August 2013 Southwestern Musician

AUGUST 2013

Item #1021

For more info and video excerpts, go to:

and

Item #1024

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Check-out our latest percussion publications at:

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$8*867 2013 VOLUME 82 — ISSUE 1

Learn how the results of the 83rd Texas legislative session will DIIHFW WKH IXWXUH RI ÀQH DUWV HGXFDWLRQ

BY ROBERT FLOYD

17

President’s Notes .............................................. 5

by Joe Weir ([HFXWLYH 'LUHFWRU·V 1RWHV..................10

by Robert Floyd Band Notes ............................................................ 13

by Ronnie Rios 2UFKHVWUD 1RWHV ...............................................22

by Craig Needham

*RLQJ 6RFLDO Connecting with students in the digital world can help keep them informed and engaged and can help you extend the reach of your instruction.

BY ANDY STEWART AND ROBERT WARD

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Cover photo by Karen Cross.

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BY KAREN CROSS

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)LQH $UWV 7(.6 5HYLVLRQV &RPSOHWH Three review committee members offer their perspective on the UHYLVLRQ SURFHVV DQG H[DPSOHV RI KRZ WKH Ã&#x20AC;QH DUWV 7(.6 KDYH been revised.

BY PATRICIA MORENO, PETER WARSHAW, AND JD JANDA

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BY STEPHANIE RODRIGUEZ

UPDATES

9RFDO 1RWHV ............................................................29

by Dinah Menger

Attend Your Fall Region Meeting...................................................................2

(OHPHQWDU\ 1RWHV ...........................................36

by Colleen Riddle

Your TMEA Membership Has Expired ...........................................................6

&ROOHJH 1RWHV ..................................................... 45

by Keith Dye

2014 TMEA Clinic/Convention and Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Concert ............................4

Invest in Our Future with TFME .................................................................. 28 TMEA Offers Grants for Elementary Music Programs .............................. 41 6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ | August 2013

1

Editor-in-Chief: Robert Floyd

UĂ R\G@tmea.org H[W )D[

Attend Your Fall Region Meeting

Managing Editor: Karen Cross kcross@tmea.org H[W )D[

TMEA Executive Board

Get involved and stay informed by attending your Region meetings.

President: Joe Weir joseph.weir@humble.k12.tx.us )LUHVLJQ 'ULYH +XPEOH ² $WDVFRFLWD +6

Region Date

Time

Location

10 a.m.

Amarillo HS

10 a.m.

Decatur HS

1

Aug. 17

2

Aug. 17

3

Aug. 17

10 a.m.

Lake Highlands HS

4

Aug. 16

5 p.m.

Mt. Pleasant HS

john.gillian@ectorcountyisd.org /RPD 'ULYH 2GHVVD ² (FWRU &RXQW\ ,6'

5

Aug. 18

2 p.m.

Lamar HS

6

Aug. 10

10 a.m.

Lee HS

Band Vice-President: Ronnie Rios

7

Aug. 17

1 p.m.

Aledo HS

ronnierios@yahoo.com 3DORPD %ODQFD &RXUW +DUOLQJHQ [ ² +DUOLQJHQ +6

8

Aug. 10

10 a.m.

Belton HS PAC

9

Aug. 10

9 a.m.

Westfield HS

10

Aug. 12

6:30 p.m.

Lamar Univ.

11

Aug. 10

12 p.m.

Stevens HS, Northside ISD

12

Aug. 11

2:30 p.m.

Churchill HS

13

Aug. 17

10 a.m.

George Ranch HS, LCISD

14

Aug. 10

10 a.m.

Del Mar College

15

Aug. 17

10 a.m.

Edinburg HS PAC

16

Aug. 10

10 a.m.

Post HS

17

Aug. 17

9:30 a.m.,

Angleton HS

18

Aug. 17

10 a.m.

Anderson HS

19

Aug. 10

10 a.m.

San Jacinto College North

20

Aug. 17

9 a.m.

Greiner MS, Dallas

21

Aug. 10

10 a.m.

Chapel Hill HS Band Hall

22

Aug. 24

12 p.m.

Eastwood HS

23

Aug. 17

9 a.m.

Lamar HS

24

Aug. 17

10 a.m.

Newman Smith HS

President-Elect: Janwin Overstreet-Goode MRYHUVWUHHW JRRGH#Ă&#x20AC;VGN QHW )URQWLHU /DQH )ULHQGVZRRG [ )D[ ² )ULHQGVZRRG +6

Past-President: John Gillian

Orchestra Vice-President: Craig Needham &UDLJ 1HHGKDP#ULFKDUGVRQ N W[ XV ( 6SULQJ 9DOOH\ 5G 5LFKDUGVRQ ² %HUNQHU +6

Vocal Vice-President: Dinah Menger d.menger@sbcglobal.net :HVWFUHVW $UOLQJWRQ ² %D\ORU 8QLY

Elementary Vice-President: Colleen Riddle VDOO\KREL]DO#NDW\LVG RUJ ( 1RUWK +LOO 'U 6SULQJ ² 0 2 &DPSEHOO (G &HQWHU

College Vice-President: Keith Dye keith.dye@ttu.edu 1RUZRRG $YHQXH /XEERFN [ ² 7H[DV 7HFK 8QLYHUVLW\

TMEA Staff Executive Director: Robert Floyd | UĂ R\G@tmea.org Deputy Director: Frank Coachman | fcoachman@tmea.org Administrative Director: .D\ 9DQODQGLQJKDP | kvanlandingham@tmea.org Advertising/Exhibits Manager: Tesa Harding | tesa@tmea.org Membership Manager: 6XVDQ 'DXJKHUW\ | susand@tmea.org Membership Assistant: Rita Ellinger | rellinger@tmea.org Communications Manager: .DUHQ &URVV | kcross@tmea.org Financial Manager: /DXUD .RFLDQ | lkocian@tmea.org Information Technologist: $QGUHZ 'HQPDQ | adenman@tmea.org

70($ 2IĂ&#x20AC;FH Mailing Address: 3 2 %R[ $XVWLQ Physical Address: &HQWUH 3DUN 'ULYH $XVWLQ Phone: | Toll-Free: 70($ | Fax: Website: www.tmea.org 2IĂ&#x20AC;FH +RXUV 0RQGD\²)ULGD\ A.M.² P.M.

9:30 a.m. food

9:30 a.m. food

9:30 a.m. coffee

9 a.m. food 9:30 a.m. food

11:00 a.m. UIL mtg 8:30 a.m., food

25

Aug. 24

10 a.m.

Plano East HS

26

Aug. 17

10 a.m.

McNeil HS

27

Aug. 17

9 a.m.

Cypress Ranch HS

28

Aug. 10

10 a.m.

Harlingen HS

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6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ | August 2013

2014 TMEA CLINIC/CONVENTION Including the TI:ME Music Technology National Conference

F E B 1 2 – 1 5 S a n A n t o n i o , Te x a s

W W W . T M E A . O R G / C O N V E N T I O N

SIMPLY THE BEST CLINICS, CONCERTS & EXHIBITS PRESIDENT’S CONCERT 2014 THE 5 BROWNS Wednesday February 12 8 P.M. Lila Cockrell Theater $10 General Admission (purchase when you preregister)

Making their first appearance at the TMEA convention, The 5 Browns are an internationally acclaimed quintet of sibling pianists who will perform individually and in ensembles. Don’t miss this incredible kickoff to another outstanding convention!

4

6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ | August 2013

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A

s a public school teacher, saying “Happy new year” and making resolutions has always seemed more appropriate in the month of August. I realize many of you are reveling in the freedom of these last few days, but whether you like it or not, in-service, summer band, string camp, uniform check-out, Region sectionals, officer meetings, and booster planning are just around the corner.

Rehearsal rooms across the state will soon be teeming with new and energized students ready to play and sing their way into another amazing year! Are you ready? Have you made some clear and concise resolutions for the new school year?

I must continually remind myself that no matter how long I have been teaching, my students come back refreshed and excited to begin—every year.

As you begin or continue planning, make sure that your goals and objectives are attainable. Like New Year’s resolutions, long-range plans and objectives need focus and short-term goals must be realistic for every ensemble in your program. Without a realistic focus, your planning can easily be derailed and then, like unrealized resolutions, your best-laid plans will quickly go by the wayside.

Look at 2013–2014 as your next ten-month marathon with your students. We must all resolve to properly train them for a successful and healthy outcome in May. When you plan rehearsals, maintain a systematic and uniform approach.

Set expectations and follow through. Be consistent with regard to fundamental drills and exercises in non-varsity and elementary ensembles while making sure to review, build on, and strengthen those fundamentals with the varsity groups.

We have a tendency to put our students on the rehearsal treadmill in August at high speed before they are ready to run the race. Proper training and warm-ups are essential parts of what we should be doing every day and in every rehearsal.

Pacing and patience in rehearsal will be crucial to student success as you begin the 2013–14 marathon. Good luck!

35(6,'(17·6 127(6 ,03257$17 '$7(6 August—Attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2).

August—Renew your TMEA membership and preregister for the 2014 convention.

August 20—Liability insurance through TMEA expires.

October 1, 6 a.m. CT—TMEA convention online housing reservation system opens.

December 31—TMEA convention mail/fax preregistration deadline.

January 23, 2014—TMEA convention online preregistration deadline.

February 12–15, 2014—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

Rehearsal rooms across the state will soon be WHHPLQJ ZLWK QHZ DQG HQHUJL]HG VWXGHQWV UHDG\ WR SOD\ DQG VLQJ WKHLU ZD\ LQWR DQRWKHU DPD]LQJ \HDU 6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ | August 2013

5

In addition to planning for our programs, music educators have a responsibility to abide by standards that perpetuate the dignity and honor of our profession. TMEA supports this commitment with a Code of Ethics and Standard Practices found at www.tmea.org/about/ policies. Use this code as your source for professional behavior standards. The code is divided into three sections, and the following are two standards from each section: Section 1: Responsibilities to the Profession An Ethical Teacher: â&#x20AC;˘ Shall endeavor to promote positive professional relations with colleagues in education. â&#x20AC;˘ Shall respect and support colleagues and other school personnel in the proper performance of their duties.

Section 2: Responsibilities to the Student An Ethical Teacher: â&#x20AC;˘ Shall make every effort to protect the

physical and mental health and safety of all students. â&#x20AC;˘ Shall design and employ methods of instruction to provide the highest educational and musical experiences and instill a lifelong appreciation of music and the arts.

Section 3: Responsibilities to the Community An Ethical Teacher: â&#x20AC;˘ Shall model conduct at all times in such a manner as to merit the respect of the public for members of the music education profession. â&#x20AC;˘ Shall accept the professional responsibility to serve as an advocate in the community for matters relating to music education.

These standards coincide perfectly with our goals to promote advocacy and teamwork. Now is the time to cultivate a culture of advocacy and awareness with your administrators and legislators. Now is the time, just prior to elections, when legislators need us. Communicate dates.

Plan to invite and introduce them at events. Stay on their radar!

Meet with your vertical team throughout the year and keep them informed of calendar events and expectations.

Communicate with your secondary campus music staff or district elementary colleagues to plan a campus-level or districtwide support strategy. How can we help each other throughout the year? No one should feel helpless or uninformed. We are all in this together!

Is there some collaborative effort that will fit in your schedule to further promote music or fine arts on your campus and in the community? If so, make this the year you implement that effort. The advocacy and teamwork pieces of what we do are invaluable investments.

