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Russell L. Robinson, Ph.D., Composer/Arranger/Author/Musician Educator

In my work with music programs and music teachers in on-site professional development, I have tried to assist educators (choral and instrumental) in “maximizing student engagement and musicianship” in their ensembles and music classrooms. These two areas (Engagement and Musicianship) go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other.  Fifty minute classes, for example, can have a meltdown ten minutes into the class/rehearsal. Why? There is a lack of student engagement and music making. Fifty minutes can feel like ten minutes, when the students are engaged in making music, and feel like two hours when they are not. It has been said that the best way to increase your enrollment and retention in music ensembles (or not), is the buzz in the hall after class, especially when music becomes an elective in middle and high school.  Music students should always be more excited about music learning after class than they were when they walked in. I believe the following five strategies are what all great teachers incorporate, even if stated in different ways.

FIVE STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS!

1. BE A MUSICIAN EDUCATOR!

In the past several years, I have changed my professional title from music educator to “musician educator.” Musicians with superb teaching skills can teach all students to be musicians. From beginning bands, choirs, orchestras, to advanced ensembles, students should be taught to play and sing musically. Much of this is achieved through establishing good posture, breathing, attack, vowels (choral), and making each note and phrase count. Also important, is choosing music that is appropriate for your ensemble to make music. Some middle school instrumental and choral ensembles try to do very complex music that is beyond the students’ level of technique. Remember: Simple music is not necessarily bad, and complex music is not necessarily good. Good music IS good music. Music must be selected for each ensemble that allows them to make great music in a reasonable number of rehearsals. The music is our curriculum. Wise choices about the repertoire that are not only good, but also appropriate for your ensembles, are critical to your success as a “musician educator.”

2. PRACTICE ACCURATE REINFORCEMENT AND CORRECTION!

The old saying, “catch them being good,” still applies. Whenever someone or something in rehearsal approximates or achieves what you are trying to teach them as musicians, give them specific praise. The more we identify what they are doing right, the more powerful it is when we give students specific correction on how to make it better. One strategy (and there are many): When someone is doing something incorrect (musically or behaviorally), instead of correcting that person in front of the class, find someone in close proximity and give them specific praise for what they are doing.

Example: A student is failing to exhibit good posture. Find a student with excellent posture, close to the student exhibiting poor posture, and give them specific praise. “Susan, I love the way you are sitting up straight with your feet flat on the floor, back away from the back of the chair and (instrumental) holding your instrument properly.” What happens? You have demonstrated “accurate reinforcement” and the person (or persons) with poor posture will generally self-correct. Why? They want the positive (accurate) reinforcement that the person who was recognized received.

Another strategy for “accurate reinforcement” is utilizing student models. In an ensemble, when learning a piece, there are always some students who are singing/playing it correctly and those who aren’t. Why not ask, for example: “How many of you know that you are singing/playing measures 9-16 correctly? Please raise your hand.” (Some will raise their hand that aren’t playing/singing correctly, or didn’t even hear the question. 😊  So, ask again, with the addition of “. . . really know that you are playing . . .”) Immediately, have those people who raised their hand play or sing measures 9-16. Now, students who didn’t play or sing, hear it “more correct” and want to play more correctly and be recognized. We all want recognition when we’re doing something right. This will avoid having to do it over and over, which gets boring, especially for the students that have been doing it correctly (perhaps from the first time with little recognition) and will greatly increase student engagement.

There’s a lot more I could say about this, but that is the idea. People want to be reinforced for doing the right thing (not just in rehearsals, but in life as well). Accurate reinforcement and correction are the two main ingredients in changing behavior for the better.

3. PACING! KEEP THE CLASS MOVING!

Doing one thing too long can be a “killer” in student engagement. In a 50 minute rehearsal, the warm-up should be no longer than seven minutes. Why? Because it’s not 20 (or 30)! Get to the music as soon as possible after the warm-up. (I’ve written warm-up books and teaching DVD’s that emphasize this and more!) And, please make sure that the last warm-up is in the same key as the first piece! I’ve seen some bizarre things in this area; for example, the last warm up is in A major and the first piece is in E-flat major = Disaster. When you have to stop the ensemble, quickly give specific praise for correct behavior or playing and one or two corrections and then back to the music. And, when you stop, make sure you say something important, IMMEDIATELY. This teaches them that when you stop you have something important to say to make the ensemble better, and they will listen to instructions more intently. The opposite is true when you wait too long or say irrelevant words too much before the important instructions. Time is critical in every rehearsal. Plus, the great news: This is what builds great morale and attitudes in your students. When they walk out of class and are aware of what they have learned (changed) and how much better they are playing or singing specific parts, they feel good = high morale and again, great “buzz in the hall.”

