 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2006-01-24 04:00
Hi all
I'm tutoring at a music camp this week, and I have 13 students between the ages of 9 and 13, all playing at or below 2nd grade level (don't quote me on that - the brochure says "this band is for players up to grade 2").
Sometimes they can be hard to control, especially the boys. The worst time is towards the end of the day when they just want to go home, and it's HARD controlling all 13 of them!
Has anyone got any suggestions or strategies to keep them interested, entertained, focussed? Some whine "Let's PLAY something" yet others are happy to talk about fingerings and reeds and breathing.
My favourite method so far is that I am teaching them a basic melody by ear; and I can start or stop playing it at any time throughout the lesson. So, if they get noisy, I start playing it and they all quickly go quiet to try and pick it up.
Thanks for any suggestions, MUUUCH appreciated!
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Author: aberkow
Date: 2006-01-24 13:08
Hi Morrigan,
Here are some ideas that may work for you. It's a bit hard to offer suggestions though without knowing exactly what your lesson plans are, how long you need to teach each day, the length of the whole camp etc...So forgive me if I repeat something you've tried already.
Tell them at the beginning what the plan for the day is. Kids need a reference so they know about how long something will go for, or how many parts of the lesson there will be (applies to adults too). Then, if you have, say, three parts to your plan (Ex. warm-up, old stuff, new stuff), remind them what they just did, what they're about to do and what to look forward to (Ok! That was a great warm-up! Now we're going to...and then...) Have an extra, fun activity that you can pull out for the very end. Tell them at the beginning that they'll get to do it if they can get through all the work. At the end of the day, you may want to try some simple rhythm games where they can get up and move around. If they've already been playing clarinet all day, let them do something else musically related. Also, make sure that you use positive reinforcement appropriately.
Good Luck!
Adam B.
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Author: hans
Date: 2006-01-24 14:30
Morrigan,
It looks like you have a job similar to herding cats
Further to: "make sure that you use positive reinforcement appropriately" (which IMO is an excellent suggestion by Adam B.)..... if you didn't take psychology in your undergraduate program, you may want to do a little research on Operant Conditioning.
Regards,
Hans
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2006-01-24 14:45
> Operant Conditioning
Just don't ring a bell, else all your pupils start excessively salivating...not good for the sound. 
--
Ben
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Author: Tyler
Date: 2006-01-25 02:42
You could somehow 'cut' the group down to 12, then you wouldn't have such an unlucky number
IMH (Irish) O,
-Tyler
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2006-01-25 04:17
Thanks for the helpful replies.
The best thing I've found so far is just to keep my mouth shut, start conducting, shout a bar number & count them in!
For what it's worth, the music camp is one week (two more days to go), and the tutorial lasts for 2 hours (about 90 minutes too long if you ask me...).
They find 'Wombat Shuffle' most difficult. I can't get it out of my head when I go home!
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Author: Aussiegirl
Date: 2006-01-25 05:14
Gah Wombat Shuffle! That and "Bunyip Blues" have the be the worst two junior band songs to try and get out of your head...they were cool when i was little and playing them, but when my brother reached that stage (and on trumpet!)....
Maybe try breaking the session into sections? So warmups etc for however long, then 5 mins of semi-break (still sitting there quietly (if that is possible for 11 year old boys!) talking amongst themselves or to you), followed by however long you can stand of Wombat Shuffle, and then another break...
Enjoy the next two days....it will be worth it at the concert when there parents are there and they behave...:)
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