Procedures Maximize Learning

Hello again! With the break underway and my student teaching around the corner, I've been wanting to reflect on the great experiences I gained from this past semester. I observed a great middle school teacher, worked with a small high school concert band, conducted the ASU Wind Ensemble, gave presentations to elementary kids, taught a few lessons, read a great book on teaching for recreation, and took a couple of education classes, one of which was specifically for middle and high school pedagogy and was very in depth (I read the text from cover to cover, which was not easy with the way it was printed and written). I learned quite a bit, and hopefully these reflections will help me to retain much of it, while also sharing it with anyone who might be interested. Great teachers already know the importance of today's topic - procedures.

This is an AMAZING book!

The recreational book I referenced is Mr. and Mrs. Wong's "The First Days of School", a book that transforms veteran teachers who have struggled and sets up rookie teachers for break out success. It covers four major areas of being a professional educator, with the most in-depth chapter covering Classroom Management. In this chapter they stress the importance of procedures: teaching them, rehearsing them, and reinforcing them until they become routines, or habits.

A procedure is basically a specific way of accomplishing a specific task. It is you explaining to the students exactly how you want them to do something. Why is this important?

Procedures are important to everyone. They allow us to get on about our business from day to day in an organized manner. Society has procedures for everything, from how to drive to what to do when people are getting on and off an elevator (wait for people to step out before entering, for example). If you don't tell the students how something should be done, you're creating a void which they will fill on their own. After all, you can't get upset when students do something you don't like if you didn't tell them how it should be done before hand. Why would a student remove their hat or iPod headphones if you didn't tell them that was your expectation? Do you see my point?

(Procedures are a simple concept. You can probably list
several procedures used by ensembles, conductors, and
audience members during public concerts. Remember how
we learned them? They were taught, rehearsed, and reinforced.)

Also important to note is that procedures are different from rules. Violating rules requires punishment. They tell you generally what is and is not acceptable behavior. Procedures are not punishable, only correctable. They explain how you do something. For example, how do you enter the room? How do you leave the room? How is attendance taken? Who dismisses the class (the bell or the teacher)? How do you fix certain problems in the music? What should students do when they're not playing? These are not classroom rules, but rather procedures that must be taught. If they are taught, rehearsed, and reinforced, then over time they become student habits. Teachers who are meticulous about establishing procedures for everything build classes that can eventually run themselves and maximize learning in the time you have, even in the event that you have a substitute teacher.

What I've noticed in my observations as well as in my reading and reflection of my own experiences is that there are two categories of procedures for band/music rehearsals: classroom procedures, and rehearsal procedures.

"The First Days of School" is a tremendous resource for Classroom Procedures. Classroom Procedures deal with how the class operates. How you enter and leave the room, how you transition from one activity to another, take attendance, pass in assignments (in core classes). In music there are specific things to consider, like what students should do when they're not playing, practicing raising the instruments when you raise the baton, how you get their attention, or get them to stop playing, and so on.

Rehearsal Procedures in some cases are very similar, but I like to think of them a little differently. I consider these the procedures we use regularly to fix problems. Many of these we wouldn't think about because we've done them so many times, but beginning band students must be taught how to do them, and then the procedures can be reinforced through repetition until graduation. For example, if they're playing wrong notes, you can have them "Note name and finger" rather than play. If it's a rhythm problem, we have them, "Count" or "Count and finger". Teachers calls these their "bag of tricks", but in most cases, we could call them procedures. And if you use them often and consistently, fixing problems can become an automatic response rather than something that requires a great deal of thought and explanation.

How does this maximize learning? Simple - it maximizes your time. It does require some up front investment to teach the procedures, but this always pays off. I'll go into more detail in parts two and three, but here is one example.

