jL | In Practice - Efficiency

In the classroom:

A bit of wild winter weather in my part of the world reminds me of the need for efficiency both on the podium and off.  What have I done in the background to accelerate the learning process in the classroom?  Have the weekly expectations been clearly defined?  Am I providing regular opportunities to assess progress outside the rehearsal space so the performers feel motivated to prep before rehearsal?  Am I providing enough notice of what they’re expected to know so that they can prepare?  When I’m on the podium, am I using the most articulate and concise approach, or am I entertaining myself with anecdotes that the performers neither need nor want? Are my scores marked? Is the rehearsal scripted, or am I winging it?

If the last paragraph raised your blood pressure significantly, no worries - you’re in good company.  Too often, I expect the performers to come prepared, but show up with a ‘good reason’ why I wasn’t able to fully prepare.  I’ve spent too many years fooling myself into thinking I could be impactful without taking the time to prep before stepping in front of the performers.  While my role often creates legitimate reasons why it's challenging to be prepared, rehearsals are most successful when I build in time to prep.  Even 10 minutes of quiet with my scores can dramatically impact the effectiveness of a rehearsal.   As we begin the fourth week in a row without a consistent rehearsal and sectional schedule, I have to overprepare to ensure the students have the best opportunities for productivity.

Behind the scenes:

I’m focusing on remaining positive and productive.  Over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that the first six weeks back after New Year's are by far the worst in education. 😛 The constant stimulation and external validation from the fall have yielded to cold and dark days in the practice room.  It will be at least three more weeks before the students feel a positive response to their efforts.  Add in the personal stress that it always takes longer than I want it to for the marching show to take shape, and it can be a really anxious six weeks!

It is easy for me to get negative, but the kids feed off my energy.  Stay positive; make time for the projects that matter; try not to get caught up in the ‘urgent’ (but unimportant traps) and trust the process.  If I force myself to work the process, the product will come in time.

Remember:  Rome wasn’t built in a day (but as James Clear likes to say), they were always laying bricks!