The Yellow Board

6th Grade Rotations

Posted by Recruiter on 12/2/2020, 8:01 am

Let me preface this by saying that we are a small rural 3A school district. My JH principal approached me with an idea that they are trying to develop in an effort to increase band enrollment. This year's beginning band enrollment was at an all time low with Covid. His idea was to put next year's 6th grade class on a rotation schedule where all students would take band, art, + 2 other electives in 9 week segments. As much as I like the thought of this idea, there are some concerns (these would be presented to my principal)...

1) The lack of instrumentation to provide students
2) Losing a full year of beginning band instruction and having to use the 7th grade year as the "beginning band" year, thus having only 1 year to truly prepare for HS band.
3) Lack of staff. It's just me.

These are just to name a few. This plan is in no way taking the place of my 6th grade recruitment efforts. If you've gone through something like this, what were you're successes/failures? What suggestions do you have that would make this successful.

Thank you for your help!

Re: 6th Grade Rotations

Posted by dont' do it on 12/3/2020, 9:37 am, in reply to "6th Grade Rotations"

In just 9 weeks you won't hook them, they won't have progressed far enough to like it yet

Re: 6th Grade Rotations

Posted by This only... on 12/2/2020, 10:27 pm, in reply to "6th Grade Rotations"

works if you are in an intermediate school with 5/6 or similar and you do the rotation in 5th grade to recruit for 6th grade. However, you better be a kid magnet compared to choir and art teachers or it won't work. As others have said, as well as your concern, 6th grade is too late.

Re: 6th Grade Rotations

Posted by Hugo on 12/2/2020, 8:27 pm, in reply to "6th Grade Rotations"

I would hesitate on this. Don’t know anyone that has ever talked glowingly about a wheel.

If your numbers were fine before COVID, I wouldn’t make any major changes for next year because of this year. There will probably be other changes anyway-no need to add to the hot mess we’re all staring in the face.

Re: 6th Grade Rotations

Posted by Okay... on 12/2/2020, 11:11 am, in reply to "6th Grade Rotations"

How well do you know your JH principal?

More to the point...how much do you *trust* your JH principal?

I once had to deal with a JH principal who was against anything he determined was anti-football...including NP/NP (TEA did an investigation, and discovered that this guy had been doctoring grades for years...another story for another time).

He decided to do an elective rotation in the 6th grade like you suggested. What it really was was a way for the kids to find out which elective was the "easiest", and an "easy" 100. Guess whose numbers started dropping?

I would not endorse a rotation scheme.

Re: 6th Grade Rotations

Posted by banddirhdg on 12/2/2020, 11:31 am, in reply to "Re: 6th Grade Rotations"

Yes, that's where this will go.

Re: 6th Grade Rotations

Posted by Realistically.. on 12/2/2020, 9:27 am, in reply to "6th Grade Rotations"

Don't even bother with traditional "band" curriculum in that case.

Your kids will MAYBE learn how to read some basic notes and rhythms and make a sound on the instruments - BARELY - in 9 weeks.

Maybe do recorders?

Re: 6th Grade Rotations

Posted by BandB on 12/2/2020, 8:19 am, in reply to "6th Grade Rotations"

Years ago when I first started at my current school, we had something similar but only for the "undecided." I had regular beginning band classes and then one class of rotation of art/band/choir.
I believe that I only gained 5 or 6 the next year from that group of students. Good luck!

« Back to index

215

[ The Yellow Board ]