WEBVTT
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Mike Looney, the state of Texas is deep in it now.
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Deep in it.
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We're like in an air fryer.
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What are you talking about?
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I suppose I should probably qualify that.
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Into marching season.
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Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
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That that too.
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There's all kinds of other things that we could you know it's funny.
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I have kids in that state north of us.
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Yeah.
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And they they called me the other day and we were talking, you know, I got to keep up with grandkids.
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And I they told me, look, we've been well over a hundred for 20 days in a row.
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I said, okay, uh, you know, that's kind of life for us.
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They say, you don't get it.
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We got humidity with it.
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Yes.
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And I'm like, yeah, they do have a point.
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They do have a place.
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Right.
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Because even Abilene, my little home ground, is a lot different than Midland, Odessa.
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Right.
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Or love it.
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I mean, it's you know, 110 here and 110 in your house in your neighborhood is a whole lot different just because of humidity.
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We almost say push.
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It's a dry heat.
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It's a dry heat.
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And we always laughingly in Abilene say we're part of West Texas, but you guys who are in West Texas just kind of smells.
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You know, that's crazy.
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And this may cause more conversation among our friends that listen than it needs to, but growing up, I never considered Abilene, West Texas.
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No, it's really not.
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It's not.
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We kind of smell like West Texas.
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The more oil industry goes on there.
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Yeah, yeah.
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No, I always thought y'all were like Central Texas in my mind.
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Yeah, I'm I'm with you on that.
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Actually, more of the Concho Valley, Central Texas.
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I think we have more in common with Waco than we do Midland Odessa.
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You know?
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For all of our friends in Europe and the northern part of the United States, there's our geography conversation for this morning.
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There you go.
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We like to say West Texas, so I call it stolen valor.
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We're tough.
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We're West Texas.
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We're tough.
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Well, man, they gotta be tough out there marching right now.
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I'm I'm with all my brothers and sisters who are are busy teaching.
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We're probably into the first, at least the first half set of the first uh piece of music.
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I don't even know that they do and buy pieces anymore.
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I mean, it's kind of a through composed show anymore, isn't it?
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Yeah.
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Yeah, it's kind of one big package with about 14 different musical arcs that have to.
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It's uh it's an interesting process now.
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It's it's remember the old days when you did your opener and your concert piece and your drum solo and your closer, you know.
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Exactly.
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And we would bragging, well, we've got the first two on the field.
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That's right.
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That's right.
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So, okay, how can we help our friends who are out there sweating it out?
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You know, I know it's it's school when I drive by the local high school for me.
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That's I I pass Odessa Permian on my way to work every day.
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It's dark, the parking lot lights are on, and you can see the lights uh shining off of the silver bells of the sousaphones.
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It just feels like it doesn't temperature-wise feel like fall, but I know we're back in it.
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So, what can we do to help our friends who uh are probably thinking to themselves, dear lord, it's hot.
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Am I getting everything done?
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What do I need to do better?
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Have you got some helpful things today?
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Well, what we're doing today, I'm gonna pull us back into the band hall.
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Okay.
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Because there there is uh uh, and I know this is hard for a lot of band directors because it was for me, when you're in the midst of marching season, it's easy to neglect everything else in your program.
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It's easy, especially if you're fortunate enough to have a staff or at least one other band director.
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It's like that's not my problem.
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But I want to talk today about having lots of beginners in a mixed class.
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Oh, wow, okay.
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Yeah, so this is a total different kind of offshoot.
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And I'm with you, man.
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The the marching thing is like in incredibly pushing, and because our PR is based on it, in a lot of ways, I hate to say it, but our our job is kind of rest on what the public sees every Friday.
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Sure.
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But it starts kind of way back in the in the band hall.
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And one thing I ran across as a band director, because I did it the stupid way, which Mike Lenny does a lot of things the stupid way.
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Um, but I was never an assistant band director.
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Okay.
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You know, I just my first job, I was the head band director in Throckmorton, Texas, with my big giant band of 25.
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And I had did kindergarten through 12th grade music.
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And then I just never uh never changed from that.
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Um I think I knew that.
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Yeah.
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But it was interesting because, you know, in those schools, like from my first 13 years was all 1A2A schools.
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Right.
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Basically Electra in Throckmorton.
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You know, and I didn't really have any staff in Electra until about the seventh year there.
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So my first nine years of teaching, I was the only band director.
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So, you know, the school counselor says, Okay, good job recruiting all these band students.
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Now you are the director.
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And can we put them in?
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Congratulations.
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Well, no, we can't do that because there's only this many of them.
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And if we do that, then it screws up the entire schedule.
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So uh I think the worst scenario I had was an elector one year.
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I had like 58 beginners last period after PE class.
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So they smelled like high heavens.
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Yeah, you know, I mean, they they were and they were done for the day.
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And here it is, you've got flutes to tubas, and you've got everything in the same class.
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I didn't have any percussion because I'm too chicken to try to get that in there.
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I I have them audition for percussion for their sixth grade year.
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So that's kind of how we approached it.
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But but yeah, it is an interesting concept, and I know that some of our students who come out of colleges and universities, they're very used to this idea of having a trumpet class and a trombone class and uh, you know, and that's cool.
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That's how it was set up in my time at Wiley, and it was really wonderful.
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We had nine separate beginner classes in three periods with about four directors teaching those.
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Here's it with the large enough staff to do that.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, yeah, and we could we could handle that.
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But let me get back to the original point.
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If you are a first-year teacher and you take a job in a 1A school and you're looking for your woodwind specialist or your brass specialist, you best just turn your phone into a selfie and flip that picture and take a picture right there.
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Because there they are.
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There you there they are.
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You're the color guard tech, you're the percussion tech, you're everything.
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And so I just want to go through how I kind of tried to handle this and give some ideas with it.
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Now, if you're at a larger school, um, don't turn off the bra, the uh the podcast, please.
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Don't do that, you know, because I think there's gonna be things in here that you can use within your jazz band, you can use within your marching band.
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Um, you can use in any class as far as organization.
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And I would love to have input from uh directors who maybe have some ideas how they've done it.
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If you'll send it to me, I'll add it to my list of stuff that I have in my computer, and uh and we can make that work as as the future comes upon us on this.
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But here's how I tackled the job.
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Every day in Electra, I had it wasn't as bad in Throckmorton because I had almost every fifth grader in band, all 17 of them.
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Right.
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So you had 17 kids.
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So you were basically giving with no percussion in there, you were giving little tiny private lessons for 17 kids.
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So that wasn't a problem.
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When it got up to 55 to 60 kids in Electra, that was a problem.
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Okay, that was a problem.
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Uh I had 55 minutes a day, which was kind of a blessing, but in beginner end, it's a curse because students definitely, you know, have a certain expiration date on their uh brain power, especially at 2 p.m.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, and it and it resets every day, you know what I mean?
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And they were already tired, they were the clothes were sweated through, um, they smelled, um, they had all their book bags and stuff because when they left the band hall, they were headed straight for the buses, which were right outside my band hall.
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It was quite the nightmare of a situation.
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So I had one teacher all in one period, last period of the day, after they finished PE class.
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So here's what I did.
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Um, each student had a packet of music theory worksheets in a folder.
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Okay.
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And they just had that with them.
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When I wasn't working with their little tiny group, because I had them all, you know, in their sections, of course, they were working on theory, and it was really easy stuff.
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And uh and then we'd reinforce it later, but it was it was almost to the point of busy work, but it did have some good information for them.
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Redeeming value, right?
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Yeah, and I would allow them, you know, we've talked before in the podcast about good noise and bad noise in rehearsals.
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Sure.
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And in the class, you know, the good noise was I I would allow one student each section, they were the leader.
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That was a big deal.
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They thought that was the coolest thing in the world because they got a dum-dum pop at the end of the period if they were the leader.
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So I had a big old bag and they'd come up and get their dum-dum pop, you know.
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Um, so that they were the leader.
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So they were the only ones that were allowed to field questions from people in their section.
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There might be seven flute players.
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And so that one little girl or little boy would they'd say, I don't understand what a quarter note is.
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And that person would kind of whisper to them.
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So you had this kind of undertow of whispering.
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As soon as you can get over that, you're okay.
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Um, right.
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And then what I did was I would work with each section and I would set a timer, just an old-fashioned kitchen timer for five minutes.
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So I'd work with let's say the clarinets and how to put the reed onto their instrument or how we do our left-hand position.
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But everyone else was working.
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Okay.
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And then at the end of five minutes, I would ding.
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And it was like changing the channel on TV.
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You know what I mean?
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It was like there was no intro, outro.
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It was like bing, goodbye.
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And they'd all put their horn down and they'd pick up their theory packet and I'd walk over to the trumpets.
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Now we're going to talk about how we buzz on our trumpet.
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And then everyone else is still working.
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So the timer is running, and I'm working on like flute, head joint, ombusure, brass are doing theory work.
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If you have percussion in there, they could be working on sticking on practice pads while saxon clarinets are putting reads on mouthpieces.
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So you can do the theory or you can give them assignment for the rest of the day.
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And the little leader, the line leader, would help them with that.
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Okay.
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And it's crazy.
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It's like a three-ring circus, but the energy is good.
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Right.
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It's like everyone's engaged in what's happening.
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That's much better than how I tried to do it at first, Mr.
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Derek.
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Okay.
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I would sit at the front of the band hall with my best impression of uh OT Ryan or Charles Nail or or whoever, and I would sit there and say, You will be quiet as I instruct the saxophones on how to adjust their neck strap.
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And you know, and that worked in the old days because we were afraid of our band directors.
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I got news for you these days.
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They ain't anymore.
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They're not afraid.
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They're not afraid.
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They're not afraid at all.
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They they will do what they want to do if you try to be the authoritarian and rain terror down upon their section.
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Um, that I'm not saying there's not times you got to read them the right act and do things like that, but if that's the daily basis, you know what they're gonna do, Derek?
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They're gonna quit band.
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Right.
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I don't need this.
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That's what I would do.
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I think the most important thing is something I I think it was uh either Keith Beard or Jay Lester told me he said uh um if you were actually a member in that class watching you teach, would you like to be in that class?
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Would you stay?
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Yeah.
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Would you stay?
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And it doesn't matter whether what you're saying is a profound knowledge of God of all bands.
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It doesn't matter.
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If that kid does not want to stay in band, they will figure out a way to get out of band or disrupt your band period so badly that no one else can learn.
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So it's crazy, but but that little portion works.
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So you have the little theory packets now that's But you know my two my two things in life communication, relationship.
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Yeah, and it kind of fits into what you're saying.
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A, if you're not communicating with them, it's a wasted period.
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Yeah, but two, and and I mean positive communication.
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Yeah.
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Understanding that communication means I say something and you receive that communication and understand it.
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That's communication.
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Relationship, you know, the kids would say, Do we like him or not?
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But I would say, do they trust you or not?
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Oh my gosh, that's a that's golden.
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Do they see you as somebody they can trust and want to learn from?
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So sorry.
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No, no, you're exactly no, no, you you thank you for that.
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That is exactly right.
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I love that.
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Do they trust you?
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Because sometimes we get caught up in that.
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I don't think the kids like me.
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Right.
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Some kids will, some kids won't.
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You're really not there to be their friend, though, right?
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Yeah, yeah.
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So uh that's golden uh wording there.
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Do they trust you?
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Excuse me.
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And then in terms of communication, too, there comes up this.
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If you've got 50 to 60 kids in front of you, guess what's going to be in the air all the time?
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They're little bitty hands.
