The Power of Positive Reinforcement!

Positive motivation unifies, emboldens the human spirit, and makes people's self worth surge. 

We are keeping up our "positive approach." I am very excited to announce that this year we are continuing the giving out of trophies at band camp but have added some more to the mix.  Each of the 5 drum majors will give out a trophy each day called the "Drum Major's Choice" award. It is a really cool little trophy that says you were giving a special effort and that it was noticed.  In addition, we will continue our daily "Outstanding Section" and "Most Improved Section" trophies.  Each day, the captain of the two sections will get a little trophy if their section wins. If a section gets a second trophy, the captain has the option of giving that trophy to a member of the section who they deem did incredible work on that day.  Also, each day of camp I will be giving out the new "Pat on the Back" award to one member of the marching band who I feel went that special 200% for the band.  

Realize that some bands use negative reinforcement to motivate, punishing the entire unit when someone doesn't "get it done".  "Mass punishment" also pits the group against each other which is divisive and counterproductive; it also makes people sad.  It is true, this type of extrinsic motivation gets quick results but is based on fear which, in the opinion of the Roslyn Marching Band, is not what life is all about.  I totally feel that our positive approach is the reason why our band has been getting larger each year while others dwindle.

Remember the Fish Philosophy! I  will go over this for our new members at camp.  

1. Have Fun

2. Choose Your Attitude

3. Make Someone's Day

4. Be There

More about this at band camp!  The fish philosophy refresher course!

Get Psyched! Get Psyched! Get Psyched!  We're going to have a great year!

Getting Psyched for Band Camp

Yesterday I spent all day in the bandroom getting ready for the new season.  Aaron Kersch, Ross Drucker, Grant Margolin and Jenn Feldman spent hours helping to put the new drum racks together and organize the bandroom.  We will be doing that on Thursday, if you want to come early at 5pm you can help out as well.  Getting the equipment ready and reflecting on the growth of our program over the past  few years, I became totally psyched about this upcoming year.  We are moving the band to a whole other level, moving more, up from 32 to 63 sets, doing more involved music, and working on our marching to make the band better than ever. Our goal is simple.....to win!  We are in a competitive arena, competing every week through October and we are here to do the best!  Get psyched!  We have already went through a vigorous basics program this spring, the music is all learned, and we are on a mission!  I will be blogging frequently at this point so check this website to see what we are doing, and where we are going. Look at the goal sheet, it is online, to prepare for the year and our future!  What we are doing is exciting, intense, and great.  We are building a dynasty!  

The "Bullets" winner!

This year I had each of the student leaders do 10 bullets on how they helped their section or the band. All the bullets were incredible but one of them totally made my day. I learned a few things from these bullets and I felt excited and psyched about Zach Goldsmith's entry. Check this out, especially the last paragraph!

Ten things I have done for my section:
1. I taught my section to breathe properly.
2. I made my freshmen feel comfortable entering the band as respected members.
3. I taught Gabe how to mark time.
4. I'm having my section bring a mouthpiece to buzz on if they go away to stay in shape.
5. I let my section know that they can always play louder.
6. I made my section somewhat afraid to put their horns down until Mr. Bennet tells the enitre band to.
7. My section has 4 Drum Major's Choice awards. That's 40% of the section. I doubt there is another section with a percentage that high.
8. My section is never told to be quiet. We are one of the few sections who can say that.
9. My section looks up to me as a role model and something that they strive to be.
10. I have turned Ricky into one of the most dedicated members of the band. His attendance is better than any drum major's and he now marches better than a lot of people older than him. You (Mr. Patterson) don't have to go out of your way to publicly compliment him. He knows he has vastly improved but also knows there is still improvement to be made, as is for everyone.

Overall, it is not out of the question to say that I am co-running one of the most competent and hard working sections in the band. I can promise you that you (Mr. Patterson) will not hesitate to claim my section most outstanding early and often in band camp. They are aware that I hold them to a higher standard than receiving a drum major's choice or being complimented by someone of higher authority. I work them incredibly hard, knowing that they are aware that it is all to achieve an end, that end being total victory. I don't allow complacency no matter how successful and proficient they become, and they will be just that. You have my word, so much so that if they don't blow you away, you may strip me of my position.

Zach Goldsmith

Rehearsals During AP Exams

Several students and parents have asked me if they can miss the rehearsals these next two weeks due to the AP exams.  I said that everyone has to come, that we only rehearse 20% the amount of time that the other bands rehearse even with these spring rehearsals.  Missing them would hurt us from a competetive standpoint. We need to finish the music in the show and learn all the marching basics of the new visual program prior to camp.  I do understand that this is a high pressure time of the year, my daughter took all of the AP exams as well. However, realize that all sports, clubs, and activities are in full swing during these two weeks, and nobody would ask the coaches to be excused however, since our marching band is not into the season yet people think the rehearsals aren't as important.  But they are!  We are trying to move our band to win the class each year and since we start at camp behind all the other bands who rehearse all summer, we are trying to put ourselves in a position where we can be on a level playing field when band camp starts.  Here at Roslyn, summer rehearsals are out of the question.  Too many band members are away for large chunks of the Summer, either at academic camps or college SAT classes, etc.

