Page 15 - Bandworld Magazine 2015

PREFACE
The purpose of this handbook is to provide instructional strategies, procedures, and standards for the elementary instrumental music teachers in the Long Beach Unified School District. It is the responsibility of each individual teacher to teach the fundamentals of every instrument regardless if the teacher can play the instrument themselves. The most critical concepts of the five elementary wind instruments; flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, and trombone, have been outlined for you in order to help direct your weekly lessons. All of these concepts can be taught with multiple approaches. Regardless of the method, these concepts must be taught. In a district with 68 music teachers and no music administrator, it is very difficult to have all the teachers on the same page. That is the challenge we face. But, by using and referring to this handbook and the expectations presented in it, it is my hope that all of our students will be reaching the same benchmarks as they progress from year to year on their musical journey.
HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK
Begin by reading through the handbook, looking for any strategies that might help you teach more effectively. Mark those sections. Pay special attention to any critical concepts that you might not currently be teaching. If approached correctly, there is nothing in this handbook that your students should not be able learn.
Throughout the handbook, you will find sections labeled Notes. Use these sections to write down your thoughts and reflections about that particular section. After trying some of the strategies, note what worked well, what didn’t, what could be done differently, and what questions arose as you taught a particular skill.
On a regular basis, review the sections marked Critical. These sections call attention to the most critical skills that the student musician must develop in order for them to progress to the next level of playing.
Pay special attention to all areas marked Bad Habits. Here you will find the most common bad habits on each instrument, and suggestions to combat them.
1/4 size sample pages
FLUTE
POSTURE
Flute players should sit forward in their seats with a tall but relaxed posture. It’s important to keep the muscles in the shoulders and neck as relaxed as possible. The head can be slightly tilted to the right as long as the lip line is parallel to the body of the flute (fig. F1).
STANDARDS
In nearly every subject being taught today, there are clear standards that have been laid out for both teachers and students. Every 5th grade teacher in Long Beach can tell you what math skills the 5th grade student is expected to learn and be able to demonstrate by the end of the year. Music must take the same approach. The three standards that I’ve put before you were not developed by an administrator or a district consultant. Instead, they are what our students expect us to provide for them when they sign up for music. We must live up to these standards.
1. Continued Success in Music - Your number one goal should be to provide each stu- dent with the fundamentals of air movement, hand position, posture, and embouchure. If the student can master these critical concepts, then they can have continued success in middle school, high school, and beyond. Without these critical concepts, the chances of the student finding enjoyment in music and continuing on are dramatically decreased.
2. Enjoy the Process of Making Music - Your students should be excited to come to class each week. Elementary students love praise, challenges, friendly competition, problem solving, compliments, creating, improvising, showing off, incentives, etc. Use a variety of motivational tools when planning each lesson. You are expected to teach music in a way that engages the students, and leads to self motivation.
3. Appreciate the Skills of the Musician - Students that study music learn great life skills in the process; teamwork, focus, personal responsibility, and dedication to name a few. Make your students aware of the various “other” skills they are developing as members of a music group. Show them the skill and dedication that musicians have developed in order to become professionals. Your students will then develop a greater appreciation for all types of music.
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Bad Habits - A very common bad habit is “flat fingers” (fig. F8). Students should keep the cushioned tips of the fingers directly on
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the keys. Students with this bad habit will not be able to transi- tion to an open holed flute down the road.
fig. F8
fig. F1
There are four support points on the flute. The right pinkie, right thumb, base of the left pointer finger, and the bottom lip “snuggle spot”.
Snuggle Spot: Often young flutist don’t make enough contact between the embouchure plate and the skin under the lip. Teach this by placing the embouchure plate under the pink of the bottom lip, gently push the embouchure plate into the under lip skin, then wiggle it back and forth slightly. Now, release the pressure against face and check the alignment of the embouchure hole. That’s the snuggle spot (fig. F9).
EMBOUCHURE (DVD)
SUPPORT POINTS
Bad Habits - Do not allow flute players to rest their right
arm over the back of the chair (fig. F2). Watch out for students that tilt their head to the side (fig. F3). Beware of students that turn their head to the left shoulder instead of extending their arms to the right (fig. F4).
fig. F9
fig. F2
fig. F3
HAND POSITIONS
fig. F4
fig. F5
1. To teach the embouchure, begin with the head joint alone. Have the student stand or sit tall with the head tall and eyes looking straight ahead. Without moving the head down, bring the lip plate to rest slightly under the bottom lip. Allow the lip to be loose. Move the head joint side to side,snuggling the lip plate into the skin below the pink part of the lip. Refer to this as the snuggle spot.
Right Hand - The right hand should be relaxed with the fingers curved as if holding a ball. The thumb should point forward (not in line with the body of the flute) and rest opposite the pointer and middle finger (fig. F5).
2. While holding the flute in the snuggle spot, have the student say the syllable “whee” while paying attention to the corners of the mouth. Teach the student to be able to form this shape without actually saying “whee” (fig. F10).
fig. F10
Left Hand - The left hand is
not in an open position (fig. F6). The most important part of the left hand position is the shape of the base of first finger (fig. F7). Critical This is the part of the hand that supports the flute, not the thumb.
3. Have the student snuggle the flute, covering 1/4 to 1/3 of the embouchure hole with the bottom lip, make the “whee” lip shape, and then blow through the very center of the lips. It sometimes helps to start the air by using the “poo” or “too” syllable (fig. F11).
fig. F11
Sometimes the student is not focusing the air in the right direction and sometimes the15
fig. F6
fig. F7
4. If the student doesn’t get a sound but the embouchure looks good, begin to focus on the air.
Teacher’s Handbook continued on Bandworld Online • www.bandworld.org/free
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