middle school
First 10 minutes of the first day of Middle School Choir!
It’s the final day of preparations before the children arrive! It sort of reminds me of Christmas Eve. It’s all finished. On the first day, I want my middle school singers to know that I will wrap the arms of structure around them immediately, and that we are going to have fun too! They […]
The Brain on Music
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 […]
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 […]
