Habits of Effective Music Teachers

What makes for an effective music teacher? Every music teacher has up and down days, and even some school years that are better than others. However consistent excellence is what we all can and should strive for. To accomplish this, consistent habits that lead to excellence need to be practiced.

I wanted to suggest some habits that I think are important for effective music teaching.

Effective Music Teachers make habits of:

• Being cheerful and positive (even when they do not feel like it)
• Being organized in class/rehearsal
• Making sure their students know they care about them (even the difficult students)
• Giving honest, genuine, and positive feedback to their students
• Doing things outside of the school setting to make sure their personal energy is charged (don't underestimate the importance of "you" time)
• Studying and advancing themselves musically
• Analyzing their own teaching and strengthening areas that need growth
• Practicing good people skills with colleagues and administration (even the difficult colleagues)

There are many more good habits of course, but missing any of these could cause significant difficulty is some area of one's music teaching experience.

We all should desire to improve and grow as music teachers, and by dedicated effort and learning, we can. But, good habits do not form randomly, but by definition must be repeated over and over. Let us be intentional about practicing good habits in the classroom/rehearsal room.

A saying I am fond of sharing with my singers is, "If you want to be a good choir, you do the things that good choirs do, because doing those things are why they are good." (my saying) In other words, good choirs aren't good, and then have excellent habits in rehearsal, but rather good choirs are good because they have excellent habits in rehearsal. This is true of music teachers and conductors as well. One is not a "good" teacher/conductor and then has excellent habits, one is good because one has and practices excellent habits.

God gives the talent, it is up to us to cultivate and use it for His glory!

Three Ways To Increase Efficiency In School Choral Rehearsals

In a choral rehearsal, better organization means better efficiency. Better efficiency means higher achievement in rehearsal. Higher achievement in rehearsal means higher quality performances. So, organization and efficient habits can really be helpful.

Before sharing three ways to be better organized/efficient in rehearsals I want to make a disclaimer. Choir directors work with people, not machines, which means things don't always happen according to plan. Even with great organization, flexibility and a willingness to improvise and adapt to a music need immediately in rehearsal is often necessary.

Way number 1: Have an efficient check-in system for singers.

When they enter the rehearsal room and check-in, have a quality system that allows you to spend the least possible time. If you have a reliable student, have them take attendance, or have a self check in system. If you must do it yourself, have it be something that you can do in a minute or less (as in a system that assumes everyone is present and you only mark those absent and adjust for those who come late after rehearsal). If you can save a minute or two per rehearsal (as opposed to a traditional system that requires personal check-in every time for every person) you can easily gain between a half hour to an hour and a half of practice over a nine-week span.

Way number 2: Write the piece rehearsal order on a white board for all to see.

This can especially be valuable if you have a large amount of repertoire. If singers have their music in the correct order when rehearsing, it vastly cuts down transition time when switching between pieces. You could save 10 to 15 seconds every switch which could add up to a minute or two per rehearsal. Again we're talking about a half hour to an hour and a half of additional practice per quarter.

Way number 3: Use wait time when giving instructions.

This is a bit of a paradox. I tend to move fast in rehearsal, so this is something I work on constantly. When you stop the choir, wait for a couple of seconds before giving instructions. After giving instructions, wait for a couple or few seconds before starting up again. I can testify firsthand that when you don't do this, some singers will get lost with where you are in your instructions or even with a starting point in the music. This will force a repeat and create lost time. With younger singers that may have attention issues, not having the wait time is exceptionally challenging for them. By using the wait time at starts and stops, though it seems like an eternity at times to the director, you will move much more efficiently through the practice and actually save time.

What Works In Music Education?

This is a broad question. Too broad to be answered comprehensively. However, I want to share a few things that I've seen work well in establishing excellence with choirs, inspiring students to love music, and for teaching music effectively.

Good preparation works. I'm not referring to spending hours on lesson plans, but rather holistic preparation that begins with keeping oneself learning and growing musically. It follows with a broad plan and goals for a musical season (school year), and then targets specifics. Lesson plans for music teachers just fall in line under the broad plan.

An audition process followed by periodic checkups with singers or players works. In other words, knowing where each participant is individually greatly increases the effectiveness of your teaching and the focus of one's rehearsal/lesson plans. I like to give my students surveys at end of terms to see how they are relating to what they have been taught.

Finding and using performing locations with quality acoustics for your ensemble works. Sometimes this isn't possible, and no group can always perform in an ideal acoustic environment, but making sure quality performance venues are made available to your groups can greatly enhance the experience of one's students. This can get them more excited about learning and progressing, which of course builds up the groups. Generating honest positive experiences of success is important in motivating your students.

Prayer works. Perhaps most music teachers are in an environment where public prayer is not legally possible. However, all can engage in personal prayer to God for wisdom, for our students, for challenges, etc.... I can personally see where so often issues with students are figured out by personal prayer, or hearts are softened to be willing to learn again, or in prayer, the solution to a difficult situation comes to mind.

Signs You Are Making A Positive Difference With Your Students

I have yet to meet a teacher that says they do not want to make a positive difference in the lives of their students. I would assume that nearly every teacher (not withstanding a few creepers) indeed genuinely wants to have positive impact . This is surely true of the music teachers I've come in contact with. Here are some signs that your having a positive impact with your students, both musically and personally.

