Ask Mike
Helping other Music Educators learn from our mistakes! No need to reinvent the wheel, Mike has been there and done that. Just ask Mike! Mike Lunney spent 31 successful years as a head band director in the State of Texas, where his bands were consistently recognized as superior bands. Mike is still active as a clinician, mentor and adjudicator. Derrick Killam has been involved in school music programs in the state of Texas since 1990 through music retail. Derrick has been a repair tech, shop foreman, Education Rep and currently is the Operations Manager for N-Tune Music and Sound, a NAMM Top 100 Dealer!
Episodes
In this episode, Mike Lunney shares his Rules for Band! Read them, learn them, live by them! Or at least give them a listen and follow the link to download a document you can share or edit for your program!
The question for Mike Lunney this week is, "Does it matter who evaluates a music educator?" What can we take away from an evaluation done by a non-music supervisor. Should we prepare differently, can it be constructive? Settle in and listen to the experience flow as we once again Ask Mike!
In this episode, Mike Lunney answers the question of classroom management. Is it discipline? Is it having a plan in place to create a positive learning environment? We'll discuss! And we'll discuss the importance of having a plan ready when an administrator asks about it, whether in an interview or in situations that may arise in teaching.
Mike and Derrick are joined in this episode by our friend Rusty Gray. Our conversation is about recognizing your high achiever and your perfectionist and digs in to how we can best help them reach their potential while teaching them how to be the healthiest version of themselves. And we talk about how to keep all the students engaged without focusing too much on either end of talent pool in your group.
Glad to have friend Anthony Gibson back to help Mike and Derrick hash out how we define success as music educators. Or maybe a better thought... how SHOULD we define success as a music educator? Let us encourage you with this episode, you are doing a noble thing! And I bet you're doing it better than you are giving yourself credit for!
In this episode, Mike and Derrick are joined by Brian Hecimovich from Fredericksburg, Texas. Brian talks us through some of the differences moving from a program in a smaller classification to a program in a larger classification. It's a great conversation for those considering moving up in the size of the program they are teaching. Mike and Brian talk about differences in population, in teaching styles, learning...
Sometimes we move jobs. It really doesn't matter what the catalyst was for our departure, we can all leave with integrity. In this episode, Mike Lunney discusses several ideas about leaving your current position in the most positive manner you can. Remember, the program is about serving the students in it, not about you. How can we make the transition as smooth as possible for the next person leading that program...
Recruiting and Retention, we all talk about it, we all want it to happen... but what can we do daily to make sure the kids WANT to be in the program? It is a year round activity but making it a part of your band culture will make it painless! Mike Lunney (with plenty of interruptions from Derrick) shares his ideas on creating a program kids will sell for you.
It is time to make sure your have the drill down for the upcoming season! Mike Lunney shares some timely reminders to help us get ready for the summer and fall. These are the things that you can take care of now to make it easier then. No one wants to shake their head and say, "I wish I would have done this sooner!"
Whether you are looking for your first job, looking for a new and better job, or just finding out you might need to look for a job, Mike Lunney has great advice in making sure you are checking off the correct boxes for those doing the hiring! And Mike also explains there are several waves of job hiring that happen throughout the spring and into the summer, just catch the right one and follow Mike's advice, and we...
Guest Stephen Cox is back with Mike and Derrick to dig deeper into the concept of Self Determination Theory. The crew discusses the three components of Self Determination: Competence, Relatedness, and Autonomy, and how these thoughts relate specifically to helping our music students achieve more because they have more input and investment. Thank you for joining us again Steven Cox!
After talking about rehearsal space, warm-ups, tuning, planning rehearsals, and problem solving with our groups, in this episode, Mike Lunney encourages us all to be willing to also stop and do some honest evaluation of our teaching and relational abilities as the leader of the ensemble. Even the best of us can make some positive evaluations and challenge ourselves to improve!
The elusive perfect rehearsal. Neither Mike or Anthony will fess up if they've ever had a perfect rehearsal, but they can share ways you can plan for one! And know when rehearsal is over that progress was made... that's perfect.
Continuing with our guest, Anthony Gibson, the Ask Mike crew looks at several sets of problems and how to solve them! You can do it!
In this episode of Ask Mike, guest Anthony Gibson shares tips for recruiting and retaining the most important part of your program, the students! Taken from session notes presented at many professional organizations and conferences, take some notes and listen to some experience and wisdom!
Is your ensemble's warm up just something to give you time to take attendance? Do your students know why, and more importantly what the purpose of the warm ups are? Are you teaching your ensemble to tune as an ensemble, or do you give concert F-G-A-Bb a quick pass around the room? Anthony Gibson and Mike Lunney have a great conversation about helping your group prepare for a great rehearsal through how you warm u...
The first of three sessions that our friend, Anthony Gibson, sat in with the guys at Ask Mike. Mr. Gibson is well versed in creating an atmosphere for success in the rehearsal hall. Your group will rehearse and perform better when you create an atmosphere for success!
The stress of spring, contest season, losing students in your rehearsal to other activities and groups... it adds up. But Mike Lunney has some suggestions for helping to manage the emotional season. He even had to practice some of them on Derrick Killam in this episode. You're going to make it, just use some of these ideas to help navigate the emotions!
Spring Cleaning, not everybody loves it but we probably all need to do a little! Whether it's our characteristic sounds and tone, our articulation, or dynamics. Mike Lunney is here to advocate for all of it! And encourage you in the process! Time to quit looking past the clutter and get your ensemble back on the straight and narrow! *looks for musical feather duster*
Mike Lunney discusses great thoughts from "How Great Do You Want To Be" by Nick Saban, and relates these thoughts to our perspective as music educators.
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