Most of us have been in bands that were great and bands that were what we would consider undisciplined. One of our biggest pet peeves (and surely for our teachers as well) is that when they asked for our attention, the people around us wasted so much time getting quiet. How long does it take for a teacher to get a group's attention when they're off task or even helping each other with the music and thus not focusing on the teacher? As much as thirty seconds? Perhaps more? What about when the band is playing and the conductor gives a cut off or raps the baton on their stand to get us to stop. How long does it take for the band to stop? In good groups, it is an immediate response. The conductor has conditioned the ensemble to stop immediately and focus on them. In mediocre and bad groups, this reaction (whether it's to stop talking or stop playing) can take 5-30 seconds. Multiply that by the number of times a conductor must get the group's attention in a 45-55 minute rehearsal, and suddenly it's not a stretch to think that the group has lost several minutes of rehearsal time that they will ultimately never get back. How many problems could have been fixed? How much more could you have taught them?

And isn't that a depressing waste of time?

Yet many teachers out there have not learned how to do this. They probably were never trained in how to do it correctly, and perhaps have not looked in the right places to get the information. Or perhaps they're one of those teachers who has read the material, but thinks they can modify and leave out certain steps and still get it to work, then get frustrated when it doesn't work and toss out the process all together, blaming the kids for not caring about learning.

Everyone suffers. The students miss out on a great or even good education and the teacher lives with daily anxiety and a general sense of failure, perhaps eventually leaving the profession they worked so hard to enter, and that promised to be so rewarding. I've already met several such folks in my time in college, who were excited to teach music and ultimately discovered "it was not for them".

This is why procedures are so important, and why having a procedure for everything is so important. The more procedures you create for anticipated needs, the more efficiently you can use the precious little time available to you, and thus maximize learning for the students, resulting in amazing ensembles with passionate and musical performances. Procedures also offer some routine and consistency for those who need it most, the children whose home lives are chaotic and unstable on a day to day basis. It doesn't just maximize your learning time, it contributes to a person's positive personal and emotional growth. Amazing, isn't it?

I'm obviously sold on procedures, and I think any master teacher is as well. I hope anyone else reading this who isn't saying, "Well, duh Chris" is now convinced as well. Please tune in next time for my second entry where I'll reflect on Classroom Procedures. It may seem more boring than the rehearsal procedures I mentioned, but classroom procedures are critical for reducing the amount of time wasted on things that have nothing to do with getting better. I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty enticing to me. Plus, I'll share the procedures that I've observed, experienced, or considered, and otherwise plan to use so that you have specific examples to work with.

Thanks for reading, and until next time, take care!

Musically yours,
Mr. Cooper

PS. Interested in reading "The First Days of School"? You can find that and many other great products by Harry and Marry Wong at EffectiveTeaching.com. But don't just read it... apply it!

Continue to Part II (Classroom Procedures)

Philosophy of Education

I've redesigned the blog... what do you think? Over the break I hope to produce several new blogs reflecting on observations and other experiences from this past semester, so I wanted to improve the layout in preparation. I hope you like it!

So, for one of my education classes we were required to write our Philosophy of Education. This was actually pretty tough! What my teacher received had one paragraph subtracted, and another added about specific philosophers that influenced my philosophy. But to be honest, I didn't even know about those guys until recently reading about them. My philosophy is based on what leading music educators have written, and on other things I have seen in action, like El Sistema. So for my blog I've reinserted the paragraph about character building. Let me know what you think!

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Philosophy of Education

I believe music is an essential component of the human condition. It has been said that music can express that which words cannot. While I believe all students have musical potential, and can benefit even from general study of Classical Music, those who engage in music performance encounter an emotional and aesthetic experience that is unique. In doing so, they not only develop a creative outlet, but gain a deeper understanding of the human condition than what is otherwise possible. My primary job, then, is to unleash each student’s music making possibilities by helping them to develop strong fundamental instrumental performance techniques and music literacy skills while exposing them to the best music ever written, with the goal of achieving music making experiences that are exciting, emotional, and passionate. All the while, students develop a skill that they can take pride in, one that boosts their self-image, while also gaining a valuable social experience that allows them to develop emotionally throughout their teenage years. The values of a great music education are truly innumerable!

