Proactive Classroom Management- Part 3- Respect

To finish off the 3-part series on Proactive Classroom Management, we turn to Respect.

If you missed Part 1- Preparation on Band Director's Talk Shop, or Part 2- Offense in my last blog post check them out!


Students (especially middle school ones) don't just behave because they're supposed to. They don't just work hard because it's expected of them. They are at an age when they are learning who they are and what their place in the world is. They are looking for role models both peer and adult. A music teacher can be a powerful influence in their lives because we can connect and allow them to be vulnerable and honest through music. However, cultivating that connection doesn't come easily or naturally to everyone.

The interactions you have with your students both on and off the podium have an impact on their rehearsal behavior. It really has a lot to do with your philosophy of your role as their teacher. Are you the boss of your students or are you leading them towards knowledge? 

Asking yourself this question can make all the difference.

Rapport- On the Podium vs. Off the Podium. 

- I am pretty much two different people. On the podium I am "Mrs. Bock", I can be quirky but mostly I am all business and the kids know this. Off the podium I am "Mama Bock", I have a more casual rapport. I joke, act silly, and sincerely care about my students' lives. Having this delineation has helped me connect with my students but be able to focus on music making when it's time. 

Relevance- Learn about their interests and use it in your teaching.

- I don't care about PokemonGo, or bottle flipping, or Spongebob episodes, or whatever ridiculous Vine video they're all quoting, but they do. So I at least pretend to and I bring it into our classroom and conversations whenever possible, because it matters to them.

Presence- The energy you give off, the confidence you exude and your body language say a lot to your students! Everything from how you dress to how you stand affects how and what they do.

- Teaching is acting. Even when you don't feel confident you need to look it. Middle school kids can smell fear and will tear you apart when they sense it. You need to act in control. The energy you give off effects your students and they respond to it. If they're out of control calm your speaking and mind down, it will reflect in their behavior. You must look the part too! My students have mentioned to me that they respond differently to teachers who dress more professionally, even certain colors make a difference. Apparently I seem more angry when I wear red. Who knew?

Require- Require their attention and focus in order for you to teach.

- I said it in Part 2- you work too hard and get paid too little to talk over them and have them ignore you. Stop and wait for every student to give you their attention before you do anything. It is worth the time you think you're wasting. If you don't believe you deserve their respect in this way how are they supposed to?

Passion- Show them how much you love what you do!

- Some people are afraid to get emotional and honest with their students. I disagree. Share with them how much you love music, be vulnerable about it. They will give that back to you and be grateful for it.

Pride- Take pride in what you do and take pride in what they do, and they will too!

- I have a saying "Good enough, is never good enough." Good enough is a phrase for someone who has given up and doesn't care to meet their potential, in my opinion. Have enough pride in yourself, your students, the music, and in your program to want to strive for the best. They'll want it then too!

Obey- Your own rules.  And when you don’t, explain why you don’t have to!

- Because I said so is really hard to pull over on middle school kids. 

Relax- Sometimes.  Life happens, they’re kids. 

- Let them get excited sometimes. Someone says something funny, a bug flies into the room, it's Valentine's Day on a Friday...there are just some times where it's okay to let go of control. Relax and enjoy your time with them. When was the last time you and your students had a good belly laugh together? However, be able to reign them back in when it's time. The nose breath works without a doubt.

Real- Be authentic.  Don’t put on a teacher act- be YOU as a teacher.  

- Let them know that you’re human too! Sometimes you're stressed out, your tired, you goofed up on something. Tell them, it's okay. The teacher act can only go so far. You're not acting a teacher character, you're being you as a teacher and sometimes you as a teacher snapped at the kids because of something that happened last hour. Own up to your mistakes and let them in just a little, they care, really.

Be honest with them as much as possible.

- They learn nothing when you sugar coat things. If they sound bad, tell them. Trust me, they hear it too. They respect you being real, plus then they know that's not going to fly. When they sound good though, you better make sure you celebrate that too. 

Reliable- Do what you say you will do. Be someone they can count on.

- Be true to your word. I can be forgetful, so the kids have permission to keep bugging me until I do whatever it is I promised them. They also love when they get to write me post-it notes on my desk to remember something too. Seriously, I have a kid who reminded me every day at lunch for two years to take my vitamins. Now when I see him my immediate conditioned response it to report to him whether or not I took them that day. It means the world to him that he helped me remember something.

