The Apple and the Tree

I'm not kidding, this exchange really happened.

Lazy Orchestra Girl: I don't think I'm going to the concert.

Maestro: Well, what's up? You know it's like you final exam for the class.

LOG: I don't know where it is.

M: It's in the theater at Crosstown High School.

LOG: I don't know where that is.

M: I handed out a piece of paper that had all the info on it.

LOG: But it doesn't say where the school is.

M: It says that it's on the corner of 7th street and Magnolia

LOG: My mom says that we can't find corners on the GPS. We need an address.

M: Can you find our school?

LOG: Huh?

M: Well you know how to find this school right?

LOG: Yeah.

M: I included a map that shows you how to get from this school to Crosstown School.

LOG: No one told me.

M: It was on the paper I gave you - no one needed to tell you.

LOG: ....we don't have an address...

M: Okay, maybe I should have put the actual address on it - but I assumed everyone knows where Crosstown School is. You could have probably used Google to find it.

LOG: My mom won't let me use her computer.

M: Then maybe she can find it.

LOG: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(I disappear for my office for two minutes and come back)

M: Here (handing a piece of paper to LOG) the address is 300 Magnolia.

LOG: I don't know where that is.

M: You have an address now - you can use your GPS.

LOG: What if I lose it?

M: I'll e-mail it to your mom, and I'll post it on our web page.

LOG: . . . . Okay I'll call my mom.....

Redemption

So today I decided to apologize to the kid I blew up at yesterday. I tried not to make excuses or hide my apology under a blanket of "even though it's your fault I got angry." I also decided to do it publicly in front of the whole class, since yesterday's incident was just as public. It just felt right.

I felt some of the weight on my psyche lift. I'm still pretty depressed about the stolen microphones, though. If only I had moved the damn bag from my car into the house like I was supposed to.... Ugh.

Anyway, I got a little care package today that lifted my spirits: A brand new $800 camcorder I bought for the music program.

A Season of Discontent

This post has been moved to my other secret hideout

Giving Thanks

I am thankful for:

* The parents of Beginning Drummer Dex, who upon reading my e-mail about his disruptive behavior, immediately scheduled a conference with me. When they showed up to my office, they apologized profusely for Dex's behavior and pledged their full support to finding a solution to his behavioral problems.

* My students - Trombone Dan, Band Mom, His Royal Highness, Jimmy Sniffle, Princess Jasmine, Lucky the Drummer... basically all the kids who make my life infinitely easier, rather than harder. I could try to name them all day long and still manage to leave some out.

* The fact that the issue with beginning band yesterday was more because of a wacky sub than a rowdy class. basically, as the day wore on - I got more and more reports (from people I trust) that she was 'out of line' and by the time 4th period rolled around, my anger had dissipated. I had planned an activity for the drummers that was meant as a punishment - but somehow it evolved into a meaningful lesson.

* The absence of Former-Principal Palpatine in my life.

* All my friends who are teachers are darn good teachers. I'm hoping that says something about me.

When The Cat's Away.....

Had to be out with a sub today. Sick day... not for me, but for my wife who had minor surgery and needed a ride to and from the clinic as well as post-operative care. I was out sick last Monday, too. It seemed to go well, so I wasn't worried. Before I drove my wife to the clinic, I was putzing around on the internet, and I inadvertently left my Facebook account open. Much later, when I returned to my home office, I found a message from my music club president waiting for me:

Trombone Dan: Hey Mr. M. I hope your wife is okay. Um, did you hear about the drummers in the beginning class?

Trombone Dan: Mr. M. ?

Trombone Dan is offline.

I tried responding-as-a-message, calling and texting him. No dice. I guess I'm going to have to wait until tomorrow to find out what happened - but I'm going to get some detention slips ready.

What's got me extra pissed off is that this year's class of beginners, as goofy as they are, was turning out to be way more cooperative than last year's class. On Friday I even said something to the effect of: "Okay, I'm going to be out with a sub again on Monday. You guys did great last time - keep on being cool and you'll have way more privileges than last year's class did."

Alas.

The Hardest Lessons

We all know how hard it is to get through to a demoralized / unmotivated student. I actually think it's sometimes harder to teach highly motivated and capable students. It's not a matter of skill or knowledge - it's a matter of expectations, ethics and the acceptance of one's place in the universe. The following is a list of things that are really hard to teach to the top-level kids:

1) Talent is no substitute for professionalism. While you are a big fish in a little pond, you may find it easier to get away with things like being late (or not coming at all) to rehearsal, canceling at the last minute, bringing food, wearing the wrong things to performance, texting/web surfing during rehearsal/performances, etc. At the upper levels, this kind of behavior will cost you playing opportunities and (more importantly) paying gigs. One screw up can cost you the trust of many people. Not only will you lose the next call from that contractor, but the person who recommended you in the first place will stop referring work to you - because their reputation is on the line as well. You are not the only talented performer out there. You're parents think you are amazing. Of course they do - they are your parents. You are probably far more talented than the average person. But when you start swimming in bigger waters, you will discover that there is a lot of talent out there... I mean a lot. And when everyone you are competing with can play the gig equally well - it's going to come down to your qualities as a reliable worker and as a congenial human being. Don't fuck it up.

2) You will never reach a point where you have nothing to learn. And while you may encounter some teachers/conductors who have little or nothing to offer you - the vast majority will. Give them your respect and your attention. Humility and modesty are virtues that no musician should be without.

3) Music is more than a technical exercise. It is a never-ending endeavor to bring beauty into the world. It is a means of saying something important. If the most important thing that you have to say is "Look at how good I am" then you are missing the point.

4) Be nice to people - even the people you are competing with. Professional musicians are in competition with each other, but they also rely on each other. If you've been a rat bastard and talk shit about them behind their back, chances are they won't call you for gigs. No one wants to work with a prick, and they usually don't have to.

5) Until you make it big and famous, or get your name on the "A" list for studio work - there is no such thing as a gig that is 'beneath' you. (You'll figure this out real quick when you're trying to make a living off of your instrument/voice). In fact, the more work you do, the more contacts you have - which means possibilities for more work. You also get to put more stuff down on your resume'. You really don't want to develop a reputation as someone who'se gotten picky about their engagements before they've paid their dues.

6) Being a section leader is more of a responsibility than an earned privilege. Being a section leader means that you have to devote time and energy to helping your section. It's called being a leader and it has more to do with your people skills than your playing/singing skills. If all you know how to do is yell insults at your section - then you fail, and you don't deserve the title. This is also true if you don't adhere to the aforementioned principles of professionalism.

7) This one isn't a music thing.... it's a life thing: You can't force people to respect and admire you. There are a lot of people out there who think that success means 'performing' so well that other people will have to recognize their superior abilities and shower them with admiration. The truth is that if you are an insufferable egotistical jerk, they will talk shit about you no matter how many accolades you acquire. You'll end up with this amazing resume' and wonder why more people don't like you. You have to use your gifts in a way that will benefit others. You have to be loyal, caring and compassionate. If all you care about is yourself, then you risk being the only person who really cares about you at all.

The Angry Customer

I got forwarded an e-mail by the manager of the youth orchestra that I work for on the weekends. The parents of one of the lower-orchestra flute players are upset with the program and with me specifically. 1) They feel their daughter was misplaced - that she should have been put in the upper orchestra. 2) They think the music I selected is inferior. 3) They think I am obviously trying to "hold their daughter back" because I moved some string players to the upper orchestra, but not any flutes. 4) The mother accused me of "coldly walking away from her" when she tried to approach me about it. 5) They accuse the organization of caring more about money than about the needs of our players.

In short, they want to withdraw, and they want their money back.

Being that I am a professional, and a caring member of a non-profit organization, I refrained from e-mailing the mother back myself. If any response is made, it will be made by the executive director (James), or the business manager (Karen). I know the parents don't know how we operate, and it sounds like they have a "my kid first" approach in general. I know better than to take the e-mail personally... but it was hard not to feel the burn on that one.

If only I had a blog or something where I could vent.... oh wait....

*Ahem* Dear Pushy Orchestra Parent -

1) You daughter was not misplaced. She was the victim of an unfortunate truth in the orchestra world: Orchestra only use flutes (and all winds for that matter) in pairs. That means there is more competition for fewer spots. Quite frankly, the other flutists out-played her. So while she might have been okay tagging along on 2nd flute parts, we couldn't place her in the upper group because to do so would be to put the string/wind ratio out-of-balance. You need to understand and accept this, because if she is going to play at the upper levels she needs to know that a) she will be rejected a lot and b) she better bring her game - like all of it - if she intends to win an orchestral wind position, because the competition (as you may or may not have noticed) is kind of intense. And please don't ask us to tweak the orchestra instrumentation to accommodate your daughter. The upper levels of music cater to the needs of the composer, rather than the needs of the player. That's the way it has to be. Get used to it.

