When Students Take the Lead: Rethinking the Role of the Choral Director
In episode 120, we talk with choral music educator Ocie Banks about what happens when teachers move out of the center of the learning and give students real ownership of the music classroom. Ocie shares how he gradually transfers responsibility to his middle school choir students, from leading warm-ups and conducting rehearsals to serving as section leaders and choral librarians, and how those opportunities help students develop confidence, independence, collaboration, and leadership skills. His goal is simple: to “teach yourself out of a job” and give students the skills they need to succeed without the teacher at the center.
Ocie also takes us behind the scenes of a student-created arrangement of Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature,” where students developed harmonies, explored solfege, made artistic decisions, and taught one another. We talk about the importance of asking questions, trying students’ ideas, putting teacher ego aside, and creating space for students to make meaningful musical choices. Throughout the conversation, Ocie reminds us that students are capable of far more than we sometimes expect, and that giving them ownership can transform not only their musicianship, but the culture and sense of community in the classroom.
Listen to the full interview:
Here are some key takeaways from Episode 120:
- Share Ownership – Give students meaningful responsibility for rehearsal, leadership, and decision-making instead of keeping yourself at the center.
- Trust Students – Middle school students can lead, collaborate, solve problems, and make musical decisions when teachers trust their capabilities.
- Ask Questions – Thoughtful questions move students beyond identifying musical concepts toward applying knowledge and making artistic choices.
- Try Their Ideas – Put teacher ego aside and create space for students’ musical ideas to shape the ensemble’s work.
- Build Leaders – Student leadership opportunities develop musicianship, collaboration, confidence, and independence while transforming the culture of the classroom.
Listen Today!
You can check out the full interview on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform. Or you can listen right here!
Connect with Ocie and learn more:
- Website: http://www.ociesbanks.com
- Instagram: @ociesbanks
More about Pass the Baton:
- Join the Coffee Club
- Support Pass the Baton
- Amplify student voice with Exit Tickets for Self Reflection
You might also enjoy these other episodes:
- Episode 62 – The Kids Come First: Student Ownership in Ensembles, featuring Kathleen Jacoby
- Episode 90 – Throw Away the Rubric: Ungrading the Music Room, featuring Chris Gleason
- Episode 77 – Inspiring Young Musicians: Passion and Purpose in Music Education, featuring Stephen Cox
- Episode 85 – Fostering Lifelong Learning through Reflective Partnerships, featuring Merlin Thompson
A note from our sponsor: Rehearsal Dashboard Pro
Rehearsal Dashboard Pro: A single-file, no-login daily rehearsal dashboard for music directors. Save your warm-up, method book, and repertoire titles once and reuse them with a checkbox. Plan ahead, copy previous days in one click, and let the auto-countdown and scrolling reminders ticker do the rest. Works for daily, A/B, or twice-a-week schedules. Check it out on Teachers Pay Teachers or at Teaching Music & More.
