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Episode 2: The First Day/Week Part 2 · The Unconducted Curriculum

• speaker-0: All right. So continuing on from episode one, we're still talking about first day kind of things, first week. And if you're a new director, if you're a first year director, or even a a director who's new to a campus, maybe you've been teaching before, but this is a new job for you. Just some things to continue to think about. Last week we talked a lot about kind of first day things, bringing kids into the class, getting them excited about the year. And then so we're gonna continue that discussion and we're gonna start off this episode. with talking about catching students doing things right. So in other words, how can we use positive reinforcement to control or to manage our classroom? And just in my experience, and I know it with Tina as well, this really helps keep things moving along is when we can be more positive in your approach, not always calling out just the negative things or the things that need to be corrected, whether that's behaviorally or musically. But always trying to give them something that they're doing well as well. And so Yeah. And so Tina, just kind of give us some examples of like how you approach that with your class. I know last week you talked a little bit about the setup and having that aisle down the middle of the of the setup so that you can do some individual things, but talk a little bit more about your approach with positive reinforcement. speaker-1: You know, even giving a kid that just played really well, you're walking by a high five or a fist pump, they love that. And telling them, Thank you for sitting up so tall. Man, I love that your feet are flat on the floor. Great job patting your foot. I mean, everybody kind of around them hears that too. And so it makes them sit taller or do whatever you just said even better just because they just heard someone else get that praise. You know, we all want to do better. And I think that doing that instead of saying sit up straight or whatever. It's it's just like compliment the person next to them because they're gonna copy and they're gonna want that. And it just works wonders by just doing that to anyone that's there. speaker-0: Yeah, and I you know, my experience with that too is and I've had a lot of students, I taught sub non varsity band at the high school level for several years, along with my varsity band. And so there's some very big differences there. Mainly the biggest difference is from on their standpoint is how they approach the class from a musical standpoint. They're not maybe as serious about it, they don't practice as much. They may not have the same talent level, those types of things, but they can be held to the same expectations. And speaker-1: Yes. speaker-0: the way that that you approach that is by giving them that positive praise. And even with your kids that are very challenging behaviorally, who they're a lot of the times they're that way because they just want your attention. And that's the way speaker-1: They're gonna get through it. Yes. Well, and even my experience this past week doing high school sectionals, giving away stickers. We had competitions, almost like a dropout competition of who could play the faster for like the arpeggios or the the chromatic. And they really, freshmen to seniors, got into it to get the sticker that said great job. They were competing and loved it so much. So stickers can also work. When I go into different schools that I'm mentoring, I go around and after I've been there a few times. I get my stickers out and they like sit up taller and you know they're they're smiling at me and everything because they know I have that sticker. And that's another nonverbal thing to do. You still could put that sticker down and say, Great job, because I have like great job and you know, you're doing great everything, all the kind of stuff. And it it just anything that's positive. And also I love going by, like I said, like the kiddo that's not sitting as tall, and you've told them a few times, and they're still, you know, not quite getting it, but the two people next to them doing that. And then they fix it. And then you give that kiddo a sticker. So it's like that whole environment goes, ooh, wow. She likes me. Ooh, I did it good. You know, I did well. speaker-0: Well, and and on that same note, make a point to notice when those kids who struggle to do things correctly when they are actually doing it and praising them for it. Because if if if all we're doing is catching them at their worst moments, then we're gonna struggle with that student all year long. But to build a relationship with that student, to get them on your side, to get them to want to do what you're asking them to do, you've got to give them that positive praise. And sometimes it's hard to find. I mean, I'll be honest, there's there's there's kiddos out there that, man, it's like it's hard. But you will find something and you have to use that opportunity to praise them for that. Because if they're getting positive praise, they're gonna stop trying to get the negative, the negative feedback just to get something. speaker-1: You know. And also like having kids volunteer to play like four measures or that phrase that we just did. And some some kiddos will like volunteer immediately. And you can take some of those and then you just try to get the kids, you know, like I try to encourage someone who didn't raise their hand, come on, we played like four measures for me, please. Right. Come on, everybody wants to hear that. Everybody shuffle for them. that's another thing. So I'm saying just said shuffle. Shuffling your feet starting in sixth grade beginners is so important because We want to recognize students that try. Always was like, even if you make a mistake, you're gonna go on and everyone's gonna shuffle. You know, beginner clarinet class and the person squeaks and then keeps going. We shuffle and then we shuffle again because they kept going. Yay, shuffle for the squeak that kept going. You know, all of that encourages them that making mistakes are okay. You know, and when someone, you know, even comes in the room, you