Earlier this week I posted about a competition which we are running at the Fun Music Company, where we are asking for contributions to a new bonus ebook called “The Music Teachers Survival Guide”.

This will be a bonus that is given away with some of our other products.

Some people have emailed me, saying that they are a little confused about the sort of thing that we are looking for, so I decided to askmy Husband Kevin What he would contribute to it.

Kevin has done loads of work with percussion students, percussion bands as well as other bands and ensembles.

You can imagine that working with lots of energetic students with drum sticks in their hands led to him having to develop a few strategies for getting them to keep quiet!

Behavior Management as a Game in the School BandMost band rooms or classrooms have a whiteboard behind the conductor – or you can just improvise with a piece of paper. Simply write up on the board:

Me | You

And then any time they do something positive, such as stopping very quickly, performing a difficult passage well or showing good attention you give them a point in the “You” column.

If they don’t stop when you say, or play their instrument while you are talking or some such thing, they you get a point on the “me” side.

Obviously the game is for them to get more points than you – The reward might be to go to lunch five minutes early, or to play a piece they enjoy or some such thing. It doesn’t have to be big, just something they will enjoy and want. The factor of “them” beating “you” is what they will really enjoy!!

This is the kind of idea that can work really well for a time. Of course after a while the students may get bored of it and need something else, and that is why we need these contributions to this book, and why this e-book could be really valuable to music teachers everywhere!

Kevin didn’t make this up – he learned it by watching an experienced band director at work… so there is no copyright on it.. its just an IDEA – and that’s what we are looking to share by creating this little ebook.. IDEAS that work!

So go ahead and make your contribution by emailing us, or using the contact form on this website – You’ll not only enter the competition to win a bottle of bubbly, but everyone who contributes will get a copy of the ebook when it is compiled.

So contact me with your entry as soon as possible, as entries close on Friday 22nd August 2008.