Aging Well

Here is my Abstract for Scholars Day, any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


Currently, the elderly population is receiving more attention due to the aging of the baby boomer population. Innovative ways of enhancing the elderly’s wellness have been introduced with research and services focusing on improving physical activity, nutrition, and increasing social interaction and involvement. A gap in service delivery for the elderly and thus absent from current research efforts is the impact of service learning and charitable work by elders. Data will be collected using survey methodology to determine the impact of this important and beneficial activity. The purpose is to determine the impact of these activities on the elderly’s wellness. By allowing them to be involved in their community, through this involvement it may lead them to have a more positive outlook on life, spark their interest in continuing to learn, and also reduce certain stressors that come with aging. 

Study of Thermal Properties of Irradiation-induced Stainless Steels Used in the Development of Nuclear Reactors

This is my abstract for scholars day. Please, feel free to add any comments or corrections. Thank you!

In the development of nuclear power reactors, the use of metals able to withstand high temperatures and induced radiation is paramount. Molecular decomposition, embrittlement and swelling at the grain level of such materials are a consequence of intense neutron bombardment. Materials such as stainless steel T91 and oxide dispersed steel (ODS) are widely used in nuclear reactors. Mechanical and thermal properties at the grain level of these materials under irradiation have not been sufficiently demonstrated, for which the understanding and modeling of such parameters may lead to better maintenance of nuclear power plants, further development of newer materials and alloys, and material failure prediction. The purpose of this research is to further investigate the conduction of stainless steels at the grain level when subjected to intense radiation and high temperatures for efficient heat exchanger design and prediction of material failure.

Cultural competency in the learning environment: promoting the development of diversity training for pre-service educators

Introduction/Abstract

            Anti-gay bias among teachers within early stages of education can have lasting effects on students identifying as LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Questioning), particularly in terms of hate crime victimization.  Pre-service teachers throughout the country currently have no regulated courses within their curriculum that focus specifically on diversity issues, specifically LGBTQ individuals and the sexual minority as a whole.  Moreover, teachers do not receive diversity training to promote a culturally competent learning environment.  This creates a gap in that the students they teach are not challenged to embrace diversity and the teachers are not equipped to deliver such an environment.  This study will utilize a Systematic Research Synthesis methodology to explore two themes in the literature: victimization and education.  The purpose is to develop a literature search that supports the need for pre-service teachers to be educated on diversity and to identify evidence-based educational practices with this population.

LGBTQ Youth

            Although gaps exist regarding pre-service educator knowledge of minority groups in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, and religion, the sexual minority remains one of the most prominently overlooked minority groups within diversity education (Wyatt, Oswalt, White, & Peterson, 2008).  Because of this lack of education regarding the everyday personal struggles of LGBTQ youth, administrators and teachers are often incapable of providing needed support to those students who are most often victims of bullying and hate crimes due to their perceived sexual orientation.  In a study conducted to synthesize statistics of bullying and victimization of LGBTQ youth, researchers found that LGBTQ youth are twice as likely to be both sexually and physically abused by family members than heterosexual youth between middle school and high school (Saewyc,et al, 2006).  Abuse within schools as well as in the community often leads to LGBTQ youth being most prominent among populations of runaways, homeless, juvenile delinquents, foster kids, and have an increased risk of poor mental health; these individuals tend to experience higher rates of depression, anxiety disorders, behavior problems, drop-out rates, and sexual promiscuity as well.  (Chesir-Teran & Hughes, 2009).  As schools continue to be the setting in which LGBTQ students are most vulnerable to attacks from their peers, the importance of educating future teachers and administrators regarding victimization intervention techniques as well as recognizing “red flags” of abuse continues to rise as sexual minority teens continue to come to terms with their sexual orientation.

The Role of the Educator

            The general knowledge of pre-service educators in regards to the sexual minority and LGBTQ students has been brought to light due to the immense impact educators have upon their students based on their own viewpoints.  The issue at hand is simply if educators do not have a full understanding of LGBTQ students, is it possible for them to educate their own students in cultural diversity and ideas of acceptance. Within a study among pre-service educators in Central and Southern Texas, the candidates showed fairly negative attitudes toward homosexuals - primarily toward gay men rather than lesbian women – yet 69.2% felt they were “moderately informed and educated” regarding the sexual minority (Wyatt, Oswalt, White, & Peterson, 2008).  With educators entering school systems possessing what they feel is a moderate understanding of the sexual minority, LGBTQ students are placed into unsafe situations within schools as  the administrators and teachers expected to provide protection and support for them are unaware of the threat of bullying and victimization faced everyday by a majority of LGBTQ youth. 

