The Yellow Board

Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by Troubled on 2/4/2021, 5:19 pm

Has sitting down while teaching beginners become the new thing? From the time I started teaching 31 years ago, I was always taught to stand, move around between students, walk around the room, etc. That way I can hear problems and address them, daily - not just when I have a chair test.

I was just told by my assistant band director that he thinks he can effectively teach from sitting down in front of a table where he has his book sitting between him and his students. I watched my percussion director run a sectional at middle school, today, in the same way.

This really concerns me, BUT...am I just getting too old and crotchety?! I'm not saying I've never sat down when my back was bothering me, but it has never been the "norm" for me. I would appreciate some input from directors of all ages. Thank you!

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by 35 years on 2/6/2021, 7:02 pm, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

And I have always stood and walked around the room. For the time being I have to sit more but only because of recent knee surgery. Sitting while teaching band just drives me crazy.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by BDOD on 2/6/2021, 5:23 pm, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

I sit more than I used to, but I blame the degenerative joint disease.

But generally, I prefer to be up and moving about. Nowadays, I have to alternate back and forth.

ALthough with the pandemic, I'm locked into one place most of the so I can be seen by my in-person and my virtual kids at the same time.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by Mr. Dude on 2/5/2021, 2:34 pm, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

I sit a lot during beginner classes. I also stand up from time to time. My beginner classes are smaller and pretty peaceful, it works for them. Except one of them...I have to stand to keep them focused. It is a beginner brass class, all boys, last period of the day.

I understand your question, but the real question is "are the kids engaged?" Maybe ask, "is the director missing things like bad posture or fingerings?" If the answers are yes and no respectively, then there's probably not a problem.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by Jester Man on 2/5/2021, 11:56 am, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

My back hurts really bad; looking at possible surgery. I lean/sit on a bar stool that has me in a nearly standing position. Yes, I get around the room and look over their shoulder. They try a little harder when I'm closer to them.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by geez on 2/5/2021, 11:33 am, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

I've been doing this for 36 years. I don't care if a teacher sits, stands or stands on their head. As long as they are getting results, that's all that matters to me.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by This! on 2/6/2021, 9:20 am, in reply to "Re: Sitting while teaching beginners"

Yes! Agree!

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by Me on 2/5/2021, 11:03 am, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

Year 28 and final year. I sit some with my beginner clarinet class, but there are only 6 students and I can see them all just fine. Plus I am in a very small room that makes walking around impossible.

In my beginning percussion class, I only sit when they are allowed to sit.

When directing my bands, I only sit when the percussion section is allowed to sit, which is Never...

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by Um on 2/5/2021, 10:59 am, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

Unless you’d like to up your odds of being quarantined for close contact, I wouldn’t advise roaming around the room right now. If your kids are spaced out enough, it’s really not hard to see individuals and what they’re doing. Believe me, I’d love to break social distancing to do the normal things we should be doing as beginner teachers......but I also believe strongly in protecting myself and my students.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by yes and no on 2/5/2021, 10:42 am, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

I normally try to move around the room some, but this year I've been keeping more distant from students, so, no, I'm not going to get any closer to a student than I absolutely need to this year. As a result, I have spent much more time at the front of the class, and sometimes *gasp* sitting on my very high stool that makes me about as tall as I am when standing anyway.

That being said, I have seen lots of highly regarded and successful teachers and conductors sit on a stool to conduct, so I just think do what works for you, but also be willing to try different approaches if it's not working.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by blah on 2/5/2021, 9:56 am, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

Think it really boils down to "What works for you Might not work for others." Personally I prefer to stand unless the class is super small.

But Toxic Positivity says that only good and dedicated Band directors that run like the Energizer Bunny and Do Band 24/7 are successful.

Without exploring new ways to do things you can't find out what works best for you. Some ideas are a flop some work out really well. Our end goal should be students enjoying music.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by Kramer on 2/5/2021, 9:52 am, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

There are a lot of reasons somebody may sit to teach. Maybe there is a medical condition. Maybe they want to distance themselves. Maybe... Maybe..... maybe.......

