http://www.menc.org/resources/view/teaching-music-current-featured-article
I’ve included the MENC site on my PLN because I rarely have time to log on and update myself about what’s going on in the world of music education. MENC recently alerted my PLN that the newest issue of Teaching Music has been released and that several of the articles are now available online. The link above will bring you to a feature article entitled “Change Your Tempo” which is about how music teachers, ensemble directors in particular, can manage their time to be more efficient. The notion of how to accomplish all that is required of a teacher seems a little intimidating to me as a pre-service teacher and I’ll take all the advice I can take. This article discusses both long-term curriculum planning and also daily lesson planning. Suggestions on when, where, and how to do those two tasks are provided. I particularly liked Manfredo’s suggestion at the end about how he set-up his to-do list. I plan on trying this.
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Damon, I am glad that you stumbled upon this gem. Time management is everything when you are a teacher. I am also really happy to see that MENC has also found the aforementioned gem.
ReplyDeleteI can tell you this, when you get in the classroom, all rules are off. I would be wary of using a set schedule . Murphy's Law always works whenever you think you have planned perfectly.
I have found that having a "plan" that incorporates scenarios is very helpful. Knowing what you will do if a passage is successful or not, or even if a student can play a certain note or not is so essential to a good curriculum.
A good technique that I found works is to set goals that are time based. Know what you have to do, and when you have to accomplish it. This will make you life so much easier when you get in the classroom.
In my own private teaching, I always find that even my best plans change. The interaction between students and teachers can't be predicted, and that is what makes a positive learning environment so special. Even though I hope to manage my time effectively, I also am willing to abandon my plan in order to indulge students independent thoughts.
ReplyDeleteThis article offers many useful tips. I think the best advice is to take the time to plan your curriculum and daily lesson plans. It takes some organization and effort, but the payoff is well worth it. The "fly by the seat of your pants" style of lesson planning can cause more stress and dissatisfaction at the end of the day. Everyone has a different style for accomplishing these tedious tasks. Once you find a rhythm that works for you, this aspect of teaching will seem much less overwhelming.
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