Here are excerpts from the chapter on The Power of Posture from Ignite Response to your Conducting, Publication: Spring 2017. To be notified when Ignite Response is available, click here.
THE POWER OF POSTURE
Students’ posture sends powerful messages to their minds; those messages script the self-talk that determines participation and performance. Posture physicalizes self-image - that’s what we’re really working on; posture is less a physical issue than a psychological one.
Good posture is the expression of a positive self-image and world view. It sends messages to students’ minds like these:
“I matter. I am alert. I am capable. I am ready. I can excel." What I am doing is important.”
“This is interesting; it's worth learning”.
“To do this activity I really need to put myself into it.”
"I’m worth it!"
The very best learning and music making is possible when good posture helps create thoughts like these.
Bad posture expresses self-defeating attitudes and lower self-esteem. It sends messages like these to students’ minds:
“I'm not very good or important... I can't do well... so why bother
even pay attention?
"I'm no good, nothing's any good." "I can't do well; why even try?”
"I’m tired.”
"This is boring. I don't care, I can't wait for this to be over."
When bodies send messages like these, can our comments making a more dramatic sforzando or a sweeter dolce be effective? Will all our expressive gestures and innovative rehearsal techniques make a difference? Not likely if students' bodies are telling them not to pay attention!
Posture and Engagement
Good posture supports - rather than prevents - attention and engagement. In my experience, it's as important as singing/playing the right notes, executing dynamics, watching and following your gestures, bringing pencils and marking the music, and not talking when you stop.
Simply put: bad posture is a real challenge to productive rehearsing. (This is all true for us, too. Our posture sends powerful messages to our students that affect their behavior; these unspoken messages are much more powerful than our spoken ones).
Posture is, therefore, a major factor in making the most of our already-too-little rehearsal time.
Students’ posture sends powerful messages to their minds; those messages script the self-talk that determines participation and performance. Posture physicalizes self-image - that’s what we’re really working on; posture is less a physical issue than a psychological one.
Good posture is the expression of a positive self-image and world view. It sends messages to students’ minds like these:
“I matter. I am alert. I am capable. I am ready. I can excel." What I am doing is important.”
“This is interesting; it's worth learning”.
“To do this activity I really need to put myself into it.”
"I’m worth it!"
The very best learning and music making is possible when good posture helps create thoughts like these.
Bad posture expresses self-defeating attitudes and lower self-esteem. It sends messages like these to students’ minds:
“I'm not very good or important... I can't do well... so why bother
even pay attention?
"I'm no good, nothing's any good." "I can't do well; why even try?”
"I’m tired.”
"This is boring. I don't care, I can't wait for this to be over."
When bodies send messages like these, can our comments making a more dramatic sforzando or a sweeter dolce be effective? Will all our expressive gestures and innovative rehearsal techniques make a difference? Not likely if students' bodies are telling them not to pay attention!
Posture and Engagement
Good posture supports - rather than prevents - attention and engagement. In my experience, it's as important as singing/playing the right notes, executing dynamics, watching and following your gestures, bringing pencils and marking the music, and not talking when you stop.
Simply put: bad posture is a real challenge to productive rehearsing. (This is all true for us, too. Our posture sends powerful messages to our students that affect their behavior; these unspoken messages are much more powerful than our spoken ones).
Posture is, therefore, a major factor in making the most of our already-too-little rehearsal time.
Attention and active participation are vital for learning. Creating them isn’t possible without good posture, so why not have their bodies help do this absolutely key job for us?
With this kind of posture, is our laid-back flutist likely to play the incisive accents and rollicking scales the music needs? Is he likely to watch the conductor? Mark his music?
With this kind of posture, is our laid-back flutist likely to play the incisive accents and rollicking scales the music needs? Is he likely to watch the conductor? Mark his music?
Here's how you can create excellent posture in your ensemble:
1. It Begins with US
Truly addressing the posture issue - more than shouting “Posture!” every now and again when things aren't going well - means communicating more openly and personally than some of us are used to.
Since posture (theirs and ours) is mostly about self-image, creating good posture in our ensemble can be challenging since attitudes formed over years can't be changed overnight. But for anyone ready to go outside the comfort zone, the results can be truly astonishing. And it doesn’t have to be uncomfortable – it can actually be fun, rapport-building, and even transformational.
2. Believe in it
We have to believe in the importance of posture if we want our students to. If we don't - or if we want to consider it - our own practicing is a good place to start. Practice first with bad posture, then with good posture: Is there a difference? If you get tired or drowsy - straighten up! Does that make a difference? Look at yourself in a mirror, straighten up a bit, and see if there's a change in how you feel. You can also schlump down, then straighten up in front of a good friend, and ask for his/her honest reaction.
