Over the years, however, and too many times – I’ve seen good people have to drop out of band due to decisions made in some of these couplings. A few years ago, I got a response from a former student…..
Tag: marching band
High Teen Standards
Posted in High Schools, Personal experience, Respect, Teaching Music Tagged with: dating, high school students, marching band, pregnancy, standards, teenagers, teens
Typical band performance schedule?
Some marching bands put their performance schedule on the back of the shirt. Would this one even fit?
Marching Band Freshmen and Newbie Survival Guide
The biggest challenge is for newbies to grasp the concept. Some come to us after being big, bossy 8th graders in the Middle School…and now they are….rookies. Our eighth graders get to spend time in both worlds.
Posted in High Schools, Marching Band, Teaching, Teaching Music Tagged with: freshmen, how to, marching band, newbies, rookies, survival guide
Band Camp Prank: Marching Band and Fire Truck
I posted the picture below and got feedback asking how we did that…. so below the pic are some steps and suggestion. Additional pictures below. My father was a 32-yr fire fighter and I spent much of my childhood around…
Posted in High Schools, Marching Band, Respect, Teaching Music Tagged with: band, band camp, fire department, high school prank, marching band, prank
Marching Band Myth Busters: Why I Can’t Be In Marching Band
“I am not in marching band because… I can’t march, can’t memorize music, need a job, am in sports”…etc. All MYTHS. Check out these myth-busters.
Posted in High Schools, Marching Band, Teaching, Teaching Music Tagged with: how to, marching band, newbies, rookies, survival guide
Dear Drum Major Candidates
We have five amazing candidates auditioning for Drum Major. I sent them the following note to let them know that WE (directors) know how hard they’ve been working. I wish we could pick them all…..
Posted in High Schools, Marching Band, Respect Tagged with: auditions, band, drum major, marching band
Everything I Need To Know I Learned In Band, Part 1
by John Gardner Searching at home for a book, I discovered a 1989 edition of Robert Fulghum’s book, All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten. What an easy read of short, humorous, 2-3 page stories of events most…
Posted in High Schools, Marching Band, Music Department, Public Schools, Teaching, Teaching Music Tagged with: Band Directing, band director, concert band, marching band, Teaching, Teaching Music
Band Freshman vs General Population Freshman
Seniors ignore freshmen and freshmen steer clear of seniors….except for BAND freshmen!
Marching band starts just days after graduation with rehearsals in June and a two-week band camp prior to school. So, by the time non-band freshmen arrive, band freshmen have 100 friends, including seniors.
Posted in High Schools, Teaching, Teaching Music Tagged with: band, competition, education, marching band, self-esteem, teens, values
“Getting out of the rut” no longer works with teens
I came into a program that was stable, consistent, well-rounded — but with few exceptional accomplishments in marching band competition. I told them,
“If you keep doing the things you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting the results you’ve been getting.”
I tried to use the analogy of “getting out of the rut”. It did NOT work. I now know why.
Posted in Assistant Directing, Classroom Teacher, High Schools, Teaching Music Tagged with: changing direction, competition, goals, marching band, motivation
Teens will listen
I have always believed that if you show them that you really care about them as an individual, and treat them with dignity and respect, that they will give it to you in return. I think you can see that in this picture – can’t you?
Posted in High Schools, Music Department, Personal experience, Respect, Teaching, Teaching Music Tagged with: band, high school, marching band, mentoring, Respect, Teaching, teenagers, teens
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