Dear Tri-M Members and Advisers,

Happy Halloween! Don’t forget to register your chapter before October 31, 2009 to receive your free appreciation gift – the Tri-M Advisor pin. In this month’s issue of E-News, you’ll find announcements, upcoming service opportunities, and events. This month’s featured article is from our online Future Teachers weekly articles, titled “What Would You Do? Part 1.” And this year we’ve added two new specialty items – multi-colored Tri-M pens, and music picture frames!

As always, if you have comments, questions, or would like to share your chapter’s activities with us for publication in a future issue, e-mail Shauna Leavitt.  Please share an update with us on how your chapter is doing!

Sincerely,

Shauna Leavitt, Student Programs Manager

What Would You Do? Part 1

“The first year of teaching can be a shock to music teachers who are expecting an extension of the student-teaching experience,” says Gary Mortenson. After beginning their first teaching job, music teachers soon learn that they have a new set of responsibilities that may not have been addressed in college.

Mortenson shares various “situations for discussion” with his music education students. “This activity helps educators think through the handling of real-life situations or problems. In addition, it can give younger teachers a head start in formulating ways of addressing broader issues,” says Mortenson.

How would you react in the following scenarios?

Teacher-Student Relationships

Scenario #1
You’re on tour with your top high school choir. It’s after curfew, and all your students should be in their rooms observing rules about noise levels. As you walk down the hall, loud, boisterous sounds emanate from a room. You discover the room is occupied by your students. Upon your knocking, the door is opened to reveal a party complete with smoking and alcohol. Many of the students involved are section leaders. How do you handle the situation? What could you have done to prevent it from happening?

Scenario #2

A student in your fifth-grade general music class is extremely unpopular, bearing the brunt of every cruel joke and being ridiculed continuously by other students. Her actions and clumsiness seem to encourage abusive treatment. It’s almost as if the student has decided that if she can’t be popular in the usual sense, then she’ll be popular in an unusual way. How do you help raise this student’s self-esteem? Once you begin to help, how do you deal with the other students’ attitudes toward this person?

Share your thoughts about these scenarios on the future teacher forum or e-mail your responses to Shauna Leavitt.

Stay tuned for part 2 that shares scenarios about teacher-parent relationships.

Resources

Advice for New Teachers: Part 1
Advice for New Teachers: Part 2
Da Capo: Starting the First Year: Part 1
Da Capo: Starting the First Year: Part 2

Gary C. Mortenson is professor of trumpet and head of the music department at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. He also serves as Publications Editor and as a member of the Board of Directors for the International Trumpet Guild.

This article is adapted from “Reality 101,” by Gary C. Mortenson in Music Educators Journal (December 1991): 45-49

--Shauna Leavitt, September 30, 2009, © MENC: The National Association for Music Education

Contests, Scholarships, and Student Opportunities

The Green Anthem Lyric Writing Contest

In conjunction with this year’s World’s Largest Concert, participate in the Green Anthem Lyric Writing Contest for grades 7-12. Invite your students to write new lyrics to “The Green Anthem”  with their own variations on “The Green Anthem” melody. Select up to three (3) student entries to submit to MENC. Entries will be judged on lyric and melodic variation originality by an MENC member panel. Four (4) winning entries will be posted on the MENC Web site and will be performed at the national Green Anthem Concert in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day in April 2010. Deadline is February 15, 2010. Visit the MIOSM Contest page for downloadable forms, rules, and eligibility requirements.

MENC National Honor Ensembles

The ultimate recognition for student musicians! The MENC National Honor Ensembles will debut in June 2010 at Music Education Week in Washington DC. Now your star student performers have the opportunity for recognition beyond the state and division level. Students should apply now for the inaugural National Honor Concert Band, Mixed Choir, Orchestra, and Jazz Band. Only active MENC members may submit audition materials for their high school sophomores or juniors to be considered for this national recognition. For more information, visit National Honor Ensembles. Application deadline: November 16, 2009.

Perform at MENC's Music Education Week 2010

Groups can now apply to perform during MENC's Music Education Week in Washington DC, June 24–29, 2010. This event is MENC's annual summer celebration of music education featuring exceptional student performance opportunities, music advocacy on Capitol Hill, professional development, and live professional concerts. All performance groups are encouraged to contact MENC Events (phone 800-479-8247 or email chrism@mencevents.org) to participate during this exciting, educational week.