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Because they all have questions.
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So we had a I had a student that would not be educated that day.
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Think about this.
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Their job was to be the secretary.
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So one kid got to be the secretary.
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So they would keep a tally sheet of how many questions from each section.
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Each section got two questions for the day.
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And they had to go through the leader.
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Think about that.
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After two questions, there's still communication, but there was a box at the front of the band hall.
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They could write down their question on a piece of paper and they could slide it in that box.
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Now, sometimes I'd get slips of paper like Mr.
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Lenny, we think you're a blankety blank.
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You know, yeah, that's a you know, that's gotta happen.
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That's the highest award of honor.
00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:52.000
You know, if someone write your name, Mr.
00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:53.600
Lenny, go to hell on the stand.
00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:57.679
You know, that's that's that's a badge of honor for band directors out there.
00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:08.559
But uh, but that was a system in which they felt like they could ask a question, but then the next day I would spend the first five minutes going through those questions real quickly.
00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:11.120
Uh yeah, second valve is F sharp on trumpet.
00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:19.120
Okay, okay, now this, this, no, no, you need to rotate your reads once a day, you know, and I would just go through it really quick and then I'd put the box back up there.
00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:20.559
And they really like that.
00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:26.559
Because like you said, with communication, I think part of the I think the biggest thing, and we're like this as adults too.
00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:28.639
Sometimes we just want to be heard.
00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:29.840
Exactly.
00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:32.480
That's that's all there is to it.
00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:41.120
And I would always uh and I would have a is a little slip of paper that they could have in their folders that had a check mark that do you want me to say your name?
00:14:41.679 --> 00:14:42.240
That's cool.
00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:43.039
I never thought about that.
00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:44.080
They could check that.
00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:47.120
So they got credit for a really good question if they wanted credit.
00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:51.039
If not, if they felt like I hate to say, but they felt like it was a dumb question.
00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:52.480
Be anonymous, yeah.
00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:54.960
Yeah, just they just wanted to ask a question, you know.
00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:57.840
Can can you play a trumpet without the mouthpiece?
00:14:57.919 --> 00:15:00.000
You know, please don't say my name.
00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:02.240
You know, and I would say, yeah, actually I can.
00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:04.480
I can buzz through the lead pipe and play.
00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:08.240
It sounds like crap, but it's uh it's not preferred, but I would do it for them.
00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:10.320
That that's that was a true that was really a question.
00:15:10.559 --> 00:15:10.799
Okay.
00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:18.559
So then we'd get the kids, we set them up in straight rows with distance between chairs, as much as you possibly can.
00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:21.360
I know some of our band halls are like a telephone booth.
00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:26.000
For you younger people, a telephone booth is a place where you used to be in public and used to use a phone with his release.
00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:28.559
Okay, that's the footnote.
00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:30.399
Okay, so distance between chairs.
00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:35.200
The reinforcement info was on the board, written on the board with numbers.
00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.200
That way I could just tell them the number.
00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:44.879
So it would say, practice putting your trombone in the case and out of the case over and over until you're sick of it.
00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:46.480
That'd be like number one.
00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:49.919
So I'd just have to go, trombones, number one.
00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:52.720
So it was all written up on the board.
00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:56.080
And finally I had it like done by a sign company.
00:15:56.240 --> 00:16:00.240
So there's this big sign with like 30s, like, who's it, Gibbs on NCIS?
00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:01.360
The Gibbs rules.
00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:02.559
I'm not an NCIS.
00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:03.360
Oh, yeah, yeah, we do.
00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:09.360
You guys who watch NCIS is like the his crew would go, oh, rule number 41.
00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:18.000
And these weren't rules, it was just uh, you know, practice your ombudsure, head joint alignment with your instrument, you know, and just had all these things.
00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:21.360
I go, flutes, number 14, and they'd all go.
00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:23.120
And they'd do number 14.
00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:23.519
Okay.
00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:28.320
Um, so that way I could just tell them by number, and that saved a ton of time.
00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:34.480
But you know what you did there too is you eliminate eliminate a lot of unnecessary feedback.
00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:36.399
Those silly questions.
00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:39.919
Uh are you telling us number four?
00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:41.360
And then you move on.
00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:44.320
And I know this sounds so OCD, but you know me well.
00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:51.200
Inside their folder is a slip of paper that had for their section had the things I had on the big sign with an explanation.
00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:52.159
Oh, cool.
00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:57.840
You know, that way they could say, align your uh head joint with your flute body.
00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:01.919
And this is now make sure that the hole is lined up with this rod.
00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:04.000
And it would, I'd even have a little picture there.
00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:05.039
And you know, cool.
00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:15.119
So that way they could uh theoretically, a really, really on top of it student could teach the flute section by just using the materials I put in their folder.
00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:15.920
Look at you.
00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:17.119
That's analog YouTube.
00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:19.599
That's right, analog YouTube, yeah.
00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:26.640
Yeah, I think uh Jeff Foxworthy, he was doing a deal about stepping on a copper head, and he goes, Yeah, I heard working on his generator.
00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:28.640
And he said, you know, you can YouTube anything.
00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:31.519
And his example was how to get snails out of a trombone.
00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:35.599
And so I YouTube, and there really is a YouTube on how to get snails out of your trombone.
00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.720
That's funny.
00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:41.440
So yeah, YouTube does it all nowadays, but in the old days we we had to be the YouTube.
00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:51.519
Um, I also scheduled 30-minute sectionals after school each week with brass, wood reeds, and flutes.
00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:53.839
I didn't have to worry about percussion because that happened later.
00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:59.680
And what I did was this sounds lazy, but it we're gonna call it an educational opportunity.
00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:05.920
I would enlist high school students to come over after school from the high school band program because they loved it.
00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:08.480
And they would they would teach that little sectional.
00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:11.519
And did they teach what I needed them to teach?
00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:16.319
Mostly 70%, maybe some days 50%.
00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:21.119
Maybe some days I'm in my office going, good lord, they are screwing up my baritones.
00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:29.599
You know, but I tell you, the benefit was those high school kids got better by learning how to teach, even though I had to bite my tongue.
00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:36.000
And then after I'd go, you know, maybe we ought to do it this way, and so I really like what you're doing.
00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:42.319
But you know, the biggest turnabout was I would ask them because all our high school band kids were in multiple activities.
00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:47.680
So I'd say, when you come do the sectional, can you uh wear your cheerleading shirt?
00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:50.000
So you're recruiting, I see it already.
00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:52.079
Yeah, can you wear your football jersey?
00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:53.759
Can you wear your ag jacket?
00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:56.240
You know, so they see that.
00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:58.079
Oh, so then they would ask questions.
00:18:58.160 --> 00:19:00.000
They'd say, You show goats?
00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:01.119
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:01.920
I'm in ag.
00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:03.119
I should I'm at 4H.
00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:04.880
And oh yeah, I'm in 4 H too.
00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:07.839
And there's something about back to communication and trust.
00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:10.799
There's something about we're we're tribal people, aren't we?
00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:11.279
Right.
00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:17.519
And band becomes our tribe, but our tribe will not exist unless we acknowledge all the other tribes.
00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:18.400
Agreed.
00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:19.599
Yeah, I agree with that.
00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:20.480
That's a genius.
00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:26.480
So they they would show up in their number 44 football jersey and teach brass for 30 minutes.
00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:27.759
And they thought it was great.
00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:39.680
And as a reward for them, once a semester, whenever I just felt like it, I would take them all to a dinner somewhere in town, just have hamburgers, or I'd cook hamburgers at the house, and we'd have we called them winter dinners.
00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:40.880
We had our winter dinners.
00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:44.079
So the winter dinners were I and that was a special invite.
00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:53.680
It was a hand-rolled scroll with a red and black twisty tie thing on it that I would hand to them in band because they had invites to the winter dinner, you know.
00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:57.200
I did so that way it kind of ties it all together.
00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:07.680
So hopefully that you're promoting continuity, you're promoting mentorship, you're promoting uh we help each other, you're building the tribe.
00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.319
It's great.
00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:09.519
It's I love it.
00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:12.640
And the best part is I didn't have to do crap.
00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:16.559
Can't really say the uh perk.
00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:18.799
Yeah, and that is a perk.
00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:32.559
And a more logistical way of looking at it is this um, I'm a trumpet player, I'm not a clarinet player, but if I have an all-state clarinet player in my high school band, they can teach more about clarinet than I ever dreamed of.
00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:34.559
I know how to should what it should sound like.
00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:36.079
Now go make them sound like you.
00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:41.519
Yes, yeah, and I could I would ask them questions like, hey, did you figure out an alternate fingering for this?
00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:42.640
Oh, yeah, I did, Mr.
00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:43.119
Lenny.
00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:43.519
It's here.
00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:55.680
And if you acknowledge their intellect and their talent and ability, then uh to make me better, there was some sense of relationship thing that it just turned on its head.
00:20:55.839 --> 00:20:59.920
Right all of a sudden I become the student and they see me differently.
00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:08.079
So when I come down on them later about something in marching band, they don't see me as some jerk that's just up on the tower.
00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:09.599
They see me as, no, Mr.
00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:13.680
Lenny really does want to know the alternate fingering for this E-Flag.
00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:14.160
Right.
00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:14.400
Right.
00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:21.839
I I just wanted to throw that in there that said, don't be afraid to expose your vulnerability in education to your students.
00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:27.440
To simply say, I really don't understand why that why we do that on saxophone.
00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:38.079
Well, I also want to compliment you because one of the hallmarks or one of the um one of the the uh signs that you're a good leader is duplication.
00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:41.920
If you walk away and the place crumbles, you weren't a very good leader.
00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:50.559
If you have to step out for a minute and your kids can take over because you've given them the ability to become the leaders, that's that's good leadership.
00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:51.119
Yeah.
00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:59.839
And and I loved it with all my with all my leaders in beginner band, junior high band, and high school man of that time, because at the time I had about 60 in high school, about 50 something beginner bands.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:58.160
beginners and about 70 and uh our junior high band which was sixth and seventh grade but when I went to TMEA convention all they needed to do was hire a teacher's aide to come in because the the student leaders knew what to do and at least could get them through the music and the the adult was in there just in case you know just to do adult things yeah to do it yeah to to figure out that you know this kid just had a seizure there's a medical situation or they're just being a jerk you know I said hey come here go go see the principal go right you know so and they would uh it was a good situation I really liked it a lot but after the first six weeks after we had them in these little straight rows you know look like a pegboard okay I'd set them up as a band and we played lines and music with some theory and some counting practice because my goal was pretty soon you know within the first two months after we begin we've got to make these students realize they are a band.
00:22:58.400 --> 00:22:58.799
Right.
00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:14.799
Which is a great selling point most people go, I don't want all those beginners together there there is some perks to it because that you can start talking about things like you know well the bearitones and tubas need to be the loudest voice in this chord.
00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:18.880
They need to play stronger so trumpets back off.
00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:19.599
Right.
00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:27.759
Yeah I'm really proud you can make that noise but yeah or when I was in Wiley I would have 35 beginning trumpets and we would peel paint.
00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:36.799
I mean and then when then we put them together for our little Sandy Lake thing and it was like oh my God you know but you got to get them moving that air so there's different pros and cons to it.
00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:41.839
So don't think that it's don't be have a defeatist attitude because all your beginners are together in a small school.
00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:44.079
Let me see if I can remember this about you as well.
00:23:44.240 --> 00:24:02.160
Even when you had them in in a band set per se you still left a pretty wide center aisle oh yeah yeah with your young ones so you could walk up and down that center aisle even if the even though you'd created sections and put them in you know a concert set per se you still left a pretty wide center mo aisle to walk up and down.