I urge you to continue to share your thoughts, ideas, and concerns with your Region Chairs, your Region officers, your state Vice-Presidents, and with me. We always want to hear from you, and know that you have a dedicated Executive Board on which you can rely. I wish you the happiest of new years!

Your TMEA Membership Has Expired!

All TMEA 2012â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2013 memberships expired June 30. Also, if covered, liability insurance expires August 20.

Renew now to ensure you receive the benefits of your TMEA membership for the entire year.

Plan to enter students to an audition?

Renew Online Today

Your membership must be active to do so.

Just click Renew from www.tmea.org

Thank you for your membership in TMEA. Our association continues to be the largest state music educators association in the country, and for that we are justly proud. The strength of TMEA, however, is not only in its size but in the quality of its membership. The strength of music programs in our schools is rooted in the dedication of its teachers, all united in a mission to provide the best music education for all Texas schoolchildren.

Membership in an organization of over 11,000 music educators carries with LW EHQHÂżWV LQKHUHQW IURP WKLV VWUHQJWK in numbers. TMEA is your voice to the Texas Legislature and the State Board

of Education. In addition to representation by TMEA leaders, members enjoy D P\ULDG RI EHQHÂżWV LQFOXGLQJ DFFHVV WR group health insurance, low-cost liability insurance, professional development opportunities, online and printed pedagogical and advocacy resources, and more.

TMEA strives to provide meaningful professional development for our members and wonderful opportunities for our high school students through the audition process and through Texas Future Music Educators.

Renew today to continue supporting the future of music education in Texas.

Renew now, and remind your colleagues to do the same!

6

6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ | August 2013

Membership â&#x20AC;˘ Join â&#x20AC;˘ Renew â&#x20AC;˘ Update Personal Info â&#x20AC;˘ Member Card/Receipt â&#x20AC;˘ Verify Membership & Registration â&#x20AC;˘ Member Directory Verify and update your email and mailing addresses. Your receipt and membership card are sent to your email address.

Legislative Session Yields Significant Gains in Fine Arts Education

by Robert Floyd

O

n Sunday, May 26, 2013, the Texas House and Senate passed House Bill 5 containing landmark changes for public education that include greater flexibility in high school graduation plans and fewer end-of-course exams. On June 10, Governor Perry signed the bill into law, thus elevating the status of arts education by creating an Arts and Humanities endorsement as one of five new areas of concentration high school students may pursue beyond the foundation program required of all students.

Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, Chair of the House Public Education Committee and author of the bill, and Sen. Dan Patrick, Chair of the Senate Education Committee, along with all of their committee members, deserve our thanks for supporting fine arts education and for recognizing the role of the arts in the education of the whole child.

Key provisions will become effective in the 2014–15 school year under rules and transition provisions issued by the Education Commissioner. However, the requirement for districts to establish a local policy limiting removing students from class for remediation becomes effective for the 2013–14 school year. The following are brief descriptions of HB 5 provisions that affect arts education.

Fine Arts Requirements Protected The high school foundation program will continue to require that all students complete one fine arts credit for graduation.

The middle school fine arts course requirement in grades 6, 7, or 8 remains in law with no additional course requirements that would limit middle school student electives. (A required career 8

Southwestern Musician | August 2013

exploration course in grade seven or eight was not included in the final version of the bill.) Finally, TEKS-based music, art, and theatre must continue to be taught in grades K–5.

Legislators did adopt a provision, not supported by TMEA but supported by key players, for a district to allow a student to meet the one-credit fine arts graduation requirement in high school with participation in a community-based fine arts program not provided by the school district in which the student is enrolled.

The outside fine arts program would have to meet the TEKS of a current state-approved fine arts course. Substituting such a community-based program to meet the graduation requirement must be approved by the commissioner of education.

TMEA was able to work with the chairs and their staffs to accept amendments to assure the integrity and rigor of the fine arts requirement. This language was amended on both the floor of the House and Senate to strengthen the substitution requirements, and TMEA has submitted recommendations to the commissioner’s office for Texas Administrative Code (TAC) language that would guide commissioner’s rules to further limit program substitutions. Again, please note this is a district decision, and your district may simply decide that with so many fine arts options offered during the school day that such flexibility is not necessary, especially with no absolute assurance of program quality, rigor, and quality of instruction.

Arts and Humanities Endorsement Students may receive an Arts and Humanities endorsement on their diploma and transcript for completing the 22 credits required in the foundation program plus four additional credits

(one in math, one in science, and two electives). Seven of the 26 credits would be electives. The State Board of Education will determine endorsement-specific credit requirements. Among the five endorsements created in the bill, only the Arts and Humanities endorsement contains a special provision allowing students (with parental permission) to substitute an additional arts and humanities course for an advanced science credit. The plan will give students much greater flexibility to design a course of study tailored to their interests. The SBOE will determine what courses will be eligible to meet this substitution option.

Restrictions on Pulling Students Out of Classes After unsuccessful attempts by TMEA

in two previous sessions, legislators finally approved a provision in HB 5 requiring local school boards to adopt and strictly enforce a policy limiting removal of students from a regularly scheduled class for remedial tutoring or test preparation.

TMEA partnered with the CTE lobby in this endeavor. Under the new law, a school may not remove a student more than ten percent of the days the class is offered without the permission of the parent.

The bill further requires that to receive a credit or final grade, students must be in class 90 percent of the days the class meets except under extenuating circumstances not related to remediation (or parent permission). It also clarifies that such policy applies not just to high school but to all classes in grades Kâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;12.

Fine Arts Included in District and Campus Evaluations Each district must evaluate the district as well as each campus for Community and Student Engagement compliance by August 8 every year beginning with the 2013â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2014 school year. Local committees will develop criteria for evaluating the district and campuses as having exemplary, recognized, acceptable, or unacceptable performance in nine areas, one of which is fine arts. TMEA is in the process of developing recommended criteria that districts may use in developing such indicators.

The bill contains many other provisions of interest to educators and parents including assessments, accountability, class rankings for college admissions, academic support systems, and much more.

To read the complete text of the final bill, go to www.tmea.org/smlink/HB5.

!LL 2EGION !LL 3TATE

CLINIC DAY

Oct. 5, 2013 s 4-%! AND !433" CLINICS s #ONCERT "AND AND *AZZ "AND AUDITION ETUDES

Register Now For details and to register for this free clinic, visit: www.tarleton.edu/band/camps/

all-region-clinic-day.html

6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ | August 2013

9

(;(&87,9( ',5(&725·6 127(6

83rd legislative session epilogue % < 5 2 % ( 5 7 ) / 2 < '

,1 0(025,$0 H AROLD GORE Pender’s Music Company September 8, 1930–June 22, 2013

,03257$17 '$7(6 August—Attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2).

August—Renew your TMEA membership and preregister for the 2014 convention.

August 20—Liability insurance through TMEA expires.

October 1, 6 a.m. CT— TMEA convention online housing reservation system opens.

T

he regular session of the 83rd Texas Legislature is now complete, and as reported in the preceding article, HB 5 was signed into law by Governor Perry. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, lieutenant governor, and governor all had made it clear that educational reform was a high priority on their agendas for this session.

Specific priorities were revising graduation requirements to give students more flexibility to pursue interests and modifying the accountability system to lessen the number of tests students must pass to graduate.

However, any time the legislature begins to revise education law, anything can happen, and usually does. Having new chairs of both the Senate and House public education committees created its own uncertainty for all who are involved in the public education arena.

As the session progressed, however, it became clear that the battle we were prepared to fight—to protect arts education in current law in our schools—was not going to be the challenge we had anticipated. There were several reasons for this. First, both Chair Jimmie Don Aycock of the House Public Education Committee and Chair Dan Patrick of the Senate Education Committee proved

December 31—TMEA convention mail/fax preregistration deadline.

January 23, 2014—TMEA convention online preregistration deadline.

February 12–15, 2014—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

10 6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ | August 2013

I simply cannot recall a session when I encountered so many legislators and staff members who were so philosophically in tune with the fact that arts education must continue to play a role in the education of Texas schoolchildren.

to be strong supporters of the arts in a well-balanced education. In addition, our fine arts caucus grew in numbers this session, and Senator Leticia Van de Putte and Representative Marsha Farney proved to be effective and valuable co-chairs in their respective chambers.

Arts Education Days at the Capitol sponsored by the Texas Coalition for Quality Arts Education (TCQAE) was a resounding success again this session, and the impact of that event continued to resonate throughout the session long after March 4–5. Arts organizations such as Texas Cultural Trust, educational non-profits such as Raise Your Hand Texas, and even the Texas Association of Business, which fought to make sure education reform did not lower standards in any significant way, held steadfast in their support of the inclusion of fine arts in the new graduation program.

Beyond that, I simply cannot recall a session when I encountered so many legislators and staff members who were so philosophically in tune with the fact that arts education must continue to play a role in the education of Texas schoolchildren.

Make no mistake about it.

When you start from practically ground zero and attempt to create new education legislation affecting graduation programs and accountability, there are many pitfalls, much controversy, and opportunity for conflict and disagreement along the way.

Through some rather tense times, however, the ultimate language that survived hearings, debate, conference committee sanction, and scrutiny by the governor’s office, will prove to serve students in a most positive manner.

Implementation The next step in the process to implement HB 5 will fall on the shoulders of the State Board of Education, especially in the development of the endorsements.

Certainly TMEA will be monitoring and working with the board members to ensure the Arts and Humanities endorsement serves our students well and that students who pursue another endorsement will have the flexibility to participate in a music program throughout high school.

We do not want students to find it more difficult moving forward to participate in a fine arts program for four years than they have in the current Recommended

or Distinguished Achievement Programs.

We believe that will not be the case. Our relationship with the SBOE is quite positive, and I do not anticipate issues surfacing that cannot be resolved in a way to effectively serve your students.

A common term one hears at the capitol and that districts and educational associations will struggle with as they attempt to interpret the 117 pages of new education law is “legislative intent.” One of the areas that will be subjected to such scrutiny in the new law is the section about student pull-out from academic classes.

The law requires local boards of trustees to adopt and strictly enforce a policy that limits removal of students from a class for remedial tutoring or test preparation. Without the permission of the parent or guardian, removal of students cannot exceed ten percent of the days the class meets. Further, this new policy states that a student in any grade from kindergarten through grade twelve may not be given class credit or a final course grade unless the student meets this attendance requirement. Understandably, quite often elementary and middle school principals do not believe this language applies to them since they do not deal with credits. This change in statute simply clarifies that credit and final grade

are synonymous in law.

There are defined exceptions that allow students to still receive credit after missing more than ten percent of the days, but the legislative intent is simply that a district should not remove a student for the express purpose of remediation and test preparation and set them up for failure in yet another class. In short, the message is don’t do it! (This part of law was never crafted for remedial purposes but to assist students with extenuating family circumstances, extended illness, etc.)

I would encourage you to monitor such policy adoption, and even encourage your district to lower it to five percent or even disallow it. We have many districts and campuses that have such a policy, and I believe this is the time to push the envelope on this issue.

In closing, we have just completed the most successful legislative session for fine arts in recent times. My personal thanks go to lobbyists Matt Matthews and Michelle Smith, who were valuable partners throughout the process. Over the next few months we will all be peeling away the layers of HB 5 and discovering issues that continue to call for our attention. I encourage you to contact me with questions and concerns, and I will do my best to help you.

Welcome Back!

