Band Camp, Culture, and Kids: Why My Numbers Keep Going Up!
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Lately, through my online band director forums, I have noticed a consistent trend from frustrated directors. They essentially fit into one of three categories:
1. Today was my first day of band camp, and a number of students didn't show up.
2. A student showed up to band camp and didn't come back, he/she quit.
3. One of my student leaders quit citing a variety of reasons.
My hope here is not to discuss, chide, or label these directors or programs. I have been in those shoes in previous positions. It's unfortunately a part of our career. My hope here is to share the strategies I have used to counteract these scenarios.
Over the past five years, my numbers have consistently grown within my program. I do not have students failing to show up, nor do I have kids quit after 1 or 2 days. The process to get here was long and has taken mucho energy. Maybe you will find some of this information helpful?!?
The hardest thing to understand is that the above scenarios are cultural. Directors (in my opinion) take it personally. I did. After so many failed attempts, the biggest weapon I have found is to look "inward" rather than "outward." By evaluating the experience of the students I do have, making changes, there has been a huge consequential byproduct of student growth.
Five years ago, I began to invest HEAVILY into the culture of our program. I asked some serious questions:
1. "What is the student experience in this program?"
2. "Do they understand our mission?"
3. "How are my students using music as a journey for their personal growth within the context of my program?"
So . . . . what did I do?
I STOPPED ATTEMPTING AND TRYING TO HAVE FUN.
No, seriously. Every time I tried to force humor upon my students it backfired. I, instead, focused my energy on a healthy rehearsal process. The students began to understand every specific aspect of it. They were clear about our expectations. As a result, rehearsals became focused. Indirectly, I discovered a huge payoff from this. Students found band to NOT be a waste of their time. I never would have guessed that students care more about effective use of their time rather than fun. (They will never tell you this, you have to discover it for yourself). Trust me. As a result, students coming in are understanding what is expected of them and that in fact this activity is worthwhile. I have students and parents preaching this from day 1.
I BECAME METICULOUS ABOUT THE CALENDAR AND BAND FORMS
(This was more to win over parents than students).
Before the end of the prior school year, I have a full ensemble rehearsal meeting. At this meeting, I hand out EVERY form a family could ever need. In addition, every form is published on our school district website. The entire calendar for the next school year (yes, school year, not just marching band) is published. The students and I talk through this meticulously. Finally, I hand out paperwork on how to join all of our social media accounts (Twitter, FB, and Remind). The payoff here has been that parents are clearly communicated with from Day 1. The forms list the due dates and where they must be delivered. Parents and Students are able to have honest conversations about the schedule. This has been a ton of work for me to do in those closing weeks of the school year, but I have discovered it has quelled the fears of new students and parents.
I HAVE HEAVILY FOCUSED ON THE PROCESS RATHER THAN THE PRODUCT
A large arc of my teaching philosophy has focused on the process. "Why we do what we do?" so to speak. Contextually explaining the rehearsal process has taken years. Students do not appreciate it largely because they have not experienced the process. We have consistent and frequent conversations about the process. In terms of this topic, I have found that students greatly respect the rehearsal time we do have. They understand that I don't have abstract rehearsals that are pointless. In the past, when a student has missed a portion of band camp (which, lets be honest, always happens) the student HAS to figure out a way to make up the lost work. Many students take the band camp timeframe seriously in this program. They understand its value and respect the time we spend together.
CONSISTENTLY LOOK FOR NEW IDEAS
In the spring, I began a new venture. Upon recommendation of a wise band director, we started to have parent chat sessions at local coffee houses. These informal sessions allowed for parents to communicate and get insight into the band experience. What WAS cool was how it informed support for new parents. Having them on board with the process has bettered our program in the few short months we started it. (We started doing this in the spring as a side tool to recruiting.)
The lesson I learned is that problems that develop in the band room are not specific, rather they are cultural. As you make decisions and address situations, you cultivate a larger idea of what your program is. Students react and inform their relationship to that idea. Each year, I have been fractionally happier with my program culture, and as a result, student engagement and participation has grown. My problems have recessed each season. It was tough because I had to address some concerns head on, and others minutely over many years. I have also had to be accountable for every decision I made.
This year, as my marching band season begins, I am focusing on my leadership teams approach to their individual section spirit. I feel that from all of the information mentioned above, my students have become very good at showing up and rehearsing. I am starting to question their spirit outside of the rehearsal process. I have developed (with the help of Scott Lang materials) a project in which section leaders will develop a cultural project with their section. My hope is to give a bit of humanity to what can easily become a season of stale rehearsing
By the way . . . my marching band numbers are up again! We are marching 165 this year!
