MMEA Conference: Avoiding Music Teacher Burnout

This clinic was with Dr. Kenneth Raessler, Director Emeritus of the Music Department at Texas Christian University. Dr. Raessler gave many ideas on how to cut down on music teacher burnout. Ideas included creating positive relationships with your administration/fellow faculty, learning how to polietely say "No" when asked to do too many thing, and remembering that we are here for the kids and the music.

Dr. Raessler noted that often music teachers are asked to conduct and teach a lot of students all at once. It is important to try and not be the one conducting/teaching everything. Reflecting at Pentucket, it is excellent that David Schumacher is here to give his talent and energy to the jazz program. Zach Field and Paul Dumas do the same with the percussion ensembles. This helps me focus my energy on the concert band, marching band, and musical pit orchestra. Marching Band alone takes up almost 9 straight Saturdays of performances in the fall. If I were to offer some more ensembles, I would like to bring in specialists to start chamber groups through community education.

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New Schedule=Big Growth!

Growth With Scheduling! It's always nerve-racking when you fight for something, get what you wanted, and then wait to see if it is actually successful. Four years ago the Pentucket Regional Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Band sported around 40 members. Band and Chorus were happening during a "Skills Period" which is a time blocked off for students to make-up tests, quizzes, do homework, and get extra help. Basically, this would compete with Band and Chorus. Each day I had over 15 students leaving to go to other classes for Skills. To help solve this issue, I served on a scheduling committee at my middle school. Change occurred as a result of this committee and the leadership of the Principal, Dr. Debra Lay. This year we have split the 7th and 8th grade into two separate bands meeting Monday-Friday. Why did we do this? Firstly, so we would not have 30 percussionists in band at the same time which takes away from the experience for everyone. Secondly, so we can now focus ...

Arrived in Australia!

We arrived this morning in Brisbane at around 6:00am. At LAX, Dr. Alex Ruthmann and I met up with Dr. Matthew Thibeault from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. The flight from LAX to Brisbane was about 13 hours. Luckily no one was sitting in the seat next to me so it ended up being quite comfortable. This morning we walked around Brisbane and checked out some local shops. I purchased a mini didgeridoo. A few minutes later we actually passed by a real person playing a legit didgeridoo on the side of the road. We had a very relaxed yet intense lunch session at an amazing steak restaurant. We talked about private, charter, and public schools along with their music curriculums in the US, UK, Sweden, and Australia. I will talk more about the teachers and professors who were at the lunch later on. I can already tell that this symposium is going to be a terrific opportunity for all involved! Tomorrow we begin getting to work!

Band Room: A New Design

Just in case we ever get a new or renovated high school (I might be dreaming), I wanted to be prepared for helping input the best design possible for a new band and chorus room. I ended up attending a clinic by the Wenger group. Wenger is the company that made the acoustic shells on our high school auditorium stage along with the two "soundproof" practice rooms that were installed back in the 1960's. The company is now the standard company used in the United States for music room design. I learned many things at this clinic. Firstly, I learned that most bands and choruses have their own rehearsal rooms, practice rooms, and offices. We spent a long time focusing on where sound goes after it leaves the instrument. Our music room has a ceiling that needs to be at least four feet higher. Additionally all the equipment in the room cuts down on reverberation. It is suggested that any closets or storage areas in a band room have open grilled doors so that air and sound c...

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