Students will discover that it is always easier to play at a higher level when proper technique is used, and therefore proper technique, when reinforced, is intrinsically motivating. Ensemble techniques can often be complex, and require incredible sensitivity to one’s own playing and the playing of everyone else involved, but again students will be motivated to give this effort once they have experienced the musical benefits. I believe the key to motivating students toward this end is to demand excellence from both the individuals and the ensemble as a whole. Students must experience music making at a high level, because that unique aesthetic and emotional experience is addicting – it becomes the key to intrinsic motivation.

I believe students learn best in a safe, structured environment. Ensemble music making is inherently a group activity, and so success requires a classroom culture based on mutual respect and collaboration. I will strive to create a community of learners, in which students work together as I guide them towards the discovery of what facilitates the most musical outcome, whether in regards to fundamental playing techniques or musical interpretation. When an ensemble is only as good as its weakest player, it is counterproductive to demean that player. Instead, students will learn to give additional support to the weaker players because their improvement will benefit everyone. Additionally, I will solicit student’s suggestions on musical interpretation, and keep those that are effective, as I believe this will result in the students feeling more ownership over the music being performed (as opposed to forcing the students to perform my personal interpretation of the music). Advocated by Benjamin Zander, this creates a rehearsal atmosphere of collaboration not only between the students, but between myself and the students, which I believe will further increase student motivation. These activities will be focused through the use of procedures to maximize our time on task, and further increase student learning.

While students will work together to improve as individuals, they will also be held accountable as individuals. I believe the key to truly great ensembles relies on the independence of each performer, and so students will be assessed on their ability to perform independently as well as in the group. To unleash their musical potential, I will offer as much support as possible, including distributing instrument specific technique building exercises, offering private lessons as availability permits, establishing a peer tutor program, after school sectionals, and so on. I will require that students set personal goals for their playing, and I believe that with their dedicated action, and my personal support (as well as the support of their peers), that every student can reach their musical goals. It is my belief that music is just as conducive to diverse, student centered teaching methods as is any other subject, so part of how I will help them to achieve those goals is through diverse, differentiated teaching methods to address not only the various learning styles (such as auditory, visual and kinesthetic), but diverse intelligences as well.

A band can be many things, but it is certainly a team. Like any team, for the band to be successful the students must cultivate certain character traits and life skills, including: teamwork, commitment, responsibility, leadership, time management, goal setting (both in playing and personal growth), self-discipline, hard work, excellence, dependability, respect (for each other, for equipment), and more. Additionally, to make music requires that the members of the ensemble let down their walls and come together, despite the often diverse make up of its personnel. The success of the ensemble requires that I work to instill these traits into the students. As a consequence, band members become positive role models for their peers and agents of social change. If the diverse students in a band can grow as individuals, hold themselves to higher standards, and come together as a group working toward a common goal, then they can serve as a model for the rest of the school to follow.

In that same spirit, I will work to unite with my peers on the faculty towards the common goal of creating a safe and united school environment that fosters a sense of community and belonging. I will model the ideas of personal growth and cooperation as I collaborate, assist, and learn from fellow faculty members. A master teacher always seeks to learn and improve themselves as people and as teachers, and I must follow this path as well. The end result, I hope, will not only be my own improvement, but the improvement of the school, to the benefit of my students.

Also of great importance is the involvement of the parents and community. Through the use of phone calls, take home communications, and digital outlets, I hope to build good working partnerships with the parents of my students. Parental support in the form of booster activities is crucial for a program's success. While not necessarily mandatory, parental support can make a large impact on an individual student's success as well. Participation in the band often requires a financial commitment, as well as transportation, but also a good time and place to practice. Listening to a student practice is not typically pleasant on the ears, so when parents permit and encourage their children to practice at home, the likelihood that the student will practice increases significantly, and thus the student's success increases. Additionally, my band program will foster a number of universally valued character traits, which will also be most successful when the parent(s) reinforces these at home through encouraging their child to practice, or ensures that they’re at rehearsals and performances at the specified times. I feel I must also do my best to garner community support, because when students feel that their contributions are valued by the community, the sense that they are part of something larger than themselves, even that they are representatives of the community, is increased, and motivation rises.