want to clap for them or whatever that someone's new, just like, Hey, Mr. So and so for coming in the room. Let's shuffle. Yay. Thank you for coming. And it ju you know, it's just something that just can be added extra to make people feel special and encouraged. speaker-0: Yeah, and that can look a lot of different ways. I mean, depending on the activity. I was out last week, doing a couple of days of marching fundamentals out in Godly. And one of the things that they do outside is when something happens or they do a rep really well or whatever. you know, they just go woo. They just kind of have a little, you know, a short little thing and and everybody does it. So it can look different depending on where you are and how old you are and what you're doing. But something that is convenient, you know, shuffling's great because they don't have to put their instrument down and clap. So the the shuffling thing works well. And it's also softer, so it's not gonna disturb other other rooms. But yeah, all of that kind of stuff is is great. And and the biggest takeaway, I think, from positive reinforcement and having that mindset is just understanding that what gets recognized is what gets repeated. speaker-1: No. speaker-0: So if we're recognizing Poor behavior, poor playing, all that stuff. And that's all we're doing, that's what they're gonna be doing. That's what you're gonna get out of that. So just kind of keep that in mind. speaker-1: As days progress, when you started something on Monday and it's Friday, and for you to mention, man, think back to Monday. Think how much you've improved. Your articulation is faster. All of that is just lighter. All of it is smoother. Anything that you can say to encourage their hard work for the week, when you ask them, raise your hand, do you hear an improvement? You can. You can definitely hear it. So that, because they know they accomplished something in a short amount of time. speaker-0: Yeah. When you were talking about stickers, you know, it it's d I mean everybody thinks, well, that's so elementary. It's like No Kids love it. And I I don't use stickers, but I you know those little just rubber wristbands. They're just kind of like Yeah. Rubber and they always have like a s like a saying on them. Yeah. speaker-1: In on it. speaker-0: Yeah. so last summer I was invited to do the the top high school band at the Tarleton Bandcamp and I didn't really know how that was gonna go. what kind of kids they were gonna have, what mixture, their backgrounds, all that kind of stuff. So I took like two hundred I ordered off of Amazon. It was like twenty bucks, I think, for two hundred of And I took those with me and they were purple for Tarleton. And they just had different positive quotes on And so we started off the week just kind of having a game with it. You know, it's like if you raise your hand and ask a you know to answer a question, or if if I call on you and you answer a question, or if you play something individually. Or I notice you doing something really well, you're gonna get a wristband. And whoever gets the wrist band the most wristbands at the end of the week is gonna get a a really cool prize. speaker-1: I love that. speaker-0: And and for that kind of situation, it was wonderful. I think I called out one kid all week just because he was talking at one point when I was talking about something. And that's I said something to him once and he totally stopped and was great the rest of the time. You know? speaker-1: It's not candy, but I don't think anything's wrong with candy if the school Yeah allows it. Giving out Jolly Ranchers or whatever and putting them on the stand and they can't open 'til they leave. I see that a lot of places and it does but I speaker-0: See that. speaker-1: love the wristband. I love that. That's that's a great idea. speaker-0: The wristband and then kind of making a a contest out of it. And and you could set it up like whoever gets the most wristbands at the end of the six weeks or the top five wristband earners or whatever. You know, if you if you need that kind of of speaker-1: like that because you know with pass offs there's different rewards. But I like that 'cause this is different than what they have to play and pass off. This is like you're saying, it's getting them to raise their hand more. Anything like that. I used to have like band bucks where I had band bucks that that could earn. If I saw someone pick up a piece of paper on the floor and then it wasn't theirs and throw it in the garbage that I'd give them a band buck. And if they could come after school and certain things are cost certain amount of ban bucks or if they turned their practice record in on time with 100% of whatever that was for that week, they got a ban buck. You know, and if they did 30 minutes more or whatever it is, they got another Ban Buck. So there was just different things they could get a band buck for, but I did have to have like a store that I would offer like two days a week after school. But if any anyone was one of my students, they know about Ban Bucks and they were fun and they wanted them and it was, it was great. speaker-0: Yeah, I mean our middle school directors in Springtown, Robin and Alexis, did that. Mm-hmm. And I don't remember what all the criteria was but they had a treasure chest in the office. But at the end of the week the kids could go in there and spend their band bucks on whatever treasure they wanted. And there there's all kinds of just it's almost like when you went to the dentist back when you were a kid and they had speaker-1: Yes, I know what you're talking about. Yeah. Well there's so much so many things you can buy now that in bulk that are like that. But it yeah, but it's it's just great. And it also like some people would say, Well, you're just doing doing things speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: Yeah, that they already should be doing. Well, that has to be taught. I mean, we have a pizza party and they they pick up their plates. Sometimes you have to teach them that you can't leave that there. And so you go to the table that cleaned up and you go, Here's your bambuck or here's like the candy or whatever, and they all look at you like