Tips for Student Success

 North Bands

  

ENCOURAGE YOUR SON/DAUGHTER:

 

1.   To play for you, their friends, relatives and others. Praise them on their progress and encourage them to continue to make more progress. The more they can do the happier they will be.

2.   To participate in other band related functions such as Solo & Ensemble Festival, Honors Band, and Marching Band in High School, church performances, summer music camp and informal settings with other band students.

3    To attend performances by other NMS ensembles, BHS bands and Choirs, other schools, college groups such as U of M, performances at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor or Detroit concert scenes, etc.

4.   By your attendance at concerts and festivals.

5.   By your demonstration of interest in your child’s activities.

6.   By offering private lessons for help on a “one on one” basis. This is not necessarily remedial in nature, but assists the student by the help of a specialist at the student’s rate of learning.  See Mr. Miller for more information.

7.   By your insistence on a regular routine at home for practice and preparation in an area where they may work alone and uninterrupted. Most students function better if they have a routine. Some students need a lot of help in the structure of and effective use of their at-home time. 

8.   By becoming aware of performances on the radio, TV, tapes, CD’s etc. that may relate to your son/daughter’s particular instrument.

 

WATCH FOR PLATEAUS THAT EXIST IN LEARNING.

 

At each plateau a student may say they feel bored. Give them that extra push to boost them over the hump to get started again “up that mountain”. Frequently these plateaus will take place at points when practice has become “work” rather than “fun”. Students need to understand that things will become fun once again when the work becomes easier and when they are more accomplished as a result of their practice.  Helping them to understand that how they are feeling at one of these plateaus is normal and that you understand will, in many cases, help them to rise again.  Often, a plateau and the accompanying boredom are experienced in all activities of a student at the same time.  It is important that you communicate the message that quitting is not an option.  Plateaus in band often take place in the middle of sixth grade band after the “newness” has worn off, at the start of seventh grade band, at the start of eighth grade band, and in the transition from middle school to high school at the start of ninth grade band. For those students that march, marching band camp in August after eighth grade band is often a BIG lift!

It may feel easier for parents to sit back and allow students to do nothing at these plateaus.  Many parents want their middle school children to begin to make their own decisions regarding how they are going to spend their time.  Please realize that with a long-term process such as the learning of musical skills on an instrument, pre-teens and young teens do not have the perspective to make sound choices.   Often students feel that the easy answer is to drop out of band. Students do not always envision the time, money, and effort that have been invested, or the fun and rewarding times that they have had in band.  Help them to focus on the wonderful opportunities they have had and will have in the future. They instead prefer instant gratification to commitment and perseverance when the going gets tough. In the long run, students receiving that extra push do appreciate their “stubborn” parents. I know that I do!  Remember too that middle school students typically experience frequent “highs” and “lows”. These high and lows often relate to the plateaus experienced at the various performance levels.