4. BE THE ROLE MODEL IN THE CLASSROOM!

If you want students to be on-time, in their chairs, ready to start rehearsal, YOU must be the role model for this. Be ready before they come into class, again, identifying and reinforcing appropriate/correct behaviors as they do. And . . . start class on time, regardless of how many students are ready. This will result in more students being ready quickly in the beginning of the school year. Don’t lose it, or get emotional with your students. It will result in losing your credibility. I say, “Command respect as a teacher. If you have to demand it, you don’t have it.” You may be the only adult role model that some of them have. Leave your personal problems at the door . . . smile . . . act (if you have to) like you’re excited to start the rehearsal and during the rehearsal. Always try to be “friendly and fair” (these were known as Robinson’s 2 F’s by my former students at the university). They will respect you and be a reflection of your attitude. Great teachers quickly realize that they/we control the behaviors, and resulting attitudes and morale of the music ensemble from the time they walk in until the time they walk out! Students are the happiest when they know they are doing the right things. (All of us are!) And, quit on time! When class is over “by the clock,” they are not yours anymore. They need to move to the next class, and you never want to make them late to the next class. The other teachers in the school will like you a lot more for that!

5. TALK LESS! MAKE MUSIC MORE!

I admit that this may be a re-statement of number three; however, it is SO important! Great teachers have a greater ratio of “doing music” than talking about the music or other things.” Try this: Video all of your ensembles on a given day. Review the videos and do a behavioral percentage between making music and talking about music or anything besides making music. Many find that in a 50 minute rehearsal, there are 20 minutes (40%) or less of actual music making. I’ve seen this and worse in many ensembles. It results in poor music making, low morale and not good “buzz in the hall.” And, please don’t give them the last 5 or 10 minutes of free time for being good. Great teachers never have enough time to teach everything that needs to be done in the 50 minute rehearsal, even if their music making ratio is 90% of class time. Good goal! There is always so much to do!

SUMMARY

We have the greatest reinforcer in our subject matter: MUSIC!!! I’ve seen “rock star” musician educators in elementary school, middle school, and high school music programs in the US and internationally . . . and I’ve seen “others.” What is the difference? I believe it is somewhere in these five strategies. Once you have the musician educator skills that produce great music for your students, regardless of difficulty or level, you will have the most rewarding career and your students will remember you as a life mentor. There is no greater profession than what we do. It is not work; it is a joy to teach music!

I hope these strategies help you regardless of where you think you are on your journey of being a great musician educator. I wish you all the best, and if you have any questions or advice I can offer, feel free to contact me through my website.

Russell L Robinson

www.RussellRobinson.com

Do you ever find yourself utterly exhausted at the end of a rehearsal, feeling like you lost a game of tug of war against your entire band?  The podium can feel like a very lonely place at times, leaving you frustrated and feeling like the “bad guy”; however, taking a step back and focusing on the reality of your situation can easily bring you some relief and help you build connections with your students.      

Consistency is the name of the game!  

For many students, you may be the only person who provides consistency in their lives.  Communicate your rules, expectations, and procedures to your students by adopting a band handbook.  Use your handbook to define what being a member of the band means, the expectations and responsibilities a member of the band must accept and don’t forget to include your yearly calendar.  Teach your rules, expectations, and procedures to all parents and students, and then commit to reviewing it throughout the school year as needed. Refer back to your handbook in situations to provide clarity while making decisions.  Keep documentation by including an agreement form that is signed by both parents and students.

Communicate “the good, the bad, and the ugly” to your students’ parents and caregivers.  This is my number one go-to for handling any classroom discipline and celebrations.  Give parents an opportunity to help you correct their child’s mistakes. Most parents will appreciate this gesture and discipline their children at home.  Discipline at home means your students are more likely to stay in the classroom and out of In-School or Out-of-School Suspension!

