Motivate Your Band - The Little Red Hen - Band Directors Talk Shop

Are you looking for a way to motivate your band and get every student to contribute equally to a goal? Read this classic folktale to your band (or summarize it for them) and then share the application at the end:

Once upon a time there was a little red hen. She lived on a farm with her three best friends – a black cat, a glossy duck and a fat rat. One day the little red hen walked to the field. She was looking for juicy worms to eat. She scratched around with her busy little feet and found some grains of wheat.

“Ooh!” She cried. She fluffed her feathers. “Who will help me plant the wheat?”
“Not I,” said the cat.
“Not I,” said the duck.
“Not I,” said the rat.
“Fine,” said the little red hen. “Then I’ll do it myself.”
And she did.

The little red hen pecked at the ground and made a hole. One by one, she dropped in the grains. The little red hen waited for her wheat to grow all through the winter and spring and into the summer.

“Who will help me cut it down?” said the little red hen.
“Not I,” said the cat.
“Not I,” said the duck.
“Not I,” said the rat.
“Fine,” said the little red hen. “Then I’ll do it myself.”
And she did. She cut down the wheat without any help at all.

“Who will help me take the wheat to the mill?” said the little red hen.
“Not I,” said the cat.
“Not I,” said the duck.
“Not I,” said the rat.
“Fine,” said the little red hen. “Then I’ll take it to the mill myself.”

And she did. She took the wheat to the mill and ground it into flour without any help at all.

“Who will help me bake the flour into bread?” Said the little red hen.
“Not I,” said the cat.
“Not I,” said the duck.
“Not I,” said the rat.
“Fine,” said the little red hen. “Then I’ll make it myself.” She baked the bread without any help.

“Who will help me eat the bread?” Said the little red hen?
The cat, the duck and the rat jumped up. “Mmm,” they said, as they smelled the bread. The bread was warm and soft.

“I’ll have a slice'” said the duck.
“I’ll take two,” said the cat.
“Three for me,” said the rat.
“Oh no you won’t,” said the little red hen.
“If you don’t do the work, you don’t deserve the reward. I’ll eat this bread all by myself!”

And she did.

Application to share with students:

“The reason this story is important to a successful band program is that everyone must contribute for us to reach our goal. We can’t have people waiting around for everyone else to do the work.

You must do the work.
You must take your instrument home.
You must practice.
You must ask for help if you need it.
You must learn your part.
You must come prepared to rehearsal.
You must be on time.
You must pay attention.
You must have a good attitude.
You must work. You.

Not just the first chair player. Or the second chair player. You.
Not the person sitting to your right or your left. You.
Not someone on the other side of this room. You.
Not even this person on the podium. I can’t do it for you.

You have to want it.
You have to work for it.
You have to earn it.

No Work. No Reward.