Back to School Teaching Advice
Mentors. Workshops. Levels courses. Experiences.
10 pieces of advice that have changed the way I teach
There are many ways to inherit great teaching advice - through reading books, talking with colleagues, attending workshops, taking Levels courses, and lots more. As I was cleaning out our office shelves at home this summer I came across teaching notes I had saved over the years, but hadn’t looked at in a while. Things from my student teaching, TMEA conferences, and observations from principals or others who shared ideas that helped me grow. I skimmed through pages and thought about how much great advice has been shared with me over the years and how useful it was to see it again. So much great advice. And thought about how we could all use great advice full of encouragement and wisdom as we head into this teaching year. So here are ten pieces of teaching advice for you to think on, ideas for you to incorporate, and positive messages for you to believe about yourself and your teaching.
1 - Mentor Rob Koch September 1st 2001 email advice (which I have printed out in a binder STILL): Don’t forget rule number one in planning - plan more than you think you’ll need. It’s easier to drop something (and begin with it next week) than be left with ten minutes that you have to fill “on the fly.”
2 - Mentor Mary Kay Pryce September 3, 2001 email advice - Advice?? Be kind to yourself, laugh every day, repeat the same lesson plan for each grade level, change activities about every 4-5 minutes. Side note: I never felt more overwhelmed than my first year of teaching. I can remember it well - the pressure, the sense of being a fraud… etc.
3 - Carol Krueger (author of Progressive Sight SInging): “Retention is dependent upon immediate and consistent use of skill”… repetition is good!
4 - Jennifer Ross: teammate observed me; I tend to look at the students on my left more than the students on my right. Be aware of taking in the entire room. As a colleague observed me teach, they shared that I spent the majority of the time directing my attention to the left side of the room. I had never noticed this and wondered if it could have been due to certain students sitting on that side who may have needed more attention, the instruments on my right that impeded my space, or just some other random reason. But once it was brought to my attention I realized it was just a habit I had of teaching with my body and face towards the left side.
5 - Kodály Level I - “Never tell students it sounds fine if it doesn’t sound fine.” This was said in regards to singing in tune, but could be applied to many musical situations. We don’t have to be cruel about things, but saying “that was good” or “great job” or “sounds good” if it isn’t true doesn’t help our students grow musically. Book: Kodály Context by Lois Choksy
6 - Chris Judah-Lauder: Rests are your friend. When creating pieces with students in your classroom, adding rhythmic patterns to a barred piece, or helping students create in small groups, this advice to make rests your friend can make the difference between tons of sound happening and clear parts being heard within a piece.
7 - Kodaly Level III - “Logical teaching methods DEMAND that we should start from what is simple and proceed towards what is complex” - Kodaly … shared during Pedagogy Day 2
8 - Jim Solomon - Workshop “Percussion Ensemble for the Elementary music teacher” - Modeling: “Teacher Talk” sometimes helps, but teacher demo is much better.
Student/Teacher demo is better than teacher alone.
Student/student demo while teacher talks through it is excellent.
Student to student demo while other students assess is best.