Florida Music Director April 2020

You Survived the First Year.

Now What?

PLUS:

COVID-19 IMPORTANT NOTICE

June M. Hinckley Music Scholarship Call for Applications

My Experience With Arts Integration

Social Justice in the Choral Classroom:

Teaching Empathy and Social Awareness as Skills Through Choral Repertoire

Twice Exceptional Students April 2020

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F LO R I DA M U S I C E D U C AT I O N A SSO C I AT I O N

Officers and Directors EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS

EXECUTIVE BOARD President

Steven N. Kelly, PhD

Florida State University; College of Music, KMU 330 Tallahassee, FL 32306 (850) 644-4069; skelly@admin.fsu.edu Past President

Kenneth Williams, PhD

Douglas Anderson School of the Arts 2445 San Diego Road; Jacksonville, FL 32207 (904) 346-5620; kenwms@flmusiced.org President-Elect

Shelby Chipman, PhD

Florida A&M University, Department of Music Foster-Tanner Music Bldg., Room 318 Tallahassee, FL 32307; (850) 599-8165 shelby.chipman@famu.edu FBA President

Cathi Leibinger

Ransom Everglades School 2045 Bayshore Dr.; Miami, FL 33133 (305) 250-6868; president@fba.flmusiced.org FCMEA President

Marc Decker, DMA

Florida Atlantic University 777 Glades Rd.; Boca Raton, FL 33431 deckerm@fau.edu FEMEA President

Ernesta Chicklowski

Roosevelt Elementary School 3205 S. Ferdinand Ave.; Tampa, FL 33629 (813) 272-3090 ernesta.chicklowski@sdhc.k12.fl.us Florida NAfME Collegiate President

Katherine Attong-Mendes

University of Miami; kxa395@miami.edu Florida NAfME Collegiate Advisor

Mark A. Belfast, Jr., PhD

Southeastern University 1000 Longfellow Blvd.; Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 667-5104; mabelfast@seu.edu

Historian/Parliamentarian & Executive Director....................................................Kathleen D. Sanz, PhD Hinckley Center for Fine Arts Education 402 Office Plaza Dr.; Tallahassee, FL 32301-2757 (850) 878-6844; Fax: (850) 942-1793; kdsanz@fmea.org Editor-in-Chief.....................................................D. Gregory Springer, PhD FSU College of Music; 122 N. Copeland St.; Tallahassee, FL 32306 (850) 644-2925; dgspringer@fsu.edu FSMA President................................................................Craig Collins, EdD College of Arts & Media, Southeastern University 1000 Longfellow Blvd.; Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 667-5657; cscollins@seu.edu

FMEA COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS Awards.................................................................................... Debbie Fahmie fahmied@yahoo.com Budget/Finance, Development.................................. Steven N. Kelly, PhD Florida State University, College of Music, KMU 330 Tallahassee, FL 32306; (850) 644-4069; skelly@admin.fsu.edu

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Executive Director......................................................................Neil Jenkins Florida Bandmasters Association P.O. Box 840135; Pembroke Pines, FL 33084 (954) 432-4111; Fax: (954) 432-4909; exec@fba.flmusiced.org Business Manager..................................................................Jo Hagan, CPA 8975 San Rae Rd.; Jacksonville, FL 32257 (904) 379-2245; Fax: (904) 379-2260; jo@barefootaccounting.com

FLORIDA COLLEGE MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION President......................................................................... Marc Decker, DMA Florida Atlantic University; 777 Glades Rd.; Boca Raton, FL 33431 deckerm@fau.edu

FLORIDA NAfME COLLEGIATE President............................................................ Katherine Attong-Mendes University of Miami; kxa395@miami.edu Past President...............................................................Jennifer Luechauer jennifer.luechauer@browardschools.com

FLORIDA ELEMENTARY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

Committee Council............................................................... Debbie Fahmie fahmied@yahoo.com

President..................................................................... Ernesta Chicklowski Roosevelt Elementary School; 3205 S. Ferdinand Ave.; Tampa, FL 33629 (813) 272-3090; ernesta.chicklowski@sdhc.k12.fl.us

Conference Planning Committee.............................John K. Southall, PhD Indian River State College; 3209 Virginia Ave.; Fort Pierce, FL 34981 (772) 462-7810; johnsouthall@me.com

Past President...............................................................Rosemary Pilonero rosemary@femea.flmusiced.org

Contemporary Media................................................... David Williams, PhD University of South Florida; 4202 E. Fowler Ave., MUS 101 Tampa, FL 33620; (813) 974-9166; davidw@usf.edu

Executive Director............................................................. Jennifer Sullivan 1750 Common Way Rd., Orlando, FL 32814 (321) 624-5433; slljenn@aol.com

Diverse Learners.....................................................Alice-Ann Darrow, PhD Florida State University, Music Education and Music Therapy 123 N. Copeland St.; Tallahassee, FL 32306 (850) 645-1438; aadarrow@fsu.edu

FLORIDA MUSIC SUPERVISION ASSOCIATION

Emerging Leaders............................................................ Mary Palmer, EdD 11410 Swift Water Cir.; Orlando, FL 32817 (407) 382-1661; mpalmerassoc@aol.com

Past President............................................................................Scott Evans scott.evans@ocps.net

FMEA Corporate & Academic Partners....................................Fred Schiff All County Music; 8136 N. University Dr.; Tamarac, FL 33321-1708 (954) 722-3424; fredallcounty@aol.com Government Relations..................................................Jeanne W. Reynolds Pinellas County Schools, Administration Bldg.

301 4th St., SW, P.O. Box 2942; Largo, FL 33779-2942 (727) 588-6055; reynoldsj@pcsb.org Multicultural Network...................................................Bernard Hendricks Ocoee High School, 1925 Ocoee Crown Point Pkwy.; Orlando, FL 34761 (407) 905-3009; bernard.hendricks@ocps.net Professional Development........................................................Scott Evans Orange County Public Schools; 445 S. Amelia St.; Orlando, FL 32801 (407) 317-3200; scott.evans@ocps.net Research...................................................................... Don D. Coffman, PhD University of Miami; d.coffman1@miami.edu

President.....................................................................Harry “Skip” Pardee Collier County Public Schools; 5775 Osceola Trail; Naples, FL 34109 (239) 377-0087; pardeh@collierschools.com

Treasurer......................................................................................... Ted Hope Hillsborough County Public Schools, School Administration Center 901 E. Kennedy Blvd.; Tampa, FL 33602 (813) 272-4861; ted.hope@sdhc.k12.fl.us

FLORIDA ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION President................................................................................Matthew Davis Harrison School for the Arts; 750 Hollingsworth Rd.; Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 499-2855; matthew.lawson.davis@gmail.com Past President...........................................................................Jason Jerald jason.jerald@sdhc.k12.fl.us Executive Director............................................................. Donald Langland 220 Parsons Woods Dr.; Seffner, FL 33594 (813) 502-5233; Fax: (813) 502-6832; exdirfoa@yahoo.com

FLORIDA VOCAL ASSOCIATION

FMSA President

Secondary General Music.............................................................Ed Prasse Leon High School; 550 E. Tennessee St.; Tallahassee, FL 32308 (850) 617-5700; prassee@leonschools.net

Collier County Public Schools 5775 Osceola Trail; Naples, FL 34109 (239) 377-0087; pardeh@collierschools.com

President.................................................................................. Jason Locker Orange County Public Schools; 445 W. Amelia St.; Orlando, FL 32801 (407) 317-3200; jason@fva.net

Student Development.............................................. Michael Antmann, EdD Freedom High School; 2500 W. Taft-Vineland Rd.; Orlando, FL 32837 (407) 816-5600; michael.antmann@ocps.net

Past President.....................................................................Tommy Jomisko tommy@fva.net

FOA President

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

Harry “Skip” Pardee

Matthew Davis

Harrison School for the Arts 750 Hollingsworth Rd.; Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 499-2855; matthew.lawson.davis@gmail.com FVA President

Jason Locker

Orange County Public Schools 445 W. Amelia St.; Orlando, FL 32801 (407) 317-3200; jason@fva.net Member-at-Large

Edgar Rubio

Silver Trail Middle School 18300 Sheridan St.; Pembroke Pines, FL 33331 (754) 323-4321; merenguesax@aol.com

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Exhibits Managers................................................ Byron and Bobbie Smith 4110 Tralee Rd.; Tallahassee, FL 32309 (850) 893-3606; fmeaexhibits@fmea.org Local Co-Chairpersons Ted Hope—(813) 272-4861; ted.hope@sdhc.k12.fl.us Melanie Faulkner—(813) 272-4461; melanie.faulkner@sdhc.k12.fl.us Hillsborough County Public Schools, School Administration Center 901 E. Kennedy Blvd.; Tampa, FL 33602

Executive Director....................................................................J. Mark Scott 7122 Tarpon Ct.; Fleming Island, FL 32003 (904) 284-1551; exec@fva.net Business Manager..................................................................Jo Hagan, CPA 8975 San Rae Rd.; Jacksonville, FL 32257 (904) 379-2245; Fax: (904) 379-2260; business@fva.net

CENTER FOR FINE ARTS EDUCATION

402 Office Plaza Dr.; Tallahassee, FL 32301-2757 (850) 878-6844; Fax: (850) 942-1793 Executive Director....................... Kathleen D. Sanz, PhD (kdsanz@fmea.org)

FLORIDA BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION

Director of Operations........................Valeria Anderson, IOM (val@fmea.org)

President.............................................................................. Cathi Leibinger Ransom Everglades School; 2045 Bayshore Dr.; Miami, FL 33133 (305) 250-6868; president@fba.flmusiced.org

Director of Finance & Client Relations...............................Richard Brown, CAE (richard@fmea.org)

Past President........................................................................Jason Duckett Bartram Trail High School; 7399 Longleaf Pine Pkwy.; St. Johns, FL 32259 (904) 343-1999; pastpresident@fba.flmusiced.org

Music Director

Technology Director......................................Josh Bula, PhD (josh@fmea.org) Public Affairs & Communications Coordinator..............................................Jenny Abdelnour (jenny@fmea.org) Marketing & Membership Coordinator................................. Jasmine Van Weelden (jasmine@fmea.org)

Executive Director Florida Music Education Association Kathleen D. Sanz, PhD

Hinckley Center for Fine Arts Education

402 Office Plaza Tallahassee, FL 32301 (850) 878-6844 or (800) 301-3632 (kdsanz@fmea.org)

Editor-in-Chief

D. Gregory Springer, PhD Florida State University College of Music 122 N. Copeland Street Tallahassee, FL 32306 (850) 644-2925 (office) (dgspringer@fsu.edu)

Contents Volume 73 • Number 7

April 2020

June M. Hinckley Music Scholarship Call for Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Editorial Committee Terice Allen (850) 245-8700, Tallahassee (tallen1962@hotmail.com) Judy Arthur, PhD Florida State University, KMU 222 (850) 644-3005 (jrarthur@fsu.edu) William Bauer, PhD University of Florida, Gainesville (352) 273-3182; (wbauer@ufl.edu) Alice-Ann Darrow, PhD College of Music, FSU, Tallahassee (850) 645-1438; (aadarrow@fsu.edu) Jeanne Reynolds Pinellas County Schools, Largo (727) 588-6055; (reynoldsj@pcsb.org) John K. Southall, PhD Indian River State College, Fort Pierce (772) 462-7810; (johnsouthall@fmea.org)

Advertising Sales Valeria Anderson (val@fmea.org)

You Survived the First Year. Now What?

