per*spec*tive
pərˈspektiv noun
plural noun: perspectves
1. a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view. “most guidebook history is written from the editor’s perspective”
synonyms: outlook, view, viewpoint, point of view, standpoint, position, stand, stance, angle, slant, attitude, frame of mind, frame of reference, approach
The Musical Life of a Well-rounded Student Band, choir, orchestra, composition, or music technology all
look great on a college resume. Recruiters and college admissions love seeing music classes on a student’s list of activities because they recognize the benefits of using the creative parts of the brain. However, what happens in the music classroom creates well- rounded students in deeper ways than simply listing the activity on a college resume. Teachers, students and parents often think a well-rounded student is one who is involved in a variety of activities in and out of school. A well-rounded person speaks less to how many and the variety of activities a person does and more to the open-mindedness, courage, integrity, empathy and passion a person conveys.
Being well-rounded is a personal trait, not a list of activities. Our music classrooms are the perfect environment to create well- rounded students.
Students spend a good portion of their day in academic
classrooms that are mostly black and white. There are correct answers and incorrect answers. In my classroom, I like to spend a lot of time allowing students to answer questions in ways beyond right and wrong. How can we add phrasing to a passage? What sort of dynamics are appropriate here? What note should we choose for this composition? Music is personal and allowing students to make their own decisions about their music making is very rewarding for them. In our music classrooms, we give students opportunities to
step up. In my district, we teach the 8 Keys of Excellence. My favorite key is ‘This Is It,’ which means to make the most of every moment. Part of being well-rounded is never settling and always striving for more. I am constantly asking my students to extend their range, be more accurate and in tune on their part, improve their sight singing, be better aware of the intentions of the composer and so much more. We never settle and we never stop getting better. Luckily for us, the learning doesn’t end once a note is sung correctly. There is always more to reach for. We provide experiences for our students that cannot be replicated anywhere else. We also can share our own experiences
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within our classroom. I don’t underestimate the power of sharing my musical experiences with my students. I love to tell them about those musical moments in my life that changed me. I get to create new experiences for my music students through travel, performances, and inviting guests into my classroom. When traveling, the chance to perform with people outside of your school, see concerts, and even eat at a restaurant they have never been to forms them as well-rounded people. I look for chances for my students to perform both within
my community and outside of it simply to create experiences for them. I want my students to experience the beauty of making music together but to also experience making new friendships and how to dig deep when learning gets hard. By asking other teachers and performers into my classroom, I ask my students to think about music beyond what I tell them. I encourage my students to embrace the uncomfortable moments and use that as a chance to get better. Adding experiences to a person’s life helps you be more compassionate and start to think outside of yourself. I aim to be the most passionate person in my classroom. I
chose music as my career and I want it to be evident, every day, why I did that. Being passionate in my music classroom doesn’t mean that I want every student who steps foot through my door to become a musician. It means that they see me put my whole self into what I do and are encouraged to do that in their own lives. Those aesthetic moments of great beauty in music come and go, but the choice to be passionate about what we do can be constant. My goal for all students who takes one of my choir classes is
that they learn to think for themselves, dig deep when the going gets hard, are open to new experiences, and are passionate about their choices in life. Yes, I want them to list music on their resume as an activity that they did in high school, but I also want them to walk away from my class a better, more well-rounded person.
Tyna Staebler is the 6-12 choir director at Clear Creek Middle School and Buffalo High School, and Assistant Marching Band director at Buffalo High School. She is a 2011 graduate of the University of Wyoming. She has taught K-5 general music and 6-12 band, choir and guitar.
Wyoming Windsong
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