Comments on: Three Basic Classroom Skills http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/three-basic-classroom-skills/ Providing HOPE for educators since 2007 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:59:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Glenhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/three-basic-classroom-skills/#comment-6093 Glen Sun, 23 Aug 2009 13:00:36 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=652#comment-6093 Hi, New to your blog, lots of what you're saying rings true. I taught band class here in Hamilton, Ontario for 20 years, grade 6-8. Your workload with all the parades, games, concerts seems frightening, and I'm surprised you're still standing and sane! Have a great year! GB Hi,
New to your blog, lots of what you’re saying rings true. I taught band class here in Hamilton, Ontario for 20 years, grade 6-8.
Your workload with all the parades, games, concerts seems frightening, and I’m surprised you’re still standing and sane!
Have a great year!
GB

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]]> By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/three-basic-classroom-skills/#comment-3414 Joel Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:50:31 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=652#comment-3414 Todd, I have done that in the past as well. It works wonders. After I establish that routine with them, I explain that it's okay if they play before class starts as long as they are actually doing warm ups. I do not wait to get their attention or yell or anything. When I get on the podium and give the downbeat, they know the expectation is that they will <b>immediately</b> begin their long tone exercises. It's amazing what routine and clearly defined expectations can do! Todd, I have done that in the past as well. It works wonders. After I establish that routine with them, I explain that it’s okay if they play before class starts as long as they are actually doing warm ups.

I do not wait to get their attention or yell or anything. When I get on the podium and give the downbeat, they know the expectation is that they will immediately begin their long tone exercises. It’s amazing what routine and clearly defined expectations can do!

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]]> By: Todd Seiphttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/three-basic-classroom-skills/#comment-3243 Todd Seip Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:57:35 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=652#comment-3243 Can I add one technique that did wonders to help lower my blood pressure? I do not let my band students warm-up until everyone is seated and ready to go. Kids come into the room, get their instruments, chairs, stands, music. Drummers get their percussion instruments for the day. Everyone looks at the board and gets music in order. There is some talking and discussion, but I make them keep in soft and quiet. Once everyone is set and situated, then I give the class 2 minutes to warm up. This takes a while to teach initially. But now that I have a mix of 7th and 8th grade students, I let the 8th graders "show" the new 7th graders how it's done. No more screaming and yelling to get quiet - just peacefull bliss and harmony. Give it a try. Can I add one technique that did wonders to help lower my blood pressure?
I do not let my band students warm-up until everyone is seated and ready to go. Kids come into the room, get their instruments, chairs, stands, music. Drummers get their percussion instruments for the day. Everyone looks at the board and gets music in order. There is some talking and discussion, but I make them keep in soft and quiet. Once everyone is set and situated, then I give the class 2 minutes to warm up. This takes a while to teach initially. But now that I have a mix of 7th and 8th grade students, I let the 8th graders “show” the new 7th graders how it’s done. No more screaming and yelling to get quiet – just peacefull bliss and harmony. Give it a try.

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]]> By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/three-basic-classroom-skills/#comment-2897 Joel Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:25:43 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=652#comment-2897 Margaret and Frank: Thanks for your creative approaches to handling that last procedure. Great ideas. I love seeing how what works for my classroom can be applied in other educational settings! Margaret and Frank: Thanks for your creative approaches to handling that last procedure. Great ideas. I love seeing how what works for my classroom can be applied in other educational settings!

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]]> By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/three-basic-classroom-skills/#comment-2896 Joel Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:24:35 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=652#comment-2896 Dave: Thanks for the encouragement. I try to go in there with a sense of urgency every day. We have less than 25 real class days now until my middle school Christmas concert. Before that, I have a Homecoming Parade, a high school football game, a Veterans Day Parade, a week off for Thanksgiving, a Christmas Parade, and an elementary Christmas tour. Sense of urgency? You bet! Oh yeah, plus the high school football team is going to playoffs, so I get to help out with those games too! Dave: Thanks for the encouragement. I try to go in there with a sense of urgency every day. We have less than 25 real class days now until my middle school Christmas concert. Before that, I have a Homecoming Parade, a high school football game, a Veterans Day Parade, a week off for Thanksgiving, a Christmas Parade, and an elementary Christmas tour.

