with making the world a more beautiful and better place. For nearly a half year they have essentially been silenced, not enjoying the opportunity to create beauty with others. Hopefully that time will come for them and us, sooner rather than later. Regardless, we must be ready to teach them. There can be no excuses, whatever the learning environment. We must be prepared for what may come next because the situation may change faster than Texas weather. Summer Learning TCDA has been and will always be an invaluable resource for choral educators. As this magazine went to print, their convention was being hosted online and what they had to offer was more important than ever. New repertoire is always needed and appreciated. Discussing practices for distributing choral educational curriculum in a virtual or blended classroom environment was paramount. TCDA is an organization every choir director should join, and convention shouldn’t be missed, in whatever capacity it’s delivered. As you continue to investigate more platforms and tools for synchronous or asynchronous learning in the virtual classroom, it doesn’t have to be rocket science. Just find and use what works best for your situation, knowing each is different. There can be no one-size-fits-all solution. You must take the time and do your research. (Be sure to read valuable member suggestions offered in the report of our distanced learning survey on page 38.) There are so many tools now, and more will surely be developed. Many can be found on the TMEA resources page. Many resources targeted to the Vocal Division were compiled by a wonderful team headed by TMEA Past-President Janwin Overstreet-Goode. Our resources will continually be updated with articles and findings, so return to it often. We may not find the answer for a return to normal, but we will find some incredibly useful information and tools that can help make our existence in the virtual and real world more bearable, especially for our students. Our students need us more than ever and we must be ready to meet their needs, as well as validate our contribution to the complete development of the 36 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
students for our administrators and community stakeholders to see. Whether we are in a blended or completely virtual learning environment, a possible solution for the fall semester is to have your students prepare for UIL Solo and Ensemble contest and participate in the All-Region/All-State Choir process. There are already tools and resources in place to utilize in their preparation for these educational experiences in addition to curriculum-related assessments. While the districts are paying for new programs, find your way into the planning committees that will best serve the entire fine arts department. Schedule regular virtual meetings with your department chair, appraiser, principal, or director of fine arts if you’re fortunate to have one. Keep pushing. Stay vocal, but within the framework of a campus and team vision. Whether in the physical classroom or having to pivot into the virtual, you can still nurture vocal development. They can begin the first week of school receiving solos and their ensemble piece. This will allow placement into smaller, more mobile groups on campus who can perhaps rehearse in a hallway, the cafeteria, or even outside, if approved by campus administration. You can also develop your leaders within small groups. Collaboration will be on display for all to see. Perhaps break them up into sectionals to work on audition music, even if they would rather not compete. And if they learn the music anyway, why not audition and experience the aspects of competition that develop valuable life skills? Perhaps you have a library full of previous All-State music and learning tools that can be used. Not every AllState piece is out of the range or capability for your younger students. However, high school directors can also consult with middle schools to see what has been done for previous All-Region competitions. Borrow their resources for your nonvarsity classes. If you have enough hard copies for your choir, you can scan and email or post in a password-protected platform such as Google Classroom, Charms, or other app. They can record their passoffs or performances for you or their classmates to assess. If your students have limited access to technology or the Internet, keep insisting your administration help find a solution to close this gap.
Performances in our near future might have to feature solos or small groups spaced appropriately or be outdoors or other places you can think of with administrative approval, all while utilizing social distancing and mitigating risk of infection. While I realize these solutions aren’t optimal for the long term, they do represent how I have begun several of our school years. I’ve taught a solo to the entire class to work on vowel uniformity, while developing a sense of musicality and phrasing. I’ve worked on an ensemble piece early so there wasn’t a mad scramble after the holidays to learn it before a contest in late January or early February. And, I’ve sometimes worked with my choirs on one of the AllState audition pieces during class. I’ve used this format for at least four of my 22 years, and this might become year number five. You don’t have to reinvent your program if you don’t choose to do so. Try not to stress and just take a deep breath. Instead, find the right tools to make your program continue to zoom (or Zoom) along. Renew Your Membership and Liability Insurance If you haven’t yet renewed your TMEA membership, be sure to do so now. As a benefit of membership, TMEA offers lowcost liability insurance ($30 annually). If you don’t purchase it through us, be sure you get coverage elsewhere. All-State Audition Material The All-State audition music for the Mixed, Treble, Tenor-Bass, and Small School Mixed Choirs can be found online (www.tmea.org). As a reminder, Region Vocal Chairs create the contests, and once contests are available, you may begin entering your singers into the process. With changes in our processes, be sure to visit the TMEA website and attend your virtual Region meeting to stay updated on audition procedures. Attend Your Region Meeting Please attend your fall Region meeting online so you can be apprised of the latest information from TMEA and get involved (and vote!). Like our spring meetings, all Region meetings will be online. See page 2 for more details, and go to www.tmea.org/ regionmeetings for the schedule and to access the link to join the meeting. 0
Keep Your Record Current in the Membership System
S
ince all memberships expired June 30, now is the time to renew if you haven’t already! When you renew, or at any time, you can log into your member record to verify and update your profile. Especially now, it’s important that you maintain accurate contact information so TMEA can communicate with you via email, and if you opt in to the directory, this ensures other TMEA members can access your accurate contact information you choose to share. TMEA Directory Options The TMEA Member Directory is a great member benefit, allowing you to connect with your colleagues locally and around the state. Our membership software gives you more control over what information to show in the Member Directory (you can even add a headshot!). The directory is not
public—it requires a TMEA login to access. If you choose to be included in the TMEA Member Directory, you also get to choose which contact data items you want displayed in the directory. Note that changes you make to your directory listing take place overnight. To be included in the Member Directory, go to your member record and update the settings on the Security and Privacy tab. Check Show My Personal Information. Then you will make further selections to choose what displays. Save those changes. Accessing Your Record You can access your membership record from the TMEA website under the Membership menu, or go to https://my.tmea.org/account/profile.aspx. Thank you for your membership and for keeping your member record current!