A study of attitudes and beliefs of pre-service educators and counselors throughout America revealed that 83% of those surveyed found it “acceptable to ignore slurs against LGBT youngsters” and most completely lacked the experience and knowledge to deal with social issues within schools in general (Rogers & O’Bryon, 2008).  This resulted in 3 out of every 4 students surveyed reporting they had experienced some form of verbal or physical harassment within the past year but felt administrators and teachers did not find it necessary to intervene.  With new educators possessing little to no knowledge of the sexual minority and daily struggles of LGBTQ youth, these students are essentially losing the support system most important in regards to keeping them in school and working toward attaining an education.

The Viewpoint of a Student

            Educators may be expected to maintain a fully unbiased classroom environment, however students identifying as LGBTQ often report their teachers not abiding by anti-bullying standards corresponding directly with victimization of homosexual students.  In a study of students’ perceptions of their school’s administration in regards to general anti-bullying policies, awareness programs, and follow-through with preventing victimization, a majority of those surveyed responded that they were unaware of specific policies targeted toward creating a supportive environment for LGBTQ students.  Participants reported having experienced an array of harassment and abuse ranging from verbal to physical that correlated directly with the existence (or perceived existence) of anti-bullying policies focused on LGBTQ students (Chasir-Teran & Hughes, 2009).  In this sense, bullying occurred at a lower rate within schools that upheld anti-victimization rules and policies as well as within schools in which students believed these policies existed, regardless of whether or not they were actually intact and upheld.

            The idea of “heterosexism” refers to the general process of privileging heterosexual individuals (particularly students) over their homosexual peers.  This ideal stems from a lack of LGBTQ support within administrative staff and educators alike, as well as a failure to promote support from peers through programs such as the Gay-Straight Alliance clubs found within some high schools.  (Chesir-Teran, 2009) In various areas of the country, GSA groups are banned from being created completely due to a lack of support from the community as well as the parents of a majority of students attending the schools.  Heterosexism has the power to create a rift between heterosexual and homosexual students which can disillusion heterosexual youth with stereotypes and stigmas while isolating LGBTQ students that need support while making decisions regarding their own lifestyles and personal identities.

Existing Policies and Procedures Regarding Diversity Training

            Various programs have been attempted within the past decade in order to educate future teachers about the sexual minority and LGBTQ students, but few have resulted in a noticeable change in the knowledge possessed by pre-service educators.  A majority of these diversity programs have specifically focused on the at-risk population of LGBTQ students – those just coming to terms with their sexual orientation and experiencing frequent bullying – rather than general prevention of victimization and bullying of sexual minority students.  Research has began to uncover various “setting-level predictors” which can be used to prevent anti-LGBTQ victimization and harassment by taking into account what causes the bullying and therefore what can be done to prevent it from occurring in the future (Chesir-Teran & Hughes, 2009).  The main observed issue is that either schools have relatively no policies regarding anti-LGBTQ bullying, or they have the policies intact but do not follow through with them with the creation of inclusive school programs and groups which would provide students with necessary support to stop victimization and begin accepting LGBTQ students.

Future Work and Prospects

            School programs used to spread an anti-bullying message are being rewritten and reprogrammed in order to become up-to-speed with the ever changing social culture of varying levels of school and the changing populations of students.  A newly-developed anti-harassment program focuses on the specific needs of students at varying levels of harassing others or being harassed themselves rather than blanketing a program to effect only at-risk LGBTQ students.  Within this program, the Primary Prevention focuses on all students and creates a general knowledge and understanding of the sexual minority, the Secondary Prevention targets at-risk students who may have experienced victimization but not to a great extent, and the Tertiary Prevention focuses on students already experiencing a great deal of bullying and harassment due to their sexual orientation (Fisher et. al, 2008).  With this education program, students are grouped according to their individual needs rather than being compiled into a group of generalized youth, resulting in a more cohesive school environment encouraged by knowledge of social issues and bullying threats that affect not only the at-risk sexual minority students but their heterosexual counterparts as well.