React Calmly- When you’re frustrated, breathe before responding.

- It's going to happen, you're going to snap. You're going to lose it over behavior or a wrong note or something. It can happen once, it can happen twice but don't let it happen three times. Then you're the director who called wolf. Save“those moments” for far and few between and apologize if they happen.  

Praise- When it’s deserved but keep it real and specific. 

- Good Job! Nice work on your articulation that time! Those are two very different responses. One of them will get the students to keep doing whatever it was that they did well. Let them know what they're doing well, not just that it was good.

Ownership- It’s not your program, it’s our program.

-Directors come and go, programs are forever (we hope) and they are made up of the young people who choose to be a part of them. Those generations of young people who want to make music should have a say in some aspects of what happens in their program. In some cases, they may outlast you there. You have just been charged as the keeper of the band. Your philosophy on this is really everything. 

Options- Give them a say in what you do sometimes, they’re smart too.

- Maybe they can help choose some music, or even what piece to rehearse next. Give them a say! They'll feel more invested in what they're doing.

Opinions- Listen to their opinions and ask their advice, they want to feel valued.

-Kids are smarter than we sometimes give them credit for and they have good ideas! Listen to them. Many of them you'll thank them for but immediately dismiss but some of them might be really wonderful. One day they're going to be calling the shots in something in their lives, let them help you do that now.

Reality- Be understanding of their reality and cut them some slack sometimes.

-You never know what's going on in their lives. Maybe that attitude you got had nothing to do with you. Maybe they didn't eat that morning. Maybe they were up all night caring for their siblings because mom was at work. Maybe they just fought with their best friend. Stop, think, and be considerate of them and their lives. I know what we do is everything to us but to the rest of the world let's be honest, it's just band. 

Polite- Manners go a long way.  Enforce the use of them from them and you.

- This comes from you and from them. Say please and thank you. Make sure they said it to all parent volunteers, staff members, bus drivers, each other. If you create this culture of respect it will carry through to rehearsals. 

Positive- Stay positive and SMILE!

- Yes, even before Christmas. It will be okay, I promise. No one wants to be the mean director all the time. Enjoy your students for the short time you have them and they will enjoy the time they have with you too. 

Proactive Classroom Management Part 2

A few months ago I had an article posted on Band Director's Talk Shop about Proactive Classroom Management, in regards to preparing for the school year. Now that the year is up and running (and getting away from me, hence the delay in posting) I thought I'd add some more to the series. Most of what follows is from the handout for my session: Take Me To Your Leader- A PRO-Active Approach to Classroom Management. 

In the session I break down ideas related to running a consistent, controlled classroom into three areas

1. Preparation- most of which is covered in the BDTS article.

2. Offense- which I will outline in this post

3. Respect- a post for a later date.

Enjoy the notes about being on the offense in your classroom! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I am here to help everyone have a great musical experience with their students!

OFFENSE

Create an environment where you are constantly in control of the flow of your class.

Pacing- 

Must be fast and keep everyone engaged. 

Have the rest of the class air play, sizzle their part or be ready to answer a question. 

If you don’t find something to do they will find something to do themselves. 

Learn when to move on and come back fresh another day.

           If you are spending more than a few minutes on a concept or section move on and come back with a different approach another day. 

Build time into your rehearsals for their brains to take a break!

Their average attention span is only 10-12 minutes. 

Switch activities and give their brains a break. 

Rehearsal structure- Consistent so they know what to expect on a normal day.

 It will make the days that are not normal less chaotic in the end.

Sample rehearsal structure: 

Stretching & Breathing

Long Tones/Warm-ups

Announcements

Rhythm Studies

Scales

Technique Book/Chorale/Tuning

Concert Repertoire

Percussion- Keep them busy with clear, consistent expectations.

Have them learn rudiments during breathing, keep the pulse during rhythm work.  

Don’t ignore them!

Programming- Find music at an appropriate level that they can get excited about.

Push Them- Time is of the essence and there is always a lot to do!

Good enough should never be good enough.

Podium- On/Off Switch to your rehearsal.

Only step on the podium intentionally and when you are ready to begin.

 They must know to respect it. Only allowed to touch it with invitation.

Opening- Begin each class the same way every day and with silence.

Get right to work- announcements can come later. 

 Use a catch phrase to grab their attention. “Hey Band- Hey What?”