The TMEA staff welcomes you back for another successful school year! Please contact us if we can be of service.

Executive Director: Robert Floyd | rfloyd@tmea.org Deputy Director: Frank Coachman | fcoachman@tmea.org Administrative Director: Kay Vanlandingham | kvanlandingham@tmea.org Advertising/Exhibits Manager: Tesa Harding | tesa@tmea.org Membership Manager: Susan Daugherty | susand@tmea.org Membership Assistant: Rita Ellinger | rellinger@tmea.org Communications Manager: Karen Cross | kcross@tmea.org Financial Manager: Laura Kocian | lkocian@tmea.org Information Technologist: Andrew Denman | adenman@tmea.org

Learn more about the TMEA staff at www.tmea.org/staff 888-318-8632 • 512-452-0710

6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ | August 2013 11

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e may not be able to control all aspects of our band world, but we do have the ability to influence the rapport we build with our parents and our students. So it is imperative we take this seriously and approach it professionally. We should be proactive in creating an environment through which we support the development of all and in which we are known to be approachable.

Whether you speak one-on-one with parents or students daily, weekly, or even less frequently, you should always give it all you have! Last school year, I kept a tally on the number of times I communicated with parents. After the year was over, I found that I averaged 11 contacts with parents per month. I had 11 opportunities each month to build a rock-solid, meaningful relationship with those who could serve as ambassadors for our band program.

As great as our band parents can be (or as challenging as they might be), we must remember that sometimes they may not think like we do. It is therefore imperative that we stop, listen, and offer positive and friendly comments and resolutions to our conversations. We must also be absolutely sure to make our vision crystal clear to parents in a meaningful way. Create a culture distinguished by the approachable atmosphere you foster. This will build strong pillars of teacher-parent cooperation.

The same can be created with students. Individual interaction with students can be powerful. Try keeping one student after rehearsal every other day, every three days, or even once weekly for just a few seconds. This might prove

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,03257$17 '$7(6 Augustâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Renew your TMEA membership and preregister for the 2014 convention.

Augustâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2 for details).

August 1â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Deadline for waivers to the audition process to be received at TMEA headquarters.

August 20â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Liability insurance through TMEA expires.

October 1, 6 a.m. CTâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;TMEA convention online housing reservation system opens.

October 25â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Deadline to receive All-State Jazz audition CDs in the TMEA office.

November 9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;10â&#x20AC;&#x201D;All-State Jazz judging.

December 31â&#x20AC;&#x201D;TMEA convention mail/fax preregistration deadline.

January 11, 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Area Band and Vocal auditions.

January 23, 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201D;TMEA convention online preregistration deadline.

February 12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;15, 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201D;TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ | August 2013 13

extremely beneficial. Speak meaningful words in â&#x20AC;&#x153;sandwichâ&#x20AC;? form; start by praising or recognizing an effort, offer a small growth suggestion, and then restate the praise. This will not only allow you to get to know your students better, but it will help students develop into ambassadors of the program as well.

If you want an extraordinary program, get out of your comfort zone and take on a new challenge! If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader and you will inspire many ambassadors to follow.

Your TMEA Membership Has Expired Please remember to renew your membership in TMEA, purchase the affordable and important liability insurance, and preregister for the convention to be held February 12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;15, 2014. To enter students to the TMEA audition process, your membership must be current. If you need help gaining support to register for the convention, you can find many resources at www.tmea.org/convention. If you have new teachers at your campus, encourage them to join TMEA.

$MJOJDT t /FUXPSLJOH t *OEVTUSZ &YIJCJUT t -JWF 4IPXT +&/FSBUJPOT +B[[ 'FTUJWBM Teachers, submit your combos, big bands, and vocal jazz ensembles of all ages for a non-competitive performance. Students receive adjudication and a clinic by world-class clinicians plus a 1-year JEN membership.

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Take Time to Serve I hope you will consider volunteering to assist in some capacity at the TMEA convention. To volunteer online, go to the Band Division menu at www.tmea.org and you will find the Volunteer page. Just a little of your time in service will make a huge difference for everyone. Please contact me if you want more information on specific duties or clarifications. TMEA needs you!

Entering Students to the TMEA Audition Process?

Your TMEA Membership Must Be Active www.tmea.org/membership

14 6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ | August 2013

Pat McNallen Scholarship Winners Congratulations and best wishes go to the following Band Division members who have been awarded Pat McNallen scholarships in the amount of $1,000 to help them in their graduate studies: Julianne Amos, Sartartia MS, Ft. Bend ISD; Heidi Blancarte, Barnes MS, Sequin ISD; Noel Esquivel, Jr., Kelly Lane MS, Pflugerville ISD; Evan Fletcher, Argyle MS, Argyle ISD; Crystal Gerrad-Hervey, DeLay MS, Lewisville ISD; Arturo Hinojosa, Mercedes JH, Mercedes ISD; Catharine Klein, Baylor Univ; Jane Maloy, Dueitt MS, Spring ISD; Michael Misko, Southside HS, San Antonio ISD; James William Palmer, Brandenburg MS, Garland ISD; Stephanie Pavlasek, Johnson MS, McKinney ISD. To learn more about this scholarship, go to www.tmea.org/mcnallen.

room monitors, and competitors for an outstanding Honor Band competition at the TBA convention. Please look for winners in the next issue of SOUTHWESTERN MUSICIAN. Many thanks to the Texas Bandmasters Association for yet another tremendous convention this year in San Antonio.

Many wonderful workshops and conversations with colleagues always make for a successful endeavor.

A special congratulations to all the outstanding Texas ensembles that will be performing at the upcoming Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago this December.

• Aledo MS Honor Winds, Ryan Johnstone, director • Clear Creek HS Wind Ensemble, Stephen Meyer, director

• Grisham MS Honors Band, Betty Bierschenk-Pierce, director • Westlake HS Wind Ensemble, Kerry Taylor, director • Bailey MS Percussion Ensemble, Austin Swack, director • Cedar Ridge HS Low Brass Choir, Mark Calima, director • Spring HS Sax Quartet, Gabe Musella, director • Del Valle Jazz Ensemble I, Manny Gamez, director If you attend the Midwest Clinic, be sure to support our Texas groups with your presence.

My best to you all as you start this exciting new school year!

Band Division Updates The All-State Band etudes are available on the TMEA website. You may purchase etude books with the music vendors of your choice.

Thanks go to the honor band judges,

6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ | August 2013 15

Going Social

by Andy Stewart and Robert Ward

Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach.

—Mark Prensky, author of Teaching Digital Natives

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hile Mark Prensky’s observation is certainly disturbing, it’s equally difficult to deny. The digital world our students occupy is quite different from anything most of us have experienced. All they have known is instant access to information, communication, and constant stimuli—a reality that isn’t always reached by traditional teaching methods. This is not, however, meant to discount those methods. In fact, they remain necessary for developing well-rounded students. Yet, to ignore the possibilities inherent in the digital space is to deny an extra measure of success in the classroom.

Students now have access to more knowledge than most of us could have imagined when we were in school. What is more fascinating is that they regularly make use of these resources. Whether they learn how to do something via YouTube or engage in a conversation via social media, today’s students will make use of anything available to them. Therefore, it is necessary for teachers to develop a digital presence. It may be as simple as a social media connection or instituting online lessons. In each, the teacher’s presence is felt. It is important to remember that this is not a personal connection but an extension of the classroom and should be maintained as such. While students should not have access to a teacher’s vacation photos, by sharing images from a class trip or recent concert, you can infuse positive energy into the program.

Some might write off the rise of connected devices as nothing more than an added distraction in the classroom, yet the rapid ascent of mobile, always-on technology is not devoid of usefulness. In fact, the very reasons this technology can become a source of conflict during instruction are also what make it an incredibly efficient means of connecting with students. There are tools and possibilities available to all of us if we are willing to embrace them.

Southwestern Musician | August 2013 17

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ENHANCING NOTIFICATIONS Gone are the days of typing, printing, copying, and sending home a paper note.

The frequency with which our students turn their eyes to their smartphones or tablets overshadows any thought they would give to a note you send home with them. Social media not only replaces those traditional ways of communication, but it can serve to improve the consistency, effectiveness, and scope of what you share.

It is important to stress that all social media communication should be through accounts or pages created specifically for your organization and not personal accounts. Organization-specific accounts protect you and your students and allow for administrative oversight, if set up correctly.

The most obvious use of social media is the replication of a traditional announcement or note. “Don’t forget to bring $5 for lunch tomorrow,” “Concert is 1 week away—do you know where your uniform is?” “Full orchestra rehearsals are Tuesday and Thursday this week.” Notifications like these can be shared and viewed instantly on services such as Twitter and

Social media allows you to put that lesson directly in front of your students in a space they already occupy and leaves more time in class for the deeper connections to the music and each other that we all want our students to experience.

Facebook. The message is immediately available, visible to anyone following your account (parent, student, administrator, etc.), and is persistent, remaining in that space for reference at any time.

Since many of the widely used platforms work best with frequent but shorter messages, they are also effective for conveying notes of affirmation to an ensemble or group. “Great rehearsal today!”

“Excited about your progress!” “Congrats solo and ensemble participants!” Through traditional means, these short notes might not seem worth the effort. With social media, a few seconds can translate into a wealth of positive rapport.

The instant nature of social media (especially in conjunction with mobile devices) allows for spontaneous sharing with your students. Great quotes, beautiful performances, and inspiring images are all around us. Facebook and Twitter are great for broadcasting quick messages

through text, but they can also be used to share a photo, video, or audio clip that you find or create yourself. Likewise, services like Flickr and Instagram can be used to curate and share photos you take of your organization, inspirational images, concert posters, or fun Internet images related to your area.

Lengthy articles or media are not necessarily the forte of many of these services. However, they can still be used to redirect followers to that information.

Alongside a school or organization website, social media can be used to alert users to information they need. Share a link to the trip itinerary on your website, a poll or form to complete, or a video on YouTube of your group performing.

ENGAGING STUDENTS Communication is a two-way street, and social media can offer a friction-free conversation between multiple parties. By

Southwestern Musician | August 2013 19

requiring students to submit a reply, you have instant assurance that your message has been received. If there is confusion, most platforms offer ways for people to comment or respond to a post. A student or parent can ask a follow-up question immediately, thus reducing the potential of the message or question getting lost in translation or time by waiting to address it in class the next day.

Educators are often searching for ways to empower their students and help them take ownership in a program. Posting discussion questions can go a long way toward students having input into your organization. “What would you like to see happen at the choir retreat?” “How can we get more people involved in our Spring Concert?” The nature of these commenting systems can lead to positive discussion among your students about a given topic as well.

Social media is also a great way to collect student responses. “Share your favorite memory from orchestra this year.”

“Who is available to play holiday music at the senior center next Saturday?” Some services like Twitter employ hashtags (#) to curate and track these posts. By creat-

ing a unique hashtag, members can post using that hashtag or search for it to see what others are posting on the same subject. Create a tag to use for class discussion or a tag to use on a group trip. Not only are you creating a means of gathering perspective and information, you are also empowering all of your students.

Public Twitter profiles or Facebook Fan Pages allow for community and parent involvement as well. Not only can you promote upcoming events, but you can receive feedback from the community or interact with other local organizations.

There are also other professional organizations and people on social media with whom to interact. By opening up dialogue with them, you open the door to networking, promoting, and enhancing your organization.