Strive to be INCLUSIVE with your ensemble, not exclusive.  

This mentality will create an atmosphere built on trust and will allow students to feel good about being a part of your program, even if they aren’t the best players in their section.  Each student has the potential to benefit the program. Allow students to contribute to your program by asking them to do everything asked of them to the best of their abilities.

Think, think, think!

Keep the students focused on the needs of the ensemble and explain their personal responsibility to the ensemble. Choose words thoughtfully–for example, use “us, we, and ours “instead of  “I, me, and my”. Encourage students to take ownership of the program by appointing and training student leaders. In training leaders, instill the importance of leading with a servant’s heart.  This will squash any potential poisonous “ego” problems that may creep rehearsals/sectionals that students may assist or lead. 

Be an example for your students.  

Be mindful of all of the ways to react in all situations: the words you use, your facial expressions, your body language, and the tone of your voice.  Exhibit grace over condescension by speaking respectfully and pleasantly. Students will perceive you as fair, calm, and consistent, and will be more likely to fulfill your requests even if they would rather not.  In addition, your calm, collected composure can positively affect your ensemble in nervous situations such as concerts, assessments, etc.   

There is no broad-spectrum answer to all of the potential obstacles that you may encounter while teaching; However, these five keys have the potential to help you lead productive rehearsals and establish a safe, open atmosphere in your band program.

Tuning is the responsibility of each individual in the ensemble. Directors can’t really “tune” the band. The best results occur when the director guides the student’s skill development to match pitch with the players around them. Playing in tune, like any skill, and learning to match pitch has to be worked on a little bit every day. It’s not something you can do in the warm-up room right before an important concert or festival.

Tuning (matching pitch) is a process, not an event!

Electronic Tuners

These are great devices for helping students to understand the difference between what being sharp or flat sounds like. The purpose of the electronic tuner is to train the ears of the student NOT tune the instrument.

How many times have we heard a director “go down the line” with a tuner right before a performance only to hear the band play more out of tune than before? Using the tuner can help the student to understand whether or not they need to push in or pull out at first. However, the skill of being able to match pitch is the ultimate goal.

Matching Pitch

When we talk about playing “in-tune” what we really mean is being able to match any given pitch. Here are some ideas on how to incorporate that particular skill development during a rehearsal:

•  Singing
  • After a brief warm-up period, which includes breathing exercises, long tones and scales, have the students sing an F concert.  Audiation  (singing) is a great way to get the music inside the student’s body. After singing the F concert, have the band play the F concert with the instruction to “match” what they just played. There has never been a time when the pitch and the tonal center of the band didn’t improve immediately.
• Tune Around The Room
  • Another helpful exercise is to pass the F concert around the room. Have all students play the F concert for 4 counts, then each section in turn from the bottom of the band to the top. First full band then tubas, euphoniums, horns, trumpets, low reeds, tenor saxes, alto saxes, clarinets, flutes then full band again.
  • Encourage the students to listen and match the pitch from the previous section then “hand off” the pitch to the next section. Not only does this encourage and develop pitch-matching skills, but it also encourages students to listen with their “big ears” across the entire ensemble.
  • After this exercise ask the students which sections sounded the best.  Then repeat the exercise, you will be amazed at how much better it sounds. Not to mention you as the teacher virtually did nothing! The students did it all by paying closer attention and listening.
  • Sometimes we do the “Tuning Around The Room” exercise with a drone generated by our Harmony Director keyboard or some other electronic device and then repeat the exercise without the drone.
• First Chair Match-Up
  • This exercise uses just the principal or first chair players sustaining the F concert. Again we like to use a drone until the F concert is nice and smooth. Then add on 1 or 2 players at a time, encouraging students to stay inside the ensemble sound.
• Tuning Unison Passages
  • Sometimes during sectionals, I discover students struggling to match pitch in a unison passage. I take a minute or two and have each student play a few bars of the passage getting a read on an electric tuner to see if they are mostly sharp or mostly flat and then have them adjust accordingly. Again, this gets them to a place where they can hear what an in tune unison sounds like.

These are ideas you can rotate around daily or weekly to help your students develop the pitch matching skills needed to play in any ensemble.