Proximity- Get off the podium and work the room.

Observe- Watch them like a hawk whenever they are in the room.

 Also give them chances to earn your trust.

Refocus- When they start to lose focus or control quick tricks to bring them back.

- Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.

- Brain break activities

- Say your catch phrase

- Finger Countdown

- Clap Rhythm Echoes

Pause- Stop talking the moment that they start, mid-sentence, mid-word and wait.

- Sit back and wait for them to come back to silence and focus.

- Step off the podium to turn rehearsal “off”.  Never talk while they are talking. Ever.

Respond- Quickly and respectfully.  Don’t make mountains out of molehills. Choose your battles!

Remind- Constant and consistent behavior reminders.

Tell them “how” they should be doing something.

Repeat- Say it no more than 3 times- even less! Wait until everyone is ready to listen.

Precise- Give specific and direct instructions.  Say it in four words!

Make them think about the answers instead of giving them. 

Point- Have them point to their music to check for understanding.

Present- Have them show you the answer with their fingers.

 How many counts do we have? What count is the accidental on?

 Show me how many counts a dotted quarter note receives. 

 Use your hand as a music staff. Use sign language for pitch names.

Partners- Share your answer with your neighbor.  Gives structured talking time!

Order- What order should directions occur in? Be clear and concise! When I say GO.…

Reasons- Keep the end goal in mind and let them know it.

Rewards- Positive incentives go a long way.  Find "carrots" that will get your students excited.

“Faction Battle” “Harry Potter House Points”

Earn points or lose points for doing good or negative behavior.

RANDOMLY GIVE INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE CONSISTENT BEHAVIOR!

 Student of the Week- student chosen vs. teacher selected

Finding the Right Fit for Each Beginner

It's the most wonderful time of the year! No, not Christmas- little band babies all over the country are receiving their very first instruments! It's glorious!

 

Do you just allow students to choose what they will play or do you test them out to see what they might be the most successful in playing? There are definitely different schools of thought on this. I have had the most success with students when we spend time trying instrument mouthpieces before letting them choose what they will play. Some directors do this to facilitate balanced instrumentation. While I certainly understand this and agree to a point, I rarely stop a student from playing an instrument just because we already have too many people playing it. I might strongly suggest they play something else but that will mostly be determined by what they made the most natural sound on. 

Students join band wanting to have instant success. They want to make music! It can be difficult for a 9-12 year old to truly understand the patience and persistence needed to be an accomplished musician. I never want the first few weeks a student experiences an instrument to be spend struggling just to form a basic tone.  Facial structure, body and hand size, and many other factors can effect a student's success on an instrument. For example, it is generally discouraged for someone with a tear drop upper lip to play flute because it splits the tone. I have had students play with this and while they have had some success they always struggle to produce a clear, pure sound. 

I generally spend some time introducing the instruments to students. If you are comfortable playing all the instruments yourself you can do this. I have also seen older students from the high school come in and perform for new bandies. Lately there are also a number of incredible resources with videos demonstrating the instruments. One that I really enjoy are Scott Lang's Be A Part of the Music videos. I find some of it a little cheesy for my older beginners but the content is still fantastic. Also, a project from the American Band College resulted in Beginning Band Boot Camp which has some wonderful video resources. I hope she got an A on this project! 

I developed a sheet students fill out after learning about all the instruments where they mark their 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices.  They come to see me one at a time and I assist them in trying the mouthpieces for their choices. On the back side of the paper I make some notes for myself on how they did and then we discuss which one they felt the most comfortable on and which they made the most characteristic tone easily. Of course, if a student is still insistent on playing one instrument over another I do allow them to. Their happiness is important but I do usually try to convince them to stick with the one that was most natural. 

Some things I look for are:

Flute- a resonant tone and natural articulation

Clarinet/Saxophone- matching the mouthpiece pitch, comfort with the mouthpiece in their mouth

Brass- creating a buzz off the mouthpiece, pitch matching on the mouthpiece

French Horn- match pitch vocally in addition to on the mouthpiece.

For percussionists, I used to just see if they could pat a steady beat with a metronome but I am trying something new this year as suggested by a friend who is known for having incredible percussionists.  Students will be asked to keep a steady beat in their feet while sitting, then pat quarter notes, eighth notes and possible 16th notes with that beat. Sixteenths are really just an added bonus I think but being able to keep a pulse steady on quarters and eighths is essential. I also encourage students who have piano experience to play percussion since mallets are such an important part of what we do. 

