Sorry I have been away for so long. February was full of concerts, indoor competitions, school and finishing indoor design. All things that went well over the last month, but most of which took up more time and energy than expected. I will say that this past month too has felt the most "normal" since the pandemic started 2 years. It feels like we are getting past our "COVID brain fog" that has just made teaching, and learning, more difficult. Not only that, but it has been more rewarding recently. Our concerts went really well, it took some WORK to get there but it happened. The indoor groups are off to amazing starts.
Enough about what I have been doing the last month, and let's get on with the topic for the day. YOU know what is best for YOUR program. I have recently seen a huge uptick on social media about people telling people what they should do to be successful. Are those people wrong? Maybe, maybe not. Did those people do what they are telling you to do? Maybe, maybe not. Will what they are telling to do you work? Maybe....maybe not. Everything can work AND can not work depending on two things - 1) Your belief in what you are doing, and 2) Your ability to follow through with that process.
Does this mean you shouldn't listen to other people. ABSOLUTELY NOT! Listen to everyone because something someone says might click for you and help you. However, take the parts you want from what they say/do and combine them with what you do to improve YOUR system. I teach in a way that is a mix of things I got from my college professor, things I got previous instructors at all levels and A LOT of trail and error.
The problem I see right now, is that there are some people that aren't trying to help others (specifically newer people in our space) but telling them how it should be. "Work on this if you want to be successful." "Don't do this if you want to be successful." Like I said earlier, YOU know what is best for YOUR program. I am not saying that those things might not be helpful, however, no two programs are the same. I was a successful percussion director at another school before coming to my current school. I had to do a 180 on my approach because this program is a different program. Are there universal truths to be successful in the band world, YES! You have to play with great tone and intonation. You have to play in time. You have to have a balanced sound so your primary thing is primary. You have to move in time. I am not talking about those things you HAVE to do. However, I am talking about how you approach, and accomplish, those things. How you approach those things needs to fit your ensemble, not what someone else tells you they think you should do from the comfort of their couch. Something someone says may spark a thought that makes everything click and makes you a better instructor/student. That is why you listen to everyone, but take everything with a grain of salt. If it interests you, try it. If it doesn't don't. As much as we need to give our students a great, enjoyable experience...we (the instructors) also need to have a great, enjoyable experience to keep us at our best.
The whole point of this blog is to be a sounding board for me to put my thoughts in the universe with the goal of getting people to think about how they do things. If they help someone great, and if they don't great. If I come across as "you must do what I say or else" I apologize because that is definitely not my intention. Well, there can only be one winner in a class at any single competition, there is plenty of success to go around. We can all eat off that plate. That meal is much better when we get there in a way that works for US.
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