Welcome to the August NewsLink

We hope you had a wonderful and musical summer!

In this year’s Collegiate NewsLink, you’ll find resources for your Collegiate chapter and your transition to teaching. This month’s issue features an article on how to keep your body healthy so you can engage your mind and spirit in the study of music education. Check out tips on avoiding burnout, an introduction to MENC’s new Collegiate Chair, the newest MENC online and print teaching resources, and upcoming opportunities and events.

Rural Music Facilitators Needed for the 2008–2009 School Year

Recent grads are needed to make a difference in the lives of rural music students at the Ethos Music Center in Oregon. Join a team of Rural Music Facilitators (RMFs) who engage the community through music classes and performances. Gain experience in private, small group, and community teaching. RMF participants from last year commented, “To teach music and to bring one of the deepest joys of our lives to those who have little to no exposure to it is a wonderful and unimaginable experience.” Visit www.ethos.org or contact Michelle Boss Barba at 503-241-8824, ext. 8, to learn more and apply.

Collegiate Challenge: Speak Your Mind

Post your questions and comments about student teaching, your Collegiate chapter, and other teaching-related issues on the Future Teachers forum. We’re challenging you to make our online community active and collaborative. Don’t miss the chance to network with other Collegiates and veteran teachers from across the country!

Questions about Your Chapter?

As you return to campus and get your Collegiate chapter up and running, refer to the Collegiate Web site and handbook. If you have questions about your chapter, contact Student Programs Manager Shauna Leavitt.

Submit your NewsLink Survey for a Free Gift

We’d love to hear from you about how we can best help you in your transition to teaching. Send us your survey and receive a one-of-a-kind 60th anniversary Collegiate pin. Supplies are limited, so don’t wait!

If you have news about your chapter or suggestions for NewsLink, e-mail Anne Wagener. Check out the Future Teachers page for weekly articles for Collegiate members and an online forum.

Best wishes for a great year!
MENC Student Programs Staff

Wellness 101: Making the Most of Your Music Education Degree

H. Christian Bernhard II is assistant professor and chair of music education at the State University of New York at Fredonia.

Music education majors often enter the degree program with a passion for music and teaching. Perhaps they were positively influenced by a parent, a particular musical experience, or a special former teacher. Something about interacting with music and children for a career seems intriguing.

But, as many music education majors progress through the program, they become discouraged by academic and extracurricular demands. Like most students, they function without immediate parental oversight while attempting to maintain social relationships and academic integrity—often with few hours of sleep, questionable dietary choices, and little to no exercise.

Music education students participate in countless performance ensembles, private lessons, and academic courses. They’re inundated with secondary instruments, conducting techniques, teaching methods, and field experiences. With barely enough time to congratulate themselves for completing these degree requirements, they’re off to the challenging first year of teaching music.

If this sounds like you, you can take steps to enhance your undergraduate experience. While serious concerns should be discussed with a faculty advisor or campus counselor, improved sleep, exercise, and nutrition habits can have an immediate positive effect on your attitude and energy for music education.

Sleep

Perhaps the easiest and most relaxing way to promote good health is sound sleep. However, according to the National Sleep Foundation

• 60% of American adults suffer from occasional sleep problems.
• Over 40 million experience chronic sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy.
• At least 40% of adults suffer from daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with work and other activities.

To combat these problems, experts from the Sleep Foundation make the following recommendations:

• Avoid products containing nicotine or alcohol.
• Avoid eating or drinking caffeine immediately before bedtime.
• Use relaxing bedtime rituals, such as reading an enjoyable book.
• Keep a consistent sleep schedule.
• Seek a cool, dark sleep environment.
• Get out of bed for a short time if not asleep after 15–20 minutes.
• Avoid daytime naps that exceed 30 minutes.
• Report chronic sleep problems to a doctor.

While college dorms may not be the best environment for sound sleep, honest communication with roommates and resident assistants can help. Avoid peer pressure to stay up late (particularly from nonmusic majors) and maintain a consistent waking time, even on weekends. Earplugs and sleep masks can also help.