2) I selected music based on the quality of the composition, not necessarily the technical challenge. yes, I understand that the technical aspect is important, especially to younger players - but you should understand that there is far more to music than conquering difficult fingerings and rhythms. I happen to be a specialist in style and phrasing, which is why I pick the music I do. I know you think the __________ piece in particular is "an insult to her abilities" given how easy the notes and rhythms are - but the truth is that it is a piece regularly done by professional groups simply because it is beautiful. Not only that, it requires the players to sustain well-supported long tones, something your daughter hasn't quite mastered yet. I'm sorry that neither you, she nor her private flute teacher feel that she has anything to learn from slow music. I hope some day that she learns to be something other than a technical robot.

3) Contrary to what you think I do not make these decisions alone. I make no decisions regarding string player placement, and any moving that has to be done must be approved by the upper orchestra conductor. So really, it was a staff-wide decision (I know that doesn't make it any better). Furthermore, no teacher, even a bad one, intentionally holds any student back from reaching their potential. What we have is an all-too-common example of difficulty meeting the needs of the more proficient player in an ensemble. There may be a way to address this, but accusing me of being a villain isn't going in the right direction.

4) Ma'am, I had to walk away from you because it was in the middle of rehearsal and I was busy. (This is where the "my kid first" attitude comes in.) What you're really angry about is the fact that I didn't give you what you wanted on the spot. Again, even if such a thing were possible - I don't make those decisions by myself so I couldn't make you any promises.

5) (This is the one that gets me) Yes, we made some decisions this year based on financial issues - but accusing us of being money-grubbing opportunists is uncalled for. We are not gunning for salary increases, or trying to buy extensions for our summer homes - We need money to operate. In fact we made sacrifices this year - dropping almost all of our support staff members and resorting to borrowed music rather than buying new repertoire - just so that we can keep going. We are NOT a government subsidized program. We operate solely with what we bring in through tuition and donations, and when that runs out the organization ceases to be. The entire staff was ready to take pay cuts this year, and it was only when the sole remaining founding member volunteered to take a leave of absence that we managed to balance the books.

Ma'am the measly stipend I make from this effort is not really worth the weekend time away from my wife and 1-year-old child. I do it because I like making music with kids, and I (we) really try to do our best despite the the money situation. If we are not meeting the needs of your child, then we really will try to make things better, but do not for a second doubt the resolve or the intent of our program or it's staff. These people are among the best music educators that I have ever known, and they deserve better.

In the end, I don't think there is any way to prevent this family from bailing out on us. The simple fact is, the music probably is easy for their daughter- probably for a few others as well and yes that is an issue we have to address. I'm still a little put off by some of the accusations leveled at us (me)... but I understand that I have to let that go by - it's probably more of a concerned parent knee jerk reaction.

*sigh*

To Play or Not To Play - Part III

So now that I've gotten my rant about society's expectations regarding musicians at athletic events out of my system - let me tell you how my particular situation played out:

I spent some time this week running around, talking to Former-Band-Director-Current-Principal Leto, Athletic Director Dan (ADD... heh heh) facebooking and e-mailing band director colleagues, and here's what we all collectively firgured out - CIF is cracking down on bands. Nothing official has been released, but it's apparent that CIF recently got a band bug up it's butt and it's starting to scratch. Someone somewhere had a star chamber discussion regarding band participation at football games, and a decision was made that was shared with the referees. They didn't however, share it with the band world - they just slapped many of my colleagues with warnings and even sanctions for doing what they've been doing for years. It left us all kind of scratching our heads.

I know several directors who intentionally make as much noise as possible in order to disrupt the opposing school's offensive team - sometimes at the request of the football coaches. I guess that kind of tactic is about to be universally eradicated. I mean, I don't particularly care - I always thought it was kind of bad sportsmanship anyway. But the 'cleansing' still means less playing time for the band, and that's going to be a pain.

Whatever, at least it's not just me...

To Play or Not To Play - Part II

So in my continuing thoughts about the band/football issue...

I said before that I am not the only band director who has come across road blocks while engaging in football game duty - everything from extra pay for CIF play-off games, to conflicts over students enrolled in both band and football. I've even heard of people threatening to resign over the amount of half-time playing opportunities. The response from the football / admin crowd? - usually something along the lines of "It's a football game, not a band concert" or "Playing at the football games is a privilege."

Before I go on - I have to offer up this humble disclaimer that I have never heard either of these statements come out of the mouths of any of the principals nor coaches that I have worked with - a fact that makes me very grateful. (Palpatine, didn't actually say it, but it was probably in there somewhere... regardless, I don't consider her someone I "worked with" as much as "suffered under") They are, however, common sentiments in schools around the country, and I am always prepared to meet them head-on should I need to.

Surprisingly enough, I actually agree with the first one... it most certainly is a football game and not a band concert. And as much as I sympathize with my colleagues who bust their asses to perfect their 8-to-5 steps and have their sousaphones polished to a blinding shine before every Friday night appearance, I do not share their enthusiasm and fervor for band equal time. That's because.... (Drum Roll) ...I never cared that much about football games to begin with....

The only reason why I can follow the action is because I spent the last 17 years of my life attending high school football games with my bands. Former Principal Palpatine tried to convince me that it was my professional responsibility to be an enthusiastic part of the football experience... which is funny when you consider that, historically speaking, faked enthusiasm was never a good thing. Of course, had I just mustered up some genuine gusto, it wouldn't be a problem. Likewise, had the kidnapped Africans living in the South willingly and cheerfully gone to work in the cotton fields, they wouldn't have had to call it slavery.

Now, despite this, I do want to be supportive of the home team. I've always tried to appear spirited whilst at the games - I even tried to make it as fun as possible for my kids. I never flat-out resisted or even complained about football duty, and I never plan to. But I never considered the games to be prime performance opportunities for my band. And even though I'll probably get a bigger audience at the game than I ever will at a concert... I just can't get all that inspired by the overblown execution of bad arrangements of out-dated pop songs. besides, I don't have a marching band, which means that I don't have a field show that I've been working on since August that I'm dying to show the crowd for the 5th time.

So yeah, on any given Friday night I'd pick a movie or a nice dinner with the wife any day over warming a cold metal bleacher with my ass while trying to keep the drummers from throwing sticks at each other for three hours. They could pretty much cut band out of the games altogether and I wouldn't take it too hard. That brings me to the next statement - "Playing at the football games is a privilege." - which kind of implies that the opportunity can be taken away if we don't seem appreciative enough (some day I'd love to call a bluff on that one). I'm kind of irked that it hasn't occurred to the idiots who would say something that insulting that it's also a privilege to have the band at the football games. Again, I've been fortunate that I've never had to work with a football coach who flat-out thought that the band was an extension of the football program - or maybe I just put in enough effort to merit faked mutual respect.

The people that really get under my skin are the pushy football parents. Not all of them are pushy - I've actually talked to quite a few level-headed ones. They'll listen to me lay out why the band/football relationship tends to be one-sided, and they say "Wow, I never thought of it that way before - you guys do sacrifice a lot." And you know what? a lot of times that's all I need to hear to make me feel really appreciated... and I don't mind accommodating them so much.

But then a lot of them just feel entitled to our presence - which comes from a culture that evolved out of a century of nation-wide football obsession. Whether or not they are conscious of it , they believe that everyone on campus should support, if not worship their pig-skin touting child - simply because decades ago in small town America everyone rallied around their high school football team. They didn't have televised sports and major league franchises with billion-dollar marketing to invest in - just their own home-grown team whose members were truly the local heroes.

Band was a lot different back then, too. Once upon a time, the band wasn't just heard at the football games, they were everywhere. People went out of their way to go hear the band play, because that was the only music they were exposed to, if they weren't musicians themselves. The same kind of fervor that they had over football was applied to Sousa marches and Waltzes - and so the band provided not just the in-game entertainment, they were the town hall dancing music as well.

We're not that America anymore... but just like the way we cling to outdated, agriculturally based school schedules, we have inherited the expectations of musical representation at athletic events, which pretty much equates to servitude. But the athletic parents don't see it that way because they don't have kids in band. They've never been asked to take time out of their schedule to show up to an event in support of someone else's kid. Band and cheer families do that all the time, sometimes on short notice and requiring the alteration or cancellation of personal plans.

