The Yellow Board

Extreme Apathy

Posted by MSBD on 1/20/2021, 12:10 pm

How do you encourage and engage students in ways that comply with pandemic restrictions?

We are doing:
1. Intentionally trying to build relationships
2. Playing "cool" music with quick success
3. Cracking jokes/up beat instruction
4. Following an established routine
5. Splitting into smaller groups
6. Setting concrete goals (S&E, UIL, Spring Concert)

What else can we do?

Re: Extreme Apathy

Posted by Houston on 1/25/2021, 11:53 am, in reply to "Extreme Apathy"

Are you actually able to perform or just "prepare" for events that don't happen? For me, I hated practicing but loved to perform. If the kids never perform for people that might be causing some of the apathy. It's like sports - practice is fun but games and matches are where it's at! If you have not had a public performance since last January find a way to get them in front of real people that aren't on the other side of a computer screen. Just my opinion.

The above list are all good things on a normal basis for a healthy program with functional rehearsals. But there is always a carrot at the end of the rope in non-covid years. Are you dangling the carrot or do they get to actually eat?

Athletes had a normal year. Ag kids are having a mostly normal year. Choir and Orchestra have even had mostly normal rehearsals from day 1.
Even cheer and dance kids are traveling for competitions. Everyone except band kids seem to be having a normal year. How "normal" can you make their world to get their minds away from the world of "cancelled"?

Re: Extreme Apathy

Posted by OP on 1/26/2021, 7:55 am, in reply to "Re: Extreme Apathy"

We have been trying relentlessly to get approval for a concert with an audience. The best we have gotten so far is an outdoor concert scheduled for May. By this time in a regular year our kids would have had 5 or 6 trips/events/performances already. "The Carrot" has been our biggest struggle for sure.

Re: Extreme Apathy

Posted by Houston on 1/27/2021, 8:26 am, in reply to "Re: Extreme Apathy"

Can you do parking lot concerts? Can you get kids out to the community where places are open like a central square or park or outside a batch of restaurants and people can just drive up and listen? Maybe set up on the courthouse lawn, literally, and have a concert. I know busing may be an issue if the school is super worried but well, I bet they let the football players on a bus so it's no different, (and I don't blame them for letting the football players on the bus btw), they just need to let the band kids do what they do like they let the athletes do what they do. Heck, if they balk at buses do it some evening or Saturday afternoon when shoppers are out and let parents be the transportation.

Re: Extreme Apathy

Posted by well on 1/21/2021, 7:35 am, in reply to "Extreme Apathy"

keep fighting the good fight and keep collaborating with close peers and mentors.

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