BUMP

BUMP started in 2005 at Buffalo State as the Campus West After School Program for students K-8. This instructional music program generated nationally-published research and was authoritatively cited as best practice in urban K-12/higher education partnerships. Now known as BUMP, the program has been expanded and is offered to students throughout the Western New York region. BUMP now serves students at several schools in Buffalo and beyond.

The Project’s Mission

• Enhance the music education of middle school students in Buffalo
• Provide Buffalo State undergraduate music education majors with supervised teaching opportunities
• Create an exemplary model for music education

BUMP enhances the music education of middle school students in the city of Buffalo through offering high-quality music instruction. Students are bussed to campus from their respective schools, and receive group instruction in string, wind and percussion, jazz, and vocal ensembles. Within those ensembles, students receive individualized instruction from interns and instruction in music theory, improvisation, and composition—learning that enriches their public school music experiences. 

BUMP Interns

As they prepare for careers as music educators, undergraduate music education majors at Buffalo State gain valuable teaching experience as interns for BUMP. Interns currently register for a special topics course (MUS389) supervised by BUMP program coordinator and assistant professor of music education, Dr. Mark Filsinger. Interns submit weekly lesson plans and are observed by the program coordinator each week. They receive feedback, write personal reflections, and set goals to develop and hone their music teaching skills.

A Model for Music Education

BUMP provides an exemplary model for music education. Through developing best practices based on current research findings, BUMP provides a model for music teaching and learning for our music education undergraduates, as well as for in-service music teachers and administrators from our area and beyond. In addition, the supervised pre-service teaching experience our interns gain is a unique aspect of our degree and provides a model for undergraduate music education curricula.

The Music Department is committed to the development of BUMP.

In 2013, a full-time faculty member was charged to serve as liaison to the community and build upon and expand partnerships. Since then, jazz and string components were added to BUMP for the first time, and a special topics course was established in which interns receive course credit. Moving forward, the goal is to create a comprehensive program for music teaching and learning that includes students of various ages, experiences, and backgrounds.

? View all Buffalo State Community Arts Academy Policies and Procedures >