Asking 4 Help
(Trigger Warning)
(Trigger Warning)
If you or a loved one is struggling with thoughts of harming themselves, what phone number should you call?
The suicide prevention hotline - 988
Name a way you could boost student morale after pushing them for a while.
Give them a break for a day, play an educational (but fun) game of some sort, give a pep talk, etc.
A student is constantly being disruptive in class/rehearsal but isn't really causing much harm, what do you do?
Depends on the teacher but generally, have a conversation with them or involve the parents if calling them out in class/rehearsal doesn't work
It's 3 days before the Christmas concert and your top group still hasn't learned most of their music (you are 100% certain it is more than achievable for even the slowest learners in the group) what do you do?
Give them a stern reminder of your expectations you (should have) laid out for them at the beginning of the year, keep working with them whenever you can until the concert, remind them that its on them (within reason) to determine how the performance goes
A student walks into your classroom and tells you they've been feeling down cause they didn't make top chair in the All-State band. Do you ask for help?
No, they just need to practice more!
Name one (or more) healthy methods a teacher could use to cope with burnout
Activities like Walking/Running more, join a community band/choir, set clear work-life boundaries, etc.
One of your student leaders is setting a poor example for the program! What is something you can do to make sure their behavior doesn't leave a lasting impression on other students?
Make it clear to the student that their behavior is not tolerated and could result in loss of that leadership position if it continues, follow through with that promise if they dont listen and make the situation clear to the group they were in charge of if there is pushback
Rumors start circulating throughout your high school program that you pick your leadership team purely based on favoritism instead of how you think they would do based on whatever process you use to gain more information about the students trying out for leadership (ex: leadership applications and interviews with the students and picking based on that)
Talk to the band during classes and explain the criteria you use to pick your leadership that isn't spelled out for them. (ex: more likely to pick students who show up prepared to learn, listen attentively, achieve higher levels of musicianship consistently, help younger members even without having a leadership role, etc.)
A student who you know has been going through a rough patch recently comes to your office and confides they have been thinking about harming themselves.
Report it depending on the laws in your area. (in my experience going behind the students back to do this is a surefire way to lose their trust forever)
Name one (or more) healthy ways to deal with anxiety in the classroom
breathe! if you have a planning period go take a walk, etc.
You see a student purposely hitting themselves multiple times (each time you have either told them to stop in some way) and it keeps happening.
Notify Guidance/Parents if talking to the student doesn't do anything and they wont tell you what's wrong
It's peak marching band season for your high school program (mid-late October) and everyone is starting to become a little testy and emotional from how much they are together and working. While having a meeting with your staff (if you're lucky enough to be able to afford one), a student comes into your office and starts to just dump all their emotions onto you and your staff while crying. None of what they are saying is reportable, just a high schooler getting way too stressed over band. What do you do?
Again subjective, but I would likely cut them off and ask everyone but myself and the assistant director/head director/lead staff member (depending on my role and if I have another director) to leave so we arent just all there listening to a student crying. Hear out whatever they need to say without interrupting them further, then offer some advice on how I would deal with whatever they are upset about. (ex: Student- "My friends are all treating me like I'm a horrible person because I hold them and the band to a high standard during rehearsal" Me- "Well, if I were you, I'd go talk to them and discuss how they're making you feel along with giving them a chance to do the same because maybe it isn't because of the reason you think")
A student walks into the band/choir room first thing in the morning with bruises all over and a black eye you can tell was hastily covered in makeup. You call them to your office after class and ask if everything is alright and they confide that a parent hit them that morning.
call CPS IMMEDIATELY
Dr. Fonza please correct me if this is wrong or if there are other steps usually
Name some suicide prevention resources
Call or text 988, thetrevorproject.org (LGBTQ+ resource), https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention, etc.
(feel free to ask me for these links for you to go check out on your own)
Multiple students come to you saying a certain student in the band/choir has been repeatedly touching one of the younger members without their consent and has been told to stop multiple times (could be just on the shoulder or worse but still)
Get eyes on said student and Notify admin/resource officer immediately. Personally, I would go a step further and attempt to work with admin to ensure that student is no longer part of the band/choir class
A parent tries to discipline a student they have no connection to during one of the events you are hosting at the summer band camp. What do you do?
completely subjective but I'd make it clear to the parent that unless it's their own student they're dealing with they need to not interact with my students unless it's absolutely necessary. If this continues, consider talking to admin about having the parent barred from school events or something along those lines (yes, I've seen that happen with a program I've worked with in the past)