& News From Our Division Chairs &
President Elect Joe Jacobs
609-487-7900
jjacobs@veccnj.org
The Journey is the Destination This is the time of year many school music departments are focusing on concerts, recitals, festivals and auditions. These
performances and auditions may be viewed as the culmination of the efforts by students and teachers for the current semester or academic year. Directors are focused on showcasing the musical ability and talent of their students in front of parents, ad- ministrators, clinicians, and guests. In the quest to present the perfect performance we sometimes may forget the importance of the musical journey that was necessary for our students to give a performance or to have a successful audition. How many times have you heard the expression “Teaching to the Test?” Educators are usually dismayed when their com- petency and the ability of their students are dictated by a single state test. Teaching to the test is not a very popular slogan but unfortunately it has become a reality for many of our colleagues. Pressure from school administrators, government officials and concerned parents has made the state test a benchmark of student achievement and teacher assessment. Some music educators may be inadvertently teaching to the concert. When we focus all of our attention on a particular
performance we could be limiting our students in their musical experiences. Our commitment as music educators is to cre- ate, develop and deliver a sequential based music curriculum to our students. This can be challenging if the ensemble only rehearses three selections a semester. Few people like reading the same book every week. It can be very boring. The reader is already familiar with the story but they may not have examined the book in detail. Exploring the plot, themes, morals, characters, historical aspects and messages are a few items that can help the reader better understand the book. Ensemble directors and private teachers should delve into the music that their students will perform by having their students investigate a particular musical composition. The young musicians will enjoy researching the composer and the history of the piece. This is also a great opportunity to study musical form, thematic development, ensemble balance and intonation. Very few will dispute that there is more to education than the state test. The state test can be an important ingredient in assessing our students’ education in certain areas of specific subjects. Just as our concerts and auditions are important, they do not always measure the musical knowledge that our students have attained that semester. Have we failed as music educators if a concert has not lived up to expectations because of students’ illness or a school scheduling conflict? If a student auditions for a region or state ensemble and is not accepted does that we mean we failed as educators? Obviously the answer is no. The end result should be what the students have learned in preparing the music. The process of achieving a successful musical experience for our students is our goal as music educators. We should also examine our own personal journey in continuing to be highly proficient and outstanding music educators. This quest should never end. There are always new techniques, materials, and resources that can be incorporated into our daily instruction. For us to provide our students with the best possible music education we must continue to grow as educators. It is all about professional development. Speaking of professional development, the upcoming NJMEA conference is a wonder- ful opportunity to share and gather new ideas and strategies that impact our students and programs. The various performing ensemble and clinicians are sure to motivate and inspire. The NJMEA February Conference should be the destination for all New Jersey music educators. Hope to see you there!
C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
continued on page 10 TEMPO 8 JANUARY 2013
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