Invest
in our future tart a
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. 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!
S er chapt ll! this fa
Connect & Mentor This is an incredible time to mentor students who have an interest in music education! With online meetings, you could host amazing guest speakers who otherwise couldn’t get to your campus. TFME meetings, whether in person or online, are a wonderful way to connect with your student leaders. Southwestern Musician | August 2020 37
Music Education from a Distance TMEA Member Survey Offers Perspectives and Strategies by Karen Cross
A
s the school year ended, TMEA surveyed members to learn about their experiences following school closures and to gain advice and resources to help others, especially given the possibility of a fully or partially remote start to the 2020–2021 year. While responses confirmed expectations about how stressful and challenging the end to the school year was, many also reflected the great resilience and dedication of our members. New teachers and veterans alike learned new ways to connect and educate from a distance. Thanks go to the almost 3,000 members who took time to answer this involved survey to help us know how to support you and to allow us to share your ideas with colleagues from around the state and beyond. With a response rate over 20%, survey takers were a representative sample of TMEA members: TMEA Division Band (40%) Orchestra (12%) Elementary (19%) College (5%)
Vocal (21%)
(Remaining 3% were fine arts administrators)
Grade Level PreK–Elementary (20%) Middle School/JH (37%) High School (35%) College (6%)
Title I School? Yes (47%) No (39%) N/A (7%) Unsure (7%) Job Title Director (49%) Assistant Director (16%) Elementary Music Teacher (18%) College Faculty (5%) Private Lessons Instructor (7%) Administrator (3%) Other (2%)
Included below is a summary of survey responses to several objective questions, followed by a representative sample of replies to the open-ended queries. Almost Everyone Kept Teaching There are a few reports that teaching music ceased after schools closed their doors, but over 95% of survey takers said they taught remotely (either online or through delivery of packets). Most who didn’t continue teaching couldn’t because their school prioritized other subjects over the arts or their students didn’t have the resources needed to participate in distance learning.
Years of Teaching Experience 1–5 Years (13%) 6–10 Years (15%) 11–15 Years (15%) 15+ Years (57%)
Necessity—Also the Mother of Learning Reflecting on their shift to distanced learning, only 33% of teachers said that in March they felt prepared to deliver remote instruction. After three months of learning and applying that new knowledge, that percentage increased dramatically. By June over 70% reported feeling prepared to teach remotely, and 88% said they’re experienced with the technology tools needed to deliver that instruction.
School Size 1A (2%) 2A (6%) 3A (11%) 4A (11%) 5A (30%) 6A (39%) 1C/1B (4%) 2C/2B (44%) 3C/3B (52%)
Grading Models Only 4% of survey takers reported no change in grading practices during the period of remote instruction. Most report
(Remaining 3% were fine arts administrators)
38 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
some modifications, with over 30% utilizing a pass/fail structure for that period. While there were numerous permutations on grading, the overriding philosophy was that students’ grades would not be lowered based on their performance during that time of unanticipated remote learning.
How prepared did you feel in March to teach remotely? How prepared do you feel now? Very Prepared
Access Didn’t Equal Participation Most teachers reported that over 80% of their students had the technology needed to participate online; however, over the three months of remote instruction most also reported a decrease in student engagement and participation online. The primary reasons for low participation were lack of accountability at home, student apathy, emphasis on foundation courses, and absence of grades.
Somewhat March (28%) Prepared June (54%) Somewhat March (27%) Unprepared June (11%) Very March (27%) Unprepared June (5%) 10%
Learning from Your Experience The good stuff in any survey is usually found in the open-ended comments, and this is no exception. Many teachers shared their struggles and accomplishments, with almost 2,000 replies offered in each openended question. The following is a representative sample of the informative comments related to:
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
How experienced were you in March with the technology tools you needed to use? How experienced with those tools are you now? Very March (9%) Experienced June (31%) Somewhat March (44%) Experienced June (57%)
• Synchronous learning strategies • Asynchronous learning strategies • Offline instruction (packets)
Somewhat March (22%) Inexperienced June (6%)
• Social engagement • New practices to keep Thanks go to TMEA members who offered their experience and suggestions. While these sections are segmented by grade level, take time to review all responses as many great ideas aren’t grade-dependent. Synchronous Learning Strategies While it’s no replacement for in-person instruction, many teachers connected with their students online in real time in a variety of ways. As found in the follow-
March (5%) June (20%)
Very March (16%) Inexperienced June (1%) 10%
20%
ing examples, some members continued teaching music while others approached synchronous instruction primarily as a means for supporting student well-being.
