Some questions for guitar teachers

[nafmeadmin]

I have been anxious to ask some general things of the guitar teachers out there…Please answer any one of these questions, or all of them if you want!

1. What is the most anticipated guitar event of the year for your students? Why?

2. What unit have you taught (and at what level) that has really resonated with your students?

3. What has been the most helpful support you have ever received from your parents or administration?

4. Does your program play for school or community events? Tell us about them!

Thanks!

John Truitt
Nafme Guitar Council
NMMEA

[nafmeadmin]

1). Just being able to play the guitar in class is probably the most anticipated. We do not do any events or performances.
2). 6th grade is the only age I teach class guitar too. The tend to enjoy learning what tab is and when I give them popular songs (smoke on the water for sure) to learn. They feel successful when they can play something they recognize.
3). can’t think of any to be honest with you-not on guitar anyways!
4). no events-just learn to learn.

[nafmeadmin]

I just moved from high school to elementary/middle school. I will have a middle school guitar class (guitars on on the way) but i will answer the questions from my experience with the high school beginning guitar classes I have taught:

1) We never really got to do any big performances in the two years I was at the high school. I was planning on incorporating some of the kids in the band spring concert this coming year, because I have seen that done by a colleague before and it can be a lot of fun for those kids…they like to perform too. I do have some “advanced” kids (the ones who come in to beginning guitar already able to play somewhat) and they liked Valentine’s Day when one of the school clubs would do serenades as a fundraiser…the kids loved showing off to their peers!

2) My favorite project is our end-of-year project. I hold off the unit on tablature until then. For the project, they choose any song they may want to learn and search online for the tabs. Then they work on it in class and perform for me as part of their final. They don’t have to do a whole song (some are very difficult) but even just a few licks. The kids love it, and I know they leave my class ready to find music on their own they might want to learn how to play.

3) Our school has a sister school in China. The teachers and administrators form the Chinese school came to visit last year for a week, and my admin made a point to bring them in to the guitar class to show our students off. It was great, with the Chinese delegates taking many photos with the guitar students. It ended with their head of school inviting me to visit their school in China.

4) Not beyond the Valentine’s Day serenades but hopefully soon. They do have the opportunity after my class to join our school music technology ensemble, and some have gone on to do that.

[nafmeadmin]

1. My 7th grade beginning guitar class performs each semester as the opening act for the high school guitar concert. They also have several opportunities to perform for the school during chapel assembly.

2. A major part of this class includes teaching the students to read music notation and identify the notes on each string. I have found that the time we spend learning duets, trios or quartets especially resonates because the students are getting to make music. As they go through the process of learning this literature they begin to understand and accept the importance of music notation.

3. Helpful support has come in the form of parent emails and after concert discussions expressing their student’s enjoyment of the guitar and their desire to continue playing. The administration has been very supportive in their efforts to create an opportunity in the schedule for only beginners so everyone is at the same level.

4. We play for school events, such as those described above. However, I would like to work on collaborating with some of the other middle school guitar programs in the area to put on a joint concert or event.

[nafmeadmin]

What great posts! I am particularly impressed that middle school teachers are providing such a rich set of experiences for their students. The comment about the sister school in China rang a pretty big bell with me. I am mentoring a teacher who works in a boarding school that has a significant number of kids from China. They are voracious guitar enthusiasts, and have made some very big contributions to the guitar program at the school. Mr. T, is your school an independent school? Muttyalas, you are so fortunate to have a class so ready to take on note reading and ensemble playing in middle school. Do other programs do that in your district as well? Are you primarily a guitarist? Orndorffm, is there a chance that you may be able to expand your program to include seventh graders in the future?

Thanks for the great response to my questions! Are there some high school teachers out there who can respond?

John Truitt
NAfME Council for Guitar Education

[nafmeadmin]

Truittij-I can’t go into 7th grade because I am not the jr. high director. Even if I was, there wouldn’t be time in the day to add a class at the jr high. They have us spread very thin! I do some guitar in at the high school level mixed with chorus, but that is only in the fall semester.

[nafmeadmin]

Hi John, Although I’m no longer teaching high school I’d like to throw in my “2 cents”
1. Spring trip was always a highlight. Taking your guitar ensemble on an overnight trip has a myriad of challenges but it is such a bonding experience for your students. My advanced class was the only class I took. The beginning and intermediate students would see the pictures in the guitar room from previous trips and it was a motivating factor to get in the advanced class. Other highlights were the “coffee house” performances (“acoustic only” evenings) and the annual spring “battle of the bands”. Also anytime the students were performing outside of the everyday school environment were highlights that the students remember.
2. I think it is imperative that we direct our students to be:
a.) literate musicians (that can read)
b.) able to read a chord chart and improvise
c.) able to go online, read and use tablature and understand it’s limitations
d.) able to play finger-style and pick-style and play appropriate literature using both styles.
3. As in many circumstances there were a few parents who always seemed to do “all” the work but I know it was something that they enjoyed doing. The trick is identifying those parents. I always invited my administrators to accompany the guitar ensemble on our “field trip” performances.
4. The guitar ensemble played in numerous venues. Playing the “Star Spangled Banner” before our local school board meeting to playing at the White House. Being in the DC metro area gave me lots of opportunities to find “gigs” for the guitar ensemble.

[nafmeadmin]

What a wonderful post, Glen! I do remember one of your groups performing at the GFA convention in Los Angeles some years ago. They were wonderful! The kids were so professional in their performance and in the way they carried themselves at that event…it was an inspiration to see such a well prepared group! Thanks for all you have done for the guitar in school, we owe you so much!

John T

[nafmeadmin]

I have been anxious to ask some general things of the guitar teachers out there…Please answer any one of these questions, or all of them if you want!

1. What is the most anticipated guitar event of the year for your students? Why?
1a. All students enjoy field trips. Guitar kids do too! We have made a practice of traveling across the state to participate in guitar festivals and perform as a large guitar ensemble. Students really enjoy seeing how astonished people are by the type and quality of the ensemble.
1b. The Washington State solo and ensemble contest and the regional guitar solo and ensemble that allows students to perform as soloists and in small and large ensembles. Teenagers really enjoy competition if its done in a fun and healthy way.

2. What unit have you taught (and at what level) that has really resonated with your students?
2a.Teaching high school students about basic music theory and how to relate it to their instrument in order to increase fretboard fluency and knowledge is always a skill that committed guitarists seem interested in attaining.

3. What has been the most helpful support you have ever received from your parents or administration?
3a. Administrators that have recognized the transformational power of having guitar education available to students have been awesome. A handful of principals and higher admins have observed the type of student who tends to be attracted to the guitar and have witnessed remarkable development in them.

4. Does your program play for school or community events? Tell us about them!
4a. I have students play in the community a lot. They enjoy it and it provides a tangible goal to work toward. Past events have included playing at guitar festivals, the Washington State Music educators conference, and things such as playing in the lobby during intermission at the local symphony concerts. Frequently we will go to pizza after, etc. which gives kids a chance to build community with other group members.

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