tpter1

I had a student playing the ride book in our county festival this past weekend. She's a good player; very musical, solid articulation, nice sound. One of the charts they did was an arrangement of I Remember Clifford, and she did it on flugel. It was beautiful, so I gave her a hug in the hall afterewards and told her I was proud of her, nt thiking I was really doing anything big at all.

Her father saw me at parent confrences last night, and said she was so moved by that that she could barely say anything. It made me stop and think for a minute: as a band teacher, when was the last time I told any of my students I was proud of them? That I thought they were doing really well? We get caught up in saying what needs to be fixed, how improvements could be made, yes you did a good job on your F# scale, Sally, day-to-day things that...well...when was the last time we actually honestly and truly recognized that a student really has something? That extra step is so important in their lives. I'm not saying we should constantly glower all over them or give them false ego, but that once-in-a-while reassurance that yes, they are doing things that are truly positive and that we do respect and admire their accomplishments means a whole lot to them.

__________________
-Glenn
"Roses have thorns; shining waters mud. Clouds and eclipses stain the moon and the sun; and history reeks of the wrongs we have done. After today, after today, consider me gone."- Sting