Klarinet Archive - Posting 000156.txt from 2007/02

From: Audrey Travis <clr91nt@-----.ca>
Subj: Re: [kl] Band Directors-Help needed
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 22:58:54 -0500

Dear Deborah

Trust me - what your district wants you to do is a tried and true
recipe for disaster and for complete and total burnout for you. You
will be much more than simply "stretched to the limit". As a former
itinerant band teacher (in 6 schools), I occasionally was forced to
have 60 or more students, all beginners on mixed instruments in a 40
minute class held twice a week. Kids came from several different
classes so always arrived at slightly different times. At least half
of each period was spent getting chairs/stands set up/put away, then
trying (but never succeeding in getting around to each child or even
all kids playing the same horn to show them how to put instruments
together correctly, etc., let alone teaching them how to play. Very
often, we had something like 15-20 minutes of actual instruction time -
for 60+ students! Extremely frustrating for the kids, some of whom
taught themselves while others were all thumbs and *everyone* wanting
to try out their new instruments at the same time Even though I was a
good disciplinarian (though not an ogre), there was complete chaos
sometimes, the kids who were ahead of the others quit out of
frustration, administrators didn't understand what actually happened in
a class, and parents were very upset.

You might start by insisting administrators (at the School Board level
come into a homogeneous beginners class and see what really goes on (as
I've described above).

And if parents are buying or renting expensive instruments, they need
to make a big stink about the horrible quality of, or lack or
instruction their child will receive, possibly leading to failure,
dropping out and several hundred dollars being thrown down the drain.
You *must* get a very strong parent group organized to lay it on the
line for your school board that this is completely unacceptable.
School boards really listen to parents and so do school trustees (if
you have them and if they're elected). The parent group must be seen
as being completely independent of you (you're considered to be biased)
so you can't be seen to be involved in its organization. Find one or
two really supportive parents, speak to them privately and get them to
organize a group that will attend board meeting leading up to when the
budget is decided and making sure the band voice is heard. They
should also write or contact trustees if you have them. Talk to music
coalition support groups (perhaps MENC) about what else can be done to
reverse that horrible scenario.

Fight!

Very best of luck!!

Audrey

On 20-Feb-07, at 7:23 PM, Bob and Deborah Shaw wrote:
>
> Our district wants us to do away with 6th grade band, teach
> exploratory and
> not start beginners until 7th grade. At that time they want me to put
> 150+
> beginners in the same room, mixed instruments, to begin their musical
> career. Nothing could be worse than this change. Our band directors,
> choir directors, orchestra directors, teachers and parents are against
> this.
> Our opinion does not count. Money and numbers are the issue.
>
> The way I see it, I will be stretched to the limit and my students
> will not
> be getting the quality education that I have worked so hard to provide
> for
> them. It really stinks! We are going backwards for the sake of this
> blasted middle school concept and the dollars that will be saved.

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