Behind the Scenes at MHS: Music instructors keep tradition alive
By JESSICA BERNHARDT
MHS student reporter
Core classes such as English, math, science, and social studies focus on preparing students for life after high school. Extra-curricular classes, however, focus on what students enjoy learning — whether it be woods, agriculture, business, or music. Marion High School is fortunate enough to have exemplary educators in all of these subjects. Kevin Moler and Mike Connell help MHS carry on a rich musical tradition.
Moler was born and raised in Wichita and was the youngest of four. His family owned a camera store throughout his childhood and much of his family including his mother, sister, brother-in-law, aunts, uncles, and grandfathers were teachers. Moler has been married for the past year and a half to Kristen, who also is part of the USD 408 staff.
Moler teaches music appreciation, and is director of high school and middle school choirs, and MHS Singers.
Growing up, Moler was an Eagle Scout and he currently enjoys hunting, fishing, and working on old cars in his free time.
In 1998, Moler graduated from Wichita Southeast High School and continued his education at Butler Community College of El Dorado on a music scholarship. He took classes at BCC for two years and received his associate's degree in general studies. While attending classes at Butler, Moler also was involved in the concert choir, Chamber Singers, the Headliners, and a barber shop quartet called the "Smorgaschords."
Moler then went on to Wichita State University where he took classes for three years to earn his bachelor's degree in music education. Moler sang with the WSU Chamber Singers, WSU Madrigals, WSU concert chorale, and WSU a cappella choir. During his final semester at WSU, Moler student-taught at Goddard High School and College Hill Elementary School.
Moler has been in choir since he was in sixth grade and decided to become a teacher because he has always enjoyed music and working with youth.
When asked whether or not students are born with the ability to learn or whether the teacher provides it, Moler said that "everyone is born with it but everyone is different. It is the teacher's job to figure out how students learn."
Evaluating whether or not learning takes place in a music class is different than a lecture/lab class. The basic way to see if students are learning is whether or not they can sing the right notes. Moler also knows if his students are learning if they know note names, Italian terms, key changes, etc.
"Real learning takes place when students understand that music is more than notes on a page," he said.
The most difficult aspect of teaching for Moler is paperwork. "There is more paperwork than I imagined — more little 'nitty-gritty' things. For every form, there is another form," he said.
To keep students motivated, Moler chooses songs that challenge and interest students and ones they will enjoy singing. He also tries to keep them busy and throws in a joke once in a while.
Moler recalled a funny memory from his first year of teaching when he learned a lesson about relying on his cell phone as an alarm clock.
One morning, high schools secretary Pat Ash called him to see if he was coming to work. "It was about 9 in the morning and choir was supposed to practice at the city building. By the time I got to school, all the students were at the city building already," he laughed.
A highlight for Moler happened this past February. The Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA) selected three vocal ensembles from across the state to sing at their annual convention. The MHS Singers were chosen as one of the three groups.
A few goals that Moler has for the next few years include building the music program and getting more people involved. "A while back, MHS had a huge vocal program. I want to build it back up. There is a lot of talent in this town, we just have to get people interested," he said. He feels that the new auditorium will be a great asset in getting future students interested in music.
Mike Connell has been teaching for the past 40 years. Seven of those were at McPherson, six at Cimarron, one at Council Grove, two at Dwight (which is now a part of the Council Grove school district), and 24 at Marion High School. He currently teaches high school and middle school band, jazz band, and recreational guitar.
Connell has been married for the past 37 years to Cheryl. They met while he was teaching in Council Grove. They have two daughters, Dena and Shannon, and three grandchildren, Erin, Connor, and Ian.
Many of Connell's free-time activities involve music. He likes to play golf and work with the church and church choir. He currently is choir director at Marion Presbyterian Church and Marion Christian Church. He enjoys anything job-related and he likes to arrange music.
Connell graduated from Lyons High School and attended Sterling College. He received his bachelor of arts degree in 1965, then continued to study at Vandercook College of Music in Chicago, Ill. Connell also has accumulated many hours from several four-year universities, including the University of Kansas and Wichita State University.
"I wanted to be able to make music," Connell said when asked why he became a teacher. Music was an important part of his life in high school and it was a logical progression that if he wasn't going to professionally make music, then he would do it through education.
Connell feels that education takes place with both the student having the ability to learn and the teacher providing it. In simpler terms, a learner has to want to learn. "It's like a horse being led to water. If it doesn't want to go, it won't," Connell said. "Wanting to learn has to take place," he added.
Connell's funny/embarrassing moment happened when he was directing a grade school concert in McPherson. He had a large group of students and a small stage to work with. He stepped back and fell off the stage in front of everyone.
"As musicians, performances are the greatest evaluation tool," Connell said when asked how he evaluates if learning takes place. He feels the performances are like tests. Everything the students have learned and prepared for comes together. Teaching music is not like other disciplines, there are no make-up tests. Students have to be ready for that one moment. He also can hear students improving on a day-to-day basis.
Connell feels that all things that must be done outside of teaching are the most difficult aspects of being a teacher. Most of the outside work is time consuming and less rewarding.
"Teachers don't think of these things as teaching since they don't have anything to do with the kids," he said.
He also feels the longer he teaches, that more non-teaching activities are required.
To motivate students, Connell simply reminds them of the next performance. "Few kids are self-motivated, but most are really motivated because they know they have to get the work done whether they want to or not," he said. He feels that there is great satisfaction in producing an excellent end result.
A goal Connell has for the next couple of years is to maintain the program and move it ahead in excellence. "As retirement approaches, I want to leave the program strong," he added.