Exercise

Another important component of overall health is regular exercise. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Exercise can also combat weight gain, bone loss, and anxiety. Despite these benefits, over 60% of American adults don’t exercise regularly, and more than 25% are inactive during their leisure time. The CDC recommends the following.

Remember that daily campus activities can count as exercise. Use stairs instead of elevators and walk the long routes to different buildings. Find physical activities that are fun and social, such as long walks with friends or intramural competitions.

Nutrition

Adequate sleep and exercise should be accompanied by healthy eating habits. Research from the National Institutes of Health shows that about two-thirds of American adults are overweight, and about one-third are obese. Poor nutrition can result in mental fatigue, anxiety, and other physical problems.

Dieticians from the United States Department of Agriculture recommend consuming a wide variety of foods and beverages to ensure sufficient nutrient intake.

• Consume 2–3 servings of milk, yogurt, and cheese per day.
• Consume 2–3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts per day.
• Consume 3–5 servings of vegetables per day.
• Consume 2–4 servings of fruit per day.
• Consume 6–11 servings of bread, cereal, rice, and pasta per day.
• Limit alcohol, coffee, and soft drinks.
• Limit oils, fats, and sweets.
• Consume several small meals throughout the day, especially early.
• Consume at least 8 8-ounce glasses of water per day.

While college dining halls are notorious for tempting, unhealthy options, most campuses offer healthy alternatives. Challenge yourself to choose wisely and vary your selections. The occasional treat is fine in moderation.

Summary

Music education is one of the most demanding and underappreciated degree programs. Despite your passion for music and teaching, the curriculum can be overwhelming when combined with the challenges of college life. However, it’s possible to attain fulfillment and happiness from your studies and professional path. Serious concerns should be discussed with a faculty advisor or counseling center, but responsible adjustments to sleep, exercise, and nutrition can enhance your lifestyle, empower your learning, and allow you to focus on the joys of music making and teaching.

Top 10 Ways to Avoid Burnout for Music Education Students

by Gene Bechen, PhD, Department Chair, Associate Professor of Music, Director of Bands
St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa

What Is Burnout?

Music education majors often hear of peers who burn out, leave the major, and miss out on a rewarding career in music education. Christina Maslach (1996), a leading psychologist in the area of educator burnout, defines it as “A phenomenon related to job stress where individuals spend considerable time in close encounters with others under conditions of chronic tension and stress” (p. 4). When people use the term “burnout,” they describe themselves as being consumed, empty, alienated, wasted, let down, and even used up.

Many music education majors are profoundly affected by stress and burnout without fully knowing what it is or how to combat it. Some of these stressed individuals leave the major, while others shift from future music educator to music hobbyist.

Good Stress vs. Bad Stress

In analyzing reactions to stressful events, the music education major must try to discern good stress from bad stress. Good stress can motivate you and improve your performance. Too much stress causes negative physical, mental, and emotional reactions. The overall goal should be to balance good and bad stress levels to prevent burnout.

The big thing to remember is that knowledge is power. The more you learn about yourself and how you deal with the bad stress, the more success you’ll have in controlling it. Your stress level is determined by your beliefs and your reaction to a stressful event or situation, not the event itself. Increase your resistance to stress by being open to change, willing to make commitments, and knowing that you can control your life.