So, pushy athletic parent, when you tell me that "you'd really appreciate more band appearances"... you better damn well understand what it is you're asking for, because I can put money on the fact that you won't be showing up to any of our concerts.

(To be continued)

To Play or Not To Play - Part I

I started writing this today, and realized that it's really a multi-part entry. I'll start with the bare facts of what happened on Friday, and expand on the larger issues later.

So, for the umpteenth time in my career I find myself a little at odds with the football world. Not the football team per se... but with the general expectations surrounding band (in my case, a pep band) and football games. This is not an unusual thing for a band director - if you googled around you'll find more than a few forum and blog entries by frustrated band directors, students and parents lamenting the treatment of the band program by the football program and administration of their various schools. Fortunately, this time it isn't a matter of being mistreated - I actually have good relations with the NRHS football coach and admin. It's more of a situation that comes down to the CIF rules of conduct.

Basically the problem is this - certain factors at last Friday's football game gave rise to concern that the band has been playing at the "wrong" times. (The "wrong" times being anytime that either team is huddling up trying to figure out their plays, or when the ball is in motion... you know... pretty much most of the game.) Apparently, my kids have been generating more enthusiasm than usual, which resulted in a volume level that actually interfered with the game (as in - the other team was complaining.) I had coaches, the athletic director and even Principal Leto himself rush over to me several times during the night to tell me to stop the band from playing, lest our team suffer a penalty.

Now, this resulted in three reactions from me: 1) First and foremost, I was embarrassed and a little put off by the fact that I was being 'reprimanded' by my fellow staff members. To be fair - 'reprimanded' may be the wrong word. I sensed more panic than anger from the coaches as they didn't want to risk any sanctions from the referees - I can certainly empathize with that. Still I couldn't help but feel like a puppy who just got spanked for peeing on the carpet.

2) I was more than a little confused - basically I've been using the same strategy for timing pep songs for the last 12 years, and no one said anything about it before last night. I understand that it comes down to a matter of the CIF regulations. If that's true, then the only reason I've been getting away with it for 12 years is because no one bothered to complain. Last night, for whatever reason, was different. I was told later that it was kind of a pivotal game - and that whoever won was guaranteed to go to CIF play-offs. I can understand how that would put a coaching staff on edge.

3) The fact that the band was loud enough to disrupt the game means that we were kicking ass. Awesome.

Upon our return to the NRHS music rooms, I immediately fired off an 'apology' email to the football coach, the Athletics Director and Principal Leto, with a promise to get with the Athletic Director to go over the CIF regulations regarding band participation in league games. I already know what that is going to mean - significantly less playing time for the band during the games.

Now, in the long run, this is not an issue that I would go to war over. In fact, this time there really isn't anyone to go to war with, except maybe CIF - and that's a battle lost before the first shot is even fired. Regardless, The only real problem for me stems from the fact that I try to convince my students that the pep band gig is something that can be fun - something that can help build our own little sense of community. It makes my life so much easier when they enter into it with some kind of enthusiasm, rather than doing it because I'm hanging their band grade over their heads. But then, when I do manage to build that enthusiasm, they have a tendency to show up ready to play - and they want to play a lot. Limiting their playing time results in frustration, which can lead to the notion that maybe playing for a football game isn't really worth sacrificing their Friday nights after all.

It's a frustration that I don't know who to vent at - it isn't the coach's fault (he could care less whether or not the band, or anyone else for that matter, even shows up to the games - all he needs is a playing field and two teams locked in mortal combat.) It isn't the admin's fault. I suppose you could blame CIF, but really, is it unfair for an athletics body to pass a ruling preventing the obstruction of athletics teams from doing what their supposed to do?

So in a nutshell, the part that sucks for us is - we are expected to be at the games... just because that's what bands do. But then we're supposed to stay mostly out of the way, which makes for a boring and wasted Friday night. Perhaps I can get the NRHS Football Boosters to spring for some portable game systems and iPads.

(To be continued)

I Think The Honeymoon is Over

Well, it seems the discontent over Principal Leto's leadership is starting to mount. The basic issue - lack of direction, and a seeming inability to make hard choices and back them up. I'm starting to hear more and more people say things like "at least Palpatine got stuff done." And while I don't particularly disagree, I still stop far short of remembering the Palpatine regime with any kind of nostalgia.

Now, I've worked under truly incompetent principals before - and I wouldn't quite put Leto in that category. He seems to be a highly intelligent and capable man with a balanced sense of ethics and morals. But there seems to be a lack of fortitude to face confrontation head on, and to push through adversity to get done what he thinks he needs to get done. Maybe I need to get him a green power ring.

I know, I know - Palpatine had those qualities in spades. But the problem was I didn't trust her motivations, and saw a blatant lack of concern for the genuine well-being of her staff and even the students. Or... maybe that's not true - maybe she truly believed that high test scores were the secret to success in life (her life, anyway). Regardless, it's a classic might-makes-right vs. might-for-right dilema. Palpatine had the might, Leto has the right. If only I could splice them together and filter out the impurities.

Far be it from me to be too critical - I mean I'm not even fit to be department chair myself, much less an administrator. But I'm still allowed an opinion, and my official opinion is - I really like Principal Leto, I really do. But I'm starting to fear for him, and I'm quickly losing confidence that he'll ever start to wield his authority in a meaningful kind of way - a way that will benefit the campus as a whole. In the mean time, I am still enjoying the glorious absence of Palpatine in my life. And it may be selfish of me, but I know how to get by under a weak principal (benevolent or otherwise)... I can manage my own well enough, given the freedom to do so. It's those lawful evil dictators that really throw a wrench in my works.

So, Principal Leto - I pray (more for your sake than for mine) that you find your voice on campus - preferably sooner than later. But you must forgive me if I take measures to fortify myself against an inevitable pendulum swing that might drop my tranquil little fiefdom into the lap of another malevolent tyrant.

Of course, it may not happen.... soon, anyway. Our last 'inactive' principal was incompetent to the point of failing to prepare the school for our accreditation process, and allowing the test scores to dip dramatically. She also failed to show up to work on time, and avoided responsibility like the plague. I don't think basic professionalism is Leto's problem - and he certainly doesn't have Palpatine's habit of aggressively making enemies of superiors, colleagues and subordinates alike. In short - he's not the kind of guy that will give the district strong reasons to want to replace him. In fact, the district brass are high on his "Keep Them Happy" list (which is a really long list, by the way - one of his shortcomings.) He's a good, obedient administrator which may offer him some protection for the time being.

How Maestro Got His Groove Back

Once upon a time, just before the turn of the century, Mr. Maestro was a still young and up-and-coming music teacher. He had just taken the job at Old Republic High School after a soul-draining four year stretch at CowTown High School. He was a little unsure of himself, and hadn't yet discovered his true potential.

The community at ORHS took him in and made him feel wanted and special. Then, he met a man who would go on to be his friend and mentor for the next three years - and exemplary musician and conductor who would help Mr. Maestro realize that he could be more than a bungling idiot on the podium. The man was focused, and seemed to have boundless energy. He not only taught Mr. Maestro how to be a better conductor, he served as a role model that would help Mr. Maestro organize his efforts with a determination that bordered on obsession. For the first time in his life, Mr. Maestro took pride in his classroom, and kept it clean and efficient. His filing cabinet was up-to-date, his inbox was cleaned out almost hourly, and his turn-around time for parent communication was half of what the school required. Maestro felt good about himself. He was well-liked by his students and his colleagues, and he felt lucky to have a job that he loved.

Eventually Maestro parted ways with his friend and mentor. Though they fell out of touch, Maestro always remembered his time with his teacher fondly, and he gave homage to him often. However, eventually the Maestro became somewhat complacent at Old Republic High School. He stopped working as hard as he had before, and he started to let things pile up in his classroom. But what did it matter? - He had already proven himself as a quality musician and teacher.

Then one day a new principal came to Old Republic High School. She came with the promise of doing great things, and taking the school and it's community to new heights - the Maestro was very excited. Soon, however, he realized that the principal had her own agenda - one that used the teachers and students to further her own career ambitions. She began transforming the once thriving campus that was Old Republic in to the cold, efficient machine that would be Empire High School for the next four years. She made many attempts to bend the Maestro to her will, but he resisted.

Although she never managed to break his spirit, she did succeed in siphoning off a good deal of his morale - to the point where he no longer felt enthusiastic about working at Empire High, and began looking for other employment options. He stopped working late, stopped keeping his classroom clean, and let his voicemail go days, and even weeks unchecked.