00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:04.640
Yeah I called it the educational runway.
00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:07.119
That was the educational runway.
00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:14.160
So I I always liked it to where um I could get within three feet of a student within 15 seconds or less.
00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:17.119
But and if I really got after it it could be like in five seconds.
00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:22.400
So if a kid was misbehaving I could be there in three to five seconds and they knew that.
00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:23.039
Right.
00:24:23.359 --> 00:24:30.799
I never sometimes I didn't have to say a word just the proximity of just in the our next podcast we do uh is going to be on student management.
00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:36.799
So that's gonna be I and I love the whole political ramifications of doing student management in a classroom.
00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:38.880
It's it's it's quite the cool thing.
00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:55.839
But that was my educational runway between staff we call it the discipline gangplank we never told the students that I could I could get to them if I needed to slap them you know I could get to them in five seconds and I you know close enough that I could slap them.
00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:57.839
I never slapped a student.
00:24:58.160 --> 00:25:08.160
Figuratively figuratively back in the old days we did use a board but you know but that's uh that that's new in the news right now so it it's uh I guess say careful.
00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:28.400
Yeah be careful yeah uh it is what it is and I I don't think back in the day there was erasers flying there were yeah as a band director you made sure not to throw too many things because the kids would throw them back and they had stronger arms than Mr Lane did so better aim I could throw an eraser at a kid and he'd throw it back and hit me in the forehead and we'd just laugh and that'd be the end of it.
00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:33.279
Nowadays we'd be talking with attorneys you know but it is what it is.
00:25:33.359 --> 00:25:51.359
All right whatever um but so we'd put them together and we'd get we'd get that kind of figured out and then you know then finally we would get to where we'd play some easy band music and and I mean oh my God with a all the beginners in one class easy band music was not what you buy from JW Pepper.
00:25:51.599 --> 00:25:52.960
Easy band music was what Mr.
00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:57.680
Lunny took a line and wrote a harmony to it and a bass line and that was it.
00:25:57.839 --> 00:26:08.160
It was line 56 yeah there were trios you know and I I would I would write those out by hand because I had no earthly idea how to use finale because I was just an idiot.
00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:17.839
But I'd write those out and then later on I found this really great thing there's like four part like quartets that you could buy from Belwin Mills that had A, B, C, and D.
00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:21.839
And I could assign lines to people it was a great little book.
00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:23.359
And it was nothing hard in there.
00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:38.559
There are quarter notes half notes but we kind of get them going on that now the standard was to put them together was when we knew our first six notes how exciting I've got full band arrangements I do with all region bands.
00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:53.039
They use six notes six notes six notes the first six notes of their concert B flat scale and I've used that with a a top ATSSB region band with about 20 or 30 all staters in there.
00:26:53.359 --> 00:27:27.920
Beautiful arrangement uh yeah beautiful the Sibelius uh um and uh now my mind's gone yeah I'll look it up but it's uh but it's a beautiful arrangement they don't they don't realize they're playing the first six notes of their concert B flat scale but it's musically done very very well so what's you were that you're creating a a an argument for one of my most the things I keep to in my head most of the time I think we try we associate great music with how many black dots are on the page and how fast they move good music is good music is good.
00:27:28.400 --> 00:27:28.960
It is good music.
00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:55.279
Yeah the piece my brain just kicked in those two cells rub together it's be still my soul beautiful hymn uh based on a Sibelius melody you know um but uh but yeah it's it's at but you're exactly right um if you don't tell them it's easy and it's musically really cool they like it and uh not to take a you know we love our rabbit chasing right um but you know it's uh DCI and I love it.
00:27:55.359 --> 00:28:34.400
I had a Zoom meeting with my Skyrider uh alumni board and whatever and we were talking about things and and uh you know DCI has kind of some beautiful musical moments especially uh you know with the the blue coats oh my gosh what a what a stunningly musical show but in some ways it's so much on steroids that we've created this process where it's like how much can we show off each section for X amount of seconds in order to gain points to grab to grab GE and to grab technical points and brass and et cetera and I'm not saying that's wrong but we've kind of veered away a little bit like you know we we've all got a double tongue and we've all got to have a woodwind solo.
00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:35.279
Now we've all got to do this.
00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:43.279
Now we've all got and it's becoming just as programmatic as we came on the field, did a 45 degree oblique and played our fanfare.
00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:52.079
Then we marched six to five down the field and we followed the twirlers and we always laughed about it later going how programmatic how we could tell what was going to happen.
00:28:52.240 --> 00:28:52.559
Right.
00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:55.519
It's a different genre but it's the same programmatic feel to it.
00:28:55.680 --> 00:29:09.759
So be careful that like like Derek just said it's exciting I'm a trumpet player higher faster louder is my mantra I need a bumper sticker you know um but um and it's fun but that shouldn't be the end all of what we do as educators.
00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:13.759
Uh it's it's okay to show off but you know have something musical in there.
00:29:14.240 --> 00:30:14.960
But that doesn't discount the other is I guess my point doesn't discount the other okay and the percussion later on we'd have triouts for that and if I had the percussion in the class we could do a few simple rudiments in a very poor role um but later on I decided not to start percussion till sixth grade because I'll tell you this if you're a 1A2A band director and you have all your beginners in one class and you have percussion in there you spend uncountless time going through everything and then you get to the percussion and then their first line is rest why just don't do that okay don't do that uh save the percussion for later um uh just my advice okay and by the way I took up the theory folders every day because I was checking them and grading them according to yeah you were I actually just looked over them quickly to make sure they were doing it.
00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:16.559
Did they write anything then?
00:30:16.720 --> 00:30:32.559
Did they write anything they could be writing words to the Declaration of Independence night I wouldn't even notice that if they weren't completing the work then for them the punishment the next day from the grand podium was you are doing theory for the whole day young man.
00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:54.799
Oh no you know oh Lord Lord help us but uh it's the perception of like those uh cameras on buses that uh when I was in Electro they put cameras on the buses and then one day one of the boxes fell open and we realized there wasn't a camera in there it was just a red light that goes blink blink blink blink blink every time we started the bus.
00:30:54.880 --> 00:30:59.599
And all the we all looked at the kids go, oh man, there's not a camera in there.
00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:02.000
Chaos ensued.
00:31:02.160 --> 00:31:35.359
Yeah we'll just we'll just leave it at that but uh sometimes the perception of being watched and uh graded and checked and uh I'm sure our admin does the same thing to us you know sure uh there was one time where our principal went through and my at the time my assistant band director always left her keys on her desk and the principal had just gone through all the rooms while we were teaching and he just would pick up things from different classes just and not as a punishment but just to give them a hard a reminder he'd go to the front he'd have a a box during lunch he'd come by and said oh Mrs.
00:31:35.440 --> 00:31:38.559
So and so here's your keys oh Mr.
00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:44.240
So and so here's your phone by the way without a passcode on it Mr.
00:31:44.400 --> 00:32:06.000
Lenny here's your wallet that you'd left on top of a snare drum to muffle a snare drum you know and it just to remind us that you know um be careful okay so you know and it gets to the point too in our our upcoming podcast around classroom management but I want to touch on that because that's probably the biggest fear of having all your beginners in one class.
00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:06.640
Right.
00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:14.400
I've not met many young teachers or old teachers that doubt themselves severely on how they can teach.
00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:24.559
They feel like they know enough they can keep at least one page ahead of my flute section if I'm a trombone player or I can keep one page ahead of my trombone class if I'm a clarinet player.
00:32:25.119 --> 00:32:30.079
But then classroom management sends shivers down their spine because it's that fear.
00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:43.359
It's like when I work my leadership team I would ask them I said what is your biggest fear about being a leader in the marching band and it 99% of the time the answer was I'm afraid people aren't going to listen to me.
00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:45.599
I would agree with that.
00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:45.920
Yeah.
00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:54.559
And that's that's kind of scary but it that is the fear and I tell you what I taught for 31 years and I still have a clinic for the last nine or 10 years.
00:32:54.720 --> 00:32:58.559
And there's still times sometimes I feel like really on top of it.
00:32:58.799 --> 00:33:02.400
Get up and go, Lenny you can do this and I'm excited about it.
00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:10.640
There's other times I get on the podium and I kind of look around and I go is this the day they're gonna catch me that imposter syndrome.
00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:18.880
Is this the day I'm gonna just be absolutely worthless up here and all the kids are going to go to second period going, who was that stupid old man?
00:33:19.039 --> 00:33:19.359
Right.
00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:24.160
There's not one thing he said that and there's that fear still lives in my gut.
00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:26.079
So I I I sympathize with that.
00:33:26.160 --> 00:33:30.160
And by the way young teachers that fear never completely goes away.
00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:32.559
It returns to traumatic nightmares.
00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:45.920
As a person who was paid to be in a leadership position for 30 plus years you still are at some point you think somebody's going to turn around and go I knew it.
00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:48.160
He doesn't know any more than I do.
00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:48.799
That's right.
00:33:48.880 --> 00:33:55.200
I I knew I knew that Lenny was an idiot my mom and dad said he was an idiot but he certainly proved it today.
00:33:55.440 --> 00:34:49.920
Today he proved it's scary and the worst part is when if you ever get the uh the uh honor of doing an all region or an honor group you have like six hours to put a concert together that's when the fear is the greatest I did oh my gosh it's like chopped you open your basket on that first rehearsal that chopped the cooking show and you look inside your basket got one really bad bassoon an all state trumpet player 14 clarinets that can't play and we got a concert in six hours here we go kids are all doing the same thing they're opening up their chopped basket going okay we got this really old guy we don't really trust old people there's a lot of gray hair on that podium for what's left of his gray hair um he seems like he knows what he's doing but the jury's still out so we all have to figure out what we're doing so they were so busy in this the classroom management was relatively easy.
00:34:50.159 --> 00:35:18.880
The key to that is relatively um if a student was particularly troublesome I had a series of seven things that they went through and this was also in their folder and it was written on the board and it was on a sign and it was an order of seven so if I ended up later on sending them to the principal I would I would tell the principal that anytime you get a kid sent to me, tell them to recite the order of discipline consequences to you and tell you where they are right now.
00:35:19.760 --> 00:35:26.800
That way the principal knew that we'd gone through that without me having to write our interface he didn't have to wonder how many steps had gone on before they came to see you.
00:35:27.039 --> 00:35:27.360
That's right.
00:35:27.440 --> 00:35:31.360
So the kids all had this memorized we did as a chant every single day at the end of the band period.
00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:32.320
This was a chant.
00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:37.440
So I said one call out in class two set them out of the setup.
00:35:37.679 --> 00:35:55.440
Three do assignment for misconduct assignment for misconduct was a little paragraph they had to write um four call parent five send a principal usually that's where they're at they go to the principal they can recite the first four and they said now where are you now young lady or young man?
00:35:55.920 --> 00:35:57.280
I've been sent to the principal.
00:35:57.519 --> 00:35:58.960
Okay so you're on step five of Mr.
00:35:59.119 --> 00:36:16.000
Lenny's discipline plan very good what's next the principal would ask parent conference is number six seven is removed from program period usually calling out in class solves 90% of the problems another eight percent is set them out of the setup.
00:36:16.159 --> 00:36:35.199
Just pull them out of the setup make them face the wall they still have to play their horn now do they start and stop with us no because I can't see me but they're facing the wall but I still want them pretending like they're doing something okay and then the final two percent usually was the assignment for misconduct if I did have to call a parent that was pretty rare.
