Connecting Middle School Music Programs to the High School

Middle school is a special time in a student’s life. When it comes to young musicians, it often proves to be both challenging and rewarding for teachers and students. If a school district wants an outstanding high school band, choir, and/ or orchestra program, it first has to build and promote an outstanding middle school feeder program. Following are some of the key factors in building a successful program for young musicians.

Hire Effective Music Teachers
Clearly, teachers play a pivotal role in the process by working in vertical and horizontal teams so that beginners have the benefit of receiving instruction from expert teachers. If the program is large enough, like-instrument classes for beginner band students prove to be the best setting for young players, i.e., a woodwind class, a brass class, a percussion class, etc. If the school district is fortunate enough for scheduling to allow, having more than one grade level for beginners also offers older students the opportunity to join music classes too.

Bandmasters, choir directors, and all music teachers need to make a point, take time, and be enthusiastic about recruiting and selling their programs. They must appreciate the value of their program and then talk about it with young students, other teachers, and parents as well.

As Dr. Samata Sharma stated, “The process by which we’re able to perceive a series of sounds as music is incredibly complex.” Music can alter the brain structure and brain function after both immediate and repeated exposure. For example, musical training over time has been shown to increase the connectivity of certain regions of the brain. For example, “If you play an instrument like the violin,” Dr. Sharma said, “the areas in your brain that are associated with the frequencies of the violin (for example) are more stimulated, and the synaptic connections are richer.”

Brain research is just the beginning of what music teachers need to know and share with others. There are many resources and organizations available to assist teachers in getting and sharing ideas that will benefit students. (Example: https://nafme.org/programs/miosm/)

Hire Effective School Counselors
School counselors should be trained in creating class schedules that allow ALL students to take music classes, if they so choose. However, even veteran counselors who are well-trained cannot create a master schedule that is appropriate if the resources are not there to lessen the conflicts of having orchestra, honors pre-algebra and guitar offered all at the same time (for example), thus forcing students to choose one over the other.

Class schedules can make or break a music program. Students should not be forced to make such difficult decisions, especially at the middle school level. They need to be able to explore activities that interest them. An experienced middle school counselor/schedule- maker can see the value in keeping enrichment classes available to students and avoiding numerous conflicts so that students can explore their interest in musical endeavors.

Band, choir and string students often tend to be in other enriched classes, and scheduling conflicts should be minimized (to the extent possible) to keep students from having to choose. Schools need to be adequately staffed in order to enable school counselors to make master schedules that are in the best interest of all students.

Effectively Educate Parents
Moms and dads may need to be educated in understanding the reason their children can benefit from involvement in music programs. Parents need to be aware that middle school music students are often setting themselves up for a future of their choosing. Lifelong friendships, travel opportunities, college scholarships, self-expression and lots of fun are all benefits that await many young musicians. Parents want all of those things for their children and need to understand the value music education has for them.

Schools should not expect students to go home and automatically provide that information to their parents. It is incumbent upon the school to reach out to the parents, to host informational events, to send flyers, and to use social media to help educate parents so that they can appropriately support their kids in school music programs.

And, if a student wants to quit a middle school music program, schools should first insist on a conversation with the parent before allowing them to make such a decision. Such big decisions, just like deciding on whether or not to continue with athletic participation, should be a joint decision of the teacher, parent and student. It’s often OK for students to have to work through a little difficulty in music programs - just like any other program.

Educate School Administrators
Many school administrators, like parents, might not know or understand the power and benefit of music education for their students. If so, then they need to be educated in that area. There are some great resources for administrators who never participated in music programs themselves.

First and foremost are their own local music teachers and local musicians. If the school system is large enough and fortunate enough to have a Fine Arts coordinator, that person can help bear this responsibility. If not, then a department chair or lead teacher can take on the role of sharing with administrators the importance of music education in students’ lives.

Principals who take the lead in supporting music education often build teams that will bring success to their schools and their students. Visibility at concerts, rehearsals and contests are just a few ways that administrators can reinforce the fact that those music programs are worthwhile, beneficial and important. Students and parents notice who sits in the audience with them.

Principals can also lead the way in encouraging other school organizations to collaborate with musical programs. Who would want to attend a football game without bands playing in the stands and marching at halftime? Middle school bands can support middle school athletics, and student musicians can also be student-athletes. The support of music programs at the middle school and high school levels can make all the difference to young musicians, their teachers and their parents.

Educate Students
Schools need to share music program information with students early and often. Young musicians must then do their part. Once enrolled, they will live up to (or down to) the adults’ expectations. Students are motivated by parents, siblings, peers, social media and the learning community, and they should be encouraged to try new experiences – including music classes. Forcing them to participate is not the answer. Intriguing them, demonstrating for them, encouraging them, and creating a safe environment for them to try are the best methodologies.

Suzuki proved this long ago in his method of teaching violin. He modeled playing for them. And he let students see and hear other musicians. Likewise, schools and communities should be providing children’s concerts to expose them to the possibility of becoming involved in music themselves at the appropriate time.

Middle School Benefits Abound
A recent study profiled by Pacific Standard followed 30,000 Florida students for more than a decade and found that sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students who took an elective fine arts class enjoyed significantly higher GPAs and higher standardized test scores than students who did not. And, there is additional common knowledge surrounding the benefits of music education for middle school students – particularly in its ability to transcend and benefit the academic domain.

The non-academic value of music education in middle schools includes the improvement of language and spatial-temporal skills, confidence building, the improvement of social skills, the boosting of creativity, the ability to teach students how to collaborate well with others, and the ability to be an independent learner. Every high school music teacher knows that their feeder programs will determine the depth, and the success, of their high school’s music program.

As the old military adage goes: “if you want to go fast, go by yourself; if you want to go far, go with someone.” Collaboration, cooperation and passion are keys to building a strong, long-lasting and successful middle school music program that will hopefully then translate into a wildly successful high school music program. (#lovemusic!)