 

Oesterle, S, Hawkins, J, Fagan, A, Abbott, R, & Catalano, R. (2010). Testing the universality of

 the effects of the communities that care prevention system for preventing adolescent

 drug use and delinquency. Society for Prevention Research, 11, 411-423.

(Oesterle, Hawkins, Fagan, Abbott & Catalano, 2010)

Rubin, A, & Babbie, E. (2008). Research methods for social work. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole,

 Cengage Learning.

Wyatt, T, Oswalt, S, White, C, & Peterson, F. (2008). Are tomorrow's teachers ready to deal with

             diverse students?. Teacher Education Quarterly, 171-185

Kosciw, J. G. and Diaz, E. M. (2006). The 2005 National School Climate Survey: The

experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in our nation's schools. New York: GLSEN.

Rogers, M, & O'Bryon, E. (2008). Advocating for social justice: the context for change in school

 psychology. School Psychology Review, 37(4), 493-498.

Fisher, E, Komosa-Hawkins, K, Saldana, E, Thomas, G, & Hsiao, C. (2008). Promoting school

            success for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning students: primary,

            secondary, and tertiary prevention and intervention strategies. The California School

            Psychologist, 13, 79-91.

Woodiel, K, Angermeier-Howard, L, & Hobson, S. (2003). School safety for all: using the

            coordinated school health program to increase safety for lgbtq students. American

             Journal of Health Studies, 18(2/3), 98-103.

Chesir-Teran, D, & Hughes, Diane. (2009). Heterosexism in high school and victimization

among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning students. J. Youth Adolescence, 38, 963-975.

Saewyc, E, Skay, C, Pettingell, S, Reis, E, & Bearinger, L. (2006). Hazards of stigma: the sexual

and physical abuse of gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents in the united states and canada. Child Welfare League of America, 195-213.

The Lack of Knowledge Concerning the Empididae of Navarino Island

The Lack of Knowledge Concerning the Empididae of Navarino Island

            The flies of the family Empididae and the aquatic invertebrates of Navarino Island, Chile, are researched far less in comparison to other aquatic flies and vertebrate species, respectively. By studying the Empididae of Navarino Island, new information could be acquired both for the fields of taxonomy and freshwater ecology.

            The family Empididae is composed of small, predaceous flies, commonly referred to as “dance flies” due to their courtship displays. While not all of the species have aquatic life stages, around 660 species do have aquatic larvae and pupae (Wagner, 2008).  These aquatic larvae are important to their ecosystems both as predators and prey, feeding on smaller insects and being eaten by larger organisms. While these larvae have potential to be used as indicators for the health of the streams they live in, so few larvae have been linked to their adult forms that there is almost no way to identify them to the species level (MacDonald, 1999). Due to this, the family does not appear in nearly as much literature as other aquatic flies such as Chironomidae which are well described in all stages. Because this is coupled with the decline of taxonomists specializing in aquatic flies (Wagner, 2007), the family Empididae seems unlikely to be seen as useful for stream ecologists to study unless major developments are made in the identification of its species.
            Navarino Island, Chile, is part of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve and contains the Robalo watershed, one of the most pristine watersheds in the world (Anderson, 2007). This island contains the southernmost city in the world, Puerto Williams, and is considered to be in the sub-Antarctic ecoregion. While the vertebrates of the region, both native and invasive, have been heavily researched, little is currently known about the freshwater invertebrates (Moorman, 2006). This difference in attention may be attributed to the vertebrates being more “charismatic” and gaining the researchers more funding, but it creates problems due to the invertebrates typically playing a larger role in the healthy functions of streams than vertebrates do.

While the Empididae of the general area around Navarino Island area have been described (Collin, 1933), it has been a long time and the phylogeny of the family has greatly changed in recent years (Plant, 2011). The area is not predicted to have a large species diversity (Plant, 2011), and recent studies that identified down to the genus level found only one genera among several watersheds (Moorman, 2006). But, several new species have been identified in the last ten years around the world and it is possible that, due to the number of endemic aquatic insect species that are found in the area, some species of Empididae there may have been misidentified.