. . . . 14

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE CHORAL CLASSROOM:

Teaching Empathy and Social Awareness as Skills Through Choral Repertoire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Director of Finance and Client Relations

Richard Brown , MBA, CAE, CMP (richard@fmea.org) 402 Office Plaza, Tallahassee, FL 32301 (850) 878-6844

Official FMEA and FMD Photographers

Bob O’Lary Debby Stubing

Art Director & Production Manager

Lori Danello Roberts, LDR Design Inc. (lori@flmusiced.org)

My Experience With Arts Integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 D E PA R T M E N T S

Circulation & Copy Manager

Officers and Directors.. . . . . IFC

2019-20 FMEA Donors. . . . 11-13

Copy Editor

Executive Director’s Notes. . . . . 4

Component News.. . . . . . . . . 27

Advertiser Index. . . . . . . . . . . 5

Research Puzzles. . . . . . . . . . 31

President’s Message. . . . . . . . . 7

Committee Reports. . . . . . . . 32

Advocacy Report. . . . . . . . . . . 9

Corporate Partners. . . . . . . 38-39

Valeria Anderson, (800) 301-3632 Susan Trainor

Academic Partners. . . . . . . . . 10

April 2020

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ExecutiveDirector’sNotes IMPORTANT NOTICE:

FMEA Executive Director

The President's Message and the Component/Commmittee

Kathleen D. Sanz, PhD

Reports were written prior to school closures to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and may reference events

The mission

that have been cancelled.

of the Florida Music

Education

Association is to promote quality, comprehensive

music education in all Florida schools.

TRYING TIMES: An Opportunity to Show Resilience and Creativity

I

n these trying times for our country and the world as the coronavirus continues to spread, we have been given the opportunity to show our resilience and cre-

ativity as we continue to educate our students and help them through this crisis.

Based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), schools are closing and asking students to learn remotely through virtual education. We know that’s difficult for our performance classes. We also are aware that not all students will have access to the technology needed for online coursework. We need to provide as much assistance as possible as we traverse this pandemic. In the coming days, we will send information on copyright to help with providing remote learning for our students.

NEWS FROM …

Florida School Music Association

FMEA has cancelled the Steel Band Festival

tion with the Florida Bandmasters Association,

Florida Music Education Association

in April. Components have cancelled solo and ensemble and jazz ensembles.

The National Association for Music Education

The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is working through its societies and councils to provide online materials through

Amplify. The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is collaborating with

NAfME to provide webinars on the pandemic and its effect on music education.

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Music Director

The Florida School Music Association, in conjunc-

Florida Orchestra Association, and the Florida Vocal Association, is working diligently and care-

fully to continue our mission to provide strong

music education programs. We are aware of the uncharted territory in which we find ourselves with COVID-19. We want to assure our members

that the safety of our students and teachers is at

the forefront of all decisions made for our school music programs and ensembles. After careful

deliberation, FSMA and the component associa-

tions have decided to cancel the 2020 state concert music performance assessments.

Advertiser Index

Legislation

The legislative session was extended to March 13,

2020. We will continue to provide information to

The Florida Music Director is made possible by the participation of the following businesses whose advertisements appear in this issue. They make it possible to provide you with a high-quality publication, and we gratefully acknowledge their support of our mission. We hope you will take special notice of these advertisements and consider the products and services offered. It is another important way you can support your professional association and the enhancement of Florida music education.

The publisher does not endorse any particular company, product, or service. The Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) is not responsible for the content of any advertisement and reserves the right to accept or refuse any advertisement submitted for publication. Information for advertisers (rate card, insertion orders, graphics requirements, etc.) can be found at FMEAMediaKit.org.

you as we receive it.

Membership Renewal Time

Each year beginning April 1, we open the mem-

bership registration process. The membership year

for FMEA is July 1 to June 30 of the following year.

Joining is easy and online. If you need assistance,

ADVERTISERS Florida State University — Summer Camps ........................................................29 Smoky Mountain Music Festival .............................................................................26 Yamaha Corporation of America ............................................................................6 Advertisers shown in bold provide additional support to FMEA members through their membership in the Corporate and Academic Partners program. These advertisers deserve your special recognition and attention.

please call the FMEA office. This year as you join, call a colleague and encourage him or her to join

along with you to enjoy the many benefits FMEA

« FMEA represents K-20 music education through advocacy. « FMEA provides professional development to members. « FMEA provides scholarships to students. « FMEA conducts and promotes research. « FMEA submits and receives grants for projects. « FMEA works with industry. has to offer. For example:

These are just a few of the ways that FMEA

supports music educators and students in Florida.

So again, as you renew, ask a friend to join you in the association.

Please let the FMEA office or the FMEA Board

of Directors know how we can continue to serve you and the profession.

Thank you so very much for everything you do

for Florida’s children. Do your best to stay safe in these tumultuous times.

Musically,

Kathleen D. Sanz, PhD

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Direct correspondence regarding subscriptions to: Hinckley Center for Fine Arts Education, 402 Office Plaza, Tallahassee, FL, 323012757. Subscription cost included in FMEA membership dues ($9); libraries, educational institutions, and all others within the United States: $27 plus 7.5% sales tax.

CIRCULATION: 4,500 educators. Published eight times annually by The Florida Music Education Association, Hinckley Center for Fine Arts Education: 402 Office Plaza Tallahassee, FL 32301-2757. FMEA reserves the right to approve any application for appearance and to edit all materials proposed for distribution. Permission is granted to all FMEA members to reprint articles from the Florida Music Director for non-commercial, educational purposes. Non-members may request permission from the FMEA office.

SUBMISSIONS: Article and art submissions are always considered and should be submitted on or before the 1st of the month, one month prior to the publication issue to: D. Gregory Springer, PhD, dgspringer@fsu.edu.

All articles must be provided in digital format (e.g., Microsoft Word). All applicable fonts and images must be provided. Images must be at least 300 dpi resolution at 100% of the size. All submissions must be accompanied by a proof (color, if applicable). Ads may be submitted via email to val@fmea.org.

Florida Music Director reserves the right to refuse any ad not prepared to the correct specifications OR to rework the ad as needed with fees applied.

2019-20 FMEA Membership: You are eligible for membership in the Florida Music Education Association if you are an individual engaged in the teaching, supervision, or administration of music in elementary and secondary schools, colleges, or universities within the state.

Visit FMEA.org/membership to learn more about the benefits of active membership.

April 2020

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EMPOWERING TEACHERS TODAY POWERS THE MUSIC OF TOMORROW As an educator, one of the most impactful ways to improve is by educating yourself. That’s why the Yamaha Educator Suite (YES) helps music teachers access professional development opportunities, music teacher resources, program health support, advocacy assistance and more. YES brings you a network of like-minded teachers, experts and professionals, who want to help you achieve your goals. Let us help you raise the bar. Go to YamahaEducatorSuite.com

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Music Director

President’sMessage What now?

H

ello, wonderful colleagues! By the time you read this column, many or most of you will have

completed your MPAs, presented at least one spring performance, completed some sort of

spring trip, began recruiting for next year, and maybe enjoyed a spring break. Every year the spring

semester seems to get more and more packed with events. I shake my head as I see so many terrific musical moments, and so many tired teachers! It is easy to glide to the end of this busy time. I want to encourage everyone to take a breath and think about finishing stronger than you started.

Steven N. Kelly, PhD President Florida Music Education Association

When I began teaching in 1980, I was fortunate to have a terrific music supervisor and colleagues

around the district who frequently reached out to me. (I was known as the rookie.) One of the most important lessons I learned was when to prepare for concerts, and when to teach more. I know

we strive to mix the two, but there are times when we can place more emphasis on one than the other. Aside from the very beginning of the year, perhaps the greatest time to teach is just after assessments. Usually there are few performances left, and the concentration of your students may be more focused without the pressure of performing. Looking back, this was the time I taught more music than any other time of the year. Yes, there are always fundamentals and music to be learned,

but during this time I focused less on notes and rhythms, and more on music. Composers, styles,

composition, genres, listening—the world was completely open. What a difference this made in my students. I could see them becoming musicians before my eyes! They were thinking musically and making musical decisions more than during any other time of the year.

I also encourage you to think about yourself and your own musical development. This is the time

of year to plan your summer growth. I hope you take time for yourself and your family. But I also

hope you will plan for your own musical development. Think different; don’t just focus on notes and rhythms! Yes, attend your component summer conference or workshop, connect with your friends

and colleagues, but take some time for musical growth that is different from your day job. Attend

concerts of genres you do not work with, talk to composers and performers, be a performer, learn a new instrument. A few years ago, I found myself in Phoenix, Arizona, where I heard about the Musical Instrument Museum. I thought “just another museum,” but no, that was not the case. What an experience, and it made me think in different ways about teaching.

Now I am not saying everyone should make the pilgrimage to Arizona (though it is a terrific

trip), but I do hope you participate in events that are different and that motivate you to think differently. It just so happens that FMEA has such an event. We will once again host the Summer Institute, June 3-5 at the University of South Florida. The Institute is a wonderful opportunity to

meet other Florida music educators from around the state and from so many different areas. The

discussions are hands-on approaches covering all kinds of professional development information and experiences, along with insightful opportunities to discuss the future of Florida music education. Check the FMEA website for specific information on this opportunity to step outside the box and grow as a musician.

As always, I am amazed at the work Florida music educators do. Your students are better people

as a result of your commitment to them. Thank you, and please let me know if I can be of assistance to you..

Sincerely,

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The President's Message and the Component/ Committee Reports were written prior to school closures to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and may reference events that have been cancelled.

Steven N. Kelly, PhD, President

Florida Music Education Association

April 2020

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CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

June M. Hinckley Music Education Scholarship We are pleased to announce that the Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) is soliciting scholarship applications for the 2020 June M. Hinckley Music Education Scholarship. The association will award $1,000 scholarships to selected 2019-20 graduating high school students who participated in a Florida all-state ensemble and who intend to major in music education at a Florida college or university.

Please access the application at the link below and encourage your students to apply.

A P P L I C AT I O N

FMEA.org/Scholarship

About

June M. Hinckley As arts education specialist for the Florida Department of Education,

June Hinckley led the development

of the Sunshine State Standards for the Arts, which are based on the National Arts Standards and were

adopted by the Florida State Board of Education in 1996. Hinckley assisted

schools and school districts with the

implementation of the arts standards and with connecting the arts with

The following should be sent to the FMEA office after submitting the online application: Printed copy of the essay Official transcript — should remain sealed Three letters of recommendation

« « «

the state accountability and testing

program, and she served as a liaison among the various K-12 arts education

groups, higher education, and com-

munity arts organizations. She was a founding organizer of the Arts for

a Complete Education project, which

has coalesced the various community, industry, and school arts organiza-

Postmark Deadline: April 20, 2020

tions in Florida to work cooperatively

and proactively to improve the qual-

ity and quantity of arts programs throughout the state.

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Music Director

AdvocacyReport

10 Lessons Learned on Capitol Hill

by Andrew Burk

Jeanne W. Reynolds

I

have one hope that drives my politics. I want people to want to be teachers. Teachers’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions, meaning that every political decision will affect our kids

and the quality of the music programs available to them. I was a legislative intern in the U.S. House of Representatives and approached my experience with this question in mind: how can we best influence our government to provide a quality education experience for our students?

