Ask Mike

Send us Fan Mail 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.

Send us Fan Mail 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 tale...

Send us Fan Mail 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!

Send us Fan Mail 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 po...

Send us Fan Mail 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 fo...

Send us Fan Mail 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.

Send us Fan Mail 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!"

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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!

Send us Fan Mail 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.

Send us Fan Mail 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!

Send us Fan Mail 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!

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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!

Send us Fan Mail 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!

Send us Fan Mail 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*

Send us Fan Mail 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.

Send us Fan Mail Fantastic visit with Stephen Cox of the Willis Wonderland Foundation exploring how music education is taught in our schools. The ultimate question of, "What is our product?" leads to some thought provoking, perhaps challenging, discussions!

Send us Fan Mail Heterogeneous classroom teaching. In music education it is a big word for: Congratulations! You're teaching all the beginners in the same class! But our friend Mike Lunney has not only been there, but he also made it work and had a successful program! As Mike shares in the episode, his class had between 50-60 kids, was scheduled last period...AFTER PE! Be encouraged, you can...

Send us Fan Mail This is the second episode to help answer questions about New Rehearsal Space Construction. In this episode we are excited to have Jay Lester as our guest to walk back through the first episode and offer comment, as well as offer insight from the administrative side of the project. Mr. Lester has been involved in multiple projects as an administrator, and his insight will help you...

Send us Fan Mail What things should an educator consider when looking at a possible new construction for a rehearsal room, or an addition or makeover of the existing rehearsal space? Season 2 of the Ask Mike Podcast starts with a two-part response to this question submitted to the podcast. In part one, we welcome Loy Studer from Wichita Falls Legacy and Dane Richardson from Holliday ISD. Both have...

Send us Fan Mail Music Educators, what you do is amazing! You are warriors, you are well able, you are so needed! Mike Lunney and Derrick Killam take a moment to say, "Thank You!" and hopefully encourage you as you gear up for the best Spring semester you've ever had as an educator!

Send us Fan Mail In a previous episode, Mike Lunney and Derrick Killam were joined by Jason Brents and Daniel Todd to discuss choosing music to fit your performing ensemble for evaluation. It was a great episode full of great ideas. SO IS THIS EPISODE! But this episode features guests Tommy Perkins and James Cross, two seasoned directors who have spent large portions of their careers in smaller Te...

Send us Fan Mail Solo and ensemble time, we've kind of turned that into necessary evil. What if I told you, if you change your perspective, it could be a huge step to make your band better! What a great opportunity to help your students become better musicians, learning to listen, blend, and make better musical choices. Mike Lunney gives us a quick primer on how to use Solo and Ensemble event...