Uh-oh, a semi-serious post.
Well, I've lived up to two of the three promises I made myself this year. I have been keeping a daily log (for documentation purposes), and I've been diplomatic in all of my dealings with students, parents, and administrators. However, my desk does look like a trash bomb went off on it. Oh well. Maybe I'll clean it up eventually.
Getting a few things off my chest:
I took this gig because I wanted the challenge of building something up from nothing, which is where it's at. It's a little tougher than I thought. I know I can be an impatient person, and it's not as if the prospect is overwhelming, but it's been really tough for me to get excited about band this year, knowing that's it's going to be small and missing most of the parts. I think it's tough for the kids to get excited about it, too. I'm doing my best to be positive and hand out fun music, but what's really difficult is trying to find music that will 1.) appeal to their age and ability level, while at the same time 2.) be scored in such a way as a band of 11 will sound good playing it. The kids are supportive and cooperative, but already getting kind of duldrummy about it. I kinda am too. I knew that building a program would take time. Like, YEARS kinda time. And I guess I'm okay. I just have to be positive and think about the future.
Here's the other one, and I can smell this one coming in the wind. The same way you can smell a smelting plant or a rendering plant from the highway before you can see it.
We're starting to have meetings, and the main topic of one of these meetings (I shit you not) is "school spirit." We're actually interrupting planning and curriculum development time to talk about getting excited for the big game. I know this is an argument (discussion, point, whatever you want to call it) that I will never win (make understand, find a way to communicate with, whatever you want to call that too) with any AD, coach, or administrator, but I'm sorry: in the grand scheme of things, that shit is only important to athletes. And not even the good ones. The good ones give a fuck about school spirit, because they're going on to bigger and better things. The one's it's important too are the ones who aren't going anywhere. The ones always on the bench, who aren't paying attention to the game because they know they're never going to play. The same ones who wear a letter jacket after they graduate. The ones who never get over being in high school.
For crying out loud, this is supposed to be a college prep private school. We're really going to have a fucking meeting about school spirit in a place like this? Really? And unfortunately for AD's, coaches, and administrators, alot of them fail to see the value of instrumental music outside of the pep band playing at the games. I've even had one ask me what the band does the rest of the year once basketball season is over. I'd like to think that this place is going to be different. From both my School Head and my Division Head, I get the sense that they are not primarily concerned with how loud the band is at the game. I hope. I hope this, because I'm pretty sure I lost my last two jobs for having this opinion.
Well, I've been talking to myself about it all day. I figured I may as well type it out and let everyone else in on my rantings too.
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2 comments:
There's a book you should read. It's called "This Is Your Brain on Music" by Daniel Levitin.
The guy has a pretty solid resume as a recording producer, and he's talking about music and how it relates to cognitive psychology, and he does it in real easy-to-grasp terminology. Basically, it's about how your brain processes music and how it makes your brain integrate a lot of functions that don't normally get worked out. So it should give you a LOT of ammunition when you're talking to educator types. Plus, it's a good read - Sasha suggested it to me.
If you want more than that, check out "Einstein's Violin" by Joseph Eger. He's a oconductor, and one of his friends is a particle physicist. Instead of talking about the HOW of music, this guy talks about the WHY of music by relating the vibrational energy of music to how the universe is constructed. Kind of crazy, but also a good read.
Actually, I own a copy of this book if you want to borrow it - EJ's right. I've also read several reviews of the other one . . . . . Just keep your opinions to yourself for awhile and let yourself grow with your program. It will speak for itself and when it does, you'll have practical ammunition.
Unless you actually LIKE starting over and over and over and over and over . . . . .
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