Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • September 2013
7
can improve our performance and delivery by simple
awareness of our daily/weekly procedures followed
by honest self-evaluation. You can look for solutions,
improvements or remedies to aspects you discover
about yourself and your teaching. Much like listening
to rehearsal recordings can let you more objectively
evaluate your band’s performance, by taking you out
of the moment you are better able to realize what is a
true representation of your band’s performance at that
particular rehearsal.
In your journal, attempt to record the factual events
in your teaching environment without editorializing.
Then after the facts, also record your thoughts or
moods based on these events. You can make a
note of in-class observations as well as peripheral
occurrences including administrative, parent or
collegial interactions.
It is important not to be too judgmental in a
negative manner. Your goal is to eventually gain a
positive result and often it is a long road ahead. Please
consider that we as teachers and musicians are always
a
work-in-progress
and may never actually arrive at
our final destination. This can be daunting to some
so it is wise to create checkpoints or milestones along
the way to mark your progress to give a real sense of
achievement. We do after all need to feel good about a
process we will commit to sincerely.
Although quite difficult, attempt to be honest with
yourself. You are looking to improve or bring change to
what you normally do in your teaching life. We are all
familiar with this quote:
If you keep doing what you’re
doing now, where do you see yourself in one year?
I am assured that you will find more of these types
of questions than answers.
• What kind of culture have we created in our
classroom?
• Are we a good to great leader?
• Do you bring out the best in others?
• Do you know your people well enough?
• Are we inspired and do we inspire?
• Do I need more information before inspiration?
• How do I help my students achieve their best?
As we often impart to our students, you are your
own best teacher. Improving ourselves as teachers gives
us the best opportunity to improving the experience
for our students and colleagues. Hopefully we do see
ourselves as works-in progress as long as we are in this
profession.
- Happy trails!
TBA 2013-14 Board of Directors, front left to right: Executive Director Michael Brashear, Alfredo Vélez III,
Chico Portillo, Bruce Beach, Richard Herrera, Steven Moore, Jeff King, John Morrison