EXTENDING THE CLASSROOM One of the major advantages of our connectivity is the ability to extend the classroom. You may be familiar with Khan Academy, an online resource of math and science instructional videos. These videos are short and simple lessons that allow the viewer to take in the information at

their own pace. In class, you might have to cover a topic three times as you begin feeling pressured to move on. If for any reason a student misses what you said, they don’t have the chance to receive that instruction. The idea of a flipped classroom can address that limitation.

In a flipped classroom, you assign the instruction as homework and then do the application in class. This allows the student to spend as much time taking in the instruction as they need and gives the student access to the teacher during the application portion of the instruction. Social media has made it easy to share these lessons and provide a medium where students can network with each other and with the instructor outside the classroom.

A simple implementation could be sharing a link to a website where they can learn the treble and bass clef notes. Assign it as homework and the next day in class, dive straight into application. If there is any confusion, students can comment on the post the instructor has made on the social media network.

More complex lessons might need to be created by the instructor, and while this can be time consuming, the benefit is

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a library of lessons ready for years to come.

By sharing them through your organization website, lessons of all kinds that are delivered via YouTube and other educational sites like ShowMe can be viewed by students outside of class as many times as is necessary.

Instead of burning part CDs for every student, host them on the school website and share the links via social media.

Create a pronunciation and translation guide for a piece and share the image on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Students can practice it on their own and go back to it if needed at a later time.

A YouTube or ShowMe video describing the phrase and dynamic structure of a piece and how to notate it in the score could save 20–30 minutes of valuable rehearsal time. Assigning it as homework, in-class discussion of these elements can be more meaningful and less tedious, saving time for more in-depth discussion.

Using social media to enhance and augment class discussion may also encourage more passive students to contribute. A Twitter or Facebook discussion of the poetry in a piece might open the door to someone who would otherwise be nervous about contributing in front of a group and could lead to a greater appreciation for the work by all of your students.

Though the idea of using technology to enhance, augment, and even replace in-class instruction may seem daunting, most of these tools are readily accessible and easy to learn. Accept that your online lessons (just like those in class) won’t be perfect. What you will find, however, is that most lessons that take 30 minutes to teach in class can be taught in 3–5 minutes through an online resource or other video, image, or audio you create.

Social media allows you to put that lesson directly in front of your students in a space they already occupy and leaves more time in class for the deeper connections to the music and each other that we all want our students to experience.

cies for responsible use of social media, read “What You Should Know Before You Post” on page 25.

One is never afraid of the unknown; one is afraid of the known coming to an end. —Jiddu Krishnamurti Like the students we teach, communication has evolved from the traditional means with which most educators are comfortable. Today’s students are riding the front edge of this sea of change.

Educators, too, should consider embracing this culture. Though it is not reasonable to abandon traditional teaching

methods, utilizing the digital space that exists can help transform and enhance your curriculum for the digital age and, in doing so, help you connect with your students in a more authentic way.

Andy Stewart is Director of Choirs at The Oakridge School in Arlington. Robert Ward is a music education graduate student and teaching assistant at Southern Methodist University. He has spent the past decade teaching middle and high school choir at Rowlett HS and at The Oakridge School.

EXERCISING CAUTION You must take time to set up your online instructor presence correctly. If you take the time to implement them as you should, most social media platforms offer robust ways of protecting your privacy and that of your students.

For more guidance on following best practices and establishing your own poliSouthwestern Musician | August 2013 21

ORCHESTRA NOTES IN MEMORIAM STANLEY OAKES February 28, 1956–May 4, 2013

IMPORTANT DATES

A new year’s resolution B Y

August—Attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2).

August—Renew your TMEA membership and preregister for the 2014 convention.

August 1—Deadline for waivers to the audition process to be received at TMEA headquarters.

August 20—Liability insurance through TMEA expires.

September 15—HS String Honor Orchestra online entries due.

October 1, 6 a.m. CT—TMEA convention online housing reservation system opens.

October 15—Postmark deadline (second day delivery) for HS String Honor Orchestra CDs and other entry materials.

October 19–20—HS String Honor Orchestra judging.

October 26—Area recording date.

November 9–10—First and second rounds of All-State CD judging.

December 31—TMEA convention mail/fax preregistration deadline.

January 23, 2014—TMEA convention online preregistration deadline.

February 12–15, 2014—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

22 Southwestern Musician | August 2013

C R A I G

N E E D H A M

T

he giant ball begins to drop over Times Square.

The crowd is revving up their excitement as the countdown begins. 10 . . . 9 . . . 8 . . . 7 . . . Cue the fireworks. Cue the music. Should auld acquaintance be forgot . . . Yes indeed—it’s a brand new (school) year!

One of the beautiful advantages to teaching is that each year we get to start over. You have the opportunity to begin with a fresh perspective and endeavor to adventure into uncharted waters. This could be your best year ever!

I am always amazed when my creative instincts that seem to flow so freely during the summer quickly dry up as the school year begins and the mundane tasks of grading, playing tests, and dealing with paperwork consume my time. I am left with feelings of regret over the things I wish I could do with my teaching and for my students. Just like with our New Year’s resolutions, we start off inspired but often end up falling into the same old routines yielding the same results.

What do you want to do differently this year? Maybe it’s a different warm-up or a renewed focus on teaching technique. Maybe you want to emphasize more small ensemble playing, learn to be more effective in teaching vibrato, or plan more social events for your students. Whatever you want to change or improve about your teaching, ask yourself what’s holding you back.

Sometimes ideas are too big or unrealistic, or a lack of planning holds us

Resolve to make some changes this year. Decide what is important to you, write it down, draw up a plan of implementation, and go fearlessly and passionately into the activity.

back, or it could even be the fear of failure (admit it!). In teaching, as in life, we have to identify our core principles and use them as a basis for prioritizing our activities. If it’s important to you for your groups to play the most challenging literature, that’s fine, but you most likely won’t have time to teach anything else. If small ensemble playing is a priority, you may have to play less music or figure out a way to do both. The point is to be realistic about what you can and can’t do because you can’t do it all.

Resolve to make some changes this year. Decide what is important to you, write it down, draw up a plan of implementation, and go fearlessly and passionately into the activity. Make a (teaching) new year’s resolution, and this will be your best year yet!

Honor Orchestra On June 22 the first round of Honor Orchestra auditions for MS/JH String, MS/JH Full, and HS Full were held at Martin HS (Arlington ISD). Special thanks to Michael Stringer, Jennifer Lemin, and the Martin HS boosters for

hosting an outstanding contest. In this first round, there were nineteen MS/JH string entries, ten MS/JH full entries, and twenty HS full entries. State finalists and winners will be printed in the September issue and can be found at www.tmea.org under the Orchestra Division menu.

A special thanks to the first round honor orchestra judges and others who worked so hard and efficiently to make this happen.

Your TMEA Membership Has Expired This is a friendly reminder to renew your membership in TMEA now and make plans to attend the 2014 convention in February. If there are new music teachers at your campus or in your district, take a moment to inform them about TMEA and encourage them to join. Remember, all directors should be members of TMEA, not just head directors, and to enter students to the TMEA audition process, your membership must be active.

2014 Clinic/Convention News I am excited to report that during our convention in February 2014, our featured

clinician will be Joanne Erwin from the Oberlin Conservatory. Conductors of this year’s All-State Orchestras are: Kevin Noe, Michigan State Univ (Symphony Orchestra); Philip Mann, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (Philharmonic Orchestra), and Guillermo Figueroa, The Figueroa Project (String Orchestra).

All-State etudes were posted online May 1, and errata are updated as reported.

The TMEA website is the only official location for these errata. Please check daily for updates. They will be dated and listed in red. Excerpts of the music will be online during the TODA convention.

In August plan to attend your Region meeting. Your Region Chairs will ask you to complete the Region volunteer forms.

Whether it is working behind the scenes at the convention, judging, hosting, or being on a committee, please volunteer—we need you!

Finally, I would like to congratulate David DeVoto and the wonderful TODA Board for hosting another outstanding TODA convention!

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What You Should Know Before You Post

by Karen Cross

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rying to keep up with the rapid evolution in mobile teching to know what’s best. nology and social media platforms can be overwhelming; To help answer this question, we surveyed fine arts adminisyet the reality is that they offer undeniably effective and trators across the state to learn about their educators’ use of social efficient means of communicating. As detailed in “Going media, their district policies, and their advice about communicatSocial” by Andy Stewart and Robert Ward on page 17, these teching electronically with students and parents. Responses by over nologies can help you keep students and parents informed, build 60 administrators demonstrated a consistent overall view about a greater sense of community, and even extend the effectiveness the benefits and concerns of teachers communicating electroniof your instruction. While the technologies are quite easily accescally with students and parents. sible, using them effectively and responsibly isn’t always as simple Over 85% said their teachers use social media to communicate as pressing send. with students and parents; almost all use email; 67% use a proWithout face-to-face interaction, we lack the immediate gram Facebook page; and 58% text. Of the districts responding, opportunity to observe whether our communication was under72% have electronic communications policies. stood. And while this would suggest we should try to be clearer and more cautious Fully 95% of teens are online and 78% of them own cell phones (47% of which in our electronic communications, the are smartphones).2 In 2012, research revealed that 39% of teens said they never reality quite often seems the opposite— 3 our hurried texts, social network updates, use email, while 63% text daily and 80% use social networking. and emails at times reflect carelessness.

And for educators, this can have significant and long-lasting DISTRICT POLICIES consequences.

While the information shared here was common across the In the April 2013 issue of School Band & Orchestra, an attorney state, always begin by using your district’s policies as the guide specializing in education law reported on several legal issues facfor communicating with your students and their parents. If your ing music educators. He remarked: district doesn’t have a policy about electronic communication, Given the potentially significant consequences, music educators start by creating at least a program-level policy, or work with who work so closely with students would do well to consider what administrators to establish one for the district. As you create a department policies and/or personal professional practices should be policy or review the one you have, consider the following comput in place to protect themselves from facing the kinds of scenarios mon statements found in policies around our state: that people normally think would never happen to them . . . What • Employees are held to the same professional standards in would prevent a student from making any sort of false allegation? their public use of electronic media as they are for any other If the allegations can pass the initial “smell test,” what effect public conduct. could it have on career, family, and reputation, even if eventually • Employees will not share their personal networking sites exonerated?” 1 with students or include students as members or friends.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? Considering the effectiveness as well as the potential pitfalls inherent in communicating electronically, it seems a bit confus-

• Employees using text messaging must limit communications to matters within the scope of their professional responsibilities.

Southwestern Musician | August 2013 25

• Employees have the right to participate in social networking sites; however, they should not post anything that would violate student confidentiality rights or that would negatively affect the perception of the employee’s ability to be effective in their job.

• The district believes use of electronic media can be beneficial to students and parents in the educational process and in the communication of information.

• The employee must maintain and is responsible for all communication within the program’s social network and cannot turn the responsibility over to a student or parent.

• Parents must grant written permission for the director to send text messages about the program to their child and must further permit the director to copy the parent on all text messages sent their child.

• Text messaging must be limited to between the hours of 6 A.M. and 9 P.M. unless addressing matters of immediate concern (e.g., late arrival home from an event).

• The employee continues to be subject to applicable state and federal laws, local policies, administrative regulations, and the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators, even when communicating regarding personal and private matters, regardless of whether the employee is using private or public equipment, on or off campus.