None of this is original, but is rather based on what leading instrumental music educators recommend. As John Dewey, the progressivist might agree, reading about music is no substitute for the learning that occurs by playing it. While some teachers merely focus on selecting great music, the leaders of the best programs select the best music ever written with an eye toward advancing student's abilities based on what playing and musical challenges each work contains. The El Sistema movement, which began in Venezuela thirty years ago, also proves that using music education as a means of social reconstruction, an educational school founded by George Counts, can have a profound impact on the students and society. Masterworks often have great messages, sometimes universal, and I've found that it is only when these students understand that message that they can effectively communicate it through the music, which results in passionate performances. It is the music, not necessarily me, that will challenge the students to grow intellectually. And so these are ideas I have incorporated into my philosophy, again, not because they are strictly my ideas or philosophies, but because they are proven and sometimes even required for making music at the highest levels. And achieving this with my students is ultimately my primary goal towards which all other efforts are aimed.

Senior Recital Program Notes

I wanted to post my program notes for anyone who wished to read them but wouldn't be able to attend the recital this Friday. For any non-musician family members or friends, program notes essentially tell you a bit about the composer and the work itself. In addition, you'll discover some information about a few major names in tuba history who are tied to these compositions and, as such, to my recital.

If you are attending the recital, I would recommend waiting until then to read the notes. Since I am doing this recital on my own, I will likely take between 2-3 minutes breaks after each piece to rest my lips and refocus, so you'll have plenty of time to read them. But it's your call.

I hope you enjoy the read!
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Program Notes

Air and Bouree by Johann Sebastian Bach, arranged by William Bell

Johann Sebatian Bach (1865-1750) was a German composer who, although not necessarily famous during his lifetime, is none the less one of the most influential composers in the history of Western Art Music. From 1708-1717 he served under the employ of Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Weimar, first as court organist but eventually as concert master. He then worked as the Music Director for Prince Leopold of Cöthen from 1717-1723. During this time he composed the Brandenburg Concertos, the first volume of The Well-Tempered Clavier, and most of his instrumental sonatas and suites. Beginning in 1723 he served as Cantor at the St. Thomas Church and School, as well as Director of Music for Leipzig, both of which he retained for the rest of his career. During this time he prepared the music of the four principal churches of the city, and organized other musical events sponsored by the municipal council. In the last decade of his life he produced another volume of The Well Tempered Clavier and The Art of Fugue. His greatest contribution was his use of counterpoint, which later became the basis for Western composition.

This particular piece is most notable, however, for its arranger, William Bell (1902-1971). Hailing from Iowa, Mr. Bell was the first renound tubist in the United States. According to windsongpress.org, Bell started playing tuba with a local band at age 10. By 18 he was selected by John Phillip Sousa to serve as principal tubist for the Sousa Band. He later became principal tubist for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, during which time he taught at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. In 1937 he was chosen by Toscanini as the principal tubist for the newly formed NBC Symphony Orchestra, intended to be comprised of the greatest musicians in the world. According to legend, Bell was Toscanini’s third pick. In 1943 he accepted the principal tuba position with the New York Philharmonic, during which time he maintained a private studio of students from around the world, including students from the Julliard and Manhattan Schools of Music. In 1961 he accepted a position at Indiana University until his retirement in 1971. His replacement was Harvey Phillips, a former student. Because of his notoriety, Mr. Bell was the first to solidify tuba pedagogy in the United States; a pedagogical line that continues today. Additionally, he arranged numerous solos for tuba, and is thus responsible for its beginnings as a solo instrument. The annual Tuba Christmas concerts held across the nation were started in memory of Mr. Bell, who was born on Christmas Day.

