[TPIN] Listening and learning about music no jazz out there

[RickTrumpetMan at aol.com]

Yes, Mike.  It is sad.  But if somebody as motivated as I  am can't do 
anything about it inside my own "situation", you can bet  your bottom dollar that 
there is a ton of countervailing inertia working  against teachers.
 
First, schedules have been gutted to apply maximum benefit to NCLB tested  
curricula with electives hanging on for dear life at the periphery.  (Not  
always with success.)  
 
In an act of desperate placation, the response has been (from many  arts 
directors) to teach NCLB requirements "through" the Arts.  
 
Now, I really like the sound of this and just like in ancient Greece with  
the original seven "Liberal" Arts (the Quadrivium and the Trivium) being  taught 
interdependently (as best as we can reconstruct history anyway) it should  
work like a charm.
 
But that presumes that they are given an at least  moderately equal foothold 
in the learning environment. (I.E., the schedule  footprint.) 
 
The present day reality in many (but NOT ALL) public school  situations I've 
had first hand experience with is that you will teach  READING-or math-from 
actual reading/math TEXTBOOKS and not having them do  independent research on 
their own that incorporate the principles and  history of the elective 
curriculum that you teach.
 
(I.E., The flaw as stated elsewhere in the media.  "Teaching the  Test"....)
 
Frankly, It reminds me a LOT of Gilliam's vision of the future in  "Brazil".  
At least in terms of the teacher losing control of the teaching  process.
 
Do you think there is concern from above for the music curricula that  are 
thrown into these sausage grinders?
 
Very often,  (But again, not ALWAYS): Not that I can tell.....
 
At the private school I used to teach at (The one you came very close to  
being hired to play at, before the local micro-economy took a downturn) I was  
able to do all of those things.  The bulletin board in my band room had no  less 
than six or eight Mosaic Set cover photocopies along with various  covers 
from the Eastman Wind Ensemble Mercs and RCA Golden Era recordings  on it.  I 
used them because they're visually striking and draw  attention. (And I really 
like them...) 
 
I kept dubs of the CD's in my office with a system I brought from home.  
(This was in the days when you could find KILLER gear in junk stores for next to  
nothing if you wanted to invest the time and bruised knuckles to restore it  
yourself.  Usually a couple of cold solder joints and some contact  cleaner...)
 
It made a definite difference, but there is absolutely no room  whatsoever in 
my ensemble class schedules for that now.  ZIP.   The best I can do is 
mention it in passing and hope for the best.  
 
(Private Students are a different matter and were more what I had in mind  in 
my previous post.  Most of the private teaching I do now is free except  in 
the summers, which is off season....)
 
 
ONCE AGAIN THE DISCLAIMER:  It's not all school systems and most  certainly 
not all schools within a given system.  It's largely a  matrix of 
Administrator/ School Board/Superintendent dependent  variables.  So yes, I agree that it's 
a sad state of affairs.  People  get the quality of education they demand.  
But as well pointed out  when we beat this horse the other week, some of that 
starts with  the priorities that are set at home......
 
My Brother-In-Law likes to say:  "It's broke.  And nobody can fix  it...."
 
I'm not certain that it's true.  I just know that (from what I  can observe) 
it's not fixed YET and it's going (in large measure) in  the wrong direction, 
especially regarding the Arts.
 
Excellence can be found, to be sure.  But it's usually in spite of  
institutional "inertia sinks" not because of the lack of them.   ("Sweetheart" 
Shangrila type programs notwithstanding.  God Bless Them  Every One...)
 
The only thing else to say comes from U.S. History class.  I  proffer it on 
behalf of the many educators that are too busy are unwilling to  defend the 
profession here:  
 
"Don't Tread On Me"......
 
:)
 
Rick Price
Legacy Brass
Charlotte, NC




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