1. Have a clear ask.

The national teacher unions will be influential in

what you want. Ask them to co-sponsor a bill, or to vote yes or vote no on something. “Support education” doesn’t translate into anything concrete.

2. There’s no extra credit for persuasive rants.

Whenever you call, email, or write a letter to your elected officials, you can just tell them to support

or vote no on something. Your opinion will become a tally mark to inform the lawmaker how many

people support something. No persuasive essay needed.

3. Calling is better than email.

Every office is different, but I really think phone calls are more impactful than emails.

4. Always confirm your mailing address.

Especially if you leave a voicemail, give them your

mailing address. They need to know that you do, in fact, live in their district.

5. Don’t live in their district? Don’t bother.

If you don’t live in their district, they will make

you feel heard, but they won’t record your opinion.

Don’t waste your time.

6. The first rule for politicians is to win the election. The second rule is to win

me from the moment we

created equal.

some legislative offices. In other offices, invoking their name is not as helpful. Know your audience. staffers have 30.

Everyone who contacts the office comes in with passion for their issue. Not everything is a priority.

Keep up with your issue; it’s time can come.

two other visionary young leaders, Michael Gabriel

and Emmanuel Rodriguez, Collegiate Advocacy Day in

2016 when they were college students. Andrew Burk is now a successful middle school band director.

9. Massage an issue—don’t hold staffers hostage.

I learned this from our legislative director. A big

dramatic display may make you feel good and create some buzz for a moment, but laying a foun-

dation for effective, lasting policy change will take

time, compromise, and persistence. You need to march, but one march will not change the world.

The march inspires the behind the scenes work that does change the world.

10. You need political will and political capital to get something done.

You need the will to push on, work well, and work for a length of time. You need political capital to get it done. Everything is based on seniority. Even who gets to sponsor what bill is based on a hierarchy and on taking turns.

Andrew Burk teaches middle school band in St. Johns County.

He graduated with the BME in 2017 from

The final lesson I learned is that people are the

same everywhere, and we should not be intimidat-

your candidate in. Make your issue so important in

what’s best for our class—now let’s work together to

your community that candidates run on your issue.

first met. Andrew Burk and

started the FMEA

8. An advocacy group has one issue—

reelection.

Vote, vote, vote. Bring friends with you to vote. Get

to feature a guest column colleague who impressed

Here are 10 things I learned: staff, get to your point quickly, and make it clear

This month, I am honored written by a young

7. Not all advocacy organizations are

When you contact or meet elected officials or their

Chairwoman Government Relations Committee

Florida State University.

ed about getting involved in this process. We know go get it.

April 2020

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Please take time to thank and support our 2019-2020 Academic Partners.

GOLD PARTNERS

SILVER PARTNERS

University of North Florida

BRONZE PARTNERS

Cannon Music Camp - Appalachian State University Florida College Florida Gulf Coast University Florida Southern College Holy Cross Lutheran Academy Infinity Percussion Kent State University School of Music Mercer University Northwestern State University (LA)

Palm Beach Atlantic University Rollins College Department of Music Stetson University Union University University of North Texas University of Tampa Valdosta State University West Virginia University School of Music

Partners as of March 5, 2020.

*Please visit FMEA.org/partners for partnership details or call 850-878-6844.

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Music Director

FLORIDA MUSIC EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 2019-2020 DONORS

Thank you to all of the donors who have shown their dedication to the improvement of music education in Florida by supporting our Mission through financial contributions.

Our donors support specific causes by donating to the FMEA funds of their choice: FMEA Scholarship Fund Music Education Advocacy General Fund

June M. Hinckley Scholarship Professional Development for Members Mel & Sally Schiff Music Education Relief Fund

The following have graciously donated to FMEA from April 1, 2019, through March 5, 2020.

MAESTRO’S CIRCLE $10,000 and up

No current donors at this time.

ARTIST’S CIRCLE $1,000 – $9,999

All County Music, Inc. Clifford Madsen Russell Robinson

SUSTAINERS $100 – $999

Artie Almeida In Memory of June Audrey Grace Lucinda Balistreri In Memory of June Hinckley Shelton Berg Richard Brown Anthony Chiarito Alice-Ann Darrow In Memory of Mr. & Mrs. O. B. Darrow Virginia Densmore In Memory of Shirley Kirwin Cynthia Heidel Dennis Holt In Memory of Dr. Gerson Yessin Llewellyn Humphrey Steven Kelly

Carlton Kilpatrick Sheila King In Memory of John W. King Cathi Leibinger In Memory of Linda Mann; In Honor of Ken Williams Jason Locker In Memory of June M. Hinckley Angel Marchese Carolyn Minear Bob O’Lary & Debby Stubing Edward Prasse On Behalf of Nancy Masters Jeanne Reynolds On Behalf of Pinellas County Schools Performing & Visual Arts Teachers Mary Catherine Salo In Memory of Gary Rivenbark & Wes Rainer

April 2020

11

SUSTAINERS continued Steven Salo In Honor of John Jamison & Dr. Bill Prince Kathleen Sanz In Memory of June M. Hinckley Fred Schiff J. Mark Scott In Honor of Judy Arthur & Judy Bowers Karen Smith In Memory of Retired SFC Alfred C. & Nita Greening D. Gregory Springer Harry Spyker In Honor of Fred J. & Marleen Miller

Jeannine Stemmer In Memory of Barbara Kingman & Lauren Alonso Leiland Theriot Robert Todd In Memory of Gary Rivenbark Richard Uhler Julian White In Memory of Kenneth Tolbert David Williams Kenneth Williams

PATRONS

$25 – $99

Carlos Abril Michael Antmann Judy Arthur In Memory of Ray Kickliter Shawn Barat In Memory of Duane L. Hendon Mark Belfast In Memory of Dr. Mark A. Belfast, Sr. Jessica Blakley In Memory of John Rose Karen Bradley In Memory of Harold Bradley Gordon Brock Jamie Bryan In Memory of Wes Rainer Katarzyna (Kasia) Bugaj Dana Burt Stanley Butts Alexandra Carminati Carol Casey Shelby Chipman Dale Choate Don Coffman Dayna Cole In Memory of Linda Mann Erin Cushing Virginia Dickert In Memory of Lindsay Keller & Debbie Liles Jason Dobson Michael Dye Curtis Edwards Judith Evans

12 F l o r i d a

Music Director

Melanie Faulkner Bradley Franks In Memory of Gary W. Rivenbark Mark Goff Louise Gore Sharon Graham Walter Halil John Henderson Bernie Hendricks Stanley Hoch Neil Jenkins Marsha Juday Pauline Latorre Joseph Luechauer Kevin Lusk Cak Marshall In Memory of Sylvia Perry of Peripole, Inc. Stephen Mayo Robert McCormick Kim Miles Ree Nathan John Nista Mary Palmer Harry “Skip” Pardee On Behalf of Quinn & Vivienne Pardee Galen Peters David Pletincks In Honor of Alexis & Jonathan Pletincks Edward Prasse C. William Renfroe In Memory of Herb Beam, Past FVA President Rollins College Department of Music

Alicia Romero-Sardinas In Honor of John Rose Cristyn Schroder Thomas Silliman In Honor of Dr. Thomas Silliman, Sr. John Southall Timothy Stafford In Honor of Olive Stafford Jesse Strouse Sharon Tacot John Watkins John Weaver Howard Weinstein In Memory of Barry Weinstein Farryn Weiss Donald West In Honor of Melvin Maxwell Anonymous (5) In Memory of Elliot Tannenbaum

FRIENDS up to $24 Carmen Aquino Ernesto Bayola Richard Beckford Jessica Calandra Ella Carr Renee Cartee Ernesta Chicklowski Mr. Emanuel Rivers II Kelly Chisholm Blair Clawson In Memory of Shirley Kirwin David Cruz Richard Dasher Matthew Davis In Memory of Robert Morrison Dennis Demaree Cheryl Dubberly Debbie Fahmie Jenny Freeman Tina Gill In Memory of Gary W. Rivenbark Lise Gilly Gerry Hacker

Harold Hankerson Jesse Hariton Cheryce Harris Angela Hartvigsen William Henley Ashton Horton Aisha Ivey Jason Jerald Rolanda Jones In Memory of June M. Hinckley Adina Kerr Katie Kovalsky Mia Laping Catherine Lee Anthony Lichtenberg Patricia Losada Claudia Lusararian In Honor of Sue Byo Deborah Mar In Memory of Mrs. Barbara Kingman Matthew McCutchen In Honor of John C. Carmichael Kristy Pagan

Hank Phillips Katherine Plank Marie Radloff In Memory of Charles F. Ulrey Emma Roser Stacie Rossow Edgar Rubio Anthony Ruffin Melissa Salek Jack Salley John Sinclair Thomas Stancampiano Phil Tempkins Joseph Tremper Gary Ulrich Billy B. Williamson Matthew Workman Richard Yaklich Anonymous (11) In Memory of Tom Damato In Honor of Ms. Helen Bailey

DONATE TODAY FOR A STRONGER TOMORROW. With your support, FMEA will continue to grow its programs for teachers and students, strengthen united advocacy efforts, and improve your professional development opportunities.

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April 2020

13

You Survived the First Year.

Now What?

I

by Katie Brimhall

If you are anything like me, your first year

tions as you did the first year. Continuing

deep into year two. You are no longer a

mentor teacher can lead to a lifelong

of teaching flew by, and you find yourself

“newbie,” you have a year of experience under your belt, and you can find your

way from the music room to the front office without asking for directions. That

being said, there is still a lot to figure out

to build a strong relationship with your friendship, a safe person at school with

whom you can discuss your victories and your defeats, and a teacher from whom you can continue to learn.

If you did not have a mentor for year

in year two. So, here are some tips and

one or if your relationship with your men-

ond year and beyond.

own mentor! Mentors are vital for keeping

tricks that will help you survive your sec-

tor teacher was less than ideal, find your new teachers in the profession because

Mentorship

During your first year of teaching, you

teachers with effective mentors are less likely to leave (Kent, Green, & Feldman,

were probably assigned a mentor teacher

2012). Hopefully by now, you know some

band/orchestra/choral/general

some of the other music teachers in your

by the school, the county, or your local music

association. Your mentor could have been a music teacher or a math teacher, an

experienced teacher or a newer teacher,

and a person who ended up being your best friend or a person you were required

to talk to on occasion. Regardless of your

experience with (or without) a mentor for

year one, a mentor is still a great resource to have for year two. Mentors can help

with anything from classroom manage-

ment to differentiated instruction and can offer encouragement that may be needed on a daily basis.

If you had a great mentor for year one,

hold on to that relationship. Just because

you are a second-year teacher does not mean you have it all figured out, and it

is likely you will have just as many ques-

14 F l o r i d a

of the other teachers at your school and city/county. Although it may seem intim-

idating, if you can identify a teacher you

value and respect, ask him or her to be your mentor. Invite the teacher out for coffee, talk about what you would like to

get out of a mentor/mentee relationship, and take charge of this vital relationship.

I am sure the person you reach out to will be honored and excited to be your mentor, and if not, try again with someone else!