10 Ways to Lower Stress and Avoid Burnout

1. Learn to say no. Eliminate activities that are less important to your goal of becoming a music educator.
2. Improve and maintain your physical health. Develop good nutritional habits, exercise regularly, and get enough rest. Take advantage of all your school has to offer with regard to physical wellness (see the above article for more tips on wellness).
3. Improve and maintain your psychological and emotional health. Gain a sense of control in your life, believe in yourself, and be confident. Take advantage of university counseling services and seminars. Network with other music education majors, go to conferences, make friends outside of your major, and explore relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation.
4. Plan the work—work the plan! Make a weekly schedule (e.g. studying for 12 hours, practicing for 6 hours, etc.) and stick to it. Prioritize by focusing on the items that have the nearest deadlines.
5. Find ways to relax and reward yourself. Don’t feel guilty about giving yourself some down time or a reward. Put some wax back on the candle.
6. Ask for help; get help. You can’t do it all by yourself. Observe and network with successful music educators who can serve as mentors.
7. Adjust to stressors by using cognitive approaches. Many music education majors deal with performance anxiety as both musicians and educators. Eliminate negative self-talk and be less critical of yourself. You’re not alone in facing these stressful situations. For more on this, check out The Inner Game of Music by Barry Green (Anchor Press).
8. Increase your level of success as a student and a musician. Practice and study away from distractions. Tell your friends that you need quality study/practice time.
9. Avoid or eliminate stressors altogether. Keep a balance between your career and personal life. Sometimes a bad part-time job, a toxic relationship, or a rowdy living situation may generate stress. Eliminate a stressor by leaving the environment altogether.
10. Keep a journal to monitor your reactions to stressful situations. Journal writing is an excellent way to increase awareness of your reactions to stress. Click here for more tips.

My research indicates that music educator stress (and/or the beginning of burnout) begins prior to entering the profession. In my dissertation (2000), I found that students in music education programs exhibited higher levels of confidence in their ability to teach than their first-year colleagues and were even more confident than experienced music educators.

This excess confidence and/or unrealistic optimism results because beginning teachers are unaware of the demands of teaching. As they enter their first job, their perceptions about teaching are shattered, their stress levels rise, and they burn out within the first few years of their career. The outcome: many college students spend more time preparing to be music educators than they actually spend in the profession.

Remember, knowledge is power. By implementing the strategies above, you can learn a great deal about yourself and the demands of the profession. Constantly monitoring your stress level and maintaining a healthy lifestyle will lead you to a long and successful career.

References

Maslach, C., Jackson, S., and Leiter, M. (1996). Maslach burnout inventory manual (3rd ed.). Palo Alto, California: Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc.

Bechen, E. F. (2000). Sources of stress as perceived by preservice and inservice Iowa music educators. (Doctoral Dissertation, The University of Iowa, 2000). Dissertation Abstracts International, DAI-A 61(11), p. 4318.

Chapter Corner

Lebanon Valley Chapter Connects with Local Teachers, Students through BandFest

This January will be the ninth year that the Collegiate chapter at Lebanon Valley College (LVC) in Annville, Pennsylvania, has hosted BandFest, a performance event for middle school students. In 2008, BandFest featured 200 students from 19 schools.

The event includes a full day of rehearsals culminating in a concert that draws parents, friends, local teachers, the college dean, and non-music majors. “The auditorium gets quite filled,” says rising senior and 2008–2009 chapter president Christina Cosma. A few years ago, the chapter expanded BandFest to include both concert and symphonic bands.

Collegiate students run the entire event with the support of chapter advisor Mary Lemons. The LVC students select the music and plan the program, which includes a dress rehearsal, student pizza lunch, and teacher workshops. On the day of the event, student members rotate duties so they don’t miss any of their music education classes. Most of the chapter’s 80 members get involved in the planning and the concert day’s tasks, which include shuttling the hundreds of middle schoolers from rehearsals to lunch, teaching and conducting the music, and working backstage.

“It’s good leadership experience,” says Cosma. She also says it’s the perfect opportunity to get to know local teachers, many of whom will be mentor teachers to the Collegiate members as they student teach. Chapter members also enjoy working with students and planning a performance. “You gain an appreciation for your past teachers and all of the honor ensembles and district area festivals,” says Cosma.

Some of the chapter’s other events include visiting local nursing homes and hosting a shadow day that allows local students a glimpse into college music life. But BandFest is definitely the highlight of the year. “I hope other chapters do something like this,” says Cosma.