* Having students that continue with music after they are finished being in your classes.

You know that you at least didn't squelch their desire to make music. Often they will let you know how much they enjoyed the music experience, but sometimes you just have to observe. Having students of mine continue with music in college has been particularly rewarding to see and affirming in this way.

* Seeing definite growth in musical ability from your students.

This can be obvious growth in technique. However, growth in musical taste can be just as affirming. When a student discovers and learns to love the music of a great composer for example, it is thrilling.

* Students that are passing "it" on.

Keeping your ears and eyes open to what students are saying in passing can be very informative, both in what you can do to try and help them grow personally and musically, and as affirmation your work for them is making a difference. If I overhear a student encouraging another student with something I helped them with, I'm very pleased. When they are passing "it" on, you know you helped reach them.

Sometimes the affirmation comes years later from a parent or student. We should be patient and point our students toward good things, good character, and live well ourselves. The results do and will come!

Finding Inspiration For Great Choral Teaching

As choral music educators, it is important to find fresh inspiration for quality teaching. I would like to share three ways that help me find fresh inspiration.

1. Attend Professional Conferences

Being part of organizations such as the ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) and attending conferences, reading sessions, and workshops put on them, one can find much inspiration. Rubbing shoulders with fantastic music educators, musicians, and conductors alone is valuable, but throw in a masterclass, a reading session, and some fantastic concerts and one can be tremendously inspired. Positive interaction with high quality music gives a fresh reminder of why I chose this profession.

2. Study Repertoire

I am admittedly a repertoire geek. I enjoy pouring over scores of sheet music and looking for gems to teach to my choirs. When I find these gems, I become excited and motivated to share the music with my singers. I look for parts of the music that will be problematic, that will teach a concept, that will hopefully get the singers excited. Learning new music myself transfers into a desire to share it.

3. Get Out In Nature

Getting out in nature, seeing beautiful things, seeing interesting things, and just enjoying God's creation is refilling and inspiring. When I experience beauty in nature, besides recharging, I desire to share beauty in the rehearsal room. Perhaps the inspiration here is as much about recharging my energy for teaching, but I think both elements exist.

I wish you all great inspiration.

Building Trust With Parents About A Child's Voice

When working with young singers, it is important to build trust and a positive relationship with the parents. You want them to be excited about the their child's singing and trust you to help them. I wanted to share a few ways to build trust, and by extension, enthusiasm with parents.

Producing a great product is critical to develop trust. If you develop great sounding groups for the level the singers are at; if you have happy, excited children singing for you, the parents will generally become more trusting and enthusiastic. To produce a great product, one must know how to develop the voices in a healthy way, how to motivate and enthuse children, and how to help them enjoy the experience. In other words, competence and attitude is critical. This transfers to a good product.

Clear and concise communication is very important. Parents need to know you will be reliable in communication. If you have a concern about vocal technique in a child, communicate with the parents about it, present what you are trying to do to help fix it. You will gain respect, and often an ally in helping the child.

Be friendly. It is amazing what smiling and shaking a parents hand can do when you see them. Be genuinely interested in how they are doing, and it will help build relationship and trust.

Admit mistakes! If you make a mistake with a child, parent, or class, admit it, apologize for it, and fix the situation as best you can. Most people don't expect others to be perfect, so a bit of humility with mistakes goes a long way.

Three Ways to Challenge Yourself As A Music Teacher To Promote Growth

As a music teacher, I want to continually grow my skills and abilities. I want to be a better conductor, musician, teacher, and motivator to name a few. No matter what the area I want to focus on may be, to achieve growth, I must step outside of my comfort zone and deliberately push myself. Here are three recommendations to push yourself for growth as a music teacher.

1. Be deliberate about targeting an area (or areas) of growth. 

Chances are, with the business of teaching/conducting life, that if you do not take time specifically to target areas or an area of growth, little will occur outside of the naturally occurring osmosis. I recommend taking time at the beginning of the school year to select your area(s). Then make a plan. So much of growth is based on personal discipline and organization.

Challenge yourself by choosing areas for growth!

2. Select at least one piece of music that is a challenge for you.

Granted, this may not always be possible musically depending on the level of your students. However, the challenge for you could be introducing a quality piece that you know will take quite some time for your students to appreciate (but which most eventually will if taught well). I heard a High School choir at a national ACDA conference a few years ago present a whole set of Hindemith pieces as part of their program. Teaching a group of teenage singers to appreciate the Hindemith music and perform it well would likely be a greater challenge than the musical aspects of the piece.

Challenge yourself with repertoire!

3. Set aside regular time for professional/personal growth.

Like the first one, this seems very obvious, but so easy to neglect when teaching life gets busy. I would recommend that this should be outside of school/district requirements. This extra focus will help you become an exceptional teacher. Think what would happen if you set aside just 30 minutes per week for the whole school year to research something, practice something a bit extra, etc.... Most school calendars in the USA run four nine week quarters. 30 minutes per week could amount to 18 hours of focused improvement time in the course of a school year.

Challenge yourself by carving out time for growth!