Building Tone and Self Confidence in the Middle School Classroom

Building Tone and Self Confidence in the Middle School Classroom Can there be a link here to the first clip?

Introduction • The problem: How do you create beautiful tone when everyone is too self conscious to try? • Work with individual students or the whole class? • Creating a safe environment • Sectionals • Working phrases and classroom techniques • Balancing time, teaching technique and the curriculum

Working with the whole class • Fixing just a couple of students tone problems while working with the entire class • Warm-ups • Listening • Vowels, vowels, vowels • Working on a piece • Taking time in the rehearsal

Creating a Safe Environment • Zero tolerance for negativity in the classroom • Demonstration • Taking risks yourself • Accepting the students where they are • Whenever possible separate the genders • ALWAYS compliment the students, remark on what they have done well before moving on to the critique.

Sectionals • Small group of students lends the ability to grow a close bond • Start out by hearing about their day • Vocalize • Record the rehearsal and play back for the students • What did they hear? What are they going to do the same/ different this time • End on a positive note

Working Phrases and Classroom Techniques • Open, Tall, More air: What does that actually mean? • Using hand motions and diagrams • Experimentation • James C McKinney, four steps to lift the soft pallet • Pull lips back into forced smile • Lips are forward and mouth is almost closed • Protrude lips forcibly • Relax lips and open jaw –IDEAL SOUND

Practical Applications • Worked on vocalization in sectionals • Safe environment • Experiment with students • First had them vocalize with no instructions • Then asked for ‘Tall’, fixed posture, warmer tone, lift the soft pallet. • HERE IS WHERE I WANT THE REST OF THE CLIPS IN ORDER THANK YOU!

Balancing time • How to make time for everything? • Knowing when the students will work and when it is time to move on. • Always make time to show the students you care • Ultimate goal: • Fun, safe, learning environment • Opportunity to express ones self through music • Building relationships with students

Conclusion • Findings in the classroom • Working with the students in small sections leads to great results • Tone needs to be worked on everyday • Use consistent phrases • Always a work in progress

Resources • Carefully crafting the choral rehearsal: Meeting Challenges by David L. Brunner http://www.menc.org/v/chorus/carefully-crafting-the-choral-rehearsal-vi-meeting-challenges/ published November 1996 MENC journal • Remember the Joy of Singing by Pete Seeger http://www.menc.org/v/chorus/remember-the-joy-of-singing/ published by MENC • The Diagnosis & Correction of Vocal Faults by James C McKinney 1st edition, Waveland Press Inc. 2005 • The Functional Unity of the Singing Voice by Barbara M. Doscher 2nd edition, The Scarecrow Press Inc. 1994 • School Girls: Young Women Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap by Peggy Orenstein 1st edition, Doubleday 1994 • Teaching Music in the Secondary Schools by Charles R. Hoffer 5th edition, Schirmer, Cengage Learning 2001

Thank You • Kim Faulkner, choir director Olivet Middle and High Schools • 8th grade choir students at Olivet Middle School • Suellyn Henke and all of the Education Staff • My parents and friends who have supported me throughout student teaching

Building Tone and Self Confidence in the Middle School Classroom