Becoming the Old Band Person: A School Community Effort

In February 2021, High School Today published an article on “Being the New Band Person.” It used bullet points to communicate a set of strategies designed to help a recent college graduate become successful in the individual’s first teaching job. Now, going on four years later those strategies are still valid; and while written from the perspective of a band director, they are just as useful for any ensemble director whether chorus, orchestra, jazz or modern band.

What has changed since early 2021 is the decimation of music programs caused by the pandemic and the increase in the number of “new band persons” who did not become “old band persons.”

In a recent survey by the Minnesota Music Educators Association, 77 percent of band directors considered leaving the teaching profession due to burnout. 1 Teacher burnout is nothing new and a Devlin Peck article (Teacher Burnout Statistics: Why Teachers Quit in 2024; Devlin Peck; https://www.devlinpeck.com/content/teacher-burnout-statistics) cites that “K-12 Teachers are the No. 1-most burned-out profession in the United States.” For music teachers with once heralded programs now a ghostly shadow of themselves in terms of participants and feeder programs decimated or not functioning, the future looks even more grim.

So how can a school community help its music educators weather the post-Covid years of rebuilding, reinventing and reinvesting without adding to the stresses that have caused teachers to burn out for decades? Are there ways that administrators, fellow teachers, coaches and staff members can support their music educators without adding to their own workload and levels of stress? Should some of these efforts be shared with all educators in a school community as burnout affects all educators?

You bet! Everyone in the school community can do little things to be there for the teacher: Taking the time to give a simple “good morning” when you pass by their room to “I heard some of the rehearsal yesterday and your kids sound great” will let the music educator know that efforts are being acknowledged and appreciated. Giving verbal and active support for a comprehensive music budget when involved in financial discussions, and making a point to consider how the music program might be enhanced in long-range expansion plans for school facilities (everything from the football field to a performing arts center) will show music teachers that their program and their leadership are needed now and in the future. Being aware of the important dates on the music calendar, from concerts to festivals to performances outside of school, let’s them know their music matters.

The school community as a whole should show its appreciation for the music program in big and small ways: Include upcoming concerts and festivals in the school’s announcements, publications and social media. Highlight in various ways the student/musicians who were accepted into honor groups, going to college for music, performing in a local community event or supporting their school drama group. Support the music program when conflicts arise between events that involve students who are also athletes, thespians or school leaders. Allow the students in the music program the time away from class to be the musicians they worked so hard to become.

As individual educators, teachers can work with the music educators to find ways to enhance both their own classes and the music program: Have a chat with the music educator to see if there are ways to connect music and the books being read, the history being taught, the artwork being reviewed, the language being learned, the math being presented, the science being tested. Music contains something from every other discipline ranging from compositions written for specific events, books, cultures and languages, to the understanding of complex rhythms and the interpretation of various languages, all to touch the audience’s emotions and senses. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect a semester’s work on a classic novel with music written about the same work or during the same timeframe.

Most importantly, individuals in the school community must and should be there for the student/musician: Acknowledge the students who put in the extra time to be in band, orchestra, chorus, drumline, marching band, etc. by being aware of their participation and asking them about it. Know when their important performances are coming up and wish them good luck or ask how their preparations are going or what they are playing. Individuals in the school community should be at as many performances as possible. Get there early to wish them good luck, stay through the entire program and applaud loudly, and hang around after to congratulate them and help pick up chairs or equipment. Let the musicians know that their music means something to you as well.

Creating a school environment where music is not only accepted, but an expected part of the school for everyone will help your new music educator weather Covid’s reduction in the access to music that has led to the current reduction in participation numbers. Supporting that school environment now will bring back the participants, bring back the pride, bring back the opportunity, bring back the music – and will bring back your music educator year after year so that individual becomes “The Old Band Person.”

1. Music Teacher Burnout and Work-Life Balances: Perspectives from Minnesota; Jerry Neddermeyer; August 2022: https://mmea.org/music-teacher-burnout-and-work-life-balance-perspectives-from-minnesota/.