Keeping Support Personnel on Your Side

At some point in your collegiate education, I am sure you heard one of the

following statements: “Befriend the cus-

todians,” “Make sure you are nice to the

Music Director

Continued on page 16

If you had a great mentor for year one, hold on to that relationship. Just because you are a second-year teacher does not mean you have it all figured out, and it is likely you will have just as many questions as you did the first year.

April 2020

15

You Survived the First Year.

Continued from page 14

athletic director,” or “The bookkeeper

cards. After concerts, my students write a

written for all-state, honor band, and solo

ers, we need help from and interact with a

set up the performance space to thank

long way. On a more personal level, I find

will be your best friend.” As music teachlarge range of school personnel on a daily basis. Support from these personnel can

make or break concerts, halftime performances, and field trips, so it is important to keep them happy. One of the easiest

ways to do this is by writing thank-you

16 F l o r i d a

card to the custodial staff members who

them for helping to make the concert so successful. High school students can write thank-you cards to athletic directors after

some extra field time to practice the halftime show and to your bookkeeper after he or she helps you get all of your checks

Music Director

and ensemble. A simple card can go a it helpful to talk to the staff I mentioned above whenever possible. Whether asking

about their day, inquiring about their kids, or just saying hi in the morning,

creating personal relationships with the people from whom you are often asking

At home, there are family members, pets, plants, and hobbies that deserve our attention. We also deserve time at home to unwind and to focus our minds on things unrelated to school. big favors can help the conversations to

flow more naturally and will increase the likelihood of positive outcomes.

Find Friends in Unexpected Places

As a first-year teacher, making friends can be hard. Natural professional friendships

occur between fine arts teachers, spe-

cials teachers, and music teachers. These

teachers understand your craft and your passion for teaching the arts, but they may not be the same age, have the same

interests outside of work, or be in the same place in life as you. Although these

friendships may be enough to sustain

experience, band directors love to stay in

their secluded offices to eat lunch, but simply showing your face in the lunchroom is

a great way to meet people. Another way to meet teachers from different grades

and subjects is to volunteer/attend afterschool functions and activities. We all

know that as music teachers we are busy, but we invite other teachers to attend our performances, and so we should make an

effort to attend other teachers’ activities.

These activities, such as sporting events, academic competitions, and school dance setups, can allow you an opportunity to talk with other teachers in low-stress

environments. While talking, you may realize that a sixth grade social studies teacher and the fifth grade English teach-

may seem just as hard, I hope these tips,

Rushton, 1985). Observing other teachers

coming to you for the first time or as

can show you a lot about their person-

reminders, will help you to build upon

ality while giving you ideas to use in

your knowledge from year one and to

your classroom. After you observe other

continue to be successful in your career

teachers, consider taking some time to

as a music teacher.

talk with them about their classroom, to understand their teaching philosophies,

Katie Brimhall grad-

and to get to know them.

uated magna cum laude from the University of

South Carolina with the

Teacher burnout is a real thing, and

BME in May 2018. She is a second-year teacher at

growing trend of teacher attrition. As

Hillsborough Academy of Math and Science

a first-year teacher, I personally found

where she directs the middle school bands and

it difficult to achieve work-life balance.

leads a K-8 show choir program.

After-school rehearsals, concerts, fieldtrip planning, and lesson planning are all

References

factors that keep teachers at school after

Bernhard, H. (2016). Investigating burnout among elementary and secondary school music educators: A replication. Contributions to Music Education, 41, 145-156. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/24711133

hours and can contribute to high levels

of emotional exhaustion among newer teachers (Bernhard, 2016). Additionally,

novice teachers are exposed to a variety

Erdle, S., Murray, H. G., & Rushton, J. P. (1985).

Personality, classroom behavior, and student ratings of college teaching effectiveness: A path analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 77(4), 394-407. https://doi.org/10.1037/00220663.77.4.394

of risk factors including isolation, anxi-

ety, role clarification, and even parents/ students that can lead to high turnover

rates (Prilleltensky, Neff, & Bessell, 2016).

Kent, A. M., Green, A. M., & Feldman, P. (2012). Fostering the success of new teachers: Developing lead teachers in a statewide teacher mentoring program. Current Issues in Education, 15(3), 1-17. https://doi. org/10.1177/0022487110372214

Teaching is stressful, and I have found one of the best ways to deal with the stress is simply to go home.

It can be hard for music teachers to

friendships is born.

to stay at work and we need to go home.

much as you do, and the opportunity for

but you have to remember you will be

year one. Although the following years

ity, and a bit of humor (Erdle, Murray, &

remember our job is just that—a job—and

new and more experienced teachers alike,

congratulations! You made it through

often exhibit leadership, emotional stabil-

er love watching football or crafting as

unrelated to school. This can be hard for

ond, third, or fourth year of teaching,

teachers. Teachers who are rated highly

music teachers are no exception to the

unwind and to focus our minds on things

Whether you are entering your sec-

ond-year teacher is to go observe other

your friends in and outside of work. In my

so important to find people who can be

attention. We also deserve time at home to

in refreshed and ready to teach.

and to continue your learning as a sec-

Go Home

plants, and hobbies that deserve our

better for your students when you come

Another way to meet teachers at school

you through year one, in year two, it is

At home, there are family members, pets,

Prilleltensky, I., Neff, M., & Bessell, A. (2016).

Teacher stress: What it is, why it’s important, how it can be alleviated. Theory Into Practice, 55(2), 104-111. https://doi.org/10.1080/004058 41.2016.1148986

at some point every day, the work needs

April 2020

17

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE CHOR AL CLASSROOM:

Teaching Empathy and Social Awareness as Skills Through Choral Repertoire

W

by Rebecca Saltzman

When I was an undergraduate student, I

about social justice but had to change my

by their community. Many of them will

and how it is inspired in the classroom. I

new context as empathy and action in the

and influence post graduation. If they can

was always passionate about social justice dove into research on culturally responsive teaching and cultural representation and was fully ready to “change the world”

upon graduation. When I got my first job

at an upper middle class suburban high school, I felt a little lost. Most (not all) of

my new high school choral students saw their cultures represented every day and

had very few obstacles on their path to success. Instead, they were on an easy path to have very influential positions in the real world.

Five years later, I still cared deeply

18 F l o r i d a

lens. I now defined social justice in my

service of social awareness for an under-

served population. Rather than teaching my students in a way where I was par-

ticipating in social justice in service of

them, I now wanted to teach my students

find themselves in positions of power leave my classroom more empathetic and

willing to enact social justice actions in

these positions of power, that could make a positive impact on the world.

As a choral music educator, I found the

social justice as a skill they could employ

best pathway to do this was through rep-

words, I hoped to teach my students how

activities. I found the process to be quite

in their own day-to-day lives. In other to make room for and advocate for people

who have not been given the same advan-

tages as they have. This is something I saw as particularly valuable because of all the privileges given to my students

Music Director

ertoire and corresponding performance successful. Based on the surveys the stu-

dents took at the beginning and end of this past year, my informal data suggest

that the majority of my students gained

empathy and desire for social action on

the various causes. For those who would

was Don’t BE Afraid by Allyson Reigh,

watched and discussed a video about the

classroom, below are the steps I took.

BE Afraid message was created by found-

student-led discussion regarding the text

like to enact similar processes in your

Choral Repertoire and Teaching Procedure

In choosing repertoire for this semester, I chose three pieces to target different

social causes. I presented these pieces

to my students under the spring concert theme “Music for Something More.” I created lesson procedures for the pieces

that not only taught the notes, rhythms, and musical skills, but also focused on the causes associated with those pieces.

The first piece I presented to the choir

arr. Jennifer McMillan (2014). The Don’t

VOX social change choir. We then had a of the piece.

er Scott Jones shortly after he was

Then the students made a

the victim of a hate crime for

list of things not to be afraid

being gay that left him para-

of in their lives, along with

lyzed. The Don’t BE Afraid

a description of why they

foundation has created a

should not be afraid. They

global photo campaign, has

made

held many events in Canada

statements

such

as

“Don’t be afraid of people judg-

where the campaign is based,

ing you … because nobody’s per-

and has started a choir for social

change called VOX, conducted by Jones

fect,” “Don’t be afraid of hate … love

awareness of this piece to my students, I

ignorance … you can be the educator.”

conquers all,” and “Don’t be afraid of

himself (Jones, n.d.). In teaching the social told them about Scott Jones’ story, and we

Continued on page 20

April 2020

19

Social Justice in the les of this world fill our hearts with rage The troub Choral Classroom gham and LA

in from Soweto, to Stonewall, Birm s ve el rs ou in h it w es li t a th e op h We are searching for .

S D I A d n a ed tr a h ce ra y n y as we fight against misog

Continued from page 19

The chorus student board decided to take

In an informal survey of my students,

Following this, I picked the top five songs

students had very little knowledge of the

factors. The students then debated the top

these statements and interweave them

I was shocked to find that most of my

BE Afraid photo campaign logo, and the

events at Soweto, Stonewall, Birmingham,

into a poster in the design of the Don’t

chorus then participated in the campaign itself.

The second cause-specific piece I pre-

sented to the choir was Light of a Clear Blue Morning with words and music by Dolly

Parton, arranged by Craig Hella Johnson

(2010). I introduced the piece to my stu-

dents through the lens of Dolly Parton being a symbol of women’s empowerment. As a class, we discussed the lyrics, and then I presented the context in

and Los Angeles. I then shifted away from

a traditional music class format to a histo-

ry-type class. I showed a documentary on the Soweto uprising, students did presentations on the Birmingham bombings and

the L.A. Riots, and through group discussion, students connected these historical

group discussion, the students made con-

nections to the #metoo social media movement, “mansplaining,” and privilege.

The third cause-specific piece I present-

tempo, instrumentation, genre, etc.), the

social cause was at the center of it, showcased by some of these student quotes from the discussion:

has a big moment at the end, and it’s

dents pick a “choice song” for the spring

Porter Wagoner (Nash, 2002). In a spirited

the discussion included lots of factors (i.e.,

community at Stonewall.

events and to the riots for the LGBTQ+

piece was written out of the pain from

longtime musical and business partner

be performed on their concert. Although

I feel like Dear Evan Hansen was the

The Choice Song

Dolly Parton ending her partnership with

five songs and picked a top choice song to

events of racial persecution to current-day

which Dolly wrote this song. According to Alanna Nash’s biography, Dolly, this

out of the nominations based on musical

Every year in my classroom, I let the stu-

concert. For this project, I laid out the parameters that the students’ song must represent a social cause we had not previously studied. Each student filled out

a nomination form with a song of his or her choice and the cause it represented.

ed to the choir was Spiritual, with words

song that took me on a journey … it something I will probably cry over.

I like ‘You will be Found’ a lot and I’ve seen Dear Evan Hansen so I know how important it is in the context of the show, but I think it’s really

cool because it can be used for its message even if you don’t know the

show, and it’s a very important message that needs to be stressed.

Following the discussion, the students

and music by Ysaye M. Barnwell (1992).

picked the song You Will Be Found from

a ballet theater event by David Rousseve

by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, arr. Mac

This piece was initially written as part of called Urban Scenes ... Creole Dreams. In the

piece, Barnwell explores racial inequality through her use of song text. In Spiritual,

the text alternates between the repeated passage and mantra “Cain’t no one

know at sunrise how this day is going

to end, cain’t no one know at sunset if the next day will begin” and blunt social

the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen Huff (2017). They selected this piece with

the social cause of “mental health advocacy” in mind. This piece was particularly

impactful on the students, and they chose to donate the proceeds from their concert

to a mental health advocacy organization in honor of it.

justice aligned text meant to shock the

Taking Social Action

of the world fill our hearts with rage from

take part in some tangible social action

listener such as “You know the troubles Soweto, to Stonewall, to Birmingham,

and L.A. You know we’re searching for hope that lies within ourselves, as we

fight against misogyny, race, hatred, and AIDS” (Barnwell, 1992).

