Habits & Routines in the Winter of Unending Snow

The quote above is one that students of mine have heard me reference for many years. I imagine that many of us, in one way or another, make it our mission as educators to instill some sort of habitual excellence in our students. Whether through some sort of 'achievement program' for individual students (band ribbons, band awards), or establishing lofty performance goals for our ensembles, we won't be successful without setting the highest possible daily expectations. Which brings me to 14 snow days since January 1...anybody pulling their hair out yet?!! Have you noticed a difference in the way the students engage in rehearsal when you are in school? Have you heard the difference in the tone quality of your instrumentalists? It has been eye-opening -- or should I say "ear-opening." Turns out, what we say is actually true!!!!! Without daily attention to any habit or skill -- particularly, a motor skill -- the neuro-connections weaken and we all become underachievers. We know this, and yet, until we live through a winter of polar vortices and snow in obscene amounts, we don't see it play out quite so vividly in band rehearsal.

We would all like to believe that each precious band student proudly takes that instrument home each and every evening to fulfill their 30-45 minute practice obligation. Pareto's principle (the 80-20 rule) suggests that, at best, 20% of our students actually fulfill this obligation. In a program with multiple, auditioned ensembles, we may be so lucky as to have the top 20% in our top ensemble, but what of the other 80%?

How do we encourage more students to continue the excitement about home practice that they had as beginners? In 1982, a study on band program attrition by the Gemeinhardt Co., known as The Gemeinhardt Report, concluded that the primary reason that students drop out of band is because they don't think they can play their instrument very well. By the time a student has advanced through to high school, their self-image as an instrumentalist is well-established. The flurry of activities, jobs, and academic demands make it more and more difficult for students to actually find the time to practice. They don't believe they are good, and are not able to find time to take the steps to get better.

Two books that I have read and enjoyed recently: Atomic Habits by James Clear and The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle really highlight the power of helping our students develop strong patterns of intelligent, thoughtful practice. This is, most importantly, not time-bound, but results-bound. By results-bound, I mean "how many correct repetitions have been completed?", rather than "how long have I practiced?" By reframing practice, we give students hope that they can improve if they take simple, easy steps to establishing a better practice ethic.

For that dreaded 80%, one thing we push in Cameron is the "hit some correct repetitions before band class" approach. This does NOT always involve a student having to take the instrument home -- a home they may not even get to until 10:00 that night. It involves giving themselves ten to twenty extra minutes in the morning, coming in before band and digging in! Find something in the repertoire that you are struggling with, and play 5-8 correct repetitions. (What about that perfect long-tone warm up? Lip slurs? As Voltaire wrote, "the perfect is the enemy of the good") They may not be investing the amount of time you wish they were, but at the very least, they are doing something to take ownership of their progress and accountability on their part. They are also getting "face time" with their instrument, which can only be a good thing.

James Clear, in his book Atomic Habits, outlines 4 Laws for habit formation that provide a "how-to" framework for creating better habits and/or breaking bad habits. Among the many things that he recommends is the idea that in order to form a positive habit (such as helping our students rediscover a desire to practice), we have to help create an atmosphere where they don't have to be perfect --they just have to do it. Practicing some, even a little, is better than not practicing at all.

If I were to recommend only one book for educators looking to develop talent, Daniel Coyle's The Talent Code is that book. It is a scientific, physiological approach to helping build the wiring necessary for motor skill development in a systematic way. Using data based on his exploration of what he calls "hotbeds" of talent from not only musicians, but various types/ages of athletes, even students in mathematics, Coyle lays out a detailed case for the systemic insulation of wiring in our brain in the proper development of talent. He suggests that students aren't "born" with talent, as much as that we create conditions that allow us to develop their talent.

These two books were game-changers for me. I haven't begun to fully mine all of the great information they contain. They have changed my personal life, as well. I can't recommend them highly enough. When we are faced with the frustrating issue of students that don't come to class prepared (or 14 snows days...since January 1!!!!), these ideas can spark strategies that we can implement for making practice not seem so overwhelming. It makes practice actually doable for the active, involved teenager. Practice can be something not to dread, but something that provides that next step to higher achievement and better enjoyment.