Teaching: Coping with All New Challenges

Steve Raybine:

Blog #97:

Teaching: Coping with All New Challenges

If one were to ask one hundred educators what teaching means to them, that person would receive many different answers. One answer would be that teaching presents new challenges on a daily, weekly and yearly basis. For the educational well-being of all students, teachers must meet and cope with these personal challenges confidently, cooperatively and consistently. A teacher should be able to accept, cope with and persevere in terms of each challenge that confronts him or her. It is an invigorating experience that defines this distinguished fraternity of individuals.

Copyright 1994 Steve Raybine

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Maintaining Emotional Equilibrium

Steve Raybine:

Blog #96:

Maintaining Emotional Equilibrium

Although it might seem convenient and acceptable to vent one's anger or frustration toward someone else, it is neither appropriate nor professional to do so. All healthy relationships are based upon mutual trust, honesty, and consideration. If a situation arises that warrants frank discussion between two or more parties, the conversation should be conducted in a straight-forward, positive and constructive manner. Confrontations should be handled discreetly, considerately and diplomatically. If an instructor finds himself or herself becoming frustrated or losing control of his or her emotions, he or she should step back from the situation and think things through calmly and rationally before saying anything to the persons involved. A carefully-measured response will enable one to remain in control of the situation, keep things in the proper perspective, and preserve professional relationships that require respect and understanding.

Copyright 1994 Steve Raybine

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Communicating as Preventative Medicine

Steve Raybine:



Blog #95:



Communicating as Preventative Medicine


The moment a teacher thinks everything is under control is the time he or she invariably encounters all sorts of problems. For instance, someone is angry about something someone said, another student feels disenfranchised from the ensemble, or a colleague is upset about departmental policy that directly or indirectly affects the teacher who had thought everything was under control. Regardless of the problem, any scenario that causes conflict can make the instructor's job more difficult. Regularly scheduled meetings with students and faculty where open and frank dialogue is encouraged should help to circumvent potential areas of conflict. The key to preventing or solving problems is communication.






Copyright 1994 Steve Raybine
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Scheduling Office Hours

Steve Raybine:


Blog #94:



Scheduling Office Hours


In many circumstances, students need additional assistance with their classroom assignments. Teachers that regularly schedule supplemental office hours to assist students with their homework are a part of the solution, not the problems that confront our educational system. Time provided for students outside the classroom is a most valuable resource; therefore, a teacher should take the time to make a positive difference in the lives of his or her students.




Copyright 1994 Steve Raybine
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Observing Others Teach

Steve Raybine:


 Blog #93:


Observing Others Teach





If an instructor wants to learn how to teach and communicate more effectively, he or she should watch another excellent teacher at work. Observing a skilled teacher communicate his or her craft within a classroom or rehearsal situation can be both illuminating and inspirational. An experienced teacher possesses many skills and techniques that can be useful to him or her throughout his or her career. Watching a master at work enables the instructor to gain information as well as ideas that can lead to an improvement of his or her own teaching skills. In addition, one may follow-up an observation with questions concerning certain techniques employed and concepts presented to the class by the teacher being observed.






Copyright 1994 Steve Raybine

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Consulting Colleagues for Additional Input and Insight

Steve Raybine:



Blog #92:



Consulting Colleagues for Additional Input and Insight




Colleagues can often provide a fresh perspective on matters that impact one's teaching. Asking an associate for his or her input and insightful commentary can be illuminating to a teacher and his or her students. This process is not only invaluable within the educational arena, but has proved particularly helpful when I've recorded my music. For instance, during the recording of my current CD (In the Driver's Seat), I relied upon the musical knowledge, insight and intuition of my co-producer and recording engineer (Doyle Tipler) and my executive producer (Chris Acker). In numerous instances, their wise counsel and unique perspective resulted in the creation of a superior musical product.




I sincerely recommend consulting your most-trusted colleagues with a project you're working on. Invariably, their contribution(s) will prove helpful and important to the overall success of your project.






Copyright 2010 Steve Raybine
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Comprehending, Retaining and Applying Educational Material

Steve Raybine:

Blog #91:

Comprehending, Retaining and Applying Educational Material

Three issues that have caused me great concern about the educational process are the comprehension, retention and application of knowledge. It is distressing how many students tell me that they no longer retain information that they once learned in a variety of classes. Why is this so? Although the student(s) may have initially comprehended the material on a certain level, he or she was unable to retain the information over time. If the student had been taught how to apply the information in a useful and practical manner, chances are they would have had a better grasp of the information.

In order to retain information, you must first be able to comprehend it. If the instructor presents the material in a haphazard and non-functional manner, chances are the student will never truly grasp the information. Alternatively, if the instructor presents his or her material in a logical and insightful manner, the student should have a much better chance of comprehending the information. However, that doesn't always mean the student will be able to cognitively retain the material that was presented during class. I contend that it is of critical importance that once comprehension has been achieved, practical application of the material must occur in order to truly achieve long-term retention. For instance, with my jazz students, I not only present the principles of jazz theory and harmony to them, but I show them systematically how to apply it within a musical context. The presentation of information that doesn't include a thorough and comprehendible application process will undoubtedly decrease the likelihood of long-term retention.

Copyright 2010 Steve Raybine

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Making Educational Field or Road Trips Productive

Steve Raybine:



Blog #90:




Making Educational Field or Road Trips Productive






When an ensemble or classroom goes on a trip or brief outing, the teacher should try to make this an enjoyable educational experience for everyone. It is essential for the instructor to communicate the objective or intention of the trip to his or her students, and to organize the itinerary of the travel schedule. Once the goals and timeline have been established, the students should know what is expected from them and what to expect during the trip. It is, however, especially important to establish rules that provide and reinforce acceptable behavioral guidelines that must be followed. If these parameters are not clearly outlined, an otherwise positive educational experience can prove disastrous and ultimately frustrating for the teacher and students.