Lately, through my online band director forums, I have noticed a consistent trend from frustrated directors. They essentially fit into one of three categories:
1. Today was my first day of band camp, and a number of students didn't show up.
2. A student showed up to band camp and didn't come back, he/she quit.
3. One of my student leaders quit citing a variety of reasons.
My hope here is not to discuss, chide, or label these directors or programs. I have been in those shoes in previous positions. It's unfortunately a part of our career. My hope here is to share the strategies I have used to counteract these scenarios.
Over the past five years, my numbers have consistently grown within my program. I do not have students failing to show up, nor do I have kids quit after 1 or 2 days. The process to get here was long and has taken mucho energy. Maybe you will find some of this information helpful?!?
The hardest thing to understand is that the above scenarios are cultural. Directors (in my opinion) take it personally. I did. After so many failed attempts, the biggest weapon I have found is to look "inward" rather than "outward." By evaluating the experience of the students I do have, making changes, there has been a huge consequential byproduct of student growth.
Five years ago, I began to invest HEAVILY into the culture of our program. I asked some serious questions:
1. "What is the student experience in this program?"
2. "Do they understand our mission?"
3. "How are my students using music as a journey for their personal growth within the context of my program?"
So . . . . what did I do?
I STOPPED ATTEMPTING AND TRYING TO HAVE FUN.
No, seriously. Every time I tried to force humor upon my students it backfired. I, instead, focused my energy on a healthy rehearsal process. The students began to understand every specific aspect of it. They were clear about our expectations. As a result, rehearsals became focused. Indirectly, I discovered a huge payoff from this. Students found band to NOT be a waste of their time. I never would have guessed that students care more about effective use of their time rather than fun. (They will never tell you this, you have to discover it for yourself). Trust me. As a result, students coming in are understanding what is expected of them and that in fact this activity is worthwhile. I have students and parents preaching this from day 1.
I BECAME METICULOUS ABOUT THE CALENDAR AND BAND FORMS
(This was more to win over parents than students).
Before the end of the prior school year, I have a full ensemble rehearsal meeting. At this meeting, I hand out EVERY form a family could ever need. In addition, every form is published on our school district website. The entire calendar for the next school year (yes, school year, not just marching band) is published. The students and I talk through this meticulously. Finally, I hand out paperwork on how to join all of our social media accounts (Twitter, FB, and Remind). The payoff here has been that parents are clearly communicated with from Day 1. The forms list the due dates and where they must be delivered. Parents and Students are able to have honest conversations about the schedule. This has been a ton of work for me to do in those closing weeks of the school year, but I have discovered it has quelled the fears of new students and parents.
I HAVE HEAVILY FOCUSED ON THE PROCESS RATHER THAN THE PRODUCT
A large arc of my teaching philosophy has focused on the process. "Why we do what we do?" so to speak. Contextually explaining the rehearsal process has taken years. Students do not appreciate it largely because they have not experienced the process. We have consistent and frequent conversations about the process. In terms of this topic, I have found that students greatly respect the rehearsal time we do have. They understand that I don't have abstract rehearsals that are pointless. In the past, when a student has missed a portion of band camp (which, lets be honest, always happens) the student HAS to figure out a way to make up the lost work. Many students take the band camp timeframe seriously in this program. They understand its value and respect the time we spend together.
CONSISTENTLY LOOK FOR NEW IDEAS
In the spring, I began a new venture. Upon recommendation of a wise band director, we started to have parent chat sessions at local coffee houses. These informal sessions allowed for parents to communicate and get insight into the band experience. What WAS cool was how it informed support for new parents. Having them on board with the process has bettered our program in the few short months we started it. (We started doing this in the spring as a side tool to recruiting.)
The lesson I learned is that problems that develop in the band room are not specific, rather they are cultural. As you make decisions and address situations, you cultivate a larger idea of what your program is. Students react and inform their relationship to that idea. Each year, I have been fractionally happier with my program culture, and as a result, student engagement and participation has grown. My problems have recessed each season. It was tough because I had to address some concerns head on, and others minutely over many years. I have also had to be accountable for every decision I made.
This year, as my marching band season begins, I am focusing on my leadership teams approach to their individual section spirit. I feel that from all of the information mentioned above, my students have become very good at showing up and rehearsing. I am starting to question their spirit outside of the rehearsal process. I have developed (with the help of Scott Lang materials) a project in which section leaders will develop a cultural project with their section. My hope is to give a bit of humanity to what can easily become a season of stale rehearsing
By the way . . . my marching band numbers are up again! We are marching 165 this year!
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