MUSIC 511

Music in the Schools K-6: Beginning Band

W. 7:30-8:20

Instructors: Office: Phone: Email:

Frederick Burrack, Ph.D. 228 532-5764 fburrack@ksu.edu

Purpose of this portion of the Course: Developing an effective starter program for instrumental music will be the foundation for a successfully school-wide program. This portion of the course will provide strategies of organization and recruitment, evaluation of instructional materials, and techniques for teaching beginning band students.

Required texts:

MENC student membership ($21.00), includes subscription to Music Educators Journal and Teaching Music.

Objectives: As a result of instruction and course assignments, students are expected to:

• Understand the organization scheme for a beginning band program.
• Evaluate strengths and weaknesses in instructional materials available on the market.
• Create recruitment materials for your future music program.
• Demonstrate instructional techniques appropriate for beginning band.

Additional Resources

Music Educators Journal & Teaching Music Journal, MENC.

Class Participation: Because active and articulate oral interchange increases verbal skills and promotes a stimulating classroom atmosphere, you will be evaluated for the quality, quantity, and appropriateness of each student’s oral contributions to the class. Dynamics of this class, and its ultimate value to you, require you to come to class prepared (read assignments), brining questions and comments to stimulate discussions.

Academic Honesty: Academic dishonesty policies govern the formal procedures for handling cheating, plagiarism, destroying someone else’s work, or abetting any of these acts (see “Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities: Student Academic Ethics Policy”. Plagiarism or violations of copyright policies are a form of academic dishonesty and are treated as an ethics violation. You are expected to research and learn from existing material but also to give credit to it’s source. Please review the KSU Honor System online (http://www.ksu.edu/honor/) or via the K-State Undergraduate Course Catalog also available online

Any students with a condition, such as a physical or learning disability, which prevents the fullest expression of his or her abilities, or need special access to technology, please notify the instructor in the first two weeks of the course

Assignments:

Interview of beginning an instrumental program: (20 points) Interview a band director who is involved with the beginner program getting detailed information (handouts and letters if possible) about the following: (a) process, sequence, and time line used to contact parents and gain interest of students; (b) student instrument selection process [students try every instrument, testing procedures, rules & regulations placed on instrument selection, etc]; (c) working with and presenting music store rental programs; (d) instrument choices for beginners; (e) other important issues involved in the beginner program. Included in the assignment will be materials such as letters to parents and students, advocacy and recruitment materials, and a timeline for the beginning program. {keep for your eportfolio}

Recruitment Brochure: (20 points) Create a brochure advertising your beginning band program that you could hand out to parents and students. Advocate your program, instruments, and value of music education in a way that will encourage participation and support. (see sample brochure on K-State Online. You might find others by searching on Google and looking at the advocacy page on the MENC.org website) (10 points){keep for your eportfolio}

Analysis of Instructional Materials: (20 points) After a thorough examination of a selected beginning band methods and music, you will participate in a panel discussion on the method and hand in your formal analysis. {keep for your eportfolio} You may use the article “Analysis of Band Methods” found on K-State Online and search the web for more information. (see additional description below)

Method Selection Report: (20 points) After listening to each panel and collecting the analyses, which method you would choose to use with beginners and submit a report comparing each of the methods and supporting your decision. This report will be graded on a thorough comparison of methods with clear rationale for your decision as to which method to use. {keep for your eportfolio}

Teaching Beginning Students: (10 points) You will be assigned a beginning band program to teach young band students for 3 sessions. For each session you must submit a lesson plan and a teaching reflection. You must also submit an attendance schedule and a cooperating teacher evaluation.

Professionalism: (10 points) Prompt attendance is expected as a demonstration of professional commitment. 1% be deducted off of your professionalism grade for each absence. .5% deduction for arrival later than 5 minutes into the class period. Significant absences will be reported to the Registrar’s Office.

Grading Scale: A: 100-90; B: 89-80; C: 79-70; (any grade lower required retaking the course)

Course Schedule (subject to change)

