The Music Ed Podcast

We all develop those ideas - those hacks - that make our jobs much easier. In this episode I share 12 of them - most that I have used myself and a few I'm going to try soon. See the pictures of some of the hacks at www.jamesdivine.net. 

Direct download: Episode_119_-_12_Band_Room_Hacks.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

The students get bored. I get bored. But we need to review the exercises we've worked on. Here are some tips to make the review a little more interesting.

Direct download: Episode_118_-_Ways_To_Mix_Up_The_Method_Book.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

This is THE question I hate the most as a teacher. I'm very strict with it and my policy is "No/Never." I also want to answer like my 5th grade teacher did..."Yes you can, but you may not." Oh how I hated that. Here are some strategies for dealing with this age old question.

Direct download: Episode_117_-_Can_I_Go_To_The_Bathroom_-_How_To_Respond.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

When tragedy strikes the band room, either through accident, natural causes or suicide, how do you handle the grief? Is it ok to cry in front of students? What about counseling? A few years ago we had several tragic events in a row at my school. Here are some ideas for dealing with it and processing it. And please get help!

Direct download: Episode_116_-_When_A_Life_Is_Lost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

Do you ever feel like you are teaching a STADIUM full of students? There are tips to manage them a little better. Join me as I share 11 tips that I and others have used to make teaching a large group of beginners more manageable.

Direct download: Episode_115_-_11_Tips_For_Managing_Large_Groups_of_Beginners.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

Don't you hate when parents are late picking up their kids? You are ready to leave and go home yourself, maybe to your own family, but you are stuck waiting. Be careful not to react in anger because sometimes the lateness is legit. Follow these tips.

Direct download: Episode_114_-_Parents_Are_45_Minutes_Late-What_Do_I_Do.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

What should you do when students are dating each other? Ignore it (not completely)? Freak out (no)? Try these band director tested tips and remember that I married my high school sweetheart who happened to be in the guard in our marching band! We've been married almost 32 years, raised 4 kids and now have six grandkids.

Direct download: Episode_113_-_When_Students_Are_Dating.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

In Colorado, music teachers are certified as K-12 music. But just because we are certified, does not mean we feel qualified.

This year, I transferred to a Title I school and moved from teaching high school band to middle school orchestra. I learned a lot of things the hard way. If you find yourself in the same position, listen to this podcast for some tips on what to do about tuning, when to introduce bowing, how about assessment and many other topics.

Geared for the non-strings player who finds himself teaching strings!

You can do it!

Direct download: Episode_112_-_Help_Im_a_Band_Teacher_Teaching_Orchestra.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:06am EDT

If this is the problem you have at your school, count your blessings! In this episode I discuss some tips on what you might do. Whatever you do, DON'T haphazardly throw old trophies away. You might be driven out of town, and not in a limo.

Direct download: Episode_111_-_What_to_do_With_TOO_MANY_TROPHIES.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

We all wish we had more parents participating in our program. In this podcast, we talk about some tips and ideas to do that. A pitfall regarding email. When it's ok to let the ball drop. How the process might look different in a suburban versus Title I school.

Example Pledge and Parent Involvement

Direct download: Episode_110_-_Getting_More_Parental_Participation.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

In July, I had the chance to meet Dr. Tracz when he presented at The Colorado Bandmasters Association Conference. We carved out a couple of minutes to talk about some tips and challenges for todays band director.

Dr. Tracz talked about burnout in one of his sessions. Although we don't cover it on the podcast, here is a link to a Burnout Self Test. I took it and was very surprised to find I was burned out this past spring. 

You can find many resources by Dr. Tracz on the Kansas State University website, http://www.k-state.edu/band/downloads/index.html

Join me on this informative podcast.

Direct download: Episode_109_-_Interview_with_Frank_Tracz_of_Kansas_State.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

When I first started teaching at the high school level, I was totally lost when the pep band played at our football game! Perhaps you feel lost too?

Listen to the podcast to learn some tips and tools of the trade. When to play. When NOT to play. What to play. Who to talk to before the game...and more.

