In the early days of my educational career, I had the opportunity to work with and observe multiple different programs in the area. Because of this, I’ve been able to reflect on the state of education in the marching arts and decide what kind of teacher I want to be. There’s no question that the marching activity fosters an incredibly competitive enviroment, but some educators take hold of the competitive spirit and use that to force students to improve; that’s not the kind of teacher I am.

In my approach to marching education, I always take a ‘student first’ approach. While I do have the drive to make the groups I work with the best they can possibly and place well in competition, I recognize that a band program belongs to the students, not the staff. My job as a staff member, in any capacity, is to teach the students how to play their chosen instrument. In order to properly acheive this, I separate education from competition. If the students are motivated enough to learn from their staff, then judge’s scores will positively reflect that motivation.

A secondary goal of mine is to make the marching arts a much more healthy enviroment to be in. Because of the intense & competitive nature of the activity, students are more vulnurable than ever. In order to combat this, I believe treating the activity less militantly is crucial. Speaking to students with respect & being understanding above all else is a key part in my educational philosophy.

I owe my career to the activity, but I feel confident in saying that positive change needs to be made in order to ensure the longevity of our programs.