Well, they cleaned up. And it just it just trickles down where you don't have anybody leaving anything out anymore. And leadership, you find your leaders that way too, because they're like, Come on, clarinet, or come on, whatever, let's let's do whatever so we can earn, you know, the praise. But it's also a prize and that's okay. speaker-0: Yeah, it is. speaker-1: It's competition. It's friendly competition to speaker-0: And we do that in band. I mean, that band is a lot of competition. And we won't get into the the pros and cons or the the philosophies of whether that's good or bad. But you're right. It has to be taught. Yes. And we can't just expect and not every kid is gonna be intrinsically motivated to do all these things. So from all levels. speaker-1: Yeah. I would also do that. They could earn Bambook tickets from like we do like all region scale day. It's like who's gonna volunteer? Who's gonna do it the most perfect they can? And then like have certain tempos picked. And then the next day the tempo would be now you're gonna do it 90. So have the tempo of 90 ready to go to earn your Bambook. And so many hands would go up the last 10 minutes of class to be able to do that. And it it works. But then I was like, okay. Which section can get, you know, that one by memory all together? It's very positive. speaker-0: Right. Right. Whatever. It's great. Very positive. It is. And kids kids will will do that. They're they're kind of used to that already anyway. You know, you're just kind of continuing that time of that type of activity. speaker-1: But then it ends up being that they don't need it. Right. Like some of my leaders that were in eighth grade that did something like that, I tried to handle I'm just probably I don't need that. It's okay. I'm I I'm you know, and I'd say, No, take it, come on, you can come get something after school. speaker-0: And and for me, by the time they got to high school, if you're if if you're doing positive reinforcement and you're giving them those fist bumps and those high fives and all that stuff, that's what they that's what they speaker-1: But speaker-0: you're right. The trinkets and the candy and all that stuff. speaker-1: I do think it needs to be trained. You know what I mean? speaker-0: Does need to be trained. And they also need to understand that it's how how to appropriately accept praise. Right. And you know, you're teaching all of that and that it's good to to say nice things to people. 'Cause good Lord. And we don't have a lot of that's speaker-1: Yes, and there's so many different personalities out there from the shy kiddo that doesn't want to play by themselves and they can be encouraged by everyone by shuffling and by all of that. So it just gets better and better every year to have the courage as an individual to play or to comment. I I would always say, okay, one person's gonna reach in and tell them what they did amazingly, and one person's gonna give them one thing to work on. You know, because you have to also get used to that. It can't be just a director constantly giving that one thing to work on or two things. You have to the the kids have to get where they're doing that. And that is a little bit more for the advanced players, but you still can start it young where they're telling them they got a great sound and tell them they packed patted their foot really well. It was great with the metronome, all the positive things, and then start throwing in there. Okay, so what could they work on? I'd like them to play louder. And you'd give them the examples of what to say. And then they start being able to feed off of that. speaker-0: Right. Exactly. Exactly. speaker-1: Very positive with each other 'cause it's peers talking to each other. speaker-0: Mm-hmm. But you're right. It has to be taught. It has to be modeled. Mm-hmm. Yes. And that's our job is to model that positive feedback so that they'll understand how to do it. Because sometimes they don't. What they see on TV or maybe what they hear at home or how they converse with their friends outside of school may be a totally different thing. So Yeah, for sure. So okay, so get kind of getting past that part of it and just getting into Okay, I'm a first year teacher, or maybe I'm in my second, third, fourth year of teaching, and I I still struggle with certain things. Or maybe you're like me in my first year of teaching and I'm in a a place far away from home and I don't know anybody. These i in in today's band world, having a mentor is something that is very common. speaker-1: Yes. speaker-0: You know, you and I do this a lot, and people will think that, well, it's just It's just the large schools that can afford to do that or have that luxury or whatever. And I'll tell you, no, it's not because I spend a lot of time in mentoring at four A, three A, two A schools, in addition to the six A, five A schools that I do, or the middle schools that feed into them. It's really about having somebody that can be there when maybe others can't, having somebody that can help you grow and get outside your comfort zone. Because we all get into a routine. You know, we we start and we just kind of start doing the same routine the day after day with our rehearsals or whatever. Or we get what I like to call ear blindness, where we we hear the same things over and over again and we just become to think that that's just right, that's it. That sounds good, or that's as good as I can get it. When if you bring somebody else in to kind of listen to that, give you some feedback, you'll find out real quickly that well, I'm just I didn't think about that, or you know, that's a good idea, I need to try that. You know, just different things like that because experience matters. And people who have been successful in this business for a long time probably didn't start off that way. They probably started off just like any first year teacher where you have things that you feel like you're strong at, and maybe you figure out pretty quickly that you're not as strong at that as you thought you were. And then there's things that you're just don't feel comfortable with. And I know a lot of kids that I mentor or the student teachers I work with, they're like, Well, how bad