00:36:35.360 --> 00:36:51.039
I mean maybe discipline wise that was like probably 10 times a semester total for the program because I tried to keep that off send to a principal the principal knew if a kid came to the class they were pretty much on the removed from program list.
00:36:51.679 --> 00:37:05.440
If they got to that I I tried to handle it in because there's two schools of thought here Derek one is I've had uh mentors and current colleague band directors say that it is the principal's job to establish the discipline in the school.
00:37:05.599 --> 00:37:09.599
Therefore it's the principal's job to establish discipline in your classroom.
00:37:09.840 --> 00:37:16.960
I believe it's my job to establish discipline in my classroom and the principal should be the very last resort.
00:37:17.119 --> 00:37:25.440
If I want to get the things I want like uniforms, funding, classroom scheduling I've there's times I have to use the principal.
00:37:25.599 --> 00:37:36.320
If a kid pulls a knife in class they've got to see the principal right down there because they've been talking too much in class you're gonna be labeled as an idiot as a teacher.
00:37:36.719 --> 00:37:38.159
Weak yeah or weak.
00:37:38.400 --> 00:37:40.880
And so you you'll have no respect at all from the admin.
00:37:41.039 --> 00:37:44.880
That's just my school of thought a lot of people agree with me a lot of people disagree with me.
00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:48.880
The ones who disagree have your have your thing do do what you're doing.
00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:56.159
You do you I'll do me okay and again this order is on the bulletin board for all to see and it was to be written down every day on the music theory sheet.
00:37:56.239 --> 00:38:13.840
So they would chant it then they would have to write I'd say write down rule four in the order and they'd all on their theory sheet put send a principal or call parent or whatever the rule is okay that was to brainwash them and to give me a way of knowing where they were in the packet each day.
00:38:14.079 --> 00:38:25.920
I knew they would like you know 914 parent conference number six that way I knew I could scan through real quick and go okay I could get there.
00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:27.760
It kept record.
00:38:27.840 --> 00:38:35.599
It kept record but you know it brainwashing is such a manipulative term but it's something we all do.
00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:43.920
It's it's a it's a and we'll get into a whole series I've got prepared on uh emotional impact with student behavior and so forth.
00:38:44.079 --> 00:38:49.599
And it's it's really mind-boggling no pun intended on that but it's all based on emotions.
00:38:49.760 --> 00:38:58.880
And I tell you what brainwashing if you look at it as a proactive thing it's the same thing that our government does when it's a good way or bad way.
00:38:59.039 --> 00:39:02.400
It's what our churches do in a good way andor a bad way.
00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:08.719
It's what our parents do in a good way or a bad way and it's also what our band directors do in a good way or a bad way.
00:39:08.880 --> 00:39:13.280
It's a tool it's how you use it determines whether it's good or bad.
00:39:13.599 --> 00:39:16.239
How did you learn multiplication tables, Mike Lenny?
00:39:16.880 --> 00:39:18.960
Oh just reciting them.
00:39:19.360 --> 00:39:20.159
Brainwash.
00:39:20.400 --> 00:39:23.199
Brainwash, yeah you're exact yeah I didn't think about that but you're right.
00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:30.320
My mom would sit there and go two is two times two is four two times three is six two times four is eight seven times eight is fifty six.
00:39:30.400 --> 00:39:38.079
You know and still to this day that's embedded in my hind mind you know the engine of our mind it's embedded in there as repetition.
00:39:38.159 --> 00:39:47.119
So brainwashing is a good thing if used correctly just the term brainwash kind of brings up no I get it yeah cultish activity you know the branch dividians or something.
00:39:47.199 --> 00:39:47.679
You know what I mean?
00:39:52.400 --> 00:39:53.280
Yes, yes, yes.
00:39:53.440 --> 00:39:55.280
So I just want to kind of throw that out there.
00:39:55.440 --> 00:40:00.880
And the assignment we used was a couple of paragraphs I had to copy out and this is how I did it.
00:40:01.119 --> 00:40:03.760
It was in a a milk crate I stole from the cafeteria.
00:40:04.079 --> 00:40:07.360
Okay so you know you're this behind the head all the milk crates I just grabbed one.
00:40:07.440 --> 00:40:09.840
You know I'll probably have to do time for that someday.
00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:21.199
And uh but I put the milk crate and inside was manila envelopes and inside that manila envelope there was a pencil, a copy of the assignment and a couple of sheets of paper stapled to the assignment.
00:40:21.360 --> 00:40:24.079
That way they couldn't waste my time with I don't have questions.
00:40:24.239 --> 00:40:25.360
You know, I don't have this Mr.
00:40:25.519 --> 00:40:26.320
Lane I don't have this Mr.
00:40:26.480 --> 00:41:01.440
Lane do you have a pencil I can borrow do you you know so all I have to do is like in my educational runway is I'd just have to reach behind me, grab one, walk back there to Derek and go, Derek and he knew right then he's doing the assignment for misconduct and there's you would have done that a lot with Derek in your classroom I'm just saying I can only imagine I I wish I could get to you right now and just give you an assignment for misconduct at times um but that and this is this is so uh cruel but I would staple the extra sheets to the assignment and they knew that you could not unstaple them or you had to redo it.
00:41:01.519 --> 00:41:03.519
That way they had to flip back and forth the whole time.
00:41:03.920 --> 00:41:13.760
So they'd have to look at it flip the paper right flip the paper look at it flip the paper just to agitate them just to piss them off.
00:41:14.159 --> 00:41:17.599
My best quote ever was my good friend Luke McMillan.
00:41:17.760 --> 00:41:33.519
He was my system band director for 11 years now has a stunningly good company that writes marching band music and just is done well but he came out of band one day and he goes I tell you what Mike at the end of the band period someone's gonna be pissed off and it ain't going to be me anymore.
00:41:35.760 --> 00:41:39.920
And I thought that is golden words them be golden words man.
00:41:40.079 --> 00:41:47.280
Someone's gonna be pissed off and it's not going to be me you know so so don't have the whole class pissed off because they'll they'll just quit band.
00:41:47.760 --> 00:41:57.199
But it's okay to agitate that student in a profound fair consequence to discipline not an irony yelling at them.
00:41:57.280 --> 00:42:00.800
It's like here's the manila envelope do not unstaple it or you'll have to do it tomorrow.
00:42:00.960 --> 00:42:02.079
Chunk done.
00:42:02.400 --> 00:42:13.360
Today you're going to be my object teaching lesson that's right just like the preacher at the front of the church come to the front Derek this is what's known as bad behavior.
00:42:13.440 --> 00:42:20.800
This is Derek we love Derek we don't like his behavior you're not a bad person.
00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:21.760
We're gonna watch Mr.
00:42:21.920 --> 00:42:31.840
Lenny uh brainwash him into better behavior and if Derek doesn't shape up he's gonna be out of band yeah I love it I love it.
00:42:32.000 --> 00:42:40.079
Okay so and I hope this helps and I hope that the ones who aren't at small schools um maybe gleaned a few things out of there.
00:42:40.559 --> 00:42:48.719
One director teaching all instruments in one period is a challenge but it does have an upside the students think of themselves as a band.
00:42:48.960 --> 00:42:49.280
Right.
00:42:49.519 --> 00:42:59.679
That seems small but it's big when put together we can work on band ensemble techniques you know are the flutes listening to the tubas they bond I think that's important.
00:42:59.840 --> 00:43:14.400
And I felt like I had more seniors years later from that bonding now was that a significant factor of just small school versus large school I don't know but in in Wiley we would start with 180 beginners and have 30 seniors.
00:43:14.719 --> 00:43:24.320
When I was an elector I'd start with 58 uh beginners and I'd have 25 seniors is it causation or correlation?
00:43:24.719 --> 00:44:03.599
I don't know it seemed to work for me and I I think part of that was the fact they felt like they were a band they went to contests as a band they operated as a band and if you're a 1A2A director out there you've got the hardest job in the world you know uh you really do and uh and uh it's it's it's a good job as our good friend Doris Pace says uh it's it this job is just too damn hard if you don't love it you know so so that's my input for the day get out there teach a kid discipline a kid if someone's gonna be pissed off at the end of the period make it be the troublemaker okay you just go get a cup of coffee at the lounge and have a good day.
00:44:03.840 --> 00:44:04.559
That's fun.
00:44:04.719 --> 00:44:28.400
All right brother well you know what I think that's a great eraser for us all at this time I mean not an eraser but a a chance to think about something besides all the things that we're thinking about with the marching band and I gotta I gotta tell you you just increased my respect for people that are K through 12 or the as you used to call yourself the music teacher in the district in this county.
00:44:29.280 --> 00:44:34.239
There's one high school one county one teacher oh my God lots of different hats.
00:44:34.400 --> 00:44:40.320
Yeah I would get a mail in my personal post office box addressed to band.
00:44:40.880 --> 00:44:41.599
That's fun.
00:44:42.079 --> 00:44:47.679
Yeah they just knew the mailman was like send it to Lenny that's funny sticking in his box.
00:44:48.079 --> 00:45:06.880
Hi brother well have a fantastic week I know that you're probably already out there uh assuaging fears and you see that word I used and making that's an SAT word making people a reminding people that you can do this so we're all in the all in this together.
00:45:07.039 --> 00:45:09.840
Don't be scared to ask Mike we'll talk again soon
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:05.759
Mike Looney, the state of Texas is deep in it now.
00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:06.719
Deep in it.
00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:07.919
We're like in an air fryer.
00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:08.880
What are you talking about?
00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:11.759
I suppose I should probably qualify that.
00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:13.919
Into marching season.
00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:15.199
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:15.919
That that too.
00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:21.679
There's all kinds of other things that we could you know it's funny.
00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:24.800
I have kids in that state north of us.
00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:25.440
Yeah.
00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:30.960
And they they called me the other day and we were talking, you know, I got to keep up with grandkids.
00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:36.399
And I they told me, look, we've been well over a hundred for 20 days in a row.
00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:40.479
I said, okay, uh, you know, that's kind of life for us.
00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:41.600
They say, you don't get it.
00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:42.960
We got humidity with it.
00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:43.439
Yes.
00:00:43.600 --> 00:00:45.359
And I'm like, yeah, they do have a point.
00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:46.320
They do have a place.
00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:46.719
Right.
00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:51.679
Because even Abilene, my little home ground, is a lot different than Midland, Odessa.
00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:52.320
Right.
00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:53.119
Or love it.
00:00:53.280 --> 00:01:01.359
I mean, it's you know, 110 here and 110 in your house in your neighborhood is a whole lot different just because of humidity.
00:01:01.759 --> 00:01:02.719
We almost say push.
00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:06.079
It's a dry heat.
00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:07.280
It's a dry heat.
00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:13.040
And we always laughingly in Abilene say we're part of West Texas, but you guys who are in West Texas just kind of smells.
00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:14.159
You know, that's crazy.
00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:22.799
And this may cause more conversation among our friends that listen than it needs to, but growing up, I never considered Abilene, West Texas.
00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:24.640
No, it's really not.
00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:25.280
It's not.
00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:27.439
We kind of smell like West Texas.
00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:31.439
The more oil industry goes on there.
00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:32.480
Yeah, yeah.
00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:35.680
No, I always thought y'all were like Central Texas in my mind.
00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:37.200
Yeah, I'm I'm with you on that.
00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:39.920
Actually, more of the Concho Valley, Central Texas.
00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:44.079
I think we have more in common with Waco than we do Midland Odessa.