Eventually, he began to doubt his own abilities - just like he did at CowTown High School. But after some soul searching he realized that he loved Empire High School, and would not leave her for the sake of escaping a tyrannical principal. He put faith in the idea that she would someday leave Empire High, and that peace would come again to the galaxy.

Eventually his faith was rewarded.

The tyrant principal did indeed make her way to other 'greener' pastures (of course, every other pasture is greener when you've burnt the one you're standing in to a cinder.) And the Maestro found his new principal to be much kinder and more supportive. But after a year, the Maestro felt that he was still running at half speed. He wasn't sure if it was residual trauma left over from his former principle, or if he had simply been removed from the influence of his friend and mentor for too long. Furthermore, the addition of Maestro Jr. to his life caused a shifting of priorities - one that made him winder if he would ever be the same teacher again.

Then he did some soul-searching over the Summer and came to the conclusion that in order to be a whole person, he had to be the best musician, the best teacher, the best husband and the best father he could be. A gap in any of these areas would diminish his spirit -as it already had.
The problem was - he wasn't sure that he could pull all of that off. He started slowly - just rewriting his syllabus. The next thing he knew he was back to alphabetizing the books on his bookshelf, and organizing the action figures on his desk by height. Once again, he found himself clearing out his voice mail hourly, rather than weekly (monthly at his lowest point)... and found it difficult to leave his office before tidying his desk.

This time, something was different - The Maestro sensed the grand pattern beneath the fabric of his life. He began to understand that there was no happy-ever-after, only happy-until-the-next-challenge. At the same time, he took comfort in the fact that like the good times, the bad times don't last forever... and thus, emerging like Persephone at Winter's thaw, he set about celebrating his happiness, but preparing himself for the day when the leaves would fall again.

Remember the days when computers were associated with SMART people?

I have this theory about school tech support staff. It goes something like this: Take your average graduating class of computer science majors, and figure the top dogs are going to get jobs with major players like Microsoft or Apple. A good number of them will also end up in the heavy engineering entities, like Boeing, or consumer giants like Sony. The hard-core geeks will make their way to the game developers, who will give them the means to maintain their high school/college mental state indefinitely. Then you have the bulk that will find jobs with IT departments of various companies, and spend their days upgrading OSs and dealing with general user idiocy. The bottom of the barrel goes to work for the government - who probably pays the least and has the most out-dated tech. That's where school IT comes in.

I don't mean to be too down on school tech people - once upon a time Old Republic High School had a marvelous woman who was the go-to guru for all of our tech needs. District 'restructuring' forced her out of a job, and we've had a string of incompetent chimpanzees ever since. To be honest, my first line of defense when I have tech needs is to turn to one of the faculty tech-team people (Science Bob and Science Kate) before I go to the on-campus IT guy (Tech Joe). They usually point me in his direction anyway (protocol and all) but I like to start off talking to someone who at least has their shit together before I have to deal with the bureaucracy.

I do have to say - I feel sorry for Tech Joe. I think he's generally a lonely guy. He sits in his cramped, cluttered closet of an office with the door open and waves at everyone who walks by. He's the kind of guy that you kind of dread talking to, because you know he'll try to suck you into a longer conversation than what you intended. At the same time, he has a bit of a "King of the Castle" complex going on. He kind of comes off as wanting to be the master of all things tech-wise, but has a tendency to answer all requests with "ummm... yeah, we can't really do that." I rolled my eyes when he sent out a mass-email the other day complaining that someone just dumped a cart of equipment off at his door-step without going through the procedure that would allow him to properly collect document the equipment being returned. I mean, yeah - he has a job to do, but the fact is that everyone knows that doing things the "right" way means waiting around for something that may or may not predate the second coming.

I understand that he is but a cog in a larger wheel that isn't quite screwed on tight to begin with. School tech departments have become more concerned with liability and accountability than with supporting the classroom efforts. To that end, they have created a gauntlet of restrictions that have made the use of technology in the classroom about as easy as running an obstacle course in a straight-jacket.

The district mandates ALL tech must be provided, supported and maintained by the district IT, including all software and accessories. Now I understand the want to keep all your ducks in a row, and I certainly empathize the paranoia being sued for the use of unauthorized or the need to discourage staff from frequenting inappropriate web sites on school time - however there are certain problems with the real-life implementation of this:

* The district simply does not have the resources to take care of ALL our tech needs.

* Tech provision and support is distributed unevenly.

* IT people assume that all classrooms are the same and have the same tech needs.

* The IT time frame for getting stuff done is waaaaaay too slow.

* The IT boys don't always understand the specialty tech (like music software) and are likely to impede rather than assist with the implementation of it.

* We spend too much time and energy arguing the necessity of a hardware component or software package with people who don't understand our subject area.

* IT expects us to design our activities to fit their tech requirements, rather than provide the tech that supports our curriculum.

At it is for all of these reasons that I have "gone rogue" - unabashedly and wholeheartedly - I have gone to the dark side of tech-in-the-classroom. My office is a haven for unauthorized tech components, most of which I paid for out of my own pocket or with music department funds. Every time Tech Joe walks into my office, he turns into Sgt. Schultz at the sight of my "rogue printer" (Honestly, that's what they call them..."rogue printers" Are they going to come up for a police radio code for them next?). I keep my "rogue router" securely hidden - he's been known to confiscate them.

While I lament the speed at which my aging desktop performs, I celebrate the fact that I have full administrative access (a gift bestowed upon me by the faculty tech guru years ago). I mean, I'm not installing World of Warcraft on my system or anything... I just have a lot of little freeware utilities that make my life a lot easier.

I'm not happy about breaking the rules when it comes to my classroom tech - moreover, I lament the fact that doing my job effectively encourages, and sometimes even requires me to do so.

A Tale of Two ADHD Kids

ADHD Kid #1 - Oscar - Beginning Instruments - Drummer

Oscar's mom e-mailed his teachers on the second day of school. She basically laid out his behavior patterns, and gave suggestions for being pro-active at dealing with his behavior in a positive way. She invited the teachers to stay in contact with her regarding his progress.

As advertised, Oscar is one squirly kid. Constantly talking and distracting other students. Underneath all that erratic energy, however, is a kid that loves to drum... and drum he does, on anything within reach. I can work with that. Plus, he has something likable about him... can't put my finger on it...

ADHD Kid #2 - Samantha - Beginning Strings - Violin

Samantha's reputation got to me before she did. Two separate students warned me about her before the first day of school - how they found out she was signing up for orchestra, I don't know. By the way, my informants are not Sam's age - she's a 7th-grader. The two students in question are upperclassmen who know about her through various disastrous interactions at other institutions... the "kicked out of summer day camp" variety.

Since the first day of school Samantha has managed to earn the ire of my string coach by refusing to participate in class - claiming "I just don't get it" as an excuse to to completely mentally check out a majority of the time. On Friday she packed up her violin 20 minutes early and refused to cooperate. Today she came in and said that she left her instrument at home by accident (Which I suspected was B.S., because she's probably the last kid who would take her instrument home to practice... I should have checked her locker, but I didn't have time)

She doesn't have me pulling my hair out... yet... Fortunately I've had more than my fair share of ADHD kids, and I know how to deal with them, especially the ones who use their 'condition' as an excuse to get away with stuff. At some point they either have to agree to work around their 'condition', or they have to admit that they are not in control of themselves, and that being a member of a musical performing group is beyond their capability.

Oscar has hope - I'm not sure about Samantha.

Oh and I forgot Ned, one of the new drummers in band - he doesn't have ADHD... just bad judgment. Tomorrow I have to retrieve something from the inside of a bass drum that he managed to slip through one of the pressure holes... just because he was bored.

All For One, And..... Yeah....

Because of my involvement with institutions outside of my primary place of employment, I have frequent contact with kids from all over Southern California. There's one conversation that I keep having with these kids and their parents - one that revolves around their dissatisfaction with their school programs, often to the point of dropping out. The sad thing is, these are good kids I'm talking about - talented musicians, smart and loyal if you earn their respect. The fact that they chose to walk away from their school's program should send some serious messages to the teachers in question. Some people, however, have an unwavering ability to ignore the writing on the wall.

A lot of times this dissatisfaction comes from the simple fact that their school program is inadequate. The average playing level is far below that of the student in question - which means that the level of repertoire that the teacher chooses lacks technical challenge and artistic interest. Now, in my colleague's defense, this is unavoidable. You have to aim for the median when choosing repertoire.... however you also have to keep that advanced player in mind and actively look for ways to keep them interested and involved, otherwise they will do exactly what a lot of them do, which is make tracks for their counselor as fast as they can and switch into a ceramics class.