20 F l o r i d a

Music Director

It was important to me that the students

as well. I chose letter writing because it

was an accessible way for the students to

participate (and especially because it is a major plot point in Dear Evan Hansen).

Students were able to choose one of six

organizations that sponsor letter writing

as a social justice action. Each organi-

zation was aligned with a social cause.

Organizations included Letters Against Depression, a group that provides anon-

ymous letters of encouragement to people struggling with mental illness; Letters

of Hope, an organization that provides

« Do you think the song you listed « Do you think you would continue to

members; and First Friends of NJ and NY,

a group that upholds dignity and humanity of detained immigrants by providing

visitation and letters of encouragement, an organization aligned with the cause of immigration reform.

After writing their letters of choice, the

students filled out a reflection sheet ask-

« Which chorus song from this semester ing them the following questions:

do you feel encapsulated the message of your letter?

ingful performance and musical experience for the ensemble because the partici-

advocate for the cause associated with

pants will have a cultural context built

your letter? How?

better than I could have imagined. Several

ages to veterans and deployed military

of repertoire will also create a more mean-

not.

letters and pen-pals to homeless LGBTQ+

tion that provides letters and care pack-

time to teach social justice in the context

chose to write? Explain why or why

Student Reactions

youth; Operation Gratitude, an organiza-

students but society as a whole. Taking

above influenced which letter you

notes of hope to Syrian refugees; the

Indiana Youth Group, which provides

that can positively benefit not only those

through empathy and passion. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I believe every music teacher can truly change the world

My students’ reaction to this project was

through their students. We work hard to create communities, to teach musical

students expressed to me that they want-

excellence, and to give our students every

ed to continue with social action after this

opportunity we can think of. By taking

semester, and several students wanted to

the time to teach empathy and social

know what “important songs” they were

awareness as skills through choral reper-

singing next year because they were so

toire, we can give our students the gift of

empowered. One student even told me

helping others and making the world a

she was planning on majoring in commu-

more socially just place.

nity organization and advocacy in college

because participating in this project was so meaningful to her. I always wanted

Rebecca Saltzman is the

feel that through this project, I did. My

High School (Ramsey,

choral teacher at Ramsey

to make a difference in the world, and I

N.J.) where she directs

students are more empathetic and kind,

multiple choral ensembles

and they are ready to stand up for other

and teaches music theory

people. What is even more exciting is

and digital music produc-

I found that empathy and passion for

tion. She received the B.M. degree in music

social justice are skills that can be taught,

education from Ithaca College and a master’s

and music is the perfect vessel for that

degree in music education from Florida State

teaching. I cannot wait to see the good my

University.

students will do in the world!

Recommendations

References

article will realize what an impact reper-

Barnwell, Y. (1992). Spiritual. Musical Source Publishing.

My hope is that teachers who read this toire choice can make. It can be easy as a

Nash, A. (2002). Dolly: The Biography. New York: Cooper Square Press.

and creating beautiful sounds with our

Parton, D. (1977). Light of a Clear Blue Morning (arr. C. Hella Johnson). Velvet Apple Music.

ever met a music teacher who does not

Pasek, B., & Paul, J. (2017). You Will Be Found (arr.

Mac Huff). Hal Leonard Corporation.

dents’ lives. By integrating social aware-

Reigh, A. (2014). Don’t BE Afraid (arr. J. McMillan).

Music Spoke.

musical factors), teachers can have the

Jones, S. (n.d.). VOX: A Choir for Social Change.

Retrieved from https://youtu.be/zz8Uj04K5VI

music teacher to focus only on the music

students; however, I do not think I have want to make a difference in their stuness into repertoire choice (in addition to

ability to shape their students in a way

April 2020

21

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Participants will learn from renowned conductors and showcase their musicianship in a final concert.

Audition Deadline: May 1, 2020, 11:59 PM ET Learn more: nafme.org/ANHE

22 F l o r i d a

Music Director

My Experience With

ARTS INTEGRATION

by Lesleigh Howard-Zeno, Chairwoman FEMEA District 7

The Medici Project

professional development points for “studio time” (i.e., play-

District) received a Professional Development in Arts Education

to participate and receive professional development in their

The school district where I work (St. Lucie County School

grant, which has been named The Medici Project. This grant “specifically supports the implementation of high-quality

model professional development programs for arts educators

and other instructional staff in the areas of music, dance, drama, media arts, and visual arts, including folk arts, for

ing in a community band). Grant participants have been able own art form—many of us have been able to attend national

conferences for arts educators and out-of-state professional development in our art discipline, as well as attend in-county professional development in the arts.

The Medici Project plan is to use arts-integrated lessons to

students in kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) in which 50

help increase achievement in our students’ lower-scoring sci-

(U.S. Department of Education, 2017). The Medici Project focus-

project chose a “science buddy” to work with at their school.

percent or more of the students are from low-income families” es on arts and science integration. During the first years of the grant, professional development has included best practices and development of STEAM lessons. Participants have also been encouraged to continue to be practicing artists and receive

ence standards. Each of the arts teachers participating in the Then we chose one class to teach the arts-integrated lessons.

The ultimate desired result for each year of the grant is to show that the students who received the integrated lessons improved

their science scores more than the students who did not receive Continued on page 24

April 2020

23

Arts Integration Continued from page 23

the arts-integrated lessons. We met with

My Experience in The Medici

al development provided to the partici-

science standards our students needed

I was accepted into The Medici Project

our county, I have been able to attend and

our science buddies to decide on which some extra instruction. Then we looked

at which of our arts standards would support the chosen science standards.

The key to aligning standards from dif-

ferent subjects is to look for the verbs. In

our Florida state standards, we have verbs such as describe, perform, compare/contrast, and create. Look for standards that

have the same verbs, and you will usually

be able to align those standards to cre-

ate an integrated lesson unit. According to our “Designed to STEAM” training

from the EducationCloset, once you have a topic that the students struggle with

in your class, you work to discover all

Project

because I am an elementary music edu-

cator at a Title I school, and our students’ science FSA scores were low, thus meeting the criteria for the PDAE grant. All arts educators in the St. Lucie School District

pants of the grant online and in person in complete Orff Level I at FIU, the NAfME National Conference in Orlando, and the

Arts Integration Conference presented by the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. I

attended

the

Arts

Integration

were invited to apply via a questionnaire.

Conference in June 2019. What an

chosen to participate in The Medici Project

all art forms and from all over the United

Forty-five arts educators were originally based on these criteria. The Medici Project

was especially attractive to me because

we were being offered professional development opportunities in our own discipline, both in county and out of county. In

addition to the many hours of profession-

the ways you can approach the selected topic (supporting content). From your supporting content, look at the standard

eye-opener! Teachers of all subjects and States, as well as other countries, came together to learn from master teachers and artists-in-residence how to integrate the

“academic” subjects with the art forms.

Here is the Kennedy Center’s definition of arts integration:

The Kennedy Center’s Definition for Arts Integration

and how you usually teach it, includ-

ing lesson activities and assignments. Do this for both the arts standard and the core content standard. Then look at your

assessments for each standard. Describe

the type of assessment; what are you specifically looking for in the assessment and what are the specific criteria expected

Arts Integration is an APPROACH to TEACHING in which students construct and demonstrate

all of this information, you plan your

UNDERSTANDING through an ART FORM.

integrated, there must be a balance of

Students engage in a

for success? What specific feedback do you provide when students do not meet

the criteria for success? When you have lessons. For your lessons to be truly arts time in teaching the core content and the

arts content. Using the Kennedy Center

model, the lesson unit should include five 25-minute lessons. One lesson may

be entirely on the core standard, the

next lesson entirely on the arts standard,

CREATIVE PROCESS which CONNECTS an art form and another subject area and meets

and the remaining lessons a balance of

EVOLVING OBJECTIVES

on both the core standard and the arts

in both.

each. Finally, you assess your students

standard, giving feedback as appropriate.

The assessment can be a rubric to grade a

performance or a final project, or it can be a written test or quiz.

24 F l o r i d a

Music Director

© The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Above: Some of my students proving and disproving their hypotheses With the Kennedy Center’s model, the

assessments for the standards we chose to

ing strings by playing a ukulele, and

the arts-integrated lesson unit and col-

The first lesson unit was completed

to different pitches and how they could

classroom or subject-area teacher teaches

integrate with music standards.

laborates with the arts teacher in design-

in the fall semester. I gave the students

The Medici Project does things a little

(SC.P.5.10.1). They felt the vibrations made

ing, writing, and teaching the lessons.

differently: The arts teacher teaches the

arts-integrated lesson and collaborates with the science teacher. I have planned

and presented two science and music inte-

grated lesson units this school year, with the help of our science resource teacher,

Ms. Katelyn Donovan. I chose one fifth grade class to teach the AI lessons. The

taught them how the strings were tuned change the pitch of each string. The stu-

specific instruction on sound energy

dents watched a video that demonstrated

what sound waves look like, and we drew

when they struck a large triangle. They

a graph of a sound wave together.

saw the vibrations of a vibraslap when

The next lesson, the students wrote a

they played it. They felt and heard the

hypothesis based on the question: “How

ferent pitches on the Orff xylophones and

high-pitched sound and a low-pitched

different vibrations when they played dif-

could you illustrate the vibration of a

metallophones. Finally, I

sound?” Each group was given a bari-

demonstrated vibrat-

tone ukulele to play and observe how the strings vibrate when they played low

other fifth grade classes will serve as the

pitches and high pitches. They recorded

“control group”— receiving the science

their observations. At the end of each class

instruction from only their homeroom

period, we came back together as a whole

teacher and the science resource teach-

group. Each small group shared their

er. The class receiving extra instruction

hypothesis and their observations. The

from me through the AI lessons will

class asked questions of the small groups,

(hopefully) show higher gains on the

Continued on page 26

April 2020

25

Arts Integration Continued from page 25

and the group members either support-

the Orff Level I training from Gretchen

about the states of matter. Through cre-

conclusion, each group drew a high-

When we returned to school, I knew

ferent states of matter and how the mol-

ed their hypothesis or revised it. At the

Wahlburg and Sandy Lantz!

pitched sound wave and a low-pitched

I was going to have to present what I

dents wrote a rule that explains that the

in The Medici Project. I began to explore

sound wave on graph paper, and the stu-

difference in pitch depends on the speed of the strings’ vibration, citing evidence

from their experiments. This class did show improvement on unit test scores for this science standard.

I got the idea for the spring semester AI

lesson from one of the sessions I attend-

ed at the Kennedy Center Conference.

Ms. Kimberli Boyd presented a workshop on “Integrating Movement and Creative Dance

With

Science

Concepts

and

Curriculum for Grades K-2,” specifically the water cycle. Ms. Boyd is the found-

er/artistic director of Dancing Between

learned at the conference to my colleagues the science standards for fifth grade that would work with the water cycle. Through

my planning time with Ms. Donovan, I learned that our fifth graders had diffi-

dance vocabulary was almost identical

to the movement vocabulary I learned at

including all three states of matter, as well as melting, freezing, condensation, and evaporation.