00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:44.400
You know?
00:01:44.959 --> 00:01:51.040
For all of our friends in Europe and the northern part of the United States, there's our geography conversation for this morning.
00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:51.840
There you go.
00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:55.120
We like to say West Texas, so I call it stolen valor.
00:01:57.920 --> 00:01:58.799
We're tough.
00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:00.079
We're West Texas.
00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:00.799
We're tough.
00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:03.680
Well, man, they gotta be tough out there marching right now.
00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:07.680
I'm I'm with all my brothers and sisters who are are busy teaching.
00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:13.599
We're probably into the first, at least the first half set of the first uh piece of music.
00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:16.080
I don't even know that they do and buy pieces anymore.
00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:19.039
I mean, it's kind of a through composed show anymore, isn't it?
00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:19.280
Yeah.
00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:23.759
Yeah, it's kind of one big package with about 14 different musical arcs that have to.
00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:26.960
It's uh it's an interesting process now.
00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:33.840
It's it's remember the old days when you did your opener and your concert piece and your drum solo and your closer, you know.
00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:34.560
Exactly.
00:02:34.639 --> 00:02:37.840
And we would bragging, well, we've got the first two on the field.
00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:38.560
That's right.
00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:39.360
That's right.
00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:43.599
So, okay, how can we help our friends who are out there sweating it out?
00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:48.240
You know, I know it's it's school when I drive by the local high school for me.
00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:52.240
That's I I pass Odessa Permian on my way to work every day.
00:02:52.479 --> 00:03:00.400
It's dark, the parking lot lights are on, and you can see the lights uh shining off of the silver bells of the sousaphones.
00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:05.599
It just feels like it doesn't temperature-wise feel like fall, but I know we're back in it.
00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:12.479
So, what can we do to help our friends who uh are probably thinking to themselves, dear lord, it's hot.
00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:14.319
Am I getting everything done?
00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:15.680
What do I need to do better?
00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:17.919
Have you got some helpful things today?
00:03:18.159 --> 00:03:22.080
Well, what we're doing today, I'm gonna pull us back into the band hall.
00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:22.879
Okay.
00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:34.000
Because there there is uh uh, and I know this is hard for a lot of band directors because it was for me, when you're in the midst of marching season, it's easy to neglect everything else in your program.
00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:39.919
It's easy, especially if you're fortunate enough to have a staff or at least one other band director.
00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:41.840
It's like that's not my problem.
00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:46.800
But I want to talk today about having lots of beginners in a mixed class.
00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:48.080
Oh, wow, okay.
00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:50.960
Yeah, so this is a total different kind of offshoot.
00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:51.840
And I'm with you, man.
00:03:51.919 --> 00:04:06.159
The the marching thing is like in incredibly pushing, and because our PR is based on it, in a lot of ways, I hate to say it, but our our job is kind of rest on what the public sees every Friday.
00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:06.719
Sure.
00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:09.599
But it starts kind of way back in the in the band hall.
00:04:09.840 --> 00:04:16.560
And one thing I ran across as a band director, because I did it the stupid way, which Mike Lenny does a lot of things the stupid way.
00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:19.360
Um, but I was never an assistant band director.
00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:19.920
Okay.
00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:26.879
You know, I just my first job, I was the head band director in Throckmorton, Texas, with my big giant band of 25.
00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:29.920
And I had did kindergarten through 12th grade music.
00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:33.279
And then I just never uh never changed from that.
00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:34.639
Um I think I knew that.
00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:35.040
Yeah.
00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:41.360
But it was interesting because, you know, in those schools, like from my first 13 years was all 1A2A schools.
00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:41.680
Right.
00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:43.839
Basically Electra in Throckmorton.
00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:49.279
You know, and I didn't really have any staff in Electra until about the seventh year there.
00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:53.519
So my first nine years of teaching, I was the only band director.
00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:58.079
So, you know, the school counselor says, Okay, good job recruiting all these band students.
00:04:58.240 --> 00:04:59.680
Now you are the director.
00:04:59.920 --> 00:05:00.959
And can we put them in?
00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:02.319
Congratulations.
00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:07.040
Well, no, we can't do that because there's only this many of them.
00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:09.519
And if we do that, then it screws up the entire schedule.
00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:12.480
So uh I think the worst scenario I had was an elector one year.
00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:18.480
I had like 58 beginners last period after PE class.
00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:20.959
So they smelled like high heavens.
00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:23.839
Yeah, you know, I mean, they they were and they were done for the day.
00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:28.160
And here it is, you've got flutes to tubas, and you've got everything in the same class.
00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:32.079
I didn't have any percussion because I'm too chicken to try to get that in there.
00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:35.199
I I have them audition for percussion for their sixth grade year.
00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:37.120
So that's kind of how we approached it.
00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:49.439
But but yeah, it is an interesting concept, and I know that some of our students who come out of colleges and universities, they're very used to this idea of having a trumpet class and a trombone class and uh, you know, and that's cool.
00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:53.600
That's how it was set up in my time at Wiley, and it was really wonderful.
00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:59.920
We had nine separate beginner classes in three periods with about four directors teaching those.
00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:02.240
Here's it with the large enough staff to do that.
00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:02.399
Yeah.
00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:04.319
Yeah, yeah, and we could we could handle that.
00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:06.720
But let me get back to the original point.
00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:20.000
If you are a first-year teacher and you take a job in a 1A school and you're looking for your woodwind specialist or your brass specialist, you best just turn your phone into a selfie and flip that picture and take a picture right there.
00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:21.120
Because there they are.
00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:22.240
There you there they are.
00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:25.759
You're the color guard tech, you're the percussion tech, you're everything.
00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:30.959
And so I just want to go through how I kind of tried to handle this and give some ideas with it.
00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:36.639
Now, if you're at a larger school, um, don't turn off the bra, the uh the podcast, please.
00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:42.879
Don't do that, you know, because I think there's gonna be things in here that you can use within your jazz band, you can use within your marching band.
00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:46.079
Um, you can use in any class as far as organization.
00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:51.439
And I would love to have input from uh directors who maybe have some ideas how they've done it.
00:06:51.680 --> 00:07:00.399
If you'll send it to me, I'll add it to my list of stuff that I have in my computer, and uh and we can make that work as as the future comes upon us on this.
00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:01.920
But here's how I tackled the job.
00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:09.439
Every day in Electra, I had it wasn't as bad in Throckmorton because I had almost every fifth grader in band, all 17 of them.
00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:10.319
Right.
00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:13.279
So you had 17 kids.
00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:19.199
So you were basically giving with no percussion in there, you were giving little tiny private lessons for 17 kids.
00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:20.240
So that wasn't a problem.
00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:24.560
When it got up to 55 to 60 kids in Electra, that was a problem.
00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:25.759
Okay, that was a problem.
00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:42.480
Uh I had 55 minutes a day, which was kind of a blessing, but in beginner end, it's a curse because students definitely, you know, have a certain expiration date on their uh brain power, especially at 2 p.m.
00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:42.959
Yeah.
00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:45.600
Yeah, and it and it resets every day, you know what I mean?
00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:57.519
And they were already tired, they were the clothes were sweated through, um, they smelled, um, they had all their book bags and stuff because when they left the band hall, they were headed straight for the buses, which were right outside my band hall.
00:07:57.759 --> 00:07:59.920
It was quite the nightmare of a situation.
00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:05.439
So I had one teacher all in one period, last period of the day, after they finished PE class.
00:08:05.680 --> 00:08:07.040
So here's what I did.
00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:12.240
Um, each student had a packet of music theory worksheets in a folder.
00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:13.040
Okay.
00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:14.720
And they just had that with them.
00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:23.839
When I wasn't working with their little tiny group, because I had them all, you know, in their sections, of course, they were working on theory, and it was really easy stuff.
00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:32.320
And uh and then we'd reinforce it later, but it was it was almost to the point of busy work, but it did have some good information for them.
00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:33.679
Redeeming value, right?
00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:40.000
Yeah, and I would allow them, you know, we've talked before in the podcast about good noise and bad noise in rehearsals.
00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:40.399
Sure.
00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:46.399
And in the class, you know, the good noise was I I would allow one student each section, they were the leader.
00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:47.440
That was a big deal.
00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:54.080
They thought that was the coolest thing in the world because they got a dum-dum pop at the end of the period if they were the leader.
00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:57.440
So I had a big old bag and they'd come up and get their dum-dum pop, you know.
00:08:57.600 --> 00:08:59.120
Um, so that they were the leader.
00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:03.360
So they were the only ones that were allowed to field questions from people in their section.
00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:05.200
There might be seven flute players.
00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:10.879
And so that one little girl or little boy would they'd say, I don't understand what a quarter note is.
00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:12.720
And that person would kind of whisper to them.
00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:16.720
So you had this kind of undertow of whispering.
00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:18.559
As soon as you can get over that, you're okay.
00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:19.200
Um, right.
00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:28.000
And then what I did was I would work with each section and I would set a timer, just an old-fashioned kitchen timer for five minutes.
00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:34.000
So I'd work with let's say the clarinets and how to put the reed onto their instrument or how we do our left-hand position.
00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:36.159
But everyone else was working.
00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:36.720
Okay.
00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:39.200
And then at the end of five minutes, I would ding.
00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:41.519
And it was like changing the channel on TV.
00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:42.320
You know what I mean?
00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:44.480
It was like there was no intro, outro.
00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:47.039
It was like bing, goodbye.
00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:51.519
And they'd all put their horn down and they'd pick up their theory packet and I'd walk over to the trumpets.
00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:54.879
Now we're going to talk about how we buzz on our trumpet.
00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:56.639
And then everyone else is still working.
00:09:56.879 --> 00:10:02.240
So the timer is running, and I'm working on like flute, head joint, ombusure, brass are doing theory work.
00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:08.320
If you have percussion in there, they could be working on sticking on practice pads while saxon clarinets are putting reads on mouthpieces.
00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:12.399
So you can do the theory or you can give them assignment for the rest of the day.
00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:16.080
And the little leader, the line leader, would help them with that.
00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:16.639
Okay.
00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:17.759
And it's crazy.
00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:22.240
It's like a three-ring circus, but the energy is good.
00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:22.799
Right.
00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:25.759
It's like everyone's engaged in what's happening.
00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:29.440
That's much better than how I tried to do it at first, Mr.
00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:29.840
Derek.
00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:30.320
Okay.
00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:46.879
I would sit at the front of the band hall with my best impression of uh OT Ryan or Charles Nail or or whoever, and I would sit there and say, You will be quiet as I instruct the saxophones on how to adjust their neck strap.
00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:51.600
And you know, and that worked in the old days because we were afraid of our band directors.
00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:53.519
I got news for you these days.
00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:54.480
They ain't anymore.
00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:55.919
They're not afraid.
00:10:57.200 --> 00:10:58.399
They're not afraid.
00:10:58.559 --> 00:10:59.600
They're not afraid at all.
00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:07.279
They they will do what they want to do if you try to be the authoritarian and rain terror down upon their section.
00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:15.519
Um, that I'm not saying there's not times you got to read them the right act and do things like that, but if that's the daily basis, you know what they're gonna do, Derek?
00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:16.720
They're gonna quit band.
00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:17.919
Right.
00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:19.200
I don't need this.
00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:20.320
That's what I would do.
00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:34.639
I think the most important thing is something I I think it was uh either Keith Beard or Jay Lester told me he said uh um if you were actually a member in that class watching you teach, would you like to be in that class?
00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:35.600
Would you stay?
00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:36.000
Yeah.
