Posted by Lena Carter on September 08, 2005 at 10:13:43:
Freedom for Choral Teachers Freedom for Choral Teachers Freedom for Choral Teachers Freedom for Choral Teachers Freedom for Choral Teachers Freedom for Choral Teachers Freedom for Choral Teachers Freedom for Choral Teachers Freedom for Choral Teachers Freedom for Choral Teachers Freedom for Choral Teachers Teachers Freedom for Choral Teachers Teachers Freedom
A new choral methodology has been developed (patent pending) and you, the skilled vocal teacher, can now be free of “rote teaching”, “beating out parts”, and “being the only person in the room with skill.”
How would you like to meet your class the first day of school, have it be a group of students with no musical skill, and before they leave your 35-45 minute class, 85% can sit down and play the melody for two songs, and by knowing the melodic rhythm (familiar song), begin rehearsing their harmonic parts the next day? Do you believe this is possible? I have observed this phenomenon with musically unskilled students year after year in the public schools of America where I worked for 30 years!
How would you like to be able to say turn to page 14, 17 and 20, isolate your (soprano, alto, tenor, or bass) part and do your repetitions until the rehearsal begins!
Remember this?
1. Constantly playing the whole song so the students can hear it?
2. Constantly playing parts for each section?
3. Separating the soprano, alto, tenor, and bass parts for their listening pleasure?
4. Having to do this day after day?
5. Coming in daily and having to “play is again, (Sam)?”
6. Coming back after a vacation day or two and nobody remembers the part?
7. Students can’t hold their part upon hearing the melody, therefore, everybody sings the melody?
FREEDOM FOR THE MUSIC TEACHER! FINALLY!!!
You give up some of your power, but you gain so much more in return. Your students become independent of you after you teach them a part. If they forget it, they do the repetitions. Students who are leaders can run sectionals independent of you! Remember, a teacher’s job is done when he/she can direct the children in such a way that they function independently and are self-sufficient, lifelong learners.
If you have four keyboards with headphones or four pianos in your classroom, 15-28 students in class (skilled or unskilled), a desire to be able to take attendance, a desire to be able to adequately and independently assess your students abilities, freedom from the boredom of constant repetition (there will be some anyway), more time to polish musical performances rather than spend a semester trying to “beat it into them”, this could be the SOLUTION for your vocal music teaching career in its entirety.
If these claims and facts interest you and you would like to move away from the traditional “teaching choral music as usual”, please contact me at: dseyafanel@hotmail.com. YOU”LL BE GLAD YOU DID!
Upon receipt of your email, I will forward samples, publication dates, and repertoire lists to you!