You will be assigned a pre-performance and/or performance skill to teach in class either for band or for strings. These skills will be at the most elementary level...but can still be taught with Artistry, Precision and Beauty in mind. The sessions will start with the most basic skill (for example, posture, breathing, finger placement, simple articulation) and build up from there.

You may use a method book to prepare for your teaching, but do not have the students use it as part of the lesson. The focus of this teaching experience is on the clear presentation of a small number of specific tasks.

For this first brief lesson you needn’t turn in any plan. Lessons will be 5 minutes in length.

Some things to keep in mind:

1. All students should be engaged in musical (or music-related) activity for the majority of the lesson.

2. You are the coach, not the conductor. Use all the space available to you to monitor student progress.

3. Skills that you now consider second nature must usually be carefully broken down and taught to beginning players. With that in mind, be as specific as possible when identifying problems and proposing solutions.

4. Every player on each instrument will probably exhibit different needs. Give attention to these needs; they will not take care of themselves.

5. At the beginning level repetition is a good thing. Do not hesitate to revisit and reinforce simple skills frequently. Take all the time available to you. How many different and interesting and musical ways can students play an Eb? Be creative!

6. Avoid the temptation of explanation. Save words . . . model.

7. Do your research! Use the resources available in the library to help you learn technical information (fingerings, hand positions, etc.) about the instruments you will encounter.

8. Contextualize the sound. How can a note or a rhythm pattern become a song? Think about how to turn a simple skill into a musical experience.

9. How successful were you? Let the degree of the students' success help you evaluate your own success.

10. Ask for help! Please feel free to communicate with me for guidance on content and delivery as well as feedback on strategies you have already planned.

Teaching Order - Day 1, "Let's Go Band!"

Band 1. Posture, hand and finger position, Eb (concert pitch) - ELLIOT


Band 2. Breathing, starting and releasing together (any note) - MASA


Band 3. Playing quarter notes - TIM


Band 4. Alternating D and Eb - SHOURI


Band 5. Playing with both F and Eb, using quarter notes and half notes - RYAN




Teaching Order - Day 2, "Strings Rule"

Strings 1. Posture, hand and finger position, pizzacato on D string - ANNE


Strings 2. D, E, F# on D string (pizz.) - BRENNAN


Strings 3. Bow grip / Moving the bow (off string - straight, smooth, steady), arco on open D - GREG


Strings 4. Moving from D to E on D string (arco) - EMILY


Strings 5. Moving between D and A string (arco) - MELANIE