Make sure that you are using working equipment so students have an equal opportunity to make a quality sound on every instrument. I will admit (and yes, this is controversial) that I do use a slightly harder reed on saxophone than clarinet. I want to make sure that I have committed students on saxophone who can play with good air. Saxophone is typically a little easier for students to make a sound on and no, I don't want a sax orchestra for my beginning band. 

Really my number one goal is to help students find the instrument that they will have the most instant success on. We want them to be able to make music as quickly as possible, if they are struggling to produce a tone for weeks while their peers are moving onto playing songs they are likely to get discouraged and eventually quit. 

Professional Dress

Teachers reported back to school last week and even though we didn't have students I have to admit that I was absolutely appalled by the appearance of so many of my colleagues on the first day of work. Many of my friends have heard me rant about this topic in person but I just had to take the moment to spread my thoughts further.

We are constantly whining that we are not treated or compensated appropriate for the degrees that we have. We call ourselves professionals and want to be treated as such. If we want our profession to gain the respect we all know we deserve, we have to start dressing the part! I have always heard and believed that you "dress for the job you want, not the job you have". Dress for success and all that. I have even heard from colleagues that what they wear shouldn't matter, just what they teach. Well I'm sorry, it does matter. The impression you give the world through your appearance does matter and your students notice too. I've actually asked my students about this, because they have noticed that I dress "nicer" than their other teachers and they wonder why. Students have repeatedly shared with me that they do respect teachers more that dress in a professional manner and they act differently too.

Now what does this all mean?  Don't worry, I'll break it down for you.

Pants/Skirts
Pants my friends. Wear pants, not leggings and for the love of band not yoga pants.  I don't care how oversized your shirt is, leggings are not professional. Workout clothes should be reserved for the marching band field only. Jeans should be reserved for Fridays only and should be clean, neat and dark colored because those look more professional.  If you're sitting in meetings all day jeans may be fine but again, don't look like you're going outside to do yard work.  Even then, I do not wear jeans for at least the first month of school or so and when I do it's usually with a spirit shirt or school colors. Dress pants, khakis, even dressier capri pants if you teach in warmer climates are fine just make sure they are again clean, neat and fit properly. We don't need to be showing off how many squats we do at the gym in our classrooms or on stage, make sure your pants aren't too tight. Women often like to wear skirts and dresses and that's perfectly fine. Skirts and dresses for teaching should be knee length or longer. Maxi skirts are something I would consider a bit casual but I think still work for days in the classroom, they're like getting away with wearing yoga pants to school. I love to rock a good pencil skirt as much as the next professional woman but in our job you must be careful that they're not too tight. You have moving around to do and you don't want to be restricted.

Footwear
Dress shoes are essential. They make some pretty comfortable flats these days and guys they make dress shoes that feel like sneakers. You don't need to wear heels or wing tips to look professional. I'm not saying they have to be boring, I'm just saying that they shouldn't be crocs. Or flip flops! I live in a climate where many women feel that strappy sandals work for professional dress, I tend to disagree but that's just me. A pair of nice looking flats can be comfortable and go a long way to helping you look more professional. You can find inexpensive ones easily or get some really nice pairs. I recently upgraded my shoe stock and found some great flats with cushioning and everything. If you're comfortable in heels all day, more power to you. However, be aware that maybe 5" heels are more appropriate for the night club than the classroom or concert stage. If you teach marching band and you're running around on a field all day by all means wear sneakers. For competitions however, you should find yourself something professional and comfortable.

Shirts/Blouses
On top we also have some things to keep in mind. Gentlemen in most places are usually fine in a polo but I am a bit old school (as is my husband) in this regard and I like to see teachers in a shirt and tie. You can have some fun with ties too- go for it! Again really, outside of marching rehearsals and perhaps spirit days we should save our t-shirts for the weekends at home. I personally like having a polo that compliments the student t-shirts to wear on spirit days, being mistaken for a student was cute for a little while and then I realized I needed to start looking like the adult in the room too. Ladies, we must consider our necklines in our shirts. The "twins" are not something our students should ever be able to glance at. Please consider that as ensemble conductors our arms flap around all day and really should be covered to a degree. We don't want any extra movement (putting it bluntly) distracting our students, or our audience while we conduct.  I personally am a fan of wearing a blazer  or a cardigan although I too get rather warm conducting all day and often end up taking it off when I can.  Always keep in mind that if you do wear a sleeveless top that your bra straps should never show while teaching.