3. Overcome our Fears
A challenge to creating good posture in our ensembles may be overcoming our fears.
We might be concerned that discussing posture and self-image is too personal, or inappropriate, or that the students will laugh at our techniques and examples (don't worry - they already might!) There's sometimes concern that we'll be disliked if we don't accept half-hearted efforts, but rather keep pushing them to do what they're truly capable of. It's normal to want to avoid these feelings, but growth and improvement usually mean moving outside our comfort zones. If we ask our students to, we should, too; if we don't, they won't either.
Our fantasized fears – many of which we can’t even identify - and still fewer
of which ever come true - can keep us from doing what's needed to create
significant and lasting change.
Do remember that their laughing, snickering, fidgeting, and eye-rolling only
express discomfort that lets us know we’re hitting lots of bulls-eyes. Students
really want and need us to persist until there’s a breakthrough - no matter how
they might protest. But they'll only feel wonderful about themselves, the music
– and us – when we confront our fears, and help them achieve more and feel
better about themselves by persisting until breakthrough.
4. Do an Internal Audit
Challenging as it may be, let's acknowledge any negative beliefs/attitudes we express with our own posture (self-image, confidence, etc.). Then, for just a few minutes a day, we can correct our posture, sitting and standing with dignity and confidence, breathing fully. How does that feel? Does anything bad happen to us when we sit/stand that way? Would we be willing to do it for a few minutes, several times a day…just as an experiment?
Our students need us to sit/stand with good posture, and to be strong, confident, and feeling good about things. Remember, they learn far more from who we are than from what we say.
5. Remind Ourselves
I've frequently pasted sticky-notes on my stand to remind myself about my posture, and have told the students what I’ve done as a way of modeling what they could do. I've also asked a few students sitting or standing in the front row to give me a signal when I've forgotten. This models a lot more than good posture; it sends the message that I'm willing to learn from them - to be a student, myself. This empowers the students, validates their perception and self-worth, and gets much better posture (and music making)!
6. Model Great Posture All the Time
If we don’t work on posture, we’re sending the message to students that it’s not important. Modeling posture from the podium makes them aware of their posture and transfers responsibility to them.
Try this approach: walk to the podium in different ways: enthusiastic, distracted, alert, sad. Ask your students what messages your posture/walk sends them about how you feel about leading the rehearsal. Start rehearsing slouched over; don’t say anything; stay that way until they begin to notice and start sitting and standing up.
The second they do, YOU stand up super straight with a smile. Don’t say anything. You don’t have to: your posture and smile will say it all: "Great! You got it! Super!" Also (and perhaps more importantly): "You’re so smart I don’t have to TELL you this stuff…you get it by yourselves."
Reflect your ensemble's overall posture by how you sit/stand. Say nothing; a smile is ok to those who get it fast.
Meet their quizzical looks ("What's going on?") with your own. Do it for the entire rehearsal ... and the next…and the next. Continue to imitate them. When they catch on and improve their posture (at some point, they will) improve yours. When they forget and shlump, do the same; do it all the time! You'll be amazed at: 1) how quickly they catch on; 2) how much they enjoy this (they love to think about their thinking), and; 3) what a difference this can make!
7. Show Them What They Look Like!
Students aren't generally aware of their posture when they're not looking in the mirror. Even when they are, most haven’t thought about it, don’t know how strongly it projects what’s going on with them, and don't recognize the enormous impact of their posture on their lives.
One way to increase their awareness and openness to change is to invite a slouching – but good-natured - student up to the podium. Tell him/her right away it’s not because s/he's doing something wrong- rather, they're going to help their friends learn something really important. Start applauding that person…and get the other students to applaud and encourage him/her to "get up there." (Pick the right person and everyone will enjoy this and be grateful for the change of pace.)
Then, (after you’ve whispered your thanks and assurance there's nothing to fear), go to his/her seat and sit/stand the way s/he does. The student on the podium is very likely to get your point without your saying a word. This can be very powerful. That students may also appreciate (at a later date and probably without telling you) the approach you took with them.
Experience is more effective than Information
Experience is usually a more effective teacher than information.
Being told “Don’t touch stove because it’s hot” isn't as effective
as touching it and getting burnt.
If we tell students to "sit or stand up straight:" will their posture
improve for long? Young musicians need to experience the musical
and personal benefits of good posture before they'll pay serious
attention to it.
