Klarinet Archive - Posting 000869.txt from 2001/10

From: "Robert Moody" <LetsReason@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] My Middle School Setting
Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2001 18:47:46 -0400

For those interested in the background for the middle setting I had success
with this in:

Ruffner Middle School is a predominately African-American, low to
lower-middle social-economic profile school. It is also given the "Magnet"
title which draws in a mixed race population of about 20%
White/Asian/Hispanic. Because the school is titled as Magnet, it receives
some federal funds and offers 11 electives. Of the 11 choices for the sixth
graders, Band and Strings are the only ones that require full-year
attendance. The other classes are presented in a kind of rotation where
kids get to experience each class for approximately five weeks. The school
population is about 600 with each of the grades roughly divided equally. At
the beginning of the year I generally pull in about 40 to 45 kids into band
in the sixth grade.

The six periods of the day are divided up into three band and three string
classes by grade level. The kids in the 7th and 8th grade have to choose
between having two electives or band/strings. The two electives are chosen
from: a full-production photography and digital imaging class with darkroom;
a dance class with two mirrored/wood-floor dance studios (the works); an
advanced piano lab/class; a full-production television and video studio that
produces straight to cable television locally; a full, modern
highschool-equipped art class with kilns, digital imaging and the works;
Foreign languages; two Technology lab class choices and a computer
technology class.

Recruiting is an issue for obvious reasons, but also because if an academic
teacher is absent and you have the lowest numbers, you will hear your name
over the intercom as the all-call goes out for teachers to hold YOUR
students while you go teach the academic class for that period or the day.

More specific about my class: I never had enough instruments and so parents
with good intentions rent for the special deal of 3-months at a low price
and then their kids drop when they have to pay the full monthly price. No
fault of their own...many of the kids have a single parent who works two
jobs to make ends meet. Often, I spend more time with their kids than they
do. Kids are sometimes dropped from the program the same day they tell the
counselor that they can't afford to stay and I find out second-hand. Then
kids that need to be removed for discipline issues (literally stepping on an
instrument to break it because they are angry, for ex.) are being taught a
lesson by making them stay where they don't want to be (of course we know
that is not the real reason, but that is what is presented). Oh
yeah...learning music. We managed to find a way to do that too by the end
of the first year as the kids dwindle down in numbers for the above reasons.

We used the Standard of Excellence series for band and the Strictly Strings
series for strings class. The first thing we do is tally up the instrument
interests, demonstrate them, and have kids try them. I never allow more
than four percussionists in my beginning band and I divvy out the school
instruments as proof of school lunch forms arrive. In the fifth grade,
before they arrive to Ruffner, I tell the kids that I only take four
percussionist so not to assume that they will be one. I also tell them that
they should plan on renting their own instrument and that if they come to
Ruffner having already chosen their instrument, I will not switch them
unless I see "technical difficulties" looming (4'2" girl wanting to play
Tuba or Trombone).

The first days/week of classes I demonstrate alot and we explore rhythms
with rhythm instruments, singing and clapping. When the bulk of the kids
have instruments to use, we explore the pictures and text in the beginning
of the book for care of their instrument, holding and producing a sound. We
go around the room and see how everyone can make a sound on their
instrument. From the very first day, the kids are playfully encouraged to
learn ahead and "show us what you got!" Many kids come in on the first days
of playing knowing several fingerings and their names. After establishing
that the kids can produce a tone properly on the instrument, we start
long-tone competitions (keeping records...like instruments), practice
playing simple rhythms for articulation and move into quicker rhythms. They
read the rhythms, but I show them by rote the first five notes. I show them
how to read (and which ones for the fl, cl, sax) the fingering charts and
mark their books in pencil how far the current challenge is for them to
learn. Kids are encouraged to see me anytime I do not have a class to ask
questions about "how to" things that are outside of the specific things we
are working on in class. This is usually the focus for about two weeks:
Note by rote, rhythms by reading (I place rhythm cards on their stands and
eventually into groups on a portable board.) I make sure that problems
common to all students are addressed to the entire band evertime they occur
(not enough breath because of bad posture, etc.) I provide a demonstration
(exaggerated in a goofy way) and ask someone else (sometimes the same kid)
to explain what they see wrong. I fix it and play for them. I give the
kids treats and allow them to eat them after they have put their instrument
away and before I take them back to their class.

Usually, about the fourth week into school, we are into our third week of
playing and second week of the book. Depending on the progress, it is
within the next two weeks that I introduce the altissimo to the clarinets.
After that point, I check in with them at the beginning of class to see how
they are doing with being able to readily articulate from g' to d''' with
the squeak. I check on fingers and air and see where they are on their
chromatic scale (by wrote, just moving through the fingerings). This check
takes all of five minutes for my usually 6 or 8 clarinets. Each section has
their own little challenges and I alternate days checking in on the sections
and adjusting as they explore beyond where we are in band. We go SLOW
through the book and PLAY as much as possible so as to prevent discipline
issues from even beginning. Kids learn in band HOW to practice through our
daily routine. They learn from the beginning that repetition from slow to
fast with concentration is an integral part of playing every instrument. It
takes a couple weeks before they all resign to the fact that we are going to
play-cutoff-focus-play again for the assigned exercises. I use the CDs and
play their line, tell them what to think about, play it again with the CD,
and then they play with the CD accompaniment. If needed, we break down a
particular measure or two and hit the play-cutoff-focus-play again routine.
Slow and deliberate, speeding up as comfort sets in.

It goes on and I think you can see this is all standard stuff, for the most
part. I just wanted those interested to see the setting in which *MY*
sixth-graders were presented the altissimo register. I can go into more
specifics of how the actual introduction goes, but I am thinking that Annie
is probably most correct in that it is a more "Show & Tell" thing.

Before Roger butts in which his analyzation and critique of how I teach, let
me say that this is just throwing out the general direction the beginning of
the year goes. There are other things that come up and that are dealt with.
Most of us who teach public school (or taught, I should say) know that on
any given day, being able to improvise in a situation is the mark of a true
teacher. You cannot list every detail of everyday beforehand.

See ya around,

Robert

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