If your chapter would like to develop a similar project, the LVC members are happy to share their ideas and experience. You can contact Christina Cosma at cac002@lvc.edu.

Send Us Your Chapter News

We want to hear from you this year! Tell us about your chapter activity, accomplishment, musical performance, or recruitment technique.

Member Benefit Spotlight

Web Resources for Collegiate Members

Our Web site is designed to provide you with the information you need for a successful Collegiate chapter and smooth transition to teaching.

• Collegiate Chapter Operations —an A–Z guide to your Collegiate chapter, including awards, forms, activity ideas, and more
• Future Teachers Community—includes helpful links and weekly articles on topics like student teaching and job hunting
• Future Teachers Forum—an online networking venue where you can talk with other music ed majors and ask experienced teachers your questions
• Career Center—includes information on careers in music and job listings
• My Music Class—MENC’s lesson plan library
• MENC’s Home Page—features the latest music education news and online communities, including Band, Orchestra, Chorus, General Music, Higher Education/Admin/Research, and Jazz, each of which offer weekly articles and member forums

Conn-Selmer Institute

An event for all present and future music educators

The Conn-Selmer Institute is an annual event for music educators to explore what it means to teach music, collaborate with other educators, and have fun. Don’t miss this year’s event, June 7–10, 2009, on the Notre Dame campus.

If your chapter is interested in learning more about recent trends in music education or the benefits of attending the Conn-Selmer Institute, contact Conn-Selmer’s director of educational outreach, Jim Doepke, who would be glad to visit and speak with your chapter.

Visit www.csinstitute.org to learn more and register. Here’s what some 2008 participants had to say about this event:

“United Airlines cancelled my flight from Chicago and left me stranded until Monday morning. I was the one wearing the same clothes for two days because United Airlines also lost my luggage. Despite all the trouble, the CSI week was totally worth every bit. I would do it all over again (this time with carry-on bags). Dr. Tim, David Circle, Peter Boonshaft, Bill Gourley, David Gregory, Synergy Brass, the food, everything, and everyone—WOW!”
Don Castellow, 2008 Alumni

“This was my sixth or seventh time attending, and when you think it can’t possibly get better than the previous time … it does! Thanks to you for all your hard work, the work of your staff and all the behind-the-scenes people, for making this the ultimate music education experience! The amount of information and experiences disseminated during these four days is incredible! I can hardly wait for the next one!”
Dale, 2008 Alumni

“Over the years, I have attended many state conventions across the country. However, there is nothing that can match the number and quality of presentations that are packed into the three full days and nights at Conn-Selmer Institute. The clinicians are national leaders and superb speakers who speak from their heart and their passion for music. In addition to the valuable information presented, there is an enthusiasm and camaraderie that develops which is truly inspiring.”
David Circle, MENC President, 2004–2006
2008 Conn-Selmer Institute Faculty

MENC’s New Collegiate and National Leadership

MENC extends a warm welcome to its 2008–2010 leaders! These individuals will guide MENC as we continue to be the leading voice in music education.

Barbara Geer, President
Barbara is a music consultant in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County (North Carolina) School System. She has taught elementary, middle, and high school vocal, instrumental, and general music. In addition to her instructional duties, she has served as a supervisor of the secondary band, choral, and orchestra programs and provided extensive mentorship for Collegiates and new teachers. She has a distinguished record of state and national leadership experience. Her experience includes serving as president of both the Southern Division of MENC and the North Carolina Music Educators Association.

Richard Sang, Collegiate Chair
Richard is coordinator of music education and senior graduate advisor for the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College/City University of New York. He is the conductor of the Queens College Graduate Winds and teaches courses in instrumental music methods, research, and conducting. He has published and presented research in music education nationally and internationally. During his 25 years as a collegiate music educator, he has been highly active in MENC’s Collegiate program and is beginning his second term as MENC National Collegiate Chair (previous term 1998–2000). He is dedicated to teacher education in music and is a firm believer that the future of the profession lies in the hands of our college students and those dedicated faculty and teachers who prepare them.

