MECA: PBMS Week 6 by Don Stinson https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps Programming and Adapting; Practical Tips and Adjustments; Extra-Curriculars and Summer Programs en-us 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC 2026-03-17 10:54:11 UTC hello@padlet.com Carryover: Materials: What to Supply? (No need to respond again unless you'd like to) donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1636269627 I'm transferring this post to this week because I want to address a few questions in this. I'll be reaching out via email to a few of you to address your concerns/questions.

I (my school/community) supply everything for my program. I often joke that you only need a pulse to be in our group, but when I look back at it, almost every single material necessary for class and performance is provided. All brass players receive valve, rotor, or slide oil, slide grease, mutes,  and a mouthpiece upgrade if needed. Woodwind players receive reeds, cleaning cloths and materials, upgraded neck-straps, and mouthpiece caps.  Percussionists receive sticks and a take-home practice pad.  All materials that are not consumable are checked out annually and sanitized after they are returned.  Instruments are available for no cost to "Rent" out as long as we have it in inventory.  The uniform is supplied.  Even pencils are supplied. I buy a box of 300 pre-sharpened pencils at the beginning of the year, place one in each student's folder and place the box back in our cabinet area, free for the taking. Our choir and orchestra program operate in similar ways.  Choir does not have as many materials, but they supply other services such as accompanists for solo and ensemble. 

My main reasoning for supplying so many items is to remove any barrier of entry.  My secondary reasons are time saving (if the materials are always here, we'll never have to deal with a student that forgot something) and simply being a control freak on the small and accessory equipment that we use. However, I've heard from some of my students that they didn't understand how much care went into their instrument until they obtained their own instrument.  I've also had other teachers say that it's taking all responsibility off of the students and that they didn't agree with that. 

What are your thoughts on joining and participating in music with no investment? If you supply a lot of materials, are you finding the same issues?  Consider similar materials to those mentioned above in addition to sheet music (solo ensemble music), uniforms, even field trips. ]]> 2021-07-04 15:55:01 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1636269627 Week 6: Information and What To Do donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607590 This week will primarily revolve around programming and adapting, and continuing with some tips to adjust equipment and music requirements as necessary. We'll also get into some discussions on extra-curricular and summer programs. In short: how do we make the music and rehearsal better for our students?

Additionally, we will have a few posts that are carrying over from previous weeks that warrant more discussion.

Content will be posted on Sunday and Wednesday.]]> 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607590 Book Recommendation donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607592 The First Days of Schools: Harry Wong and Rosemary T. Wong

If you're a new teacher or a music teacher like me that needs to continually study up on the whole classroom education thing, this is a great book. Some tried and true methods without being too authoritarian/eliminating the student voice. I own the previous version and refer to it each summer.]]> 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607592 Final Project Check Up donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607593 How are your final projects going? If you need help or need me to look anything over, please feel free to email me at dstinson@vandercook.edu.]]> 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607593 Book Recommendation donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607595 The Creative Director: Alternative Rehearsal Techniques by Edward Lisk. I love this book and cannot recommend it enough. It truly changed the way I plan and run a rehearsal. We moved towards actually playing less music in rehearsal and doing more units on techniques and musical elements, and the group got better overall. This was a tough sell for me, as I was a person that said we needed as much time on the music as possible in class, but these techniques helped me to shift to a different approach.]]> 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607595 Resource: Rehearsal Plan Formula donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607596 Ensemble teachers: I've provided a link to a rehearsal schedule I used two years ago. I handed this out the entire ensemble. Areas were left blank for note taking. 

The very last page contains a formula that ended up working pretty well for us. You essentially multiply the difficulty by the time of the piece. Divide this number by 100, and you get the percentage of how much rehearsal time you can spend on a piece. I've never tried this before two years ago, but it came out pretty accurately.]]> 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607596 Resource: Rhythm Patterns for Scale Applications donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607599 Only have time for scales or rhythm? This lets you do both. I believe this resource comes from Barbara Buehlman. This is a rhythm packet that will work with any eight pitch diatonic scale. I've used this for band, choral, and orchestral ensembles. Take these exercises as an example of efficiency: we only have so many minutes for class sessions, so the more we can combine goals, the more we can get through.]]> 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607599 Band Programming Recommendations donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607600 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607600 Choral Programming Recommendations donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607601 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607601 Orchestra Programming Recommendations donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607602 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607602 Jazz Programming Recommendations donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607603 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607603 Chamber/Small Ensemble donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607604 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607604 Optional: Programming Recommendations. donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607605 Do you have any recommendations for musical selections, exercises, or curriculums that have worked for you and your students? Sometimes, we have to work in situations with limited voicing, instrumentation, or resources. Consider flex or adaptable pieces that you've had experience with, or even pieces that can be performed with some relatively easy substitutions.