WHAT’S ON YOUR WALL? If you researched this topic of educators’ use of social media, you would find two common directives—not to friend students on your personal social network page and to set up a page specifically for your program communications. Even if you take these advised steps, understand that educators are held to the same standard in their personal social media updates that they are for their behavior in any other public venue. Just because you can limit whom you invite to your personal page, this offers no guarantee that the information you communicate will not find its way beyond your set of online friends.

In 2010, the National Education Association reported that there had been three court cases in which teachers claimed that their First Amendment rights were violated when they were punished because of their postings on social networking sites. In all cases, the teachers lost.4 Even with concerns about using social media, administrators surveyed still view it as too beneficial not to use. With that in mind, we asked them what kind of guidance they would offer their teachers about the use of social media. Some common replies included:

• Encourage parents to join the program’s Facebook page to help establish transparency.

• If you allow students to post, create strict guidelines about that content, and monitor it.

• Remove any posts that are questionable or that don’t pertain to the program.

• Check your spelling and grammar—your writing should reflect positively your role as an educator, even in social media.

TO TEXT OR NOT TO TEXT Anyone who pays attention to the news is aware of instances in which inappropriate student-teacher relationships have been exposed through their text records. Even when no such relationship exists, the frequency or timing of texts can give districts the obligation to investigate. In a report about the changes to the Texas Educators’ Code of Ethics in 2010, the Association of Texas Professional Educators explained that during the revision process, Texas Education Agency staff argued that texting is often evidence of “grooming” a student for a future inappropriate relationship.

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) accepted that a change was necessary—specifically providing that the nature, subject, purpose, timing or amount of communication could lead to a finding that the communication was inappropriate and warranted sanction.5 Some districts have reacted to concerns about texting by completely banning its use between teachers and students. In other districts, the only teachers allowed to text are those with extracurricular responsibilities. As mentioned above, 58% of the Texas music teachers represented by our survey results use texting to communicate with students and parents.

When 78% of teens have a cell phone and 63% text regularly, it’s difficult to ignore the effectiveness of this medium, so we asked administrators to offer advice on texting. Of course, first follow your district’s guidelines. If your district doesn’t have a policy, create one and review it with your school administrators to gain their approval before implementing it.

The following are suggestions offered by administrators about responsible texting: • Get administrator approval on the type of content that will be texted and stick to that.

• Text students only if you have their parental permission (some require parents to be copied on all texts as well).

• Text only groups (if you must text an individual, include their parent).

• Learn and follow your district’s policies.

• Copy a coworker or fine arts administrator on texts.

• Don’t use a personal Facebook page for your program.

• Text about program information only.

• Create a program Facebook page or Facebook group (research the differences to see what best fits your needs and policies).

• Do not text anything personal, ever.

• Don’t friend students on your personal page.

• Don’t overuse texting.

• Exercise caution when updating your personal page. It must continue to be a positive reflection on you as an educator.

• Immediately report to a supervisor any questionable texts received from a student.

26 Southwestern Musician | August 2013

• Instead of your personal cell phone, use a web application to send group texts (e.g., Remind101, Charms).

• Reread every text before sending.

• Do not text in the late evening hours.

• Don’t respond to any text that isn’t about the program information.

TEACH STUDENTS RESPONSIBLE USE The use of social media raises several concerns, but it also raises opportunity—the opportunity to teach students about responsible use. For example, in each of their music program handbooks, Leander ISD includes a section on Digital Citizenship. The following is an excerpt from this policy: Members are responsible for their personal websites and postings, as well as posting from or on other students’ websites. The areas of appropriateness will include but are not limited to profane, foul, or disrespectful language (abbreviated or alluding to), pictures, suggestive poses, clothing, references to alcohol, drugs, and/or tobacco, and postings (either text or photos) that could be interpreted as being negative or threatening toward other LISD teaching staff or band members, or that demonstrate poor sportsmanship or a disrespectful attitude toward other bands. Any such incident will result in review by the principal (or designee) and may lead to probation or dismissal from the band.

The policy includes consequences for sequential violations, the third of which results in the student’s removal from the program.

With the rapid evolution in technology, the tools discussed here will quickly become obsolete. However, the guiding principles behind the suggestions and policies will always transcend the technology being used and underscore the privilege and responsibility that comes with this most important profession.

REFERENCES 1. Kevin McNamara. “Music Law: Crimes, Cash, and Copyright.”

School Band & Orchestra, April 4, 2013. (www.tmea.org/smlink/ SBO2013) 2. “Teens and Technology 2013.” Pew Research Center, Pew Internet and American Life Project. March 13, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2013 (www.tmea.org/smlink/TeensTech2013) 3. “Teens 2012: Truth, Trends, and Myths about Teen Online Behavior.” Pew Research Center, Pew Internet and American Life Project. Retrieved May 20, 2013 (www.tmea.org/smlink/ Teens2012) 4. Mike Simpson. “Social Networking Nightmares.”

Tomorrow’s Teachers, 2010. National Education Association. (www.tmea.org/smlink/NEA2010) 5. Paul Tapp. “A prescription for educator behavior.” ATPE News.

Spring 2011. (www.tmea.org/smlink/ATPE2011) OTHER RESOURCES Texas Educator Code of Ethics in Texas Administrative Code, Rule 247.2. Retrieved May 20, 2013 (www.tmea.org/smlink/ CodeofEthics) Lori Jaross. “Is Facebook an educator’s friend or foe?” ATPE News.

Spring 2010. (www.tmea.org/smlink/ATPE2010) TASB Legal Services. “School District Employees and Electronic Media.” Retrieved May 20, 2013 (www.tmea.org/smlink/ TASB2010)

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Invest Texas Future Music Educators offers students who have an interest in a music education career support and information to help them prepare for their future. Members explore the possibility of becoming college music education majors and TFME members who preregister may attend the annual TMEA Clinic/ Convention on Friday and Saturday.

1. Go to www.tmea.org/tfme for the information and guidance on starting a chapterâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy!

2. Market TFME to all high school music students.

3. Submit your chapter charter and dues to TMEA. 4. Request a grant to help your chapter get started.

5. Support your TFME members and enjoy the significant return on your investment!

28 Southwestern Musician | August 2013

in our future Start a chapter this fall!

www.tmea.org/tfme For more information, email kvanlandingham@tmea.org or call (512) 452-0710, ext. 103.

Start your engines!

B Y

D I N A H

M E N G E R

A

nd . . . we’re off! I hope this article finds you fueled up and ready to hit the track for this year’s race! If we were professional racecar drivers, we’d be surrounded by a specialized support team of experts trained to solve each problem, oversee all repairs, and manage the driver’s career. But as music educators, we coordinate every detail of planning the race, we enter the race, we do our own repairs, stay in the lead, and take care of the spectators

in the stands!

A highly trained professional driver knows that part of the formula for a successful outcome is a carefully planned strategy. The goal is to get to the end of the race ahead or somewhere in the lead. Good drivers know there are certain risks involved the minute they get in the driver’s seat and strap on the seat belt.

They know the positions of the other cars at all times. They know when to lead and when to fall back. They know how to overtake the other cars without causing a wreck. They know when to speed up or slow down. And they are constantly aware of the state of the engine and any need for maintenance. They don’t continue pushing their racecar to the limits without proper engine care.

Does any of this sound familiar?

A choir director’s work is much like an exciting race—minus parking lots filled with RVs, zipping yourself in to a tight, bright yellow jumpsuit (thankfully), and donning a huge safety helmet! Your year begins with a decisive move

Good drivers know when to take the lead and when to ease off the gas and fall back for a bit.

This holds true for the pace and purpose of your program.

VOCAL NOTES IMPORTANT DATES August—Attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2).

August—Renew your TMEA membership and preregister for the 2014 convention.

August 1—Deadline for waivers to the audition process to be received at TMEA headquarters.

August 20—Liability insurance through TMEA expires.

October 1, 6 a.m. CT—TMEA convention online housing reservation system opens.

December 31—TMEA convention mail/fax preregistration deadline.

January 11, 2014—Area auditions.

January 23, 2014—TMEA convention online preregistration deadline.

February 12–15, 2014—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

Southwestern Musician | August 2013 29

to get in the driver’s seat. You must make decisions that you are comfortable with.

You must have a clear vision of the road ahead and decide which lane you want to be in. Is your repertoire ready? Great music is your fuel. That’s the most important element in your planning, so don’t opt for the cheap stuff. Fill your tank with the best available.

Have you made decisions about your classroom management and environment?

What vision do you have for reaching the checkered flag? How will you get there?

Do you have a strategy for the inevitable bumps in the road? If this is your first race, which experienced driver will you follow? If you are a veteran driver, which newbie are you leading? Remember that we’re all on the same track!

As you begin the year, get to know the positions of the other drivers. You work in a school with other professional colleagues. You share many of the same students. It’s always a good idea to have an understanding and a calendar meeting with the other departments on your campus. As your events near, remind your colleagues; they are busy, too. Keep track of schoolwide athletic events, plays, competitions, other concerts, and more. Try to resolve conflicts that force students to choose or that create tension with other sponsors.

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Remember to keep the parents of your singers informed, and don’t depend on your students to pass along important updates. Utilize websites, group email blasts, social media messaging, or prerecorded group phone messaging (as you consider this, be sure to read “Going Social” on page 17 and “What You Should Know Before You Post” on page 25.) Use your school’s marquee. It’s in the front of the school for all the world (including parents) to see, and every time a choral event is advertised your students feel a sense of ownership, importance, and pride!

Good drivers know when to take the lead and when to ease off the gas and fall back for a bit. This holds true for the pace and purpose of your program. There are times when you must take the proverbial bull by the horns and push your students toward a goal. However, balance these intense moments with quiet, calm choral training. Plan some fun and relaxing social events. Introduce music that is simply beautiful. It’s music to my ears when my students randomly sing one of their songs together (in tune) just for fun. Give them some approachable material for this very reason. Remember that most singers want to be in your program because they simply like to sing—not because they are driven to be a famous opera star.

When you are getting ready to overtake the other cars, make sure you do so with grace and courtesy. In our profession, we often have to assert ourselves with administrators or colleagues to achieve our goals. Calendar conflicts, spacing conflicts, and student activity conflicts can cause angst. There are times when you can compromise but there are also times that, for your students, you must stand firm and hold your ground. I hate conflict. It makes me splotchy. But when conflict occurs, remember what and who you are representing. Envision all the faces of your students and speak articulately and calmly on their behalf.

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Seasoned racecar drivers know their livelihood depends greatly on their machines. They push their cars to the limit every time they start their engines— sounds like a typical day in the life of an active choir director! Monitoring your time and energy is so important. If you start to feel overwhelmed, stop and take a breath. Make a list and complete one thing on that list. Then cross it off. Prioritize.

Leave your office for 15 minutes and go sit outside or walk around the school and greet the other teachers (you might need to remind them who you are first as they probably don’t see much of you!). Also keep in mind that if you are feeling this way, your students probably are as well.

They watch you constantly. Show them how to behave in stressful situations and how to take care of themselves.

As you move up to the start line of this new year, get in, start your engine, and drive! When you look in your rearview mirror, all of your choristers will be crowded in the back seat, so give them a race they’ll remember!

All-State Audition Material All-State Choir audition material can be found online (www.tmea.org, under TMEA Business). Be sure also to return to the All-State notes/errata for updates.

The All-State audition entry can also be found online once your Region Chair creates the contest.

Vocal Division Business Your fall Region meetings are extremely important for reviewing important dates and contest procedures, receiving your Region’s handbook, and updating contact information. Make every effort to attend.

