Page 8 - 2018-BMR-September

Talk Less and Teach More

Dr. Charles T. Menghini 2018 TBA PATRON SPONSOR

Teaching the millennial generation visually conscious than ever. The the amount of time you play and the
(or for those of you teaching at the fact they are spending so much time amount of time you stop. Indicate the
middle or elementary level where the texting and playing games on their length of each segment (playing or
new buzz term is the iGen or Gen Z) phones indicates they are getting more talking). Indicate if your talking was
comes with it some real challenges. and more of their information visually. instructional, disciplinary or other. At
There has never been a time when In other words, students may not be the end of class, total up the number
more activities are competing for their listening to what you are saying, but of segments for each and total up
time. If the activities are not enough they are sure watching every move the amount of time spent playing
to contend with, we have technology, you make. vs. talking. Then review it carefully.
and more specifically, smartphones. So, with an emphasis on talking Did you play for 15 seconds and talk
Various studies suggest the average less while we teach, here are 10 things for two minutes? At the end of your
teenager texts over 100 times per you can easily incorporate into your class, hopefully you will have played a
day. This does not begin to take into teaching that will aid in increasing minimum of 70 to 75 % of the allotted
account how much time is spent on your effectiveness. instructional time. Remember, it is
social media or online gaming. 1. Record your rehearsals and do time on task and not time at task.
I point this out because I am a time analysis of how you spend 2. Start and end your class on time.
convinced that our students are more your time. Have a stopwatch and log We are musicians, and we expect beat

Bandmasters Review • September 2018 6 Texas Bandmasters Association