A Handbook for Beginning Choral Educators

Preface

PREFACE When I realized that retirement was near, after thirty-plus years teaching choral music in the public schools, I had this great idea of staying an extra half hour or so each day after school to build a sort of journal in which I discussed the activities of the day—its problems and solutions. The journal plan lasted about a week before I quit making daily entries. Soon I gave up completely. But after I retired, I still wanted to get a lot of thoughts on paper to help someone new to the profession . Sometimes I have written plain facts, things that everyone should know. A lot of the time I write my opinions, based on my years of experience teaching in the public schools. There will undoubtedly be directors who did things differently than I to great effect. I hope I have made no out-and-out errors of fact during the writing of this work. But these are my experiences. I have a wish for every young teacher (and any veterans, as well). I hope that each of you has the terrific experience I had while teaching choral music. The lessons I learned from administrators, fellow teachers, staff members, and, especially, students made me a very wealthy man, indeed. Dr. Walter Lamble Public School Choir Director Gone Fishin’ vii ...