8. Ask Questions
Without saying a word, walk away from the podium to the door, then return all schlumped over, looking sour, shuffling your feet. Flop into the chair and ask "What does my posture say to you?
If there's no answer, ask something like: "Does my posture say we're going to have a great time together? That I'm excited about being with you?" After a few quick “No ways” ask "What does my posture say about how I feel about being here?" The answers will come: "You don't want to be here. You don't like working with kids."
You might then say "Even more important...what is my posture telling me?" Am I telling myself, 'I'm excited to be here...that I can’t wait to get going?' "
Then, when it feels right, you might ask:
They're sure to be thinking about these things since it has to do with them, personally. And for most students, that's what gets their attention.
9. Use the "Talking Feet" Dialogue - our Your Version
This dialogue brings together these approaches, and works well for me - time and time again. You might consider using your own variation, or something else based on the dynamics in this sample dialogue.
The rehearsal is going well – there’s a good feeling in the room and the teacher senses a teachable moment!:
Conductor: Pretends to hear something - looks around and finally looks hard at a student's crossed legs;
Gracious! Those crossed legs/feet are talking to me!
Looks at the student – then the ensemble - in amazement!
Students: Confused...members look at each other: "What's up?"
Conductor: Do you know what those crossed legs are/were saying to me ??? ("...were saying..." because the student will have
uncrossed them…as have other leg-crossers in the room)
Students: Might be looking at you with concern! (But you have
everyone’s attention!)
Conductor: Your crossed legs were telling me “I’m not putting 100% of
me into this."
Students: Might be beginning to catch on – absolutely for sure becoming interested…as long as you are really into it.
Conductor: Sitting down and crossing legs, feet – whatever is possible to
cross so the ensemble can see. What are my legs and feet
saying to you? (you may have to ask them to stand up so they can see your legs) What is my body and posture telling you? That I’m happy to be here?
That I want to do my absolute best?
That I can’t wait to start making music?"
Students: Most will shake their heads: no
Conductor: Then what is my body saying to you.
Students: You’ll get answers like: You don’t want to be here. You don’t care. You can’t wait until the class is over, etc.
Conductor: Those are the messages you get loud and clear. Right?
I don’t have to say anything – my posture is sending you
really strong messages, yes?
Students: Says or indicates “Yes.”
Conductor: And how does that make you feel? (if no response, help
them out with a suggestion): Not good right? As if I don’t care about you? Does my posture make you feel really excited about being here? Right – of course not.
Students: Nods, agrees.
Conductor: So you can see how your postures sends strong messages
to others, right?
Students: They continue to agree…and you’ve got the full attention of
most of them.
Why? Because it’s all about THEM and THEIR LIVES.
Conductor: NOW THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION:
When you cross your feet and legs…what messages are you
sending YOURSELF?
Students: Might not be sure what you’re talking about…or how to
answer.
Conductor: Are you telling yourself: “Be alert! Pay attention! Do the Best You Can?”
Students: No
Conductor: Or are you telling yourself to relax and take it easy because maybe what's going on isn't so important?
Students: Yes
Conductor: Right you are: and since your unconscious always says “yes,”
wouldn’t it be smart to send yourself messages that bring
good things?
Students: Yes
Etc.
My consistent experience for 20 years is that it goes very much like this. Do consider applying this learner-centered approach to your own style. If it doesn't work for you, please contact me and, together, we'll figure out how you might fine-tune your approach so it does. No charge.
1. It Begins with US
Truly addressing the posture issue - more than shouting “Posture!” every now and again when things aren't going well - means communicating more openly and personally than some of us are used to.
Since posture (theirs and ours) is mostly about self-image, creating good posture in our ensemble can be challenging since attitudes formed over years can't be changed overnight. But for anyone ready to go outside the comfort zone, the results can be truly astonishing. And it doesn’t have to be uncomfortable – it can actually be fun, rapport-building, and even transformational.
2. Believe in it
We have to believe in the importance of posture if we want our students to. If we don't - or if we want to consider it - our own practicing is a good place to start. Practice first with bad posture, then with good posture: Is there a difference? If you get tired or drowsy - straighten up! Does that make a difference? Look at yourself in a mirror, straighten up a bit, and see if there's a change in how you feel. You can also schlump down, then straighten up in front of a good friend, and ask for his/her honest reaction.
3. Overcome our Fears
A challenge to creating good posture in our ensembles may be overcoming our fears.
