You Can’t Teach Empty Chairs

When we chose to become band directors, many of us thought we were choosing a career free from the ties of a cluttered desk in a corner cubicle, free from the pressure of commissioned sales, free from the monotony of a “regular” 9-5. And yet, our paperwork can be all-consuming, our weekly working hours can push past 40 faster than you can say, “Go band!” and it feels as if we are constantly being asked to SELL our programs to students, parents, administrators, and the community, without even a commission!

In spite of it all, however, there is nothing quite so rewarding as when an entire group of kids comes together for something greater than any one individual. In spite of it all, you wouldn’t change a thing, would you? In spite of it all, we get it. We get the need to stay on top of the paperwork, to put in a few extra hours, and especially to “sell” our programs. Because the reality is…We simply can’t teach empty chairs. If we don’t actively, regularly, purposefully invite every single kid into band, some individual somewhere in your school is missing out on all that you and those wonderful kids have to offer.

As course selection opens up, many music teachers begin to ramp up their recruitment efforts. While I encourage everyone to recruit year-round, I have found these three super simple tips to be especially helpful as we are planning for the big push toward full enrollment that occurs in the winter and spring:

TEACHER SWAP – Is anyone else struggling to secure subs? One of my favorite recruitment methods is to simply swap places with one of your feeder teachers! This provides the opportunity for you to recruit and work with the students in the other school without requiring a sub. If you teach at a higher level, your own students will also love seeing someone new to them or perhaps their former teacher! While you are there, don’t make the visit specifically about recruitment, rather, work with them on their own music to show them what class is really like with you. Make sure you request a seating chart and use their preferred names throughout the rehearsal. Keep it light and fun and your numbers will soar! And before you even read on, get out your phone and get started on this one. Text a feeder teacher right now and get started on the planning!
RECRUITMENT & RETENTION THERMOMETER – You know how organizations will often use the visual of a fill-in thermometer to motivate people to reach some kind of financial goal? Well, I love to use a fillable music note for a similar purpose! Take a big poster board and draw a music note on it with your enrollment goal at the very top. As students sign up for your program, simply fill in the music note, or better yet, have your current students fill it in! This provides a great visual reminder to your students to reach out to the younger kids in the area and to encourage them in music. You can get a free template for this by clicking HERE and scrolling to the Presentation Materials.
RELATIONSHIPS – Be sure to also touch base with your school counselors so you can get regular updates on enrollment. Let them know that you can also be flexible in terms of the students you accept. Can you accept beginners in one of your ensembles? Can you accept students who transfer in the middle of the school year? What about students with special considerations? Communicate all of this with your guidance counselors and maintain a positive and collaborative relationship with them for optimal retention!

I am sorry to confirm that you were right all along, we do have to complete the paperwork, and we do indeed have to sell our programs, but I think we still end up with the best job in the entire world. We get to share our contagious love for music every single day with the future leaders of our country. What an honor!

Dr. Angela Ammerman is a stay at home-ish Mom who spends any free time teaching music educators at George Mason University, conducting All-State Orchestras, teaching the youngest musicians in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and writing about music education in The Music Teacher’s Guide series. Ammerman is in awe of the dedication and resilience of music educators across the country and is honored to serve them.