If you have not already done so, renew your TMEA membership—remember that you cannot enter students to the audition process unless your membership is active.

While you’re online, go to the Vocal Division menu and to the Volunteer page to sign up—we need you and your presence is greatly appreciated. Take time to peruse all the excellent information on the TMEA website. You will find many great resources. Have a great year!

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Our artist faculty is actively involved in performing, creating, and nurturing the next generation of teachers, performers, scholars, and music industry professionals. Both graduate students and undergraduates have the opportunity to study with faculty members like these. Call or email to find out how you can be a part of the UTSA family.

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Fine Arts TEKS Revisions Complete

by Patricia Moreno, Peter Warshaw, & JD Janda

A

little over a year ago the State Board of Education (SBOE) appointed three committees to review and revise the fine arts Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). These TEKS define the basis for instruction and drive the interaction between the student, the teacher, and the content from elementary through high school.

The previous TEKS—created in 1998—were the first real set of curricular standards for Texas music teachers.

After months of review (which included the opportunity for public comment) each committee has completed its review and revision. These revised TEKS will be in effect as of the 2015– 2016 school year, and the next textbook adoption will align with the implementation of the revised TEKS. As each committee was reminded, educators should also remember that the TEKS are not the curriculum. The TEKS should provide the what of our courses, not the how. It is up to the local school districts and teachers to write their curriculum to prescribe how to teach the TEKS, and a district’s curriculum can certainly extend beyond the minimum requirements established by the TEKS. One overall change that affects all grade levels is the renaming of the strands to align across all four artistic disciplines: • Foundations: Music Literacy • Creative Expression • Historical and Cultural Relevance • Critical Evaluation and Response This renaming necessitated additional changes to TEKS language so that each of the student expectations fit properly into one of the new strand titles.

To help explain the outcome of these revisions, we asked three TMEA members who served on the review committees to share their perspectives on their committee’s focus and provide a glimpse into the types of changes to expect. Our thanks go to

32 Southwestern Musician | August 2013

Patricia Moreno (Austin ISD), Peter Warshaw (Leander ISD), and JD Janda (Georgetown ISD) for sharing their reports.

Elementary TEKS Revisions The intent of the elementary music TEKS committee was to provide a sequential and spiraling set of concepts for general music. Separate subcommittees for kindergarten through second grade and for third through fifth grade also worked together to ensure vertical alignment and a seamless document. The third– fifth grade subcommittee also collaborated with the middle school committee.

The committee approached their charge mindful that students might be taught by a general classroom teacher or a music specialist, and music could be taught every other day, once a week, or once every nine days. To support elementary teachers who often have limited instructional time, the revised TEKS offer districts and teachers a short list of concepts per grade level.

The previous TEKS were too broad. For example, when reviewing the first strand, Foundations: Music Literacy, the committee added the word “reproduces” to the opening statement because reading music cannot be removed from the skill of performing the rhythm or melody or both. The student demonstrates the skill of reading by clapping the rhythm or singing the melody on solfège syllables or playing the melody on a xylophone. Even tapping the space bar on a computer or tapping on an iPad can be used to assess whether the student can read music.

Performance is one way—probably the best way—to assess a student’s ability to read and write music. Teachers may notice a reference from one strand to another, and this was intentional throughout the grade levels.

Below is a comparison of two TEKS for second grade that deal with the reading and writing of music. Notice that the half note and half rest are specifically mentioned only in revised 3A. The corresponding revised TEKS in first grade require students to “read, write, and reproduce quarter notes, paired eighth notes,

and quarter rests.” Second grade students would review the first grade concepts—half note and half rest are the new concepts for that grade level. The phrase “previously learned” is used in third, fourth, and fifth grades to ensure the new concepts for that grade level are introduced only if the concepts from the previous grade levels are reviewed first. The other three strands also include “previously learned” language so that the TEKS are used in a sequential, spiraling format similar to the other content areas like math and science.

No. Previous TEKS

Revised TEKS

Strand: Creative Expression/ Performance. The student reads and writes music notation. The student is expected to:

Strand: Foundations: Music Literacy. The student reads, writes, and reproduces music notation. Technology and other tools may be used to read, write, and reproduce musical examples.

The student is expected to:

3A

Read and write simple music notation using a system (letters, numbers, syllables).

Read, write, and reproduce rhythmic patterns using standard notation in 2/4 meter including half note, half rest.

3B

Read and write music that incorporates basic rhythmic patterns in simple meters.

Read, write, and reproduce pentatonic melodic patterns using standard staff notation.

The committee, expert reviewers, and many who submitted comments believed movement should be included in the TEKS. The movement component has been added to the revised Creative Expression strand. For kindergarten through second grades, the new student expectation states: “move alone or with others to a varied repertoire of music using gross and fine locomotor and nonlocomotor movement.” In third through fifth grades, the following phrase is included to allow more complex movement: “and integrated movement such as hands and feet moving together.” The culmination of this strand comes with the addition of a specific student expectation in fourth and fifth grades: “perform various folk dances and play parties.” Local school districts can still introduce folk dances in second and third grades if desired. This is a perfect example of how the TEKS are the floor, not the ceiling.

Middle School TEKS Revisions The Middle School Music TEKS Review Committee consisted of representatives from all three music disciplines who responded to several charges in their review and revision of the middle school TEKS: • Provide a proper bridge between elementary and high school music TEKS. • Scaffold the middle school music TEKS to create increased rigor for students advancing through their respective music program.

• Revise the TEKS for first-year band, choir, and orchestra to reflect the nature of an entry-level music course while acknowledging prior learning in elementary music.

Perhaps the most obvious differences in the new TEKS are the titles of the levels—Music Grade 6/7/8 are now Music Middle School 1/2/3 (sometimes listed as MS). This change is intended to reflect the nature of a middle school music course in terms of the grade levels represented in each. For example, several campuses offer the entry-level music course in grade 5 or 7, and this has created some confusion in applying credit and in the counseling world.

Additionally, the second-year courses in music typically comprise a mix of students from multiple grade levels, similar to high school courses. As suggested by SBOE Member Gail Lowe, the change in designation will more accurately reflect what occurs in middle school music courses and will provide a connection to high school courses that use roman numerals for their course designations.

The Student Expectations (SEs) in middle school music are directly connected to those in the corresponding elementary and high school music courses. While an effort was made to create a connection from kindergarten to Music IV, the increased number and subcategorization of SEs as students progressed through middle to high school made this impossible. Still, educators should recognize an increased degree of correlation in the revised TEKS. A primary source for the scaffolding language in the revised TEKS was Bloom’s Taxonomy. The MS committee ensured the SEs in each strand increased in rigor as students moved to a higher grade level and prepared students to successfully meet the requirements of SEs in corresponding strands for the HS TEKS. An example of this occurs in the Foundations: Music Literacy strand (formerly known as Perception).

MS 1 SE 1(A)

MS 2 SE 1(A)

The student is expected to The student is expected to experience and explore exem- compare and contrast exemplary plary musical examples. musical examples.

Further examination of the revised TEKS will reveal many more such examples.

The committee identified numerous SEs that had been assigned to inappropriate strands and moved them to the correct ones (e.g., some of the SEs that required a student to demonstrate a specific skill were in a strand other than Creative Expression/ Performance and have now been corrected).

The committee prioritized inclusion of all three music disciplines (as well as General Music) in the revisions. The application of each SE to band, choir, and orchestra was thoroughly considered—resulting in more specificity relating to such items as physical and kinesthetic awareness.

With today’s students having a much wider range of learning opportunities at their fingertips, several of the SEs in the Critical Evaluation and Response strand have been updated. Additionally, more of these opportunities are taking place outside of the traditional classroom and in less formal settings. The committee revised the SEs in both the Creative Expression strand and in the Critical Evaluation and Response strand to reflect the influence of technology in music education.

Committee members strongly believe the revisions will provide for more clarity and efficiency in music instruction, as well as provide a solid and supportive bridge between elementary and high school music courses.

Southwestern Musician | August 2013 33

High School TEKS Revisions Based on their experience and public comment, the committee began its work by creating a list of issues with the existing set of standards, including: • Since not all music students are drawn to band, orchestra, or choir, there is a need to create more varied music opportunities and courses.

• Current verbiage does not adequately address the differences in vocal and instrumental music.

• More opportunities must be created that increase the use of technology to improve instruction and enhance music learning/understanding.

• The recent push for higher levels of college and career readiness must be actively addressed by the new TEKS. • Standards must be created for music courses that are nonperformance related (e.g., Music Theory, Music Business, Music Composition, Music and Media Communications).

music, while still pursuing musical excellence in high school.

Finally, TEKS were created for music courses that traditionally do not require a significant performance component. “Music Studies” became somewhat of a catch-all for courses such as music composition, music history, music theory, or music business. The new Music Studies TEKS provide opportunities for students and teachers to explore new musical forms, understand existing forms differently, and incorporate cross-curricular concepts into music related endeavors. The student objectives in Music Studies maintain a very high standard of musical comprehension because in large part, these expectations are rooted in the TEKS for other high school music courses.

With these most recent revisions, the resulting standards and student expectations in the TEKS should serve Texas music students and teachers well for years to come. No one can predict exactly what will be around the next musical corner or what technology will emerge, but these revised TEKS should provide great flexibility while fostering high student expectations for success—all while moving into an exciting and mostly unknown musical future.

Specific courses and more generic course names were created to support the diverse Texas student population and to allow new courses to be added (as long as they use the new set of TEKS Patricia Moreno is Instructional Coordinator of Elementary Music and Secondary Choral Music for Austin ISD. Peter standards and student expectations). “World Music Ensemble” Warshaw is Fine Arts Director for Leander ISD. JD Janda is can be used as a course title for many current or future music Director of Fine Arts for Georgetown ISD. groups that may not fit within a band/orchestra/choir identifier.

The committee’s intent is not that anything could qualify as a recognized course. Any newly created course must use the new rigorous standards set forth in the revised TEKS. While the committee initially focused on unique standards for each ensemble type, members soon realized that high school music courses have more similarities than differences. Using the previous courses (Music I, II, III, and IV), the committee added terms unique to vocal techniques, percussion techniques, and orchestral techniques along with several others to create better descriptors for greater flexibility of teacher use.

Language was also added that allows students and teachers to use available technologies to listen, record, critique, and create new music and to expand on current musical knowledge and understanding. Student expectations were added to encourage students to understand the ethical implications of using these new technologies—especially The Austin Symphony Orchestra announces those dealing with personal rights, privacies, and copyright issues.

Student expectations were created that deal very specifically with the task of preparing high school music students for their Texas students age 18 and younger are invited to submit full, futures—related and unrelated to careers in original orchestral compositions for the opportunity to be music. The committee accepted the chalperformed by the ASO. lenge of providing a higher level of validity For more information, and importance to music courses by insertwww.AustinSymphony.org/education ing specific student expectations that require or call Anthony Corroa, Executive Director students to consider and develop skills that (512) 476-6064 are easily transferable to careers outside of

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Southwestern Musician | August 2013 35

ELEMENTARY NOTES IMPORTANT DATES August—Renew your TMEA membership and preregister for the 2014 convention.

August—Attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2 for details).

August 20—Liability insurance through TMEA expires.

October 1, 6 a.m. CT— TMEA convention online housing reservation system opens.

December 31—TMEA convention mail/fax preregistration deadline.

