Middle school is an awkward time to be a kid; I might even say the most awkward. You’re no longer the “big fish” you were in 5th grade (though some act like it) and you’re not in the high school yet. Developmentally, students go through all types of changes, both physical and mental. As a teacher, I see the foundations of rebellion solidify and am constantly amazed at how fast things like taste in fashion and music alter among today’s middle schooler. I only bring this up because I’m facing a middle school conundrum right now and I haven’t quite figured it out, so please allow me to think “aloud” here and explain the situation.

By the time a student reaches high school band, and specifically their second semester, it is assumed, quite safely, that they have bought into the philosophy that we have been pushing for seven years now; “why be good when you can be great?” High school band members own this philosophy and accept its rigid standards and required work load. They enter class and rehearsals knowing that if good effort is given, I will constantly ask for more.  I have told them many times that I believe that is why they keep coming back. Obviously, I mix this with much deserved praise when work merits it and we sprinkle in humor where needed and moments of relaxation, so as to get the atmosphere we have created and continue to thrive upon. But what about those middle school years, and in particular, the 8th grade year? There is no denying that the mixture needs to be altered for the different age group, but shouldn’t the standard, at its core, stay the same? 8th graders, in general, have a tendency to behave much like 5th graders; they are the oldest students in the school and sometimes believe that this endows them with more privileges than the “lesser” 6th and 7th graders. They sometimes believe they can be two minutes late to class and no one will notice, they can practice less and no one will know because “I’ll just play softer than the person next to me and Mr. Vliek won’t know”, and they think the little conversation they are having with their friend isn’t being heard by everyone around them, even though their friend is sitting a full 15 feet away from them. In this sense, it’s almost humorous looking at the stereotypical 8th grader knowing the shock on their face when a teacher scolds them or asks them to read the note aloud that they were passing with their friend. But how do we instill the standard we have worked so hard to create in the high school in our upper middle schoolers? I have two contradicting philosophies that I would like to pose and I’ll tell you where I stand at the end.

First, there is the philosophy that band should be fun and the way to tell if band is fun is by looking at how many students participate. After all, if it’s fun, they will enjoy doing it and the band will grow and grow, showing the surrounding community how important music is and emphasizing the communal nature of participating in the arts. Students are busy and if they don’t practice, I’m sure there was a good reason. If a student sits quietly in their chair, doesn’t bother anyone, and helps set up and take down chairs, they deserve an “A” in band. Band is an easy “A”, right?

On the other side of the coin, only those willing to work daily should join band. Everyone else, stay out of our way. A bit militaristic, but this is the way bands used to be run. When you think about it, it is quite utopian in that hard work gets rewarded and laziness or indifference gets reprimanded. Numbers don’t mean a thing. A band of 8 could be better than a band of 108.

So where do I stand? It’s not that simple. Both sides make great points. Band should be fun, BUT there should also be the standard for hard work. A band should be as large as it can be, BUT only as large as number of members willing to sacrifice for the greater good. Every student should be able to earn an “A” in band, BUT only if they deserve it. We are not handing out grades like candy.

So back to my original conundrum, how hard do I push upper middle school students, especially 8th graders? I want them to succeed, more than anything, but I don’t want that success to be incidental or coincidental. If it’s not earned, I don’t want it and it has no place in our organization. But I also want to instill the belief that hard work is fun and worth coming back for on a daily basis. The product we create and all of the elements that can’t be reflected on a gradesheet are what make us who we are, as a band. So how hard can I push? I want them to try high school band, but I don’t want them to try it thinking it’s going to be easier than 8th grade (quite the reverse actually). So here is what I’m going to do; hard work will be rewarded and expected. Practice will be required and necessary for improvement. Your grade in band will no longer reflect your ability to sit in a chair and simply not bother anybody, but rather your actions in improving both yourself and our band. Above all, your grade will be a reflection of your DESIRE to be greater than you were yesterday. This will be judged in the same way we judge character; by your actions. Anybody can say they want to be great, but Springport bandos will prove it with the way we work and perform, no matter if you’re 13 years old or 18 years old. We must all buy into the philosophy or we will continually fall into that endless purgatory of “good”.

Sorry for the rambling. Tips?….feel free to comment.