Suzanne Burton, Collegiate National Chair-Elect
Congratulations to Suzanne Burton of University of Delaware as the the new Collegiate National Chair-Elect. She will serve as your Collegiate National Chair-Elect from July 2008–June of 2010 and as the Collegiate National Chair from July 2010–June of 2012.

Current News & Announcements

August Monthly Special:  Toot Your Own Horn!

The August MENC member monthly special features the MENC advocacy brochure series, “The Power of Music … Changing Lives.” This packet of four advocacy brochures is designed to give parents, school board members, and principals “the why and the how” of supporting school music education.

In August only, MENC members can purchase the Teachers’ Pack (set of 4 different brochures) for only $2.50—half off the regular price! No additional purchase is required.

This special is not available at state conference resource shops. Call 1-800-828-0229 or visit www.menc.org to order.

#4035R. Teachers Pack: $2.50 for MENC members. (Set of 4 – one of each brochure: A Guide for School Board Members, A Guide for Parents, A Guide for Elementary School Principals, A Guide for Secondary School Principals.) Each brochure can also be purchased separately as a pack of 25.

Lesson Plans Exclusively for MENC Members

My Music Class is MENC’s new online idea center and lesson plan library for members. It’s filled with standards-based teaching resources. Collegiate members will find this resource very valuable as they student teach and prepare for first-year teaching. Visit www.menc.org/lessons to check it out.

MENC Announces 2009 Music In Our Schools Month Theme

March is Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM®)—the time of year when music education becomes the focus of schools across the nation. The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children and to remind citizens that school is where all children should have access to music. This year’s theme is Music! Just Imagine… Visit the MIOSM Web site to learn more about how your campus can participate.

Why Music? PSAs Feature Clay Aiken, Marty Stuart

This month, look for new PSAs from MENC featuring popular artists discussing the value of music education. Contact your local or campus station and ask the station manager to play the PSAs. Learn more and listen here.

New Jazz Resource

Teaching Improv in Your Jazz Ensemble: A Complete Guide for Music Educators
By Zachary B. Poulter

This resource will guide you in designing an effective sequence for teaching improvisation and reinforcing it with correlating jazz ensemble charts. Over 180 arrangements of jazz standards are indexed to correlate with the sequence of improvisation study. Learn how to design a sequence of instruction, interpret chord symbols, rehearse improvisation in a group format, and assess jazz improvisation. Also learn about the philosophy and history of the educational jazz ensemble. To order this book, visit www.rowmaneducation.com.

Rock and Roll Curriculum

MENC and Scholastic are supporting the creation of Little Steven’s Rock and Roll High School, the first major educational initiative of the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation. It will include free materials such as teacher guidelines, lesson plans, DVDs, and CDs that will allow music teachers and others to bring rock and roll history to life in their classrooms. You can sign up for e-mail updates by visiting www.rockandrollforever.org.

Teaching Resources at Your Virtual Fingertips

MENC Journals Now Online

MENC’s five academic journals are now available online through an agreement with SAGE Publications, an independent international publisher. The online archives include issues of Music Educators Journal, Journal of Research in Music Education, General Music Today, Journal of Music Teacher Education, and Update: Applications of Research in Music Education.

“Free online access to Music Educators Journal (MEJ) and to the Journal of Research in Music Education for MENC members is the first of many benefits stemming from our relationship with SAGE. Neither of these two journals has been available online before,” said MENC executive director John Mahlmann. “Access to all five journals back to volume 1, issue 1 is the next benefit for our members. For MEJ, that means going all the way back to the September 1914 issue of Music Supervisors Bulletin.”

Visit the MENC Periodicals page for classroom ideas and support, music education research, and more. You can access back issues of the periodicals using your e-mail address and member ID.

Support MENC When You Shop at Amazon

The next time you buy from Amazon, use this link, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to MENC.