Help MENC win $50,000 in America's Giving Challenge

On Thursday, October 7th MENC became one of more than 4000 Causes participating in America's Giving Challenge (AGC). AGC is a program developed by The Case Foundation, Causes.com, and Parade Magazine to inspire people to use the power of social media to gain visibility and financial support for their non-profit. The Cause that receives the most individual donations between October 7th and November 6th will win a $50,000 award from The Case Foundation. Donations can be as little as $10. It isn't the amount of the donation that matters, it is the number of donations that counts.

Right now, the organization in the lead has fewer than 500 donations. MENC has thousands of supporters - if we could encourage 150 people to donate $10 each day, we could win the challenge and win some daily challenges as well . Check out the America's Giving Challenge web site at Causes.com. Please help to raise awareness of MENC and music education and help us win this challenge! You don't need a Facebook page, you can donate directly through Causes.com.

Nominate Your Top Students as U.S. ARMY ALL-AMERICANS!

Plan now for the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Marching Band! Nominate your students who are JUNIORS in the 2009-2010 school year for participation in their senior year in the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl Week festivities, taking place January 4-9, 2011. In January 2010, nominees will receive audition information, which must be submitted by April 15, 2010. Final selections for the 2011 marching band will be announced by July 1, 2010.

"I Am What I Learn" Video Contest

The U.S. Department of Education challenges students to describe in videos the steps they will take to improve their education and the role education will play in fulfilling their dreams. Submissions can be in the form of video blogs, public service announcements, music videos, or documentaries up to two minutes in length. MENC members can make sure music is represented by encouraging your students age 13 and older to create and upload their videos to YouTube by November 2. The 20 videos receiving the most votes from the public will be reviewed by a panel of judges including Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. The panel will choose three winners to each receive a $1,000 cash prize. For more information, visit I Am What I Learn. (Make the most of your students' videos by uploading them to SchoolTube, too!)

Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Program

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is preparing to launch its annual search for young people who have demonstrated outstanding community service over the past year. Once again, Tri-M is proud to support this unique youth recognition program. Your students can win cash prizes, a trip to Washington DC, and a chance to inspire other young people to volunteer in their communities. Deadline is November 2, 2009.

Take Your Students to Disney!

Walt Disney World has several musical opportunities in spring 2010 for you and your students, which MENC is proud to endorse.

• Disney Jazz Celebration– February 18-20, 2010. A unique event open to instrumental and vocal performers, bringing together jazz educators and students with collegiate adjudicators and jazz celebrities. Students can choose to take part in jam sessions with their peers and jazz professionals.
• Festival Disney– Weekend dates from March to May 2010. Students will demonstrate their performance excellence in the only all-Disney-produced competitive music festival. Festival Disney gives your talented ensemble the chance to compete with other instrumental, choral and auxiliary groups from schools across the country.

2010 Concerto Competition

"The President's Own" United States Marine Band, in conjunction with the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and MENC, is pleased to announce the 2010 Marine Band Concerto Competition for high school musicians. The winner will appear as a guest soloist with the U.S. Marine Band and receive a cash prize. Open to high school musicians (grades 9–12) enrolled during the 2009–2010 academic year. Performers of woodwind, brass, or percussion instruments may apply. Deadline November 14, 2009.

Chapter Spotlight

John L. Miller Great Neck North High School, Great Neck, NY
Advisor: Joe Rutkowski

The John L. Miller Great Neck North High School held the 2009 Long Island Tri-M Music Conference on Thursday, October 22. The guest speaker for this event was Ervin Drake.

Maestro Drake is an 82-year-old Great Neck resident and longtime composer. Maestro Drake has been composing for more than six decades, and he has subsequently composed about 500 pieces for such artists as Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, and Barbara Streisand! In addition to a meal, there were many activities that took place throughout the evening including musical Jeopardy, Great Neck North's own renowned "Drop the Needle, musical celebrity," and karaoke in addition to a raffle and various student performances.

News and Events

New Tri-M items for 2009-2010!

• Tri-M Pens—NEW! Clickable, ballpoint pens with colorful (red, purple, and green) barrels and comfortable gel grip. Package of 3 pens per set, 1 of each color with white logo and black ink. #8052. Active Tri-M chapter $1.50/Others $2.00
• Music Memories and Band Picture Frames—NEW! 4” x 6” wooden frames include glass and easel back with drop leg for tabletop display. #8053. Music Memories Picture Frame. Active Tri-M chapter $12.00/Others $16.00 #8054. Band Picture Frame. Active Tri-M chapter $12.00/Others $16.00
• Clearance Items – Several Tri-M items are now on clearance, including the advisor coin, the Tri-M apple ball, Tri-M key ring, emblem picture, and name tags. See the Tri-M catalog for more details.
   