Performances
In performances we should also be aware of a few things. First and foremost, our clothing should fit properly. I have been just about every size a woman can be and I have the black blazers to prove it. You don't want to look like a little kid playing dress up in an oversized jacket or like Chris Farley in Tommy Boy with one that you've outgrown. Something to consider in our profession when purchasing jackets for concerts are sleeve length and jacket length. While ladies often like 3/4 length sleeves for a formal concert they really should be long and over the wrist. Jacket length for both men and women should cover your rear end, which can be difficult to find in stores today. The audience should be watching their kiddos perform and we don't want to be a distraction for them.  I have seen some women wear some beautiful dresses and gowns and have been known to wear one a few times myself. Be mindful of the length of the skirt, the fall of the neckline when you bow, and any extraneous movement or sparkle that could be distracting for the audience. I've spent entire concerts focused on the sparkle of a jacket or watching how a dress flows as a conductor moves and that is hopefully not what you want your audience thinking about. Also, keep in mind to check for any bumps or lines cause by undergarments that might show. Spanx are a miraculous thing, and that's all I'll say on that topic.

I know personal budgets are smaller than we'd like and we often do not have an abundance of free time for clothes shopping but we must make how we present ourselves a priority. I am a big fan of clearance racks and sales. Discount stores such as T.J.Maxx and Marshalls are great too. Kohl's and Target clearance often have great finds. Don't overlook your local thrift stores either! I have found some great Ann Taylor LOFT pants for $10 at Goodwill and the like. I recently even bought a light weight chiffon blazer off of Amazon for $25 that was a great little find.

If we want others to respect our profession we must garner that respect by the way we dress.  How we look is the first impression the world has about us, our program and the impact we make. We wish we lived in a world where people were not judged on their appearances but let's face it, we all are and we all do. If we want to be taken seriously as teachers I believe we need to take ourselves a little more seriously too. I guarantee when we dress more professionally people notice and you will notice the difference in how your colleagues, students, and parents treat you too.

Band Director's Talk Shop-Proactive Classroom Management

I was recently contacted by the Band Director's Talk Shop website to be a contributing author.
Cool huh?

I thought a post on Proactive Classroom Management in the beginning of the year might be helpful to other directors. It is something I present clinics on and feel very passionate about helping other teachers with. So, instead of a new post I give you my first unofficial publication!

Band Director's Talk Shop-Proactive Classroom Management for Band in the Beginning of the Year

Let me know what you think and if any of this is helpful for you!

"FUN"damentals

When teaching young musicians we must keep the end goal in mind at all times, making meaningful music. Young students cannot get to the point of true music making if a lack of fundamental skills is holding them back. Therefore it is our responsibility to make sure that fundamental training is the core of what we are focused on. However young students don't want to play long tones and scales. Why would they? They're boring. We must find ways to excite our youngest musicians over learning these mundane tasks. Much like getting young children to eat their veggies. We know they're good for them, but we have to make them exciting in order for them to eat them. Eventually eating veggies, or practicing scales, just becomes what we do.

Long Tones/Technique Drills
There is nothing more boring for a young musician that holding out the same note over and over again. We are trying to find the center of their tone, balance, blend, tune, etc. They are just bored.  A simple addition of added accompaniment to your long tone warm-ups can make them a little more interesting for students. Added drum beats from the Dr. Beat, GarageBand, or a drum beat app can help young students with pulse and make that Concert F feel like its part of a rock band. You are now able to get off the podium and walk around to listen to and assist students because they don't need your conducting to stay together. You can still work on listening skills by asking them to focus on the beat, even certain aspects of it, and by listening beyond the beat to each other.

Rhythm Studies
Students used to begrudge doing separate rhythm training more than any other aspect of rehearsal. It's not easy work, everyone can hear clearly when they make a mistake, and they don't want to count. A few changes to this aspect of my rehearsals have made it something my students are excited about. First I changed from clapping with hands to patting on the shoulder. We cross our hand over to the opposite shoulder. Crossing our bodies activates more regions of the brain as we engage both the right and left cortexes. It is also much quieter for students and they don't feel so singled out when they make a mistake, although I can still hear and see it. I also remind them when we begin each day "Everybody counts because everybody counts!" (They recite the second part with me.)  This is their reminder that we need everyone to participate and that each member of our team is valuable and responsible for learning.

