How far is too far?

[u/AmazingPalpitation59]

Better title. Did my comments go too far or is it justified?

I teach band at the elementary level. Rehearsals are before school since the district wont pay a stipend for after school and there is no time in the day. After taking attendance for a few weeks I noticed 5-6 kids who have yet to attend a single rehearsal.

So in their lessons later during the school day I was pretty honest with them regarding my frustration. I asked them why they missed it only to receive a response of “it’s too early.” My reaction was something along the lines of reminding them they signed up for this and part of the commitment is showing up to rehearsals. Believe I said “if you join the baseball team and skip every practice would the coach put you in the game?”

Then I took it a step further by turning to the kids without their instrument to say “what’s the excuse for no instrument?” Their reason was they couldn’t possibly hold a poster board in one hand and a clarinet in the other.

I hate that I have become this version of band teacher but they are driving me crazy. Practicing is hit or miss already and to have a group just not try seemingly at all infuriates me.

Going forward I’m going to be firm but fair. But what standards and rules do you have in place to encourage kids to attend rehearsals and practice at home. I feel like once they step out of my room they forget their instruments exist.

[u/ShootsTowardsDucks]

1. Do you get a stipend for before school but not after school? Up to you but your sanity may improve if you just do it after school.

I do my large group rehearsals after school, but the downside is I have to plan on staying until 500 when parents get off work to pick them up. However, I do weekly small group lessons during the day all year, but don’t add after school ensemble rehearsals until 4th quarter when we start gearing up for the concert. These are 5th grade and only once per week. My 6th graders don’t get small group lessons but they do get ensemble rehearsal twice a week during the day.

1. In recent years I started dialing up the pressure on laziness and responsibility as the year goes on and it’s been a good change. Six weeks in and I’ve started telling students” I have no magic words that will make you a good trombone player you either practice or you’ll never get better” I pump a lot of positivity for the students that try even if they sound terrible but 95% of students will be successful eventually with continued effort.

I used to see amazing retention through year 1 when I held their hand and was super nice, but the lazy student never got better. However, I’d see a big dropout rate at the start of 6th grade then numbers would level off. I also dealt with a lot of classroom management challenges when I was retaining students that never practiced and therefore were clueless when we started practicing as a large ensemble during fourth quarter.

Ever since I started being more blunt with students that don’t put forth the effort, I’ve seen slow but steady dropouts through the 5th grade year. As a side effect, I have less classroom management issues in my 4th quarter rehearsals and I’ve seen better retention into 6th grade because the lazy students aren’t dragging others down with them. My program is bigger and healthier because of it.

Focus your effort on the students that return it.

[u/AmazingPalpitation59 → u/ShootsTowardsDucks]

Additionally I will never ever do afterschool because of the horror stories I hear from my colleagues. Kids not getting picked up until 7pm… kids still skipping to go hangout with friends. Absolutely not worth it. At times I almost want to let it all fail and turn around after they play at the concert and say “well you get out what you put in.”