bandman

I revised my syllabus for my classes last night.

Remembering that I teach in a middle school where we have band 2-days per week for 50-minutes, and 1-day for 30-minutes.

My requirement for my wind players in grades 7-8 will be Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, F, C, and G concert along with a Chromatic Scale applicable to the playable range of the player/average middle school player. These must be passed before the Thanksgiving Holidays.

My students in grade 6 will be responsible for Bb, Eb, Ab and F, and also the Chromatic scale but on a shorter range. These must be passed before the Thanksgiving Holidays.

My 6th grade students had always been responsible for what the 7-8 are now responsible. The 8th graders had to know all 12 major scales. They will also play pieces in 4, cut, and in 8 as part of the class.

I am placing a new “Master Musician” award in my classes where students will have to play the old (more strict/advanced) requirements on a voluntary basis. They will be given an award at the end of the year for playing those scale requirements, and also for taking part in solo festival playing a grade appropriate selection, playing 4 grade appropriate etude in 4, cut, and in 8. They will also have to score 95% on a music theory test that is appropriate for students in their grade.

The idea is that the students who want to “play for fun” still have some fundamental requirements, but I’m offering something special for those who want to move on to more advanced concepts. You will notice that the master musician for 6th grade is easier to win than the same award for 7th and 8th grade, so the students will need to continue to progress in order to win this award each year.

Perhaps this will make playing the more advanced music a little more fun, and the idea of being recognized in front of their peers may be the incentive needed for some of the students who should learn this material but are a little complacent.

I’m going to make a big chart for the band room wall that shows who is working toward the Master Musician Award and how much progress they have made at any given time. I bet seeing their names on that chart will be a big deal for many of the students.

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tpter1

I like that, Bandman!!!! I never really noticed the power pf a chart in front of the room until my student teacher used one last year as a positive reinforcement tool. Boy, did those kids ever respond! I always thought of that as hokey...even when I was in school. But kids really seem to get into it.

May I steal the idea for my room this year?

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"Roses have thorns; shining waters mud. Clouds and eclipses stain the moon and the sun; and history reeks of the wrongs we have done. After today, after today, consider me gone."- Sting

trpt2345

Maybe. But if someone writes something in A# minor instead of Bb minor and wants me to play it, I'll kick their ass! And in the era of tempered tuning there is no way scientific or otherwise to distinguish between Db Major and C# Major.

Michael McLaughlin

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bandman

I believe that you never really own an idea, and that an idea is no good unless you share it. Not only can you use it, but I hope you find a way to make it better and then share your new ideas with me!

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wiseone2

When I was a student I was consumed with a passion for music. I could not get enough. I played my instrument as often as I could. I played in bands, orchestras and any place that would have me. I listened to WFLN. I attended Philly Orchestra concerts. I lived for music. We were a competitive bunch. Vince Penzarella, Tony Marchione, Lou Opalesky, Ted Curson and would you believe Shirley Scott were in our all-city band. Not a shy kid in that bunch
The all- high school orchestra played the Ravel G major Piano Concerto in my junior year, I was solo trumpet.
I have loved music from Day One of my musical life.
Wilmer

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Siegtrmpt

I'm always asking myself how to light up that fire Wilmer's talking about in my students. It's different for everybody.

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robertwhite

Why is the issue of learning scales always such a big deal? They aren't hard to learn. Once you figure out one major scale, you've got the pattern for all of them - so why is it a big deal?

I didn't start band until 8th grade, and had to catch up quickly because everyone in my class already knew all of the major scales. The thing is though, my teacher never said it would be difficult to catch up, and (surprise) it wasn't.

Don't dumb-down your curriculum just because some kids whine about it. Scales and chords are the building blocks of music. Learning multiplication tables isn't a treat either, but after 3rd grade no one's whining about it anymore.

cornetguy

because unfortunatly most students that I have encountered do a bad job at transferance of learning. So that C Major is a completly different concept then Bb Major. I find that to be the case overall and am telling the students the same thing over and over again in different pieces

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trumpet blower88

It's also because students what to learn scales simply by memorizing the fingerings, and that is definatly NOT the way to go. All you have to do is just get used to playing in that key, know what is sharp/flat/natural and it's a breeze. I struggled for years along with my class mates trying to memorize fingerings, and that is why so many kids hate learning them.

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