4 replies to this topic

[Caesar7770]

I am a young Band Director - I taught elementary general/instrumental music for 2 years, then I found a new district teaching high school Band. I left my first job because I wanted to teach high school band. This is my second year at this school. The school is an inner-city school in a poorer area, most of the kids are immigrants or children of immigrants. I'm also the only Band teacher managing about 45 kids that participate in all the ensembles - concert, marching, jazz, pit orchestra.

In my second year I took the marching band competitive, the numbers are increasing, and the concert band is sounding decent. The problems I face are a population of students that don't care to achieve and it is very difficult to motivate them (I've tried everything). Parent involvement is almost non-existent despite my attempts at increasing it. I'm not giving up on my program but many times I feel as if the deck is so stacked against my chances at building a great program.

I'm not saying that I'm un-happy, but I'm not happy either. I've considered looking for a new district with a different population. My goals personally - I would like to provide the best music ed possible for my students and work with high school kids who want to achieve and a work with a community that values their music programs.

I understand that kids will be kids, and that I am still growing as a teacher (working on my own teaching chops). I also understand that any school I go to will have challanges. But I ask if I would have more success at a different school with a culture that was more music oriented? I'm also concerned to leave because I don't want to be always "job-hopping" but I don't want to work until a point where I can't leave and I'm stuck. I really believe that my philosophy of wanting to build a strong program (both concert and marching) completly clashes with the culture of the school.

Is there any advice that you could give me? Should I look for a new school or stay where I am? Any stories anybody would like to share?

Thank you.

[Jumberg]

I feel your pain and have much of the same frustrations...here is the scary part though. I have almost the exact same problem (really, almost identical) after 3 years at this school. It is a smaller co-ed catholic high school located in a suburban area. The school building is 3 years old (the school was at another site) and located on 66 acres (I have MY OWN marching band practice field with a shed and tower built). We have about 550 students, 95% of them being white. While there are a good handful of lower to lower-middle class, I would say most of the families are middle class to upper-middle class. I'm not so sure the situation has as much to do with demographics as far as money, race, and location go...i think it is just a sad matter of where our culture is going. Maybe it is only the big music schools with strong tradition that are able to have that full dedication from everyone. I dunno. I'm trying to decide what to do too

[Caesar7770]

Thanks for sharing your frustrations. I honestly wonder if part or all of it has to do with the amount of support that we receive from the school. I don't just mean money or field time (I must say I'm jealous), I mean actually mental support for the arts. For example, any principal will say "I want a strong band" but when push comes to shove will they stand up for the band at the board meeting or will they go jog with the football team?

Take Care!

[Jumberg]

Actually, I have support...the principal is a big arts person and her grandson is in the band. I really see it more as a lack of pride that the kids get from their parents....a lack of doing "whatever it takes"

[hmsbandmaster]

It sounds as though your heart is in the right place and you will have many students where you are who will greatly benefit from what you are doing for them. If you could hang in for a couple more years and hone your teacher chops then you will have a better idea of what is right for you. Perhaps a step-up job will come open that is a good fit for you or the program you are in now will be so awesome that everyone will want to know how you are doing it and you can be a presenter at your state music convention!