To order: Call 1-800-828-0229 or download the Tri-M Catalog.

Tri-M Chapter of the Year 09-10

Start thinking now about collecting items for your Chapter of the Year scrapbook! The Chapter of the Year summer music scholarship program offers scholarship money for summer study programs to the top 3 chapters at the national level in each division (senior and junior chapters). Advisors of the winning chapters then award scholarship money to deserving students in their chapters. To get these scholarships, chapters must send in a scrapbook covering their activities for the year, together with the current Chapter of the Year point evaluation form, to the Tri-M national office postmarked no later than April 30, 2010.

MENC’s Walk of Fame

Are you looking for a way to honor a special music educator in your life? Or to recognize the accomplishments of your own chapter?

We hope you’ll consider purchasing an engraved brick on the Walk of Fame at MENC headquarters in Reston, Virginia. Doing so provides a special way to support music education. This is a wonderful opportunity to honor a mentor, memorialize a loved one, commemorate an occasion or event, or simply make public and permanent your own support for music education.

For more information or questions, contact Susan Lambert.

New Book Explores Teaching Music Composition to Students of All Ages

Minds On Music
By Michele Kaschub and Janice Smith

The authors of a new book, Minds on Music: Composition for Creative and Critical Thinking (MENC/Rowman & Littlefield), explain that without the guidance of a music educator, young people may never know that many things they do in daily life are natural forms of music composition.

“Imagine a society that taught children to read, but not how to create stories or poems of their own,” Janice Smith says. “A music education that does not value children’s potentials in sound— their ability to create songs and pieces uniquely their own—is similarly less than complete.”

Kaschub, coordinator of music teacher education and graduate studies at the University of Southern Maine School of Music, and Smith, undergraduate coordinator of music education at Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College, City University of New York, have worked together previously at several summer composing workshops. The workshops helped give a focus to the book, which they describe as a true collaboration. Its topics include research on the rationale for teaching composition, assessment, designing and working in a composing community, and composing activities for different age-groups.

For more information about Minds on Music, visit Rowman & Littlefield.

October Poll 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: How many school-based concerts do you anticipate presenting this school year? Share your thoughts today.

October Monthly Special

Spread the Word – Music! Just Imagine…

The NEW 2010 Music In Our Schools Month® tattoos are now available. The October member special is a fantastic time to stock up! These colorful, 1-1/2” square, temporary tattoos are a great way to introduce this year’s logo to your students. In October only, MENC members can purchase a bag of 100 tattoos for half of the non-member price. (That’s only 4¢ per tattoo!)

No additional purchase is required.
MIOSM® 2010 Tattoos: #7039R $4.00
This special is not available at state conference resource shops. Call 1-800-828-0229 or visit www.menc.org to order.

Networking

Follow MENC on Twitter.

• Stay connected with other MENC Tri-M members around the world by joining MENC’s Tri-M group on Facebook. To join, simply visit www.facebook.com and search “MENC Tri-M Headquarters.”
• Want to know what’s happening at MENC Headquarters? Become a fan of MENC on Facebook!
   

Planning a Tri-M Event?

For those planning regional events for members of Tri-M chapters, please be sure to send a copy of the Tri-M Event Responsibility form to Shauna Leavitt by faxing it to (703) 860-9404 or mailing it to her attention at MENC, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 20191. A copy of this form is available on page 57 of the Tri-M Manual (2009 issue).

“Ask the Mentors” Forum

Do you have music education questions? MENC’s mentors have the answers! Each month from September to May, the “Ask the Mentors” forum features a different mentor for band, orchestra, chorus, general music, jazz, and guitar. The mentors are veteran teachers who offer advice in response to your teaching questions. Post questions and read responses on the Future Teacher’s Forum. Read about this month’s MENC Mentors.

Month of October

Band – Jim Kull
General Music – Joyce Larson
Chorus – Teryle Watson
Orchestra – Barry Kolman
Jazz – Andrew Goodrich
Guitar – Mark Campayno

Tri-M® Music Honor Society is the international music honor society for middle/junior high and high school students. Tri-M is a program of MENC: The National Association for Music Education, the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of music education. Through its many programs, activities, publications, and conferences, MENC addresses all aspects of music education and works to ensure that every student can be a part of a balanced, comprehensive, and high-quality program of music instruction. For more information about Tri-M Music Honor Society, visit our Website.

--Shauna Leavitt, August 19, 2009 © MENC: The National Association for Music Education.