2 replies to this topic

[jaeroplane]

Hello!
This is my first year at my current job. It is quite different than my last job (high school bands of 120+). I have 6 students in my high school band, 9 students in the junior high. I am taking some steps to recruit more, but I have a lot of questions about the students I do have.
I'm having trouble keeping the high school students on task. They like to tell their stories, and we get sidetracked a lot. Suggestions?
Also, they aren't very challenged by the music. Do you have any suggestions for challenging pieces appropriate for a small group?
My junior high band has a variety of abilities. Some can play chamber music very well, some can't play a B-flat scale. How do I teach both levels with the same music? Any literature suggestions for this group?
Finally, I have no trumpet players. Is it inappropriate for me to play trumpet with the band on the concert instead of conduct?
Thanks!

[Meldog]

It sounds very familiar to what I came in to when I started my current job. I had 6 students in Jr. High Band and 6 students in Sr. High Band. 11 months later and it's a whole different story but here is some of what I found. First, to keep students on task, have a plan laid out for each rehearsal. If you have a white board or chalk board, right exactly what you are going to do in rehearsal so when students come in they know exactly what is going to be expected of them. It will help keep you on task and the students. Nothing wrong with allowing yourself to get off-topic every now and then but if its to the point where it is hurting your rehearsals it's definitely time to limit that discussion. Also, start playing immediately. If you have any announcement do it after your warm-up. Many times it's easy to get talking before anyone plays. When the playing starts the students know it is time to rehearse, and then you can do announcements and etc..

I had and still have 10 graders that can barely read music. The last teacher destroyed the program so I'm having to build from the beginning up. I do a lot of rote teaching which drives me nuts but the kids see the results and that helps motivate them to practice. The future is your beginners. I am slowly getting them caught up knowledge wise but it's a slow go as expected. I find pieces that can have a thin instrumentation. Lots of level two music and some easy level three music is great for this. I really wouldn't suggest playing trumpet for the performance as you are the director. However, if you want to get some more involvement, see if any staff members play instruments, see if any parents or community members do and get them to help out. They might not be able to make most the rehearsals but if they can help out on a few and the concert you are set. As far as teaching the different levels, in lessons I work my tail off to help them with their actual playing and reading and in band as I mentioned above, I teach by rote. I play a line and they have to play it back and we piece the music together like that. It is all I can do until they can read and do this on their own. With this I was able to take the band last year from playing level 1 1/2 pieces to playing an easy level 4 piece.

Anyway, good luck with it and try to get the kids to help you out with recruitment!!

[Stephen]

I too have a small band program. Last year I had 11 in my middle school band and 14 in my high school band.
They like to sidetrack me as well, besides standing more firm in my behavior policy I started doing more whole band drills in my warm sessions. This caused my warm-up sessions to be much longer...almost 1/2 of class, but the benefits have been good.
I too have started to either switch players or get new ones to fill out the instrumentation. Now my problem is to teach beginning band and HS band at the same time...oye!
Stephen Whitfield
Marathon High School
"The Heart of the Florida Keys"