I’ve taught choral music to public school middle school children since 1989. In the early years, I couldn’t figure out how to teach my young beginners how to take the notes and symbols off of the page and sing with accurate pitch and rhythm. One day at a time… One failure at a time… Deliberately… I […]
middle school
So…You’re replacing a legendary choral director…
If you are about to face a group of middle school or high school chorus students in the upcoming school year who have been taught by a teacher they absolutely adored, you may be feeling like you’ve just been hired to replace Robert Shaw…iconic 20th Century Choral Conductor! It is so scary. Can you imagine […]
Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing Part 5
This is the 5th and final posting in the five-part series called “Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing?” To start with the first reason, click here! Reason #5: We don’t know how to introduce music. It is possible to turn this age group against a new piece of music in the three minutes of […]
Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing Part 4
This is part 4 of the series “Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing?” Click here to see the first post in the series! Reason #4: We focus too much on technique and not enough on developing their true artistry. In my 24 years of teaching this age group, I’ve seen lots of middle school […]
Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing Part 3
Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing? Part 3 This is the third post in a five-part series from “In the Middle With Mr D” called “Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing?” Link to Reason #1 of “Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing?” Here is Reason #3 We don’t publicly celebrate and recognize […]
Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing? Part 1
“Why won’t my middle school choir sing?” I saw the above comment a while back on a Facebook Music Group, and it reminded me of my early years of teaching this very unique age group. It’s frustrating, and I believe it’s quite commonly experienced in middle school choral classrooms across America. You ask yourself, “Why […]