What really excites the students is a little class competition called the Rhythm Race. Just a chart to track what exercise in our rhythm book each class is on so they can see and compare. I've seen much greater effort and focus in learning and passing off exercises since implementing this system. Several classes often end up neck and neck on the chart and they really try to get ahead. What's even more miraculous is that after awhile the students are the ones who decide whether or not they've passed off on an exercise. To do this they must already know what your level of expectation is, otherwise they could want to pass off just to be done with it. Once that is established, I've found my students to actually be harder critics than I am. They won't pass off an exercise until it's practically perfect.

Keeping things relevant for students is important. This year with the Pokemon Go craze I've decided to incorporate that into our Rhythm Race. Each exercise is now a different Pokemon that they will "catch" when they pass off.

Scale Study
Scales were always my least favorite part of learning as a young musician and I see this in my students as well. Scale tests used to be painful and long. Students were vastly unprepared and it would take an entire class period or more to hear them. In an effort to excite students more about scales, to hear them play more, and to spend less time over all we began Scale Wars.

It begins with a simple chart to track who has passed off on which scales, but there is more to it than that. Students sign up in a book prior to the start of class each day to pass off on specific scales. After we practice scales as a class the 3 students who have signed up play the scales they have chosen. They either pass or are asked to try again another day. When they pass they get a sticker, we clap for them and move on. If less than 3 students have signed up in a day I choose students by random (it used to be through popsicle sticks but is now on a Name Selector App on the iPad) to play. I can ask them to play any scale we've already learned in class. Usually students are lined up at the beginning of class to pass off. When they have played all the required scales for their class they can choose to join the Dark or Light side of the force. They get to sign the posters, we play the Star Wars music (Main Theme for Light Side and Imperial March for the Dark Side of course) and cheer and celebrate their accomplishment. It's a big deal to pass off on scales and they love it!!


As you're planning your classrooms for the beginning of the year you may consider how you can make some of your fundamental training in rehearsals more enjoyable for your students. You can all have more fun and you'll be surprised at how much more motivated your musicians can be during this part of class each day.

Preparing for the First Day of School

It's the most wonderful time of the year! I think its wonderful that we have a chance fresh start each year. Whether we have new students or returning students, everyone begins with a clean slate full of possibilities and potential.  What we do to create a positive, safe, and controlled environment before school begins will lead to success throughout the entire school year. Unfortunately this usually means a great deal of time is spent off contract before the school year begins to prepare. I consider the two weeks prior to my contract beginning preparation time. Not everyone does and that's okay. I find the planning and organization I do during this time to be imperative to having a smooth school year.

Handbook
One of the first things I do to prepare for the year is update and print my Band Handbook. It includes details on our classroom procedures and my policies regarding grading, concerts, and behavior. Establishing your expectations in these areas prior to the school year is important in creating the culture you want in your classroom. You should send this information home on the very first day of school. When students go home after their first day most parents will ask for information they received from their teachers or if there is anything they need to know. While parents may not have the time to sit down and go through the handbook in detail like we hope at least they have it and can put it somewhere safe before the chaos of the new school year really kicks in. If the handbook takes a few days or even weeks before going home it is more likely to get lost or forgotten about. Also have parents sign a document or contract stating that they have seen and agree to the terms in the handbook. This book is really the insurance of your policies. This way if and when there is a question or issue you have proof that they at least said they read the information.

Calendar
Your department calendar should be set prior to leaving for the summer from last school year. If for any reason it was not, this should be one of your first priorities. Communicate with school secretaries and feeder teachers to plan a year long calendar so there are no overlapping events. A copy of this calendar should be included in the information in your Handbook that students bring home on the first day of school. I even go as far as to have students circle the events that apply to them on the calendar.

Instruments
Time should be taken both at the end of the previous school year and the beginning of the next to go through your instrument inventory. Hopefully all instruments have been thoroughly cleaned and any needing repairs have been brought to the repair shop. You want to start the school year with a fully functioning inventory so everyone can participate. Grease slides and corks, oil valves and tune percussion heads to ensure everything will work the moment a student uses it. If you know ahead of time which students need to use school instruments you should pre-assign instruments to these students. I usually pre-assign the instrument lockers to all students as well and place the instrument in the student's locker. I fill out the loan agreement paperwork for the student to have their parents sign and place that in their folder for the first day with other materials. This saves valuable class time in the first week of school and leaves me with only a few loose ends on which instruments are left to give to students.

