MUSIC EDUCATORS SEEK CREATIVE WAYS TO TEACH AS PANDEMIC CONTINUES

Derrick Bready

Martin Sanchez

As the COVID-19 virus rages on with unprecedented spikes in cases, teachers and students are faced with the probability of remote learning continuing through spring. Teachers are already challenged each day to make their classrooms and curricula engaging and effective during normal circumstances. Add to that challenge the fatigue of being quarantined, and educators are working even harder to keep students interested. Many #UTSAMUSIC alumni are music educators currently facing the challenges of remote learning. No matter the grade or the school, the common denominator is reestablishing the social aspect of both music and learning either with or without technology.

Derrick Bready (‘02) is the assistant choir director at Deer Park High School in Deer Park, Texas. During his choir rehearsals, he looks to building rapport with his students by focusing more on them and less on the curriculum. “We are not grinding into our music as hard or fast simply to allow organic conversations and moments to happen. Music and singing are social events and we are facilitating this in our rehearsals. At the end of the day, it’s about the people we teach and not necessarily the music.”

A little closer to home at Ed White Middle School in North East ISD, Martin Sanchez (‘13), is using video communication that many other schools across the nation are using, employing it also as a means to create virtual orchestra concerts that are live-streamed to the school’s community. But the orchestra director has also found a few other ways to use Zoom as a means to socialize. “Students love having a Zoom orchestra lunch where we can have a stress-free hour to catch up with each other. For the future, I am planning a Zoom game night with all those who want to attend.”

For those in higher education like #UTSAMUSIC’s own Dr. Jourdan Laine Howell (‘10), COVID-19 solitude and the scarcity of opportunities to work in the same space have affected how she approaches teaching. “I have always enjoyed dreaming big dreams, especially when developing my own performances and those of my students. My voice students are currently working on a terribly fun Studio recital concept to debut this spring, an idea that was developed to serve the virtual concert craze. I have had the pleasure of collaborating with professors across the university to launch an interdisciplinary project this year created to combat isolation and bring students together through a collective experience.”

COVID -19 has continued to be an omnipresent threat going into 2021. Thwarting the impositions of social distancing and remote learning have been the missions of music educators everywhere. Finding time to re-create social bonds in a meaningful way has been the common thread while using technology as a tool to create and share the creative experience has been crucial. These are only a few examples of how our alumni are meeting and exceeding the challenge. Go ‘Runners!