Band parents -- need advice

[KiminChicago]

Ok, here's the situation. Our DS plays clarinet in his middle school band. Last year in 6th grade he had a first year teacher for band and he and the teacher never really hit it off. The band teacher didn't really have great control over the class and several times threatened to send the whole class to detention, which didn't go over well with DS or myself. That's not to say that DS is a perfect child, but when a teacher says they're going to send the whole class to detention, I think it's more a commentary on the teacher than the students.

DS was really looking forward to getting to 7th grade and getting the "cool" more experienced band teacher. Then, at the end of last year, we learned that the 6th grade band teacher would be moving up to 7th grade. We talked DS into giving the teacher another chance so he's still in band this year. But, wouldn't you know it, today was the first day of school and the band teacher announced today that he would be moving up to 8th grade band next year, so DS will never get the band teacher he really wanted and we have to deal with this teacher for another year.

DS has already decided that he doesn't want to take band next year. I was really hoping that he'd continue in band all the way through high school but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. DS does take private clarinet lessons and his clarinet teacher says he has amazing sound quality and control for someone his age. My question is, if he doesn't take band in 8th grade, but does continue with private lessons, how hard would it be to go back to band in high school?

 

[golfgal]

Probably not hard at all but I might go to lessons 2x's a week if he isn't doing band in school. Also, look around to see if there is a community youth band or orchestra that he could join. The important thing is that he continues to practice daily-which will be more important if he isn't playing in the middle school band daily.

 

[babytrees]

it shouldn't be hard at all...he may just spend a year in a lower band (which is what all but the most amazing freshman players do here anyway).

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Shouldn't be hard at all.

 

[daemom]

I would talk to the high school band director. Here, it is required that you are in 8th grade band in order to be in marching band. You could do concert band (spring) and then enroll in marching band the next fall.

Good luck! I hope he stays in band because most kids have so much fun--but it's also very hard to bear having the same difficult teacher year after year.

 

[minkydog]

If he shows up for auditions in high school he is very likely to get in, assuming that he can actually play. I'd be sure to get him with a good teacher and forget about middle school band since he's really in a bad situation.

I decided in the 10th grade that I wanted to be in the band. There was one instrument available--oboe. The school owned it because it was such an expensive instrument. I took it home, bought a book and some reeds, met with the band teacher about 5 times and the next semester I was in band(I already knew how to read music, from piano lessons.) I wasn't fantastic but I was the best oboe player they had. And I parlayed my oboe playing into several college scholarships which paid for nursing school! So the next time you're sick, ask for that oboe-playing nurse. She's talented and smart and she gives good shots!

 

[Alex&Evan'sMom]

In our band you had to start in the 7th grade and were not allowed to switch instruments. Unfortunately I had no idea how terrible I was going to be at the clarinet. My friends played the flute and I discovered that I was pretty good(and liked) that instrument but it was too late to switch. Thus ended my band career. However, I was in the Color Guard my junior and senior years and loved it.

 

[monkey68]

It shouldn't be a problem. Here, unless you want to be in beginner band, you have to audition, so if he keeps up with the lessons and practices, it shouldn't be an issue. I got into band on an instrument that I played in JHS, but I played a different instrument in the band. In the high school I went to, freshman couldn't go into jazz band their first cycle, and if you wanted to be in the pit band, you needed permission of the conductor, so usually you had to play for them as well. They wouldn't let you just sign up for it, but whether you played in band in 8th grade or not was irrelevant.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Please remember that all teachers ahve to start somewhere, and band teachers have it especially hard with the vast numbers of kids they must keep in control at one time. It's not easy-not just the talking and goofing around but the playing their instruments when they aren't supposed to. It's frustrating for an experienced band director-imagine someone just figuring things out.

Give the guy a chance- He made an empty threat-.if that's the worst he's done, he's doing a great job.

Ok, here's the situation. Our DS plays clarinet in his middle school band. Last year in 6th grade he had a first year teacher for band and he and the teacher never really hit it off. The band teacher didn't really have great control over the class and several times threatened to send the whole class to detention, which didn't go over well with DS or myself. That's not to say that DS is a perfect child, but when a teacher says they're going to send the whole class to detention, I think it's more a commentary on the teacher than the students.

DS was really looking forward to getting to 7th grade and getting the "cool" more experienced band teacher. Then, at the end of last year, we learned that the 6th grade band teacher would be moving up to 7th grade. We talked DS into giving the teacher another chance so he's still in band this year. But, wouldn't you know it, today was the first day of school and the band teacher announced today that he would be moving up to 8th grade band next year, so DS will never get the band teacher he really wanted and we have to deal with this teacher for another year.

