Episode 5: They Don't Care About What You Know Until They Know You Care

10/05/21 • 77 min

Choral Connectivity: A People-First Approach to Singing

This week, I speak with choral colleague Dale Duncan, a middle school choral conductor in Atlanta and creator of the S-Cubed sight singing program. We dive into what creates a culture of acceptance in a classroom, as well as swap student stories that prove a people-first approach is inspiring and worthwhile. The episode may seem long, but you won't regret listening all the way through for some heartwarming and inspiring discussion!

Did this episode remind you of a student who benefited from a people-first approach? I would love to hear your story and feature it on the show! Head on over to www.choralconnectivity.com and use the contact form to tell me your story.

Previous Episode

Episode 4: Two Choral Terms We Need To Stop Using...YESTERDAY

A basic description of our job as choral conductors or music teachers is to get a bunch of humans to make the specific noise at specific times to the best of their ability. There are standardized ways of getting these specific noises to happen, and also common terms that we use to describe the noises. As a conductor and teacher, I pay specific attention to the words I use when giving direction or feedback. More importantly, I am hyper aware about how the words I choose might make the singers feel emotionally or affect them psychologically. There are certain common terms that choral conductors use that I have deleted from my vocabulary and it has only served the group and individual singers well.
Did this episode spark thought? I would love to hear what you think! Head on over to www.choralconnectivity.com and use the contact form to leave me some feedback.

Next Episode

SSCC Series: Mindful Musicking & Equitable Space with Liz Schorr

This week's episode kicks off the SSCC Series, where I chat with the staff of the South Shore Children's Chorus (Quincy, MA) that I founded in 2016. Here, I speak with Liz Schorr - an expert in engaging in mindfulness in the classroom and creating equitable space using trama-informed approaches and responses with students. Inspired greatly by the Breathe for Change program, Liz is masterful when presenting mindfulness exercises to elementary students, middle school students, and even with the SSCC Staff at our professional development retreat this summer. You'll walk way from this episode with FREE strategies that you can use as soon as tomorrow in your classroom.

Do you use mindfulness in your classroom? How does it improve the relationship between you and your students, or your students with eachother? Head on over to www.choralconnectivity.com and use the contact form to reach out. I'd love to hear from you!