Spark Joy

The catch phrase of 2019: "Does this spark joy?" If the item does spark joy, you keep it; if it doesn't, you toss it. So let's use this for retaining the students that you have spent so many hours recruiting and training to be good members of your ensembles. Students sign up to be in orchestra or band for many different reasons, but the number one reason is because it is something new that they get to experience in their school day. So then how do you compete with all of the new electives that keep popping up as students get older? Your students will keep signing up for your class if they love it...and that love is the joy that they experience in your room. So how can you "Spark Joy"?

Show the students that you respect them.

As students are entering the class, greet them. Have the rehearsal space set up for the students before they arrive. This shows them that you are excited for their class and that you want to get as much actual rehearsal time as you possibly can. Give the students a set time to be ready after the bell rings. When the timer goes off, start your warm up process. The students who are ready to go will appreciate this so much. Any students who are not ready, should quietly get ready and catch up. This shows that they have respect for everyone in the room as well. Involve everyone in the warm-up process. Don't leave various sections out (percussion); create warm ups that have them playing as well. Then once you get to the end of the warmup and you play a chorale you can ask the percussion to quietly get ready for the first piece that you will be working on while the chorale is being played. Set an alarm to signal to yourself when class needs to be over. Give your students enough time to put their instruments away correctly. This shows your respect for their instrument and also for their time so that they can get to the next class on time. Many middle school students have anxiety over whether or not they will get to their next class on time. Don't be the cause of that! It does NOT spark joy!

During rehearsal, celebrate the moments!

We've all been there...you are wood-shedding a particular section of music; you have stopped repeatedly to correct things. Have you stopped to point out when something is played well? Stop and let the students know that you just got goosebumps from the crescendo that they played! Let them know that the way they watched during the rubato section was so wonderful. Ask them if they heard it too and then play it again so you can all celebrate it together. This sparks joy! It's that feeling of success and accomplishment...don't make them wait for the performance. Keeping kids in your ensembles is much more about the celebrations and joy in rehearsal than in the applause from the performances.

Show the students that you care about them!

Ask them about their siblings. Ask them about their sports/clubs/art/whatever else is important to them! Kids want attention. Go to their games if you can. Cheer them on and then talk to them about it the next day. You don't have to go to every game. If you make it to one and talk to them about it, they will remember that. This sparks joy!

Play music that your students will enjoy!

This does not mean to play all pop music. This means think carefully about every piece that you select for your performances. My goal was that each piece of music would be somebody's favorite. It didn't mean that every person loved all of them. Just that in every piece of music there was a part that a section could grab ahold of and make their own. The French horns may not love the march we are playing, but they will love the lyrical piece. The trombones may not love the lyrical piece, but they love the march. Don't let any section ever be neglected in your performance music...throw them a bone! This sparks joy!

All of these little things (and many more) that you do over the course of the school year will create a culture of mutual respect, friendship, and joy in your program. Students will want to be a part of that, and to stay a part of that! So go "Spark Joy"!