XVI. PARENT ASSISTANCE
Statement – the following suggestions are based on years of experience in the field of music education, and are listed
for you to help your child get the most out of his or her band experience.
A. Establish the proper attitude toward music at home. Part of the purpose of your child studying music is that he/she
might gain an appreciation for fine music. Parents can help this cause by encouraging the best music in their home.
Show your appreciation and support for all music at home.
B. Encourage practice at home. Many students often complain of having to try to "fit" their practicing in around the
convenience of other family members. While your child's practicing may prove to be a disturbance in the home, please
realize that if musical growth is to take place, your child must have a time and place to practice. Practice time should be
at least thirty minutes per day. Firmly emphasize the need to practice, but don't force the student to practice. Practicing
needs to be something they want to do, not something they are forced to do. HOURS OF PRACTICE DO NOT HELP;
THE WAY ONE PRACTICES IS IMPORTANT.
C. Speak well of the organization in which your child plays. Show him/her that you respect their efforts and the effort of
the group. Show your child that you realize that being a member of a musical organization is serious work that demands
responsibility and time management skills.
D. Show interest in his/her music and instrument. Ask what music the band is playing, what pieces he/she likes best,
likes least, and why.
E. Question your child occasionally about the condition of his/her instrument. Discuss with the band director when a
new instrument is needed.
F. DON’T threaten dismissal from the band, or taking away the student's instrument for disciplinary measures unless the
situation has been carefully thought out. Often a student is taken away from the only thing that he/she does well and
allows him/her to feel good. Removing a student from a performance disciplines the entire group. This fact should be
considered in the final decision.
G. Attend the activities in which your child participates. In large and busy families, scheduling for the entire family is
usually difficult. A student likes to know, however, that his/her parents are in the audience listening and watching the
performance. They are most concerned about what YOU think about their performance.
H. Consider private instruction when good private teachers are available and when finances make such study possible.
In general, high school students who are performing to the best of their ability and show an overall passion and skill for
what they are doing should be studying privately. If such study is desirable, and your child wants to study (an important
point), consult the band director for names of people in the area whom he would recommend. Private study is not only
reserved for students who intend to continue playing after high school, but for all students interested in improving their
playing.
I. Become active in the parent organizations that emphasize music and the students involved in the school's music
program. The Band Boosters are organized to assist in the implementation of the best music program possible for your
child. Their purpose is to boost the organization. By taking an active part in his group, your child will see that you are
concerned and interested about his/her musical growth and the organization that supports this.
J. If your child shows an interest in a career in music, take time to meet with the band director for a list of possible
colleges, possible vocations in the music field, entrance requirements, and scholarship opportunities that are available.
K. If you have any questions concerning the music program at Collingswood High School, please feel free to contact Mr.
Joe Lerch at 856-962-5701 x. 6430, or by email at jdlerch@pantherband.net.