What watching others can teach us
Recently, our region had its annual clinic and concert for our high school ensembles. For me, this is always an exciting time because it gives an opportunity for me to observe a master teacher up close and personal. It's a time to learn, reflect, and improve your process to creating student success.
When a younger teacher comes to me for advice, I always recommend they watch other rehearsals outside of their campus (and preferably the level they teach). Whether it's a honor band, a sister school in the same district, or a program that you have admired from afar, there is something you can learn from every direction.
Priorities
When a student teacher first comes to our campus, one of the common fears they have is not knowing what to listen for on the podium or how to prioritize the feedback they should be giving. When you watch an honor ensemble such as a region band, you are able to see what the conductor values and prioritizes in the 8 or 9 hours they have to put the program together (of course, the members of these ensembles often make characteristic sounds which means they do not need to address quality of sound as much). In a normal public school setting, you get a glimpse into what a day-to-day process can look like and probably give you a few ideas to take home.
Sequencing of Instruction
My first year of teaching, I always started the day after breathing with a Remington exercise. At some point in my band experience, that is what an ensemble I had been in had done so i just started doing the same without putting much thought in to it. About mid-January of that year, I went to observe another program in the area and noticed they structured their Remington exercise much later in their ensemble skills time. After the class period, I asked the director out of curiousity why they had placed it there. Their response was "it's a lot easier to accomplish our goals for it when the lengths of the instrument have been checked". I felt foolish, but thankful I had found new information that I could take home and make my students better. Sometimes, we are doing the right things but the order of it is the problem. By going out and seeing "how the sausage gets made", we can reflect and proceed with an improved process to help our students along the path to success.
Empathy
As social media becomes a larger part of our lives, it is very easy to fall into the "grass is always greener" mentality. The reality is, many programs struggle with the same things: Freshman that step off with the opposite foot, Clarinets playing on reeds that look like the New York Skyline, Trombones that have a better chance of finding the Holy Grail than they do 5th position on the first try, scheduling issues, students who are experiencing hardships... you name it. When you step into the band hall of another teacher, you can see how that teacher handles a challenge they are presented with, and often are willing to talk about it too.
How Do I Ask to Observe?
After I recommend to someone to start watching other groups it is usually followed by "so how do I ask someone?". My advice? Be genuine. Let them know a bit about yourself and when and why you would like to come observe. If they say yes, please be respectful of their rehearsal. Avoid technology or other distractions when possible. If you are able to take handwritten notes, that is ideal (and has been proven to help you remeber things better).
How Often Should I?
Another question that has been frequently asked. In reality, there's no magic number. Some of us may have the desire and ability to watch an after school rehearsal every week or two. Some of us may not. Personally, whenever I feel that I have hit a roadblock, it's time for me to go out and learn something new. Typically if I can do it once or twice a semester, I always have something new to digest.
Wishing you all a wonderful February!
Yours in service,
Matt