00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:37.120
Would you stay?
00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:41.919
And it doesn't matter whether what you're saying is a profound knowledge of God of all bands.
00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:43.120
It doesn't matter.
00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:51.919
If that kid does not want to stay in band, they will figure out a way to get out of band or disrupt your band period so badly that no one else can learn.
00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:56.000
So it's crazy, but but that little portion works.
00:11:56.159 --> 00:12:03.519
So you have the little theory packets now that's But you know my two my two things in life communication, relationship.
00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:05.679
Yeah, and it kind of fits into what you're saying.
00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:09.840
A, if you're not communicating with them, it's a wasted period.
00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:12.960
Yeah, but two, and and I mean positive communication.
00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:13.600
Yeah.
00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:18.960
Understanding that communication means I say something and you receive that communication and understand it.
00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:20.080
That's communication.
00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:24.480
Relationship, you know, the kids would say, Do we like him or not?
00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:26.240
But I would say, do they trust you or not?
00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:28.320
Oh my gosh, that's a that's golden.
00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:32.159
Do they see you as somebody they can trust and want to learn from?
00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:33.200
So sorry.
00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:36.240
No, no, you're exactly no, no, you you thank you for that.
00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:37.360
That is exactly right.
00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:37.840
I love that.
00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:38.879
Do they trust you?
00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:40.879
Because sometimes we get caught up in that.
00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:42.879
I don't think the kids like me.
00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:43.519
Right.
00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:46.159
Some kids will, some kids won't.
00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:48.399
You're really not there to be their friend, though, right?
00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:49.039
Yeah, yeah.
00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:52.639
So uh that's golden uh wording there.
00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:54.320
Do they trust you?
00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:55.759
Excuse me.
00:12:55.919 --> 00:12:59.519
And then in terms of communication, too, there comes up this.
00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:04.799
If you've got 50 to 60 kids in front of you, guess what's going to be in the air all the time?
00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:07.039
They're little bitty hands.
00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:10.240
Because they all have questions.
00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:14.960
So we had a I had a student that would not be educated that day.
00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:16.240
Think about this.
00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:18.159
Their job was to be the secretary.
00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:20.080
So one kid got to be the secretary.
00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:23.440
So they would keep a tally sheet of how many questions from each section.
00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:26.559
Each section got two questions for the day.
00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:29.679
And they had to go through the leader.
00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:32.080
Think about that.
00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:37.440
After two questions, there's still communication, but there was a box at the front of the band hall.
00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:42.159
They could write down their question on a piece of paper and they could slide it in that box.
00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:45.120
Now, sometimes I'd get slips of paper like Mr.
00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:46.720
Lenny, we think you're a blankety blank.
00:13:46.799 --> 00:13:48.799
You know, yeah, that's a you know, that's gotta happen.
00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:50.639
That's the highest award of honor.
00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:52.000
You know, if someone write your name, Mr.
00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:53.600
Lenny, go to hell on the stand.
00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:57.679
You know, that's that's that's a badge of honor for band directors out there.
00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:08.559
But uh, but that was a system in which they felt like they could ask a question, but then the next day I would spend the first five minutes going through those questions real quickly.
00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:11.120
Uh yeah, second valve is F sharp on trumpet.
00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:19.120
Okay, okay, now this, this, no, no, you need to rotate your reads once a day, you know, and I would just go through it really quick and then I'd put the box back up there.
00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:20.559
And they really like that.
00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:26.559
Because like you said, with communication, I think part of the I think the biggest thing, and we're like this as adults too.
00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:28.639
Sometimes we just want to be heard.
00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:29.840
Exactly.
00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:32.480
That's that's all there is to it.
00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:41.120
And I would always uh and I would have a is a little slip of paper that they could have in their folders that had a check mark that do you want me to say your name?
00:14:41.679 --> 00:14:42.240
That's cool.
00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:43.039
I never thought about that.
00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:44.080
They could check that.
00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:47.120
So they got credit for a really good question if they wanted credit.
00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:51.039
If not, if they felt like I hate to say, but they felt like it was a dumb question.
00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:52.480
Be anonymous, yeah.
00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:54.960
Yeah, just they just wanted to ask a question, you know.
00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:57.840
Can can you play a trumpet without the mouthpiece?
00:14:57.919 --> 00:15:00.000
You know, please don't say my name.
00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:02.240
You know, and I would say, yeah, actually I can.
00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:04.480
I can buzz through the lead pipe and play.
00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:08.240
It sounds like crap, but it's uh it's not preferred, but I would do it for them.
00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:10.320
That that's that was a true that was really a question.
00:15:10.559 --> 00:15:10.799
Okay.
00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:18.559
So then we'd get the kids, we set them up in straight rows with distance between chairs, as much as you possibly can.
00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:21.360
I know some of our band halls are like a telephone booth.
00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:26.000
For you younger people, a telephone booth is a place where you used to be in public and used to use a phone with his release.
00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:28.559
Okay, that's the footnote.
00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:30.399
Okay, so distance between chairs.
00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:35.200
The reinforcement info was on the board, written on the board with numbers.
00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.200
That way I could just tell them the number.
00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:44.879
So it would say, practice putting your trombone in the case and out of the case over and over until you're sick of it.
00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:46.480
That'd be like number one.
00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:49.919
So I'd just have to go, trombones, number one.
00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:52.720
So it was all written up on the board.
00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:56.080
And finally I had it like done by a sign company.
00:15:56.240 --> 00:16:00.240
So there's this big sign with like 30s, like, who's it, Gibbs on NCIS?
00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:01.360
The Gibbs rules.
00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:02.559
I'm not an NCIS.
00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:03.360
Oh, yeah, yeah, we do.
00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:09.360
You guys who watch NCIS is like the his crew would go, oh, rule number 41.
00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:18.000
And these weren't rules, it was just uh, you know, practice your ombudsure, head joint alignment with your instrument, you know, and just had all these things.
00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:21.360
I go, flutes, number 14, and they'd all go.
00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:23.120
And they'd do number 14.
00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:23.519
Okay.
00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:28.320
Um, so that way I could just tell them by number, and that saved a ton of time.
00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:34.480
But you know what you did there too is you eliminate eliminate a lot of unnecessary feedback.
00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:36.399
Those silly questions.
00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:39.919
Uh are you telling us number four?
00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:41.360
And then you move on.
00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:44.320
And I know this sounds so OCD, but you know me well.
00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:51.200
Inside their folder is a slip of paper that had for their section had the things I had on the big sign with an explanation.
00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:52.159
Oh, cool.
00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:57.840
You know, that way they could say, align your uh head joint with your flute body.
00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:01.919
And this is now make sure that the hole is lined up with this rod.
00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:04.000
And it would, I'd even have a little picture there.
00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:05.039
And you know, cool.
00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:15.119
So that way they could uh theoretically, a really, really on top of it student could teach the flute section by just using the materials I put in their folder.
00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:15.920
Look at you.
00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:17.119
That's analog YouTube.
00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:19.599
That's right, analog YouTube, yeah.
00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:26.640
Yeah, I think uh Jeff Foxworthy, he was doing a deal about stepping on a copper head, and he goes, Yeah, I heard working on his generator.
00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:28.640
And he said, you know, you can YouTube anything.
00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:31.519
And his example was how to get snails out of a trombone.
00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:35.599
And so I YouTube, and there really is a YouTube on how to get snails out of your trombone.
00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.720
That's funny.
00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:41.440
So yeah, YouTube does it all nowadays, but in the old days we we had to be the YouTube.
00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:51.519
Um, I also scheduled 30-minute sectionals after school each week with brass, wood reeds, and flutes.
00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:53.839
I didn't have to worry about percussion because that happened later.
00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:59.680
And what I did was this sounds lazy, but it we're gonna call it an educational opportunity.
00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:05.920
I would enlist high school students to come over after school from the high school band program because they loved it.
00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:08.480
And they would they would teach that little sectional.
00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:11.519
And did they teach what I needed them to teach?
00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:16.319
Mostly 70%, maybe some days 50%.
00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:21.119
Maybe some days I'm in my office going, good lord, they are screwing up my baritones.
00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:29.599
You know, but I tell you, the benefit was those high school kids got better by learning how to teach, even though I had to bite my tongue.
00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:36.000
And then after I'd go, you know, maybe we ought to do it this way, and so I really like what you're doing.
00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:42.319
But you know, the biggest turnabout was I would ask them because all our high school band kids were in multiple activities.
00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:47.680
So I'd say, when you come do the sectional, can you uh wear your cheerleading shirt?
00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:50.000
So you're recruiting, I see it already.
00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:52.079
Yeah, can you wear your football jersey?
00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:53.759
Can you wear your ag jacket?
00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:56.240
You know, so they see that.
00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:58.079
Oh, so then they would ask questions.
00:18:58.160 --> 00:19:00.000
They'd say, You show goats?
00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:01.119
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:01.920
I'm in ag.
00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:03.119
I should I'm at 4H.
00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:04.880
And oh yeah, I'm in 4 H too.
00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:07.839
And there's something about back to communication and trust.
00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:10.799
There's something about we're we're tribal people, aren't we?
00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:11.279
Right.
00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:17.519
And band becomes our tribe, but our tribe will not exist unless we acknowledge all the other tribes.
00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:18.400
Agreed.
00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:19.599
Yeah, I agree with that.
00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:20.480
That's a genius.
00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:26.480
So they they would show up in their number 44 football jersey and teach brass for 30 minutes.
00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:27.759
And they thought it was great.
00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:39.680
And as a reward for them, once a semester, whenever I just felt like it, I would take them all to a dinner somewhere in town, just have hamburgers, or I'd cook hamburgers at the house, and we'd have we called them winter dinners.
00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:40.880
We had our winter dinners.
00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:44.079
So the winter dinners were I and that was a special invite.
00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:53.680
It was a hand-rolled scroll with a red and black twisty tie thing on it that I would hand to them in band because they had invites to the winter dinner, you know.
00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:57.200
I did so that way it kind of ties it all together.
00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:07.680
So hopefully that you're promoting continuity, you're promoting mentorship, you're promoting uh we help each other, you're building the tribe.
00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.319
It's great.
00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:09.519
It's I love it.
00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:12.640
And the best part is I didn't have to do crap.
00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:16.559
Can't really say the uh perk.
00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:18.799
Yeah, and that is a perk.
00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:32.559
And a more logistical way of looking at it is this um, I'm a trumpet player, I'm not a clarinet player, but if I have an all-state clarinet player in my high school band, they can teach more about clarinet than I ever dreamed of.
00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:34.559
I know how to should what it should sound like.
00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:36.079
Now go make them sound like you.
00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:41.519
Yes, yeah, and I could I would ask them questions like, hey, did you figure out an alternate fingering for this?
00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:42.640
Oh, yeah, I did, Mr.
00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:43.119
Lenny.
00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:43.519
It's here.
00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:55.680
And if you acknowledge their intellect and their talent and ability, then uh to make me better, there was some sense of relationship thing that it just turned on its head.
00:20:55.839 --> 00:20:59.920
Right all of a sudden I become the student and they see me differently.
00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:08.079
So when I come down on them later about something in marching band, they don't see me as some jerk that's just up on the tower.
00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:09.599
They see me as, no, Mr.
00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:13.680
Lenny really does want to know the alternate fingering for this E-Flag.
00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:14.160
Right.
00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:14.400
Right.
00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:21.839
I I just wanted to throw that in there that said, don't be afraid to expose your vulnerability in education to your students.
00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:27.440
To simply say, I really don't understand why that why we do that on saxophone.