is it that I'm not I d I'm not already proficient on all the woodwind instruments or I'm not already proficient on all the brass instruments or whatever. And I'm like, neither was I. I had my my fingering chart book in front of me on yeah. speaker-1: you remember that blue and white? I still have that blue and white one. Yeah. speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: But now you can look on your phone and it's all there, even for trills and all trill fingers and everything. But that little blue and white book, I had it everywhere I went. A lot to learn. And also yourself speaker-0: Yeah. It's a speaker-1: and making yourself after a while, if you're a Woodwind person, really start learning some of the brass stuff and vice versa and percussion stuff too. But it is a gradual thing. You're not supposed to know All of it right away. speaker-0: No. speaker-1: Asking questions. I remember one time I had to teach brass and percussion and percussion beginners. I called you. I don't know. I probably bugged you so bad because I was going and and you really helped me speaker-0: I remember. Yeah. Well speaker-1: and guided me through all of that because I knew a little, but I didn't know what you know. speaker-0: Well, and I mean same thing. The one year we worked together in Glenrose, I learned so much more about woodwinds that year just from conversation and watching you teach than I ever would have learned in a methods class. But the biggest thing I think too that you can do is don't be afraid to teach those instruments as a beginner for a beginner class. speaker-1: Just follow along the beginner book with them. See speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: stay us yeah, stay a step ahead. But yeah, I mean if I had to teach spassoon right now, I'd have to have that beginner book in front of me. I'm just there with them. I mean, I know the basics, but I'm still like, all right, here we are and we're gonna do this and that. And you know, there's so many resources out there. speaker-0: Well, and that was I think honestly when I worked at w at Glen Rose with with George Strickland, my first few years, yes, I taught the beginning percussion class because that was my area was percussion. But I also taught beginning flute class, horn class, trumpet class. Trumpet class. I speaker-1: Yeah I'm speaker-0: did it all, you know. And yeah. And it was like, was I nervous about it going into it? Yeah. But I would stay a step ahead. I learned how to make a a good right characteristic sound so that I could model that for them. I wasn't playing trumpet like a a trumpet major would have played it, but I could make a sound that was presentable to them and and knew how to do the things and you know, all the stuff. And and that's what really helped me become more proficient at everything. And it's gonna take time. It's gonna take time. Getting back into having mentors. Yes. And and and for me, I mean I had a lot of incredible mentors. Especially, you like George Strickland, the six years that we worked together at Glenrose, I learned a ton from him. But, you know, even after that, I mean, my high school band director, Jim McDaniel, he he would come out every year and clinic my band and wouldn't let me pay him a dime. I was like, No, you're one of my kids. You're just gonna I'm gonna come out here. And it was like an hour and a half drive for him to get there. And and just those types of people and just having those those those those people that you can call and talk to. They'll come out and listen to you, whatever. And a lot of things today, I do this for a lot of folks, especially folks who are in a small school and can't afford a mentor to come out every month or whatever. They'll send me a recording of the rehearsal and I'll give feedback that way. speaker-1: Do a lot of that. I do too. Please send me recordings. I don't mind doing speaker-0: In that especially if you're rural, you know, and you don't have anybody close by. speaker-1: Yeah, and I just do a Google Doc. I just do a Google Doc and I'm listening and it's like the march. And then I'm just doing like bullet points. speaker-0: And and for me, the way that looks is I have my little AI recorder. speaker-1: I like that too. speaker-0: You know, and I just sit there and make and and talk through and and state my stuff and then it it just bullet points it and prints it and does whatever I need it to do automatically and send it to And it it it really doesn't take me any more time than just listening to the tape. Yeah. So it's there's especially with today's technology that it makes things so easy in that that aspect. speaker-1: Well, and having a mentor coming in that comes in and just watches everything and helps. And what I do is I walk around and meet the kids and help them with anything. I act like I'm like co-teaching with with the teacher and just going through that and just and then afterwards like meeting and just saying, Look, this these things are going great. Pacing I think needs to go a little faster or making sure that everyone's feeder file on the floor. You know, whatever, all those little details that sometimes we forget to do or we get caught up on other things and giving them helpful hints because there's all kinds of little sayings and nonverbals and just different things that we use that we can learn from each other. So it's great to do that with beginners. Also, because the key teachers can't team teaching can't see each other because one's teaching one class and one the other. But even if you're the only teacher in the room. It's still awesome to see that feedback or for me to walk back there and go, FYI, like there's a few kids that don't have their binders in order, or maybe like they're something's not done right with where what where they're following along or whatever. But just it's just very it's just such a great feeling to be able to just walk around in a band hall and help. Cause that's what I think I'm doing. I'm walking around, I'm helping the students, I'm helping everyone be aware of what's going on. I'm giving positive feedback. I'm also correcting kids very kindly. And and also like saying, look at your directory. And also like compliment