I know that this post kind of relates to the peer instructor post but I wanted to see if anyone had any advice for my particular situation.

My drumline instructor asked me to come back next year and be the snare tec for the battery next year. Of course I jumped at the opprotunity to gain experience in teaching. We are in the middle of auditions and I am realizing that a couple of the kids that are going to be on the snare line did not really care for me last year as the "Center Snare". I want these guys to have fun next year so I do not want them to hate me all year just because I am coming back. So, I guess my question is how do I ge the snare line to have the respect in confidence in me to allow us to be sucssesful, hardworking, and have fun all at the same time?

Thanks

Well you kind of have to set up the rules first. That is basically the first step into teaching a line.

My advice would be to take 2 years off from teaching the line you graduated from. You will NEVER get the respect you need if the students still see you as a peer. And of course we all know that the rep set in the first year is usually the one that sticks with you throughout because it is passed on.

Hey! batman98

This is Elizabeth! I was wondering why you recommend most high school graduated not to teach at their former high schools for 2 yrs.

yeah I agree with Batman98 eventhough I instructed my high school right after I graduated. I found it really hard to correct the kids I performed with because I felt like I was hurting their feelings but most of the kids in the drumline that year were new kids so I didn't have that big of a problem.

If you really want to get into instructing, it might be a good idea to start with your high school so you can build up your style of teaching, it's not a bad idea to experiment with new things as longs as they're beneficial either.

I'm going to be a selfish pig for a second here. Look, if this is a big opportunity for you, jump on it. Sounds like a good opportunity for a way in. If you're a good player, have sound theories, and know how to get them across (which is usually the biggest problem with young instructors), then jump on in there. Sounds like the caption has faith in you if he asked you back. If he has faith in you, and the drumline members have faith in him, then I think everything will be ok. However, if I'm mistaken and none of these things apply, ignore everything I just said.

If you do go for it, make sure you have an understanding with the drum instructor that he'll back you up when a conflict does arise...if you can't rely on that then your failure is almost guaranteed.

Also, don't try to play mind games at all. Be honest and upfront with them and absolutely avoid ANY impression that you're playing favorites. You must treat everyone equally or you will very quickly lose your credibility.

Of course, these things are always important...but especially so to someone just graduating and returning to work with the drumline.

I agree with Mantis that I think you taking the opportunity to teach was a good thing to do for you, and ultimately for your section as well as long as you go about it the right way. The fact that you have a caption head to work under and you are not having to take on your old line all by yourself is a great position for you to be in.

In helping answer your question, I think you need to tell the few people who may have had issues with you in the past, or even tell the who group what you are stating here on dl.org - maybe away from your caption head so it's just you and the line, that you want them to have fun this year, and you hope that they won't have issues with you coming back to help them, but that this was an opportuity to teach that you felt you couldn't pass up. You want to give them a chance to comment, express their feelings and so on, so that you can assure them that your purpose in being there isn't to take away from any of the things they were looking forward to doing with the line when they moved up to center snare, section leader and so on. I had this same scenerio a few years back where the center tenor, who was also the section leader was asked by me to stay on and help with band camp the next year. Some of the seniors were FUMING for a while, because I think they were afraid him being there would somehow undermine their new roles as Seniors in the line or section leaders. On the second day of camp, the old section leader asked me if he could talk to the line without me there to air some things out between him and the line. I said fine and he expressed basically what you are feeling to them, they came to an understanding and everything was good after that.

The more you can communicate with them so that the line understands that you are ultimately there to help them acheive what they want, the better off you will be. It's important that you get the upperclassmen to see that you fully understand that it is their line, and not yours, and that you are not just hanging around to extend your center snare position from last year. I do think that when you are in rehearsals and such that you can't joke around, misbehave (not that you would), and so on, as you might of being in the section the last four years, and they do need to recognize you as staff now, but outside of rehearsals, it's o.k. to joke around, be stupid, whatever you would normally do just hanging out with your friends in the line as you can't pretend to not be friends with people you used to march with, nor should you, just because you have a different role now.

I would also recommend asking your caption head if you can work with the new kids to the line quite a bit early on, and also in the beginning to purposely NOT work with your former subsection, in your case the snares, even though that's probably where you are most comfortable right now. You want to convey, even without having to say anything, that you understand that this is their snare line now, and you also want to give the new center the opportunity to grow into his / her new role without having to "compete" with you for it.

For the 8th graders coming into the line it's good for them to work with you too as you can explain more in their perspective what being in the line is all about and for you, this is a group of kids that only know you as an instructor because you never marched with them, so you don't have to worry about your dilemma so much.