The next step is to organize the stu-

Ultimately, the students will be able to

temperature (SC.5.P.8.1). I decided to have my students create a movement piece to demonstrate the differences between solids, liquids, and gases, using the tran-

sitions between the different states of matter.

First, we reviewed movement. Using

of Ms. Boyd’s workshop and the move-

and creative dance, I realized that the

beginning pose and an ending pose, and

gases, such as volume, color, texture, and

basic properties of solids, liquids, and

Learner Through Movement and Creative

shop and began to explore movement

a sample choreography piece, adding a

dents into small groups to create and

the BEST (Body Energy Space Time) prac-

Dance.” As I participated in her work-

ecules in each state move. I led them in

culty in comparing and contrasting the

the Lines and the creator of the learning approach “Reaching the Kinesthetic

ative movement, they demonstrated dif-

tices and expectations I received as part

perform their own movement sequence. show their knowledge of the different

states of matter and transitions between them through their movement. As of the writing of this article, this final step has

not yet been completed, and I do not have the students’ scores on their unit assess-

ment for this standard. I plan to have this class perform their movement pieces at our school’s Science Night.

We have one year left in The Medici

ment vocabulary I learned at Orff Level I,

Project, and we will be designing and

music and without, with and without

throughout the year. I have grown as a

we practiced moving creatively, both with a steady beat. Then we reviewed what

the students had learned in science class

presenting arts-integrated lessons again music educator through the many hours of professional development I have

received in the first three years of the grant, and I am looking forward to learning more in the next year.

Reference

Elementary, Middle, and High School Band, Choir, and Orchestra 2020: April 3 April 17 April 24

2021: April 9 April 16 April 23

2022: April 8 April 22 May 6

www.SMMFestival.com or call:1-855-766-3008 26 F l o r i d a

U.S. Department of Education. (2017, March 28).

Applications for New Awards; Assistance for Arts Education Programs-Professional Development for Arts Educators Grants.

Retrieved from https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/03/28/2017-06123/ appl ic at ion s -for-new-awa rd s -a s si s tance-for-arts-education-programs-professional-development-for-arts

Lesleigh

Howard-Zeno

has been teaching elementary

music in St. Lucie County for 27 years, most of those years

at Weatherbee Elementary

School. She is the chairwoman

of FEMEA District 7. Lesleigh has been a part of The Medici Project since its start in 2018.

Music Director

ComponentNews

FLORIDA ELEMENTARY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

Ernesta Chicklowski, President

S

pring is here! This a great time

minimum of Level I certification in Orff

of sowing seeds of knowledge,

Schulwerk. If you qualify, please consid-

music, language, movement,

er serving in this capacity. If you

and other creative experi-

have not already taken advantage

ences that will continue

of our FEMEA All-State Chorus

to cultivate the lifelong

Adjudicator training pro-

love of music making for

gram, now would be

our students. Spring is a

a great time to do so.

time when our students

Whether

are blooming with

chorus

in their musicianship, budding

desire

to become an all-state

creativity, blossoming and

you

judge,

or

simply to improve

with

your understanding

enthusiasm for the musi-

of what the scoring

cal connections that we pre-

rubrics really mean,

As we continue to

tool that is free to all

pare for them each week.

this is a fantastic

water the “little garden

FEMEA members. A link

of musical flowers” in our

classroom with engaging music les-

to the training program is pro-

vided on the All-State Chorus

sons, it is incredibly important for us

and Orff Ensemble. Spring is a great time

page of our FEMEA website. In addition

during this busy time of year. Taking

and dedicated students and to begin the

ing our 2020 regionals this fall at three

to focus, too, on self-care and wellness care of yourself allows you to take care

of others. Be careful with your voice, get enough rest, and just learn to say “no”

during this very full time of the school year.

I hope your spring break was a restful

and relaxing time for you to unwind and

spend time with your family and friends before we barrel into the final quarter of the school year. Spring is a great time for

to identify some of your most talented discussion about auditioning for All-State

for the 2021 All-State Elementary Chorus

prestigious ensembles.

1,000! We are extremely blessed to have

Carry on and continue to make great

so many talented students, and dedicated

music!

music educators, in the state of Florida.

Next year’s concert will be another amazing experience for our students.

In preparation, many of you will prob-

summer. The audition materials will

your students would be good candidates

having your students audition for these

300 musicians with auditions of about

thinking about All-State. January may begin soon. Start considering which of

be coming soon. I hope you will consider

ensembles encompassed approximately

concerts, grade-level programs, testing,

seem far off, but the audition process will

different sites. Dates and information will

in the fall. Our 2020 all-state elementary

ably have your students work on the

field trips, etc., but it is also time to begin

to all-state groups, FEMEA will be host-

recorder and xylophone pieces over the be available on the FEMEA website in

May. We will be recruiting judges for both ensembles. Judges of the All-State Elementary Orff Ensemble must hold a

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The President's Message and the Component/Committee Reports were written prior to school closures to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and may reference events that have been cancelled.

April 2020

27

ComponentNews

I

FLORIDA NAfME COLLEGIATE

Mark A. Belfast, Jr., PhD, Advisor

Jazz

that time Louis knocked them out of the

National Museum of American History

civil rights movement, Hollywood, the

t’s

April!

That

Appreciation

means

Month

it’s

(JAM)!

The

first designated JAM in 2001 as a way to recognize and celebrate jazz heritage and

history. Leaders at the museum indicate the ongoing intent of celebrating JAM is

to “stimulate and encourage people of all

ages to participate in jazz—to study the

No. 1 spot on the Billboard charts?), the

American drug epidemic … you get the

idea … most everything associated with American culture in the last 150 years

responsibility to learn all you can about

As future music educators, you have

the incredible privilege of providing stu-

dents with opportunities to explore and

engage in ALL musics. Jazz is a uniquely American art form. Some might even argue it was the first truly American art form.

The history of jazz is inseparable from the history of America. Developments

jazz artists, music, history, heritage, etc.

You spend countless hours studying the

music and history of European cultures

op and thrive. Whether you’re studying slave work songs and field hollers, the

effects of hymns on the development of spirituals, the Great Migration or the

Harlem Renaissance, the development of

the radio, World War I, prohibition, the Great Depression, World War II, rock ’n’ roll, the space race, The Beatles (‘member

28 F l o r i d a

Finally, the NAfME national elections

… isn’t it time you discovered your own?

are over. Your 2020-22 national presi-

Here are a few, but feel free to contact me

southern division president-elect is James

Thankfully, there are lots of resources.

« Lots of information about jazz on

for more:

sociocultural landscape. Similarly, events people and enabled jazz music to devel-

CLICK HERE

history of music in your country. It is your

in jazz directly affected the American

within the American culture influenced

Video – JAZZ: A film by Ken Burns:

To be a truly affective (and effective)

jazz, and more.” This year’s JAM focuses have made to the idiom.

watch most of it on Amazon Prime

vice versa.

music educator, you ought to know the

on the incredible contributions women

entertaining documentary. You can

has been influenced by jazz music and

music, attend concerts, listen to jazz on

radio and recordings, read books about

« Here’s a pretty comprehensive and

Daugherty. Additionally, although a proposed bylaw amendment to extend

the Smithsonian Jazz website.

national election voting rights to collegiate

the page includes free lesson plans,

adopted an amendment to expand the

The Education tab on the left side of

members was defeated, NAfME members

recordings, etc.:

definition of collegiate membership to

CLICK HERE

« Train your ears with these

recommended listening lists for Apple Music and Spotify: CLICK HERE

« Great jazz education articles:

Music Director

dent-elect is Scott Sheehan, and our

CLICK HERE

include students who are not enrolled in

music teacher education programs. Yay! Now, go out, find all your non-music-ed

friends, invite them to your next chapter

meeting, FEED THEM, and help them to see why music education is so beneficial

for ALL children. Educating those engi-

neering, political science, and business majors in your choir, orchestra, or band might just pay dividends in the future!

FLORIDA ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION

Matthew Davis, President

FLORIDA COLLEGE MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

Marc Decker, DMA, President

C

ongratulations to our colleagues who completed their

district music performance assessments, and good luck to those mov-

ing on to state. As we transition into the season of standardized

testing and spring concerts, I hope you will encourage your students moving on to middle school, high

school, or college to continue to sing in choir or to play in orches-

tra and band. A simple word of encouragement from a music teach-

er goes a long way in nurturing a

statewide culture of lifelong music making.

To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time. – Leonard Bernstein

D

o these words ring true in your

The adjudication committee will also

classroom lately? I hope you have

be meeting this summer to discuss revi-

upon, or should I say survive, your dis-

will receive an email this month with a

had a chance to breathe a bit and reflect

sions to the new adjudication sheets. You

trict MPAs. I wish my high school col-

link where you can provide your feed-

leagues the very best on any upcoming

back. You can also let me know of any

state solo and ensemble and concert MPAs

concerns, and I will be happy to share

you may have. I will be in attendance and

them with the committee.

look forward to seeing you and hearing

Thank you to all of our current adju-

your students. It’s hard to believe the year

dicators for taking time to share your

to do, from spring concerts to banquets,

during our district assessments. We are

is coming to a close with yet so much left

wisdom and words of encouragement

and oh yes, testing! As we head into our

always looking to add adjudicators to our

end of the year district meetings, please

approved list. Refer to the FOA website

remember to submit any motions or con-

(myfoa.org ) under the MPA heading for

cerns to your district chairperson for the

further information about becoming an

May FOA executive board meeting. If

approved adjudicator.

you have concerns or would like more

Should you have questions or concerns,

clarification about items in the handbook,

please always feel free to contact one of

Jerald, at jjerald@myfoa.org.

and your students, and we value your

please contact our past president, Jason

us on the board. We are here to serve you

The hand-

input!

book committee will be meeting in July.

A Summer That

PAST, PRESENT, & FUTURE

The May 12 deadline for pro-

posals for the 2021 FMEA

tation proposals and specifi-

cally ones directed toward an audience of college educators.

Be sure to check the appropri-

4-Day Workshops: Double Bass, Tuba, Euphonium

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY SUMMER MUSIC CAMPS

music.fsu.edu/summermusiccamps

April 2020

MU C CA MP

Have a great spring term!

R

SI

ate boxes when you submit.

14 camps during June & July Attend as a day camper or an overnight camper Work with exceptional instructors Meet new friends Boost retention over summer months Make lifelong memories S U M ME

of FCMEA to submit presen-

A SUMMER EXPERIENCE THAT MATTERS.

SU

ing. I encourage all members

All Ability Levels One-Week & Two-Week Camps: Band Orchestra Chorus Guitar Piano K-5 Elementary Music Jazz Marching Leadership Color Guard

F

Development

Conference is fast approach-

S

Professional

29

ComponentNews

T

omorrow is the big day. Concert MPA.

Many directors spend the final days

FLORIDA BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION

Cathi Leibinger, President

Getting to this point of relaxed pres-

The day I put my ego and professional

leading up to MPA stressing out. You

sure has taken me 31 years, and some

students and pray they don’t drop-kick

three weeks? I’ve been looking at scores

helped me tremendously is the habit of

reputation in the hands of middle school them across the stage. That has been my

yearly mantra, and it’s still true. In spite of the work we’ve put into preparing, it all comes down to the students during that one performance.

