Building a culture

When I was in high school, in the band, I was already prepared for the culture of football games, uniforms, field shows, parades, pep rallies, and all that. We marched in 8th grade band and when we got to high school being in the band was a big deal. I never ever questioned my role and my motivation for attending all the events, I don't even know if I missed one. Something like twelve football games a season, parades, and pep rallies. Not to mention being ready for practice every day at 6:45 in the morning.

Now that I'm a band teacher in a small, rural, resource-poor, minority school, I'm trying to instill a little bit of the band culture in my students. This is my third year teaching. My first year, as it is for any new teacher, was about just getting through it. My second year, I started the year eight months pregnant, and having a newborn killed pep season or any kind of marching activity, which students hadn't done for many years because the program was kind of going down the toilet.

This year I have 36 kids in the middle-high band. All but two are 7th and 8th graders. I have 35 6th graders in the 6th grade band class. I just gave out 60 instruments on loan from the school. I have a core group of dedicated, talented 8th grade players. The rest are raw, unformed, with a noticeable lack of maturity.

So this week, the first full week of classes, I've been intensely preparing them to play at the home game tomorrow afternoon. The school song, to be played in the event of a touchdown (I've heard that the team is a little thin this year so Viking touchdowns may be infrequent), a couple of goofy pep songs, like We Will Rock You--ever been to ANY sporting event where that one wasn't played? And the one you stomp your feet on the bleachers to.

I think if all 36 kids show up, I'll fall over. I know I have plenty that will blow it off. Some can't come because of conflicts--other sports, family--and one already mentioned to me they live so far out of town and have no money there is no way the kid's mom will drive him back to school on a Saturday. I'm intensely curious to see how many will actually come. Haven't gotten any notes or phone calls from parents yet.

Some of the kids wanted to know why they couldn't just go to the game and watch, would that count? And not play? You've got to be kidding me. How to remain patient in the face of that question. I did, though. Some other kids felt like they didn't want to be in band anymore if they had to go play in front of people. Surely, another innocent attempt at humor...but no. That comment was real, too.

How do I start instilling a sense of pride in being in band? How do teach kids to be responsible and help each other? Long uphill battle, an intense challenge. I know I can bring about 3/4 of the kids along with me. The rest won't come no matter what I do.

The problems I seem to have as a teacher are not knowing how NOT to do something, so I can't understand being in that place of not getting it. I think if I could understand how cultures form and what I can do to create it, I'd be better off. But I just can't remember ever not getting the band culture I was in as a high school student. Just like I don't remember a time when I couldn't read music.

We'll see what happens tomorrow at the game. I'll bet I have fifteen--three clarinet players, a trumpet or two, maybe a trombone, and the rest drummers. That's my bet to myself. If I lose, I have to give the winner a bag of chocolate chip cookies. If I win, I get a bag of chocolate chip cookies.