Your Successful Middle School Vocal Music Program Parts 1&2 – With Caleb Zustiak, Patrick Dell, and Jodi Kratzer

About this Webinar –

Teaching vocal music in the middle school is truly an art. We pack TONS of “tips of the trade” into this Two-Part webinar from these incredible music educators. Be ready to take notes! If you’re interested in professional development credit, each part carries one hour of credit after successfully passing the Verification Quiz.

Part One – includes key information on classroom management, pacing the lesson, lesson structure for better learning and cooperative behavior, tips for lesson planning on what to consider, types of activities to include, and considerations involving the student skill set.

Part Two – includes what we have learned from “distanced learning,” how to adapt going forward, how to support learning in other classrooms, benefits of “levels courses” (Orff, Kodaly, Dalcroze, etc.), music as a unifying force, the spiraling curriculum, and encouragement for the young teacher.

PART ONE – In this portion we cover the following topics:

What makes teaching middle school rewarding
What makes teaching middle school challenging
Recruitment – getting them in
Retention – keeping them through the transition to high school
Relationship Building – Teacher/Student
Relationship Building – Teacher/Administrator
Building Healthy Male Tone – Guiding Boys Through “The Changes”

PART TWO – In this portion, we cover the following topics:

Building Healthy Female Tone
Tips Developed from Distance Learning
Brain Breaks
Team Building
Literature Suggestions and Resources
Classroom Management with Large Classes

About the Clinicians –

Patrick Dell

Patrick has taught choir for 13 years, twelve of them at Hermann Middle and High Schools in Hermann, MO. where he currently teaches. He has music education degrees from the University of Missouri – Columbia (B.S.Ed.) and Boston University (M.Mus.Ed.). Patrick has assisted with the vocal music track of the MMEA Mentoring program since its inception. As an advocate for music literacy, Patrick routinely presents clinics and guest lectures, works with new and experienced teachers, and writes materials used by many teachers and schools for sight-singing instruction and assessment. Students under his direction enjoy superior ratings and honor choir placements, and the HHS Kammerchor Women were fortunate enough to perform at the 2017 Missouri Music Educators Association Conference. As a pianist, Patrick has accompanied a number of regional and national honor choirs at home and abroad, and is in demand as an honor choir clinician, and as a judge for MSHSAA contests. When he’s not teaching, Patrick works part time as a wedding officiant for the Hermann Hill Village and Chapel, where he has so far enjoyed the privilege of marrying over 80 couples from around the world, including the weddings of five former students, four friends, and a former St. Louis Blues hockey player.

Jodi Krantzer

Jodi Kratzer teaches vocal music at Fort Zumwalt North Middle School. She recently served as the Middle School Choir Vice President for St. Louis Metro District 8. She holds a degree in Vocal Music Education from Concordia University Chicago, has earned her Level II Certification from the CME Institute for Choral Teacher Education, and received an Outstanding District Director award from the Missouri Choral Directors Association in 2018. She also worked as the Vocal Music Director for the City of O’Fallon’s teen summer musical in 2017 and as Choir Manager for The St. Louis Children’s Choirsfrom 2009-2014.

Caleb Zustiak

Caleb Zustiak has been a choir director in the Festus R-6 School District for the past 19 years. Caleb graduated Summa Cum Laude from Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Music Education and was the recipient of the Governor’s Scholarship, Carol Langely Teaching Award, and won the ACDA Conducting Competition his Senior year. Caleb is an MCDA Prelude Award recipient, received the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award in 2011, and spent several years as the East Central District Junior High Vocal Vice-President. He has conducted many Honor Choirs, led the Changing Voices Choir at the MSU Men’s Vocal Festival in 2017, and has led clinics on the adolescent voice at several local Universities. The Festus Middle School Concert Choir previously performed at the MMEA Conference/In-Service in both 2008 and 2012.

To gain the most benefit, please follow these suggested steps:

Step One – Download the Note Page

Prepare to either type your notes into the Word.doc or Google Doc and save the changes, or write in your notes by hand into a printed copy.

Step Two –

As you view the webinar, we encourage you to take notes as you go along. Feel free to stop the recording and rewind as needed.

Step Three – Download the Action Plan Template

Choose either format; Word Doc or Google Doc. After considering the key points that you wish to implement, describe the point in the ACTION BOX select a date for the initial implementation. Then, select a date that you plan to review and assess the success of the implementation.

Step Four –

PART 1

PART 2

An 80% score or better will result in a Certificate of Completion emailed to the address you provide. Those scoring less than 80% will be allowed to retake the quiz. In order to do so, you’ll need to register in the quiz with an alternate email.