There is a post about the importance of private lessons for inner-city music students, and this is one possible solution to rectifying the situation. This is a repost about a trend that does not seem to be improving within Houston ISD. Band directors (real ones with degrees in Music Education, and not playing the role of a Band Director!) need to move on this trend, before it comes to a detrimental conclusion. Here are a few suggestions.
There is a need for additional instrumental music programs to;
1. Establish elementary music programs
2. Rebuild the middle school band programs with certified teachers and not hourly employees with
"college marching band experience."
3. Music educators (African-Americans) must do more in the areas of collaboration on instructional and
motivational techniques for every student.
4. Music educators must find their most supportive parents and work with other parent groups at other
schools to approach the school district about the inequalities experienced with the music programs
within Houston ISD. This is a proven technique for "Parental Musical Advocacy."
If you have other ideas, post them! Not interested, then you are part of the problem.......
Replies
This is a nationwide problem.. All of the arts programs in the inner-city schools are losing funding,and being cut-off... As a result,adolescent crime is increasing.. Look at Chicago,Detroit,even in New Orleans(all of these cities once had excellent music and band programs) crime amongst adolescents has increased... Although New Orleans has received several federal grants to re-establish their music programs after Katrina,just think about all the schools that have been shut down or reduced that once had great middle & high school band programs(Alcee Fortier,John McDonough,McD 35,Carver,Capdeau,Bell,etc.).. I suggest trying to get some of the grant money that's available for inner-city arts & outreach programs..
Despite all of that, you are still going to have to think out of the box to get those kids to sign up for your respective programs and stay for the long haul. I think that is the hardest and probably the most important thing. If you can show your school districts how many students are actually being impacted by your program, they are going to be more compelled to provide more support. We are all going to have to find ways to co-exist with PS4, X-Box One, Iphone 5, instagram, etc........
A lot of school systems refuse to fund band programs at the elementary school level...I know that our public schools in Memphis will not.
I know of very few elementary schools in Louisiana with band programs. They usually have general music here in elementary school.
Funkie Junkie said:
Yeah, we had Orff music in elementary...but that was just 1 or 2 days per week, for an hour. Not nearly enough to really learn. I played piano for about 3 years during my elementary years. Already knowing how to read music/count rhythms helped me when I started beginner band...otherwise, I would have been a lost soul LOL
This is a great topic and one that is greatly needed:
There are so many issues with our programs it aint even funny. We are consistently finding ways around working without funding so thats not a serious issue, we can make a way BUT
We. We need support from administration, community, parents, alumni and college students. Many Houston inner city schools dont have middle school programs, the few that do are almost raped (figuratively) because we are all desperate for kids. I am fortunat enough to have a feeder program and my administration for the first time is allowing me an extra period to consult with the middle schools every day. Here are my ideas:
DOG AND PONY SHOWS:
The biggest thing Ive learned in 14 years has been to SELL YOUR PROGRAM. Place posters all over the school, make constant announcements, perform whereever you can (every when you dont feel like it) and recruit constantly. Although we are in the age of Instagram, Facebook and more, the human factor will never die.
REWARD SYSTEM:
I can really raise hell but when I raise hell for those not doing what I ask them, I often neglect those who do the right thing. Kids love to be recognized, whether its a pizza party, an announcement with their name it OR use Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to your advantage. Take a pic of your star students eating pizza or working hard and praise them online. That way everybody can see.
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
This is the foundation of Education. It takes a special kind of person to build a relationship (not a friendship) with a student. Many of our students have a crappy life at home so Band is their escape and really the only place where they have structure in their lives. Take time to listen to them, counsel them, give advice if appropriate, actually guide them to success, not just teach them music. Long Band trips are a great time to do this or one day have a band cookout (no practice) and just sit around and talk. You learn so much about the generation through conversation.
Everyone on here is part of a collective to rebuild these urban music programs. All of you are valuable to the cause of "our children getting a quality music education." Great minds think alike, and now there is just the need for real action and movement. The "lack of focus" on this topic can be changed into a new trend to get these programs moving and producing even more "participatory citizens and more descent people," just through the activity of being a part of a music program. I am surprised that more people aren't putting their experiences on this thread. This site is a platform, but people aren't using it to really make some significant changes. Well, I guess it can start with us.
More MUCH NEEDED COLLABORATION to come! Thanks