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yes, everyone obeys the rules; yes, everyone not only gets to rehearsal, but also arrives on time; and yes, we have fun, but we have fun doing the right things. The students respect each other for their similarities and differences. Older students show younger ones how to act by modeling the expected behavior. Often, when younger students see an audience react positively to a well-done musical performance by the older students, the culture of the program starts to change. Former students have told me that they were glad they had older students to look up to and help navigate their first year in the program—they acknowledged that there was a certain comfort in knowing someone was looking out for them.


Respect The endgame of course is gaining respect for the program, and not just from administration, parents, and the general public, but also from the students themselves. Students who are proud of their music programs typically are a part of programs of excellence. They practice, they work hard, and they reap the benefits of the hard work by becoming excellent musicians. They are proud to wear the jacket associated with the ensemble, and they are happy to have a room on campus where they can go to just ‘hang out.’


I am sure many who are reading this would agree that when we walk into music rooms we have developed a sense of knowing quite quickly the culture of the program. There are often students in the room before and after school. Are the students respectful and helpful? Are they nice to each other? Do they adhere to the guidelines of the school?


Students have to have a healthy respect for the room in which they are making music. It does not matter if it is the band room, choir room, or general music classroom. Students can be taught how to respect their environment. How do they treat the physical room? Is there trash on the floor? Are there instrument parts lying around? Are choral risers unhooked from one another and spread around the room? Are there stacks of books and papers on the piano? Are there broken music stands


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everywhere? You might say, well, perhaps that is the job of the parent to instill such values in their own children. Yes, but…we have all had students who act much better in our music room than they do in their own home, or in other teachers’ classrooms. It is no secret that we are often mother, father, sister, or brother to our students, teaching them not only music, but also how to behave in a public place.


Finally, there has to be a strong respect for the music itself: for rehearsing it, for understanding it, and for performing it. After all, producing an exquisite sounding group with your students is likely a large part of why you were hired. It would be equally terrific if the students were well mannered and respectful as well as good musicians.Ultimately, the probability is high that the culture will change in the right direction if it is about the music. Incidentally, the music portion of this article was not placed near the end to signify its place in a successful culture. Remember, all of these points interact with one another on a daily basis toward a successful culture in any program.


You have the good fortune to establish the culture of your choice. So, look around. Are you happy with the culture of your program? Is it self-sustaining where you do not have to tell students every Friday that “yes, we are playing today”? If so, then congratulations! I am sure you enjoy going to school and reaping the rewards of your


patience and hard work. If not, you are in the perfect position to make lasting changes that will benefit both you and your students.


Culture. [Def. 5]. (n.d.) In Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved January 3, 2015, from http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/culture


DaLaine Chapman is currently an Assistant Professor of Music Education at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Her research interests include music teacher evaluation and assessment as well as the supervision of student teachers. Dr. Chapman is an active conductor/clinician who has presented at numerous clinics and conferences nationwide. Her professional affiliations include Florida Music Educators Association, Florida Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, and the National Association for Music Education. She is also a member, by invitation, of the Omega chapter of Phi Beta Mu, the prestigious International Band Fraternity. She holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees from The Florida State University and a Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin.


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