Copyright 1994 Steve Raybine

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Regulating a Controlled Classroom Environment

Steve Raybine:


Blog #89:


Regulating a Controlled Classroom Environment




Rules are essential to the well-being of any classroom environment. Any number of problems (e.g., behavioral, etc., ) may arise if there are no clearly articulated rules which clearly defines policy. Students need freedom and structure; therefore, a teacher should not hesitate to set boundaries that must be observed by everyone.






Copyright 1994 Steve Raybine
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Give a Pop Quiz

Steve Raybine:

Blog #88:

Give a Pop Quiz


If a teacher is having problems with students showing up for class, he or she may ask himself or herself, "Is there anything I can do to solve this problem?" Yes! There most definitely are several approaches one can take to eradicate this problem.

Firstly, a teacher should state in the course syllabus that class attendance accounts for a certain percentage of the final grade. If a student misses a specified number of classes, his or her grade will be reduced commensurately. If this method fails to inspire the student to attend class, I have discovered another method that works effectively.

Fact: most students are very concerned about their test grades. How well they do or do not perform on a test or quiz can initiate the desired change in behavior. I have found that giving an unannounced "pop" quiz which covers classroom discussion to be an effective means of insuring classroom attendance. Students are never 100% certain that a quiz will not be given during any class period. Therefore, if a student's erratic class attendance is not improved via the imposed penalty stated in the syllabus, the teacher should try giving intermittent, unscheduled pop quizzes. Students' preoccupation with their test grades may provide the necessary stimulus to solving this frustrating and disruptive dilemma for all concerned.


Copyright 1994 Steve Raybine
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Preparing and Distributing Handouts

Steve Raybine:


Blog #87:



Preparing and Distributing Handouts




Throughout the years as both teacher and clinician, I think I've earned the unofficial title of "King of handouts!" Preparing supplemental materials which help to reinforce the presentation topic is beneficial to students. Handouts are very conducive to the learning process and are accessible. Students can refer to the handout intermittently as a means of clarification and reinforcement. Moreover, handouts are helpful in providing students with an additional source and means of processing and retaining information. So, the next time you're giving a clinic or teaching a class, consider providing handouts to make your presentation more effective.





Copyright 1994/2010 Steve Raybine
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Practicing One's Lectures Before Class

Steve Raybine:


Blog #86:


Practicing One's Lectures Before Class



Teachers that are able to present their material in a natural and genuine manner are generally able to avoid sounding stiff and artificial in class. Moreover, material that is conveyed with energy, enthusiasm and conviction is rarely boring to the audience or contrived. Practicing presentations before a class period enables a teacher to evaluate more critically the pacing and delivery of the material and provides additional time to review the content. Recording the lectures in audio or video formats and studying them with the intention of presenting a more cogent and concise presentation is a beneficial educational experience and well worth the investment of one's time.


I am someone who has always enjoyed speaking in front of audiences, whether the numbers are large or small. This comfort level with public speaking harkens back to my youth when I entered oratorical contests and did very well. The ability to communicate effectively with audiences of various sizes has certainly served me in good stead in a classroom environment and as a stage performer. As an educator and performer, I have always been aware of the necessity to relate to my audience in a logical and compelling manner and to utilize the totality of my personality traits. Perhaps this is why most of my students and concert audiences consider me to be an effective teacher and musical artist. I believe in practicing the delivery of my lectures, just as I practice my music before I perform for an audience. Practicing and evaluating your speaking and performing skills keeps you sharp and 'in tune' with your audience. Don’t be a boring and lethargic speaker or performer--deliver the goods with conviction, clarity, enthusiasm, energy, knowledge and talent. Remember: an evaluation system proves invaluable.






Copyright 1994/2010 Steve Raybine
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A Music Teacher Must Manage One's Time

Steve Raybine:



Blog #85:



A Music Teacher Must Manage One's Time




A music teacher's career consists of numerous commitments, all of which take a considerable amount of time. By the time a person factors in meetings, office hours, tutorials, classroom preparations, reading, grading, correspondence and, finally, teaching, very little if any time remains for personal matters. Moreover, most music teachers pursue a career as a performer, composer, etc., concurrent with their teaching responsibilities. Because of this time-consuming enterprise which monopolizes most or all of the day and night, music teachers need to prioritize their commitments and maximize their time in order to fulfill all of their responsibilities. Time-management skills are a necessity for all musicians and should be developed and utilized to assist the educator in dealing with his or her demanding schedule on a regular basis.






Copyright 1994 Steve Raybine

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A Teacher Needs to Organize Effectively

Steve Raybine:




Blog #84:





A Teacher Needs to Organize Effectively





The ability to organize one's thoughts, materials and responsibilities will enable a teacher to be a more effective and productive educator. Individuals that exhibit strong organizational skills are an asset to their students, colleagues and academic institution. Special classes are available to improve one's organizational skills. If you are someone who might benefit from improving your organizational skills, consult business departments at colleges and universities to obtain information regarding when and if this type of class is offered. Remember: if you are prone to being disorganized, take control of the situation, be proactive and get organized--everyone you know will appreciate it!






Copyright 1994/2010 Steve Raybine

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A Teacher Should Convey Goals and Objectives Clearly

Steve Raybine:




Blog #83:





A Teacher Should Convey Goals and Objectives Clearly





Students function more comfortably when educational goals and objectives are stated clearly. A well-designed, comprehensive syllabus is helpful to most students because it enables them to accurately assess course requirements within a specific time frame. When the goals and objectives of a course are articulated precisely, early in the semester, the instructor will avoid uncomfortable misunderstandings that might otherwise arise later.





Copyright 1994 Steve Raybine

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