The problem is, a lot of music teachers feel entitled to the loyalty of the students - that the mere fact that the kid is an enrolled Whatever High School student who plays an instrument, he or she is morally obligated to participate in the music program. Some teachers go as far as to hunt these kids down and pressure them into enlisting. To that end, they ignore the concerns of the individual student and their families, and more than a few of them get kind of unfriendly with kids who don't just submit.

Now, what you need to know is that on the teacher's end, it's easy to get your perspective skewed by the fact that a lot of external pressures are put on high-profile programs (sports, band, cheer, etc.). People who have no personal investment in the program itself (ie. they are not enrolled, nor have any kids enrolled) often think that the purpose of the program is to meet their needs, rather than the needs of the participating students. (I've gone on and on about this in my previous accounts of dealing with Former Principal Palpatine, so I won't labor the point). Not only that, but if the program is competitive then the reputation of the program director becomes a major motivating factor as well. That all mixes together to create a situation where the individual student becomes part of a machine that meets the needs of other people - and I can't imagine that anyone would want to participate in a program like that.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't demand a certain amount of commitment from our students. Obviously, we can't run smorgasbord programs that allow students to participate as much or as little as they want - then we'd see the qualities of loyalty, responsibility and concern for the well being of the community disappear altogether. What I'm saying is that our job is to make sure that the experience of the individual student has to be rewarding and meaningful. They are not the means to an end, they are the end.

Give to the individual student, and most of the time, they will give back... more than what you ask for in return. If the program you offer is inadequate, look for ways to fill their needs (the rest of the education world calls it differentiated instruction). A lot of times if you even try, you will earn their respect and loyalty, and you won't have to resort to extortion and intimidation to get what you want out of them.

I want to tell these students and families that they should participate in their school program, just for the sake of supporting their school. However, I have to stop and ask myself - If I were that kid, would I want to be stuck in a program like that? I mean, I want to support my colleagues, I really do, but like one of my dear friends points out - it would be nice if said colleagues had their shit together first.

New School Year Blues

From the e-mail annals of The Maestro:

Parent #1: You gave Carter a "0" for not turning in his student contract, but he never recieved it in the first place.

How I responded: If you'll check, you'll find the contract on the back page of the syllabus. He can still sign it and turn it in for full credit.

How I wanted to respond: For the love of Pete, woman... it's on the same page as the band fee payment instructions... you know, the piece of paper that I know you read, because you e-mailed me immediately to ask for a full scholarship for the band expenses.

******

Parent #2: I am saddened to hear that you have decided to remove Sam from the jazz class, and that you took such a long time to tell him that it wouldn't work out. We will continue giving him drum lessons on the side and audition for the following year.

How I responded: I apologize for any mis-communication. I did have a conversation with Sam early on as to why I couldn't take a third drummer. I didn't take him out of the class immediately, because I wanted to confer with the counselor to see what his options were, and to consult with you as well. I look forward to hearing his audition in the Spring.

How I wanted to respond: I am saddened that Sam chose to have the counselor enroll him in the class without talking to me first. We announced auditions for the group last year - I'm wondering why he didn't make his appearance then. If he goes out for sports, please advise him to talk to the coach before he shows up in uniform to the first practice.

*********

Parent #3: I am confused, why does Scott have to buy a choir dress?

How I responded: He doesn't. You're looking at the universal fee payment form for the entire music department. Only check the items he needs for the class he's enrolled in.

How I wanted to respond: Because we're encouraging a free-thinking, tolerant society that promotes an open-minded approach to lifestyle choices. If you have any questions or concerns about this "new direction" please feel free to contact me.

Blind Justice

I never gave much of a thought to the ACLU until recently. I know that the mention of their name brings out heated debates - after all, they are known to defend people's rights to an extent that makes no sense to a lot of people. I mean, I understand the whole freedom of speech issue and everything, and I know that the ACLU is staffed with well-meaning people would put their very lives on the line to defend the essence of what it means to live in a free country - I just wonder how it feels to be an ACLU lawyer who gets a hand shake and a pat on the back from America's proudest bigot.

Recently, an issue came up that hit close to home... maybe too close. As in "Oh shit - I'd better look at what I have on my school web site and do some Olympic-class back peddling!" See, the ACLU has taken to monitoring school districts in California, and making a full charge at those that apply fees for various extra-curricular programs such as sports, cheer and the arts. Yup... we're talking law suits across multiple districts simultaneously. Many schools threw up the white flag immediately, and knee-jerked reimbursements back to their students without so much as a whimper. I also heard that one school band program was directed to repay 15 years worth of band fees. Yeah.

Now, here is where I have to stop and say that the well-intentioned crusade of the ACLU on behalf of the citizens of the city of Los Angeles (who allegedly got the ACLU's attention in this matter) could spell doom for a lot of school programs. Simply put - art is expensive. You have supplies, equipment, repair, specialized clothing, travel expenses.... this stuff doesn't just fall into our laps from the powers-that-be. One of my colleagues put it best: "It's a sad thing, but the quality of a school music program comes down to its budget." So where does this money come from if not from the participating families? It's not the ACLU's job to worry about that.

We're living in a state that's engaged in a full financial melt-down, lots of crucial government-funded programs are already being cut or scaled back, teachers are losing their fucking jobs, the ones who aren't are overworked and under-supported... and the ACLU has the balls to tell everyone that it's unfair to ask families to pay a fee so that Suzie can play clarinet. If they manage to succeed in throwing their collective weight to the point of making every school too paranoid to so much as ask the kids to even bring a pencil, they'll effectively create a situation where school districts will have no choice but to remove their extra curricular programs, simply because they can't afford them... and trust me, the coaches and art teachers are already afraid of that outcome without the benefit of the ACLU speeding it along. It's not what anyone really wants - but in the eyes of the ACLU, it's better than asking students and families for a contribution.

The thing that gets me is that no one, and I mean no one in charge of any public school activity would deny a student on the basis of financial difficulty. We all know the law - and most of us would have accommodated a student/family in need regardless. But see, people don't even want schools to ask for the money - probably because it's too embarrassing for people to admit that they can't provide for their child's extra-curricular aspirations. I mean, yeah, that's a tough situation but shit - why don't we just tell the grocery stores to give away free food to everyone because some people are too embarrassed to stand in line with food stamps.

The people making most of the noise in this matter, ie. the people who don't want to have to pay for school band programs, are under the assumption that they are entitled to all the trappings, including flashy uniforms and exciting performance trips at no cost. What they don't understand is that the state doesn't guarantee any of that. What the state guarantees is instruction in music, as outlined by the California framework and content standards for the fine and performing arts. You can read it if you like... it doesn't say anything about marching band, field show competitions, parades, flashy uniforms, tuxedos, concert dresses - all the trimmings that make music programs appealing to kids in the first place. The framework tells you what the kids should be learning, and what they should be able to accomplish (musically) from kindergarten through high school - and most of that can be done with a modest amount of funding.

The problem is, a lot of schools don't have even a modest amount of funding for their music programs, leaving to the band students and families to scramble for the money in order to get the basic needs, let alone the big flashy marching band that everyone wants to see at the football games. To that end, the terms 'band' and 'fund-raising' have become kind of synonymous. But here's the funny part - It's also illegal to require kids and families to fund-raise. So the bottom line is: We can't charge fee's and we can't require people to fund-raise. According to the letter of the law, public school is supposed to be free - and any program hosted by any California school has to be accessible to any student living in California at no cost. Well, ladies and gentlemen, in this case, the old saying rings as true as ever - "You get what you pay for." And if you can't give it to everyone for free, then no one should get it at all.

Not A Bad Way to Start The Weekend

Okay, as a follow up comment to my last post - I think the school in general is off to a rough start. I, on the other hand, have been kicking ass and taking names. Well... I'm doing better than usual, anyway. I still feel like I'm behind - but since I really have been using almost every waking moment productively, I can go to sleep with a clear conscience at least.

My syllabi have gone through a major editing, and are the most comprehensive they've been in years.

My beginning-of-the-year procedures have been made more efficient.

My school web site has been updated - with the complete schedule up through the end of the semester.

My student / parent e-mail communication has been lightning fast (so far).

Yup, I'm about as on-top of it as I can be.... let's see how long it lasts.

