Hello there! It's been such a long time since we last talked...literally. I haven't posted here in two years and so much has changed in our world. We just finished six weeks of a "shelter in place" order as the world battles a virus in a pandemic. It hasn't been easy and people are losing their patience. However, there is a silver lining. Perhaps that makes me naive, but if something is out of your control why not focus on what you can control. Your thoughts and actions.

So, the bright side of staying at home are that I have been able to shift the pendulum of a very hectic life pre-pandemic to a life that is much slower and family focused. I can log 7-8 hours of sleep per night, take a jog in the middle of the day, play with my kids, do some housework, knit, etc. Every day I can accomplish much of these activities. Pre-pandemic I was too tired to even think about any activity and I was irritable. The last 6 weeks has granted me the space to slow down and be grateful for my family and teaching. 

Teaching? I miss our band room! I have been back twice for a total of 40 minutes. I miss all the students. The laughter, the chatter, the music. Oh the music! We have had a stellar year! New uniforms, new football turf, new instruments, Disney trip, and magical performances. 

Today, we learn and teach from home. A new balance of professional and personal has taken place. Dogs barking while in virtual meetings/classrooms. The kids that live in my house needing things while teaching as well as their own education. It's not ideal, but it's important to have some sort of routine in place.

To my students: this is all so weird! You have chosen to play in band for all sorts of reasons. I am not sure how many of those reasons are in place right now, but I am doing my best to keep things relevant. No one knows how long this will last and we are approaching the month of May. If I have to be honest I am did enjoy the month of March and April. But May? I am dreading this month. You see the month of May is when we say goodbye to the school year and hello to the new school year at the same time. So much happens in the month of May!

I don't have answers to the month of May. No one does. I anticipate stress and lots of questions from parents and students, but the answers remain elusive. This is a new place for me...for all of us. So I am going to look at the bright side. Focus on the things I can control. I will find ways to reach my students and keep them connected. 

Students and parents: If you made it this far in this post I have some thoughts to pass along:
1) Stay connected. It doesn't take long, but connecting with your classmates, your learning, and your teachers is important. You may not see value, but there is! 
2) Focus on what you can control. Let go of what you cannot.
3) Things are weird. Things are different. Go with it.
4) Traditions of years past will be revised so we can celebrate the rites of passages for the Class of 2020. Each school will be different around the country. What may seem cool for one graduation may not be ideal for another graduation.
5) When people ask for input or feedback give it with grace. 
6) Your school staff is working so hard while trying to process this pandemic with the rest of the world. Be kind, be patient, be supportive.
7) Your education will not suffer. We are assigning work because we have to, but we are trying to assign work that has meaning. What teachers really want is to know you are ok. Check in, drop a note, value information.
8) After this is all over let's keep the good and leave the bad behind. The volunteering has been amazing! The support from neighbors and friends without expecting anything in return has been a refreshing perspective of selflessness. 
9) I don't know if there will ever be a chance where we are forced as a society to slow down. Take advantage of the time and space to self-reflect.
10) Stay involved! In every aspect of pre-pandemic life find a way to be involved in your school, relationships, and community.

​Take care, Band Family! I miss you all dearly.

I am reading a new book called, "Grit", by Angela Duckworth. It is an easy read, but so relevant as we raise our children. So often I see students not giving their all or wanting to quit when things are beginning to look difficult. Encourage your student to think through the obstacles before them and develop a plan of overcoming their difficulties. They can do it!

The result of this book led me to a web site for developing our young people. There are wonderfully crafted lessons for goal setting, focus, grit, etc. I have volunteered to pilot some of these lessons in the classroom. Currently, we are using a simple goal setting strategy titled WOOP:

Wish
Outcome
Obstacle
Plan

Students used this plan for the first time a couple of weeks ago. We will use this strategy a couple of more times this year. Hopefully, this goal setting strategy will leave an imprint for future use beyond the band room.

As parents, we do not want to see our children struggle or suffer. However, as a teacher, I want to see our children persevere through the obstacles before them. They will build Grit, the capacity to endure difficulties, and become stronger people. As a result of Grit, our students will become stronger leaders of our world.

Let's work together to build the capacity of Grit within our young people. They will be happier, independent, and stronger individuals.

Teaching content/curriculum is hard, but most difficult aspect to the classroom is building a culture.  The culture should be positive, welcoming and safe. Most of the time I think the band has the best culture ever. For the most part, the band does. However, there are times when our cloud bursts and there are pieces to pick up.

When "social drama" creeps into a group the mentality shifts and sometimes I go into a secret "panic mode". Thoughts cross my mind such as "what have I been doing wrong" or "I kept my head under a rock" or "did I say/do something wrong". I try not to pry into the students lives or constantly talk about treating others with respect. After all, there is music/content to learn!

The band is not immune to "social drama" or conflicts. When you dig deep enough and put the thousands of little pieces together of who said/did what there is a common denominator. That denominator is lack of empathy for others.

Students minds are racing a mile a minute. Much faster than ours were during this age. Students say or do things that may be "appropriate" for their home/social circle, but it is perceived as inappropriate for others. One of the best staff training I had was this August and it had to do with sexual harassment. Though the topic of sexual harassment is not what we are dealing with, the premise of the video was this: The harasser did not realize the intent or harm they were performing in another person's presence.

The training emphazised thinking before saying or doing. The old adage of our childhoods is creeping back. The training also discussed developing empathy for others. During our most recent Leadership Symposium many candid conversations took place as the students discussed the Causes and Reactions to social conflict. Then the students discussed Strategies and ways to Implement the strategies to cope with social conflict. 

After discussing the Implementation aspect we discovered that the best way to create a positive, safe and welcoming culture was Peer to Peer. The directors are clear in our expectations, but the students have to reinforce the expectations. For example: If the expectation that zero talking is to take place while we are working than the vast of the majority of the students need to uphold that expectation 100%. If the expectation is that we build each other up than Every Single Person needs to a part of this. Parents and Teachers need to spend more time on teaching empathy to our students. Together we are the best team for our kids.

Dear Band Family,

It is so good to say that! Cheryl and I have been working for years to achieve this type of culture and we are arriving as a real team accomplishing great things. You may have seen that LCS has been in the news because of our deficit. More than ever our great team needs to pull together with the LCS community and report to others the assets of our great district. There are many awesome things happening that people in your neighborhoods do not know about. 

* Recruit for our district. There are great things in every building!
* Recruit for our band program. This means 5th grade on up! Did you know we have a brand new student to our program? He is a senior, but a Lincoln student for years. 
* Be involved in your child's school. Research shows the most successful schools have involved parents.
* Support your administrators and teachers.
* Keep your students involved in school activities. 
* Communicate the importance of music education to your student.
* More importantly...communicate the importance of EDUCATION to your student.

Go Railsplitters!!!!

Chicago has been wonderful to our groups these past few days. We are sad to go, but we will enjoy the memories for a life time!

Due to a car vs taxi vs bus side swipe, we will depart 30 min later. Everyone is safe and sound. The bus is also very safe to travel.

Stay tuned for updates.

Having fun with the waitstaff. Get up off that thang!

Billy Elliot at Drury Lane. Love the name of the theatre!!

Traffic put a damper on free time, but these students did an amazing job transforming from cold, wind-blown teenagers into dazzling young adults! Buca di Beppo!

Very informative, beautiful and a bit chilly!