School Owned Instruments

Today was the last day of work for the school year, until next year begins in August. After turning in my final grades and getting the secretary and principal to sign off on everything, I began working on my first summer project: going through the school-owned instruments. When I first came to Dutton, I was amazed at how many school owned instruments there were. There are more clarinets than there are junior high students! I was also saddened to find that many of the instruments were in disrepair. When you teach in a small school and a rural district, you get pretty good at fixing instruments with tape and rubber bands! There are many small repairs that can be done in a moment's notice to get an instrument to work at the beginning of class, during class, and right before a concert begins. It helps a lot to have a toolbox with small flathead screwdrivers, a pair of pliers, a pair of tweezers, and a basic knowledge of how to troubleshoot problems when a student says, "My ______ won't play!"

Today, my father in law (a retired band director) came to work with me, and we spent the better part of six hours going through the 70+ school-owned instruments and checking to see if they worked. Each instrument was assembled, chromatic scales were played to check all keys, and several quick fixes were made, while other instruments got a tag to show that they were not in working condition (and hopefully they will go to the shop this summer). I learned from my father-in-law that there are many more repairs that you can do after you learn how to replace corks and pads, which really aren't very difficult and don't take a lot of time.

When you hear students squawking and... making farting noises with their instruments (for lack of a better description) on a regular basis, consider that there may be something wrong with their instrument, not just the way they are playing it. I have had three students in two years who put up with instruments where not every note worked, and nobody realized it was the instruments' fault, not the students. Therefore, I have learned to listen and watch for signs that an instrument may be malfunctioning so that the students actually have a chance to learn the instrument. I mean, learning the saxophone is hard, and especially hard when one of the main springs has come unhooked. This is a year-long vigil, because instruments can start to fall apart at any time during the year.

Good music teachers require their students to take care of their instruments. This is a result of (1) proper training for every student, (2) constant reminders of the expectation, (3) providing or requiring certain cleaning/caretaking supplies, and (4) creating a learning environment where everything has its own place so that nothing is lost or damaged by accident. Handing out a detailed description of basic instrument care should be required at the beginning of each year or semester. I don't feel that the one-page description included in the band method book gives enough information. This handout should be teacher-made and designed with high expectations and detailed instructions in mind. Also, taking care of an instrument takes practice. The students need a step by step description of what to do, or a demonstration, and then they need guided practice until they can begin to do it correctly on their own. And don't forget the importance of the consistent expectation that students always need to take care of their instrument and put it away correctly.

Good music teachers also have a system for storing instruments and supplies. The instruments need to have a consistent, safe home when the students are finished using them for the day. If there are no convenient places to store instruments, then build them! The head of the maintenance department may be able to help, and it should be okay as long as the administration is aware of the situation. The students also need a place to put their music folders if they are not taking them home to practice. Finally, it is wise to inform the students where additional supplies (reeds, oils, etc.) can be found if they run out. Keeping everything where students can access them (in the music office, for example) teaches the students some responsibility for knowing what they need to use, where to find it, and how to get it for themselves. It also saves the teacher from having to fetch supplies for the students. The students need to understand that a good, working instrument is required in order to be a contributing member of the band.