Anyway, on to the really cool thing that I did last night. A few weeks ago I got a call from a woman who is involved with a local jazz festival (not a scholastic one - I mean a series of big name performers... like Dave Brubeck, etc.) She offered free tickets to me and my kids with the possibility of meeting the performers after the shows. I happened to be at my desk while on the phone with her, so I opened up my web browser, clicked on the link she gave me and looked down the schedule. I saw the name of *LEGENDARY SAXOPHONE PLAYER* listed on Friday, Sept. 10th and immediately asked if we could get seats for that show. She happily obliged.

So, I sent out a few e-mails trying to get some interest going. Only a handful of kids responded - 8 in all. I mean, I know if it were Lady Gaga tickets, I would have gotten a far more enthusiastic response... this was more like the "extra-credit-assignment-that-looks-like-a-bit-of-work" crowd.

It just so happens that one of the kids lives right across the street from the venue, so he asked his parents if he could host a dinner for the students going to the show. They happily agreed. So at 6 p.m. we all met at his house - had a nice pasta dinner, then leisurely walked over to the hotel where *LSP* was playing. We got our tickets at the Will Call window, and made our way inside. Our contact (the nice lady who called me) found where we were sitting, and gave us instructions on what to do after the show.

The concert itself was amazing. *LSP* and his band (an organist and a drummer) were not only fantastic players, they were really damn funny... Their in-between-the-songs banter had the audience in stitches. I was surprised at how bluesy the program was - I had seen *LSP* live before and he was a lot more pop/smooth jazz. But later, I read online that he was trying to disassociate himself from his smooth-jazz image... and I don't blame him. I mean, who wants to hang with that crowd? I also have to say - the organist was half the show. He was a big heavy-set guy with Harry-Potter hair, hipster glasses and a goatie. He was definitely Ed McMahon to *LSP*'s Johnny Carson - and he even sang and played trumpet (yes... while he was playing the organ) during the show as well.

Afterwords, we were shuffled off to the side of the venue (an outdoor amphitheater) and waited until *LSP*'s manager brought him over to talk to us - he looked a lot more frail than he did on stage... and much older than when I saw him last. But he was friendly - he signed autographs, posed for pictures, and even told my kids a charming vignette about how he got kicked out of his elementary school band program when he was a kid... for not being able to read music... He finished that off with a wink in my direction, which made me chuckle. At the same time, I got the message - be careful who you write off as a failure, they may end up far more talented and capable than you someday.

Walking back, the kids were aglow with excitement, and it was exciting to see them so enthusiastic about music that was slightly before the time of some of their parents, even. So all-and-all it was a fabulous Friday: Good food, good music, got to meet a famous dude, and happy kids in the end.

Rough Start

A while back, my firend and colleague encouraged me to follow up my "Principal Palpatine: One Year Later" post with a "Principal Leto: One Year Later" - which I tried to do. Right now the incomplete draft is still sitting in my edit box. But since the school year has started it felt appropriate to incorporate that into a new post. Hopefully I'll finnish this one - so many of my drafts go unfinished and un-posted. Apparently I'm in good company.

We are in the second year of what should be a continuing celebration of a distinct lack of the Principal Palpatine regime. Unfortunately, we are starting the year particularly unorganized - the number of mis-placed students and poorly structured class schedules is kind of mind boggling, and the line of students trying to get in to see their counselors looks like the parking lot outside the Apple store the eve of a new iPhone release. I am starting to hear more and more complaints about Principal Leto's leadership - or lack thereof - a thing that makes me very sad. I so want to like him - in fact I do like him... I think everyone likes him. But I think they (we) also want to be given guidance, structure and leadership by him. The consensus that seems to be forming is that he's so much into keeping people happy that we're losing a sense of direction.

Right now, his administration seems to be lacking the acumen necessary for smooth scheduling. To be fair - our former head counselor retired last year. He was a scheduling dynamo, and had a knack for fine-tuning things and fixing small details before they went to print. Palpatine also had a way of nailing things down in a very efficient order - although that order often served her needs more than anyone else's. But Leto seems to have a way of cutting himself off from the resources that would help him do the job better and faster . It also doesn't help that the new head counselor is very inexperienced when it comes to master scheduling. Not to be confused with criticism - she's doing the best she can, and she's not getting a lot of support. Yesterday I left some chocolates on her desk.

So you tell me, which is better? The totalitarian regime, or the structureless anarchy? For myself, I can say that I appreciate the fact that once again, I wake up every day enthusiastic about work, and that I can walk through the front office without fear. I have also regained the title of "Master of My Fate" - and I know how to keep my own little corner of NRHS working smoothly, despite whatever goes on outside my walls. That's probably a selfish way of looking at it - but there it is.

I like Leto... I really do. I hope to God for all of our sake's that he hits his groove this year. Otherwise we're looking at another shift sometime in the foreseeable future, and who knows what that might bring. Plus, we'd start to look like a whiny school who just isn't happy with any principal they hire.

It Doesn't Matter....

... how idiot-proof you try to make your syllabus - someone is bound to get confused. Case in point - I decided to have a universal fee payment section of the contract, applicable to all of my classes. It listed all the possible fees that a student in any of the classes might need to pay. (I designed the contract so that a kid who is enrolled in more than one music class only has to turn in one form). It even says right on the form - "These are the fees for all the music classes, please check and pay only the ones you need"

So today I had a mom call and ask why her Beginning Band son was required to buy a choir dress. Furthermore, it appeared to her that since he had the option to buy a white tie for jazz band, that he was already enrolled in jazz band.

.... Sigh......

The Eve of Battle

well, it's 1 a.m. and I should be in bed. I spent most of today pouring over my syllabi and making major revisions - like "tweaking the whole damn grading scheme" kind of revisions. Then I took a step back and realized that the new-improved syllabi were seething with left over angst and bitterness from my students issues last year...

so I re-wrote them... again.

Well, not completely, but I reduced the hostility of them considerably by taking the preachy and threatening paragraphs and breaking them into simple, starightforward bullet points.

Mission accomplished - cover your ass from all possible directions. Whatever you give them on day one in writing may be the asbestos that keeps the parental dragon-fire from roasting your sorry hide six months from now. You teachers know what I mean.

Anyway - I'm pretty proud of myself - it's the most intensive syllabi revision in years - and yes all six classes had to be tweaked differently. Tomorrow I get to dive back in and find the typos, contradictions and other confusing errors.

My enthusiasm is a little short-lived, however. Even as I sit here, I feel the fear creeping up on me: Today we got our teaching assignments in the mail, and looking at the sheet I think the counseling office/administrative team may have thrown my program into a pickle - a mess that, believe it or not, may surpass anything Principal Palpatine would have done. Based on the info I see, I've got sections filled with kids assigned to the wrong period and - what the hell is the jazz class doing mixed in with the concert band class?

I'm wondering if someone may have finally caught and "fixed" the glitch in the music department - the one where it looks like I'm teaching six classes. And I am - kind of... on paper - but the hours work out to... well, let's just say that it's complicated, and to be safe I've been lying low for about.. oh.. a decade... hoping that no one would notice.

The funny thing is - Palpatine did notice... but straightening it out probably would have dumped the jazz program, and at the time her favorite student was enrolled in it so... yeah she let me slide on that one.

Tomorrow I have to go in and figure out what my schedule I really is - and whether or not my program is intact. If I'm lucky, The biggest mess I'll have to sort out is figuring out which 7th grader goes into beginning band and which ones can go straight into concert band. (which is.. maybe a couple days on the phone). If I'm not lucky... I don't want to think about it...

Principal Palpatine: One Year Later

It hasn't actually been a year since I first heard that Palpatine wasn't coming back to Empire / New Republic High School. My last meeting with her was July of 2009 - and really, a lot of things she put in motion continue to affect me and the music department. But it felt appropriate to reflect on the anniversary of my last school-end under her reign administration.

While there is still a few wound-licking - I have slowly started to hear her name mentioned less and less, as it should be. Every once in a while someone (and yes, sometimes it's me) brings her name up in hushed tones - the way someone might speak of Voldemort He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

The bonds I formed with other staff members in our mutual interest in preservation through her tyranny leadership have begun to relax. No longer co-conspirators in her attempted removal - we have returned to being casual acquaintances who wave at each other as we walk to and from the copy room.

At the beginning of the year I cursed her name as I dealt with swelling numbers in my band classes - which most band teachers would welcome, if not for the fact that many were put there against their will. In truth, I did convert a number of kids into eager bandos - so ultimately I guess her 'interference' did do some good for the health of the music program. There is a part of me that acknowledges that much. At the same time, I still say it would be a strange thing to thank Osama Bin Laden for providing a boost to the general level of patriotism in the American public.

