Why They Quit, Why They Stay

Improving Retention in School Bands and Orchestras

Phillip Hash – Calvin College

TX Education Assoc. (2004-05)

Band• 6th - 90, 810• 7th - 65, 925 (-27.4%)• 8th - 58, 790 (-38.3%)• 9th - 43, 760 (-63.8%)• 12th - 16, 564 (-81.8%)• % Remaining = 18.2%

Orchestra• 6th - 18, 121• 7th – 11, 994 (-33.8%)• 8th – 12,179 (+1.5%)• 9th – 7, 065 (-74.3%)• 12th – 2, 407 (-86.7%)• % Remaining = 13.3%

Survey of Former Students• 27 non-music major

undergraduates who participated in inst. music in ES/MS/HS

• 9/27 (33%) graduated as a band/orch. member

• Questions

Why Students Quit or Stay

Dropout• Lack of Progress• Peer Pressure• Conflicting

Interests/Schedules• Low Recognition of

efforts

Continue• Social benefits• Musical enjoyment• Performing

opportunities• Adult influence

Conclusions• Stayed

– musical reasons (14)– social reasons (12)

• Quit– Conflicts w/ other interests (8)– Too difficult/not a good player (6)– Loss of Interest (6)

Maslow – Hierarchy of Needs

Biological and Physiological needs

Belongingness and Love needs

Esteem needs

Cognitive needs

Aesthetic needs

Self-act.

Safety needs

Maslow – Levels 1 & 2

Biological and Physiological needs

Safety needs

Maslow Level 3

Biological and Physiological needs

Safety needs

Belongingness

+ & - of Peer Pressure• “I loved the tone of the French horn but what kept me

involved was my friends”. • I also had a lot of friends in the band and my section in

particular. • “I quit because of the aspects of band that were associated

with not being cool…being a “momma’s boy” or whatever”.

• “I quit because I was extremely self-conscious of my image. I didn’t want people to think I was a ‘Band Boy’”.

• Students most attracted to athletics/least attracted to music. (Eder & Kinney, 1995; Holland & Andre, 1995)

Maslow – Level 4

Biological and Physiological needs

Safety needs

Belongingness and Love needs

Esteem & Achievement

Retention Depends on Success• Costa-Giomi (2004)

– Piano teachers can predict who will succeed after 6 wks. of instruction

– Dropouts after 6 wks had:• Missed more lessons• Practiced less• Progressed through less material than

peers

Maslow – Level 5

Biological and Physiological needs

Belongingness and Love needs

Esteem needs

Cognitive needs

Safety needs

Aesthetic Needs Maslow Level 6

• “Playing is fun, but playing remains only fun unless we play something worth playing” (Britton 1991).

• “Although educational pieces are often justified for being motivational, in fact they may have the opposite effect by being unchallenging and blandly alike”. (Budiansky & Foley, in press)

Harry Begian“The monotony of playing and hearing the same kinds of musical sounds, textures, and rhythmical devices can only discourage and disappoint players,” (Begian, 1990). “School bands that study and perform music of limited substance cannot do anything good for young musicians and may eventually turn students away from band. The study and performance of good music is what attracts students to a band program. Conductors who play only the best music with their bands rarely have a dropout problem” (Begian, 1991).

Conflicts w/ other Interests

• Average HS band performed 43x per year.

• Only 12.6 were concerts (Miles, 1995)

• Burnout?

Other ClassesElem./Mid. School• Pullout Lessons

– Academic Achievement?

– Other Issues• Before/After School

– Treat as a class

High School• Challenges• Consider offering

additional sections– Compare to other

subjects. – What about

performances?

With Administration

• Data rather vs. speculation

• Devise a plan• Tradition vs. what is

best now• Let guidance

counselor know who should be in band next year

With Parents/Students• Newsletter • Motivational Letters• Positive Parent Communication • Honest use of Research• 73% of dropouts never contacted by band

director (Solly, 1986)

Closing Thoughts• Almost everything we

do has the potential to affect retention

• A well disciplined ensemble that focus on playing great music is least likely to have problems with retention