If so, please place your comments in the appropriate boxes below. If you need to create a new category, please let me know.]]> 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607605 General/Elementary Music Recommendations donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607606 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607606 Modern Band/Non-Traditional Ensemble Recommendations donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607607 2021-07-11 16:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644607607 Required: Practicing Not Required Article donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644608237 Linked: an article on delivering the curriculum for your program (generally) within the confine of the classroom time you have. A large part of this is determined by what goals are necessary and appropriate for your program. 

In the comment section below: what are the current goals of your program or class? Do you feel that these goals continue to align with the culture of your program, school, and community? If no, what steps might you be able to take to adjust accordingly?]]> 2021-07-11 16:04:48 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644608237 My Contact Info/Friday Appointments donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644611361 Don Stinson
dstinson@vandercook.edu
Cell: 815-919-8980

Please don't hesitate to reach out. You are free to contact me at any time for course related issues, such as content, questions, tech related issues, or ideas. If I don't reply right away, I will do my best to get back to you within 24 hours.

I will keep Fridays open for phone calls/Zoom appointments for groups or individuals. If you'd like to schedule a meeting with me on Friday to talk about any issues with your program, or even just to brag about a success with your students, please reach out!]]> 2021-07-11 16:13:31 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644611361 Course Calendar (Updated 6/20 to reflect assignment 2 change) donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644611413 Here is the course calendar. It's available in the Schoology site under Course Information, but it's probably easier if it's just posted here. It is uploaded in Excel format - if you cannot view, please let me know and I can make a PDF of it for you.]]> 2021-07-11 16:13:39 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644611413 Documentary: American Dream (1990) donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644612502 A class-member in last summer's session taught in Austin, MN. This is the home of the Hormel Factory. A famous labor strike occurred in the mid-80s, and the town drastically changed following this time period. 

You may be pro- or anti-union, but the message and relation I got from this was how a town can change when a changes occur to that location's major industry. In Joliet, we had steel mills. Those closed, and the town depressed. Later on, more medical facilities and an Amazon Warehouse opens up. Things get a little better. Most of our workers in my town, however, are concentrated in these areas. Many of us have a concern if Amazon decides to leave for another location due to taxes, etc. If you've been in an area where an industry closes, you know the effects this can have on the entire town, including the schools.

Link to trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eZMfQqcjmM

Legal Watching Options: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099028/]]> 2021-07-11 16:16:51 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644612502 Book Awareness (maybe a recommendation?): Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family in Culture and Crisis by J.D. Vance. donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644612612 The book examines one person's experience growing up in rural poverty.  His family moves from Kentucky to Ohio to escape their situation.  The author grows up to attend Yale Law but reflects on members of his family that are unable to escape their situations.  

This is a polarizing books among my circle of friends.  Some us related to it, while others thought that the author was on a bit of an ego trip (although I suppose it's hard to avoid this when writing a semi-autobiography/case study of your family).  I've had friends that lived in rural areas both praise the book and also speak out against it due to generalizations.  

I read this book when it was released five summers ago.  Disclaimer: it appears that the marketing of this book has changed since I first read it.  There's some promises that reading this will help people understand current political situations.  It's been four years since I've read the book; I'm not sure if this holds true, or if this is just timely marketing. 

A movie based on the book was recently released. I have not watched the movie as of yet.]]> 2021-07-11 16:17:12 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644612612 Book recommendation: iGen by Dr. Jean Twenge donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644612680 I read iGen when it was first published in 2017.  The full title is iGen: 

Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood--and What That Means for the Rest of Us.  Check your local library if you're interested.  I found this book to be extremely helpful when understanding behavior; not always negative, but just the day to day behavior, thoughts, and reactions of today's student.

It's not doom and gloom, but it's pretty insightful.  We used to rely on older students driving younger kids to rehearsal; now, the stats are showing that kids are waiting until they're nearly 20 to get their license.  They also like hanging out with their parents and would rather stay home than go to a movie.

]]> 2021-07-11 16:17:22 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644612680 Book recommendation: Grit by Angela Duckworth donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644612712 This book changed that way I approached my students and my own children, and reinforced some other beliefs and actions. In short, it's an interesting view on courage, passion, and fear. Claims are made that talent doesn't necessarily lead to success, but rather, grit.

