November 2009 Volume 17, Number 3

Features

28    6 Things They May Not Have Taught You in College
          Music teaching can be a tough job, and much of what makes it tough doesn’t show up on a syllabus. A respected university music education coordinator lays out half a dozen principles to remember.

32    Make Your Small Band Sound Big!
          Not every band director has hundreds—or even dozens—of players at his or her disposal. From custom arranging and instrument doubling to staging techniques and computer technology, here’s how to get the most out of what you’ve got.

38    Climbing the Certification Ladder
          National board certification is touted as the highest credential that a teacher can receive, but getting it takes time and money. We asked several NBCTs in music what they thought about the process.

44    In the Service of Strings
          Two decades ago, a cello professor in South Carolina noticed a problem with local string instruction. The solution that he came up with is now helping students all across the country.

Departments

8     Letters

10   Upbeat
          National Anthem Day draws a crowd … Make your marching juniors All-American ... Online voting for MENC’s next national president-elect ... Details on the Collegiate Chapter of Excellence Recognition ... Working with the Partnership for 21st Century Skills ... Music Education Week 2010 academy topics ... Congratulations to MENC’s 50-year members.

18   Partnerships
          For over a million American public school students, VH1’s Save the Music Foundation has lived up to its name.

20   Classrooms 
          In rural Missouri, budget shortfalls demand creativity.

22   Advocacy
          The Support Music online database gets revamped.

24   Research
          MENC gives “The Nation’s Report Card” bad marks.

26   Technology
          For some music teachers, audio recording instruction is the new frontier.

48   Workshop
          Jazz and the general music teacher … Proper hand position for trumpet ... How to lead a keyboard ensemble … The role of the mariachi violinist ... Taking care of your percussion gear … Building vocal skills with Indian music

57   Stages
          Elementary: Structuring memorable music classes
          Secondary: Preparation for contests and festivals
          Collegiate: A strong case for service learning

62   Resources
          New media and accessories for the classroom

66   Going Places
          Choral singers from 15 Pennsylvania schools journey to Italy, Greece, and Croatia.

Spotlight On menc.org

• Band: Getting Them and Keeping Them: strategies for student recruitment and retention.
• Chorus: For Success with Special Learners, plan ahead.
• Future Teachers: Make the Most of a Low Budget Year by creating a program your administrator wants to support.
• General Music: To Motivate Urban Students, show them their musical potential.
• Higher Education, Administration and Research: Eyes on the Prize—and Compartmentalize to stay efficient.
• Jazz: When your time is limited, teach One Measure at a Time.
• Orchestra: Why one California teacher says Baroque Is In.
• News: Authors of new books discuss composition and interdisciplinary approaches for young students.
   

Features

• Access enhanced online versions of five MENC journals
• Find job opportunities and get career advice
• Network with fellow teachers on the forums
• Learn about new national MENC events from coast to coast