the director. Mr. So and so did such a great job with that. Class was great. Y'all shuffle for them or whatever. Because it just makes the whole morale of the room and while I'm there. And a lot of times they'll even like welcome me in the classroom. And then when I leave, they say, Thank you, Miss Parr. Yep. Have a great day. All of that, it just helps so much. It's you know, it's nothing to be afraid of or apprehensive about because I'm not there to judge. I'm there to help and guide everybody. speaker-0: I I mean, I wish I wish I had that when I was first starting out in this profession. Yeah. and in my first year of teaching I interviewed for a different job and it was at a a large school district here in D F W as a percussion specialist. And part of the interview was the head direct band director who was a very revered and very successful director, called me and he said, Hey, I wanna interview you, but I'm gonna come down To Thorndale and I'm gonna s hang out with you and watch you teach all day. That's that's part of your interview. That's awesome. And and that terrified me, you know? Yeah, I in that instance I am being judged. I am being evaluated as to what I'm doing. So if I was to have somebody be able to come in once a month and kind of tell me those things, man, that would have helped me so much. I still got offered the job, amazingly. Yeah. speaker-1: That's awesome. Well, I had an interview once that they asked me to teach the varsity group at the high school and I had a blast with those kids. They were great. And one of the the head director there, because it was an assistant position at a high school, said, Aren't you a woodwind person? It's like, Yeah. He goes, You were helping with trombone positions. I was like, Yeah. You know, like they were, you know, I was like, Yeah. I I said, But if I didn't know, I would say I didn't know and I would have looked at you or somebody and say what that is, but I I knew those answers. And but I he goes, You really had fun with them. They really responded. I like, Thank you so much. I had fun with them too, but things are a little different nowadays. I don't think they do that anymore, but I had a great time. speaker-0: Well it's scary. I mean, I had a student teacher last year who had to go and be guest conductor in a non varsity band for a job. They do. So some some places will still do that. And I mean I'm not saying I think it's a bad idea. No. I think it's a better idea for them to come and see you teach your own group. Yeah. Because that's gonna give them a little bit more information as to what you've been doing all year and the culture that you've built and things like that. speaker-1: True. speaker-0: When you go in clinic a group and you get in front of a group of kids and maybe you're different and as a clinician you're fast and upbeat and you're just trying you know, they tend to have a good time. and it speaker-1: And I also think you like you're saying, you're saying like fast and upbeat. That's one thing that I tell the kids. Look, I am gonna move really quick. I have forty-five minutes with your whatever it is. So your director and I are gonna talk a little bit. We're gonna go and I just need you to be ready. Show me your pencils, pencils up in the air. I'm gonna talk fast. You know, and so it you're right. They have to be ready for that. But that's like a true clinic. to like a band. When you're in there as a mentor, you're walking around and you're collaborating with the teacher. It is totally different. But now when it gets closer to UIL, it becomes clinics. You know what I mean? But the kids are used to you by then. They're used to you and they're like, okay, we're really gonna get this music better today. speaker-0: Yeah, and some places and it can be different. Like I go into one school and I don't ever get on the podium. I'm just kind of doing doing what you've you've you've talked about, walking around the room, helping them. I'll do a lot of raising the stands for them to make sure that they can see the conductor and giving them just some hints and different things and helping with different things, you know, and then talking to the director afterwards. And a lot of times intentionally modeling things that I want the director to pick up on. Yes. especially if the director's not very good at something as simple as making the students raise their stands to the proper height. speaker-1: Right. speaker-0: You know, I'll go into rehearsals and they're just pushed down and the kids never raise them and the director never says anything and there's no communication. Something that simple is something that that can be just totally overlooked because you're taking for granted that the kids are doing it and you've got so many other things on your mind that you want to take care of that that's not in your mindset at that point. So just all those little different things make a big difference. So talking about finishing up kind of on the mentor thing, I think it's it's it's really important. I think the, you know, the people that I do it with, it's a mixture from programs that are uber successful to programs that are trying to get to that point. Yes. And so it may look different as to how that mentorship works with those those groups. But that just tells you that it's not just limited to the ones who are already successful or it's not just limited to ones who are, you know, struggling and they need that help. It's just good to have somebody in your corner that can help you with those types of speaker-1: And even coming in for a couple clinics before UIL during their class period, or if they have an after school rehearsal, doing that. That just helps tremendously to be able to step off the podium, like me stepping back and like giving feedback and having them go again and like little changes. It helps tremendously because then I'm listening as a judge. And like, what am I listening for? And what does the judge want to hear? And The kids really respond quickly to that too. And so do the directors. speaker-0: They do. And the and the biggest takeaway from this, I think, is realizing that strong programs have strong support systems. Yes. I mean, that's that's that's the nuts and