Posted by C on April 07, 2008 at 13:17:31:
In Reply to: Beginners and rehearsing the music posted by Will on April 06, 2008 at 19:17:01:
Try a "band karate" or "levels" program. I do this with recorders and our instrumental teacher does something very similar with band. Have certain songs in the lesson book, or certain passages in your band music designated as testing songs. The songs or passages you choose should of course be of increasing difficulty. As you test the student on the song, if they are able to play it accurately, they earn a piece of colored ribbon or yarn (a "karate belt") to tie onto their case or instrument - or alternately you could have names or pictures on a bulletin board, and move the kid's name or picture to the next "level" on the bulletin board. Many of the kids want to earn their belts before the rest of their classmates do so they practice ahead on their own. I designate a special day that we will be testing for a particular song (for example, if most of the kids in a class can play the song together accurately, I'll tell them, Prepare for testing for your green belt next week), but kids can also test ahead of the others if they so choose. You can't fake being able to play a song like you can fake practice records (you either can play it accurately or not), and of course being able to play the music is the goal, so this is a much better way of making sure the kids practice! Our students really like earning the ribbons and some years I've had a large group of students who all wanted to earn their black belts before the rest of the kids in their grade - so the competition motivated some kids who I know wouldn't have even thought about putting in any effort otherwise.
If you want to have them earn points toward the party.... you could say something like, If all the students have earned their yellow belt by such and such a date, or if 80% of the group has earned their red belt by such and such a date, we will be able to have the party.
: I teach beginners and have had a hard time getting them to put the work in on their own time so we can work as a group during rehearsal. I have a bulletin board that charts the band's points for practice minutes and the goal is a party after our concert. I am working up a grading system for next year that involves practice sheets and play exams so I can accurately assess their abilities. I just feel that I am working more on individual parts that should be worked on at home and want to get into the music in rehearsals instead of playing the black spots on the page. What do you do to motivate your students to practice and what do you do during rehearsals that is different from lessons? I am a first year teacher and love what I do and would like to make this program better because there is a lot of potential.
: Thanks
: -Will-