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A cry for help to band directors everywhere


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I never liked my HS director. He was always so stern and stiff. Rarely smiled. Missed about 25% of rehearsals and football games. The only comments that he ever made to us were telling us we're not good enough and need to be better. Can't remember a single "good job", "keep it up", "sounds great". But all the kids and their parents adored him for some reason. It's a cult of personality.

I moved schools this year. In a much better place now. I still go to all the local shows, because I just can't get enough of the marching arts. Tonight was their home field show, also one of the last of season. We do the traditional encore and the director speech. He goes on about how competitive he is and says "yeah I scream at you guys sometimes". He even singles out a kid saying "if you cared this much more, you would be so much better". Kids are laughing like he told a joke and I am just sitting there in horror. At the end I call out to the band saying that I love them and miss them. They respond happily, saying they miss me. Band director asks "Are you Tristan?" I get very confused, I've never heard that name for a girl before. The kids tell him my name. Band director admits to forgetting who I was.

Band directors, this is exactly how you lose marching members. The simplest dictionary definition of a "band" or "corps" is "a group". By putting your ego before the kids, you are going against the very definition of a band. When you lust after gold, you completely forget you have humans in your care. Negative reinforcement without the positive does more harm than good. It makes kids doubt their abilities and themselves, and make music stressful rather than fun. Doesn't take a psychologist to know that.

It isn't about getting 1st place, it's about making magic for the people in the stands. House Is Not A Home is a beautiful piece that I always turn to in extreme moments, happy or sad. Didn't win gold. Jagged Line makes me move my body every time. Didn't win gold. Do Better makes me sing along no matter where I am. Didn't. Win. Gold. Just because you won a physical prize doesn't mean you're the king of all corps. You know how to tell you've "won" drum corps? When you shake someone to the core with pure music. When you bring audience members to their feet. When you inspire both children and adults alike.

Band directors. Chase a melody, not a medal.

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7 hours ago, Orwellian Wiress said:

I never liked my HS director. He was always so stern and stiff. Rarely smiled. Missed about 25% of rehearsals and football games. The only comments that he ever made to us were telling us we're not good enough and need to be better. Can't remember a single "good job", "keep it up", "sounds great". But all the kids and their parents adored him for some reason. It's a cult of personality.

I moved schools this year. In a much better place now. I still go to all the local shows, because I just can't get enough of the marching arts. Tonight was their home field show, also one of the last of season. We do the traditional encore and the director speech. He goes on about how competitive he is and says "yeah I scream at you guys sometimes". He even singles out a kid saying "if you cared this much more, you would be so much better". Kids are laughing like he told a joke and I am just sitting there in horror. At the end I call out to the band saying that I love them and miss them. They respond happily, saying they miss me. Band director asks "Are you Tristan?" I get very confused, I've never heard that name for a girl before. The kids tell him my name. Band director admits to forgetting who I was.

Band directors, this is exactly how you lose marching members. The simplest dictionary definition of a "band" or "corps" is "a group". By putting your ego before the kids, you are going against the very definition of a band. When you lust after gold, you completely forget you have humans in your care. Negative reinforcement without the positive does more harm than good. It makes kids doubt their abilities and themselves, and make music stressful rather than fun. Doesn't take a psychologist to know that.

It isn't about getting 1st place, it's about making magic for the people in the stands. House Is Not A Home is a beautiful piece that I always turn to in extreme moments, happy or sad. Didn't win gold. Jagged Line makes me move my body every time. Didn't win gold. Do Better makes me sing along no matter where I am. Didn't. Win. Gold. Just because you won a physical prize doesn't mean you're the king of all corps. You know how to tell you've "won" drum corps? When you shake someone to the core with pure music. When you bring audience members to their feet. When you inspire both children and adults alike.

Band directors. Chase a melody, not a medal.

I can count the number of caring, supportive teachers I encountered marching on one hand.

It so happens that the first one is the reason I became a teacher in the first place. May he rest in peace and power.

You've got an excellent barometer for winning. Keep it.

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My high school band director was a great musician, gifted with jazz band and class room instruction, but not so much with full band. He knew very little about marching and let those of us who knew drum corps, which would be those I could load into my family’s Olds Cutlass Supreme station wagon when I was attending a competition (probably got 1 mile per gallon!🙂) design the show. How did we do.?  This would have been when Zingali was at 27th. Let’s just say he didn’t leave Revere and make the 30 mile trek south to my hometown for tips and pointers. 

Under the band director’s tenure the band became stagnant. He wanted to spend more time in the classroom and a new director took his job. The only thing he continued from the previous director was treating students with dignity. He was tough and demanding, but he could be fun too. The band never became a competitive force, but the quality of the music was great. 

There is nothing wrong with teachers having standards. Band directors are teachers and in the states that have reciprocal certification with Massachusetts, all teachers are required to take methods courses which include trusting and measurement, curriculum, classroom management, etc. or the equivalent. There is  no excuse for belittling students.

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41 minutes ago, Tim K said:

There is nothing wrong with teachers having standards.

Certainly not. My HS program was schooled when my guard instructor and others who marched corps came through. We, as students, certainly were too.

But he never had to belittle us or demean us. His disappointment was always well placed and leveraged gently. A single look of disappointment was enough for us to question our choices. The rest of the time he was jovial, hilarious, and supportive. Without focused training, he managed to walk the ethics line very well.

41 minutes ago, Tim K said:

Band directors are teachers and in the states that have reciprocal certification with Massachusetts, all teachers are required to take methods courses which include trusting and measurement, curriculum, classroom management, etc. or the equivalent.

