Alex has been having a hard time with band class this year. When he started band, it was because of a very smart, fun, energetic teacher who obviously enjoyed what she was doing, and knew how to teach a group of kids to enjoy learning their new instruments. She was friendly and approachable by kids and parents alike. Unfortunately, last year, she spent more time training to be a principal than teaching music. That’s where her career was leading, and so that’s how it was. Although Alex had substitutes a good 50% of the time, or more, he still enjoyed music/band.
As you probably guessed, that person no longer teaches music at Alex’s school. I believe she is now an assistant principal somewhere. So, Alex got a brand new music teacher this year. Not only is she new to the school and the kids, but also to music teaching herself. If I had to guess, she was probably classically trained, and so takes music and the pursuit of it VERY seriously. That, or she’s just a stiff as a board newbie who is too nervous to loosen up. Alex hates her as a teacher, and has told us that several kids have dropped out of band, and that band class is a joke. He still has to practice every day, but there’s no variety or fun. He has asked several times if he can quit band, but we really don’t want him to quit just because he doesn’t like the new teacher, so we aren’t allowing him to quit yet. We’re not hard-assed “my kid will be a concert pianist” type parents, though. If he still wants to quit before next school year, we’ll let him. We’re hoping to avoid that, though, because we know he can continue and have a good time, knowing what kind of stuff lies before him with Jazz band and other cool music/band opportunities.
That’s why, when the music director at our church announced that she would like to gather as many parish youth that can play wind instruments for a special instrumental piece during the early Christmas pageant, we knew it was something that Alex would enjoy… once he got past the whole “church” part of it. We pulled some reverse psychology out of our hats, and did the ol’ “we know you’d be really great, and we’d be really proud of you” stuff, and were victorious. Alex decided to go ahead and do it.
By the end of the second practice, he was glad he did, too. He enjoyed her instruction considerably more than that of his middle school band teacher. We were not surprised by this, but happy that he saw it and admitted it. After his actual band recital for school, he was able to focus on the music for the pageant. He stuck with it, and performed well for only having a few practices with the music director before the pageant itself on Christmas Eve.
We’re hoping that this experience will last with him as a reminder that the teacher can make a big difference, that he does enjoy it when given fun music that provides some challenge, and a teacher that seems to enjoy what she is doing, rather than grit her teeth through the experience. We have offered to put him in with a real tutor, and allow him to change tutors until he finds one that he clicks with and that inspires him to stick with it. He has yet to take us up on that offer, but he knows it stands indefinitely.
For those who were not present at the service, here is the video (which you don’t need to watch as much as hear) for your listening pleasure.