The matching of known adult species to their corresponding larvae could turn the Empidiade of the region into potential tools for stream quality assessment. It may be possible to match the adults and larvae using genetic tests, as this has been successful in the past (MacDonald 1999).Samples have been gathered for the last three years from the Robalo watershed to be analyzed and used as baseline data to compare against in the future (Contador, unpublished). If the Empididae from these samples can be identified to all developmental levels, they can be used as references for species diversity along with the better-known families.

Anderson, C.B. and Amy D. Rosemond, 2007. Ecosystem Engineering by invasive exotic beavers reduves in-stream diversity and enhances ecosystem function in Cape Horn, Chile. Ecosystem Ecology, 154: 141-153.

Collin, J. E., 1933. Diptera of Patagonia and South Chile, Based Mainly on Material in the   British Museum (Natural History); Part IV -- Empididae.

Contador, Tamara. Unpublished Material.

MacDonald, John F., and James R. Harkrider. Differentiation of Larvae of Metachela Coquillett and Neoplasta Coquillett (Diptera:Empididae:Hemerodromiinae) Based on Larval Rearing, External Morphology, and Ribosomal DNA Fragment Size. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 18: 414-419.

Moorman, M.C., C.B. Anderson, A. Gutiérrez, R. Charlin, & R. Rozzi, 2006. Watershed
conservation and aquatic benthic macroinvertebrate diversity in the Alberto D’Agostini
National Park, Tierra del Fuego, Chile. The Anales 34: 41-58.

Plant, Adrian R., 2011. Hemerodromiinae (Diptera: Empididae): a tentative

phylogeny and biogeographical discussion. Systematic Entomology, 36: 83-103.

Wagner, R., Bartàk, M., Borkent, A., Courtney, G., Goddeeris, B., Haenni, J.-P.,

Knutson, L., Pont, A., Rotheray, G.E., Rozkosny, R., Sinclair, B., Woodley, N.,

Zatwarnicki, T., Zwick, P., 2008. Global diversity of dipteran families (Insecta

Diptera) in freshwater (excluding Simulidae, Culicidae, Chironomidae, Tipulidae

and Tabanidae). Hydrobiologia 595, 489-519.

-----

This paper has been a challenge for me, mostly because of the lack of information out there about the region/family. That lack of information has become the topic of the paper, more or less, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing. If I can find more information in the next few weeks, this paper could change quite a bit. If not, I'll just be expanding on this.

Ecosystem Engineering by invasive exotic beavers reduces in-stream diversity and enhances ecosystem function in Cape Horn, Chile.

Anderson, C.B. and Amy D. Rosemond, 2007. Ecosystem Engineering by invasive exotic beavers reduces in-stream diversity and enhances ecosystem function in Cape Horn, Chile. Ecosystem Ecology, 154: 141-153.

Beavers were introduced to the Cape Horn region of South America during the early 20th century in order to start a fur industry. The industry didn't work out, but the beavers were well adapted to the region and soon expanded their territory throughout the islands. This study was done to find the effects beavers were having on stream ecosystems, including their effects on aquatic insects. In general, greater species diversity tends to equal greater productivity in ecosystems. In the beaver affected areas, however, the opposite was happening. The areas downstream of the beaver dams had fewer species of aquatic insects, but the overall numbers of insects were larger. The beavers changed the substrate of their streams by covering up the natural rock beds with organic debris. This destroyed the habitats for many insects, but allowed the insects that could live in the area to thrive due to the increase in nutrients. So while the beavers seemed to harm some species, they allowed the streams to have higher productivity due to increases in other areas. This further shows that exotic species can be complex issues.

The area the samples I'm studying came from is slightly affected by beavers. They have dams throughout the watershed, but the stream I care about is not directly downstream of them. If possible, I may be able to compare insects found at the source of the watershed, above any beaver sites, to the insects found at other sites.

Synopsis of the Hemerodromiinæ (Diptera, Empididæ)

This paper is a guide to the subfamily Hemerodromiinae found in North and South America. It includes two keys, one to the genus level for all of North and South America, and a much larger one for the species found in North and Central America. Each species is then given a paragraph in which all the external characteristics are described along with the general area they can be found in. The body parts whose features are most used to identify these flies are the antennae, genitals, wings, and front legs. Illustrations for the male genitalia for many of the species are included in tables at the end of the paper, showing their diversity and why they are useful identification tools.

