It Takes a Village
by Angelo Kortyka
We’ve all heard the old adage “It takes a village to raise a child”. When you think about it briefly, it’s got a lot of weight to it; the many different people surrounding a child’s life can all impact them in different ways. This also applies to schools. Your school’s community can provide many different perspectives to students. By involving them you can ensure that students know that they are a part of a larger thing than themselves; the benefits here are so profound that I’m surprised that we don’t call upon this one to guide more of public education in general. As a band director, I’ve seen first hand how this can positively impact a band program.
I don’t know the inner workings of a program that consistently makes BOA finals, consecutively achieves superior ratings at concert festivals, or travels often, but I can’t imagine that the programs are run by the band directors alone and their staff. What limited knowledge I do have of these big powerhouse programs is that they are always thanking their parent organizations, communities, and staff every chance they get, with great reason, their accomplishments cannot be possible without a group effort. My former band director and current colleague put this best when addressing the company of our fall play- in this business we rely on synergy; the efforts of all the individuals add up to more than the sum of all the parts. While science tells us this is not possible, here’s the theory he presented: when you know your work is enabling others, or others are dependent upon your work, no matter how insignificant it may seem, you will do it a little better. Especially if you care for the group. The hardest part sometimes is letting go of some control and trusting others to do their assigned contributions correctly. You may not be a part of a powerhouse program- let’s face it, most of us are not, and may never be. But any band, in any part of the country can find ways to involve the community at large. Most of what I am going to discuss here are things that I have seen first hand while teaching.
The easiest place to start searching for community members is the families of your current band students. Getting parents involved is not as easy as it may seem- often times they don’t feel like their work is significant, or has an impact. Most will also have full-time jobs, or other children to take care of besides those in band. Personalities can get in the way as well. Sometimes they will feel taken advantage of. It’s obviously important to get to know the parents and families of your students as soon as possible, discover their strengths, and then see if they’re willing to put them to use. I found that having a list handy of things that needed to be accomplished, with step by step directions, was always a great resource- sometimes volunteers show up at the most unexpected times. I’ve had parents organize and sew uniforms, rearrange the music library, input data into Charms, and even teach lessons. Often times the first step here is asking for help!
Another resource is the person (or people) who had your job before you. I understand that in many cases, this is not an option, whether they’ve moved out of the area, left on bad terms, or are deceased. When I taught in Chattanooga, Bobby Dugan, the director who had retired 20 years before I got there was an extremely helpful individual. He would come sub for me when I was away, assist with some sectionals, and give much needed advice from time to time. It was also great to have him share the history of the program with the current students. While we may not all have a Bobby Dugan in our neighborhood, there’s someone who can help- elementary music teachers, another faculty member who used to be in band, a colleague at the next school over. I’ve found that most people who used to be involved with bands find it hard to walk away from, but they’re just waiting to be approached by you.
Community bands can also be an excellent way to network and find community members. Through my membership in community bands, I have found lesson instructors, guest conductors, joint concert opportunities for the band, and even had students join the community ensembles to further hone their skills after attending our concerts. Extending your band room to your local community group is a great way to get those individuals in your room, which is half the battle.
Finding chaperones is not always something that is necessary or advantageous to the director, but it is an excellent way to let parents see what’s on the inside of the program. Having a few parents ride the bus with you is never a bad thing- they can help keep track of the students, assist you upon arrival to different events, and follow the band throughout whatever event you have planned that day. You’re also saving them the trouble of having to drive to and from wherever you’re going and they’ll be there ready to pick up their students as soon as the day is over. An additional added bonus is that you may teach a little better with parents watching. Another way of building community is by sharing meals together as a band whenever possible. Meals before football games or after concerts tend to bring the group together and offer a side benefit of increased attendance. Having a crew of parents who help to organize the meals for the band can also give them a deeper sense of purpose and build a parent community while they prepare the meals.
Probably the most obvious way to involve your community is through a booster club. Most booster clubs are made up exclusively of parents, but that doesn’t have to be the case- encourage them to invite others into the fold. A booster grandparent I had in the past had a passion for car shows and through their knowledge of the car show community, they assisted in organizing an excellent car show fundraiser at the school for our band. Your attendance at booster meetings is also a great way to see what’s happening in your band community. While sometimes booster meetings are not fun for the director, your presence can make a huge difference. Go to your booster meetings. If you don’t have a booster club, start one.