Date Topic Assignments

Jan 23	Introduction to the Course
Jan 30	What should we know about teaching beginning band?	“Beginning Band Goals and Objectives found on KState Online
Feb 6	Summary of Articles
Feb 13	Strategies for achieving musical goal with beginners
Feb 20	A Systematic Procedure for Recruiting	“The Recruiting Program” found on K-State On-line
Feb 27	Instrument Rental with Music Retail
Mar 5	How do we choose the correct music to enhance the skills learned in the methods books?	“Selecting Music for Young Bands” found on K-State On-line
Mar 12	Standard of Excellence Brian Anderson, Melissa Baker, Cally Bitterlin, Melanie Caster	***Analysis due when your panel presents***
	***During Spring Break: Interview beginning band teacher***
Mar 26	Elements 2000 Kim Chain, Amanda Clark, Zach Corpus, Wendy Crawford
Apr 2	Yamaha Advantage Gretchen Hendrickson, Sarah Hughey, Amanda Jolly, Megan Maskus
Apr 9	Accent on Achievement Kirsten McManus, Brad Regier, Joel Sunnenberg, Brian Stuckenschmidt	***Interview and Recruitment Brochure Due***
Apr 19	No Class – (in schools)
Apr 23	No Class – (in schools)	***Teaching reflections due on May 1***
Apr 30	Standard of Excellence Jazz Method Kristen Vanlerberg, Susan Vice, Katie Wasser Essential Elements Jazz Method Kevin Welch, Jordan Weninger, Cody Wheeler
May 7	Teaching Jazz to beginners	Volz, Micah. Improvisation begins with exploration. Music Educators Journal, Sept, 2005, pp.50-53
May 12: 9:40 - 11:30	Introduction to Jazz Improvisation We are all going to improvise and learn to teach improvisation. Bring your instrument.	***Method Selection Report due***

Analysis of Instructional Materials

1. Thoroughly review and analyze the beginning series.
2. Write a formal method analysis addressing the following issues:
1. How it introduces each instrument (assembly, carriage, posture, fingering, airflow, etc.)
2. Sequence of instruction (move too quickly or slowly, interesting music selection and variety, authenticity of pieces, musical terminology and reading skills, historical/cultural information, etc.)
3. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the method series. Identify specific elements relating to specific instruments.
4. Note the percussion series. Does it provide comprehensive percussion instruction or just snare drums or bells? Is it interesting or extremely simple? Does it provide pitch-reading skills?
5. Note the visual attractiveness of the method book. Will it entice children’s interest over the long term?
6. Does the series cover the national standards with equity? Are there enrichment activities and are they well planned for the instructor?
3. Participate in a panel discussion of the method. This panel will be made of the 4 students who independently analyzed the method. Dr. Burrack will ask questions of each issue above with the panel members discussing their observations. The class will have student books to look over and add their observations to the discussion.
4. Place your analysis in the Drop Box titled with your last name, underscore, analysis. (example: Burrack_analysis.doc)

Grading Rubric for the :

Identifies strengths of the method	4 – Specific descriptions specific to instrument needs and student learning	3 – general descriptions identifying instrument needs and student learning	2 – general descriptions not specific to instrument needs or student learning	1 – strengths and weaknesses are not differentiated
Identifies weaknesses of the method	4 – Specific descriptions specific to instrument needs and student learning	3 – general descriptions identifying instrument needs and student learning	2 – general descriptions not specific to instrument needs or student learning	1 – strengths and weaknesses are not differentiated
Describe the instructional sequence of learning (consider the national standards)	4 – Specific sequence identified clearly	3 – general description of instructional sequence	2 – sequence evident but not clear	1 – sequence not evident in the analysis
Describe the visual attractiveness of the method book	4 – Clearly describes strengths and weakness in the visual presentation of the series	3 – Visual attractiveness general considered but not in specific reference	2 – Not clear as to the effectiveness of the visual presentation	1 – No reference to the visual presentation offered
Level of communication	4 – Spelling, grammar, sentence structure, scholarly writing evident	3 – Minor problems with communication	2 – major problems in communication skills	1 – Communication challenging to comprehend

Instructor _________________________ Date __________ Class/Grade Level _________________ Location _______________________________

Instructional Goals of lesson (what do you want the students to learn and be able to demonstrate?)

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Prior Knowledge & Skills Expectations (what do already know and can do?):

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Standards Addressed in Lesson:

_____________________________________________________________________________

Personal Improvement Objective:

_____________________________________________________________________________

Must Include the following:

Time/Student Activity / Detailed Procedures / Instructional Strategies / Planned Statements / Assessment

Warm-up: skill focus _____________________ conceptual focus __________________________

Selection #1: ____________________ skill focus _______________ conceptual focus _____________________

Selection #2: ____________________ skill focus ________________ conceptual focus _____________________

Ending Statements: (Closure: Leads to tomorrow’s activities or a question for pondering)

Post-Lesson Reflections / Future Planning

1. As I reflect on the lesson, to what extent were the students actively engaged? How do I know? 2. Did the students learn what I had intended? Were my instructional goals and objectives met? What is my evidence? 3. Did I alter my goals, strategies, activities, student grouping and/or assessment as I taught the lesson? If so, what changes did I make and why did I make these changes? 4. Were my strategies and activities effective? What is my evidence? 5. To what extent did the classroom environment (Respect and Rapport, Culture for Learning, Classroom Procedures, Appropriate Student Behavior, the Physical Environment) contribute to student learning? What is my evidence? 6. Was my assessment effective and useful to my students and me? Describe an instance in which my feedback positively affected a student’s learning. 7. If I had the opportunity to teach this lesson again, what might I do differently? Why?