Battle for another day...Successive Approximations and the Middle School Band


"Battle for another day!"

Thoughts on the Middle School Music Rehearsal

When I was an undergrad, I was first introduced to Bruner's Spiral Learning Theory. At the time, the concept was presented as an abstract ideal with little to no direct application. The idea of learning concepts and continually revisiting those concepts and layering new learning onto the previous concepts which eventually led to mastery seemed to be common sense. Yet, when faced with the cold reality of developing my own curriculum and teaching in a room filled with young energetic minds the theory was quickly forgotten. I was chasing the next concert or administering playing tests. The educational equivalent of walking barefoot in a dark room filled with lego pieces and sharp furniture. A lot of painful mistakes. I wanted it perfect now and I expected my students to get it "Right now!" and this was my way of setting high standards. The reality was this approach led to terrible instructional pacing, frustrated students and teacher, and inconsistent results. 

For someone who wants a quick refresher on Bruner 
"Bruner (1960) explained how this was possible through the concept of the spiral curriculum. This involved information being structured so that complex ideas can be taught at a simplified level first, and then re-visited at more complex levels later on. Therefore, subjects would be taught at levels of gradually increasing difficultly (hence the spiral analogy). Ideally, teaching his way should lead to children being able to solve problems by themselves." http://www.simplypsychology.org/bruner.html
For the visual learners 



In a nutshell, a series of gradually building successive approximations which lead your students down the path to mastery. AND, this may be the best description of an effective middle school band rehearsal, and a concept which took me a long time to learn. 

Overview

Some of my basic tenets of an effective middle school band rehearsal are:
  • There must be routine to the class, but with some variety.
  • Every class is a series of successive approximations,  (Rome was not built in a day!)
  • Understand the Law of Diminishing Returns, which states
    • Things will improve,
    • Things will level off, and then
    • Things will begin to regress.
    • The key is to move-on when things level off. This was the hardest lesson for me to learn.
  • Every class must prepare for the future, but deal with the present, (Find the balance) 
  • Maintain effective pacing at all costs, 
  • It is important to let the students struggle when there is a challenge, but the challenge cannot overwhelm them, (There are times when working on new skills it will not sound good and that is OK. "Battle for Another Day!") and 
  • Be insistent on certain standards: posture, preparation for entrance, best effort, responsiveness to information, and effort to make your best tone. 

A typical band class follows this structure:

My typical class routine for 7th/8th-grade students:
  1. Ear training using APS Tuning Trainer 2 mins (engages their ears immediately)
  2. Perform from our Daily Routine to a tuning drone (exercises are numbered and listed on the board) See Handouts below 10-15 minutes (Some numbers change)
  3. Rhythm work from 101 Rhythmic Rests Patterns or Winning Rhythms or work on a new skill, like 2x tonguing or a new scale. 5 minutes
  4. Work a piece in our repertoire (10 minutes) If possible, I match scale work and rhythm work to one or both pieces.
  5. Work on a 2nd piece in our repertoire (10 minutes)
  6. Depending on time, a 3rd piece, (5-10 minutes) usually a review piece from the previous day.
  7. I always give the students a goal to work on before we leave.
  8. When I am working with a specific group of students, I insist that the remainder of the students silently practice something from their music.
Basically, my classes involve two primary sections: skill development and skill application/review. The two sections of the rehearsal are interconnected successive approximations which lead them down the road to mastery and self-sufficiency as a learner. I try to make the point of transferring the concepts, but this is not always possible. We all know that transfer of learning does not simply happen. The teacher must help to show the students those connections. However, sometimes, you just need to work on the key of Db for the future and there is no direct transfer possible. When possible, you should make those connections.

A few non-negotiables for me:
  1. Students never play before class. (To help start with a calmer room)
  2. I allow nothing at their feet. (To allow for optimal posture)
  3. Backs are away from the back of the chair when we play. (I would buy chairs without backs if I could.)
  4. Percussionists ALWAYS stand in band class but do not wander.
  5. All percussion equipment is stored and covered at the end of every class.
  6. There are days when we play less than others for a variety of reasons, but my students know I do not believe in free days. We play every day possible.
  7. There is a difference between a calm and engaged classroom and a perfectly quiet room. Go for engaged and calm. (Some days I am more successful with this goal than others.)
  8. Always share the goals for the class. More is accomplished with a sense of purpose.