This paper gave me a good starting point for what anatomical terms I’ll need to learn in order to identify these insects. It’s an old paper, and some species may have changed from then, but I doubt the terminology has. I’ll need to read more papers similar to this one to tell if the terms are consistent among authors.

Synopsis of the Hemerodromiinæ (Diptera, Empididæ)
Axel Leonard Melander
Journal of the New York Entomological Society, Vol. 55, No. 4 (Dec., 1947), pp. 237-273

Review of physical activity measurement using accelerometers in older adults: Considerations for research design and conduct

My research topic is to examine the effects of different exercise types on sleep in people with insomnia.
The purpose the review article was written was to provide researchers with a guide to the most commonly used devices used to measure physical activity. The article talked about the different types of accelerometers available today as well as parameters with which to use these various monitors. These parameters varied depending on the device but included the number of days the device should be worn and where the monitors should be placed. The article included very informative charts that compared these various devices. The article also provided some information to the reader on choosing the right measurement device for their particular study.
This article was very helpful in giving me information about the Actical, the device I plan on using in my study to help measure physical activity.
I was also given the IRB packet for a CBTi study at Fort Hood funded by a DOD (Department of Defense) grant by Dr.Taylor. Of particular interest to me is the methods section of the packet because it is similar in design to the one I plan on doing.

Murphy, S.L. (2009). Review of physical activity measurement using accelerometers in older adults: considerations for research design and conduct. Preventive Medicine, 48, 108-114.

Enhancing Middle-Level General Music: Suggestions from the Literature

This article discusses the curriculum for teaching general music classes at the middle school level. This is a difficult subject because most universities do not include classes on how to teach this level of music instruction. Usually, general level music classes are only for the elementary grades and then for those who elect to choose musical study are split off into the band, choir or orchestra route and are slowly weeded out as they advance through the grades. The article deals with the issues of writing a curriculum for this level and most of the instruction comes from what the teacher can pull through research articles. Usually, teachers end up bringing their own emphasis of how they teach (for example, a band director teaching like a band), or it is primarily run as a music appreciation class. A general level class should be taught primarily as a student-centered learning environment with the material organized around thematic units. The article spends significant time discussing how this is the best method to teach for the adolescents in this age group.

This article greatly helps my understanding of my topic because it helps to start creating the middle ground between elementary and band instructions. Many important ideas are mentioned with how to teach for this age level, and band does not follow them at all.

Gerrity, Kevin W. (2009). Enhancing Middle-Level General Music: Suggestions from the Literature. Music Educators Journal, 95(4), 41-45.

Measurement of LGBT Attitudes

This weeks post of literature is actually going to be centered around addressing and reviewing two potential scales for my research.

Attitudes towards Lesbians and Gay Men and Support for Lesbian and Gay Human Rights Among Psychology Students, Sonja, J. Ellis, Celia Kitzinger, And Sue Wilkinson.

Comparisons between the short form of the attitudes towards lesbians and gay men scale (ATLG-S) and the new scale created for this study, the Support for Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Scale (SGLHRS) was administer to 226 undergraduate psychology students in the UK.

interestingly, when compared, only a select few actually indicated poor attitudes , but the sample as a whole did not support human rights for gays and lesbians.

Both scales reflect different aspects of a persons attitude sort of schema, private attitudes are discussed in the ATLG-S, where the SHRGL really emphasized public attitudes, both of which have major implications on the way teachers will approach and integrate issues into relevant fields.


Essentially, the next step would be to locate a scale reflecting impact of teacher belief's on curriculum, if such a thing exists.

Literature, Oh Literature- Diversity and Education

Both of these articles i pulled discussed the attitudes of pre-service teachers about homosexual and gay and lesbian issues. Both of them warrant a discussion of similar themes and quotes, plus i want to mention what news they bring to my research.

Article 1- Riggs, A.D, Rosenthal, Amy R., and Smith-Bonahue (2010) the impact of a combined cognitive-affective intervention on pre-service teacher's attiudes, knowledge and anticipated professional behaviors regarding homosexuality and gay and lesbian isusues. Teaching and Teacher Education(27) 201-209

Past research indicated that for the most part, pre-service teachers expressed considerable discomfort dealing with lgbt person's, including colleagues, and ware not likely to engage or begin a classroom discussion on homosexual issues or integrate homosexual themes into curriculum. Past work has shown relationships of behavior and attitude, thus inferring that teacher's with negative attitudes may negatively effect school experiences o fsexual minority students and youth from LGBT families. The study then used a pretest post test design that examined the effect on individuals going to sessions to increase positive attitudes and increase knowledge and willingness to engage in supportive lgbt behaviors.After assessment, 70% of teachers identified that they have never taken a course that included material pertaining to homosexuality or gay and lesbian issues, and that most pre-service teachers have meager knowledge about gay and lesbian issues, showing a potential inability to work with Gay and lesbian students and what they face in education.



