Expect Only the Best!

South Carolina Band Directors Association

SCBDA "Team Members"

"Expect Only The Best!"

Thursday, May 7, 1998, was designated by the United States Congress as the 47^th Annual National Day of Prayer. The week beginning Sunday, May 3, 1998, is Teacher Appreciation Week, and to top it off May is Mental Health Month. What a combination! I have asked all my students to pray that their teachers will not go crazy!

Teachers (Band Directors) are the machines that turn out the product. We are literally the engine that will drive the future. Think about the importance of what we do! If we don’t train these young people properly, we won’t have anyone to care for us when we retire! OK! I know that is too much to hope, so keep saving your money! We may need to retire and move to another state where the SAT scores are closer to the national average!

What kind of job do we do as Band Directors? What do our students learn other than the love of music? Where is our report card? How do we rate when compared to the rest of the school faculty? Let’s take another look at the job we do.

Expectation Level

In most schools the teachers are required to stand in the halls before school, during class changes, and after school in an attempt to curb misbehavior. If left unattended the average student cannot be trusted. We can only imagine what would happen. Perhaps a review of the school’s "discipline file" would reveal the types of things those creative minds can manufacture.

Band students show much higher self-control and most often monitor themselves. In fact, just last weekend I was speaking about this to Luther Townsend in the warm-up area of Solo and Ensemble Festival. We were in a school filled with thousands of "BAND" students from over a hundred schools with absolutely no worry of a discipline problem. In fact the entire event seems to run itself. Students come in, locate their judge’s room, warm-up, perform, receive their rating, get something to eat, notify their director of their experience, and reload the bus to go home. It is amazing! Even the noise level in the halls is nearly acceptable. Face it, we teach wonderful kids! They take all the abuse we can hand out and will come back for more. They’ll even take a 6 hour ride on a cramped bus just to play that 10 minute performance. They are special! They are special Because we expect them to be special.

Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser, the World’s Authority on Band Students, says, "Which is the true statement? The best kids make the band, or the band makes the best kids!" He also says, "Anyone that is worried about the future of this country should come out and watch band practice!"

Creig Tyler, Principal of Lugoff-Elgin High School, says, "The band students are the very best on our campus. They are involved in every aspect of our school and drive our test scores. The band program develops outstanding students."

As Band Directors we must have high expectations, be demanding, and never give into the "Free Day Syndrome!" Our students will thrive on the challenges we present them. If you want to have a great band, then expect one! Success is only available to us if we "expect only the best!"

Let’s "BAND" together! We do make a difference because "Music Is Instrumental To Success!"

Glenn C. Price, President
South Carolina Band Directors Association