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How to: Schedule, Recruit, Retain, Advocate, Perform, and Evaluate
Scheduling
This is your time to be an advocate for your program! Ask to be at the table, in planning meetings, and in schedule discussions to ensure your music program is considered and maintained! The schedule the admin team tentatively creates now will change before the fall so make sure you are part of every conversation. Be a listener, consider all scenarios, but also be an advocate. Think outside the box and work WITH your admin team on solutions that impact your program. This is your opportunity to continue building a collaborative relationship with your admin team and they will appreciate an open minded, problem-solver approach. While you need to defend your program, don’t get defensive!
Want to learn more about School Schedule Changes, Talking to your Administrator, Being a Part of the Conversation, Counselors Office, Pull Out Lessons, and Summer Camps?
Communication with Administrators (Video)
Download the FREE graphic to share
Recruitment
One of the most significant challenges that teachers face during a pandemic is recruiting and retaining students. Health requirements have presented inconveniences and even impossible roadblocks for students to find the same satisfaction in rehearsing and performing that they may have had under normal circumstances. Teachers will need to go above and beyond normal recruitment practices to reach out to potential students. This may include working with feeder schools, private teachers, mass mailing campaigns, referrals, etc.
Click here to see things to Keep in Mind, Recruiting Performances, Fruitful Recruitment Opportunities, Outreach, Student Instrument Choice, Materials to Download, Resource Links, Strategies, Examples, Virtual Concerts and more!
String Recruitment with Bob Gillespie
8 Recruiting Ideas for Transitioning Students (Elementary to Middle; Middle to High School; High School to College)
Retention
Equally important is retaining students already in the program. Careful attention will need to be paid to make sure current members feel part of the organization, that their presence is valued, and that ongoing participation is something important for their own well-being.
Click here to see the S.M.A.R.T Approach to Retention in detail
SUCCESS, MODELING, ACTIVITY, REFLECTION, TEAMWORK (Infographic)
Watch All 5 Videos on the S.M.A.R.T Approach to Retention (Success Video is Below)
Click here for more FREE Retention Materials, Resource Links, Video Examples of Retention Ideas, and much more!
Download the FREE graphic to share
Make retention a priority - there are many fun and unique ways to do this, like below:
Advocacy
Efforts to support the music program may take many forms. Some are internal like personal interactions with faculty and administrators. Every interaction is an advocacy opportunity, a chance to share the benefits the music program provides to students, showcase student highlights and achievements.
Have Your Messages Ready (examples provided)
Program Safety
Connection to Social Emotional Learning (Video Example)
Articulating Value
COVID-19 Relief Funding Includes Support for Music Education
Every state has a state music education association. Many have an arts education advocacy group. Connect with these organizations in your state for information and resources that will help support music education in communities.
The Arts Are Education campaign has been developed by the same groups that created the Arts Education is Essential campaign last year. The groups involved in the creation include the Nation Dance Education Organization, National Association for Music Education, National Art Education Association, Educational Theatre Association, Young Audiences Arts for Learning, Education Commission of the States with support provided by NAMM, Arts Ed NJ and Quadrant Research.
Learn more at: https://www.artsareeducation.org/about
Information on state education agency arts education specialists
Campaign to protect arts education and engage parents in the school budget process. With campaign tools and supporting materials making the case for making arts education programs safe, the link between social emotional learning and arts education, the value of arts education and how to monitor the school budget process available online or via a mobile app.
Learn more at: http://artsednow.org
Click to See More Advocacy Resources, Steps You Can Take, Funding Resources, Ideas on How to Use Funds, Links, Articles, Resources, Handouts and Videos.
How to Advocate for Performing Arts Programs in you School District: Protect Arts Ed Now
How to Monitor the School Budget Process
The 2020 CARES Act and 2021 CRRSA Act (What these acts entail and how to use the funding they provide)
Title IV, Part A Block Grant (Explaining the Every Student Succeeds Act, examples of funding and what it supports)
Performances
State Association Sponsored Schedules
Every state association will approach state-sanctioned festival assessments differently, and it is important to carefully follow state association leadership to find out their current plans. Because information can be fluid during these unprecedented and unpredictable times, state associations need to do their best to communicate early and often with teachers.
Investigate changes made in state required literature lists to see if there are any covid-clause rules allowing to perform/compete at a level lower than previously required.
Regional events can provide students and their teachers with unique opportunities to share their hard work and experience the hard work of students and teachers from other schools.
College and University On-Campus Visit Performances
There is great value in visiting college or university campuses to work with clinicians and experience unique performance venues.
Audiences allowed: If local safety guidelines allow for live attendance at events, teachers should encourage audience attendance at their performances.
Streaming: Teachers may consider continuing the practice of streaming concerts even after social distancing standards are loosened.
Curricular Travel Opportunities
Curricular travel has been a cornerstone of music programs for many years. Not only are they a great recruitment tool, they give students opportunities to expand their knowledge and broaden their worldview.
Community Requested Performances
Teachers should seek out and accept offers to perform in the community not only as a way of providing a service to the community, but also to bring much needed attention to their programs.
Together As One - Free & Exclusive Music Program
This fully arranged, designed, and choreographed performance is available for FREE to any school and director seeking performance music through June 2022.
Click to see more about all of the performance opportunities listed above
Teacher Preparation for State Association and MEA Music Events Post-Pandemic (with Craig Manteuffel and Dr. John Taylor, Kansas)
Evaluating Your Students
Realign Expectations (Read More)
Directors must first look at the earliest scheduled performances (football game, marching band, spirit assemblies, concerts) and find literature that is appropriate for technique and range to make the students sound the best they possibly can and this means meeting your students where they are not where they “should” be based on the past.
“Should be” is not something to consider when rebuilding programs. One strategy for assessing the performance level of the ensemble is to create a reading folder. Begin with what you would generally program as the end goal and then fill the folder with several levels of music ready to read (from too easy to more difficult). It’s an excellent way to gauge a starting point.
7 Alternatives to Teaching Another Music Appreciation Course (Download PDF)
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