Of his arrangements, Air and Bouree is perhaps the most well known. The two sections were selected from different works of Bach’s. Air (French for “Aria”) was originally a vocal genre. By the 18th century airs were also used for instrumental music, typically as part of a larger work. This particular air is originally from the vocal work Come Sweet Death. As is typical of airs, it is slow in tempo and lyrical. The Bouree is originally from the Second Violin Sonata. The bouree, originating in France, is a quick step dance, in double time, featuring a one beat pick up. This work is not only a staple of the tuba repertoire, but a rite of passage for tubists.

Tuba Suite by Gordon Jacob

Gordon Jacob (1895-1984) was a 20th Century English composer who wrote over 700 works and several books on composition and orchestration. According to his official website, gordonjacob.org, after serving in World War I he studied at the Royal College of Music with a handful of composers, originally with Charles Stanford, but most notably with Ralph Vaughan-Williams. From 1926 he served as a lecturer at the Royal College of Music until his retirement in 1966. Compared to his elders, Jacob’s music was conservative, and influenced by Baroque and Classical music. His music makes use of mode mixture, and while occasionally dissonant, he always maintains a sense of tonality. According his website, Jacob sums up his approach to composition with this statement, “I think the question of communication is important, because one never wants to write down to an audience, but at the same time I personally feel repelled by the intellectual snobbery of some progressive artists… the day that melody is discarded altogether, you may as well pack up music…” He was also known for having an incredible knowledge of every instrument, resulting in highly idiomatic writing. His music has remained relevant mostly thanks to his wind instrumental music, including numerous concerti and chamber works, but especially those for Wind Band.

The Tuba Suite is a staple of the tuba repertoire, and was arranged for tuba and piano from his Suite for Tuba and Strings, published in 1972. It is an interesting 20th century approach to what was originally a baroque form. Jacob follows some of the traditional guidelines for suites (a collection of dances), while showing his contemporary approach in other ways. Each movement is in either a binary or ternary form. The movements are tied together through various means, including keys, endings that transition smoothly to the next movement, and quotes from the previous movement or quotes foreshadowing the next movement. The Prelude is a slow movement (Largo, eighth note=66) in three. Movement two, Hornpipe, is very typical of the baroque dance that originated in England as a sailor dance. It is quick, highly rhythmic, detached and marcato throughout. The B section features the “Scotch snap”, in which a stressed short note is followed by a long note ( a reverse of the more prominent baroque ornamentation). Movement three is the Saraband. Though somewhat atonal, it maintains the feel of the slow, stately dance in three that originated in Spain. Movement four is a bouree, and it is after this point that Jacob’s Tuba Suite departs from the format’s traditional guidelines. Movement five, Brief Prelude, features piano alone and begins by quoting material from the Bouree and ends with a smooth transition into the Mazurka. The Mazurka is a fast Polish dance in three, and makes use of the typical features of triplets and dotted 8th note/16th note pairs, with an accompaniment that emphasizes beats two and three. This is followed by the Ground (subtitled Jacob’s Dream). While a ground is often used as a bass ostinato, it is also often used as a melody, as is the case here. The movement is in three, and is marked Grave, with a melody that projects a detached mood and yet feels introspective as well, causing one wonder what his dream was about. The suite ends, strangely enough, with a Gallop. Because the Gallop has been omitted for this performance, certain modifications have been made with the order of the movements.

