Brianna Williams

Dr. Cynthia Wagoner

Introduction to Winds and Percussion
2 October 2020
Podcast Reflection
During my grade school, I was only in band once. Band was never a thing in my
elementary school (we just played whatever instrument we wanted all class) so when I went to
middle school and I found out that I could be musical and get a grade for it, I immediately signed
up. My whole family was so excited when I joined but I never ended up sticking with it. I started
on flute but got so frustrated with it that I switched to trumpet. Considering how currently, I have
no clue how to play either of those instruments, it’s clear how good of a teacher I had. I still
loved being musical, so I focused more on singing and completely dismissed band. Until I got
into college, I have never even considered that being in a band could be fun. At East Carolina
University, I have made many friends in the marching band, particularly the saxophone section,
as my roommate, Eliza, was a part of that section. Now, I desperately want to join but I have so
little knowledge of being in a band or playing any woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument.
Listening to the podcast has opened my eyes about teaching band. In my middle school,
there was a finite number of instruments so if you wanted to play a certain instrument but all of
them were taken, you had to choose a different one. Schools that use rental programs to get
instruments solve this problem as the student is in control of what they want to play. Also, it
brings more accountability as it is their instrument and not the school’s. I also really enjoyed
hearing about the method in which the students choose their instrument. In my school, you just
picked the coolest looking one as you weren’t allowed to test them out first. Allowing the
students to come in with their parents and learn a bit about the instruments before committing to
one is a great way to improve retention in later grades. I feel that if I had had a teacher similar to
Ms. Renee Todd, I might have stuck with band and not have as much regret as I do now.
Mrs. Tiffany Hitz surprised me with her use of method books. Coming from a low-
income area in Durham, NC, my school could never afford different method books. The only
book I had in band was one that had to be at least ten years old that has been used by every kid
going through band. Also, in choir, we never used method books as we could only afford the
music we used throughout they year. In high school, I moved to the Raleigh/Wake Forest area
and that is where I used my first new method book (for choir). I felt extremely bored working
from that book because I was already familiar working with the concepts in the book and I ended
up disengaging a lot. However, I still stuck with choir as it was one of – if not the only – place I
truly felt comfortable and valued. We only used the method book every now and then in
beginning choir and then never used them again, instead completing assignments and quizzes
that Mr. Mullinax had created himself or found on the internet. I think that always having a
different book available to your students will always keep them on their toes and avoid that
feeling that a lot of students get when they have to slow down their pace because they already
worked from the method book.
I also really appreciated the tips at the end. A lot of people (including me) believe or did
believe that once you get out of college, you are supposed to know everything. I was really
shocked to hear that you basically only have enough information to get started and you have to
learn a lot while you’re teaching. Knowing this, it’s clear why Mrs. Hitz encourages us to ask
questions and get help from the teachers around us who have already been through a lot of
struggles that we will soon be going through. Overall, both podcasts have taught me a lot about
the career I will soon be entering and have encouraged me to take more steps to better
accommodate my students, incorporate their opinions on certain pieces, and to make teaching a
bit easier by asking for help and not being blindsided my the notion of “I have all the
information,” because I most certainly will not.