Klarinet Archive - Posting 001172.txt from 1997/10

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: what I have to teach
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 1997 16:52:13 -0500

Um.....I am in the real world .....honest......and I have taught in the
real world for quite some time.

Administrators make mistakes.....so do music teachers. Frequently, I have
found that behavioral problems occur in the band room when:

1. the teaching pace is too slow
2. the music is too hard
3. too much talking from teacher, too little non-verbal teaching
4. students are not kept on task enough
5. students are not individually challenged by the teacher

If a student continues to be a behavioral problem, he or she may be
removed from an elective class at the end of the quarter. This is much
more prevelant in schools than the administration denying the teacher this
right. If the student is a behavioral problem and it shows in his
playing/preparation for class....it is an easy thing to simply hear that
student play on a regular basis for a grade........going down the line is
easy. If the playing is not up to par, give the appropriate grade.
Students will either become better players/musicians, or they will quit.
Frankly, too many A's are given in band......why? Because band directors
are measured by their administrators by:

1. numbers in the program
2. the trophy they bring home during marching season

There are many, many ways to circumvent a poor administrative decision,
not the least is to go over the administrator's head. This is precisely
why there are teacher's unions, and it is why tenure still exists in most
school districts.

The director who allows an administrator to make such decisions for him
is one who may also have difficulty controlling a classroom.

Are there two bands? Three? How about a Jazz Band? Is the student
placed in the top ensemble and/or jazz ensemble? These are not student
rights....these are groups that must be auditioned for and the student
earns the right to play in the ensemble. And.....the student must
maintain the ability to remain with the ensemble.

Roger Garrett

On Sun, 26 Oct 1997, Bill Hausmann wrote:

> I have met many band directors who have been
> unable to remove problems from their classes because the administration
> would not allow it. And the kids know it. It probably makes them WORSE
> because they know nothing can be done. I know at least one director who
> quit for this very reason. It SHOULD be the way you describe, but again,
> the real world intrudes...
>
>
>
> Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
> 451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
> Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
>
> If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.
>