![]() ![]() I cherish every minute of this down time, before the students fill the room. We talk about the day, our frustrations, and our celebrations. The best part of my day is what we are doing right now and every morning, when I have the opportunity to talk with my colleague while enjoying a cup of Caribou coffee. I am merely doing the best I can to make a difficult situation as successful as it can be. In general, I use many strategies to keep student learning the maximum priority, however, this set-up of large, mixed instrument classes is far less than ideal. I also keep the activities short so there is no boredom, and I also make my expectations of focused hard-working learners clear right away when I meet them on the first day in the fall so everyone can better understand the environment I’m trying to create. So, I keep them moving from one activity to the next. Getting them re-focused can really cut into the meaningful use of class time. In large beginning band classes, too much downtime or slow transitions can lead to loud unfocused kids. I maintain a fast-paced classroom where student downtime is minimal. That way students have more resources they can use while they are practicing at home.Īnd large classroom sizes – how do you make it work? I also have an extensive list of YouTube video links that I email to students and parents. By offering many various experiences for the large variety of students in my class, I am using the class time more efficiently. My classroom might look like organized chaos, but the kids respond well, are engaged most of the time, and they are learning at an accelerated pace. I use a lot of visual reminders around the room while I am verbally instructing other students. While I am working with one instrument type, I have pictures and videos for other players to use that help them study independently. I do, however, have some techniques that have been effective for me and my students. ![]() There can be downtime for kids while I am working with certain sections of instruments, which can also lead to lost instructional time and student engagement. Teaching successful mixed instrument classes in beginning band is a daily work-in-progress. How do you handle the challenge of mixed instrument classes? How do you make it work? In my school district, a major consideration is having large classes of several different instruments that are taught at the same time, making it challenging to give beginning band students the attention they deserve with such a large variety of instruments. What is the biggest challenge band directors of beginning students face? Overall, I had fewer students in smaller classes than I do now, and they started learning their instruments at a younger age. ![]() I had one full band rehearsal each week with the students. When I started teaching, I taught elementary band with pull out sections of like-instruments. How has teaching changed since you entered the field? All of my classes are on an every other day rotation. I also teach one 6 th grade Music Composition class. I then travel to our 6 th grade Washington campus where I teach three Level 1 6 th grade band classes that are divided into brass/woodwind classes with percussion mixed throughout. ![]() I begin each day at the Fred Moore campus for 7 th and 8 th graders, where I teach an advisory class in the morning, followed by a class of Level 2 7 th grade band students. There are approximately 1800 students in grades 6-8. He inspired me to have confidence and join the band, leading to my passion for music and ultimately paved the path for me to be the band director I am today.ĪMSA consists of two campuses: one for 6 th grade and the other a few blocks away for 7 th and 8 th grade. The first person I met at ARCC was Ric and he was excited that I played the French horn. Who is your mentor and what led to him/her being your mentor?Īctually, the reason I am a teacher is due to the influence of Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) Music Professor, Ric Perkins. Francis School District, and I am currently, happily, rooted in the Anoka-Hennepin School District at AMSA. Since 1991, I have taught in the White Bear Lake School District, a private Catholic school in Prior Lake, the Robbinsdale School District, the St. How many years have you been a band director? On April 5 th, 2019, I sat down for a conversation with Anoka Middle School for the Arts (AMSA) Band Director, Lora Ukaegbu. ![]()
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