Page 7 - 2019 BMR April

Normal Struggles of

Young Band Directors

-
George Little, 2018 19 TBA Secretary

The first few years of band directing Is it normal to struggle teaching be for e
are hard! Many of us come out of your primary instrument? Yes! A they be-
college firmly believing that our new common misconception is that come a readily accessible tool at
conducting baton coupled with a can- because we can play our primary our disposal. No one can remember
do attitude will change the world. We instrument well, we will teach it well. everything. Make a list of needed
get a lot of good advice about how I have found the opposite to be true improvements and focus on improving
to get our first job like what to wear, when band directors are first starting at least one thing per day.
how to manage our money, how to out. Playing our primary instrument A complete list of “normal” struggles
clean up our social media profiles, etc. is second nature to the point that we that are common to young band
But what comes after our first year of often struggle to understand why our directors could fill an entire book.
teaching? students struggle. Most directors teach The main thing to remember is that
I can distinctly remember the instruments outside of their primary if you struggle you are normal. I was
feelings I had at the end of my first instrument family with more attention told once that it takes five years as a
year of teaching. I was relieved that to detail because they are figuring band director before you feel like you
summer break was just around the it out as they go. Try teaching your are coming into your own as a teacher.
corner and that I wouldn’t have to be primary instrument with the same While the five-year mark won’t be
a first-year teacher again. I was excited level of detail. the magic number for everyone,
at the prospect of being “better” in my Is it normal to struggle hearing we must all realize that there is no
second year than I was in my first. tuning problems or ensemble sound? substitute for time. Be patient and try
Then, the next year I felt like a first- Yes! Most young teachers struggle to to improve little by little from year to
year teacher again in many ways. I was hear tuning issues, balance, and blend year. Small improvements add up to
better at certain aspects of teaching for several years. This is especially true big improvements. The willingness
and classroom management, but my when you are the one teaching from to ask for help and persevere through
students still didn’t play very well the podium. Try recording your class frustrations can be the difference
compared to the top students in the or have another director teach your between a quick burnout or a long
region. I knew how to manage my students while you walk around and fulfilling career.
grade book and enter attendance, but observe. You will be amazed at how My final advice? Enjoy your
I didn’t feel like I was much better quickly a recording or a guest teacher summer, get refreshed, go to the TBA
at teaching my band how to play will open your ears to different sound convention, and hit it hard again next
in tune. Now that I am completing issues. This is true for band rehearsals, year.
my seventeenth year of teaching and sectionals, and beginner classes.
have had the honor of mentoring Is it normal to forget pedagogical
several first-year teachers, I can offer and teaching tricks several years in
encouragement that there are “normal” a row? Yes! We have all been frustrated
struggles band directors experience as with ourselves when a mentor must
they complete their first several years tell us the same thing several different
of teaching. times. However, certain concepts and
skills require numerous reminders

Bandmasters Review • April 2019 5 Texas Bandmasters Association