Or does it?

If we are to gauge our success by the

overall ratings of the adjudicators and,

by extension, the judgment of our peers, then it is most definitely “do or die.”

We shout to anyone who will hear our success, and we feel shame if we “fail.”

(Note: Anything less than a superior is not a failure, no matter what social media may tell us.)

But if we truly look at the MPA as the

culmination of the learning process of one

particular concert cycle, it’s not the end of the world if the ratings fall short of our

hopes. It’s just an opportunity to examine

the goals we had and the steps we took in the journey, and to recalibrate for the next cycle.

30 F l o r i d a

know what I’ve been doing for the last and programming for my spring concert in May. I’ve been evaluating the skills my students are still struggling to demonstrate well and making plans to strength-

en their abilities so we can achieve our goals for the May concert cycle without

stress. I’ve been playing review games with my younger students and work-

ing like mad to keep them engaged and

days are still better than others. What has

long-range planning. Having sufficient

time to thoroughly develop goals and

action steps to achieve them offers the opportunity to step back and see if things

are working. If they aren’t, you may need to make adjustments along the way. That’s difficult to do if you aren’t leaving enough time to do so.

Now is the time to start planning your

enthused. Because not only is it MPA

next school year. Start putting in the big

students are picking their classes for next

MPA events. Be sure to give yourself

season, it is also that time of year when year. I can’t allow the stress of MPA to

seep into my relationship with my students, or I risk losing them to another

elective next year. I also risk developing

the reputation of being the “stressed out”

teacher with whom new students and their families are hesitant to begin a relationship. Everything lies in a balance of

pushing for excellence without breaking spirits. It’s a delicate dance, but we all need to know the choreography.

Music Director

pieces such as your concerts and district enough time to prepare properly for each one. Look at events you’ve always wanted to attend but never seem to have time for,

and put them in your schedule now. Start thinking about guest conductors or clini-

cians you may want to come and work with your students. If you’re like me, it

will get you energized for the next year,

which helps us get through the busy spring semester of activities.

ResearchPuzzles FOR MUSIC TEACHERS This on-going column seeks to stimulate awareness of research issues for FMEA teachers and researchers.

RESEARCH COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN

Don D. Coffman, PhD University of Miami

Do music students differ from other students in emotional intelligence and in coping with stress?

E

motional intelligence, being able to deal with one’s emotions and the emotions of others, has been positively

linked to mental well-being and successful functioning.

Anna Nogaj (2020), noting that music students can regular-

ly encounter stress related to performing, speculated that

such experiences may be influential and wondered where music students’ coping strategies and emotional intelligence differed from other students. She administered two scales,

one that measured emotional intelligence and another that

measured coping strategies, to 354 students ages 16 to 19 years from music, art, and general education schools. The

variables derived from the emotional intelligence scale were (a) acceptance, (b) empathy, (c) control, and (d) under-

standing. The variables derived from the coping strategies scale were (a) task-oriented (focusing thoughts on the task), (b) emotion-oriented (focusing thoughts on themselves), and (c) avoidance-oriented (refraining from thinking about the situation) coping strategies.

The results indicated that music students had statistically significant differences from art students (i.e., higher

scores) in the level of their emotional intelligence in general and on the acceptance subscale:

they are more aware of the positive and negative emotions that they feel, express their emotions more easily, and can effectively use their knowledge about the emotions they experience. Moreover, in stressful situations, music students exhibit task-oriented coping strategies significantly more often and are significantly less likely to engage in substitute actions than are art students.

Music students’ scores were more similar to general students’ scores than the arts students’ scores. Nogaj did

emphasize that the size of these differences, while statistically significant, were not large and so the practical significance is questionable.

The JRME article referenced below is free to NAfME members from the publications page of the website. I encour-

age you to give it a read.

Reference

Nogaj, A. A. (2020). Emotional intelligence and strategies for coping with stress among music school students in the context of visual art and general education students. Journal of Research in Music Education. Online First. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022429420901513

Email your questions and feedback to d.coffman1@miami.edu with a subject heading Research Puzzles.

April 2020

31

CommitteeReports

DIVERSE LEARNERS COMMITTEE Alice-Ann Darrow, PhD, Chairwoman

Twice Exceptional Students:

When Giftedness and Disability Coalesce

T

wyla was concert mistress of her

thing she put in front of him. Was he

to read music, but it is a slow process and

musical and, without a doubt, the most

forgot his music, never had a pencil, and

will have to work harder at it than her

high school orchestra. She was clearly

talented musician in her high school

orchestra. For two years she had passed every playing test flawlessly. Her orches-

tra director was sure she would major

in music and mostly likely be accepted at the university of her choice. One day

her director asked her to read through the violin part of a new piece he had just passed out. She asked, “You mean

right now, in front of the class?” When he replied yes, she bolted from the room

in tears. After school, she came to see

her teacher to explain: “I am a terrible

sight-reader. I really struggle through my part initially. I mean I eventually learn to

read it, but you have no idea how hard I

ever difficult in class, though! He often

was always late to any rehearsals outside

of the school day. In addition to that, he blurted out in class, talked constantly to

his stand partner, and managed to get

into mischief on every band trip. The last straw was when he put a frog down the uniform of a sweet, unsuspecting flute

player. “I am so done with you! You are no longer in band!” shouted Mrs. Moore.

director or peers. He is unorganized and

impulsive. He speaks and acts without the “what ifs” other students ask themselves

before speaking or acting. Though gifted,

school is challenging for both of these students.

you kidding me? You are the most frus-

The term twice exceptional, also referred

understand, why?” replied Thomas. “Are trating student I have had in my 20 years

of teaching!” replied Mrs. Moore. Thomas was dumbfounded and clearly upset.

Twyla and Thomas are twice excep-

player Mrs. Moore had ever had in her

processing. Their disabilities are different,

practice, yet was able to play most any-

the effect of his behaviors on his band

What We Know About Students

tional students. Both are gifted in music,

high school band. He seemed to rarely

peers. Thomas truly doesn’t understand

Thomas looked stunned. “But I don’t

work when you give us new music.”

Thomas was the most gifted trumpet

she knows it will take her longer and she

and both have difficulties in neurological however, and so are their abilities to man-

age their disabilities. Twyla has learned

Who Are Twice Exceptional

to as 2e, is used to describe gifted stu-

dents who have the potential for high achievement and also have one or more

disabilities as defined by federal or state eligibility criteria. These disabilities are

generally neurological processing disabilities such as specific learning disabilities or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

(ADHD), which qualify these students for

an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 plan. Twice-exceptional students are highly knowledgeable or talented in at

least one intellectual domain; their talents, however, are often overshadowed by their disabilities. Some students are able

to mask or hide their learning disabilities

by using their talents to compensate or

by employing learning or coping strategies; however, most twice-exceptional students experience difficulties in school,

where organization, attention to detail,

and social skills play important roles in learning.

Twice-exceptional students can be

“highly creative, verbal, imaginative, curi-

32 F l o r i d a

ous, with strong problem-solving ability, Music Director

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The President's Message and the Component/Committee Reports were written prior to school closures to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and may reference events that have been cancelled.

D t H w D A i ce e res tles sness en t u x l g c e D p D O tion a l x corte mind

no ise

io n t n e t t a

and a wide range of interests or a sin-

gle, all-consuming expertise” (National Association for Gifted Children, 2020,

p.1). At school, they may have difficulty keeping up with school work or with

prioritizing their school assignments,

resulting in poor or inconsistent academic performance. Consequently, they can

become frustrated, angry, or depressed.

Because they are gifted and so capable

in their areas of talent, these students’ learning challenges often result in them

being labeled lazy, unmotivated, and uninterested. Such labels can diminish their enthusiasm for school and can contribute to problems with self-confidence and depression.

Below is a list of 2e students’

« Have a specific talent or consuming common strengths (Chelin, 2012, p.11):

interest area for which they have an

sc

l o o

focus

h

executive fu nction

tal n o r f e r p itivity

sens

di ffi

co mpu l

depres

cognit i

ve

sion

g ifte d « Have

s

ive t n c o a i t r a e z memo

ry

d isorganization « Have motor difficulties exhibited by

advanced ideas and opin-

ions, which they are uninhibited in

clumsiness, poor handwriting, or

« Have a superior vocabulary « Have very high energy levels expressing

approach to tasks and as a technique

respond slowly, to work slowly, and to

ways

short-term memory

« Are extremely frustrated by school « Have an unusual imagination « Are humorous, often in “bizarre” « Have problems with long-term and/or to compensate for their disability

lti e

sive

i hyp organ

problems completing paper-and-pen-

« Lack organizational skills and study cil tasks

« Have a wide range of interests that are not related to school topics or learning Below is a list of 2e students’ com« Are interested in the “big picture” mon challenges (Chelin, 2012, p.11): « Have discrepant verbal and perforrather than small details « Are extremely curious and question- mance abilities « Have deficient or extremely uneven ing « Possess high levels of problem-solving academic skills that cause them to lack academic initiative, appear acaand reasoning skills « Have penetrating insights demically unmotivated, avoid school « Are capable of setting up situations to tasks, and frequently fail to complete assignments their own advantage, often as a coping «

Have auditory and/or visual processmethod « Are extremely creative in their ing problems that may cause them to exceptional memory and knowledge

cu

skills, often appearing to be extremely

« Are unable to think in a linear fashion; have difficulty following directions « Are easily frustrated; give up quick“messy”

ly on tasks; are afraid to risk being

« Have difficulty explaining or expresswrong or making mistakes

ing ideas, “getting to the point,” and/

« Blame others for their problems while or expressing feelings

believing that their successes are due

« Are distractible; unable to maintain attention for long periods of time « Are unable to control impulses to “luck”

appear to think slowly

Continued on page 34

April 2020

33

CommitteeReports Diverse Learners Continued from page 33

« Have poor social skills; demonstrate antisocial behaviors « Are highly sensitive to criticism

What We Can Do to Assist Students Who Are Twice Exceptional

Assisting students who are twice exceptional is not as easy as employing

approaches appropriate for giftedness

and for neurological disabilities. It is the

interaction of these learner characteris-

tics and the resulting complications that makes their instruction unique and often

challenging. Employing strategies for their giftedness and neurological disabili-

their areas of challenge; allow flexibility

instructional approaches for all diverse

rather must be coordinated in meaningful

complete assignments; overtly teach orga-

who are twice exceptional. Providing

ties cannot be considered in isolation, but ways. Actively nurturing these students’

gifts and talents while providing accommodations for their learning challenges is not an easy task for any teacher.