bolts of it. You've got a strong support system, whether that's mentors, that's your staff, that's your administration, that's your parent and your boosters, all of those things working together because it does take a village. It really is. So just keeping those things in mind. Okay. We talk a lot on on this podcast about all the different things about what what we need to do to have strong programs and how we need to start off the year to have a good year and all this stuff. speaker-1: make things on the editor. Make it happier and more positive for everyone. speaker-0: Yeah, and that's Right. And that's the point of this podcast. That's the point of the unconducted curriculum book is when we talk about the unconducted curriculum, you're you're trying to build systems that once you have them in place and they're running efficiently, they're gonna make your life easier. They're gonna take things off your plate. And and things are gonna kind of start to manage themselves in ways that you're not having to be that person that does everything all the time. speaker-1: think the students thrive on that because if everything's done the same way every day and the expectations are high, they're comfortable. They feel safe in that environment. So it just really makes everything just function with a higher functionality. speaker-0: Right. And so kind of staying on that track then with having things be managed and run themselves in that unconducted manner. It's kind of leads me into the subject of how to how to manage your time, you know, and and re to reduce stress. Yes. That's the biggest thing. I mean, there's a lot of talk today about work life balance. Yes. And that's one thing that I really wish I had practiced a lot more when I was teaching. I have a saint of a wife who was in a a very successful high school band program, was a d a drum major. So she understood what I was doing and she supported me every step of the way. But there are definitely times where I wish I could have been not at the band hall and with her and my boys doing something else and things like that. And so learning how to manage your time is is super important just not only for your own sanity and health, but Just so that your program does run efficiently. Calendar everything. Yes. You know, I have a digital calendar. Some people still prefer to write it down on a paper calendar. It doesn't matter. speaker-1: teaching I did both. Yeah. I had both because I just loved also yes speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: and also be able to do like like literally check things off. You know, but also I had I had my calendar and I had the ones that were digital too. But I could also like open it up and there it is and see it. And but I just always had to. I still have some saved from like the past like five years that I taught. speaker-0: And I'm still speaker-1: 'Cause it was comforting to me to be able to see it. And also I could go back, even creating my whole school calendar, you just go back. What worked? And you, put it all in there and you have a reference to it to have the year before once you start doing this. And I always tell first year teachers, to do that, you know, and have a document where you're sitting there going, What worked on this day What could you add? Just do it in a different color, you know, or whatever. What should have you had for the first day or the second day or whatever? And then when you go back, I was working with a director last year on this. And he was like going, This is really working. And then when I talk to him after the year, he goes, I feel so comfortable with starting my second year because I have a whole plan. It's like, yay. He goes, Thank you for telling me to write all that down. And it's it's just really important that you calendar everything. speaker-0: Yeah. And for me, I mean, the way that that looks is I have everything on a Google Calendar. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And you can also do tasks and you can check off and all that stuff in that same system. But I have a different tab for the different things that I'm doing. So if I'm if it's going in in mentoring or clinicking a group, then that's under my consulting color and and it's all listed that way. And if it's under UNT student teachers, then it's green. And if it's under Tarleton student teachers, it's purple. And yes. If it's UIL stuff, it's red. And I just and I have to be that way. And I have to also set myself reminders that it'll it'll come up on my watch and say, You need to be so and so in thirty minutes. Yeah. Because at speaker-1: Even for this, for us recording a podcast. It's like we set a time on Sunday evening that we could do and but all of that and like beginner classes, whatever beginner classes you're teaching in, being specific with that instrument. And then if you're doing the third band or the second band or whatever, what worked and what'd you do that day? speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: You know. speaker-0: Yeah. And I I give all of my my student teachers a weekly reflection form that I created. And it just talks about simple things. It's not something that's gonna take them a long time to to figure out, but it is something that I think they find very helpful just because it keeps them on task. It keeps them thinking about what am I what what do I need to be doing? What's working this week? What didn't work this week? speaker-1: I like that. speaker-0: You know, all those types of things. And so you just kinda have to have that. And it's it's exactly during speaker-1: It's almost like journaling. It's just it's a little more yeah, more organized maybe in what you're doing. But you don't have to be complete sentence, just do whatever for you. speaker-0: No well And here's a funny story. Yeah. Here's a funny story. My wife, who taught A P statistics for the last twenty years of her career, she she it this week's been super exciting and super nerve wracking for her because one of her students is Cody Bradford was Cody Bradford, who's a starting pitcher for the Rangers. speaker-1: Based by speaker-0: Who's been who's been out on injured from Tommy Johns and in different things for the last