Sense of urgency? You bet! Oh yeah, plus the high school football team is going to playoffs, so I get to help out with those games too!

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]]> By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/three-basic-classroom-skills/#comment-2895 Joel Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:21:10 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=652#comment-2895 Pat: I love the idea of the foam squares! What age groups did you use that with most effectively? Pat: I love the idea of the foam squares! What age groups did you use that with most effectively?

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]]> By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/three-basic-classroom-skills/#comment-2894 Joel Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:20:39 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=652#comment-2894 Stengel99: It's always a challenge to keep everyone focused and engaged. Great pointers you have there. My Concert Band woodwind class was better than normal today. Except for two kids who were talking a little throughout the class, they were all focused. <b>I told them all thank you</b>. Something that I find really effective to keep focus is to reinforce good behaviors. Even if it's with a simple thank you or pointing out one student who is fingering along while his section is not playing, those things work wonders! Stengel99: It’s always a challenge to keep everyone focused and engaged. Great pointers you have there. My Concert Band woodwind class was better than normal today. Except for two kids who were talking a little throughout the class, they were all focused. I told them all thank you.

Something that I find really effective to keep focus is to reinforce good behaviors. Even if it’s with a simple thank you or pointing out one student who is fingering along while his section is not playing, those things work wonders!

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]]> By: Frankhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/three-basic-classroom-skills/#comment-2889 Frank Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:58:38 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=652#comment-2889 For the third step in the regular classroom, you could have assignments in which the students complete their work in blocks. For example, if they had 10 pages of worksheets, you could have them do 2 pages, take a break or work on something else, come back and do 2 more pages, etc. If students feel like they have too much work to complete, they may be more likely to quit. Making the tasks seem smaller may help them complete their work and make them less likely to feel overwhelmed. For the third step in the regular classroom, you could have assignments in which the students complete their work in blocks. For example, if they had 10 pages of worksheets, you could have them do 2 pages, take a break or work on something else, come back and do 2 more pages, etc. If students feel like they have too much work to complete, they may be more likely to quit. Making the tasks seem smaller may help them complete their work and make them less likely to feel overwhelmed.

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]]> By: Stengel99http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/three-basic-classroom-skills/#comment-2887 Stengel99 Sun, 26 Oct 2008 03:12:20 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=652#comment-2887 Joel, as always, great post. Those are great skills. A couple years ago I had the chance to observe a colleague who does a phenomenal job of keeping the whole ensemble engaged even when he is working with a small group of students. For example, "Trumpets, listen to hear if the flutes play the third note staccato." And during that rehearsal, I didn't see him work with any one small group for more than a minute at a time before getting the full ensemble to play together again. Observing him forced me to ask myself, "What am I doing to keep everyone engaged? And what am I doing incorrectly to allow students to become disengaged in the first place?" Joel, as always, great post. Those are great skills.

A couple years ago I had the chance to observe a colleague who does a phenomenal job of keeping the whole ensemble engaged even when he is working with a small group of students. For example, “Trumpets, listen to hear if the flutes play the third note staccato.” And during that rehearsal, I didn’t see him work with any one small group for more than a minute at a time before getting the full ensemble to play together again.

Observing him forced me to ask myself, “What am I doing to keep everyone engaged? And what am I doing incorrectly to allow students to become disengaged in the first place?”

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]]> By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/three-basic-classroom-skills/#comment-2882 Joel Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:37:23 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=652#comment-2882 Emily: Your comment is exactly what I love to hear. I'm so glad things are beginning to turn around for you! :) Emily:

Your comment is exactly what I love to hear. I’m so glad things are beginning to turn around for you! :)

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