Article 2) Silverman, S. (2010) What is Diversity? An Inquiry into Pre-Service Teacher Beliefs. american Education Research Journal (47) 292

After a length discussion about the lack of definition for the term diversity, a survey of preservice teacher beliefs that identified how they perceived concepts like race, class, gender, disabilities, sexual orientation, faith, family values, etc and integrated them into their classroom approach. Ultimately, implications for practice included further reliance on the constructs like diversity and its definitions, as well as teachers need to recognize their capacity as individuals and as a profession to bring about desirable outcomes for students. Future research relevant highlight is that investigation should dvelop on the content of multicultural education.



After reading these two articles, i realized two critical things.

1) Availability on impacts of faculty bias on higher education research is virtually non-existant,

2) if i can assume that teacher education does not receive addressment of lgbt issues, other fields who may need similar education are also in lack.

Thus, my research hopefully will begin to shine light on both of these questions.

Toward and Effective Pedagogy for Teaching Rhythm: Gordon and Beyond

Rhythm is an important concept but is taught in a variety of ways. This article sets out to teach the methods of rhythm as prescribed by Gordon and to clarify some questions with teaching rhythm. The first general principle the article states on teaching rhythm is to teach meter identification on the basis of audiation, and not the musical notation. Rhythm audiation and mathematical thinking are very different cognitive processes. The second point addresses a rhythm-syllable system over a counting system and explains why to use the musical over the mathematical approach to counting rhythm.

This article adds to my understanding of my topic by addressing how rhythm is taught through the elementary methods. This can be applied to the band side of teaching as well. Most often, band directors use a counting method, which was said not to do, and to teach the notation before sound, again another not to do according to this article. Again, this will provide more evidence for when it comes time to separate and compare the elementary and band methods.

Dalby, Bruce. (2005). Toward and Effective Pedagogy for Teaching Rhythm: Gordon and Beyond. Music Educators Journal, 92(1), 54-60.

Singing and Moving: Teaching Strategies for Audiation in Children

Audiation is defined as the hearing of pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, or timbre. It is developed or used through listening, reading music, writing dictation, performing from memory, and creating or improvising. The article also addresses child development and the stages of the brain. Children learn best between the ages of 2 and 11, and also by interacting with their environment. Extensive procedures are included with teaching the elements of rhythm and sight-singing and how to incorporate them with different ages of students.

This article adds to my understanding of my topic by addressing audiation as approached from an elementary method, which can be contrasted to my audiation article for beginning band students. This will play an important role as I start to categorize the methods for elementary and beginning band methods and begin analyzing their curricula.

Garner, Allison Maerker. (2009). Singing and Moving: Teaching Strategies for Auditation in Children. Music Educators Journal, 95(4), 46-50.

To Sing or not to Sing in Instrumental Class

Using singing with a beginning band program is a useful tool because it can improve musical and critical-thinking skills of young performers. Singing is a crucial part of all undergraduate music programs at universities to help students develop aural skills, learn sight-reading, and make connections between music theory and its applications. However, even with these benefits it often not used with instructional programs with band. The article explains that directors do not include singing often because they do not want to take the time out of their rehearsal periods with the ensemble, the director may not have the confidence in their own singing ability, or for fear of negative responses from the students. However, by properly integrating singing into the rehearsal, students will be able to develop their ears to aid in intonation and become more independent musicians who are able to identify and correct their own mistakes without the director calling attention to them.

This article adds to my understanding of my topic because it addresses how to incorporate a singing method with beginning band programs. Singing is a crucial part of the elementary curriculum but then it often gets dropped through the band curriculum even though it provides an opportunity to strengthen the individual musicianship and skills of the members, a skill that can and should be taken away from their musical education.

Robinson, Mitchell. (1996). To Sing or not to Sing in Instrumental Class. Music Educators Journal, 83(1), 17-21.