Music for All has added the Student Peer Teaching Program to the Music for All Summer Symposium starting this year. The Music for All Summer Symposium, presented by Yamaha is the largest national weeklong summer music camp for students and teachers, and will take place at Ball State University in Muncie from June 26-July 1 at Ball State University for its seventh summer.
The Peer Teaching Program’s primary mission will be to train student leaders on how to be a MODEL for their band program: M-Motivate, O-Observe, D-Demonstrate, E-Educate/Equip, and L-Lead. The program is designed to not only teach students leadership concepts, but also train them how to be effective leaders in their band programs, and become a valuable asset to their directors. With this training, students will be equipped with the tools to help them teach and inspire their peers, which includes being trained to help with musical and visual marching instruction, to effectively communicate with their peers, basic principles of movement, how to read and clean drill charts, and how to observe and conduct sectionals and rehearsals.
The Student Peer Teaching Program has a superb staff that includes Joel Denton, coordinator of the Peer Teaching Program and Director of Bands of Ooltewah High School, TN; Jeremy Spicer, former Director of Bands of Vandegrift High School, TX; John Howell Visual Designer for nationally acclaimed high school bands, drum and bugle corps, and winter guards; and Anna Rodriguez Assistant Director of Bands at Westlake High School, TX.
“You must train your leadership before you can empower them,” states Joel Denton, coordinator of the Peer Teaching Program. “The Peer Teaching Program is designed to produce educated and inspired student leaders, who can actively engage their peers throughout the school year in concert and marching band, and produce a dynamic impact in their entire band program.”