A few weeks ago people simply stayed home and needed a break, I wrote a whole blog about that.  I excused band members for RCP, sports practices, games, studying, SAT prep classes, and many other things.  These rehearsals are only one per week.  They are very important.

So here we are, trying to get to the point where we are competitive.  If you are stressed out, totally unable to come to the entire rehearsal then come to the first or second hour these two weeks as a break from studying.  Realize that if your attendance has already been sporadic, you will want to be here for all the remaining rehearsals to achieve or maintain a leadership position.  These are the times that I really see who is putting in that extra effort.  Like a sport, we have to compete and achieve, and these rehearsals once a week are really not that much in terms of what competitive marching bands do.  We have already made huge concessions with the schedule as is, as well as excusing many of you already from a rehearsal.  Look at the other bands websites and you will see what I am talking about.  They rehearse much more than us. Much more.

As usual, if there is an extenuating circumstance, e-mail or call me.  If you can be there for the entire rehearsal, please do so.  Make it your break from the rigors of studying.

The Price of Band Camp

This year the price of band camp is rising from $500 to $586. This is due to the fact that the band has become considerably larger in the past 3 years and with it so do expenses. We are getting transportation from the district for Band Camp, the Syracuse Championship, and all our competitions along with chaperoning at our competitions and trips. This is still a great price for a week long camp with national level instructional staff, transportation, food, and all snacks, water, and supervision included.

Mark Carman's Snare Solo

Here is the video of Mark Carman's performance at the Individual Championships at Bridgeport, Connecticut a few weeks ago. It is amazing. Check it out!

Where is Everybody?!?!?

I didn't want to make these winter rehearsals mandatory. We had pretty good attendance at the first one, about 130 out of 150 came. The second and third rehearsal was less due to the RCP show rehearsals. Being the flexible, understanding, band director I am, I told the RCP people to go home and rest, understanding how tired they were from the late nights before the show. Then tonight, we only had a handful of people who went away and had a very low showing with a total of 72, about half of the band. Then we did something we have NEVER done here with the Roslyn Marching Band. I had the drum majors call members who were not here. Now this is the part that blew me away. Many were at home, out socializing, and/or relaxing while the other half of our band was working hard at rehearsal. Some of them were even those same people that I showed flexibility with. This is very upsetting and actually somewhat shocking. Conflicts are one thing, but deliberately relaxing is totally unacceptable, while team members are hard at work. In addition, we have some of the top teachers in the country working with us, with half the band missing. Captains were even missing, without so much as a text or an e-mail to me. So here it is, rehearsals are now mandatory. Students who miss will be out of the program. If you have a conflict I will be flexible and understanding but I will need a note. I didn't want to do this but at this point it is just not fair for people to miss one of our 10 rehearsals during the school year while others are hard at work. And it isn't even a school night.

Anyone who knows me doesn't really need me to reiterate this but I will. Captains and/or officers who blew this off without e-mailing or calling me need to do so immediately, for obvious reasons. Anyone who wants a position of leadership in the future and is blowing off rehearsals without telling me has probably lost their chance at a leadership role. Don't worry if you are on vacation, at the airport, etc. but you need to tell either Julie Clark, our President, Jenn Feldman, our CEO or myself. Captains and Officers missing need to text me, nobody else.

Character Development

CD! That's what we are working on all of our life. That's what we try to teach in band. This lecture by Dr. Randy Pausch is incredible. He is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Watch it on the sidebar of this blog or look it up on youtube. Dr. Pausch last lecture. Incredible 10 minute life lesson!

Baby Olivia Is Here!

Yesterday, February 6th at 1:20pm we had Olivia Delaney Patterson. She is 8 lbs 2 oz, 20 " and is doing great. My wife, Jen is also doing well. Brady and Vanessa are going to meet her today and Stephanie, Joey and Patrick will meet her tomorrow or Saturday.

Florida Trip, Band Size, downloads, etc.

It's incredible, last year we were the largest competetive band on Long Island with 138, and now we are getting even larger! We are planning on having the band be between 150 and 180 members depending upon how many people sign up. It is truly remarkable, while most bands are dwindling in size, we are growing! As band members we are totally into it, love the marching and music as well as the social aspects of this incredible activity. It gives us all a chance to work together towards "Being Great"!

Now all the wind parts are online to be downloaded as pdf files. The percussion parts can be picked up at the night rehearsals. I will start the heavy middle school recruiting after the February break.

The pep band performed at a game earlier in the year and will be performing at the televised basketball game on Monday, February 11th. My wife's baby's birth is planned for that day so I won't be there, unless Olivia comes early.

Pep band members are chosen by the Band President and myself, they have to purchase a tee shirt for $15 and come to the two to five events we play throughout the year. Last year we played two times. We may play up to five events depending upon the year.

The Florida trip is in full swing. If you have any questions about it e-mail Mr. Pilnick or Mr. Coffey. I will not be going due to the birth of our baby, however they will be running it. This is a great trip and all of the itinerary items are now online.