30%
40%
50%
60%
ELEMENTARY I held weekly Zoom meetings for each grade level. We collaborated to create song lyrics, work on lessons through Quaver
We turned to the solace of the arts in the pandemic and learned that performance is just one aspect of what we do in the classroom. I would choose to evaluate lessons not only in how they support musical learning and growth but how they support the student as a whole person in their social and emotional growth and in bringing them the joy of music. —Middle School Music Educator Southwestern Musician | August 2020 39
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40 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
Music, learn recorders, and promote a family atmosphere. I loved Zoom! It was a chance to talk with kids face-to-face, plus it was a chance to be interactive. We did scavenger hunts and bucket drumming in music, and the kids were all engaged. We quickly found that it helped to have cohosts for Zoom classes. Specials teachers worked together. One would teach, the other two would admit, mute, etc. We coordinated with homeroom teachers and “guest-starred” on their Zoom classroom meetings. While it meant we saw them less, the kids didn’t have to remember a separate time to come to us. MIDDLE SCHOOL I used Google Meets to do our live instruction. I could then record and save the assignment to YouTube. I had Zoom meetings with my students where we played games. Some were just for fun to encourage attendance. I also made Kahoot! games that were primarily focused on music theory. We had very limited sectional work on Zoom. Students would mute themselves as I instructed. One thing that made it much easier was that I shared a screen with PDF of music that I could annotate and highlight, pointing out problem areas, patterns, solfège, etc. Zoom was perfect for our solo competition live finals—we utilized the reactions so each performer could get applause while everyone else was muted. Students in the audience were encouraged to wear spirit shirts and performers were encouraged to dress up. This really built a sense of community! The event ended with an all-in-attendance Kahoot! challenge. We learned pieces using SmartMusic. I shared the SmartMusic audio on my end (so students could hear all the parts, not just themselves). I had PDF parts of the song from our band library in a drive online for students to access. Students were able to play their parts while hearing the accompaniment. This was at least a step toward ensemble playing. HIGH SCHOOL We had Zoom classes on audition material and class assignments. We also had a virtual clinic with a guest artist. Through Google Meets and Zoom, we met by grade level for curriculum, by
instrument for sectionals, and together for rehearsals using a YouTube recording they played along with. We stopped and marked parts where the recording was in agreement with our interpretation and where it wasn’t and talked about why. I delivered instruction and reviewed materials by screen-sharing my AP Classroom with my students over Zoom. The AP Classroom allowed me to customize materials so I could provide individual lesson plans for my students. As assignments were being worked on, other students could comment via chat or use their mics to talk—everyone was able to contribute to the various lessons. Online instruction works, but rules must be established. Everyone must have their video on and be muted. In that way, it’s no different from a regular classroom— if you want to speak, raise your hand. Asynchronous Learning Strategies Many music educators said that while remote, delivering instruction in a format that didn’t require live interaction was most effective. The following are some ways this was accomplished by music educators across the state. ELEMENTARY Using WeVideo, I created videos of myself singing songs we had learned in class, and then I posted them to YouTube. The students viewed the video through a posted link in Schoology. I began by using Loom and Zoom together to record my lesson using my desktop to show Google Slides or a website and edit it. I used GarageBand to mix background music with my voice overs, then added that to Google Slides to make an iMovie. I inserted website videos (with references) and YouTube videos as well into the lesson format. Putting assignments in Seesaw for students to complete was the most successful. I gave students the option to record their own videos—playing or singing a song of their choice, for example. I used Google slides and recorded videos for my lessons, mostly put together with Screencastify and iMovie. I posted these on YouTube (unlisted as the privacy setting) and gave links to them. I created humorous and instructional videos for students to explain assignments
in Quaver, to teach technique or songs in recorder, to lead children in singing or movement activities, to guide them through counting or solfège reading exercises, to demonstrate dances or active games, or to ask thought provoking questions regarding listening exercises or other material. Students could hear lessons presented in multiple ways, by different teachers who have varied strengths and talents. Teachers were given a lot of freedom to present the lesson however they chose. We plan to use the videos to create a library all teachers can use with substitutes. I created K–2 videos, each under 10 minutes with up to three activities in quick succession and an invitation to send me a video or picture of their work. For grades 3–6, videos were typically one activity with a deeper dive into the why. They ended with a call to action, inviting them to do the activity themselves. MIDDLE SCHOOL I recorded lessons on Loom. I captured my screen from Finale or SmartMusic to point, play, highlight, and count the music for visual presentations. I recorded a “Tune Up Tuesday” weekly, with warmups, music theory, rhythms, and exercises to complete. Students enjoyed the breakdown of the assignment. I inserted videos, images, and audio through PowerPoint. I exported that file to an MP4 video. I assigned numerous video lessons through Edpuzzle. You can select a YouTube video, drop in questions or comments at any point, and prevent students from skipping a question. You can connect it to your Google classroom. I created teaching videos (e.g., a single line from the EE2000 book), uploaded to Google Classroom. They followed our in-class process of counting, singing/ fingering, ta-ing, playing, then increasing tempo. Students participated once or multiple times, practiced the lines, and then recorded themselves for a grade. The most popular activities, based on student participation and feedback, were videos I created that were related to criteria for evaluating performances. I integrated my own and other people’s videos into Canvas activities. I used QuickTime to make screen videos to walk students through new apps. We also made YouTube videos for lessons
that needed to be watched independently. Some students submitted synchronized videos playing a piece we intended for UIL contest. I used Screencastify to record a video of me explaining the assignment, how to use the Web apps for the assignment, and how to submit the assignment when done. My students liked rehearsal videos I created using MuseScore. I input individual voice part and did screen recordings while using the play feature in MuseScore. HIGH SCHOOL We used YouTube weekly to provide members a video of a masterwork band piece. Students listened and answered five reflection questions. The benefits were that the assignment was easy, fit within the 15-minute guideline, and exposed our students to music that they might not have experienced otherwise. For AP Music Theory, I recorded myself solving part-writing exercises so students could view at any time and complete the first part of their homework using my strategies and answers. Then they had to complete other part-writing exercises on their own to be graded and given written feedback on success or mistakes. I made videos in Windows Movie Maker, posted them to our YouTube channel, and emailed or texted the link.
COLLEGE Juries were allowed to be recorded and uploaded to a Box site. This semester we allowed the different pieces to be separate audio takes. We didn’t try to have a continuous live-jury-like recording. I recorded a different group studio warmup every week on Zoom that they could do with me when they wanted. I recorded aural skills classes through Panopto and posted to Blackboard. I gave dictation tests in Blackboard by recording and posting short sound files and had students write on a form posted in Blackboard if they had a printer or touchscreen computer. Offline Instruction: Hard Copy Packets With disparity in digital access, teachers supported their students by providing access to offline materials as well, usually through the delivery of packets, physically or via email to parents. Like online learning strategies, the ways teachers supported students with offline opportunities varied. ELEMENTARY A Specials Packet was created that included work for each Specials class. These were picked up along with their other classroom work. Putting all of the specials work in one place and making it
For more guidance on this topic, read “Preparing Ourselves and Our Technology” on page 12. We used YouTube recordings that displayed the sheet music of the piece so students could follow along. Then they created a video of themselves singing their part for their assignment. We had small groups sing using Acappella (or similar apps on Android), and we were able to use Google Classroom for more complex collaborative projects. I learned how to film a video, upload it to YouTube, add videos into individual PowerPoint slides, save the presentation as a Google Slide, and adjust settings for slides to automatically advance when each video was done. This allowed me to create an almost seamless presentation that included written text and video. Students completed a short Google form response quiz about the lesson.
easier for parents to grab increased the amount of returned classwork. I tried to have one activity for practice and one for fun (e.g., I gave a rhythm labeling sheet and a bingo sheet). Our district elementary music team created packets together, and they were emailed to the campus for printing. MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL We created assignments in Google (Forms, Docs, Sheets, etc.) and saved them to PDF. In addition to making them available electronically, they were available for pickup in paper packets from the front office and they could return their completed work there or send me pictures of their completed work. Organized packets of work were Southwestern Musician | August 2020 41
placed in newspaper bins outside of each school, available for access by parents and students at any time (there were also bins for submitting work). Packets were also delivered and picked up by volunteers on the buses distributing meals. Hard copy lessons were a collaboration of all district band directors (same for other subject areas). They were printed by the district office and distributed at school in a packet that included all subjects. For online lessons I used the hardcopy lesson as a starting point and modified and supplemented it for each class. Increasing Social Engagement Many teachers reported that supporting their students’ social and emotional wellbeing became their primary focus. This engagement took on many forms. ELEMENTARY I constantly posted on the school page of the ClassDojo community we have. The school created a Facebook page, and we had daily live reading times. I volunteered to take turns with the librarian to read to the students. Videos made the biggest difference— not videos I found online, but videos I made of myself for my weekly lessons. I also created the daily sing, a video I made daily of a different song or activity. MIDDLE SCHOOL I have a tradition of starting each class by having a few students share something good as a way to build community. I continued that by posting a different themed “good thing” prompt each week. Students submitted their answers either through Google Classroom or by recording a short video on Flipgrid. I did a Band Adventure Challenge to keep the students excited about learning
and racing against each other. We also did crazy hair day, bring your pet to school day, band bingo, and more. We tried to involve student families with a “Guess That Song” game. Songs were popular before 1990, so most students would need the help of their parents or older siblings to figure out the tune. We held Fun Fridays where we didn’t do anything new and the kids got to take turns playing songs of their choice. We also talked about how we were feeling each week and shared ideas to try new things and stay fresh! We discussed how music can help people feel connected in times of strife. I also introduced them to music therapy as a way that we as musicians can help each other. HIGH SCHOOL We did a watch party with students. We all watched a musical together. During our weekly Zoom meetings, we played games and just made sure our students were okay. I had family game nights using a Kahoot! and Scribl. Officers took on projects to build morale, take care of one another, and have fun. Having one-on-one conversations is how my online engagement went up. Each student had a different story and needed personal attention. We had a campus-wide cabaret Flipgrid where fine arts students and campus faculty could share songs, art, etc. We tried to keep some type of normal going, such as honoring those with birthdays and hosting an awards banquet, leadership training, and auditions. This kept our students engaged and participating. I created “Band Hall Hangouts” where students could come and hang with their friends with no instruction or grading.
I am not afraid to ask colleagues for assistance or look to YouYube videos for help. I am excited to continue adapting lessons and creating new lessons. This is the learning jolt I needed in my career to keep my teaching fresh. —Elementary Music Teacher 42 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
Practices to Keep Many readers are nearing the return to school in some format (unknown at this print deadline). As you prepare, consider these reflections that teachers shared about what they started doing during the time of school closures that they want to continue. ELEMENTARY I’ll keep making recorded lessons that could be used by a sub. They could also be used for small group learning or even a flipped classroom. I will be easier on myself and dedicate more time to myself and my family. I give my all to my students, yet I can be replaced in a second. My physical and mental health are not worth the pace my job requires. I will continue having Recorder Karate through the Google Classroom platform. Students who are unable to come in before school to practice or test can still participate. I will use self-created videos much more. These will allow students to practice songs and dances at home. I’ve also become comfortable using platforms like ClassDojo and Seesaw to communicate with families. Keep a better sleep schedule! Focus more on the fun side of music instead of every little detail. Let the kids play more! Maintain healthy sanitation of classroom and instruments and healthy habits for students to take with them. Have more individual connection and feedback with students. Some students who didn’t participate in class bloomed online and became more confident musicians. Put my family first. This is an important job, but my family is more important. It’s easy to lose sight of that. Also, a bowl of chocolates on my desk is nice, too. Let go of trying to control everything. Focus on doing what is possible, while researching the ideal. Perform in front of my students more, mistakes and all! I will learn in front of them to show them how I practice, my attitude, and more. Regularly talk more about music in the home and in their lives outside of school. MIDDLE SCHOOL I want to continue checking in with each one of my students on a more personal level each week.
It’s incredibly inspiring to learn how music teachers overcame so many challenges to connect with and teach their students. What you do is incredibly important, and we appreciate everything you continue to offer to ensure the best for your students. I see the benefit of organizing my Google Classroom and continuing with this online platform as a way of communicating with students and parents. I also see a benefit of continuing online assignments even without distance learning. I want to continue recording assignments. I want to have theory assignments on Google Classroom on a more regular basis. I’d also like to start a digital practice report rather than a paper copy. Have patience and grace, for myself, my colleagues, and my students. When everyone feels unsafe and uncertain, it has a huge impact on our productivity, stamina, and overall health. This really put things into perspective for me regarding students who may consistently have discipline problems at school—they may be living that kind of life at home all the time. I want to continue exercising daily, reading, learning, and practicing self-care. I’ll keep washing my hands more often. Give students more responsibility during lessons, in marking their music assignments, and spend more time on sightreading development, especially with vocalists. Whether we are distance-learning or not, I want my students to know they are cared for. I would like to get to know them better. I found that my students wanted to talk about their interests. Use blended learning to address the TEKS that often get disregarded in the process of rehearsing for contests and performances (especially theory, history, and world music). Check in with colleagues every day, not just for professional reasons, but for mental health checks, to make sure they’re doing okay and have what they need. These last few months have been an excellent reminder to us all that we need to prioritize community and the fine art of music over competition. Competition can
be terrific and helps us grow, but at the end of the day, we need to teach our kids a love of music and how to be good citizens. HIGH SCHOOL I love my job, but I need to get out of the office and take care of myself. I will keep using Google Form quizzes. They helped identify gaps in basic fundamentals of music-reading. The requirement to retake these quizzes until the student achieved 100% was effective. I must continue to make time to continue to exercise. I’m going to keep digging into technology (offline and online formats) and view it as an enhancement for my classroom, regardless of our situation. I submitted a list of applications and websites to my technology director to make available on school Chromebooks and iPads in the fall, and I am spending the summer educating myself on ways to incorporate them. I will continue to asses students online. I was previously reluctant, but I believe it’s been good for everyone. Continue to save money! We may continue to offer band parent meetings on Zoom. Our typical monthly meetings had 15–20 parents in attendance. Over Zoom, 50–60 parents attended. Online auditions! They worked so well. Nerves didn’t play a role, and students were able to submit their best work. I have been talking less and having the students play more. I want to keep this up. Continue eating healthy! Setting cut-off times for work and increasing my online communication. Online meetings! We (faculty, admin team, department chairs) do not need to meet face-to-face so often. Meetings have been better-planned and more engaging once they were online. I want to continue to know when enough is enough and when to step away.
One thing about our jobs is that we can make them all-consuming, and at times we work so much that don’t take the opportunity to look outside. We need to learn to dial it back a few notches. Create click-tracks in GarageBand for students to play with instead of all-metronome assignments. Click tracks are fun! I have started taking time for myself each day—60 minutes practicing piano and 30 minutes practicing a new language. It makes me happy and I feel accomplished that I did something for myself. After listening to students count and play individually, I know I need to add daily counting to my warmup time. I need to require more individual accountability from students. Keep cooking new things! Place a greater emphasis on nonperformance assignment options. A few students (who may not be the most technically proficient on their instruments) have shown great potential for composition and arranging. I love the online sightreading! Being able to hear the kids individually was a real eye opener. I plan to keep using Sightreading Factory or Smart Music regularly. Stop getting caught up in the competitive side of music education. Find new ways to make music education more relevant to my students and their families. COLLEGE I learned to post sound files on Blackboard for aural skills dictation tests and plan to use it for homework this fall. Students said it helped them to watch aural skills class more than once. I plan to have applied students make videos of themselves and send to me before each lesson. Keep the appreciation for the power of music and community. That first rehearsal together is going to be epic. I have grown to appreciate the ability to meet virtually with groups of people and the convenience of less travel when not needed. Thank You Thanks go to TMEA members for sharing their experiences and insights. An overriding theme emerged from this survey—when we look to each other for help and support, we will thrive, regardless of the situation. When you need help, ask. When you can offer help, reach out to those who need it. 0 Southwestern Musician | August 2020 43
ELEMENTARY NOTES
B Y
A B I G A I L
H A W E S
We all live in a flying submarine
T
he phone message was not unusual—a pleasantsounding voice on the other end. She introduced herself as an administrator from a school in North Texas and asked to visit with me concerning the student teacher I worked with this year. I’d been receiving a steady stream of online reference check forms from various school districts since mid-April, but this was the first actual phone call. Excited about the opportunity to speak about the amazing human being I’d shared my classroom with earlier this year, I immediately returned her call. Serving as a cooperating teacher to student teachers remains one of my greatest professional joys, and it was a pleasure to share insights into my experience with this student teacher. Over the next few minutes, the administrator and I visited about the student teacher, her strengths, and possible areas for growth. As the call began to wind down, the conversation turned to the current
The resilience and innovative nature that carried us through the end of the school year will continue to help us as we adapt and evolve through whatever the fall has in store. 44 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
check www.tmea .org for updates
August—Renew your membership and register for the convention. August—Join your Region meeting online (updates on page 2). September 15—REVISED Invited Elementary Performing Group application deadline. November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention preregistration deadline. January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline. February 10–13—TMEA Clinic/ Convention.
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pandemic, the strange way the school year was ending, and the overwhelming sense of uncertainty surrounding whatever was coming next. And that’s when she said it: “You know, it’s like we’re being expected to build the submarine—while it’s in the air!” At first, I thought I’d heard her incorrectly. But she went on: “And that’s just it,” she said. “A submarine doesn’t even belong in the air! And here we are, expected to do just that.” And then, it clicked. I laughed and thought, what a perfectly fitting image to
46 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
represent our current circumstances. Well, fast-forward a few months, and here we are, the summer behind us, and a new school year on the horizon. Our situation continues to be unique and unprecedented. Indeed, the past few months have left many of us disoriented and wondering, “What on earth will the fall look like, and how can I prepare for a future that seems so uncertain?” One of the ways the TMEA Executive Board and staff sought to help serve our membership was by gathering data through the Distance Learning survey. Thank you for sharing your honest thoughts and experiences through your responses, and please know that your feedback has been truly invaluable as we’ve worked to develop ways to support and assist Texas music educators through the continuing pandemic. (See the report on page 38 for some great ideas and reflections shared by Elementary Division members.) Reading through the survey responses, themes began to emerge. Resilience. The need for connection. Uncertainty and trepidation about the future. Your words were uplifting and vali-
dating, affirming and encouraging, and, at times, bittersweet and poignant. I was inspired to read about your genuine desire to connect with your students, whether through time spent learning a new videoediting application, familiarizing yourself with Flipgrid, or even taking the biggest leap of them all: Zoom calls with kindergarten students. So you made the videos, painted the posters for the car parade, and decorated your virtual classroom. Your heart smiled at the sight of your first graders on a Zoom call, overjoyed that their music teacher “came by to say hello” with her ukulele, of course. You may have shed a few tears when a parent sent you a message, showing their student, too anxious to turn their camera on during the call, singing and clapping along. You felt the frustration of not feeling valued or possibly being viewed as extra. You wondered what else you could do. One thing was overwhelmingly made clear: We all missed our students and wanted to be back in the classroom with them, doing what we love. And remember that submarine? Well,