I think little has changed in regards to colorguard instruction in 20 years though. Up until the 2010s, guard instructors could still just be independent contractors hired by the band boosters. No background check or additional training necessary. At least when I was still in the Frisco school district, they required background checks. Same with Santa Teresa. But that's all.

It just so happens that I went to HS in a place that attracted a mid-90s Cavie who had his #### together. Lucky me.

41 minutes ago, Tim K said:

There is  no excuse for belittling students.

Where do you think this behavior originates? And what allows it to continue? I have plenty of thoughts and theories, but I'd love to hear yours.

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7 hours ago, Orwellian Wiress said:

I never liked my HS director. He was always so stern and stiff. Rarely smiled. Missed about 25% of rehearsals and football games. The only comments that he ever made to us were telling us we're not good enough and need to be better. Can't remember a single "good job", "keep it up", "sounds great". But all the kids and their parents adored him for some reason. It's a cult of personality.

I moved schools this year. In a much better place now. I still go to all the local shows, because I just can't get enough of the marching arts. Tonight was their home field show, also one of the last of season. We do the traditional encore and the director speech. He goes on about how competitive he is and says "yeah I scream at you guys sometimes". He even singles out a kid saying "if you cared this much more, you would be so much better". Kids are laughing like he told a joke and I am just sitting there in horror. At the end I call out to the band saying that I love them and miss them. They respond happily, saying they miss me. Band director asks "Are you Tristan?" I get very confused, I've never heard that name for a girl before. The kids tell him my name. Band director admits to forgetting who I was.

Band directors, this is exactly how you lose marching members. The simplest dictionary definition of a "band" or "corps" is "a group". By putting your ego before the kids, you are going against the very definition of a band. When you lust after gold, you completely forget you have humans in your care. Negative reinforcement without the positive does more harm than good. It makes kids doubt their abilities and themselves, and make music stressful rather than fun. Doesn't take a psychologist to know that.

It isn't about getting 1st place, it's about making magic for the people in the stands. House Is Not A Home is a beautiful piece that I always turn to in extreme moments, happy or sad. Didn't win gold. Jagged Line makes me move my body every time. Didn't win gold. Do Better makes me sing along no matter where I am. Didn't. Win. Gold. Just because you won a physical prize doesn't mean you're the king of all corps. You know how to tell you've "won" drum corps? When you shake someone to the core with pure music. When you bring audience members to their feet. When you inspire both children and adults alike.

Band directors. Chase a melody, not a medal.

I had the opposite experience.....but I can also say that I was VERY lucky. The majority of the band directors in my area all came from the DCI world and most from the same 3 corps. They all marched either with or against each other. Though they could be tough and competitively minded, they also believed strongly in TEACHING. You made your own way as far as your personal goals. If you wanted to march DCI, they would help you prepare. But never, did I hear a single word that would have ever made me think they didn't care about every single kid in the program regardless of goals, talent level etc. 

Performance, for my part, is about inspiration for both the performers and the audience. I think you have a good track on everything. Negative reinforcement has no positive impact. Tough is one thing. But be supportive and build people up, don't tear them down.  

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I have been teaching high school marching bands for over 40 years, with the last 21 years as Assistant Marching Band Director/Drill Designer.   I can honestly say that neither the band director nor I nor any of our staff has ever yelled, screamed or belittled any student.  I actually cannot even believe this behavior still goes on in 2022.  Most of us either marched or marched and taught drum corps.And for the record, EVERYONE involved here in the State of Maine,  whether they are paid or working voluntarily must be fingerprinted and pass a Criminal History Records Check (-known as a CHRC) conducted by the Maine State Police.

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5 hours ago, Tim K said:

He knew very little about marching and let those of us who knew drum corps, which would be those I could load into my family’s Olds Cutlass Supreme station wagon when I was attending a competition (probably got 1 mile per gallon!🙂) design the show.

Hey, how'd you enter my daydreams and greatest fantasies? 

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6 hours ago, scheherazadesghost said:

 

Where do you think this behavior originates? And what allows it to continue? I have plenty of thoughts and theories, but I'd love to hear yours.

First, I should probably state I taught elementary and middle school social studies, language arts, and religion. I never had 50-200 students in front of me with instruments in their hands, with abilities ranging from gifted to “their hearts are in the right place but……”

You want people to go into teaching, regardless of what they are teaching, because they love what they are teaching and want to impart that love to others. By far, most people I know who teach fall in this category. Where problematic areas come into play can vary. Inexperience is a big factor. Maturity can be another. These usually fade over time which is why mentors and good administrators are key. Insecurity can be a factor. “I’ll prove I’m tough by belittling you.” It can be ego. A teacher who taught when I was in high school thought she was a comedian. She made jokes at the expense of other students, usually behind their backs, usually disabled students. Students loved her until they were no longer in high school and realized how she got a laugh.

the comments of the original poster spoke of a band director which I put in the category of a professional educator. Unless a color guard instructor, drill instructor, designer, caption heads, etc. are classroom teachers by day, they may not be professional educators credential wise. The same can hold true with athletic coaches. It is no accident that in many schools, coaches are often teachers at the school but that doesn’t guarantee problem free programs. In drum corps, I speak only as an observer, but I think you run into some folks who are may be talented but are pretty insecure and also ego driven. That leads to immature behavior. Success also can feed bad behavior. Some of the geniuses of the activity who have produced some of my favorite shows beloved by judges and audiences alike were equally famous for eccentric behavior, cruel rants, and hot tempers. Could you get away with it if your corps placed 35th at prelims? Probably not. If your in medal contention? That’s a different story.

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