As a university supervisor at Arkansas State University, I am one of the last voices students hear before heading off into the real world. In some ways, it’s similar to saying as much as I can to my own kids when they were teenagers headed out the door. “Buckle your seatbelt! Be back by 11:00! Be good! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”
I probably did that to make myself feel better more than anything – just making sure there were no unforeseen gaps in my parenting. While our kids might go out with no true concerns of their own, graduating college seniors certainly have their own fears. When I began teaching, my biggest concern was “Am I going to be any good at this?”
I could have done any number of things in education and felt more confident about my success, but music was my passion. In music, I was a grinder. There was no seemingly easy path to success. On the other hand, I didn’t want to be lousy at something for thirty years. Frankly, I had some teachers who were not so great, and I wondered how they could be that ineffective for so many years. These teachers seemed to lack self-awareness.
Despite the myriad fears that students can have on this journey, I’ve whittled my comments down to five things that make the journey easier.
Know what you don’t know.
It’s impossible to cover and master everything before you graduate, and some schools do a better job than others. Ultimately, it’s up to you to recognize your gaps in preparation. What are some things you don’t know right now that you need to know to be successful? Some graduates blame their school, but much of the responsibility should be borne by the graduate.
However, before looking at your weaknesses, consider your strengths. This will help you keep things in perspective. It can be overwhelming to catalog all of the things you feel unprepared for and do not know. Trust me, you probably know enough to get your career rolling, but the more you know, the better off you are. I felt overwhelmed entering the field, but my dad helped keep me focused by pointing out my strengths as I fretted over my weaknesses. I hope you can find a trusted mentor who can do the same.
As for weaknesses, it may be as obvious as needing improvement on secondary instruments or having limited experience leading an ensemble. It may be more nuanced weaknesses like human relation skills. Whatever the case, develop a plan to improve those gaps as soon as you can. I took courses at other universities that my college did not offer and took nine years of private lessons on different wind and percussion instruments.
Focus on Growth, Not Results
This should be a trait you have and pass on to your band. Instead of focusing only on results, a growth mindset emphasizes moving from point A to point B. Even though B might not be exactly where you want to be, focusing on growth allows you to see progress, not just some result that will make you feel like a failure. What areas do you need to grow and improve in? You can’t do it all at once, so prioritize and take it from there. I took guitar lessons in my 30th year of teaching, and they improved my jazz band instruction. I wished I had done it earlier, but more pressing areas needed improving.
Working to improve things can be energizing. This may seem counterintuitive because, on the surface, it looks like you are adding another stressor to your life. In reality, you become energized by discovering that the better you are at something, the better your instruction will be, and the better your band will be. It’s humbling and sad that your weaknesses will be passed on to your students. The good news is that you can delegate, but that’s another story.
Turn on the charisma.
We typically think of charisma as something afforded to a lucky few with a winning smile, movie star good looks, the gift of gab, and the mysterious “it” factor. While individuals with these qualities may have a step up on the rest of us, there is more to charisma than that. Don’t sell yourself short on this one; the keys to charisma are surprisingly doable. Here is one suggestion to help: Be present. One of the greatest qualities I find in other people is their ability to make someone feel like they are the only one in the room; their focus is entirely on the other person for that moment. (Hint: This may require putting away your smartphone.) Don’t think “Here I am,” but rather “there you are” when you enter a room. Try to be interested in others more than focusing on being interesting yourself.
Have a firm classroom management plan in place and be consistent.
Few things can derail your hopes and dreams as quickly as an unruly band class. You must have a plan in place before your first day or you might get eaten alive. Be determined and skilled in behavior management – you have worked way too hard to have students ruin your career.
Think long term.
Be patient and keep your expectations positive but realistic. Don’t be surprised if you have long periods of time where you are not particularly happy. I had a 34-year career, but there were three years of the 34 that I did not, for the most part, find enjoyable. I survived with patience and the confidence (however shaky) that doing things the right way would lead to success. I found nuggets of happiness within some of the long, bad days. Remember that a bad day is sometimes only a bad five minutes that gets out of control and ruins the whole day.
That’s it in a nutshell. You’re almost there for the big journey, so buckle up and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.
