Tempo 8
Choir
ChadZu
llinger Hello! I am your new CMEA BaySection Choral
Representative,Chad Zullinger. As I write this
to you, most of us (including myself ) areenjoying the long,
sunny days of summer.Butasthenewschoolyearapproachesandwebeginto
jotdownideas,
listentorepertoirepossibilitiesandmakeplansforthenewyearahead,howdowesustainthiscurrentwaveofinspirationthroughthecomingfirstmonth,semesterandultimatelyyearofschool?Andlikeyou,assomeonewhohaswrestledwiththeseanswers,Idliketosharesomeofthosediscoverieswithyou.
Observe a colleague
Sometimeinthefalland/orspringsemester,request an absence for a
professionaldevelopment day from your Administratorto observe
another choral colleague in oroutside your area. Use the time to go
andshadowthatteacherandtheirchoralprogramfor a day. I think any
teacher regardless ofexperienceshouldmaketimetoobserveandgather
similar and/ornew ideas to improvehis/herteaching.
Whydo this? In theother teachingdepart-ments,
suchasEnglishandMath, thereareample opportunities for collaboration
atdepartmentalmeetings and school site
staffdevelopmentdays.Sincemostofusaretheonlychoralmusicteacheratourschool,evenifwereluckyenoughtohaveaninstrumentalcounterpart,
it still leaves us without
theopportunitytoshareorexchangeideaswithotherteachersinourdisciplineonaregularbasis.
Ultimately, the teacher you contact
andobservecanserveasthatnecessarysoundingboardoffofwhichyoumightbounceideas,and
perhaps reciprocate by taking one ofhis/her own professional
development daysto come and observe your program!
Ibelievethispartnership is justasmuchofaprofessional development
opportunity formore experienced directors as it is for newones.
I have had the privilege of observing someexceptional teachers
thatdirect someof theBayAreasmost reputable choral
programs.Thoseone-dayexcursionsItookawayfrommystudentshaspaidimmeasurabledividendsin
terms of my program development,classroom and rehearsalmanagement
skills,and a healthy dose of inspiration andeach time, I return
invigorated and freshlymotivatedformyownstudents.
Attend a choral workshop/conference
Theresagoodchanceyouand/oryourchoralfriends in the community
attend choralreading sessions and conferences
aroundtheBayArea.Hereareacoupleofexcellentclinicsandsessionstoconsiderattendingthisfallandwinter.
Saturday, September 10: ACDA FallConference and Reading Session
will beheld at San RamonValleyHigh School
inDanville.Asisthecaseformostofthechoraleducatorsattending,
schoolhas just started,theyear is
infullswing,anditsnicetogetaboostof inspiration fromnewor
familiarrepertoireinoneofthefivereadingsessions!Withthepriceofadmissionyougettotakeshiny,
new music home with you, to addyour library, and to have the
opportunitytosingthroughmostof
itwithyourchoralcolleagues.Atlunch,itsnicetorunintooldfriends,makenewonesandmaybebookthatobservationdate(seefirstparagraph!).
January 13 & 14, 2012: Bay SectionAnnualConference.Weare
inthemidstofplanning a wonderful, rejuvenating mid-year conference
for you!Dr. Buddy
James,DirectorofChoralActivities,CSUEastbay,alongwithother choral
clinicians,will joinus infive choral sessions thatwill focus
onthreeRs:Repertoire,Rehearsal,Rejuvenate.
Talk, ask questions, and make conversation!
Ithinkoneofthepitfallsweshouldavoidinourcareerisisolatingourselves.Whileitistruethatnooneteachesorconductslikeyoudo,andnoonebutyoucanpossiblyunderstand
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Tempo 9
Choir
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thedemandsanduniquenessofyourposition,thereisplentyoftalent,wisdomandsupportin
theBayArea.Ask someonewho
teachesinyourareaouttolunchifyourprepperiodisattheendoftheday,ordropinandvisitwith
a colleague on your way home
fromwork.Createyourowndistrict-wide,choralmusic departmentmeetings,
regularly, suchasoneafternoonamonth.Betteryet,takeaFriday
afternoonand share a
tastybeveragewithbothinstrumentalandchoralcolleaguesinyourtown/district.
Inmyexperience,buildingrelationshipswithour colleagues,
stayingopen to eachothers
ideas, and continuing to grow, feeds
notonlytheteacher,butalsotheartistinsideofus. It ismypleasure to
serve you as choralrepresentative for CMEA Bay Section.Please feel
free to send me your
thoughts,suggestionsandfeedbackatcmea.baysection.choral@gmail.com.Haveagreatyear!
Special thanks to the Bay Area educatorsreferenced in the
articlewho took the timeand spent it with me when I began
myteaching career almost a decade ago. Youracts of generosity will
live through theserecommendations and hopefully
encourageotherstodothesame!
Letter to Directors: CMEA Bay Section Conference
ChoirTheCMEABaySectionConferenceChoirisopentostudentsinGrades7-9.Eachdirectormaynominateuptosevenstudentsfromeachschool.Pleasenotethefollowingdates:
September8:Registrationopens October21:Registrationcloses
December10or17(TBD):Mandatoryrehearsal
Registeratwww.solochair.com.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleasedonthesitatetocontactme.
[email protected]
T
