Choral Clarity Blog Presents: Many of us think of the last day of class as a day of yearbook signing, collecting missing music, and a free period with lots of selfies. Sure, those things might happen during the last day of class, but making the final day meaningful is so important for building tradition within […]
Does Every Student Deserve An Award?
Choral Clarity Blog Presents: I agree with the criticism about the “award-bearing” adolescent world we live in today. Every student gets a trophy. Students get participation awards just for breathing. Does Every Student Deserve An Award? The answer isn’t as cut and dry as you might think…..
Why Choir Elections Are A Bad Idea
Choral Clarity Presents: We live in a democratic country, but that doesn’t mean our officers should be chosen democratically. When students enter our choir room and/or our rehearsal, they enter our world and our culture. Too many choir directors create and/or allow a ridiculous election process to occur. But even the well-run election process is inherently […]
Memorizing Music Without Really Trying
Choral Clarity Blog Presents: As we move closer to our Spring concerts, many of us believe a memorized concert will make for a better performance. How we teach and run daily rehearsals greatly impacts our students’ ability to be responsive to our conducting, sing freely, and be communicative. How Students Can Memorize Music Without Really […]
Don’t Use Rubrics Unless Everyone Can Succeed
Choral Clarity Blog Presents: Rubrics have a place in the performing music classroom, but they should not be used to recognize achievement. They must be used properly and give every student the opportunity to be successful. Don’t Use Rubrics Unless Everyone Can Succeed
5 Ways Music Rubrics Can Fail Our Students
Choral Clarity Blog Presents: In recent years, rubrics have become a popular trend for assessing student achievement; they have been the common grading tool at most choral and solo festivals for as long as any of us can remember. While rubrics can be useful, they also present several pitfalls thats can severely impact the long-term growth and motivation of students at […]