ChoralNet Discussion
http://www.choralnet.org/2016/09/7-ways-love-choir-ryan-guth/
I loved this article. I think it is very important to love your choir and make sure that they know it. Caring for your students is very important. Students who feel valued and loved are more likely to open up and put in more effort. They will always remember you as a teacher and thank you when they grow up. The teachers that I remember are the ones who showed us that they cared and always asked how we were doing and would not only talk about the work that needed to be done. It is important to adjust your mood according to how your students are feeling. I really liked that in the article he provides some ideas for the different kinds of moods you are going to find in your students. Sharing stories helps them relate to you or sometimes even lighten the mood if it is funny. Everything he mentioned in the article are things that I am going to try and remember when I walk into a classroom. How about you? Do you think it is important to love your choir?
KENZIE! What a great choice of article. It was a very enjoyable read. I love this guy! I think it is so important to think about the points he made when we get choirs of our own. 3 of my favourite points he makes are: 1) Listen what your choir needs in the moment by "reading the room." This is a great point to make. Each day, our students will be in a different mood and we need to know how to handle that. I really enjoy how he gives us different moods/energy levels (ex. High Energy/Cheerful, Low Energy/Tired, Low Energy/Anxious, High Energy/Excited, Medium Energy/Contemplative, Medium Energy/Overwhelmed) and then explains how we can deal with that. 2) The second point I loved was "Get to know each member of your choir." As educators, we will have students with so many different personally types, learning types and attitudes. We need to get to know how they learn so we can give them a positive experience. 3) Finally, he says "Spend time with your choir, even when you don't have to." This is an awesome idea. It reminded me of what Brenda does at St. Bon's. She takes her students on field trips every Christmas, even though she does not have to. This will help strengthen the bond between you and your students and it will show them that you care! Overall, this was an awesome article and I'm glad I decided to read it!
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ReplyDeleteWhen I started with my church choir this year I gave them a survey to find out what they liked/disliked about the choir, and why they continue to be members. The most frequently occurring reason they gave for being in the choir was community and fellowship, and second to that was their love of music and singing. Even though they might not be formally trained musicians and some can't read music, which makes singing and learning music a much more challenging task for them, they still participate in the choir every week because of their love for the group. Because the sense of community is so strong, choir members feel a responsibility to the other members of the choir to show up every time and sing their best. This article is a good reminder of the reason why we sing, which is because of love, of music and of each other.
ReplyDeleteThis article was so spectacular! I think it is so important because often we take for granted some of these considerations as we focus on getting the technical side of singing correct. I love that he points out that technique is important, but that the bond with your choir needs come first. Nothing can be accomplished if there is no love, trust, or camaraderie. I also adore this idea of being grateful for your choir. Our society is so fast paced that things go by often without any acknowledgement of their value in our lives. Being reminded to take the time to be actively appreciative for our students will create a more meaningful experience for all. This article ties in nicely with something that I witnessed while observing Shallaway. Kellie Walsh makes use of something she refers to as "the hot seat" during each rehearsal. She selects one student a week to come to the front of the room while the others take turns giving them compliments and telling them why they are loved in this choral family. This goes such a long way to creating a trusting community of musicians, and will undoubtedly have positive impacts on their singing as well as their self-confidence and happiness.
ReplyDeleteGreat article Kenzie! I think its so important to let your choir know that YOU are also human. Its ok to take a step back to tell a story, or have a laugh or even shed a tear. I really think the main reason why anyone joins a choir is for the the felling of "community".
ReplyDeleteWhen I observed Shalloways, Camerata choir you should just feel the love in the room. The entire group were friends and singing together was apart of that. One of the most special moments I seen was when they had a "hot seat" where the students would comment things they liked about a particular person sitting in the seat. It actually made me shed a tear because there was so much love and the students really cared about each other!
On the same note, its also important to have that bond with you choir from a conductor - student perspective. Students are more likely to respect you if they know you as a person. There is nothing wrong with being yourself!
I think it is very important to love your choir! I think that being in a choir helps children grow as people, and it is certainly important for them to do this growing in a caring, nurturing environment. It is important to always remember that the members of your choir are individual people with feelings, thoughts, and emotions, and always treat them as such. Caring about your choir isn't just being a good conductor, it's being a good person! Treat your choir with warmth and respect and they are likely to do the same for you, which will create a positive environment in which everyone can do their best.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great choice of article, Kenzie!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely think all of these points are so important! Choirs play so much more important of a role in people's lives than just to provide performance opportunities and it is the director that helps facilitate this. When a chorister feels loved, it enhances their entire choral experience, and in some cases possibly their entire week or life to come! We never know what the personal circumstances of our singers are and being mindful of the things in this article is a great way of ensuring that everyone truly feels as though they belong in the choir room.
Students perform best for the teachers they feel connected to. It is so important to establish a relationship of mutual care and respect with each student. I believe that school choirs should focus on experiencing music together as a group, rather than on performance and competition. It is the teacher who sets the tone for the class group. Kellie Walsh is an amazing example of this. She deeply cares about each member of her Shallaway Youth choir, having known many of them for years. This attitude is reflected in the young choristers relationships. They see eachother as friends, not competitors. The positive feedback cycle continues as younger Shallaway members observe and replicate respectful behavior. A music making environment should be freely expressive and stress-free.
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