We might be concerned that discussing posture and self-image is too personal, or inappropriate, or that the students will laugh at our techniques and examples (don't worry - they already might!) There's sometimes concern that we'll be disliked if we don't accept half-hearted efforts, but rather keep pushing them to do what they're truly capable of. It's normal to want to avoid these feelings, but growth and improvement usually mean moving outside our comfort zones. If we ask our students to, we should, too; if we don't, they won't either.
Our fantasized fears – many of which we can’t even identify - and still fewer
of which ever come true - can keep us from doing what's needed to create
significant and lasting change.
Do remember that their laughing, snickering, fidgeting, and eye-rolling only
express discomfort that lets us know we’re hitting lots of bulls-eyes. Students
really want and need us to persist until there’s a breakthrough - no matter how
they might protest. But they'll only feel wonderful about themselves, the music
– and us – when we confront our fears, and help them achieve more and feel
better about themselves by persisting until breakthrough.
4. Do an Internal Audit
Challenging as it may be, let's acknowledge any negative beliefs/attitudes we express with our own posture (self-image, confidence, etc.). Then, for just a few minutes a day, we can correct our posture, sitting and standing with dignity and confidence, breathing fully. How does that feel? Does anything bad happen to us when we sit/stand that way? Would we be willing to do it for a few minutes, several times a day…just as an experiment?
Our students need us to sit/stand with good posture, and to be strong, confident, and feeling good about things. Remember, they learn far more from who we are than from what we say.
5. Remind Ourselves
I've frequently pasted sticky-notes on my stand to remind myself about my posture, and have told the students what I’ve done as a way of modeling what they could do. I've also asked a few students sitting or standing in the front row to give me a signal when I've forgotten. This models a lot more than good posture; it sends the message that I'm willing to learn from them - to be a student, myself. This empowers the students, validates their perception and self-worth, and gets much better posture (and music making)!
6. Model Great Posture All the Time
If we don’t work on posture, we’re sending the message to students that it’s not important. Modeling posture from the podium makes them aware of their posture and transfers responsibility to them.
Try this approach: walk to the podium in different ways: enthusiastic, distracted, alert, sad. Ask your students what messages your posture/walk sends them about how you feel about leading the rehearsal. Start rehearsing slouched over; don’t say anything; stay that way until they begin to notice and start sitting and standing up.
The second they do, YOU stand up super straight with a smile. Don’t say anything. You don’t have to: your posture and smile will say it all: "Great! You got it! Super!" Also (and perhaps more importantly): "You’re so smart I don’t have to TELL you this stuff…you get it by yourselves."
Reflect your ensemble's overall posture by how you sit/stand. Say nothing; a smile is ok to those who get it fast.
Meet their quizzical looks ("What's going on?") with your own. Do it for the entire rehearsal ... and the next…and the next. Continue to imitate them. When they catch on and improve their posture (at some point, they will) improve yours. When they forget and shlump, do the same; do it all the time! You'll be amazed at: 1) how quickly they catch on; 2) how much they enjoy this (they love to think about their thinking), and; 3) what a difference this can make!
7. Show Them What They Look Like!
Students aren't generally aware of their posture when they're not looking in the mirror. Even when they are, most haven’t thought about it, don’t know how strongly it projects what’s going on with them, and don't recognize the enormous impact of their posture on their lives.
One way to increase their awareness and openness to change is to invite a slouching – but good-natured - student up to the podium. Tell him/her right away it’s not because s/he's doing something wrong- rather, they're going to help their friends learn something really important. Start applauding that person…and get the other students to applaud and encourage him/her to "get up there." (Pick the right person and everyone will enjoy this and be grateful for the change of pace.)
Then, (after you’ve whispered your thanks and assurance there's nothing to fear), go to his/her seat and sit/stand the way s/he does. The student on the podium is very likely to get your point without your saying a word. This can be very powerful. That students may also appreciate (at a later date and probably without telling you) the approach you took with them.
Experience is more effective than Information
Experience is usually a more effective teacher than information.
Being told “Don’t touch stove because it’s hot” isn't as effective
as touching it and getting burnt.
If we tell students to "sit or stand up straight:" will their posture
improve for long? Young musicians need to experience the musical
and personal benefits of good posture before they'll pay serious
attention to it.
8. Ask Questions
Without saying a word, walk away from the podium to the door, then return all schlumped over, looking sour, shuffling your feet. Flop into the chair and ask "What does my posture say to you?
If there's no answer, ask something like: "Does my posture say we're going to have a great time together? That I'm excited about being with you?" After a few quick “No ways” ask "What does my posture say about how I feel about being here?" The answers will come: "You don't want to be here. You don't like working with kids."