two years. He hasn't pitched a major league game in over six hundred and seventy something days. And he came back this week and pitched really well. Like he came out and but what they were talking about on T V was something that really made her happy and she's posting all over social media about it because in between innings he's journaling. speaker-1: I saw that. I did see that. speaker-0: He's sitting down on the bench. That's what you do. He's sitting there and he's talking about what he saw from the batters and what pitch they were swinging at. And, you know, this and that, so that when he goes out there the next time he sees them, he's got more information to go off of. And that's that's I mean, I used to do that after every rehearsal, you know, and I had the luxury the way our our schedule was set up. I would teach first period band was with my sub non varsity. Then my assistant would teach second band, which was his symphonic band, and then my third period band was my honors band. And so after I would teach that sub non varsity group, while he's warming up and doing a few things at the beginning of class, I'm in there writing down my reflection from that rehearsal so that I know what I need to do tomorrow, what worked, what didn't work. But I do the same thing after third period before I had to move over to a different campus. And so it's that same mindset. And and I think that's just a a quality of successful folks. Yes. Is just taking all the the information that you have and and putting it to use. So many people don't. speaker-1: Right. Well, the biggest thing that I really struggled with was with your tasks as a band director. It helped me to put it on a whiteboard. And if different people and also like assigning different directors those tasks besides you. But it took me a long time to realize you're never gonna complete your task list. You just have to just keep going until there has to be a stopping point after school. You can't keep going speaker-0: There goes. speaker-1: For me, it was like, I gotta get this done, I gotta get this done. I I just had to go speaker-0: Prioritize. Yeah. speaker-1: the though and that's what the board would end up being. This has to get done by the end of this week, and this is stuff that's gonna take a month. Right. When I started separating that and also giving more responsibilities to who I was working with, it was so much better and still less stressful for me to do that and put it in categories. speaker-0: And if you're a new teacher and like you're an assistant director, ask what you can do to help. Yes. Don't don't just assume that the director, if he doesn't tell you something that you don't need to do it. Right. You know, get out there and and that's something that I learned when I was in my interview with George at Glenrose, when he was interviewing me for the job, he's like, If if you're not here to take over my job one day, I don't want you. speaker-1: I agree with that. Be a go getter. Do speaker-0: Go get her and don't wait to be told. speaker-1: Yes. Also if you're looking out and the setup's not set up, go start doing it or ask the kids to help you to do it. Or if someone needs in a room, I mean I know it's simple things that I would think of, but be assertive. speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: Go help the kids. Go do whatever and speaker-0: And nothing's beneath you. speaker-1: In the garbage, do whatever you need to do. Do it. When we have pizza parties, just do it. speaker-0: Just do it. I mean 'cause I've run into directors who are just like, I have a degree. That's not my job. We have people for that. I'm like No. No, we don't have people for that. Either we do it or it doesn't get speaker-1: Better. Yeah, we leave the area better than we found it. Yeah. Always. Always. And we train the kids to do that. You know, you just speaker-0: Right. Yeah. But you have to model those things. You speaker-1: Yeah. speaker-0: do. You can't just tell them go do this. If they're not doing it with them, showing them how to do it. I mean, that's just that's not working. Yeah. So yeah, don't be afraid. Be assertive. Yes. Be assertive. Get out there and and do those things. But yeah, just kind of getting back though a little bit to managing our time and find a time where this is the end of my day. And at the end of my day, band no longer exists. It's Personal time slash family time, whatever that is for you, because you need that. And believe me, I know because I I didn't do a real good job of that. I would bring a work home with me. I would sit on Sunday afternoons and spend two hours typing up a newsletter for the next week. Just the different things that yes, they were beneficial. Yes, that's part of the communication thing that I think is vital to running a good program. But I probably could have found time during the week to do that instead of spending home time doing some of those things. Yeah. So so know what your boundaries are, set those boundaries and stick to them. And if if you don't want phone calls or emails, if you're not going to check those things after school, just let people know that. I will I will respond to you during school hours. Have those boundaries. But don't let those boundaries also be an excuse for not getting things done. That's that's kind of the that's kind of where we have to to figure things out. And that's the hard part. Because some people will say, You know, well, you know, five o'clock I'm going home, blah, blah, blah. And they haven't planned for the next day, they haven't set up for the next day, they haven't prepped anything for the next day. Well, I'll get here at seven o'clock tomorrow and do it. Well, something happens in the morning and they don't do it. Yes. And then you're really in a bind. So that's that's kind of my my take on that, my advice on that. So speaker-1: Agree. I mean, it's it is hard to figure out when that is, but if you set a time because your family's very important, I can tomorrow's gonna be there and you're gonna be able to do it. Yeah. And like like we've been talking about this whole time, reach out, ask for help, ask, ask for tips of how you can manage this better or how whatever. And any of that, we