Freshman year of college is a huge transition. It is the student's first real experience of life on their own. The student makes his/her own schedule, chooses whether or not to attend class, decides when to clean their dorm room, when to do laundry, if he/she should stay up with friends and watch another movie or go to sleep to be well-rested for that 8:00 a.m. lecture. College is a huge life adjustment! I believe, at least in my case, that it is every parent's wish that they have prepared their child and equipped him/her with the skills to make the appropriate choices that will lead the student to a successful college career and ultimately a successful professional career.
In my opinion, music majors don't receive enough credit for that actual time it takes to be successful. What I mean by that, is most schools list ensembles (i.e. wind bands, orchestras, marching bands, jazz bands, choirs) with 1 credit hour, however, the amount of time that the student actually spends in rehearsal, not to mention out of rehearsal preparation, is definitely not proportionate. Furthermore, for music majors, their private instruction with their major professor is their most important class. Although it meets once a week for an hour, the preparation needed to be successful is not always factored in.
For the small percentage of students that are extremely type A and love organizing their time and making lists (ahem-my sister), there is really no issue. However, for the majority of students I've met and taught, it seems to be a harsh reality to discover their 30 minute cramming for their private lesson was not as effective as it was for their history exam.
How do we combat our inherent ability to procrastinate and ensure productivity?
It's all about scheduling, my friends!
At the beginning of the semester I have all of my students bring their class schedules and work schedules to their lessons and together we map out a typical week including all rehearsals, classes, and jobs. The next thing I add is 1 hour of practice each day. In my opinion, that is the absolute BARE MINIMUM acceptable for anyone seeking to be a professional musician. That being said, I'd rather have 20 minutes of focused practice, than 4 hours of nonproductive playing - but alas, that is another blog topic!
The next step is to add the essentials: meal times, mental health time, physical health time, study time. To be honest, it wasn't until graduate school that I realized the importance of mental and physical health and how they aided or deterred from my productivity.
While it is up to each individual to be the keeper of their schedule, I find that having this conversation from the very beginning of the semester helps set the student up for success. In addition, the student is then made aware of the importance and the expectation of individual practice within the collegiate world.
Hope this tidbit helps and stay tuned for more!
Today's topic: Writing skills 101
After spending a couple of years working in higher education it is abundantly clear that the average undergraduate student has severe deficiencies when it comes to formulating ideas and presenting them in a scholarly fashion. From short answer responses to term papers, it is evident that the text language and slang generated from our need for speed has directly influenced what students determine as acceptable.
There are, however, several wonderful resources that are easily accessible through the world wide web! Below are some tips that will hopefully help all students in their scholarly writing.
1. Always proofread!
If the sentence does not sound correct as you read it aloud, then it probably is not correct grammar.
2. Visit this website for proper sentence structure.
3. Make sure to cite everything!
I have known several students and colleagues who have failed courses and had their
academic future threatened simply by not citing their sources, or by copying information
and claiming it as their own. When in doubt, cite!
See these sites for help on MLA citation and APA citation.
4. Always make sure your paper has the important sections that help to form the structure
and organization needed for readers.
a. Introduction with the topic sentence - start broad and focus with the topic sentence
as the last sentence.
b. Body of the paper - can be broken down into several paragraphs depending on the
length of the paper. Each paragraph should be a different idea supporting the topic.
c. Conclusion - start with the topic sentence and branch out
This is a very basic template, however, there are many resources online that can help you
structure your paper to complete any assignment. Visit this site for more information.
Remember, any paper you turn in is a written representation of you and your knowledge. To achieve success, it is extremely important to write in complete sentences with coherent thoughts. If you still have questions on what scholarly writing should look and read like, I suggest reading articles from scholarly journals. Many of these journals can be found on JSTOR and most university libraries have a subscription.
Finally, utilize peers and school resources to improve your writing. Most students leave their assignments to the night before, and therefore, have no time to take advantage of these resources. However, I have had many professors and I myself tell students to feel free to submit their assignment early if they have questions and they will receive feedback before the due date. In addition, most campuses have a writing lab where students can receive guidance with their assignments.
The skill of articulating your thoughts and ideas on paper may not seem relevant while you're writing the two page response paper for your least favorite class. However, someday you might be applying for a job where the first impression the employer has of you is based off of your written application and cover letter; or you might be applying for grant money to help fund research or a project to help further your career to which the initial application includes a written description of why you are deserving. Whatever the reason, take the time to learn these skills now, as they will serve you in the future!