January 23, 2014—TMEA convention online preregistration deadline.

February 12–15, 2014—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

Let’s go back to the future B Y

C O L L E E N

I

R I D D L E

love science fiction. It’s probably a carryover from a fascination with fairy tales in my childhood. I’m sure many of you have seen the Michael J. Fox movie Back to the Future, about a teenager who accidentally travels back in time and ends up saving the future for himself and his family. It often seems like it would be great if we could travel back in time to fix things that didn’t go so well the first time.

What would you do if you suddenly found yourself back in your classroom last August? Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently if you could begin the new school year again?

Would you have spent more time on those valuable lesson plans addressing grade-level appropriate solfège, Orff, movement, listening skills, rhythms, and student modifications? How could you have planned to better meet all of your students’ needs through differentiated learning tools? Would you make a more concerted effort getting to know most or all of your students’ names? How about classroom management? What incentives could you have initiated at the beginning of the year to be proactive in creating a positive, successful learning environment?

Would you start teaching your choreography for that awesome program a few weeks earlier so that José would’ve swayed left instead of right and Melissa would not have missed her cue to wave the flag at just the precise moment?

What about the parent who contacted you when her child was not selected as the lead speaker or soloist in the musical? Could you have created an objective rubric for auditions or asked another teacher to share in the decision-making?

Would you have experienced better participation in your programs if your permission forms had gone home a week earlier followed up with a reminder email? How could you have inspired and shown support to the grade-level

Blue skies smiling at me. Nothing but blue skies do I see.—Irving Berlin 36 Southwestern Musician | August 2013

classroom teachers so that they would have excitedly volunteered to assist you with stage design? Could you have created MP3 files to email your academically struggling students who were repeatedly pulled out of your music classroom? Those MP3 files could have served as reinforcement tools to help students catch up on their music repertoire or enabled them to prepare for their music programs at home.

What about the promising possibility of placing musical enrichment material on your teacher page of the school’s website?

Would you have scheduled a visit with your principal in early August about attending the TMEA Clinic/Convention and getting that extra sound equipment you need? Would you have attended that awesome workshop your Region provided and your music teacher friends are still raving about? Would this be the year that you finally decide to offer a staff development session of your own to share some of your incredibly successful lessons with your district’s elementary music teachers?

You’ve always been intrigued about taking your choir or Orff ensemble to a music festival. Your students would be so

2. Create lesson plans in which each lesson includes age-appropriate elements of Kodály, Orff, Dalcroze, and listening methodologies. (I plan to address many of these components in future installments of this column.)

thrilled and motivated, but it would take much planning and preparation on your part. Would this be the year to be a part of that festival and perhaps take home the coveted gold cup?

Talk about having a successful year last year! If I had a time machine, I could have made all those things happen. You know what they say, hindsight is 20/20.

But, wait—we can simulate our own time machine. All it takes is utilizing the gifts and talents we inherently have as music teachers—imagination, creativity, foresight, drive, determination, persistence, and clever ingenuity. Successful, exciting, motivating teachers use those attributes to their full advantage. Right now, as you are anticipating your new year, jot down goals you want to achieve this coming year and be sure to consider the following:

3. Determine the theme of grade-level programs to be presented throughout the 2013–2014 school year, and begin to create PowerPoint slides with the songs for those programs, permission slips, rubrics for auditions, stage and set design needs, costuming ideas, and sound equipment updates. (Check out the April 2013 Elementary Notes for ways to anticipate and avoid concert etiquette disasters at your music programs and concerts.)

4. Communicate with your principal about goals for this coming year, including attending the TMEA Clinic/Convention and Region workshops, adding a school choir/ensemble this year, taking that choir/ensemble to a district or city festival, scheduling the cafetorium for rehearsals and performances, addressing sound

1. Organize your classroom with student expectations and incentives that aren’t time consuming for the teacher.

(For several suggestions on this topic, see Elementary Notes in the May 2013 issue available online via the interactive version at www.tmea.org/ magazine).

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equipment needs, and offering to support the school in academic functions, carnivals, field day and academic curriculum connections via songs and dances that are incorporated in music lessons.

5. Plan to give spontaneous performances for the cafeteria crew, custodians, and support staff when one of your classes experiences an amazing accomplishment. These performances could also be for a teacher who just happens to be walking past your classroom or for that assistant principal

who might just have an extra second to experience a magical moment in your classroom. (This is a subtle way to get the whole school talking about the great music program you have implemented at your school.)

Wholeheartedly expect to have a successful, meaningful, positive, productive 2013â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2014 school year. With high expectations and exact, purposeful goals, you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need a time machine to correct any shortcomings. Your year will be like the Irving Berlin song â&#x20AC;&#x153;Blue Skies.â&#x20AC;? Now go ahead and step into your new simulated

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Saturday, October 5, 2013 FRQWHVW WR EH KHOG DW %UHQKDP ,6' &XE VWDGLXP DUWLĂ&#x20AC;FLDO WXUI

1st, 2nd & 3rd PLACE AWARDS IN CLASSES 1A-5A CAPTION AWARDS IN EACH CLASS FOR: DRUM MAJOR - COLOR GUARD - DRUMLINE - SOLOIST

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40 Southwestern Musician | August 2013

time machine, travel to the future in May 2014, and see those happy, motivated, excited students who are so proud of the musical skills they have mastered and thrilled at the anticipation of numerous musical opportunities to come.

TMEA Grant Funding for Elementary Programs Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very excited about the opportunity you will have to apply for grant funds from TMEA. The Executive Board recently approved allocating $500,000 for grants to be awarded specifically to elementary music programs! An overview is offered on the adjacent page. Mark September 15 on your calendar to be sure you respond to the application period that ends October 15. Go to www.tmea.org/ elementarygrant for more information and, as of September 15, to apply.

TCDA Convention Many of you attended the recent TCDA convention and took advantage of the amazing workshops presented. Be sure to thank TCDA Elementary VicePresident Laura Rachita for her hard work in making the 2013 TCDA Convention a success.

2014 TMEA Clinic/Convention Would you like to have a behind-thescenes experience at one of the most successful music conventions in the country? Volunteer to serve at the 2014 TMEA Clinic/Convention! Now is the time to get your name in before the spots fill up.

You can choose to be a presider, office helper, registration worker, door prize bagger, and more. You will meet fellow music teachers who will inspire you to up your game in your music room. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great fun while being amazingly rewarding. Go to the TMEA website and complete the online volunteer form found under the Elementary Division menu, or email me at criddle@aldine.k12.tx.us. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss this amazing opportunity!

Your TMEA Membership Has Expired Continue your access to member benefits and your support of TMEAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission by renewing your membership and preregistering for the 2014 Clinic/ Convention. Take advantage of purchasing the low-cost and most important liability insurance. At just $30, this is an investment you shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t delay making.

Ready to Upgrade from Homemade?

TMEA Offers Grants for Elementary Teachers to Purchase Equipment and Instructional Materials

T

he TMEA Executive Board has created a grant program to support elementary music programs throughout the state. The Board approved $500,000 in funding for this grant and has directed the TMEA staff to administer the program this fall to allow elementary music teachers (PK–5) to purchase music equipment, technology, instruments, and other instructional materials for use during this school year. As of August 15, go to www.tmea.org/elementarygrant for more information and, as of September 15, to apply.

To apply, elementary music teachers must be active members of TMEA (go to www.tmea.org/membership to renew now).

The online application period is September 15–October 15. You must provide a description of the exact product you intend to purchase, the supplier, and the cost. Suppliers must be TMEA Sustaining Members. For a list of TMEA member suppliers, go to www.tmea.org/industry/directory.

Grants will be approved based on existing budget, number of students served, and other criteria as called for in the online application. Once a grant is approved, the applicant will order the product, and TMEA will pay the supplier of the product directly.

Elementary Music Grants Who Can Apply: Active TMEA Members teaching elementary music (PK–5) When: September 15–October 15, 2013 More details will be available online August 15

Where: www.tmea.org/elementarygrant For What: Music equipment, instruments, instructional technology, other educational materials For How Much: A maximum of $800 per campus will be awarded. Multiple teachers from a district can apply.

Notification: Applicants will be notified by November 15 of acceptance or rejection.

Southwestern Musician | August 2013 41

a safe place by stephanie

rodriguez

story to my students. Sometimes I tell the story because my students are small-voiced, shy singers. Other times I share it because someone with particular physical qualities seems too nee e d additional encouragement. Many times I repeat the story be beca c use students need to realize everyone’s voice is beautiful in its own way.

O

ne day after school a young girl came bounding into the choir room to talk with me. “I want to sing in the choir!” she exclaimed. I smiled the usual choir teacher smile. I thought to myself, wonderful news!

And just as I vocalized those thoughts, I noticed her two large neon-green hearing aids. I quickly tried to think of the right thing to say to her. In my wise ways as a five-year teacher, I had always believed that every person could sing as long as they could hear and didn’t have some sort of throat injury.

After a few precious seconds elapsed, her mother ran in trying to catch up to her bounding and fearless Katie. Out of breath, her mother said, “She wants to sing in choir—she loves music!”

I started by asking Katie’s mom several questions: What can she hear? Does she read lips? When did she learn to speak? Then I directed my questions to Katie. “Can you hear the piano?” I began to play, and then asked the big question: “Can you sing this note?”

I played several pitches, and at first she had difficulty matching them precisely, but very quickly she began to match pitch. I didn’t know exactly what she could hear, and this left me wondering how she could do this.

“Katie hears like she’s underwater, and she doesn’t want to fix her impaired hearing with implants,” her mother said. “She believes she was born this way and wants to stay deaf.” She also 42 Southwestern Musician | August 2013

explained that Katie would have an interpreter with her at all times.

How am I going to teach her to sing?

For which choir is she best suited?

Is she considered a special education student?

Where will she best fit in?

Can she be a viable member of the choir?

Katie was obviously very brave and tremendously intelligent.

I could see that from the start. Yet, I was scared to death to teach her. I never had a student intrigue me in quite this way. One thing was certain; this student would make me a stronger teacher.

I soon began to realize that my ninth-grade beginning girl’s choir would not challenge Katie. Nervously, I placed her in the Varsity Women’s Choir. I explained to her that I would signal her if her voice was not blending with the other girls or if her volume level wasn’t appropriate. I thought that if she couldn’t hear she might simply sing too loudly, much like how hearing people speak too loudly when they have on ear phones with loud music playing. I thought about what I might say if this didn’t work out for the choir as a whole.

I always tried to remember to face her when I spoke.

Occasionally, she would flag me down and I had to repeat things I had said because I looked away.

I went about teaching the elements of music, careful to include

any new ideas that would help her learn as much music as the hearing students would learn. Her interpreter was highly capable and soon explained to me that Katie read my lips and hand signs so well that Katie really didn’t need her assistance. Understand that I do not know American Sign Language, just the solfège hand signs I teach my students to use while sightreading. I talk with my hands a great deal and believe this must have helped, too.

One day in class we were sightreading.

The sopranos were faltering both in rhythm and pitch. I began to evaluate the situation, and then I heard someone singing the soprano part correctly. I looked and listened around the room. I quickly pointed and exclaimed, “Listen to Katie! Listen to Katie!”

The sopranos did as they were instructed Through my experiences with Katie, I learned some great lessons— and recovered quickly. Our contest date was lessons we don’t learn in our college classes, yet of equal value. nearing, and I was intense in my excitement.

