[Trombone-l] Band Directors-Help needed

[Bill Dinwiddie]

Bob & Deborah,

So sorry that you and your students are being subjected to this 
"exploratory" experience. Certainly one of the dumbest ideas I have ever 
heard of. Would the originators of this idea expect the science or math 
teacher to "explore" their entire subject in 30 days. Of course, music is so 
simple, that 30 days should be plenty. Besides, kids will never use their 
study of a musical instrument in their "real" lives. No, they will be so 
busy calculating E=MC2, or writing formulas for all the chemical elements, 
that they will be way too busy to remember the discipline, precision, 
teamwork, and the love for true culture that they learned in band, orchestra 
or chorus.

Hope you can move on to a more enlightened school system.

Bill Dinwiddie
billdin at comcast.net


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob and Deborah Shaw" <theshaws10 at cox.net>
To: "Trombone-L" <trombone-l at samford.edu>; "Klarinet List" 
<klarinet at sneezy.org>
Sent: Monday, February 19, 2007 4:33 PM
Subject: [Trombone-l] Band Directors-Help needed


> Our school district is currently going through some major changes (not 
> good
> I am afraid!) and replacing 6th grade band, choir and orchestra with
> exploratory band, choir and orchestra.  We will have 30 days of 
> instruction
> to introduce all of the instruments in the subject that we teach, along 
> with
> music theory, etc.  Each teacher (band, choir, orchestra) will have the 
> same
> class in a rotational exploratory wheel.
>
> Who out there has something similiar that we can use as a model?  We need
> some good information as to what has been done, and what works? Has it
> worked, what was the outcome, etc.
>
> We have fought long and hard to keep our programs, but, it seems that our
> expertise is not being honored.  The middle school concept is more 
> important
> to our district than what is best for our music programs and what we think
> is best for our students.
>
> If you have participated in a program like this, please respond and tell 
> me
> what your experience has been and what the outcome has been.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Deborah Shaw
> Band Director
> 901 N.13th St.
> Lingle Middle School
> Rogers, Arkansas 72756
>
>
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