Alumni of the program can also be a huge asset. Since they’ve been through the band program, they will have good insight as to how the program runs. If you had the pleasure of teaching those alumni, you can easily tell what contributions they might be able to make to your program. Sometimes former students are ready to come back and help right after graduation, sometimes they may need to wait a year or two. As a former teacher, you will know which category each will fall into.
Local churches are another often overlooked resource. Because of the separation of church and state, this may be something you don’t want to deal with, but when approached correctly, churches can be very helpful. At my last position, our concerts were held in the gym. When I realized that the church down the street from the school had a much better facility to give our concerts, we moved them there. As our relationship with the church continued, we ended up hosting our banquets and picnics there as well. Never once were we asked to pass out religious materials, pray, or come to church services. We paid a small fee to use the facility each time and through the process, met some of the people who worked at the church. Through this relationship we found someone who was willing to record our concerts and teach some trumpet lessons.
In order for any of this to work really well, you need to know your community. Each type of community will have it’s own set of strengths and weaknesses. Often times as a band director, you will have re-located to your community for the gig. Where I grew up was totally different from the places I’ve taught in the past. Even now, I teach at the high school I attended and the community has changed since I was a student. There definitely was a learning curve for me when I was in my first few years and I am still getting to know the people I work for. Know the socioeconomics and lifestyles of your constituents! If your families are working-class people, they may have some very handy trade skills that they are willing to share- I once had a grandfather and alum build new cabinets in the band room. If your parents are doctors and lawyers, time may be an issue, but they are often great thinkers with some great ideas. Chaperoning is another great way to get them involved. I always try to find a healthcare professional or teacher to come on our trips with us, because of their inherent skills. Having a parent police officer is also a great chaperone. Find the seamstresses, cooks, electricians, handymen, etc. in your band community and see if they’re willing to help. Often times people would rather assist you with deeds than money. It’s also important to remember that not everyone thinks band is as important as you- you may ask for help and get a resounding “no”- but this is better than no answer at all. Sometimes people simply appreciate being asked to share their expertise. Just remember to ask nicely, be humble, and that the people who help you will be volunteers; they can walk away at any time. Most importantly, recognize everyone’s contribution with your gratitude, no matter how small.
by Angelo Kortyka
We’ve all heard the old adage “It takes a village to raise a child”. When you think about it briefly, it’s got a lot of weight to it; the many different people surrounding a child’s life can all impact them in different ways. This also applies to schools. Your school’s community can provide many different perspectives to students. By involving them you can ensure that students know that they are a part of a larger thing than themselves; the benefits here are so profound that I’m surprised that we don’t call upon this one to guide more of public education in general. As a band director, I’ve seen first hand how this can positively impact a band program.
I don’t know the inner workings of a program that consistently makes BOA finals, consecutively achieves superior ratings at concert festivals, or travels often, but I can’t imagine that the programs are run by the band directors alone and their staff. What limited knowledge I do have of these big powerhouse programs is that they are always thanking their parent organizations, communities, and staff every chance they get, with great reason, their accomplishments cannot be possible without a group effort. My former band director and current colleague put this best when addressing the company of our fall play- in this business we rely on synergy; the efforts of all the individuals add up to more than the sum of all the parts. While science tells us this is not possible, here’s the theory he presented: when you know your work is enabling others, or others are dependent upon your work, no matter how insignificant it may seem, you will do it a little better. Especially if you care for the group. The hardest part sometimes is letting go of some control and trusting others to do their assigned contributions correctly. You may not be a part of a powerhouse program- let’s face it, most of us are not, and may never be. But any band, in any part of the country can find ways to involve the community at large. Most of what I am going to discuss here are things that I have seen first hand while teaching.
The easiest place to start searching for community members is the families of your current band students. Getting parents involved is not as easy as it may seem- often times they don’t feel like their work is significant, or has an impact. Most will also have full-time jobs, or other children to take care of besides those in band. Personalities can get in the way as well. Sometimes they will feel taken advantage of. It’s obviously important to get to know the parents and families of your students as soon as possible, discover their strengths, and then see if they’re willing to put them to use. I found that having a list handy of things that needed to be accomplished, with step by step directions, was always a great resource- sometimes volunteers show up at the most unexpected times. I’ve had parents organize and sew uniforms, rearrange the music library, input data into Charms, and even teach lessons. Often times the first step here is asking for help!