I thought this year would be easier without her. In truth, I've been working much harder. Partially because I no longer have her to blame my woes on. But mostly, I looked at myself in the mirror at the beginning of the year and said "Okay, you don't have an oppressive, micromanaging principal telling you what to do... so what are you going to do?"

I spent the entire year trying to answer that question - and it was hard. But it was also good. I felt like i was forced to be a better teacher, forced to do my own evaluation, reflection and alteration. It seems easier when you have someone else telling you how to improve. It's very easy when, as with Palpatine, you allow yourself to reject your supervisor's opinion of your performance - giving you justification to believe that you are doing nothing wrong. But when you have to make your own diagnosis and prescribe your own cure - well, that's pretty much locking yourself in a room with your own inner demons. But that's the way it's supposed to be done - for anyone with any experience in teaching, anyway.

I came out of this year with a lot of ideas for next year. I need to spend a good part of the Summer formulating them, writing them down, and implementing them into my curriculum. I don't mind doing that: It doesn't feel like work - when you are working for yourself. That's not true... I'm not working for myself - I'm working for my students. I always have. (And I have to say, one of my proudest moments was when I told Palpatine that I worked for them, not her.)

So here I am standing on the tail end of another year. The pain of Palpatine's heavy hand is still a clear memory, but is no longer felt. As with my other trials, personally and professionally, I am ultimately grateful for the lessons I learned, but ultimately more grateful for the end to the trial itself.

The End Is Near.

Once again, I have been remiss in my blogging duties - and once again you must get the potpourri cover-it-all-in-one-post routine. I'll try to make it short.

Two Concerts In The Can

Well, I'm done with my performances. I dreaded both of them... not the performances themselves, but the logistics of them. I hate going off-campus for concerts, but until they build me something that looks like a concert hall, I kind of have to. Both concerts came off without a hitch... well - either that or I just didn't care about the hitches. I kind of have my concert routine down - I need to relax about that stuff more.

Here's the run-down:

Choir - They did about as well as I expected. The girls did okay, the boys sounded like a mob of zombies.

Advanced Choir - They did fine, but listening to the recording, I was very aware that my advanced choir three years ago was much stronger, esp. the boys. Eh, it's a rebuilding year - what are you going to do?

Jazz - They did fine as well - they were also having a rebuilding year. The trumpets are particularly weak. Being a saxophonist, I wasn't as equipped to help them. Something to look at for next year.

Concert Band - Didn't give as strong a performance as I would have liked... mostly due to the accoustics of the hall - they couldn't hear each other. A shame really, I was looking forward to their last number.

Beginning Instruments - All things considered, they gave one of the strongest performances. They played exactly the way they prepared. I was going to work them until the lqast day, but their concert was so good, I gave them a break.

String Orchestra - Kicked ass.... hard. They had the longest performance, the hardest repertoire, and the most solid execution - and they played better in concert than they did in rehearsal... and you music people know how often that happens! To think they used to be my weakest group!

The Drama With Drama

So here's the outcome of the pit orchestra situation: almost everyone is getting paid. The only one who isn't is the pianist, who never faxed me his paperwork, never returned my calls. Everyone else stepped in line. The result: I came out of this looking like freakin' Moses leading Israel through the Red Sea. People were thanking me for stepping up to the plate and getting it done. And no one loves me more than the ASB business manager, who would have had to track down all those people if I hadn't.

Now, Drama Teacher and I haven't talked yet. I kind of feel like he should have been a little more up front with me about how many people he could afford to hire. I heard through the grapevine that he wants to use all NRHS students - no professionals for the next show - I hope he realizes that his product will greatly be affected. It's not just an ability thing - pros know how to think fast on their feet and cover for mistakes quickly. With an all-student pit, it can all fall apart like a house of cards.

Ugh, I have a feeling it's going to get worse before it gets better, if it does get better. I'm starting to wonder how much longer Drama Teacher can keep working here with the way he does business.

Slackers Redeemed

So now is about the time that all the kids who missed concerts start coming to me to do the "make up" assignment. The "make up" usually comes in the form of the kid donating time to me after school - cleaning or filing or something. Today I had five kids working for me. It was like a little army tearing down folders, putting things in storage rooms and cleaning music stands.

I should have more kids skip out on concerts....

Wow.... Just Wow...

Senior class parting gift: A blue T-Shirt with a Superman shield on it... except the letter in the middle is an "M" (for Maestro) instead of an "S".

It was the one of the bests gifts I ever got.

Double Header

Cleaning Up Other People's Mess

Almost a month ago I participated in our school's music theater production. At the drama teacher's request, I assembled and conducted a pit orchestra. We did pretty good. The roster included eight hired guns. I submitted all the invoice information to our drama teacher, who passed it on to ASB.

Last week I discovered that no one has been paid yet. I went to check on it, only to find that there was a lot of red tape holding everything up. Procedures weren't followed... the proper paperwork wasn't filled out... I don't know how it's going to work out.

I shouldn't feel responsible, but I was the one who contacted these people and I feel like it's my reputation on the line. Illustrious Drama Teacher doesn't have to move and work in the music circles, but I do... and in the interest of keeping good relations with these folks, I'm going to follow up on it until it resolves.

the problem is... I doubt any of these people will work for us again.

Choosing Your Battles

Last week there was also a big meeting where the representatives from three schools got together and negotiated the use of the big district theater facility. Our school was supposed to have first pick for dates in the second semester. I submitted my requested dates (only two, mind you) to the New Republic High School rep (the drama teacher, no less) and trusted that it would all work out.

I didn't get my June date... in fact I didn't get any date in June. I got bumped out of the theater all together.

Now... before I went into a volcanic outrage - I checked in with some of my NRHS art teacher colleagues. Apparently, nobody really walked away with what they wanted, except perhaps my colleague over at Rival High School, whose classroom sits right behind the theater itself.

Now, there's a lot of issue here, more than I can blog about right now (lucky you). One of them is the argument about whether or not that theater is a school facility or a district facility. It really shouldn't be an argument, since the folks on Mount Olympus (The district admin) have said repeatedly that it's a district facility, thus pulling any favoritism from the home school. At the same time, I do sympathize with the PA teachers at RHS - If I had a stage connected to my own classroom but had to sacrifice small animals to pagan gods just to get to use it, I'd be pretty upset as well.

Principal Leto was involved, although he was decidedly biased free when it came to meeting the needs of the PA programs from various campuses. I think he was the one who ultimately pushed my dates off of the June calendar. Part of me was pissed that he didn't fight for my dates more, but at the same time I know what kind of a guy he is - he's not going to look out for just his own campus - he is a former PA teacher himself, and he's trying to take care of everyone involved. The only thing I can really fault him for is not sharing the outcome of that meeting with me directly - I had to find out a couple days later by looking at the finalized calendar that was e-mailed out. (He did apologize for that - sincerely)

The truth is, I've always been a little uncomfortable performing at Sister School. I usually end up using my colleague's rooms as holding tanks - and I always have to worry about how respectful my kids are being to his facility. I'd much rather perform at the local university - I know the orchestra director very well, and he gets me one of the recital halls for dirt cheap. It's a better stage for instrumental performances, and it's easier to keep the kids contained. Also, I could go the really easy route and just host my June concert outdoors here at NRHS - with the only problem being the accoustics. It's only the principle of the thing that bothers me - why promise first pick when I end up getting no pick at all? It seems the system needs re-working... as many people have noted.

The one thing I hope that makes it's way back up to Mount Olympus is that it would be in the god's best interest if they built a a PA facility at NHRS that was capable of relieving some of the stress of splitting the theater at RHS between three high schools.

In the mean time, it looks as if I'll continue to rely on off-campus facilities for my programs.

Just Like Everybody Else

I have a love/hate relationship with special education. On one hand, a lot of the special ed students have been some of the sweetest kids I've known, and I really enjoy working with them. Other times, however, I feel like I'm overburdened with an abundance of them in my classes - particularly choir. There was one year when one of the special ed teachers sent me her entire caseload of 10 kids (a third of my overall class) simply because she wanted extra time for prep. 10 special ed kids in one class with no aide.... yeah...

The worst case I had was years ago - a kid named Scotty. He was enrolled in my beginning instruments class - for what reason I can't imagine, other than he refused to go into choir. The big problem with Scotty was that he was so needy that I couldn't work with anyone else when he was there. After two weeks of ignoring about twenty other kids, I finally said something to the S.E. director (a friend of mine) who basically responded with "I'm Sorry" and "Mainstreaming is required by law."

