miles71

Ok, any of you guys that arent teachers dont have to read any further. Young people should turn away for fear of emotional scars. Now that I have everyones attention, why are kids so friggin' lazy??

I have taught High School Band for 10 years. 8 years in a previous school and I am finishing up my second at the present school. Today wa sone of those days where I just finally gave up. I yelled, I mean yelled at my top group and the day got worse as it went. I truly feel my expectations willnever be meant, even though they have been in the past. I see the kids of the school doing nothing outside of the school day to get better, they want all the glory without any ANY work. I teach a group of kids who could be great, I mean GREAT at what they do, but they do not try. I am expected to spoon feed them and why practice at home "I have you in class to help me".

Students are becoming a lazy pack of "brats" who what everything handed to them and when someone expects them to work at something they whine like farm animals. They only have time for what they want to do, but if its not they do not have any time. Something as simple as "could the trombone play a little louder?" has to be asked 5 times and is accomp. by sighs and eye rolling. Kids that knew about concert dates over a year ago, yes a years notice, come to me today because they have a sports game and dont think they can make it. ARGH!!!

Again, I am not a newbie, I have been around the block and even in my short carreer I have seen the average teen get just plain lazy. Is this the way it is everywhere? Is expecting a kid to practice to much nowadays? I used to love teaching, but I am feeling very useless. I know no one has a perfect situation, but cant things be better? Should I be looking at other carreer options? I taught college level at a Jr. college and loved it. Should I be loking at the College/University Level? anybody need a band director?

Sorry for the rant, but it feels good to get it out. I tried to keep it short.

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DL TPT

I totally agree!!! I'm am just finishing my 7th year teaching 5-12 band and it drives me crazy that kids will not practice. My administration will not allow me to lower grades for not practicing. After all, they say, thats why you have them everyday. Its your job to help them practice in school because their (the students) are to busy with everything else after school to practice.

DL TPT

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Vulgano Brother

Join the club!

"We live in a decaying age. Young people no longer respect
their parents. They are rude and impatient. They frequently
inhabit taverns and have no self control."
Inscription, 6000 year-old Egyptian tomb

"When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly disrespectful and impatient of restraint".
Hesiod, 8th century BC

"What is happening to our young people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They ignore the law. They riot in the streets inflamed with wild notions. Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?"
Plato, 4th Century BC

"The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint... As for the girls, they are forward, immodest and unladylike in speech, behavior and dress."
Attributed to Peter the Hermit, AD 1274

(taken from Anxiety Culture: 8000 years of anti-social behaviour )

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veery715

You are not going to like this response. You criticize your students, yet are not willing to take the time to double check your own spelling and grammar in the rant. I cannot help but wonder if you write like that in the materials you distribute to the band members, because if you do they will pick up on your attitude and mirror it back to you.
Many posts to this site reflect poor writing skills, and in my humble opinion the members of this forum are careless in what ends up here. But if you are a teacher you need to spend the extra time to be sure what you write is free of mistakes. Good writing habits are not solely the province of English teachers.

Manny Laureano

It sounds like your kids need a boatload of inspiration. A few questions:

Do you have the time in your busy schedule to play recordings or play DVDs once a week or two weeks for your students to hear great players on their instruments?

Do you have enough in your budget to bring in great local players that would be able to play for them maybe once a month?

Do you have enough money to bring in a guest conductor to work with them, giving you a chance to sit back and sit amongst them or just observe what's going on while you're busy tring to teach?

If you don't have enough money, do you have some pros who are friends that would be happy to come in and play for them to help inspire them?

These days, many orchestral players are happy to come in gratis just as a community service to help out band directors. I've done it plenty.

How's your conducting? Are you able to be musician when you conduct or just trying to keep them together and not fall apart?

My experience is that kids aren't lazy but they need to be inspired to perform for us. Every conductor has his/her work cut out in order to accomplish that and every group is unique.

I wish you the best of luck. It's easy to get discouraged but sometimes it just takes a small thing to get the kids to respond.

ML

miles71

Manny as always, a great response. This year alone I have brought in various guest artists and conductors. As usual they say many of the same things we all do to our students, but it hasnt seemed to help. In our schedule we do not have a lot of time for videos,concert viewing, or guests but I often play music for them to show them how to sound and hear great players. I am lucky to have many friends in the DC/Balt. area I can call on.

Please understand my "bad day" ended about 90 minutes ago. I will get up tomorrow and go at it again, trying to have fun with the kids and teach them something.

Yes, I know my spelling isn't the best, and I quickly typed the last post without even really proof reading. But, and I am trying to be polite, this isnt an english forum. I dont talk to my buddies at night over a beer the same way I talk to my students. As Forrest Gump said "thats all I have to say about that"

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NYTC Stage 1 Endorsing Artist
www.domenicomusic.com

Manny Laureano

Well, it sonds like yur doin all the write things. Kep it up. We all have bad daze, myself inculded. My Korn flakes taste really terrible on those daze.

Hope tomorow is a gooder day.

ML

gzent

Quite true.

You are experiencing the results of bad (or no) parenting, IMO. Yes, teenagers are just plain lazy and ungrateful these days because their parents are enablers. The kids in Manny's orchestra are the exception not the rule.

I'm not a director, but have spent a lot of time observing teenagers at my kids musical, drama and sports events at school. Its revealing. For ex., my kids get ribbed because we don't give them an allowance. Hey, I didn't get one, I was expected to do certain chores around the house as a kid and it wasn't to earn an allowance and it wasn't a suggestion!

As a parent, you don't have to be a genius to make your kids understand the value of work, or in this case practice. Let me give you an example - every summer we make a deal with our kids; if you practice at least a half hour at least 5 days a week at the end of the summer we'll give you $50 to spend on anything you want.

Does it work? Absoutely, my 3 daughters are 1st chair players, and are in a dixieland band which received a perfect score at contests this Spring.

Why did it work? Because we don't just hand them money every week for breathing. Also, because they know in our house they have chores (mostly cleaning) that are to be done every week.

Based on what they say about their friends, we are among a very small percentage of parents that make their kids do chores, don't give allowances and expect all A's on their report cards. Its no surprise what other kids are like.

Greg

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miles71

I think you hit it on the head. My father was a Marine combat Vet and Police Officer, if you think we didnt know the value of working for something you are mistaken. I guess I am turning into the adult who doesnt understand "these kids". Next I'll be yelling at them to stay off my lawn.

Thanks for the suggestions,

and Manny, you must have went to the same high school as me..................did you know Mr. Johnson......he taught english If you happen to ever be in Maryland near Baltimore I'd love to have you come in and work with my group, and watch me conduct. Maybe we could hit the range too, I used to compete with a 357 and 9mm.

__________________
NYTC Stage 1 Endorsing Artist
www.domenicomusic.com

Manny Laureano

YOU'RE ON!!!

ML