David,

 

There's a short chapter called Maintaining Interest  in Singing  in "Strategies for Teaching Junior High/Middle School Male Voices--Master Teachers Speak (T. Barham) that has suggestions from 31 JH/MS teachers about this issue.  I enjoyed putting that book together.  It's real world oriented.   You might want to check it out.  You can see online the chapter titles.  It also has 225+ graded, annotated, range-listed works for all voice combinations in developing choirs.   The book is published by Santa Barbara Music.   Go to www.sbmp.com.

 

My best to you.   I love working with JH/MS boys.  They can be challenging, but they can do amazing things in the right atmosphere and with music that fits them.

 

Terry

 

 

 Another thing to try is to have the high school men come down and sing with your middle school boys. It will be beneficial for them to see someone to look up to in the school that sings. I'm writing a paper on the benefits of having separated middle school choirs (treble and bass/girls and boys). Girls are maturing a bit quicker at this point and most likely ready for something more challenging while boys are starting to read and hear a new vocal part away from the soprano melody.  If you give the boys and girls time away from each other you can focus on their specific learning needs.  

 

First things first, sing with the high school boys. The high school boys will feel special because they are 'mentoring' someone and the middle school boys will see that it is cool to keep singing.

 

Happy singing

 

Than

David,

 

While our 4 kids didn't go through the choral program in our public schools, 3 of them started in 6th Grade Beginning Band and 2 of them continued in high school and and sang in the top auditioned choral ensemble as well. (Their basic choral training had been at church, not in middle school.)

 

The single most important factor in the articulation between middle school and high school in the band program was the coordination and cooperation between the music teachers. They involved 8th grade Advanced Band in one non-marching football formation during the season, and always had them on the high school's Spring Concert, joining in on one combined piece at the end of the concert. It was really an effective program.

 

As far as not being "cool," some will probably disagree, but I would strongly suggest including music they're familiar with in your middle school program, not exclusively of course, but along with more artistically satisfying music. And stick to quality music. Young musicians are still musicians, and they DO know the difference when they've been exposed to the good stuff!

 

All the best,

 

John

 

 

 Hi, David -- I've recently done some research into the social psychology of adolescents, using the "possible selves" paradigm.  "Possible selves" are future conceptions of who we want to be, who we think we might become, or who we would like to avoid becoming.  I have two articles that you'll find helpful.  The first will be available any day now, and the second will be published in the spring:

   "'I'll Sing With My Buddies - Fostering the Possible Selves of Male Choral Singers." International Journal of Music Education: Practice. (in press, publication in November 2009)

    "Two Decades of Research on Possible Selves and the 'Missing Males' Problem in Choral Music."  International Journal of Music Education: Research.  (in press, publication in early 2010)

 

I have authored many other resources that may be of assistance, but these will be the most immediately applicable from a theoretical and curricular point of view.  Another good resource would be my DVD series, "Success for Adolescent Singers: Unlocking the Potential of Middle School Choirs," available at www.choralexcellence.com or Amazon.com.

 

Best wishes,

Patrick Freer

Hi David-

 

I am still relatively new to the teaching field-I'm in my 4th year teaching, but this is what has been working with my middle school choir boys:

 

1.  I compliment the heck out of them when they are doing a good job.  Not patronizing mind you-but I make sure that I point out when I can hear their harmony clearly, and their tone and such.

 

2.  Picking quality literature with motivating parts where the guys have parts on their own as a section.  I also include some pop tunes that are well suited to a choir setting.  Think beatles, beach boys, that kind of thing.

 

3.  Having a sense of humor.

 

4.  Making sure I am talking to them in the hallways, complimenting them on their baseball games.  I really think the personal relationship with the guys is probably the most important thing that keeps them there.

 

5.  We have an instrumental general music curriculum (guitar, banjo, etc.) I encourage them to sing with me when we are playing as a group.  I NEVER force them to sing in general music-and surprisingly, most of them end up choosing to sing with me on their own.  This gives us a perfect opportunity to talk about how many male rock singers there are, and how they are not considered "uncool."  At which point I throw in that good rock singing is very similar to good choral singing.

 

6. We talk frankly about the boys' voice change in chorus in front of girls and guys.  This means that the ladies don't laugh at the guys if they "squeak" because they know the guys can't help it.  The guys are not afraid to ask me what they should do if a part is too high or too low for them.

 

 

Jen Raphaelson