| The
Band Director’s Balancing Act
First of all,
I want to say thank you to all of the MMEA officers for making
this conference a great one. Each officer spends many many hours
preparing for performing groups, clinics and countless other details.
Some of you have attended the Mid-West Band and Orchestra clinic
in Chicago, and like that convention, our state convention is
a tremendously run and well-organized event. Thanks to Paul Swafford,
Paul Copenhaver, Kurt Bauche and all of the past MMEA Presidents
for making this convention/workshop a useful and valuable experience
for us all!
This article
focuses on things we can do as band directors to balance our programs
and our lives so that we can not only have the great bands we
hope for, but more importantly, the great lives we desire!
1. Is your
band program balanced? Are you offering all that you can for the
students that you teach? What goals do you have for your students
and yourself? At our school we offer a Concert Band, Symphonic
Band, two high school Jazz Bands, a middle school Jazz Band, a
Marching Band, a Winter Drumline, a Varsity Winter Guard and a
Junior Varsity Winter Guard. In addition we have many students
who earn district and state honors by auditioning for All-District/State
Band. We also encourage our students to participate in Solos and
Ensembles and take private lessons. We include these things as
a large part of our lettering system. There are many wonderful
parents and teachers where you live. Why not ask them to help
you do some of these things? It is important to highlight the
accomplishments of your students throughout the school year. Pictures
and articles in your local newspaper as well as radio announcements
can help to spread the word about your program. The key is to
try and emphasize all areas of your program equally. By doing
so you will have well-rounded musicians.
2. Do you as a director get enough sleep? Doctors tell us that
the body needs 7-8 hours of rest to replenish its strength. Many
band directors are guilty of “burning the midnight oil”
and trying to get one more thing done before tomorrow. I submit
to you that “tomorrow has enough worries of its own”.
Do what you can today and then start where you left off in the
morning! It’s tough to do that when you have deadlines breathing
down your neck, but with practice, discipline, self-control and
time management you can be successful. Keep some kind of a list
and work off of it. It is very satisfying to check things off
of that list! Of course I am not talking about deadlines like
contest entries or income tax! Make sure you get some rest!
3. Do you exercise regularly? Exercise is a great stress reducer,
not to mention it just plain makes you feel better! I know, you
are saying, “when would I have time to do that???”
Well, the simple answer is: you have to MAKE time. For several
years I would exercise in the evening. Then our children came
along and I realized that my priority of time needed to be with
them, so I switched to the morning. The great thing about early
morning exercise is that it gets your body going for the whole
day and it doesn’t rob valuable time from your family. It’s
an amazing thing! You would think that by doing this you would
be tired all day, but just the opposite is true! You feel energized
and the best thing is you will be moving faster than your students
(who have probably just climbed out of bed!) and they will never
know what “hit them”. You must find “exercise”
that is fun for you, or you won’t do it. Think of an activity
you enjoy and GET STARTED!
4. Do you have dates with your spouse or make plans with your
children or friends? This is so important! We all know how busy
we get and sometimes our students or our job can take priority
over relationships with others. DON’T LET THAT HAPPEN! If
you are married, make your spouse #1! It may not be easy, but
the outcome is so worth it. If you are happy at home, you are
going to be nicer to your students and more patient with everyone.
After all, remember that the lives we touch in our classrooms
are influenced for a lifetime. If you are single, set up weekly
times to get together with friends and do fun things not related
to school!!!
5. What do you look forward to each day? Each day when you get
up, try to think of one or two things that you are looking forward
to about the day. You will be amazed at what a difference that
it can make in your overall attitude. For the first time in many
years of teaching, my wife and I are not only teaching in the
same school district, but have the exact same lunch time. One
of the things I look forward to most every day is seeing her and
talking about the day, our kids or making plans for upcoming events.
How about after school? You could plan to go out to eat at a nearby
town or catch a movie or just plain shop! The important thing
is to find a “dessert” that you look forward to each
day and each week. Of course you will have some evening and weekend
band events, but strive to have things to do that are not related
to your job. The job will be there when you return.
6. Having a hobby often helps with balancing your life. Do you
have something that you enjoy doing just to relax or recharge?
Participation in a community band can be a great outlet for you.
Many towns have a community band that rehearses during the summer.
It is a great way to keep your chops in shape and also network
with other musicians. Don’t be afraid to drive to other
towns. They will be glad to have you and you will enjoy it! Maybe
you like to hunt or fish or cook or clean. The important thing
is to have an outlet that will refresh you and help you to gain
new perspective on the situations in your life. If you work hard
and play hard, you will find life is not so hard. Step back often
and take a good look at your band program, where you have been
and where you are going.
Remember to
keep you life “balanced” and nothing will be able
to topple you over! Moderation is a key concept in our band programs
and our lives. Good luck and let me know if I can help YOU!
Chuck Appleton
Director of Bands
Warrensburg R-6 Schools
1411 S. Ridgeview Drive
Warrensburg, MO 64093
cappleton@warrensburg.k12.mo.us
660-238-5814
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