I hate going over peoples head, but I did that time - It wasn't a matter of adjusting a lesson plan or coming up with an alternative process to accommodate Scotty's needs - I couldn't meet the needs of the class with Scotty there. So I went to the principal, and he forced a compromise - Scotty would attend the class two days a week. The S.E. director said it wasn't enough, but I wouldn't let go of the fact that he was still getting far more individual attention that the rest of the class. She wasn't happy with me, but I think she eventually forgave me.... I think... my parting comment from that meeting probably didn't help - "Look, I know you're looking out for Scotty's needs - I'm trying to do that, but I need to look out for everyone else's needs too, and it's frustrating that you're not helping me do that."

For the next two months I found myself working overtime to come up with alternative lessons for Scotty. I'm not complaining about that - I made a deal, and I was determined to see it right. Besides, I came up with some techniques that proved helpful for other students later on down the line. Then suddenly Scotty disappeared - transferred or moved, I can't remember which. Go figure.

Over the years I've developed a reputation for being one of the "friendly" teachers to Special Ed. I don't mind that at all, but sometimes when you get 8+ special needs kids in a single class, then it starts to feel like the purpose of the class is to mainstream the Special Ed. students. My friend the S.E. chair and I argued about that on more than one occasion.

This year hasn't been too bad. I mean, yeah.... I have Autistic Billy - who, need I remind you, is the district's most problematic case. I mean, I can't tell you how many times some random person with a clipboard has shown up during choir to watch Billy for a few minutes - sometimes in pairs. But besides being a little quirky, Billy isn't all that bad. He's even managed to behave himself in concert (a fact that reminds me - God sometimes cuts me a break). Maybe it's just because choir is early in the day, and he doesn't have time to crank up his tantrums... I don;t know, but I'm not pushing it.

I have five other Spec. Ed. kids in the class - and except for the little Vietnamese girls who occasionally gets out of her chair, and runs/stomps around the room before being corralled back to her place (yeah.. she runs and stomps at the same time - I can't explain it...) they are barely noticeable. They're all pretty nice, and they all seem to be having a good time. Funny thing about autistic kids (which shouldn't be a surprise, really) they are usually really good at memorizing songs.

The one who's got me a little worried at the moment is little Odette -who previously only mildly annoyed me by persisting to ask every single day when the day of the next concert is, and what she is supposed to wear (I know... it's an 'autistic thing', so I let it roll. Eventually it became part of my routine - take roll, answer Odette's questions, send her back to her seat and then do warm ups.)

But recently Odette has decided that she's going to join my advanced choir - a heavy SATB group that regularly works on stuff like Vivaldi, Mozart and what not. Her family got her into voice lessons to prepare her for the audition.

I fear that audition... fear it like a drunk fears election day. I mean, of course I'm not going to prevent, nor even discourage her from auditioning... but folks, I've had her in choir for two years now... I know how she sings. She can hold a melody and she's aggressive about trying out for solos (she actually got one once) but she's not capable of harmonizing or holding her own in a polyphonic setting. I just don't see how it could work.

...But....

She loves to sing, and she's already decided that she's getting in... I don't know if her parents are as determined as she is, but the fact that they got her a private voice teacher seems to be an indication that they at least think it's possible.

Ugh... I'll be sure to blog how that turns out....

The Show Must Go On

So this weekend we had our annual themed dinner/show event. It's a big production that involves a lot of parent volunteers - and a lot of blood, sweat and tears on everyone's account.

This year - I was forced to rely on my parent support much more than I had before. In years past I could spend my nights up until the wea hours of the morning planning and organizing. Now with a 7 mo. old at home, I have to devote almost all of my home time to family.

Aside from the food and musical entertainment, we always have something of a dramatic element going as well. Last year, I tried to write the script myself - that resulted in the participating performers getting their final draft on the morning of the event. Miraculously we pulled it off - mostly due to the improvisational skills of the kids.

This year I decided to let the students handle the script... for better or worse. The girl who stepped forward to do it was someone with little or not theater experience. I was afraid to read her script. So i didn't. Really - I didn't know what was in it until I saw it play out on the day of. Kids had been telling me what she put in it - lots of pop-culture and movie references. They were afraid it was going to be way too hokey. I thought about stepping in and inserting my own script at the last minute, but then I remembered my promise to let other people handle those aspects... so for my own sanity, I just let it go.

Sure enough - it came off pretty well. Here are some of my favorite lines:

Luke Groundrunner: Excuse me miss, do you know how to get to the Kingdom of Genenova?

Girl (In squeaky voice) - Follow the yellow brick road!

********

Luke Groundrunner: I am on a quest to become a knight.

Black Knight: Regular or Jedi?

Anyway, the point is, we got through it.

Ah, I almost forgot - as part of God's on-going process of testing my will - he decided that not only should I get sick shortly before the event, but my whole family should too. So on the day before, when I normally oversee everything from equipment transportation to decorating, I was home tending to my wife and baby boy. On the day of, I myself was so sick I had to repeatedly duck into the men's room to empty whatever I had left in my stomach, which wasn't much as the day wore on. Afterwords, the parents didn't let me stay to help clean up - they didn't even let me drive myself home. One of the moms drove me home, while another drove my car. It was a good thing, too - half way home I had another dry-renching fit (into a plastic bag that we were smart enough to bring) - and I barely made it up the stairs to my porch.

Somehow - everything just magically got done without me....

Middle School Mayhem

Captain's Log 05192010 - I'm walking up to the front office with an 8th grader who needs to talk to a larger authority figure than I.

8G: "This sucks what did I do?"

Me: "You were throwing food... and yes, it does suck"

8G: "I didn't throw it, I tripped and it flew out of my hands"

Me: "I watched you throw a cheesed-up bagel at the boys bathroom door and laugh your butt off when it stuck."

8G: "I was laughing because I tripped. I'm getting busted because I have big feet!"

Me: "No... you're getting busted because when I told you to clean it up you just stood there and kept laughing"

8G: "I was... thinking about what I should do...."

Me "Son... don't go into a life of crime. You're a horrible liar."

* I would like to acknowledge my colleague, who inspired me to fight middle school immaturity when I saw her a drag a wimpering MS kid into the office last week for kicking his friend.

May Madness

Once again - too much to blog, not enough time. That and I keep starting posts but not finishing them. Well... I figure, if DaVinci can be revered as a great artist despite his lack of follow-through, why can't I?

Let me recap as best I can:

Music Theater

We finished a successful run of four shows in two weekends. I had a good pit orchestra to work with... of course, half of them were hired. As per usual, our drama teacher managed to dress a good number of the female cast as prostitutes and some of the males as gay strippers. The part that really cracks me up us that he's Mormon. he wont go into a liquor store, but he'll order from Fredricks of Hollywood without so much as blinking.

New Computer

A new iMac now stands in place of the G5 that was stolen. Of course, now we have to upgrade our software, since protools 7 won't run on OS X 10.6. Oh and we attached a security cable to this one.... just in case...

The World of Tomnorrow

Well, we've entered into serious talks about a new performing arts facility on campus. The space I'm sitting in right now will probably eventually be one of the back rows of a new theater. My rooms will be demolished and rebuilt on the back of the theater building. I've seen the proposed plans, they look pretty sick.

The only problem is that the theater the district wants to approve for us is kind of small and won't accommodate the kinds of projects we would like to do . The architects kept pushing the space as the perfect venue for "intimate performances." The problem is - we'll still be relying on off-campus facilities for most of our drama and all of our dance productions.

My music groups could probably use the space well - our rosters are still medium-smallish and we don't usually sell out 300 seats. Still, I'm standing with my colleagues on this one - it makes no sense to spend over $10 million in bond money on an arts facility that will mostly be used for the occasional guest speaker or musical recital.

I think the board's rationale is that they don't see why they should build a near-identical facility on every HS campus - our cross town rival already has a big theater that is available to everyone. They want to build a smaller facility to accommodate more diverse productions district wide. The problem is, there isn't much of a need for an "intimate" performance space - the perfomring arts teachers will all still be scrambling for time at slots the bigger theater.

At the first meeting we had with parents teachers, administrators and the architectures, there weren't any representatives from the school board - the poor architects got an ear-full from the teachers and the parents, who were unified in their reaction against the proposed design. Principal Leto (who was sitting behind me) was trying to keep the peace. He seemed to be the only person (besides myself) who sensed that it wasn't the architects who needed to be vented at. Also, I could tell he was afraid that any backlash that found its way back to the school board might hurt, rather than help, our chances of getting an acceptable compromise.

Anyway, the plan for right now is to cool down, bide our time. Do a little bit of poking and see what happens.