National Anthem Day 2008

Music teachers around the nation will hold National Anthem Day 2008 events on Friday, September 12 to showcase the important role music education plays in teaching American historical and musical traditions. Events will center on the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at 9 am local time. For more information, visit The National Anthem Project site.

National String Project Consortium Offers Grants of up to $25,000

The National String Project Consortium (NSPC) is now accepting applications to start new String Project sites at universities to address the string teacher shortage. String Projects provide practical hands-on training for prospective teachers during their college years. As a result, the undergraduates who teach in these programs gain valuable experience prior to taking a job.

Each new String Project will receive $10,000 in grants to start their program in the first year. The NPSC is a coalition of String Project sites based at colleges and universities across the United States. The NSPC is dedicated to increasing the number of children playing stringed instruments and addressing the critical shortage of string teachers in the U.S. To learn more, visit www.stringprojects.org.

U.S. Army All-American Marching Band Program Receives National Award

Now Accepting 2010 Applications

MENC is one of only 11 organizations nationally to receive an Award of Excellence in the third round of the 2008 Associations Advance America (AAA) Awards program, a national competition sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) & The Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC. MENC received the award for its U.S. Army All-American Marching Band, a program that recognizes the nation’s finest student marching musicians with “All-American” status.

Now Accepting 2010 All-American Nominations!

Students who will be seniors in the 2009–2010 school year may be nominated between August 2008–January 15, 2009 on the MENC Web site. Any current high school junior who exhibits exceptional musicianship, marching achievement, character, and leadership, may be nominated by their music teacher.

The 2009 U.S. Army All-American Marching Band is chosen and will be announced this fall during a nationwide selection tour. The 2009 All-Americans will be revealed on the MENC Web site as tour announcements are completed. The 2009 U.S. Army All-American Marching Band will perform at the All-American Bowl on January 3, 2009, in San Antonio, TX.

Caitlin Merie Hurrey Scholarship Winner Announced

The Caitlin Scholarship is awarded annually to an MENC Collegiate senior for professional development. Winners are chosen among the recipients of the Professional Achievement Award. This year’s recipient is Stacy Larson. Visit the Caitlin Scholarship page to learn more about the scholarship and the Collegiate Recognition page for more information about Professional Achievement Awards.

BMI Foundation Announces John Lennon Composition Scholarship Winners

The Lennon Scholarship awards young composers between 15 and 24. MENC Collegiate members are especially encouraged to apply through their chapter each year. Chapter advisors will receive materials, information, and direction from MENC in late October with composition entries due back to the advisors by December 1, 2008.

The 2008 winners are

• 1st place ($10,000 scholarship): Travis Knapp, Ithaca College, “Before You Go”
• 2nd place ($5,000 scholarship): Enocha Tellus, Berklee College of Music, “Broken”
• 3rd place ($5,000 scholarship): Aaron Kaufman, Carleton College, “All My Life”
• Honorable mention ($1,000 award): Sarah Tollerson, Berklee College of Music, “I’ll Sneak Away”

Collegiate members, ask your advisor in October how you can enter the 2009 competition. Visit the BMI Web page for more information and updates.

Let the Collegiates Eat Cake

At MENC’s National Biennial In-Service Conference in Milwaukee this past April, Collegiate students enjoyed a special celebration in their honor. A DJ, live music, free iPods, and a giant cake were just a few highlights. Future music educators put on their party hats for this lively event.

Question of the Month

Each month, MENC asks its members for their input on current issues and trends in music education. This month’s question is, “If you were given $20,000 to spend for your music classes this coming year, how would you spend it?” Visit www.menc.org to share your thoughts.

Ask the Mentors

Got a question about teaching music or finding a job?

Each month from September to May, the “Ask the Mentors” forum features a different mentor for the Band, Orchestra, Chorus, General Music, Jazz, and Future Teachers networks.

The mentors are veteran teachers who provide advice in response to your teaching questions. Visit www.menc.org to post questions and read responses.