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journey, and there’s no singular map to guide us. But, whatever you do, please keep going. Know that there will be quite a bit to digest, and you might even feel a bit queasy at times, but in the end, our students are counting on us—to do better and to be better. Let’s dig in. “We are not trapped or locked up in these bones. No, no. We are free to change. And love changes us. And if we can love one another, we can break open the sky” (from Blue Light by Walter Mosley). if there’s one thing I know for certain—if you’re in the market for such a craft, look no further than a Texas music educator. I am confident that the resilience and innovative nature that carried us through the end of the school year will continue to help us as we adapt and evolve through whatever the fall has in store. And, as we do this, the importance of staying connected simply can’t be overstated. Fortunately, the past few months have been filled with online learning opportunities—a trend that will undoubtedly continue. One opportunity I am particularly thankful to have experienced was Coty Raven Morris’s three-part webinar series, “Being Human Together.” I’m so pleased that Morris, who presented on this topic at our 2020 convention, also submitted a feature for this month’s issue (on page 20). You can still view these valuable webinars online by going to the Being Human Together Facebook group. Throughout her sessions, Morris repeatedly reminded participants: “If you come to the table, be ready to eat.” I believe it’s time for us to find our places and settle in for dinner. Now, more than ever, there is an urgent need for us to come together at the table, dedicating ourselves to the creation of a more respectful and inclusive world by addressing injustice and racism within our communities. Where’s your place, you might ask? That’s something only you can determine. And, just like in your classroom, seating charts can change. But each of us has a seat, and therefore a unique role to play in this necessary, transformative work. Maybe it’s to share your story. Please keep sharing, your voice is important. Maybe it’s to listen. Please keep listening, there is so much to learn. We are each at different places in this 48 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
Performing Group Application Deadline Extended Due to the ongoing pandemic and uncertainty surrounding the 2020–2021 school year, the TMEA Elementary Invited Performing Ensemble application deadline has been extended to September 15. For updated information and to apply, please visit www.tmea.org/ elementaryapplication. Thank you, TCDA! Congratulations and thanks go to Katy Flowers and the TCDA Board for this summer’s first ever virtual TCDA convention. I hope you were able to participate in sessions. While I wrote my column before the event launched, I hope you experienced uplifting and informative sessions and left energized for the upcoming fall semester. Call for Volunteers While it might seem far off now, it will be time for our annual convention before you know it. Interested in seeing a whole
new side of TMEA? Please consider serving alongside your fellow music educators as a volunteer this February in San Antonio. Signing up is easy: visit www. tmea.org/elementaryvolunteer today and submit your availability and preferences. Thank you in advance for your willingness to be part of our convention in this very special way. TMEA Mentoring Network Each year, TMEA pairs new music educators with experienced mentors through the Mentoring Network. This incredible resource wouldn’t be possible without two groups of people: the dedicated professionals willing to share their time and talents as mentors and the new music educators looking to enhance their craft. Want to get involved? Go to www.tmea.org/mentor and enroll today. Meetings and Memberships Please participate in your fall Region meeting. Learn the latest in TMEA news, network with fellow colleagues, and offer important feedback to your Region leadership. For more information about meeting dates and times, go to www.tmea.org/ regionmeetings. Finally, all TMEA memberships have expired. Please continue your support of TMEA’s mission by renewing your membership and registering for the 2021 Clinic/ Convention. If you haven’t already, be sure to take advantage of your member benefit of low-cost liability coverage—something no educator should ever go without. 0
Join Your Region Meeting TMEA Region meetings will be held online using Zoom. Get Important Updates • Vote for Region Officers See page 2 for updates to the meeting process.
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B Y
P A U L
COLLEGE NOTES
S I K E S
The importance of personal relationships
I
check www.tmea .org for updates
August—Renew your membership and register for the convention. August—Join your Region meeting online (updates on page 2). September 1—Collegiate Music Educator Award nominations open for fall graduates. October 15—College Division Call for Papers online submission deadline. October 16—College Division Fall Conference held online. November 1—Deadline for Collegiate Music Educator Award nominations. November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention preregistration deadline. January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline. February 10–13—TMEA Clinic/ Convention.
n May, TMEA surveyed members to discover how they and their students adjusted to the virtual teaching model. Members were asked to give feedback on the tools they used, their students’ engagement, and what members did to help the social and emotional wellbeing of their students. In reviewing the responses, I was heartened to see that professors reported most of their students stayed engaged and finished the semester successfully. However, faculty also indicated that at least a few students had difficulty engaging in the virtual environment. The reasons for this were varied, with some faculty citing technical problems such as poor Internet connections and lack of good computers. Others indicated that students were forced to work more hours to help support parents who had lost jobs. Others still stated their students had to return to home environments that were not conducive to virtual learning. One faculty stated succinctly why some of her students were unable to engage, “The stressors of COVID-19 and disruption to normal life created increased levels of anxiety and depression for students.” I suspect that anxiety and depression were facts of life for all students, even those who remained engaged. In recognizing these problems, many of our college faculty went above and beyond to help students deal with their anxiety and depression and get them to engage in the new learning format. Some faculty instigated weekly in-person check-ins with their students or adjusted class schedules. Others provided “story time” each week where students shared their experiences with the class. A few moved their interactions to social media platforms, such as Facebook,
Getting to know students on a personal level allows faculty to recognize and understand problems and barriers to learning that students are working through. Southwestern Musician | August 2020 51