all love talking to directors and talking through things and trying to develop a plan that can help. speaker-0: Absolutely. Absolutely. So just to kind of close out this episode of our podcast, I think one of the biggest things that we could do, and we and we have alluded to this a few times during this this session, but reflecting and adapting. Keep growing. The only way to keep growing and to get better, and this is e if you have a mentor, you don't have a mentor, whatever it is, is to have a time where you're gonna reflect. For me it was a daily time and a and a you know, a weekly time, whatever. For me, my whole career, I had at a minimum of a 30 minute drive to and from work. Minimum. Most of the time it was 45 minutes. And so during that time I would reflect on the day. When I first started teaching, it was back in the little handheld voice recorder days, you know, which now we do that on our phones. But I would just vocally reflect in the car on my way home and record it. And then when I got home, all of that was kind of out of my system. I was done with that. I could be present for my family and then on the way back to school the next morning, I would listen back to that recording just to have things fresh in my mind again for the day. speaker-1: Well, you saying that reminds me 'cause we rode together when we worked together at Glenn Rose so much. And of course, because you and I can talk, like we we can talk. We would talk everything. speaker-0: That year that was the reflection. That was the reflection. speaker-1: It was really good. I could go home and it was done. Yeah. speaker-0: Because we would talk about it all the way home and all the way back to school. And so that that year I didn't have to record, but that was like the only year of my career. Right. speaker-1: No, it was good. speaker-0: I didn't do that because I had somebody to talk it out with who was part of the staff, who knew what was going on, who could be honest with me in one speaker-1: To talk about it too, to get it done. speaker-0: To get it done. Absolutely. Absolutely. But reflect each week, reflect each day. I I love the and I I have a document that I created for some of my directors on on this subject of reflection and certain questions. I have a blog actually on my website about this. It talks about you know, here's some questions to ask yourself on a on the daily. And it's like five minutes of your time. Here's some questions to ask yourself at the end of the week and it's like ten to fifteen minute reflection time. And then here's some things to ask yourself at the end of the six weeks or the semester or the season, whatever you want to group it into. and it and for me that really helped. And like I said, for a lot of my student teachers who do that and have continued to do that, they say it's it's the best thing for them because they they reflect on what they didn't do and then they can talk to a mentor or a coworker and say, okay, I don't like the way this worked today, but I'm not sure exactly how to approach it tomorrow. Can you give me some hints? You know, but if you don't have that mindset, you don't think about that, and you just kind of go from one day to the other without ever putting any thought into what you did that day, what worked and what didn't work, you're just spinning your wheels. And and it's really difficult to to grow in that capacity. And three simple questions you can ask at any point is what worked, what didn't work, and what should I change tomorrow? Mm-hmm. If anything. Maybe everything was rock star great that day. Wonderful. Do that again. Yeah. speaker-1: Again. speaker-0: But most days it's not. And I don't care how long you've been teaching or how great your program is, if you're honest with yourself at the end of the day, you're gonna find moments in the day where you wish you you'd done something differently. You'd wish you'd said something differently, reacted differently, whatever it might be. We all have those moments. And that's the best way to kind of keep keep growing. Keep a journal. Seek mentor feedback. In the t in the words of Ste of Ted Lasso, stay curious. Just stay curious. speaker-1: Leave. Yes, that's awesome. speaker-0: But I that's I love that saying, be curious. It's like because here we are, we're retired from this profession and I still learn things every day. I do too. As a mentor, when I go into places, I may see something that I've never seen before that I'm like speaker-1: That's really cool. I do too. And then I tell the next school I'm at. You should have seen so and so. Do this. You know, I mean there's so much out there to learn from ever speaker-0: Is all the time. All the time. So and just just the final final takeaway on that subject is great teachers never stop learning. It is a lifelong learning activity of teaching. You you're never gonna know it all. You're never gonna be the greatest teacher in the history of the world. There's always more you can learn. So just keep that mindset. And I think that's a a very healthy mindset to have as you go. speaker-1: Really is speaker-0: So closing out this week's podcast. Just a few messages. Your first year isn't about perfection. No. It's about growth. Right? It's about growth. You'll make mistakes. You'll have incredible moments. You'll have a lot of moments where you're going to question yourself. I had a lot of moments in my career where I'm like, Why am I doing this? I had moments when I switched a job. I was like, Why did I come here? What is the point? And I would ask God, God, why am I here? Why did you put me here? And it's always really I would always find the answer. I would always find the answer. And most of the time it was because these kids need you. You are what they need right now. So you'll question yourself and that's normal. The directors who succeed aren't the ones who never struggle. They're the ones who keep showing up, learning and improving every single day. speaker-1: Yeah, just you gotta have confidence and like Chris was saying, you're gonna make mistakes. And it it's okay to learn from them and to reach out to others. And just try to become a more positive and better influence to everyone around you every day.