Direct download: Episode_108_-_When_To_Play__Other_Tips_for_Football_Games.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

This episode is just for fun. Have you ever suffered from foot in mouth disease, when you either say something embarrassing or say something you never thought you would! That often happens to me. Sometimes I get my tirds wisted. Maybe I have a speed impechiment.

Direct download: Episode-106-Things-I-Never-Thought-Id-Say-in-Rehearsal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am EDT

I think the big mistake we make when trying to motivate students to practice is to think they are just like we were when we were their age.

Direct download: Episode-105-Motivating-Students-to-Practice.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am EDT

We've talked about student etiquette in concerts, but how about when it's the audience members who are the problem! You CAN change the culture. No one said it would be easy.

Direct download: Episode-104-Teaching-the-Audience-Proper-Etiquette.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am EDT

I'm not talking about adapting so much in this episode. Most of us can use our creativity and figure out something to make it work. This is mostly about how to incorporate students with severe needs who may never be able to learn an instrument.

Direct download: Episode-103-Incorporating-Special-Needs-Students-in-Band.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am EDT

I strongly dislike this response. Sometimes it comes from ignorance, sometimes from a need for sympathy, and other times out of laziness.

Direct download: Episode-102-I-Cant-Play-My-Throat-Hurts-How-To-Respond.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am EDT

Do you ever just want to RUN AWAY after posting audition results? Hope these tips help to make it less uncomfortable.

Direct download: Episode-101-Posting-Audition-Results.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am EDT

Back in the day, teachers were always believed and respected. Now, many students and parents get their feelings hurt, especially when we are trying to set high standards for our groups. How do we set and maintain those high standards? Get some helpful tips in this podcast.

Direct download: Episode-100-Instilling-High-Standards.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:38am EDT

If your jazz band is like mine, it’s filled with some of the most creative and ENERGETIC students in the school. They never get in serious trouble, but if I don’t keep them occupied and doing something, they can tend to get in a little bit of “teen goofy” trouble. I like to start class with one of these warm-ups to get them focused right away.

Direct download: Episode-99-Jazz-Band-Warm-Ups.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:27pm EDT

I started my career utilizing practice sheets, but dropped them shortly after arriving at my current position. Are they useful? Are they a waste of time? In this podcast, I share some thoughts from fellow band directors on both sides of the debate. Ultimately you have to decide what’s best for your program.

Direct download: Episode-98-Are-Practice-Sheets-Worthwhile.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:25pm EDT

We all know directors who have burned out teaching marching band. Some flee from the thought of ever teaching it again. However, I think with a few changes in our philosophy, we can have successful marching bands that don’t destroy our life. I share a few of those thoughts in this podcast.

Direct download: Episode-97-Thoughts-on-Marching-Band-Philosophy.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:22am EDT

It’s bad enough when we are bullied by a boss or superior, but what do we do if a fellow teacher is bullying us? This is a difficult situation to deal with, especially if you are a young teacher and the one doing the bullying is more experienced. Here are 5 tips to help you deal with the situation. Also check out Henry Cloud’s book Boundaries

 
Direct download: Episode-96-5-Tips-for-Dealing-With-Bullying-Colleagues.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:20am EDT

I have only left one teaching position. Telling my students was one of the hardest things I have had to do! It’s never easy, but hopefully these tips will lessen the pain.

Direct download: Episode_95_-_Leaving_or_Retiring_Some_Communication_Tips.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:02am EDT

Trips can be fun and educational. The secret is to over plan and plan early. Follow these 8 tips to make your overnight band trip more successful and reduce the risk of something going wrong.

trip behavior agreement

Parent Educational Leader Guide

Link to Travel 101 by Andrew Yaracs

Direct download: Episode_94_-_8_Tips_to_Consider_on_Overnight_Trips.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:09am EDT

We have all had our share of poisonous students. Do we cut them out like a cancer and get rid of them, or do we try and work patiently with them? The answer isn’t always clear cut.

Direct download: Episode_93_-_Dealing_with_Poisonous_Students.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:58am EDT

1