Another resource is the person (or people) who had your job before you. I understand that in many cases, this is not an option, whether they’ve moved out of the area, left on bad terms, or are deceased. When I taught in Chattanooga, Bobby Dugan, the director who had retired 20 years before I got there was an extremely helpful individual. He would come sub for me when I was away, assist with some sectionals, and give much needed advice from time to time. It was also great to have him share the history of the program with the current students. While we may not all have a Bobby Dugan in our neighborhood, there’s someone who can help- elementary music teachers, another faculty member who used to be in band, a colleague at the next school over. I’ve found that most people who used to be involved with bands find it hard to walk away from, but they’re just waiting to be approached by you.
Community bands can also be an excellent way to network and find community members. Through my membership in community bands, I have found lesson instructors, guest conductors, joint concert opportunities for the band, and even had students join the community ensembles to further hone their skills after attending our concerts. Extending your band room to your local community group is a great way to get those individuals in your room, which is half the battle.
Finding chaperones is not always something that is necessary or advantageous to the director, but it is an excellent way to let parents see what’s on the inside of the program. Having a few parents ride the bus with you is never a bad thing- they can help keep track of the students, assist you upon arrival to different events, and follow the band throughout whatever event you have planned that day. You’re also saving them the trouble of having to drive to and from wherever you’re going and they’ll be there ready to pick up their students as soon as the day is over. An additional added bonus is that you may teach a little better with parents watching. Another way of building community is by sharing meals together as a band whenever possible. Meals before football games or after concerts tend to bring the group together and offer a side benefit of increased attendance. Having a crew of parents who help to organize the meals for the band can also give them a deeper sense of purpose and build a parent community while they prepare the meals.
Probably the most obvious way to involve your community is through a booster club. Most booster clubs are made up exclusively of parents, but that doesn’t have to be the case- encourage them to invite others into the fold. A booster grandparent I had in the past had a passion for car shows and through their knowledge of the car show community, they assisted in organizing an excellent car show fundraiser at the school for our band. Your attendance at booster meetings is also a great way to see what’s happening in your band community. While sometimes booster meetings are not fun for the director, your presence can make a huge difference. Go to your booster meetings. If you don’t have a booster club, start one.
Alumni of the program can also be a huge asset. Since they’ve been through the band program, they will have good insight as to how the program runs. If you had the pleasure of teaching those alumni, you can easily tell what contributions they might be able to make to your program. Sometimes former students are ready to come back and help right after graduation, sometimes they may need to wait a year or two. As a former teacher, you will know which category each will fall into.
Local churches are another often overlooked resource. Because of the separation of church and state, this may be something you don’t want to deal with, but when approached correctly, churches can be very helpful. At my last position, our concerts were held in the gym. When I realized that the church down the street from the school had a much better facility to give our concerts, we moved them there. As our relationship with the church continued, we ended up hosting our banquets and picnics there as well. Never once were we asked to pass out religious materials, pray, or come to church services. We paid a small fee to use the facility each time and through the process, met some of the people who worked at the church. Through this relationship we found someone who was willing to record our concerts and teach some trumpet lessons.
In order for any of this to work really well, you need to know your community. Each type of community will have it’s own set of strengths and weaknesses. Often times as a band director, you will have re-located to your community for the gig. Where I grew up was totally different from the places I’ve taught in the past. Even now, I teach at the high school I attended and the community has changed since I was a student. There definitely was a learning curve for me when I was in my first few years and I am still getting to know the people I work for. Know the socioeconomics and lifestyles of your constituents! If your families are working-class people, they may have some very handy trade skills that they are willing to share- I once had a grandfather and alum build new cabinets in the band room. If your parents are doctors and lawyers, time may be an issue, but they are often great thinkers with some great ideas. Chaperoning is another great way to get them involved. I always try to find a healthcare professional or teacher to come on our trips with us, because of their inherent skills. Having a parent police officer is also a great chaperone. Find the seamstresses, cooks, electricians, handymen, etc. in your band community and see if they’re willing to help. Often times people would rather assist you with deeds than money. It’s also important to remember that not everyone thinks band is as important as you- you may ask for help and get a resounding “no”- but this is better than no answer at all. Sometimes people simply appreciate being asked to share their expertise. Just remember to ask nicely, be humble, and that the people who help you will be volunteers; they can walk away at any time. Most importantly, recognize everyone’s contribution with your gratitude, no matter how small.