00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:38.079
Well, I also want to compliment you because one of the hallmarks or one of the um one of the the uh signs that you're a good leader is duplication.
00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:41.920
If you walk away and the place crumbles, you weren't a very good leader.
00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:50.559
If you have to step out for a minute and your kids can take over because you've given them the ability to become the leaders, that's that's good leadership.
00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:51.119
Yeah.
00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:59.839
And and I loved it with all my with all my leaders in beginner band, junior high band, and high school man of that time, because at the time I had about 60 in high school, about 50 something beginner bands.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:58.160
beginners and about 70 and uh our junior high band which was sixth and seventh grade but when I went to TMEA convention all they needed to do was hire a teacher's aide to come in because the the student leaders knew what to do and at least could get them through the music and the the adult was in there just in case you know just to do adult things yeah to do it yeah to to figure out that you know this kid just had a seizure there's a medical situation or they're just being a jerk you know I said hey come here go go see the principal go right you know so and they would uh it was a good situation I really liked it a lot but after the first six weeks after we had them in these little straight rows you know look like a pegboard okay I'd set them up as a band and we played lines and music with some theory and some counting practice because my goal was pretty soon you know within the first two months after we begin we've got to make these students realize they are a band.
00:22:58.400 --> 00:22:58.799
Right.
00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:14.799
Which is a great selling point most people go, I don't want all those beginners together there there is some perks to it because that you can start talking about things like you know well the bearitones and tubas need to be the loudest voice in this chord.
00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:18.880
They need to play stronger so trumpets back off.
00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:19.599
Right.
00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:27.759
Yeah I'm really proud you can make that noise but yeah or when I was in Wiley I would have 35 beginning trumpets and we would peel paint.
00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:36.799
I mean and then when then we put them together for our little Sandy Lake thing and it was like oh my God you know but you got to get them moving that air so there's different pros and cons to it.
00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:41.839
So don't think that it's don't be have a defeatist attitude because all your beginners are together in a small school.
00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:44.079
Let me see if I can remember this about you as well.
00:23:44.240 --> 00:24:02.160
Even when you had them in in a band set per se you still left a pretty wide center aisle oh yeah yeah with your young ones so you could walk up and down that center aisle even if the even though you'd created sections and put them in you know a concert set per se you still left a pretty wide center mo aisle to walk up and down.
00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:04.640
Yeah I called it the educational runway.
00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:07.119
That was the educational runway.
00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:14.160
So I I always liked it to where um I could get within three feet of a student within 15 seconds or less.
00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:17.119
But and if I really got after it it could be like in five seconds.
00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:22.400
So if a kid was misbehaving I could be there in three to five seconds and they knew that.
00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:23.039
Right.
00:24:23.359 --> 00:24:30.799
I never sometimes I didn't have to say a word just the proximity of just in the our next podcast we do uh is going to be on student management.
00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:36.799
So that's gonna be I and I love the whole political ramifications of doing student management in a classroom.
00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:38.880
It's it's it's quite the cool thing.
00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:55.839
But that was my educational runway between staff we call it the discipline gangplank we never told the students that I could I could get to them if I needed to slap them you know I could get to them in five seconds and I you know close enough that I could slap them.
00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:57.839
I never slapped a student.
00:24:58.160 --> 00:25:08.160
Figuratively figuratively back in the old days we did use a board but you know but that's uh that that's new in the news right now so it it's uh I guess say careful.
00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:28.400
Yeah be careful yeah uh it is what it is and I I don't think back in the day there was erasers flying there were yeah as a band director you made sure not to throw too many things because the kids would throw them back and they had stronger arms than Mr Lane did so better aim I could throw an eraser at a kid and he'd throw it back and hit me in the forehead and we'd just laugh and that'd be the end of it.
00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:33.279
Nowadays we'd be talking with attorneys you know but it is what it is.
00:25:33.359 --> 00:25:51.359
All right whatever um but so we'd put them together and we'd get we'd get that kind of figured out and then you know then finally we would get to where we'd play some easy band music and and I mean oh my God with a all the beginners in one class easy band music was not what you buy from JW Pepper.
00:25:51.599 --> 00:25:52.960
Easy band music was what Mr.
00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:57.680
Lunny took a line and wrote a harmony to it and a bass line and that was it.
00:25:57.839 --> 00:26:08.160
It was line 56 yeah there were trios you know and I I would I would write those out by hand because I had no earthly idea how to use finale because I was just an idiot.
00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:17.839
But I'd write those out and then later on I found this really great thing there's like four part like quartets that you could buy from Belwin Mills that had A, B, C, and D.
00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:21.839
And I could assign lines to people it was a great little book.
00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:23.359
And it was nothing hard in there.
00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:38.559
There are quarter notes half notes but we kind of get them going on that now the standard was to put them together was when we knew our first six notes how exciting I've got full band arrangements I do with all region bands.
00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:53.039
They use six notes six notes six notes the first six notes of their concert B flat scale and I've used that with a a top ATSSB region band with about 20 or 30 all staters in there.
00:26:53.359 --> 00:27:27.920
Beautiful arrangement uh yeah beautiful the Sibelius uh um and uh now my mind's gone yeah I'll look it up but it's uh but it's a beautiful arrangement they don't they don't realize they're playing the first six notes of their concert B flat scale but it's musically done very very well so what's you were that you're creating a a an argument for one of my most the things I keep to in my head most of the time I think we try we associate great music with how many black dots are on the page and how fast they move good music is good music is good.
00:27:28.400 --> 00:27:28.960
It is good music.
00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:55.279
Yeah the piece my brain just kicked in those two cells rub together it's be still my soul beautiful hymn uh based on a Sibelius melody you know um but uh but yeah it's it's at but you're exactly right um if you don't tell them it's easy and it's musically really cool they like it and uh not to take a you know we love our rabbit chasing right um but you know it's uh DCI and I love it.
00:27:55.359 --> 00:28:34.400
I had a Zoom meeting with my Skyrider uh alumni board and whatever and we were talking about things and and uh you know DCI has kind of some beautiful musical moments especially uh you know with the the blue coats oh my gosh what a what a stunningly musical show but in some ways it's so much on steroids that we've created this process where it's like how much can we show off each section for X amount of seconds in order to gain points to grab to grab GE and to grab technical points and brass and et cetera and I'm not saying that's wrong but we've kind of veered away a little bit like you know we we've all got a double tongue and we've all got to have a woodwind solo.
00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:35.279
Now we've all got to do this.
00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:43.279
Now we've all got and it's becoming just as programmatic as we came on the field, did a 45 degree oblique and played our fanfare.
00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:52.079
Then we marched six to five down the field and we followed the twirlers and we always laughed about it later going how programmatic how we could tell what was going to happen.
00:28:52.240 --> 00:28:52.559
Right.
00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:55.519
It's a different genre but it's the same programmatic feel to it.
00:28:55.680 --> 00:29:09.759
So be careful that like like Derek just said it's exciting I'm a trumpet player higher faster louder is my mantra I need a bumper sticker you know um but um and it's fun but that shouldn't be the end all of what we do as educators.
00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:13.759
Uh it's it's okay to show off but you know have something musical in there.
00:29:14.240 --> 00:30:14.960
But that doesn't discount the other is I guess my point doesn't discount the other okay and the percussion later on we'd have triouts for that and if I had the percussion in the class we could do a few simple rudiments in a very poor role um but later on I decided not to start percussion till sixth grade because I'll tell you this if you're a 1A2A band director and you have all your beginners in one class and you have percussion in there you spend uncountless time going through everything and then you get to the percussion and then their first line is rest why just don't do that okay don't do that uh save the percussion for later um uh just my advice okay and by the way I took up the theory folders every day because I was checking them and grading them according to yeah you were I actually just looked over them quickly to make sure they were doing it.
00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:16.559
Did they write anything then?
00:30:16.720 --> 00:30:32.559
Did they write anything they could be writing words to the Declaration of Independence night I wouldn't even notice that if they weren't completing the work then for them the punishment the next day from the grand podium was you are doing theory for the whole day young man.
00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:54.799
Oh no you know oh Lord Lord help us but uh it's the perception of like those uh cameras on buses that uh when I was in Electro they put cameras on the buses and then one day one of the boxes fell open and we realized there wasn't a camera in there it was just a red light that goes blink blink blink blink blink every time we started the bus.
00:30:54.880 --> 00:30:59.599
And all the we all looked at the kids go, oh man, there's not a camera in there.
00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:02.000
Chaos ensued.
00:31:02.160 --> 00:31:35.359
Yeah we'll just we'll just leave it at that but uh sometimes the perception of being watched and uh graded and checked and uh I'm sure our admin does the same thing to us you know sure uh there was one time where our principal went through and my at the time my assistant band director always left her keys on her desk and the principal had just gone through all the rooms while we were teaching and he just would pick up things from different classes just and not as a punishment but just to give them a hard a reminder he'd go to the front he'd have a a box during lunch he'd come by and said oh Mrs.
00:31:35.440 --> 00:31:38.559
So and so here's your keys oh Mr.
00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:44.240
So and so here's your phone by the way without a passcode on it Mr.
00:31:44.400 --> 00:32:06.000
Lenny here's your wallet that you'd left on top of a snare drum to muffle a snare drum you know and it just to remind us that you know um be careful okay so you know and it gets to the point too in our our upcoming podcast around classroom management but I want to touch on that because that's probably the biggest fear of having all your beginners in one class.
00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:06.640
Right.
00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:14.400
I've not met many young teachers or old teachers that doubt themselves severely on how they can teach.
00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:24.559
They feel like they know enough they can keep at least one page ahead of my flute section if I'm a trombone player or I can keep one page ahead of my trombone class if I'm a clarinet player.
00:32:25.119 --> 00:32:30.079
But then classroom management sends shivers down their spine because it's that fear.
00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:43.359
It's like when I work my leadership team I would ask them I said what is your biggest fear about being a leader in the marching band and it 99% of the time the answer was I'm afraid people aren't going to listen to me.
00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:45.599
I would agree with that.
00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:45.920
Yeah.
00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:54.559
And that's that's kind of scary but it that is the fear and I tell you what I taught for 31 years and I still have a clinic for the last nine or 10 years.
00:32:54.720 --> 00:32:58.559
And there's still times sometimes I feel like really on top of it.
00:32:58.799 --> 00:33:02.400
Get up and go, Lenny you can do this and I'm excited about it.
00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:10.640
There's other times I get on the podium and I kind of look around and I go is this the day they're gonna catch me that imposter syndrome.
00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:18.880
Is this the day I'm gonna just be absolutely worthless up here and all the kids are going to go to second period going, who was that stupid old man?
00:33:19.039 --> 00:33:19.359
Right.
00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:24.160
There's not one thing he said that and there's that fear still lives in my gut.
00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:26.079
So I I I sympathize with that.
00:33:26.160 --> 00:33:30.160
And by the way young teachers that fear never completely goes away.
00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:32.559
It returns to traumatic nightmares.
00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:45.920
As a person who was paid to be in a leadership position for 30 plus years you still are at some point you think somebody's going to turn around and go I knew it.
00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:48.160
He doesn't know any more than I do.
00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:48.799
That's right.
00:33:48.880 --> 00:33:55.200
I I knew I knew that Lenny was an idiot my mom and dad said he was an idiot but he certainly proved it today.