Also included: a TED talk from Angela Duckworth regarding Grit. Click here for the link.]]> 2021-07-11 16:17:29 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644612712 Book Recommendation: Urban Music Education: A Practical Guide for Teachers donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644613991 I'd recommend this book for both urban and non-urban teachers. You'll find quite a bit of practical advice balanced with philosophy, and a chapter specifically against the "one size fits all" mentality of music education.]]> 2021-07-11 16:21:08 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644613991 Required Reading: Programming and Adapting for Your Ensemble donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644619708 Programming appropriate music and content for our classrooms is one of the most appropriate yet most difficult parts of our content area. Do you have any tips or processes to share with the class?

I've shared a link to some writing I've done on the subject. Not required, but if you'd like to comment on (or even argue on the effectiveness of certain topics), please do so.]]> 2021-07-11 16:37:35 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644619708 Required: Scenario: A New Policy Threatens the Concert donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644626997 A new policy regarding grading and extracurricular activities is enacted with little warning. The policy states that students wishing to participate in extracurricular activities must maintain a “C” average. Students that fall below a “C” average are not eligible to participate or even attend the activity until the next grade reports are pulled, which occurs weekly. 
You receive the eligibility report on Monday. The report states that the listed students are ineligible for all sports practices and games and all activities, including music practices and concerts. Your program has a concert on Thursday evening. Five students from a section of six are ineligible, and two students that have a solo are also ineligible. You’ve been advertising the concert for a month. Multiple community stakeholders are attending, and you’ve also arranged for a professional recording to be made of the event.
What do you do?
]]> 2021-07-11 16:57:36 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644626997 Previous Padlets and Livestreams donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644628677 Week 1 Padlet: https://lowincomemusic.padlet.org/donstinson831/k4oae3g96ypvek7y

Week 2 Padlet: https://lowincomemusic.padlet.org/donstinson831/g3iu84n78g8n3agc

Week 2 Video Wrap Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCjFSQ-n_s4

Week 3 Padlet: https://lowincomemusic.padlet.org/donstinson831/boy3pbfp48ofopzz

Week 3 Video Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_djSoxCMC2c&list=PL7fjDvPTKRHohxY_QaDAV0ood5HuFEqms

Week 4 Padlet: https://lowincomemusic.padlet.org/donstinson831/jkjuakpn98hjcczf

Week 4 RIF Scenario Video Response: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrJYguY7mBs

Week 4 Budget Tips Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a--JYXS2GE

Week 5 Padlet: https://lowincomemusic.padlet.org/donstinson831/4hjk95lm3s12qopp

Week 5: Roosevelt Griffin Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWmCSzM-RNc]]> 2021-07-11 17:02:33 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1644628677 Final Project PDF Version donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1648130022 For anyone that is unable to access PowerPoint.]]> 2021-07-13 21:32:44 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1648130022 Required: Project 2/Final Project Information donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1648130102 (Copied from Previous Week) Based on school report card submissions and classroom discussion, I've replaced project two with a proposal for your final projects.  The original second project would have been redundant and low-level for where we are at. (Please take that as a compliment.)  Furthermore, the final project may take more time than I originally anticipated.

Project two is now replaced with a final project proposal that is due Thursday, July 1.  This will segue directly into the final project.

I have linked this as both a Powerpoint and PDF, just in case you do not have access to Powerpoint.]]> 2021-07-13 21:32:53 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1648130102 Optional: Summer Mentoring Program donstinson83 https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1649875128 One of the more popular programs in my area is our summer mentor band. In the shortest summary possible, this is a two-week day-time summer camp for musicians in grade 6-12. During week one, we do sectionals for half of the time with a hired adult "mentor" for each instrument or voice part leading the sectional with a high-schooler assisting the adult. The afternoon is a full rehearsal with junior high, high schoolers, and adult mentors playing in the band. In week two, we do a role reversal, and the high schoolers lead the sectional time with the adult mentors assisting them. We then have a select few high schoolers that will help run the full rehearsal and even guest conduct at the culminating performance at the end of the week. The program has proved to be extremely popular in our area. As an added benefit, we then go right into our high school band camp after the mentor band, and our high schoolers that have participated in mentor band now have authentic leadership and teaching experience. One year, I ran the program for free with favors from friends; the next year, I cold-called the mayor and got city to fund the program. Eventually, my school looked into summer grant programs that helped to fund this program.

Are there any programs, classes, or events in your area in the summer or outside of school that you'd like to share?

(For your reference: if you're interested in the mentoring program, I've linked some more information on this along with a sample script that you can adapt for pursuing funding).]]> 2021-07-14 21:09:24 UTC https://padlet.com/donstinson83/m94tlbp3ka2bpkps/wish/1649875128