DS has already decided that he doesn't want to take band next year. I was really hoping that he'd continue in band all the way through high school but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. DS does take private clarinet lessons and his clarinet teacher says he has amazing sound quality and control for someone his age. My question is, if he doesn't take band in 8th grade, but does continue with private lessons, how hard would it be to go back to band in high school?

 

[AboutTheMouse]

Ok, here's the situation. Our DS plays clarinet in his middle school band. Last year in 6th grade he had a first year teacher for band and he and the teacher never really hit it off. The band teacher didn't really have great control over the class and several times threatened to send the whole class to detention, which didn't go over well with DS or myself. That's not to say that DS is a perfect child, but when a teacher says they're going to send the whole class to detention, I think it's more a commentary on the teacher than the students.

Do our kids go to the same school? We have the EXACT same situation going on here. Except our first day of school was last week.

One of my DS best friends just quit band because of the band teacher. Not just band, but Jazz Band, too.

 

[KiminChicago]

Please remember that all teachers ahve to start somewhere, and band teachers have it especially hard with the vast numbers of kids they must keep in control at one time. It's not easy-not just the talking and goofing around but the playing their instruments when they aren't supposed to. It's frustrating for an experienced band director-imagine someone just figuring things out.

Give the guy a chance- He made an empty threat-.if that's the worst he's done, he's doing a great job.

I realize that all teachers have to start somewhere, that's why DS is still in band in 7th grade. I told DS he had to give the teacher another chance this year and if things didn't get better, then we could talk about quitting band. I just wish the teacher had waited until closer to the end of the year before talking about what will happen next year.

We're waiting to see what will happen, but it was more than just the idle threats. It was the arbitrary seat assignments too. DS was second chair clarinet -- he doesn't know why he was assigned to second chair and when he asked the teacher about it, and what he could do to move up to first chair, the teacher never gave him an answer. He also asked if he could challenge the first chair student for the opportunity to move up, he was told that the teacher wasn't allowing challenges. For DS it was kind of like being in a job where the boss tells you you have no chance for promotion but won't tell you how to improve your job performance.

The final straw came at the last concert of the school year back in June. Each year our school district holds a Solo and Ensemble competition. It was completely voluntary for the middle schoolers to participate and it required learning additional pieces of music and putting in extra practice time. DS performed both a solo and an ensemble piece (a duet with the first chair clarinetist) and got a perfect score both times.

At the last concert, the 7th and 8th graders who had participated were acknowledged by their band teacher, who asked them to stand up and take a bow. She also made a special mention of those students who had gotten perfect scores. AND, she did this while they were on stage, in front of the audience. She then made the comment that she was sure the 6th grade band teacher would also want to acknowledge the 6th graders who had participated, which finally prompted him to do something. But he didn't have a clue who had participated or not and read it off of the same printed program that all the parents got when we walked in, so he also didn't know who had played what instrument, whether they had played solos or ensemble pieces, and he certainly couldn't applaud those who had perfect scores. And by this time the 6th grade band had already completed their portion of the concert so they were sitting on bleachers on the other side of the gym and the parents couldn't even see them stand up and take a bow. It really didn't go over well with either the students or the parents. I'm hopeful that it was also just a part of being a first year teacher and not knowing what was expected of him but it really felt like kind of an insult after all their hard work. Not to mention that they have to give up a Saturday morning for the competition and it was also opening day for the Little League season so my DS almost missed his first baseball game, as it was he had to change in the car on the way to the game and we got there just as the pitcher threw the first pitch.

 

[HunnyPots]

First off, it takes a VERY special person to teach 6th grade band and not completely lose their minds; it's a difficult subject being taught to an even more difficult age group. It's a job nobody wants but someone has to do it so you don't usually get the cream of the crop.

My son also had a real bozo for 6th grade band and, yes, he ended up following him through 7th and 8th grade as well. My son survived purely on the basis that it would all be worth it when he got to high school. And for the most part, it was.

Let me address first, the chair test issue. Here, in 6th grade band we don't do challenges either. It's more about the learning experience than competition with their section mates. It may be the same in your son's school. I wouldn't sweat that at all. It will change, believe me!

About dropping out now, and re-entering in high school: he should be prepared for some resentment from the band members that stuck it out through 8th grade. He may be viewed as someone who didn't have to go through what they did and yet there he is in the same band with them. We had a few instances like that. Band kids can get pretty clique-ish. Not insulting band kids in any way - I have two of them - I'm just stating what I've seen. This may also depend on how large or small your school is.

Talk to your high school director. Get his/her input. But remember, there is no guarantee that this director will still be there when your son gets to high school either.