Music
If you know the level of the students in your ensembles you should program your musical selections for the entire year over the summer. This is one of the most important tasks we have to accomplish and can not be rushed. I spend approximately a whole week listening to music and looking at scores in order to make these decisions. Then before the year begins (and preferably before the other teachers return to school) I get as much of this copied as I can, at least for the first concert.

On the first day of class each student receives a folder with their handbook, method book, warm-up packet, scale packet, and music prepared for them. It will also include an instrument loan form where necessary and any other papers that might be handed out during the first few weeks of school. This level of preparation takes time and team work (former and current students and parents come in to help) but is essential in an efficient first week of school. Think about how much class time is spared by only having to hand out one item instead of them all separately! Think of the message it sends to the students about how your classroom will function and the level of organization to be expected. It also makes it much more difficult for students to claim they didn't receive something or lost a paper when you know they were handed out all together in a folder. Your local music store should be able to provide you with free folders to use.

Paperwork
Purchase orders, travel requests, fundraising approval...there is a lot of paperwork to be done in our jobs! If you know ahead of time you will need things for the beginning of the school year try to get this paperwork done before students enter your room. In fact, I usually have an open purchase order for supplies and one for our band t-shirts put on the system at the end of the previous school year that opens on July 1st. If funds used need to be approved through your student council there may be a few weeks in the beginning of the year before their organization has a meeting, leaving you waiting for what you need. If they can approve these items at the end of the previous year you can save yourself a great deal of stress.

Classroom
The way your classroom is presented on the first day of school gives your students an impression of you and what to expect during the school year. Label everything that you possibly can. I label lockers with student names, places for items to be stores and places for students to find things. I have found that 2-3" clear book tape works well to keep labels on and clean throughout the year. If your classroom looks clean, neat, and organized from the start students are likely to want to help you keep it this way. Learning can not exist in chaos. Order helps calm their young minds and yours so do your best to maintain an organized classroom throughout the year. I like a colorful classroom with lots of information for students to gaze at when they are day dreaming. Finish all bulletin boards and cover all unfinished surfaces. Fabric remnants in your school colors are a great tool for covering the tops of tables and pianos from dust. Your classroom should be warm and inviting right from the start. Take the time necessary to give everything a place and to create the environment that will inspire meaningful music making for you and your students.

A lot more goes into preparing for the first day of school than most students and parents realize. While it can be disheartening to give up our last few moments of summer vacations to working in our classrooms the time you take will be well worth the effort when those smiling young musicians bust open the doors on the very first day!

Programming

Unlike other subjects in school, music teachers have the responsibility of choosing our curriculum each year. It is truly one of the most important tasks that we must achieve. The music we choose can teach concepts, highlight strengths or weaknesses in our ensembles, and most importantly it can inspire. It can inspire our young musicians, ourselves and even our audiences. Or, it can not. You must choose, but you must choose wisely.

I spend approximately a week each summer deciding on the musical selections for the five ensembles in my program. There are years where carving out this time has been difficult and I have played catch up throughout the year. When this happens I always regret my decisions. Taking the time to program appropriately for your ensembles is one of the most important things that directors must do for their students and their own success. Here are some things I like to consider when programming for my middle school bands.

1. Musicians
I am fortunate that after 9 years at my school I pre-audition students and place them into ability-based ensembles. I know each and every child who will be in the program, what they play, and what level they play. Therefore the most important consideration for me are the musicians I will be making music with. What are their strengths that I want to highlight? What are their weaknesses?  This year for example in my Concert Band, the brass and saxes are going to be extremely strong sections. My flutes however are young and inexperienced. It was difficult to find music, especially for the beginning of the year that wouldn't feature that section until I know we have a chance to work together so they can gain some skills and confidence.  Playing to your ensemble's strengths and finding ways to build or even mask your weaknesses will lead to greater feelings of success amongst your musicians.

Don't forget that it is okay to rewrite parts, especially for younger bands if it makes a piece more accessible to your ensemble. Most composers I have spoken with agree that you need to do what's best for your ensemble. If there's a trombone feature but you don't have the section for it, perhaps your euphoniums or tenor sax player can cover that part. I'm not always the best in remembering and deciding to do this, but it is okay to make this choice.

