The Most Important Thing I Learned as a Music Education Major (from 70+ band directors)

What’s the most helpful thing you learned during your music education classes in college or during student teaching?

The Practical

How to actually teach rhythm
Woodwind and brass tech classes
How to diagnose woodwind playing issues
Fingerings class with Dr. Garner (learning all fingerings for all instruments at 100% to pass)
Pedagogy of the instruments (x2)
How to “teach beginners” on each instrument (x3)
Hands on playing of various instruments (x6)
Pick one instrument each year and work really hard to learn it so you can play at a class A or class B level. This will keep your students wanting to practice too!
Transpositions
The harmonic series

Working With Others

No one is the enemy unless you make them that way.
Positive relationships with EVERYONE are the key to success!
The school maintenance staff and the school secretaries are your most important people in a school, work well with them and thank them often. (x7)
To avoid other people’s drama.
Don’t debate with people…..work and plan it out.
Go into any kind of meeting with an idea of the various outcomes that could take place and have a good idea of the outcome you really want.
Be flexible and open to change (x2)
Respect differences in opinion. (x2)

Promoting your Program

Rehearsals/Programing/Performances

Sectionals are key to a superior band
Becoming familiar with repertoire
Rehearsal techniques (x2)
Never turn your back on a saxophone section
What to listen for in music
The importance of eye contact when conducting. Memorize your scores!
Dress rehearsals are for making weird last mistakes. Don’t freak out or you’ll freak everyone out.
Talk less, play more. (x2)
Keeping music at the center of the class will help solve classroom management issues. (x2)
Not to over program.
Practice until you can’t get it wrong.
Tons of analogies for everything–especially helpful teaching beginners
The personality of the director directly influences the personality of the ensemble.
Fake it ‘til you make it.

Planning

Plan as far in advance as possible. Plan the concepts you want to teach, find the literature that addresses it, and work arduously to that end. (x8)
Time management
How to switch it up on a dime. When one strategy isn’t working, how to teach it a different way or switch it up quickly to keep students engaged.

The Students

We teach people. Band/music is our medium, but always know that our job is to teach people. Never teach to the song/piece of music. You have to teach the whole individual whenever you can.
To have compassion for our students.
Put yourself in your students’ shoes and always analyze what you’re doing from their perspective.
When something doesn’t go as planned don’t blame the students, self-assess. (x2)
Students love to help with classroom duties and giving them small “jobs” both takes a load off of you as a teacher and makes them feel more included.
Emotional objectivity when students misbehave
Students live up to your expectations
If you expect it, the kids can achieve it. They are only held back by you.
The kids really want to be able to connect with you.

Never Stop Learning

It’s OK to be wrong
Never be afraid to seek help or ways to improve.
Ask questions! Mentors are incredibly important to getting your career off to a strong start.
ALWAYS be in search of excellence. Why settle for less?
NEVER STOP LEARNING!