This first year will certainly be the hardest for you as it relates to your question, but it will get easier, in fact much easier as time goes on as you become more comfortable teaching, and the line sees you more and more as an instructor, because they are used to seeing you in that role.

Good luck, and I'm sure that it will work out great for you.

I jumped right into teaching after high school, and I never found it difficult, or had any problems. My school was getting a new instructor, and since I wasn't going to march my first year out of high school I offered my help. Now I was not one of the most loved people in the band. In fact I was voted the Dictator award for being such a pain in the a$$. I also won MVP but that’s not the point.

So I went into teaching a line that, for the most part, hated me. They knew I was strict and didn’t tolerate goofing off. There was one thing that was different about teaching than being in the line; it doesn’t matter if they like you. You’re no longer on there level. You're an instructor, you have to remember that. When it comes down to it the Director should support you. Does it really matter if they hate you?

I never felt that whether I liked or disliked my teachers had anything to do with me listening to them. I've hated some teachers. Some with a passion. And yet I passed their classes. I hated them personally but I knew that they knew what they were talking about.

I believe there is a big difference between liking someone and respecting someone. I don’t necessarily like my band director right now, but I respect him. He’s been here for 20 years, and has made my band in a pretty darn good one. Respect is the most important thing you have to gain. And sadly I don’t know how you can go about gaining respect. I’d say show them you know what you’re doing; show them you have something they can learn. That’s what makes me respect someone.

I do agree with flickityschmock though. Tell them that you want them to have fun this year. There’s nothing wrong with that. Tell them you understand that there are some issues between you and the other members of the line, but that you're willing to work on getting past them.

Thanks to all of you for your response and comments. If you have any more...please feel free. You guys have helped a lot!

I would say not to take the two years off. Insted you could just not teach high school for those two years. Go to the 7th graders to get there respect. But rember because you dont do it they might get someone else to do it in your place.

I started teaching at my old high school when I was asked to come back as a snare/quad/pit tech. I never had much trouble cause I was friends with most of the line and we all got a long.

But there can be those times that you'll have to tell a junior or senior that you know pretty well that they are doing something wrong and they won't wanna listen to you. Just be firm and let them know you are an authority figure over them. The more respect you show, the more you will earn.

i guess i was fortunate to come back almost a year after (came back for the indoor season, not the following outdoor season). I knew some people on the line then, but everyone understood I knew what I was doing with a pair of sticks, so I had respect. I suppose I was lucky that there were a bunch of rookies then, but really, if you've got the confidence and the right drive for a teaching gig, then you'll be successful. You have to be open minded and patient, and willing to compromise (or look at other ways of approaching said tasks) when you're a younger teacher.

Good luck.

Oops... I replied in the wrong thread.

I was asked back right away by my bd to be assistant instructor. The first day of rehearsal I was told to work with the snares as this was my area of expertise. The new senior and section leader immediately said "you can just **** right off" as I approached. I didn't know what to do at this point. For the next couple of weeks I stayed with the pit and helped do some other tasks like equipment repairs, etc. However at the end of camp a few weeks later he came up to me and said "I'm sorry I acted like that, thanks for all that you have done". I knew that he wanted to have the spotlight as section leader now, because he is a drummer, and drummers can be like that, especially in hs. I also know this because I was like that and might have reacted in a similar fashion being so young still! As I recall the rest of the year was fine and I became head instructor a year later and am still there. Of course I know for certain that some of my line does not care for me, but they can either deal with it or hand in their drum...know what I mean.

Like others have said just be fair, equal, and make sure the new seniors/leaders know you are not their to steal their thunder...sit down with them personally if you need to.

Sit down with the older kids right off the bat, especially if you were just in the line recently, but either way, its a good thing to do. Let them know you're here for them, you're doing things for a reason (and don't be afraid to explain those reasons) and that it's a team effort.

I graduated from my HS and went right into teaching. The first year was hell, because I got no respect. The second year was a little better, as the kids knew me less. The third was a littler better than second, as it was the same group from before, so we were a little tighter and experienced. This year, all of my "problem kids" that I had been in the line with are gone, and I'm getting a lot more respect.

The number one thing I've learned? Talk to them, explain things. They don't know your reasons, so explain them. Be thorough. I made it abundantly clear for the last two years that I am a resource for them, but in the end, it's their buns on the field. I can give them the tools to build a mansion, but if they don't pick them up and work with them, they're going to end up in a shanty.

Also, don't hang out with them. Stick with the staff. If you hang out with them, you're going to be percieved as being "one of them", and respect will dwindle.