Concertino for Tuba and String Orchestra by Arthur Frackenpohl

Arthur Frackenpohl is an American composer, born in New Jersey in 1924. According to the website for Tritone Press & Tenuto Publications, he received his Bachelors and Masters from the Eastman School of Music, and later his Doctorate in Music at McGill University. In 1948 he studied composition with Darius Milhaud and then with the influential French composer Nadia Boulanger in 1950. During his time at Fontainbleau with Boulanger he was awarded the First Prize in Composition. He served as Professor of Music and Coordinator of Keyboard courses at the Crane School of Music at the State University of New York at Potsdam from 1949 until his retirement in 1961, when he was named Professor Emeritus. He has published over 250 instrumental and choral works, as well as an influential textbook Harmonization at the Piano, which was given multiple editions and is still in use. He has received numerous awards and grants, including one from the Ford Foundation in 1959 to serve as composer-in-residence for the Hempstead, New York Public Schools.

This concertino (little concerto) was written for tubist Abe Torchinsky. According to windsongpress.org, Torchinsky (1935) hails from Philadelphia and studied under Arnold Jacobs and William Bell. He held the principal tuba positions for the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Toscanini (1946-1949) and the Philadelphia Orchestra (1949-1972). In 1972 he retired from the Philadelphia Orchestra and served on the faculty at the University of Michigan until 1989. He is recorded in multiple albums with The Philadelphia Brass Ensemble, one of which won a Grammy Award. His scholarly work includes a compilation of orchestral excerpts for tuba, which was a large advance over previously available books.

The composition follows the three movement format of a concerto (fast-slow-fast). The first movement, Moderato, is in four-four time and features playful melodies. Movement two, Lento, is slow, very lyrical, and highly emotional in parallel with the tempo indication. The third movement, Allegro, is an exciting dance, whose primary melody features a traditional dance rhythm. It is in ABA form with a coda featuring a very brief cadenza. In movements one and three the piano accompaniment and tuba parts trade off frequently, often interlocking, which is typical of a concerto. Though Frackenpohl mixes modes and jumps from one tonal center to another, the piece remains very melodic and full of character.

Tuba Concerto, I. Allegro deciso by Edward Gregson

Edward Gregson, born in 1945, is a notable English composer who has written works for orchestral, chamber, instrumental, choral, theatre, film and television settings. According to the composer’s official website, he studied composition with Alan Bush at the Royal Academy of Music during his undergraduate and received five prizes for his works. Since graduating in 1967 he has worked solely on commission, though he also served as the Principal of the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester from 1996-2008. His work has been commissioned by several major orchestras, but his most notable compositions are his concerti for horn, tuba, trombone, trumpet, clarinet, piano, violin, saxophone, and cello.

His Tuba Concerto was originally written in 1976 for Tuba and Brass Band. The orchestral version was finished in 1978, but was not premiered until 1983 when it was performed by its dedicatee, John Fletcher, at the Scottish Proms in Edinburgh with the Scottish National Orchestra. According to windsongpress.org, John Fletcher (1941-1987) was the first renound tubist in England, whose notable positions include serving as principal tubist with the BBC Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. His reputation made him highly sought after as a teacher. Consequently, he helped to solidify the tuba pedagogy for British tuba players. He is to Britain what William Bell is to the United States.

The concerto follows the typical three movement (fast-slow-fast) format. The first movement, Allegro deciso, is in sonata form with a highly rhythmic A theme and a soaring, lyrical B theme. As is typical with a concerto, the soloist and accompanist alternate episodes throughout, often in cooperation but occasionally in opposition with the other. A notable difference from typical sonata form is the use, in the introduction, of a quasi cadenza, which is revived at the end of the movement. Another point of interest is Gregon’s quote of the Ralph Vaughan-Williams Tuba Concerto, which happens briefly during the development section. It is truly an exciting piece, and is a staple of the tuba repertoire.
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Well, there you have it! If you're one of the "non-musician" friends or family members I referred to earlier and have any questions about some of the terminology in there, please let me know! I tried to make it a friendly read for casual concert goers, and not everyone who reads my blog is one. =^) Anyway, I enjoy educating folks on music basics, so feel free to ask by posting a comment below.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you at the recital this Friday. Until next time, take care!

Musically yours,
Mr. Cooper