By: Yarisel Mendez Limon
On November 1, 2024, the 6th grade band members had the opportunity to play alongside the Panther Pride Band at a football game. The 6th graders have been working hard just to get the chance to play with the older kids. I asked Mrs. Marcum, the band teacher, what she thought about the 6th graders and she stated, “First and foremost, the 6th grade beginner band is where students will develop their basic instrument knowledge. My goal for them is to finish their first year knowing how to hold their instrument, the correct embouchure, playing their instrument with good posture, and the correct fingerings for at least the first 6 - 10 notes. My second goal for the beginner band is for them to learn the basic music literacy skills required to play an instrument. They will finish their first year of band being able to not only recognize but also read the music notes required by their instrument, be able to read rhythms, and know what the music symbols are. Thirdly, I want the band room to be a place of encouragement, enthusiasm, and engagement. I want my band room to be a space where students feel safe making mistakes, because if a beginner band student can't explore, make errors, and learn from them, they may miss out on the joy and encouragement that makes learning an instrument truly rewarding. The joy on a beginner band students' face when they play a song for the first time is priceless and should be built on, so I am continuously trying to come up with ways to keep that enthusiasm going for years to come!The beginner band meets on Mondays and Wednesdays during their 1st period class. My goal for this program is to eventually have an actual beginner band class that meets every single day." I also interviewed some of the other band members to gain insight on their thoughts concerning the 6th grade band members. John Riley said, “They played really well at the football game and they were way better than I expected.” Liam Coller added, “I like them, they have potential.” All of the 6th graders have a lot of potential and I can't wait to see how much they grow over the next few years. I can't wait to see them playing in the stands with us in the near future!
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