Between the Staves: Choral Questions, Candid Answers

Between the Staves: Choral Questions, Candid Answers, is fresh take on the classic advice column—this time for all things choral music! Modeled after the beloved “Dear Sally” format, this blog will answer your questions about choral music education, performance, and leadership. Whether you’re curious about vocal technique, rehearsal tips, repertoire selection, or the “other” side of our profession (business, fundraising, scheduling, recruiting, communication, audio engineering, etc.!), Between the Staves will have you covered. Have a question that you just don’t know who to ask or maybe it’s something you feel like you should know but don’t? Between the Staves will have you covered. Need to ask for advice but need to be anonymous? Between the Staves will have you covered. This month’s focus is:

“How do I engage the reluctant learner in my choirs?” 

Whether it is in a classroom or in a community group, many of us have run across the reluctant learner.  In this new AI world, consider giving it to them—affirmation and information, AI.  You’ll see this thread through the responses from these very capable choral instructors.  

Natalie Moore, Sullivan High School, Missouri

The biggest thing I’ve noticed is that if the students feel comfortable in the setting, they are more apt to be less reluctant to participate.  One example is when I have students sing solos or sight read on their own in class, the other students take a sticky note and write two positive things that the soloist/sight reader did when they were singing.  This positive feedback gives the singer something they can keep in their binder to read over and over and know that they have the support of their peers.  They have felt valued and supported regardless of their level of talent or what degree of difficulty they are sight reading. 

I also use a lot of humor in the classroom.  Always keep the students on their toes and guessing what you will do next.  Building relationships is so vital!  It is the number one thing that will help students become less reluctant.  Talk to them at lunch, in the halls, at the grocery store.  Let them know you care unselfishly….not everything is about growing your program.  (Even if it is, they don’t have to know this!)

Dr. D. Brett Nolker, University of North Carolina-Greensboro

Signs of a reluctant learner: Avoiding eye contact, Lack of engagement, Resisting or refusing to participate in activities.

My first line of strategies include:

• Clearer statements of goals and intent, so there is no misunderstanding of expectation.
• Clarifying that successful singing is an aggregation of small behaviors, not a wholistic “talent”, therefore, they can be successful and each skill can be learned. Scaffold these learning activities.
• Small, specific objectives that address the intended behaviors and are consistent with making each student more successful: (for example, Body balance and alignment, animation, and eye contact are encouraged behaviors for singing that circumvent reluctant behaviors). Acknowledge effort, and not just completed results.
• Consistent encouragement and positive, supportive feedback when each small objective is met.
• Establishing an environment that is supportive and safe—Outside concerns and stresses cannot reach them in the safety of the ensemble, so encourage them to let those concerns go and allow themselves to enjoy the activities offered.

Possible reasons for reluctance: (examples)

Choir concerns: Fear or misunderstanding of what they don’t know; Lack of self-confidence; Fear of looking stupid

Outside concerns: Lack of connection with the teacher or classmates; Hunger or fatigue; Social-emotional struggles

Nythia Martinez, Walter Payton High School, Chicago

As a high school teacher in the Chicago Public Schools within which K-8 music is not universally available, my perspective on this topic is framed by the understanding that most of my students will arrive to my classroom having had no prior music education.  With limited exposure and experience, most of my students come to me having already made the determination that they are not singers and could never be an asset to a choral ensemble.  Music – especially singing – often doesn’t fit into their concept of self; it’s thought of as an activity reserved for students who have been gifted with a natural talent and/or possess a desire to be a solo performer.  Singing, to many students, is therefore not a learnable skill and difficult to value amongst the many competing priorities in high school.

In my experience, engaging the reluctant singer has required me to design my curriculum around building CONFIDENCE through three main approaches:

• affirming their sense of belonging in the ensemble
• building practice habits that reinforce skill building and growth mindset
• choosing repertoire with compelling musicality and expressive details

Affirming their belonging in the ensemble starts on day one of school.  Starting the year with rounds that offer the security of a singular melody with the joy of accessible harmonization ensures immediate success that can reframe their identity as musicians.  Warm-ups and etudes that reveal the wide flexibility, range, and collective energy of the ensemble can challenge their concept of group singing and illuminate their sense of possibility.  Call and response, unison, incorporating simple movements that celebrate group engagement all offer gentle entry points into group singing, inviting them to sing with strong community support.  

Focusing on building aural capacity is essential to students’ ability to trust themselves and their musicianship.  Solfege-based pitch-pattern recall that builds an intervallic mental library, creative approaches to early melodic dictation and eventually to sight-singing, and frequent individual feedback shifts their concept of music education as a talent-only-based subject by providing frequent opportunities to demonstrate and celebrate growth.  

Repertoire that either asks students to illustrate deep, meaningful text, or be their silliest selves can unlock their insecurities around singing in a group.  The satisfaction of hearing text come to life through dynamic contrast, shifting momentum, and satisfying harmonic progressions can be awe-inspiring.  Consider incorporating structured improvisation activities that confirm the validity of students’ melodic and rhythmic ideas and invite more individual student participation.  Trusting students with musical detail is likely to have a long-lasting impact on both their belief in themselves as artists and their sensitivity as human beings.

Puja Ramswamy, Lake View High School, Chicago

Ways I engage reluctant learners in choir:

• Get to know them as individuals and have them share their personal music history. What role has music played in their lives? What experience do they have?
• Create opportunities for them to learn about their voice. The science behind the singing makes singing less risky because the voice is now perceived as an instrument and singing is a skill that can be improved rather than just a talent that someone has.
• Choose music that reflects students’ cultural and generational backgrounds. Incorporate their opinions in choosing repertoire. 
• Celebrate small successes to build confidence. “You can now sing a scale with hand signs! Awesome! I’ll email this accomplishment to your family!”

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Have a question you’d like addressed on the blog? Send it in by clicking the button below!
No question is too specific or too big-picture–ask away, and let’s all grow and learn together!

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Between the Staves is an initiative of the ACDA Education and Collaboration National Standing Committee. For questions, contact John McDonald at johnmcdonald@wustl.edu.

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Brief Resource List:

Bantock, G. H. (1972). The reluctant learner. Critical Studies in Education, 14(1), 21–40. https://doi.org/10.1080/17508487209556044

Jackson, R. R. (2011). How to motivate reluctant learners. ASCD.

Nolker, D. B., & Sinclair, R. L. (2020). ChoIr or ChorUS: What’s in a name? Choral Journal, 61(2), 10–17.

Peart, S. (2011). Engaging reluctant learners – Reflections on what works. In INTED2011 Proceedings (pp. 5265–5272).

Sanacore, J. (2008). Turning reluctant learners into inspired learners. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 82(1), 40–44. https://doi.org/10.3200/TCHS.82.1.40-44