00:33:55.440 --> 00:34:49.920
Today he proved it's scary and the worst part is when if you ever get the uh the uh honor of doing an all region or an honor group you have like six hours to put a concert together that's when the fear is the greatest I did oh my gosh it's like chopped you open your basket on that first rehearsal that chopped the cooking show and you look inside your basket got one really bad bassoon an all state trumpet player 14 clarinets that can't play and we got a concert in six hours here we go kids are all doing the same thing they're opening up their chopped basket going okay we got this really old guy we don't really trust old people there's a lot of gray hair on that podium for what's left of his gray hair um he seems like he knows what he's doing but the jury's still out so we all have to figure out what we're doing so they were so busy in this the classroom management was relatively easy.
00:34:50.159 --> 00:35:18.880
The key to that is relatively um if a student was particularly troublesome I had a series of seven things that they went through and this was also in their folder and it was written on the board and it was on a sign and it was an order of seven so if I ended up later on sending them to the principal I would I would tell the principal that anytime you get a kid sent to me, tell them to recite the order of discipline consequences to you and tell you where they are right now.
00:35:19.760 --> 00:35:26.800
That way the principal knew that we'd gone through that without me having to write our interface he didn't have to wonder how many steps had gone on before they came to see you.
00:35:27.039 --> 00:35:27.360
That's right.
00:35:27.440 --> 00:35:31.360
So the kids all had this memorized we did as a chant every single day at the end of the band period.
00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:32.320
This was a chant.
00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:37.440
So I said one call out in class two set them out of the setup.
00:35:37.679 --> 00:35:55.440
Three do assignment for misconduct assignment for misconduct was a little paragraph they had to write um four call parent five send a principal usually that's where they're at they go to the principal they can recite the first four and they said now where are you now young lady or young man?
00:35:55.920 --> 00:35:57.280
I've been sent to the principal.
00:35:57.519 --> 00:35:58.960
Okay so you're on step five of Mr.
00:35:59.119 --> 00:36:16.000
Lenny's discipline plan very good what's next the principal would ask parent conference is number six seven is removed from program period usually calling out in class solves 90% of the problems another eight percent is set them out of the setup.
00:36:16.159 --> 00:36:35.199
Just pull them out of the setup make them face the wall they still have to play their horn now do they start and stop with us no because I can't see me but they're facing the wall but I still want them pretending like they're doing something okay and then the final two percent usually was the assignment for misconduct if I did have to call a parent that was pretty rare.
00:36:35.360 --> 00:36:51.039
I mean maybe discipline wise that was like probably 10 times a semester total for the program because I tried to keep that off send to a principal the principal knew if a kid came to the class they were pretty much on the removed from program list.
00:36:51.679 --> 00:37:05.440
If they got to that I I tried to handle it in because there's two schools of thought here Derek one is I've had uh mentors and current colleague band directors say that it is the principal's job to establish the discipline in the school.
00:37:05.599 --> 00:37:09.599
Therefore it's the principal's job to establish discipline in your classroom.
00:37:09.840 --> 00:37:16.960
I believe it's my job to establish discipline in my classroom and the principal should be the very last resort.
00:37:17.119 --> 00:37:25.440
If I want to get the things I want like uniforms, funding, classroom scheduling I've there's times I have to use the principal.
00:37:25.599 --> 00:37:36.320
If a kid pulls a knife in class they've got to see the principal right down there because they've been talking too much in class you're gonna be labeled as an idiot as a teacher.
00:37:36.719 --> 00:37:38.159
Weak yeah or weak.
00:37:38.400 --> 00:37:40.880
And so you you'll have no respect at all from the admin.
00:37:41.039 --> 00:37:44.880
That's just my school of thought a lot of people agree with me a lot of people disagree with me.
00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:48.880
The ones who disagree have your have your thing do do what you're doing.
00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:56.159
You do you I'll do me okay and again this order is on the bulletin board for all to see and it was to be written down every day on the music theory sheet.
00:37:56.239 --> 00:38:13.840
So they would chant it then they would have to write I'd say write down rule four in the order and they'd all on their theory sheet put send a principal or call parent or whatever the rule is okay that was to brainwash them and to give me a way of knowing where they were in the packet each day.
00:38:14.079 --> 00:38:25.920
I knew they would like you know 914 parent conference number six that way I knew I could scan through real quick and go okay I could get there.
00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:27.760
It kept record.
00:38:27.840 --> 00:38:35.599
It kept record but you know it brainwashing is such a manipulative term but it's something we all do.
00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:43.920
It's it's a it's a and we'll get into a whole series I've got prepared on uh emotional impact with student behavior and so forth.
00:38:44.079 --> 00:38:49.599
And it's it's really mind-boggling no pun intended on that but it's all based on emotions.
00:38:49.760 --> 00:38:58.880
And I tell you what brainwashing if you look at it as a proactive thing it's the same thing that our government does when it's a good way or bad way.
00:38:59.039 --> 00:39:02.400
It's what our churches do in a good way andor a bad way.
00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:08.719
It's what our parents do in a good way or a bad way and it's also what our band directors do in a good way or a bad way.
00:39:08.880 --> 00:39:13.280
It's a tool it's how you use it determines whether it's good or bad.
00:39:13.599 --> 00:39:16.239
How did you learn multiplication tables, Mike Lenny?
00:39:16.880 --> 00:39:18.960
Oh just reciting them.
00:39:19.360 --> 00:39:20.159
Brainwash.
00:39:20.400 --> 00:39:23.199
Brainwash, yeah you're exact yeah I didn't think about that but you're right.
00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:30.320
My mom would sit there and go two is two times two is four two times three is six two times four is eight seven times eight is fifty six.
00:39:30.400 --> 00:39:38.079
You know and still to this day that's embedded in my hind mind you know the engine of our mind it's embedded in there as repetition.
00:39:38.159 --> 00:39:47.119
So brainwashing is a good thing if used correctly just the term brainwash kind of brings up no I get it yeah cultish activity you know the branch dividians or something.
00:39:47.199 --> 00:39:47.679
You know what I mean?
00:39:52.400 --> 00:39:53.280
Yes, yes, yes.
00:39:53.440 --> 00:39:55.280
So I just want to kind of throw that out there.
00:39:55.440 --> 00:40:00.880
And the assignment we used was a couple of paragraphs I had to copy out and this is how I did it.
00:40:01.119 --> 00:40:03.760
It was in a a milk crate I stole from the cafeteria.
00:40:04.079 --> 00:40:07.360
Okay so you know you're this behind the head all the milk crates I just grabbed one.
00:40:07.440 --> 00:40:09.840
You know I'll probably have to do time for that someday.
00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:21.199
And uh but I put the milk crate and inside was manila envelopes and inside that manila envelope there was a pencil, a copy of the assignment and a couple of sheets of paper stapled to the assignment.
00:40:21.360 --> 00:40:24.079
That way they couldn't waste my time with I don't have questions.
00:40:24.239 --> 00:40:25.360
You know, I don't have this Mr.
00:40:25.519 --> 00:40:26.320
Lane I don't have this Mr.
00:40:26.480 --> 00:41:01.440
Lane do you have a pencil I can borrow do you you know so all I have to do is like in my educational runway is I'd just have to reach behind me, grab one, walk back there to Derek and go, Derek and he knew right then he's doing the assignment for misconduct and there's you would have done that a lot with Derek in your classroom I'm just saying I can only imagine I I wish I could get to you right now and just give you an assignment for misconduct at times um but that and this is this is so uh cruel but I would staple the extra sheets to the assignment and they knew that you could not unstaple them or you had to redo it.
00:41:01.519 --> 00:41:03.519
That way they had to flip back and forth the whole time.
00:41:03.920 --> 00:41:13.760
So they'd have to look at it flip the paper right flip the paper look at it flip the paper just to agitate them just to piss them off.
00:41:14.159 --> 00:41:17.599
My best quote ever was my good friend Luke McMillan.
00:41:17.760 --> 00:41:33.519
He was my system band director for 11 years now has a stunningly good company that writes marching band music and just is done well but he came out of band one day and he goes I tell you what Mike at the end of the band period someone's gonna be pissed off and it ain't going to be me anymore.
00:41:35.760 --> 00:41:39.920
And I thought that is golden words them be golden words man.
00:41:40.079 --> 00:41:47.280
Someone's gonna be pissed off and it's not going to be me you know so so don't have the whole class pissed off because they'll they'll just quit band.
00:41:47.760 --> 00:41:57.199
But it's okay to agitate that student in a profound fair consequence to discipline not an irony yelling at them.
00:41:57.280 --> 00:42:00.800
It's like here's the manila envelope do not unstaple it or you'll have to do it tomorrow.
00:42:00.960 --> 00:42:02.079
Chunk done.
00:42:02.400 --> 00:42:13.360
Today you're going to be my object teaching lesson that's right just like the preacher at the front of the church come to the front Derek this is what's known as bad behavior.
00:42:13.440 --> 00:42:20.800
This is Derek we love Derek we don't like his behavior you're not a bad person.
00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:21.760
We're gonna watch Mr.
00:42:21.920 --> 00:42:31.840
Lenny uh brainwash him into better behavior and if Derek doesn't shape up he's gonna be out of band yeah I love it I love it.
00:42:32.000 --> 00:42:40.079
Okay so and I hope this helps and I hope that the ones who aren't at small schools um maybe gleaned a few things out of there.
00:42:40.559 --> 00:42:48.719
One director teaching all instruments in one period is a challenge but it does have an upside the students think of themselves as a band.
00:42:48.960 --> 00:42:49.280
Right.
00:42:49.519 --> 00:42:59.679
That seems small but it's big when put together we can work on band ensemble techniques you know are the flutes listening to the tubas they bond I think that's important.
00:42:59.840 --> 00:43:14.400
And I felt like I had more seniors years later from that bonding now was that a significant factor of just small school versus large school I don't know but in in Wiley we would start with 180 beginners and have 30 seniors.
00:43:14.719 --> 00:43:24.320
When I was an elector I'd start with 58 uh beginners and I'd have 25 seniors is it causation or correlation?
00:43:24.719 --> 00:44:03.599
I don't know it seemed to work for me and I I think part of that was the fact they felt like they were a band they went to contests as a band they operated as a band and if you're a 1A2A director out there you've got the hardest job in the world you know uh you really do and uh and uh it's it's it's a good job as our good friend Doris Pace says uh it's it this job is just too damn hard if you don't love it you know so so that's my input for the day get out there teach a kid discipline a kid if someone's gonna be pissed off at the end of the period make it be the troublemaker okay you just go get a cup of coffee at the lounge and have a good day.
00:44:03.840 --> 00:44:04.559
That's fun.
00:44:04.719 --> 00:44:28.400
All right brother well you know what I think that's a great eraser for us all at this time I mean not an eraser but a a chance to think about something besides all the things that we're thinking about with the marching band and I gotta I gotta tell you you just increased my respect for people that are K through 12 or the as you used to call yourself the music teacher in the district in this county.
00:44:29.280 --> 00:44:34.239
There's one high school one county one teacher oh my God lots of different hats.
00:44:34.400 --> 00:44:40.320
Yeah I would get a mail in my personal post office box addressed to band.
00:44:40.880 --> 00:44:41.599
That's fun.
00:44:42.079 --> 00:44:47.679
Yeah they just knew the mailman was like send it to Lenny that's funny sticking in his box.
00:44:48.079 --> 00:45:06.880
Hi brother well have a fantastic week I know that you're probably already out there uh assuaging fears and you see that word I used and making that's an SAT word making people a reminding people that you can do this so we're all in the all in this together.
00:45:07.039 --> 00:45:09.840
Don't be scared to ask Mike we'll talk again soon