You might then say "Even more important...what is my posture telling me?" Am I telling myself, 'I'm excited to be here...that I can’t wait to get going?' "
Then, when it feels right, you might ask:
- "Let’s start noticing our posture here in band/orchestra/chorus. What messages are we sending ourselves?
- Are they the messages we want?
- Since we're always talking to talking to ourselves in our heads (right?)...where do those thoughts come from?
- Does it make sense that our bodies create lots of thoughts via our posture?
- Since 'Our life is what our thoughts make it.' (Marcus Aurelius) shouldn't we should be very careful about what we think?
- Isn't getting control over our posture one way to get control over our thoughts…and therefore our lives?
- We can’t control everything, but, if we learn to control our posture, won't we be able to control a lot of what we think about."
They're sure to be thinking about these things since it has to do with them, personally. And for most students, that's what gets their attention.
9. Use the "Talking Feet" Dialogue - our Your Version
This dialogue brings together these approaches, and works well for me - time and time again. You might consider using your own variation, or something else based on the dynamics in this sample dialogue.
The rehearsal is going well – there’s a good feeling in the room and the teacher senses a teachable moment!:
Conductor: Pretends to hear something - looks around and finally looks hard at a student's crossed legs;
Gracious! Those crossed legs/feet are talking to me!
Looks at the student – then the ensemble - in amazement!
Students: Confused...members look at each other: "What's up?"
Conductor: Do you know what those crossed legs are/were saying to me ??? ("...were saying..." because the student will have
uncrossed them…as have other leg-crossers in the room)
Students: Might be looking at you with concern! (But you have
everyone’s attention!)
Conductor: Your crossed legs were telling me “I’m not putting 100% of
me into this."
Students: Might be beginning to catch on – absolutely for sure becoming interested…as long as you are really into it.
Conductor: Sitting down and crossing legs, feet – whatever is possible to
cross so the ensemble can see. What are my legs and feet
saying to you? (you may have to ask them to stand up so they can see your legs) What is my body and posture telling you? That I’m happy to be here?
That I want to do my absolute best?
That I can’t wait to start making music?"
Students: Most will shake their heads: no
Conductor: Then what is my body saying to you.
Students: You’ll get answers like: You don’t want to be here. You don’t care. You can’t wait until the class is over, etc.
Conductor: Those are the messages you get loud and clear. Right?
I don’t have to say anything – my posture is sending you
really strong messages, yes?
Students: Says or indicates “Yes.”
Conductor: And how does that make you feel? (if no response, help
them out with a suggestion): Not good right? As if I don’t care about you? Does my posture make you feel really excited about being here? Right – of course not.
Students: Nods, agrees.
Conductor: So you can see how your postures sends strong messages
to others, right?
Students: They continue to agree…and you’ve got the full attention of
most of them.
Why? Because it’s all about THEM and THEIR LIVES.
Conductor: NOW THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION:
When you cross your feet and legs…what messages are you
sending YOURSELF?
Students: Might not be sure what you’re talking about…or how to
answer.
Conductor: Are you telling yourself: “Be alert! Pay attention! Do the Best You Can?”
Students: No
Conductor: Or are you telling yourself to relax and take it easy because maybe what's going on isn't so important?
Students: Yes
Conductor: Right you are: and since your unconscious always says “yes,”
wouldn’t it be smart to send yourself messages that bring
good things?
Students: Yes
Etc.
My consistent experience for 20 years is that it goes very much like this. Do consider applying this learner-centered approach to your own style. If it doesn't work for you, please contact me and, together, we'll figure out how you might fine-tune your approach so it does. No charge.
10. Change Students' Self-Talk
Ultimately, we want students’ self-talk to go something like this: "I must remember to good posture because it's good for my life. Yes, it's a pain, but when my posture is better, I'll do better in life, feel better, impress people, send better messages, get better grades, etc.
An Added Benefit of Working on Posture
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By working on posture, our young musicians' music making can also improve dramatically for another reason. Talking with them about self-image and confidence increases our rapport - and their involvement - because it helps meet their developmental needs and shows we are willing to open up and reveal more of ourselves.
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When students understand that we're dedicated to helping them develop as people, they'll be far more likely to listen to us, do what we suggest (including sitting and standing up straight!), and they're likely to start making music at a far higher level than they (and perhaps we) ever imagined was possible!
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To help make Igniting Response (to our conducting) as helpful as possible, please leave a comment: Was this helpful? Could something have been clearer? Do you have a suggestion? Did you try it in your ensemble and did it help? Thank you! David