Some musical concepts (Many learned and borrowed along the way)
  1. “Soft is softer than you think soft really is.” The softer we play the harder we work. (Andy Glover)
  2. Dynamic markings are not what you play, but what is heard. (David Gregory)
  3. Your tone is the single greatest musical contribution you make to the group.
  4. The smaller the note value the more important the note.
  5. Hear the waves? Make a change? The worst thing to do to an out-of-tune note is nothing.
  6. The longer you play the same thing, the less important it becomes.
  7. Band is the only class all day you must think about breathing.
  8. Barline breathing and music are Mortal Enemies.
  9. Do not let the tongue do the air’s job.
  10. Everyone is responsible for time in the ensemble. Some have more control, but everyone must own it. (Ed Knob)
  11. Play lighter to go faster. "Gazelles out run elephants for a reason."
  12. Slow music requires fast fingers, fast tongue, quick breaths. The only thing that is slow is the tempo.
  13. Fast notes require faster air and the rest of the body to be relaxed. 
  14. Breathe deeper than you think you need. 
  15. Music must have direction and purpose. The only truly wrong interpretation is no interpretation. 
  16. Music without dynamic markings is the composer's way of saying, "I trust you to make those musical choices." So make a choice!
  17. The softer you play the taller you sit. (Sam Hazo)
  18. Insist students freeze immediately after releasing a note. Moving too soon impacts the quality and consistency of the end of a note and is a sign of immaturity. 
  19. Memorize your music and look-up at musical intersections. (Bill Miller)
  20. Key signatures are like crosswalk signs, best to always check before you start playing, not after.
  21. Playing without listening is like walking with your eyes closed. What should you be listening to right now?
  22. The goal is progress, not perfection. Did we get better? 


What do you do when everything seems to be going wrong? For me:
  1. Balance (You cannot fix what you cannot hear?) Have fewer groups of musicians playing and get individuals to match the volume of their neighbor. Build it from the sound of the tuba and clarinets. 
  2. Rhythm (Right notes at the wrong time equal wrong notes) I do a lot of rhythms only on concert-F and playing "On-Air" to strengthen rhythm and tempo.
  3. Articulation (Articulation problems have a profound effect on tone, accuracy, pulse, rhythm) More often than not, the problem with articulation is too much tongue and not enough air. 
  4. Break it down, slow it down. Isolate a small portion and go slowly. It will not be fixed in a day. Remember the Law of Diminishing Returns! 
If you tackle the problems systematically and you stay calm and assertive in your demeanor, you will eventually achieve your goals. Balance is the most important concept to teach your ensemble, because, without balance, you cannot hear or fix what needs to be addressed. Proper balance allows you to begin to address issues with tone and intonation. Zero-in on a smaller chunk of music or a place where you can address the whole group. If all else fails, punt and move on to another piece and develop a plan of attack for the piece in the future. "A battle for another day!" 

Here are some free resources and copies of materials I use regularly with my students. These are all free to be copied and used with your students. I hope you find these materials helpful. 

Fundamental exercises and technique builders used with high school and middle school students:
http://www.andrewpoormusic.com/concert-band.html (Scroll down the page once you click on this link and you will see the link to the exercises: Fundamental Curriculum for South Forsyth Middle School.)

Some technology resources to consider with your students


I hope you find some of this information helpful. When engaging in professional development I look for three things: Reminders (I knew that) Affirmations (I am doing that!) Revelations (Wow! Had not thought about that!). The older I get, I love revelations and seem to be enjoying more reminders and affirmations. I hope you find a little bit of all three in this blog. I would love to hear your comments and share any ideas you may have. 

Happy New Year! 
Andy










Location: Suwanee, GA 30024, USA

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