2. Level
This may seem simple but considering the ability level of the musicians is essential. What concepts do they know and are they already able to accomplish on the day you hand out the music? What do you want them to learn through the music? What will be easy for them? What will be challenging for them? Hopefully every piece of music our students play will help them grow into more mature musicians in some way. There is undoubtedly some concepts or skills we either want to teach or reinforce in the music we learn. Having a clear idea of what these are can help you focus your lessons and your programming. Perhaps even writing out the "Student Learning Objectives" you want to focus on in each piece of music you are teaching can help. We must keep in mind that the music we choose should reinforce the curriculum that is set by your district (if you have one).

A good rule in considering level is to try to have a piece that is technically easy but can challenge your students musically, a piece that is middle of the road in their level but might teach some new concepts/skills, and a piece that technically pushes their ability or musicality to the next level somehow. I try to have a piece that my students can feel immediate success on. Elliott del Borgo once said in a session (that I unfortunately couldn't get into because it was packed!) that your students should be able to sight read through a piece with no more than three crash and burns. I'm not sure I've necessarily stuck to that rule all of the time but it is always something in the back of my mind. While we want to stretch our students, over programming only creates frustrations for both you and your students. We should be striving to have meaningful musical moments and those can't happen when we are still fighting technical aspects during a concert.

3. Time
Something often overlooked, especially by young directors is how much time you have for the students to learn the music to an appropriate level of mastery. What testing dates might get in the way? What other events might take their focus off of learning and practicing this music? It is imperative to consider the whole picture in programming. I know that I always need to under program for our December Concert. We do a project during second quarter which takes approximately 8-10 rehearsals out of play. We have Area Festival 3rd quarter but that's also District Honor Band Auditions that students have to practice for. When we are preparing for State 4th quarter I might lose students to testing. Don't forget to look at the big picture. I map out the entire year of performances so I can make sure I am considering all the road blocks along the way to our performance dates.

Last year's programming map for Concert Band

4. Quality
When speaking with other directors there seem to be several different philosophies on the kind of music we program. One school of thought is that we should be appealing to our audience and students' interests, focusing on fun and popular music in our ensembles. Another, and probably more widely accepted in the academics in our field is that we should be focusing on classic band literature, transcriptions and original works for band that appeal to and advance the "art" of what we do. I feel that both opinions hold validity. "Art" music certainly does not hold the popularity it once did when it was a main form of entertainment for society. Learning about it and to play it can help maintain its existence and grow its appreciation. However, when our programming is only focused on core, art music we risk becoming elitists in who we are attracting to our ensembles. With so much time and effort spent on advocating for the continuation and importance of our programs we can not afford to appeal only to a portion of our school's population.

The inclusion of music that appeals to student and audience interest can be a wonderful tool in keeping interest in our programs. However, this does not mean "pop or fun" music all the time. If you notice in my year-long program from above I do not have anything that falls in this category programmed for the band's concerts. I am fortunate that even at the junior high school we have a pep band that plays for the school. I make sure to program music the kids get excited about for this venue. Events for the school and community are a great way to appeal to this aspect of music making, which is why I believe that marching band stand tunes should be modern and recognizable by the current student population. For my younger students who are not quite ready for the pep band I do try to program something fun for them towards the end of the year.  Anything they can get excited over works! Remember, if you're excited about it they will be too.

When looking for music to program one of my first stops is almost always the GIA Publications "Teaching Music Through Performance" series. There are 10 different volumes that cover quality grades 2-5 literature, two beginning band books, a middle school book, a book dedicated to marches, and several jazz books. Each book focuses on an incredibly detailed synopsis of several pieces of music and includes extremely helpful articles by some of the top professionals in the field. These books should be a staple in every band director's library! In addition to these I also frequent the Texas UIL and Florida Bandmaster's required music lists. They are a great starting point to finding what many directors over the years have coined as core literature.


Regardless of what qualifications you put on your programming each year we must remember what an important task selecting music is! Our goal must always be to make meaningful music with our students and we can't have that if we don't program appropriately. Playing great music creates experiences that our musicians will remember throughout their lives, it can speak to our emotions, and connect us. It's that powerful! So remember, with great power comes great responsibility.
Happy programming!!