In a message to Robert Butler  Sheila King wrote:
SK> -> As a band director, I work with all band students in my district
SK> from
SK> -> grades 6 through 12.  I have seen no disadvantages to this, and
SK> the
SK> -> advantages are many:
SK> -> 1. The kids know what to expect from you.
SK> -> 2. You know what to expect from the kids.
SK> -> 3. You get to work with a lot of different levels of development
SK> and
SK> -> cirriculum.
SK> -> 4. Students feel more comfortable to confide in you, they trust
SK> you
SK> -> more, and as a result you understand them better as individuals.
SK> ->
SK> -> Anyone else care to add to the list?
SK>
SK> I have seen some disadvantages, well, one.
SK>
SK> It is possible that a student doesn't like a particular teacher.
SK> Since
SK> you teach Band, I assume an elective (?), and are the only band
SK> instructor (?), you are probably not likely to see this. As one of 14
No, I am one of 3 band Directors that works with kids ranging from grades 
6-12.  And yes, I have students every year who do not like the fact that I 
expect them to put forth effort and to save their jokes for after class.  I 
have been able to reach almost all of these kids in the following way:
1. I explain to them that they are going to get something accomplished today. 
Period.  They can either do it with everyone else during class, or they can 
do it by themselves with me after school.
2. I put my money where my mouth is!  If kids can't stay on task during the 
class and start to distract other students, out in the hallway they go.  Then 
after class they get to call their parents to tell them to come and pick them 
up after school.
3. When I have a kid or kids after school for this reason, I work with them, 
help them to understand things that they need help with, and we put the 
reason that they are staying after school behind us for the time being and I 
am very positive and encouraging with them as we get through the lesson.  
They then see that I really care about them and their success in my class, 
and the problem usually decreases or disappears.
I must qualify this by saying that I start this in 6th grade and that is 
probably a big reason why it works.  If I tried this with a 10th grader who 
never had me for a teacher before, it probably wouldn't work, but if that 
same 10th grader has known what to expect from me for 5 years and knows that 
I care about him/her, it will still work, and does!  Sure, it takes up a lot 
of my time the 1st few weeks of every school year, but it the long run it 
pays off. Kids need to know that you care about them in order for them to 
want to do what you require of them, IMO.
I had a 7th grade girl and her 8th grade sister for the 1st time in my band 
this year.  The 7th grade girl was somewhat lazy and her sister would get 
confrontational with me when I corrected her sister.  The 7th grade girl had 
a serious health problem a while back and was in ICU in the hospital.  I had 
all of the Jr. high band kids sign a big get well card for her and I took it 
to her at the hospital and we had a nice little talk, with her sister there 
also.
The end result is that she tries real hard to do what I ask her to now and 
the older sister has backed off, too.  I'm glad this was an isolated case, 
I'd hate to have to visit every one of my students in the hospital in order 
to show that I care about them, but I would if I had to!
Regards,
Robert Butler
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