Klarinet Archive - Posting 001761.txt from 1998/04

From: "Carl Schexnayder" <carlsche@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Re: lesson motivation
Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 14:08:26 -0400

-----Original Message-----
From: Carl Schexnayder <carlsche@-----.com>
Date: Tuesday, April 28, 1998 9:39 PM
Subject: Re: lesson motivation

>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Carl Schexnayder <carlsche@-----.com>
>To: klarinet@-----.us>
>Date: Thursday, April 09, 1998 6:38 PM
>Subject: Re: lesson motivation
>
>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Iguana S <iguana_s@-----.com>
>>To: klarinet@-----.us>
>>Date: Thursday, April 09, 1998 12:51 AM
>>Subject: RE: lesson motivation
>>
>>Reply by Carl Schexnayder: I don't think this ever went through!
>
>>>I am a high school band director. I got my bachelor degree in Music
>>Composition! I always swore that I WOULD NOT be a band director. This
was
>>because most of the bands I had heard were so bad, and most of the music
>>written for the band was so dinky! After I received my degree, I couldn't
>>find a job of any kind, (not selling shoes, not anything). As luck would
>>have it, I got a call from a school system superintendant who asked if I
>>would accept a job teaching. It was something I had never even considered
>a
>>possibility.
>>
>>At this point in time, I have been a band director for 35 years and I love
>>my job. For one thing, many fine composers have begun writing for band,
>and
>>I found that a band COULD play in tune, with proper styling, with
beautiful
>>tone and blend, and could play very expressively! In the past, I had
>always
>>thought that only professional players could do that!
>>
>>One of the main differences that I noticed while I was in college between
a
>>Music Major and a Music Education Major was that the Music Major had many
>>more music courses, (I had 107 hours of music in my first degree). As I
>>have looked back on my education, I have always been glad that I got the
>>Composition Degree for many reasons, but in regard to my teaching
>>experience, I have felt that I had a definite advantage over other
teachers
>>who had the Music Education Degree.
>>
>>I was required to go back and take the education courses I had missed,
>>(which took me nine summers as I was teaching with a temporary teaching
>>certificate). After I had taught 15 years, I went back in the summers and
>>got the Master of Music Education Degree.
>>I found that none of the courses that I had to take for certification and
>>none of the courses that I took for my lmasters degree helped me in any
way
>>as a band director, except for two classes in Advanced Conducting.
>>
>>I don't know if the music education curriculum has improved since that
>time,
>>but after observing many band directors, I feel that one should, first and
>>foremost, be a musician in order to be a really good teacher! At the time
>>when I was in undergraduate school, Music Education Majors got only about
>40
>>hours of music courses. I respectfully submit that that is not enough!
>>
>>I don't know what good the History of Education did for me as a teacher,
>but
>>if you are not getting more than 40 hours of music, I would suggest that
>you
>>take extra music courses on your own!
>>
>>By the way, when I started teaching, there were those who thought I should
>>not have the right to teach because I didn't have a Music Education
Degree!
>>After seeing the resulting product of some who have degrees in Music
>>Education, I'll settle for my education any day!
>>
>>Carl Schexnayder
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>

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