We finished the sightreading piece, I placed my hands on my hips, and smiled the biggest smile I’ve ever had!

Today, she will know how important she has been in my teachThe choir collapsed, laughing and giggling in the way teenaging career. ers will. We all knew we had just had a life-changing moment!

I knew it was my duty to look past her disability and see her You see, in some quiet way we all were there to help Katie learn as a feeling, musical human being. By her example, every choir everything about music. But that day, Katie was there to teach us I have will learn about Katie and will learn to share their voices all about being human and accepting our human-ness! bravely and let nothing stop them in their pursuit of music.

On that day, I heard the most beautiful voice—and it was Through my experiences with Katie, I learned some great Katie’s! She was the perfect student. She tried hard, focused lessons—lessons we don’t learn in our college classes, yet of equal every day, and did exactly as instructed. She kept her beat. She value. I learned patience and perseverance can lead to pride. This chanted loudly, and she never stopped trying to learn about music pride may take the form of a Sweepstakes trophy or a simple smile and singing. Katie saved the soprano section by leading them to that comes across one’s face after mastering a difficult concept. recovery. She alone was the voice on the pitch, keeping the corThis feeling of pride stays forever and affects future endeavors. rect rhythm and place in our music. It was our lesson to learn, These are lessons that mean the most. that everyone can sing and learn to read music—everyone!

I recently wrote to Katie about this story, and she responded: This past year, I retold the Katie story to my mostly ninthThis brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for your sweet story. I grade women’s choir. We were sharing our individual voices, but remember that moment too. When you were pointing at me, I got so some students were very shy and many would not sing. I told scared and thought that I was the one who was off key. Hah! That them, “Sing like Katie!” They gave me confused looks because moment gave me confidence for a long time. . . . One of my proudest we didn’t have a Katie in the choir—so began the retelling of achievements in my life so far was making it to the Varsity Choir as this story for about the 20th time. They began to understand a freshman and being able to share my love for music despite being that everyone has something to offer by singing in the choir. deaf. I was terrified to be that horrible off-key girl that everyone Everyone’s voice is important and belongs in the choir. Everyone would make fun of. Rather, the opposite proved true. You provided deserves to share in the beauty of singing and sharing of music. a safe place for me to let my inner voice out. Thank you for making Each student arrives with different talents; some are stronger it happen and for enabling me to grow as a person with you. I have rhythmically, some verbally, some never falter from pitch. Many not forgotten and will never forget you. are hand-signers extraordinaire, and if allowed, together they will all contribute successfully to the ensemble.

I have not forgotten and will never forget you, Katie.

My current women’s choir was curious about what happened to Katie. They suggested Facebook, and sure enough, I found her.

Stephanie Rodriguez has taught 20 years in Texas public school districts. She is currently working on her master’s She is well and I’m so glad to know she is boundless and fearless degree in conducting at Texas State University/San Marcos. still today! I never have said this to her, except through Facebook.

Everyone’s voice is important and belongs in the choir.

Everyone deserves to share in the beauty of singing and sharing of music.

Southwestern Musician | August 2013 43

WANDA L. BASS SCHOOL OF MUSIC

OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY

2013-2014 AUDITION DATES

2013

November 15 & 16

2014

February 7&8 March 7&8

To schedule an audition: www.okcu.edu/music ocumauditions@okcu.edu 405.208.5980

Is it time to turn our focus?

B Y

K E I T H

D Y E

A

s both the organizational body of TMEA and its individual members look forward to another academic year of instruction and activities, we can gain much information by reflecting on the advancements made and positions maintained during this past legislative session.

Due in large part to the efforts of TMEA Executive Director Robert Floyd and his use of the resources provided by the TMEA membership, the Texas public school fine arts community can feel secure in knowing the following: • Pull-out of students from fine arts classes for remediation of other academic pursuits has been limited.

• Middle school students still have a fine arts requirement.

• Requirements for high school students to complete a fine arts course have been maintained.

• Interested students now have a designated “Arts and Humanities” graduation pathway allowing them more core opportunities in study of the arts or interest areas.

As grass-roots music education advocates and members of the world’s healthiest music education organization, we should now do more to effectively strengthen the overall health of our elementary music programs.

COLLEGE NOTES IMPORTANT DATES August—Renew your TMEA membership and preregister for the 2014 convention.

August—Attend your fall Region meeting (see page 2 for details).

August 20—Liability insurance through TMEA expires.

October 1, 6 a.m. CT— TMEA convention online housing reservation system opens.

October 11—College Fall Conference in Austin.

October 15—Call for papers.

December 31—TMEA convention mail/fax preregistration deadline.

January 23, 2014—TMEA convention online preregistration deadline.

February 12–15, 2014—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

Southwestern Musician | August 2013 45

• There is an expectation that, at a minimum, there is some form of student music ensemble experience at nearly all secondary-level campuses.

(On most campuses there are multiple opportunities.)

• Our reputation as being home to most of the outstanding secondary school musical ensembles in the country has not been diminished; in fact the status continues to grow.

While this is an amazing list of accomplishments in which we should all find great pride, we should also acknowledge

the pattern that emerges. The primary focus of most of these items is highly specific to secondary-level campuses.

It is not my implication to lessen any of the importance of advocacy for our 6th through 12th grade musicians and their musical opportunities. It is my intention to sound an alarm of sorts that the next major curricular advancement we seek should be at the elementary grade levels.

Why Elementary Music?

It is not difficult to gather evidence to support a strong case for the importance

of consistent, high-quality elementary music experiences. What follows are just some of the reasons for, and potential positive results from, renewed efforts to enhance elementary music experiences for all Texas children: 1) It is safe to predict that across our state elementary students experience a wider variety in music instruction delivery and exposure than those same students will have in later grades.

2) Quality elementary music instruction holds the potential to affect all Texas public schoolchildren and their families.

3) Intensified and enriched elementary music learning can serve only to enhance students’ future music learning and experiences.

4) An ever-growing body of recent and relevant research, not only music research, but research conducted in highly respected neuroscience communities, implies that appropriate music experiences and learning before the age of ten leads to permanent and positive elevation of human brain development (see references below).

We, as grass-roots music education advocates and members of the world’s healthiest music education organization, should now do more to effectively strengthen the overall health of our elementary music programs. These efforts can take place without detracting from the great work we’ve done and continue to do for our secondary programs. It is our responsibility to seek opportunities to take positive action. Consider some of the following organizational and individual action steps: 1) Identify and showcase districts, schools, and programs where music instruction at the elementary level is what we would ideally like to see for all Texas children.

2) Be aware of the most current and meaningful research supporting the positive benefits of early music education.

3) Seek partnerships with key stakeholders in pertinent research and when appropriate offer our resources to aid in advancing this emerging knowledge and understanding.

46 Southwestern Musician | August 2013

4) Make and take the opportunity to educate audiences about the advantages and values of effective and consistent music learning.

5) Seek clear and accurate knowledge of what and how music learning is occurring in your district’s elementary schools.

6) Assume a position of local leadership and expertise in working to amplify these opportunities at the local level.

7) Replicate the multi-leveled campaign we’ve pursued in advocacy of secondary level arts education; educate all parents, administrators, and policy makers to the benefits of quality early music learning.

8) Be a leading voice in raising awareness of both the positive elementary music learning experiences and the lost opportunities in your communities.

9) Support, in whatever way you are most qualified to do so, the efforts of your colleagues who teach music to elementary students.

10) Begin educating current secondary students, the parents of tomorrow’s elementary students, about the benefits and advantages provided by learning music early in life.

Isn’t it time that we now amplify our advocacy efforts to secure the assurance of quality musical instruction for all of our Texas elementary schoolchildren? I believe so, and we all have a part to play!

College Fall Conference On Friday, October 11, at the TMEA office in Austin, we will gather for the annual College Division Fall Conference, this year entitled “Making Connections; Seeking Solutions.” We will discuss perspectives on how we can continually raise the effectiveness of our teacher education preparatory programs to make them relevant and attuned with current teacher needs. We will alternate question/discussion periods for the specific discipline of each division. I am hopeful this might provide new insights into our choices and strategies as we provide opportunities for peer networking. TMEA President

Joe Weir as well as other invited successful music educators will be a part of the dialogue. I will also be asking TMEA Executive Director Robert Floyd and Deputy Director Frank Coachman to share what they believe are the most important new developments both in Texas schools and in our legislative bodies.

TMEA Convention College Night: New Graduate School Fair Plans are moving forward to provide a new venue for colleges that offer graduate work in music and music education to interact with interested TMEA members during our convention. The 2014 TMEA Clinic/Convention will include the first Graduate School Fair on Friday from 4 P.M. to 5 P.M. in Ballroom A (the same location as the traditional College Night that will follow immediately from 6 P.M. to 8 P.M.). This new Graduate School Fair will provide opportunities for attendees to more easily discuss graduate study in a less congested environment.

It is hoped that by offering this, the traditional College Night session can focus solely on undergraduate study with a

Southwestern Musician | August 2013 47

slightly reduced number in attendance.

All schools that offer graduate work that register for College Night booth space will be entitled to present information at the Graduate School Fair. The same guidelines will apply to both events.

Division Reminders Renew your TMEA membership now and remind your colleagues as well. Every Texas college music faculty member should feel obligated to be a member of TMEA! The College Division Fall Conference will be held at the TMEA office in Austin on Friday, October 11. Mark your calendars and plan to attend.

College Region Division Chairs, please continue to pursue completion of the requests made via email in regard to your new responsibilities with the TMEA Mentoring Network.

Both new and current teachers consider

requesting a mentor through TMEA. Now is the time to enhance your preparations for a successful year, and TMEA mentors are a great resource.

Select References Hallam, S. (2013). The power of music: Its impact on the intellectual, social and personal development of children and young people. International Journal of Music Education, 28(3), 269–289. (www.tmea.org/smlink/AugCollege1) Gruzelier, Foks, Steffert, Chen, & Ros (2013). Beneficial outcome from EEGneurofeedback on creative music performance, attention and well-being in schoolchildren. Biological Psychology, 04(005). (w w w.tmea.org /smlink / AugCollege2)

conflict. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1252, 69–76. (www.tmea .org/smlink/AugCollege3) Overy, K. (2012). Making music in a group: synchronization and shared experience. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1252, 65–68. (www.tmea.org/ smlink/AugCollege4) Skoe & Kraus (2012). A Little goes a long way: How the adult brain is shaped by musical training in childhood.

The Journal of Neuroscience, 32(34), 11507–11510. (www.tmea.org/smlink/ AugCollege5) Special Issue: Neuroscience Perspectives on Early Development and Education.

(2012). Early Education and Development, 23(1). (w w w.tmea.org /smlink / AugCollege6)

Osborne, N. (2012). Neuroscience and “real world” practice: music as a therapeutic resource for children in zones of

Making Connections Seeking Solutions 2 013 Col lege Fa l l Con ference October 11 • 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. • TMEA Headquarters in Austin Examine many of the contemporary topics facing the practicing music educator and the implications on music teacher preparation.

Registration Deadline: October 4

The format will consist of multiple presentations followed by open discussion of ideas and solutions.

To register, email TMEA College Division Vice-President Keith Dye, keith.dye@ttu.edu, indicating both your name and institution.

Connect with colleagues from around the state and collaborate in seeking solutions to our shared issues.

There is no cost associated with this TMEA-sponsored event.

Questions? Email keith.dye@ttu.edu 48 Southwestern Musician | August 2013

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