where students could continue discussions about classwork and social issues. A few even set up virtual social events such as a talent show and fun musical events. Some faculty tried to set up events but were unfamiliar with the applications used to promote virtual social interaction. Regardless of their success, I was impressed with our college professors who took it upon themselves to reach out to students and try to improve their social and emotional wellbeing. I believe there are many benefits for doing this. One thing I tell my students over and over is the first step to solving a problem is knowing there is a problem. Getting to know students on a personal level allows faculty to recognize and understand problems and barriers to learning that students are working through. I saw through the survey results that faculty who actively tried to improve their students’ wellbeing were the same ones who were able to define the barriers that prevented their students from engaging fully. These were the same faculty who developed ideas and strategies to help overcome students’ barriers to learning. As an example, one faculty reported lower engagement because virtual learning was “not as fun as in-person music-making.” The solution then was to work to create fun in the virtual classroom by using crazy hat day, weird T-shirt day and peer breakout sessions. Because of his positive relationship with his students, he was able to discover why his students were not as engaged and then created solutions to try to remedy the problem. In addition to engaging in classes, having positive and healthy personal relationships with our students also helps them do better in school. Research has shown that students report higher levels of engagement and learning when faculty interact and engage with students both in and out of the classroom (Umbach & Wawrzynski, 2005; Martin, & Dowson, 2009). A sense of connection with teachers helps students feel like they belong at the institution. Additionally, faculty who understand the needs and interests of their students can more appropriately tailor assignments, expectations, and conversations to help those students meet those needs. This is likely to lead to higher rates of academic success as reflected by grade point averages (Anaya & Cole, 2001; Kim & Sax, 2009) and retention (Kurland & Siegel, 2013). These strong personal relationships 52 Southwestern Musician | August 2020
between students and faculty also play a role in a student’s persistence throughout their college career (Wayt, 2012). Taken together, the survey, research, and our personal experiences show a strong positive correlation between healthy student-faculty relationships and student learning and development. We can do our jobs better and the students will be more successful when we concern ourselves with their personal lives outside of class in addition to their academic lives. The social wellbeing of our students should then be intertwined with our teaching. It should be a deliberate goal of the professor to build these relationships. I suspect these types of relationships will become more important as we move into the new year of uncertainties. Membership All TMEA memberships expired on June 30. Renew now and be sure to take advantage of your membership benefit of access to low-cost liability insurance— coverage no music educator (including student teachers) should be without. When you renew, confirm and update your member record to ensure all information is accurate. Commissioned Research Study TMEA has commissioned a research study to investigate music student engagement compared with students in other areas of study during spring 2020, when schools moved to online formats due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to presenting the results of this study during our 2021 Clinic/Convention. (Proposals were submitted by July 17 and the applicants notified July 31.) Call for Research Poster Presentation The Research Committee is pleased to announce the call for proposals for presentations at the TMEA Clinic/Convention Research Poster Session. The committee invites submissions from members in all TMEA divisions, including college students. Selected authors will present their research at an informal session in which interested music teachers can learn about the research and discuss applications to music teaching. Submissions must be submitted online by October 15. Learn more at www.tmea.org/papers. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Simmons,
Chair of the Research Committee, at asimmons@austin.utexas.edu. Fall Conference Please make plans to attend the College Division’s Fall Conference. At this meeting, college faculty from across the state come together to discuss issues relevant to teaching music at institutions of higher education. We will also receive important updates from policy makers and TMEA staff who work daily on behalf of music education in our state. This year’s event is more important than ever as we share best practices and learn from our colleagues across the state. This Fall Conference will be held virtually, via Zoom, on Friday, October 16. An invitation will be sent out to all College Division members as we get 0 closer to the meeting. References • Anaya, G., & Cole, D. G. (2001). Latina/o student achievement: Exploring the influence of student–faculty interaction on college grades. Journal of College Student Development, 42, 3–14. • Kim, Y. K., & Sax, L. J. (2009). Student– faculty interaction in research universities: Differences by student gender, race, social class, and first-generation status. Research in Higher Education, 50(5), 437–459. • Kurland, R. M. & Siegel, H. I. (2013). Attachment and Student Success During the Transition to College. NACADA Journal, 33(2), 16–28. • Martin, A., & Dowson, M. (2009). Interpersonal relationships, motivation, engagement, and achievement: Yields for theory, current issues, and practice. Review of Educational Research, 79, 327–365. • Umbach, P.D. & Wawrzynski, M.R. (2005). Faculty Do Matter: The Role of College Faculty in Student Learning and Engagement. Research in Higher Education 46(2), 153-184. • Wayt, L.K. (2012). The Impact of Students’ Academic and Social Relationships on College Student Persistence. DigitalCommons@ University of Nebraska–Lincoln, https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/ viewcontent.cgi?article=1108&context= cehsedaddiss
2019–2020 Memberships Have Expired! All 2019–2020 TMEA 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.
Membership in an organization of over 13,000 music educators carries with it benefits inherent from this strength in numbers. TMEA is your voice to the Texas Legislature, State Board of Education, and Texas Education Agency. In addition to representation by TMEA leaders, members enjoy a myriad of benefits, including access to group health insurance, lowcost liability insurance, professional development opportunities, online and printed pedagogical and advocacy resources, and more. TMEA strives to provide meaningful professional development (like our recent addition of TMEA Connections events) and opportunities for high school students through the audition process and Texas Future Music Educators.
Renewing annually shows you support music education for all Texas students! Questions about renewing? Contact Membership Manager Susan Daugherty at susand@tmea.org
Receiving this issue of the magazine does not mean your membership is active.
When You Renew: Verify and update your email, phone, and mailing addresses. Verify and update your school information. Set your directory preferences.
Thank you fohrip! s your member
Renew now, and remind your colleagues to do the same!
www.tmea.org/renew Southwestern Musician | August 2020 III
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