It’s that time of year again: back to school. Whether this is your first year teaching or you’ve been around long enough to know what a strobotuner is, you probably are feeling a mix of angst and excitement, and that’s okay!

Music classes are different.

This may seem obvious, but it’s worth re-considering: music classes are different. In no other class are students engaging in an activity that, if they choose to, they can reasonably succeed at for eight or more years, with public and sequential demonstrations of that growth. It is unlikely that all your students will take music as seriously as you have, but they all can experience excellence and growth over time. Furthermore, in today’s world of 10-second video feeds, anonymous profiles, and getting roasted in the comments,
music classes expose students to positive,
real-life relationships with each other that can
last for years, even a lifetime.

BMEs

Early in my teaching career, I remember attending a clinic discussing what makes a great band sound, and there were several topics: tone, balance, expression…but one bullet point stood out to me that I hadn’t considered much: note length. The presenter used the acronym BME, which was memorable for me because that’s the degree I had recently earned: a Bachelor of Music Education. But they were talking about the three parts to note: the beginning, the middle, and the end. A great ensemble will take care to match their note attacks, their tone while the note is sounding, and their cutoffs.

This can apply to school years, too. For a successful year, have high expectations of your students right away the first time you’re together. Smiling faces, establishing routines, expecting eyes on the teacher when you’re on the podium…these all can be established and practiced right away from the first time you see your students, even if they don’t have an instrument in their hands!

The middle of the year is where most of the time is spent, and this is where significant growth can occur. Take advantage of the assessment options, instrument-specific instructional videos, and supplemental materials available on Essential Elements Interactive. This is an exciting free resource, unlocked with a code on page one of your EE method books. EEi is compatible with Google Classroom and continues to be updated with new features and materials.

The end of the school year may seem far off, but you just experienced one a few months ago! Remind yourself what you liked, what worked well, and what you wish you had done differently. Now is the time to implement those ideas into this school year. And if you find yourself at a new school, you can plant the seeds for a great year right now.

Music is EEssential

At Hal Leonard, we understand the passion you have for music and for your students. We are proud that our products can help you as you help form young musicians, and like you, we know that Music is EEssential!