NCMEA Summer 2020

Middle School Choral
Aaron Lafreniere, Chair
Hello, my friends and colleagues. I’m not quite sure where
to begin. The last article I wrote for the spring journal
was written after the announcement of the closing of
school until May 15. Now, as I am writing this one, school was
closed for the remainder of the school year, a new calendar has
been released for next year, and reopening plans have yet to be
decided.
As teachers, we have been navigating the constant changes to
grading policies and teacher expectations since the lock down
began due to COVID-19. We have been forced to say goodbye
to our students in a way that is not traditional, while many
of us have found ways to make the end of year special for our
students. At my school, which services grades 6 – 12, our music
department created a graduation video for the eighth grade
students using our annual end-of-year song. For our seniors, we
took three days to visit their homes, gave them a yard sign and
sent them on to their next journey in our own special way.
Like all of you, I miss teaching, being in the classroom,
singing, being around my coworkers and students, and moments
like MPA, All-State Chorus, and our end-of-year concerts.
Honestly, I have not enjoyed being an online chorus teacher.
The best part about teaching is the connection we achieve when
creating music together and the accomplishment we all feel when
the concert is finished. I always close every class by saying “we
are a TEAM” and my students respond with, “Together, Everyone
Achieves More!” However, when not all of your students are
attending online class video calls or completing the assignments
you have worked hard to create, the feeling of togetherness and
teamwork feels lost.
Currently, there are concerns over what next year’s calendar
will look like. My school system plans to start the school year
earlier and have five remote learning days. Even this could change
as we move further into the summer. What will next year look
like? Will I have to teach remotely? If so, for how long? What will
our concerts look like? Will we be able to have concerts at all? I
wish I had the answers to these questions.
With all of these unknowns, I find myself unsure of what to
share with you all. What did my classes do during quarantine?
As mentioned in my previous article, I incorporated Chorus
Karate. Each week, students completed a music theory test via
a Google Form and then performed a rhythmic exercise and a
melodic exercise in SmartMusic. I used the method book Habits
of a Successful Choral Musician, by Scott Rush, in SmartMusic
for the exercises aligned with Chorus Karate. In addition to the
assignments, I created a digital badge board to “gamify” the
classroom. Once a student completed the assignments necessary
to finish a belt, I awarded them the badge that corresponded to
that achievement. For example, a student completed all three
tasks to complete yellow belt, then I awarded a student the yellow
belt badge. I did this to create a sense of competition and spark
motivation for completing the assignments. All in all, I would
have to say I am pleased with the way this program worked out
for my classes. I will probably continue this in some form or
fashion, with or without remote instruction, next school year.
Another online tool I discovered during quarantine is
flippity.net. They have templates to turn a Google Sheet
into interactive activities, and offer a demo, instructions,
and a template of all of their activities. They have activities
recommended for online teaching such as a scavenger hunt.
I created one of these for treble clef note identification and
another for bass clef. The site has student study aids, like flash
cards and creating a timeline and teacher aids like a badge tracker
and a progress indicator. The site also offers other activities which
can be used in the physical classroom or attempted through a
video conference call, such as a quiz show and bingo. The site is
packed with activities, and I encourage you to check out. The best
part: it’s all FREE!
It was so bizarre to have to go into my classroom after the
state shut down. It was like walking into a ghost town. The worst
part was packing up the classroom without the opportunity to say
goodbye to my students. It felt like unpacking for a trip I never
got to take. I am sure you all felt the same.
Whatever the future holds, I hope you enjoy your summer
break not worrying about teaching online, having a Zoom
class, grading work in Canvas, listening to takes in SmartMusic,
answering emails, etc. I hope the start of next school year,
whatever it looks like, goes smoothly for you. Until next time,
excelsior!
NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 21