If it's your assistant and they are not meeting your expectations, say something. If they are getting results and it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Best wishes to you.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by STX on 2/5/2021, 8:44 am, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

The only time I may sit is if I have a sectional with a solo or small ensemble. I was also taught to stand and move around the room. It just makes sense, which is rarer and rarer these days.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by Curious on 2/4/2021, 9:49 pm, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

It might be because sitting will make them NOT get close to the students...you know...social distance and COVID and all...

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by stander on 2/4/2021, 7:12 pm, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

I hate to sit...ever...I have a stand-up desk. I also like to stand behind the kids as much as possible, both MS and HS, until I absolutely have to be on the podium. They sit up straighter and behave better if they think my eyes are always on them. And I can see if they're on the right page of music, marking things, etc. Year 36, never sit and very few days will you find me 100% on the podium.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by Middle on 2/4/2021, 6:14 pm, in reply to "Sitting while teaching beginners"

I just found out I meet the definition of "middle aged." Makes me feel old.

I'll sit down with a smaller group. I have a class of 3 this year (plus anywhere from 0-5 online, depending on the day). Standing in front of a small group feels awkward, so I usually sit. I can see all of the kids from my seat, they can all see me, it works. With a bigger group, especially if they're big enough to have more than one row, I'm almost always standing. I don't know exactly what number would be the line.

This year adds complications. Because I have to be on camera, I stay in one place for most of the class whether sitting or standing. I'm also mostly avoiding close contact with anyone. Sometimes if they're just not getting it, I reach out physically correct hand position, but otherwise I'm explaining and demonstrating from the front.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by Retired on 2/4/2021, 7:34 pm, in reply to "Re: Sitting while teaching beginners"

Teacher of 30 years here! Watching a director sit makes me crazy! I don’t see how you could possibly address embouchure, hand position and posture especially with beginners. I attribute it to laziness. And it’s so easy to walk around right now with the kids being distanced!
And a large concert, band? Never! Have you ever seen what the saxes, low brass and percussion do when you’re not looking?
Ha!

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by SaxGeezer on 2/5/2021, 3:04 pm, in reply to "Re: Sitting while teaching beginners"

I am probably right between the two extremes. I sit about half the time. I like to sit and illustrate good posture, playing position, etc... but I don't hover over them or flit around the room. Directors who are never in one place offer little consistency for their musicians... they're not going to hunt you down, they'll just follow the herd or make something up. There's not much a student can do that an experienced teacher can't see from a seated position. Conducting? I stand. Teaching a group of beginners, I'm up and down.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by Me on 2/5/2021, 11:55 am, in reply to "Re: Sitting while teaching beginners"

Teacher of 15 years here! (I don't know why the exclamation point is necessary) Just because you don't see how someone can be effective addressing issues while sitting doesn't mean that it isn't possible. I'm at school (middle) 11-12 hours a day. I give individual tutorials to students before and after school every day. I mark every part how I would like it marked and give students a clean part so that they can learn to mark it themselves, then check it and if it's not done right, I give them another clean part and reteach them individually. I spend my planning period practicing my instrument and usually practice a secondary instrument 30-45 minutes a day. I teach non-stop from bell to bell and have students send weekly flipgrids for assessment so we don't lose instruction time. I then spend 8-10 hours every weekend grading and making flipgrid responses to students who didn't get a concept. All that to say, I AM NOT LAZY. I sit when I teach small groups. It works for me, especially when I have 10-15 kids following the lesson through Teams while I teach the live class.

Re: Sitting while teaching beginners

Posted by Occasional Sitter on 2/5/2021, 8:16 am, in reply to "Re: Sitting while teaching beginners"

If you can't look at a kid and see issues with posture, embouchure, and hand position, adding a foot or two of vertical perspective really won't change your ability to teach. You don't need to stand to look at a kid.

One thing MANY young directors forget with the "walk around" idea is that if you're NEVER on the podium, YOUR KIDS WILL NEVER LOOK TO THE PODIUM FOR TEMPO or guidance. Yes, we need to walk around. Yes, we need to work with kids and sections - but being on the podium is ALSO important. And having a stool or a chair behind the podium to sit on while you hear a section of trumpets play a four measure bit of the march down the row is not out of line.

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