pantonality’s posterous

I have known many band directors that struggle with the issue of rehearsal and practice time with their beginning and Junior High students.  Cramped and cut back schedules exacerbate the problem by taking time away from both the student and the director.  Note, this is not just a Band director problem, Choir directors can also have this problem.

I have witnessed and experienced several different ways to combat these problems.  One solution that I fancy the most is referred to as the Rotating Sectional Schedule. 

ALL the school districts I have seen use this model come out victorious in just a few years time.  The one catch is that your administration needs to be supportive of the students being pulled out of class to go to band sectionals.  The plus side of the rotating schedule is that they only get pulled out of the same class once every month or so.  It all depends on how many hours you pull out for sectionals.  If you have four hours a day of sectionals, then the students will get pulled out of the same class once every four weeks.

Below is a model of the rotating sectional schedule.  

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Imagine the best "fig newton" cookie you have ever had and this recipe is even better!  Enjoy!

Fig and Pecan Filling:

• 2 cups figs (I used mission figs), coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup pecans, finely chopped

Cookie Base:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 3/4 cups sifted unbleached allpurpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats