From The Trenches: No Program is Safe

by Bob Morrison

Why on earth do we need a “Music Director’s Survival Guide?” I have never heard of a Math Teachers Survival Guide or an English Literacy Teachers Survival Guide. And just what is it that band directors need guidance about to… survive?

Well, let’s pretend for a moment: You’re a successful instrumental music teacher at an intermediate school. You have been teaching in the same school district for the past 16 years. You have done such a good job building your program that nearly 50 percent of students attending the school (some 350 out of 700 students) elect to be in your band program. Fifty Percent! Your peers value what you do. As a matter of fact, you have just been named teacher of the year. Not music teacher of the year – teacher of the year. And not just for the whole school… for the whole school district!