Klarinet Archive - Posting 000371.txt from 2003/10

From: Anne Bell <bell@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] [clarinet] reeds for beginners?
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 17:51:20 -0400

As a music educator- I see both wonderful teachers being overworked and
just the sort of things that are being criticized. My personal irk is
another educator (yes a band director...) who will not allow Rico reeds.
Period. End of sentence. This dispite the fact that Mitchel Luries are
made by Rico- (though that could probably sneak by him...) and _I_ feel
Rico Grand Concert and Grand Concert select are wonderful. I don't think
it is a lack of understanding or appreciation for the job we do but rather
an unfortunate exposure to less than qualified teachers.... With teacher
pay being what it is (or rather isn't...) this will probably only get
worse. In the US at least there may be help from an unanticipated source.
The Federal No Child Left Behind act includes Music as a core subject. As
a core subject it is required to meet the same standards of teacher
preparation etc.... as all the rest of the core subjects.

Take Care,
Anne

At 09:39 AM 10/12/2003 -0700, you wrote:
....
>Quite honestly, while there surely are 'insane' band directors around who
know
>very little about some instruments, most of us are just trying to help as
many
>kids as want to learn to play and love music. Most times, the
shortcomings in
>what is taught and what is not is simply due to a lack of time! Now I
know I'm
>combining two separate threads here, but :
>
>I'm really getting quite tired of reading so many attacks on band directors.
>The job of the band director and the private teacher are different, yet the
>goal is similar - teach the kids how to play and to hopefully love doing it,
>and love music. Believe me it is a luxury to teach one student at a time (I
>didn't say it's not difficult, but it is a luxury). Yet some private
teachers
>on this list are making themselves feel better by slamming band directors - I
>do wish you would show a bit more respect for the job we do....
>
>Audrey
>
>
*********************************************************************
Anne Bell bell@-----.net
Bayside HS Orchestra Director
ABC Index: http://www.anne-bell.sneezy.org/ MUSIC LINKS!
*********************************************************************

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