Abramo (2015) and Kaufman (2018)

make these suggestions to educators: rec-

ognize students’ talents and accommodate

in how students respond to instruction or nizational skills, self-regulation, and com-

pensatory strategies; help students build positive relationships with their peers and adults; and provide a supportive

environment. Employing the principles

of Universal Design for Learning and differentiated instruction are effective

learners, but particularly so for students individualized and differentiated instruction while assisting students in building

relationships and maintaining self-con-

fidence can be difficult. Abramo (2015, p. 68) has provided a table of possible strategies to address the challenges of teaching 2e students:

STRATEGIES FOR TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS LESS

MORE

Memorizing

Big picture thinking

Lecturing

Hands-on, problem-based learning

Rigid rules

Flexibility in choice

One-size-fits-all teaching of material

Differentiation based on student strengths

Vague parameters

Specific strategies to complete tasks

Cold, “tough-love” demeanor

Warm, encouraging environment and relationship

Expecting 2e students to conform, regardless of strengths or areas of challenge

Consultation with other adults to improve and differentiate instruction

Ignoring or devaluating differences

Teaching all students to accept a variety of ways of learning and demonstrating knowledge

34 F l o r i d a

Music Director

Twice Exce pt Definition o ional f Terms

Twice Exceptional Students in the

Giftedness: Various appro aches to defi ning this term but generally , considered to be intelligence achievement, , and potentia l that are unu when compa sual red to one’s p eers (VanTassel-Ba ska, 2003)

Music Classroom

Hammel (2015), a dedicated parent, recounts many stories of her daughter

who is gifted in music; but like many students with learning disabilities, she

exhibited problematic behaviors and experienced numerous social challenges throughout her school years. The arts are one of the primary areas of giftedness in

Learning D isabilities Defined by ID EA as, “a dis order in one more of the b or asic psycholo gical process involved in u es nderstanding or in using language, sp oken or writt en, that may manifest itse lf in an impe rfect ability to list en, think, sp eak, read, write, sp ell, or to do mathematica l calculations …”

students who are twice exceptional. Their deficit areas, which are often in reading

or other areas such math, writing, or visu-

al and auditory processing, are seldom obvious in the music classroom; however, students’ lack of social skills due to their disability or inability to read nonverbal cues and other social cues may be quite obvious. The arts generally provide envi-

ronments where acceptance of differences and flexibility seem to be part of the

arts intellectual domain. Nevertheless, any students who experience behavioral

and social challenges will need help in addressing their social deficits to make it in the adult world.

The music classroom, where many 2e

students experience success, is an envi-

next to appropriate peers is not difficult;

practicing prosocial behaviors. Adapting

subject matter is difficult unless teachers

ronment that is conducive to learning and

the environment, instruction, expectations, and attitudes can be useful in teaching music to students with challenging

behaviors. Because of their giftedness,

options.

Instructional

accommodations

when the teacher believes the student can

problem behaviors generally perform better when they are (a) in close proximity to the teacher, (b) sitting beside model students, and (c) actively engaged in a

desirable activity. Moving students to the

front of the classroom or placing them

Students who are 2e often misbehave

when they are confused about what

« Know your students and use their they are to do.

are

tive behaviors when they are not active-

prompts these behaviors. Students with

instructional accommodations are:

edgeable about a wide range of curricular

often used for students with problem

ly engaged or when the environment

« Give clear, uncomplicated directions.

know their students well and are knowl-

2e students are frequently bored in class.

Consequently, they may exhibit disrup-

& Darrow, 2018). Some suggestions for

however, adapting instruction and the

names. All students are more likely to

behaviors. An accommodation is used

misbehave when they think they are

« Define

anonymous.

achieve the same level of participation as

his or her classmates but needs additional

expectations for classroom

behavior. Students who are 2e often

support. An instructional accommodation

misbehave because they do not know

allows a student to engage in the same

what behavior is expected. Be explicit,

musical activity as other students in the

as many 2e students do not read non-

class, but some change is made in set-

verbal cues; consequently, they do not

ting, presentation of the information, or

understand a teacher’s expectations

the type of accepted response (Adamek

Continued on page 36

April 2020

35

CommitteeReports Diverse Learners Continued from page 35

by merely observing those around

their peers and to practice prosocial

interest or talent and make it contin-

antecedents

(e.g., completing sight-singing exercis-

isolation. Often there are events that

« Plan an activity related to the student’s « Analyze

behaviors.

them.

gent upon a less desirable activity

consequences.

trigger the behavior and consequenc-

menus (lists of desired activities).

Asking 2e students to do something

and

Students’ behaviors rarely occur in

es). Many teachers use reinforcement

« Think “do” when you think “don’t.”

problem situations as to

es that either reinforce or extinguish the behavior.

Teachers frequently expect students

is a more positive approach than tell-

with social challenges to suppress their

me” instead of “Don’t bury your head

the music classroom. Our expectations

ing them don’t do something—“Watch

« Set the occasion for 2e students to in the music.”

be reinforced. Due to their disability, their self-confidence is often lacking.

Ask them to help move risers, put instruments away, help another student—any activity that will allow you to reinforce prosocial behaviors.

Teaching Discipline (Madsen & Madsen,

2000) includes helpful information related to the suggestions listed above, as well as

other suggestions for managing students’

« Avoid describing 2e students with behavior:

words such as exasperating or annoy-

ing. Students often live up to their

« Reserve emotions—choose your batdescriptors.

tles. Approach 2e students as you would any student with a disability.

Decide which behaviors interfere the

most with learning and prioritize the behaviors that will receive your time

« Use peers as solutions. Solicit soulful and attention.

classmates to be part of the 2e student’s management strategy. Students

with social skills deficits sometimes respond more readily to their peers

than to their teachers. Students who are 2e need opportunities to relate to

36 F l o r i d a

disability and “behave” when they enter

of students, as well as their instruction, often have to be adapted. Like all new behaviors, appropriate behaviors have to

be shaped—shaped through successive approximations to the desired behavior.

Shaping desired behaviors takes time. In

the initial stages of shaping a student’s

« They prompt us to be more organized.

There are numerous well-known

individuals and artists who have been identified as twice exceptional: Keira Knightly,

Orlando

Bloom,

Daniel

Radcliffe, Whoopie Goldberg, Steven

Spielberg, Justin Timberlake, Tom Cruise,

Keanu Reeves, Charles Schwab, Jay Leno, Richard Engel, Henry Winkler, Michael

Phelps, Tim Tebow, Anderson Cooper,

Cher, Richard Branson, Tommy Hilfiger.

Clearly, these individuals have “learned

to learn” and have become successful in their adult lives, most likely due to their parents and patient teachers. There

are many twice exceptional students in

classrooms today, maybe yours, waiting and hoping to become successful adults as well.

behavior, accept and reinforce behaviors

References

ior.

Abramo, J. M. (2015). Gifted students with disabilities: “Twice Exceptionality” in the music classroom. Music Educators Journal, 101(4), 62-69.

that come close to the appropriate behavFinally, we often have to adapt our

attitudes about teaching students with social deficits. Most teachers have negative attitudes about teaching students

who challenge them (Darrow, 1999).

Madsen and Madsen (2000) discuss the strategy of “acting yourself into a new

way of thinking.” There is research to

support the notion that engaging in posi-

tive behaviors can result in more positive thoughts (Strack, Martin, & Stepper, 1988).

Developing a positive attitude about students with problem behaviors can do much to reduce the stress of teaching

these students. There are many other con-

structive outcomes that result from teach-

ing students who challenge us (Adamek &

« They require us to practice patience. « They motivate us to plan more effectively. « They keep us on task in the classroom.

Darrow, 2018):

Music Director

Adamek, M., & Darrow, A. A. (2018). Music in special education (4th ed.). Silver Spring, MD: AMTA publications.

Chelin, D. (Ed.). (2012). Twice exceptional students: Gifted students with disabilities. Littleton, CO: Muddy Paws Publishing, LLC. Darrow, A. A. (1999). Music educators’ perceptions regarding the inclusion of students with severe disabilities in music classrooms.

Journal of Music Therapy, 36, 254-273.

Hammel, A. (2015). Twice exceptional. In D. V. Blair, & K. A. McCord (Eds.), Exceptional music pedagogy for children with exceptionalities. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Kaufman, S. B. (2018). Twice exceptional. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Madsen, C. H., & Madsen, C. K. (2000). Teaching discipline: A positive approach for educational development (4th ed.). Raleigh, NC: Contemporary.

National Association for Gifted Children. (2020).

Twice-exceptional students. https://www. nagc.org/resources-publications/resources-parents/twice-exceptional-students Strack, F., Martin, L. L., & Stepper, S. (1988).

Inhibiting and facilitating conditions of the human smile: A nonobstrusive test of the facial feedback hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 768-777.

AWARDS COMMITTEE

Debbie Fahmie, Chairwoman

I

hope you have had the opportunity to check out all the

smiles of our 2020 FMEA award recipients (thank you

to Bob O’Lary for photographing the awards ceremony

and capturing all those smiles) and to read about what

each awardee is doing to support quality music education

throughout our state. In case you have not, please see the

spread in the February/March Florida Music Director. You

will learn about our six amazing major category award win-

ners as well as 19 individuals who collectively contributed 570 years of service to music education. These individuals

were recognized with the Music Education Service Award

for 25 or more years in music education. Additionally, we

awarded the FMEA Music Enrollment Award to 26 schools from throughout the state. To receive this award, at least 45%

at the middle school level and 30% at the high school level of

the student population must be enrolled in a music course.

An impressive 16 of the schools recognized this year have half or more of their total student population

writes: t t o c S J. Mark

ers, ee memb t it m m o I know that reading about all of our 2020 FMEA aff and C k; MEA St F past wee e h t t u awardees will impress you, but I hope that it will also o ab now. thoughts m to you e h t inspire you to think about possible nominees for 2021. s s So many e r o exp be sure t ire The call for nominations is already available at https:// o t t n a Iw your ent d n a l, a V the fmea.org/programs/awards/.

I know there are many nk you, to make a h d t i , d t s u o ir F all y amazing folks out there, and I look forward to receiving ct ittee for m m o c ked the fa li s d I . this year’s nominations. s s e awar c one a suc reakfast d and no b e r I would like to share with you what one of our awardees s o d n r o a h w s a wa led recipient had to say after returning home from this year’s FMEA ry humb y e r v e s v e a t w a th nally Awards Ceremony. J. Mark Scott has spent the last 49 years hing t. I perso u o t f e or somet l f s n a o i w it n of his life dedicated to the cause for music education. Due cog oing, e such re my life d f o lf to receiv a to the work he has done serving in many capacities within h an Music t more th d to do. e ll a c music education, FVA and the choral world will continue to l e I’ve spen inly fe mplete g I certa in thrive. Many letters of support came in for Mark’s nomination, h t e m t for a co o n s a t r o p proud to im o m s a s all with testimonies of the impact he has had on students and I i d n o n ent, a educati pen. ery stud v teachers throughout his long career. It was with great enthusie r ke it hap o f a n m o i o t t a g c edu orkin ion, asm that we awarded Mark with the FMEA Leadership Award part of w ic educat s a u n e m e b in e hav in January. His thoughts are shown at right … years ice t my 49 u o e s ke my vo a lo c m It is truly wonderful that we have folks like Mark Scott who d n a As I ocate e n to adv a l have not just carried the torch for such a long time, but who will p l il e continu t s w I t a h t l continue to carry it into their retirement. I appreciate that FMEA is so vita heard. It has a vehicle for recognizing these heroes among us. Think of who . the fight enrolled in music education courses!

you know out there and get those nominations submitted for the 2021 FMEA Awards Program.

April 2020

37

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SILVER PARTNERS Music is Elementary Music Man, Inc. The Horn Section, Inc. Partners as of March 5, 2020.

*Please visit FMEA.org/partners for partnership details or call 850-878-6844.

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Music Director

Please take time to thank and support our 2019-2020 Corporate Partners.

PARTNERS

BRONZE PARTNERS Cadence Music Carl Fischer Music D’Addario Excelcia Music Publishing Head’s House of Music J.W. Pepper & Son, Inc. MakeMusic, Inc.

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April 2020

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