From Chorteach with permission from ACDA
What do you do with those students who don’t often sing in your class? They say they enjoy being in choir, but I don’t see evidence of this in their class performance, and their behavior during class is negatively impacting the group.
Seth K. Gregory, M.Ed. Music Specialist/Director of Choirs Dean of 6th-Grade Students Stewarts Creek Middle School
In my experience, lack of participation or negative behavior stems from lack of expectation, lack of positive relationship(s), lack of engaging rehearsals, or some combination of the three. Most of my advice is given with middle grades in mind, but I have found the following ideas to be transferable to all ages. 1) Expectations. Students will only rise to the level of expectation we set for them. Expectations need to be addressed explicitly in the first week and revisited periodically, preferably before something has gone wrong. I have found it crucial to include expectations in my Choir Handbook, which is given out and explained in the first rehearsal and summarized to parents in our first parent meeting. The handbook includes all performance dates, assessment dates, advocacy strategies for parents, and more. It is also important to have consequences clearly laid out in the handbook, and that consequences are utilized appropriately.
Peggy Spool Artistic Director Emeritus Vivace Youth Chorus
There are many factors that influence singing. The deep emotional roots of singing can be freeing and deeply satisfying, but in some cases can bring up less positive feelings as well. As a community choir director, it was rare for someone to come into my choir and not sing. I have had young children come into the choir who didn’t sing initially or sang so softly that it seemed they weren’t singing, but this was usually temporary. A middle school boy who hadn’t sung in a choir before coming to us told me he just loved being in the middle of the sound. I was eventually able to convince him it was more fun to be part of that sound! If a chorister says they enjoy choir, they have a reason for being there, and it is our responsibility as directors to help them find their place. My first step is to meet separately with a non-singer or shy singer. I ask a few questions about their experience in class. Do they like the music? What do they like about being in choir? Would they feel more comfortable on a different part? Is the issue vocal? Going through a voice check may uncover changes that make the singer feel awkward in their current place. Is the issue social? Are they uncomfortable around their peers? Would they be better placed in a different section or next to a different person? Are they afraid of making mistakes or just not sure of their abilities? Would it help to have a choir buddy system to connect kids who aren’t already connected? Is the issue emotional? Does singing bring up personal feelings that are difficult to share? They don’t have to share the details unless they wish to, but the acknowledgement is important. If singing is an expectation of the class, either the student is meeting the expectation, or they are not. If they are not, then I would examine the next two areas before moving into disciplinary action.
When considering my relationship to the students, they will care about my program as much as I care about them. I intentionally try to be visible and conversational with students outside of rehearsal during the school day. I think of relationships like a bank: if I want to get something out of it, then I need to put something into it. For me, lunch duty has been a perfect time to work on building relationships with students. Then I like to examine the culture in the classroom between the students. Are they seated in a manner that promotes friendship without sliding off task? Are students conversing with each other and laughing before or after class? Smiles between students are what I look for in these transitions. I also try to pinpoint students who do not seem to be socially inclined, and I try to help facilitate relationships between them and other choir members. It is important to prioritize a proper supportive culture in rehearsals. My students regularly say, “Choir is a family,” and that dynamic takes guidance to achieve it.
Engagement. Students need stability, consistency, and economy of language for rehearsals and instruction. These can be achieved through routine, consistency in holding to procedure and relationships, and concise clarity of instruction. I heard a pastor say many times, “I hope to be finished speaking before you’re finished listening,” and I try to maintain that mindset when introducing a piece, making adjustments, and teaching every single day. Economy of language ensures my words will have weight and maximizes the opportunity for retention. Beyond that, I try to make sure students are physically engaged in the rehearsal and in music making. Music is movement. While there is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” approach to teaching choir, when asked about a student’s lack of engagement, I would first search for deficiencies in these three areas. Good luck to everyone with your next school year!
