So it's been a while since I've posted...no excuses, life and work simply got in the way. I had something interesting happen to me today and I've been thinking and ruminating most of the day on the larger implications.
I spent a large portion of my day yesterday dealing with parents--calming fears, helping them make decisions about their students, the usual thing. One parent had started particularly upset and spoke to several other university officials before she reached me. Now, this isn't something I typically think anything of...parents have a perfect right to be concerned/upset/freaked out over the state of their son or daughter's education. I dealt with the parent's concerns and that was the end of it. This morning I received an email from one of the university officials that parent spoke to, in which the official copied my boss and several other "high level" university officials. The summation of the email was that the parent wrote back later to compliment my work and the official wanted to compliment me on a job well done.
Well, "so what?" you're saying..."you should be proud of yourself!" (and why pat yourself on the back in a blog post?)
Here's why:
I admit to being a bit uncomfortable with the praise. For starters, I have always had to work very hard for any learned skill or acquired knowledge. Very few things came "easily" to me as I grew up. Advising students (and alternately their parents) has felt incredibly comfortable and natural from the moment I started doing it. It seems wrong to accept praise for something do easy!
But the biggest reason I'm uncomfortable with this praise is...it's my job. It's my JOB to help you and your parents deal with tough issues. It's my job to let you vent when things seem really stressful. Receiving excessive praise (while incredibly kind) for something like this seems akin to complimenting someone excessively for placing a phone call or making photocopies. These are the things advisors do every day.
But I will also admit that this academic year has had an ongoing theme and, while I will not profess any particular religious affiliation, it is biblical in nature. "To the work you are entitled, but not the fruits thereof". I don't start off any of my working relationships, or my work days, expecting to be rewarded for the things I do. Funnily enough, this isn't a peewee baseball game--everyone doesn't get a trophy just for showing up. I do the work that I do because I was lucky enough to find a career that I love. I get to watch the educational journey of my students for a very brief (but incredibly meaningful time) and then I send them on their way. I get to tell my students that I'm proud of them when they graduate...I don't get to claim any responsibility for the fact that they actually DID graduate. One refrain my students hear from me all the time is, "you sit in the classes, you earn the grades, you're the one who gets the degree...I've already got my degrees, it's time for you to work on yours". The hard work is what my students are entitled to...the degree comes along as a result of the hard work. Not because you "earned" it, but because you learned it.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Friday, March 12, 2010
How Do You Lead? An Experiment in Clown Logic
Those who know me (and regular readers of this blog) are aware that I make no secret of my theatrical background. In fact, I use my Theatre training in almost every aspect of my life--in particular, my job as an academic advisor for first-year students at Virginia Commonwealth University. I have spent the past several months applying for leadership positions (both internally and at other universities). No working professional should allow their skills to become stagnant and I always want to grow and learn. Because I have been applying for "leadership" positions, I have constantly asked myself what being a "leader" actually means. How does one lead? How do I lead? I figured it out yesterday.
I was in my supervisor's office, speaking with him about a student whose case was about to go before an appeal committee. One of my colleagues entered the office with a quick question and my supervisor made a joke about needing to leave because he had theatre tickets. My colleague responded by saying that what "we" needed wasn't important and then proceeded to grab my arm and drag me out of my supervisor's office.
My colleague had not taken the time to find out what I needed to speak with my supervisor about. My colleague also physically manhandled me to get me to do what she wanted me to do.
That would never work in clowning.
My advisor friends will laughingly tell you that I am the only person they know who has taken a graduate-level clowning class. I was fortunate enough to take a master class with the man pictured above (Avner Eisenberg, a world-renowned mime, juggler, and clown). Any professional clown will tell you that comedy (like leadership) has rules you have to follow.
- A good clown ALWAYS listens: to other performers, and to his audience. Even if you are doing a "solo" performance, your audience is your partner...if you don't listen to how they are responding to the things you say and do, your performance will fail.
- A good clown breathes before he begins. This seems like common sense. We ALL breathe! But a clown has to pause at the beginning of his or her show and start to breathe WITH the audience. You need to be working in sync with those around you. And you should always take a second to pause and process before you speak!
- A good clown asks rather than demands. A lot of clowns will do "audience participation" gags. Going into the audience is a risk--you never know how someone will react to your presence (which generally makes people VERY nervous). But there are things you can do to ease that discomfort. If you want someone to come onstage with you, just put out your hand. If the audience member wants to participate, they will put their hand in yours---you will know that they are WILLING. Why would you physically grab someone and force them to do something they don't want to do? Why would we, as leaders, force our employees to do things that they are uncomfortable doing?
- A good clown helps us to laugh at our failings. I used to keep a quote on my wall from the incomparable Emma Thompson, "Laughter is a celebration of our failings. That's what clowns are for, and that's what I am." We all have shortcomings (as people and as employees). A good clown can point out those shortcomings...gently...and then help you see how humorous they really are. A good leader can show you that your shortcomings don't always have to be shortcomings. You can turn a negative into a positive.
- A good clown knows who he or she is. The Vaudeville-based clown is a distilled version of yourself. The performer will take their physical and psychological characteristics and then choose some to minimize (and others to maximize). But beyond all things, the clown is rooted in a deep-down understanding of WHO YOU ARE. If you don't know your own strengths and weaknesses, you should not lead others.
I believe in laughing at the things that happen on a daily basis. We can only deal with things as they happen, and then plan better for the next time. But life (and work) will always surprise us, so I would rather face it with a sense of humor and by working with those around me...and by occasionally wearing my clown nose.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Understanding Arts Training: Beyond "Soft" Skills
I recently had a conversation with my colleague Art Esposito, director of VCU's Discovery Program for Undeclared students. The gist of the conversation was that he has been looking for a way to help his population get their collective heads around what they will really be dealing with in the arts programs here at VCU. What is the day-to-day reality of an art student? What skills do you truly need to have beyond all of the technical jargon that is posted on audition and portfolio webpages? Let's be honest, I can tell a student that he or she needs to memorize two contrasting monologues of one minute each for the Theatre Performance program...but the audition is a nanosecond of time in the course of your arts training.
All of the literature currently being provided to arts advisors (and undeclared advisors talking to arts students) talks about how students can translate their "arts" skills (i.e. "soft" skills) into the business world. Yes, arts students are generally better at critical thinking, communicating and understanding ideas, collaboration, leadership (beat THAT Business majors!!), and public speaking. But there are skills that we are forgetting; skills that we aren't viewing in the right light, that will provide clues to BOTH of these problems.
Idea Synthesis. Can you compile data (in text, image, sound, etc. form) and synthesize it into new and compelling ways? You'll have to do that in dance, graphic arts, fashion, film, music, and theatre. Oh, and you'll probably need those skills in the business world too!
Focus. No one focuses (when they want to) like an arts student. Are you capable of spending 3 hours at a time standing in front of a mirror working on the position of your feet like my dancers do? Are you willing to spend 20+ man-hours on one project like a graphic arts student? That focus comes in handy when you are given a task to do in a 9-to-5 job too!
Visualization/Interpretation. Do you see a constant movie in your head? Now can you, with deliberation and accuracy, slow down the movie and notate everything that is happening? My film majors can. This ability to visualize an artistic ideal is necessary for every artist (the artist should say to him or herself, "THIS is how I want it to be, " and then make that particular thing happen.) The ability to visualize ideas is vital for everyone, no matter where they work.
Physical Mirroring/Detailed Correcting. Most artists understand that the smallest features in their work can help them attain perfection. The ability to look at something, identify a specific problem, and correct it on a finite scale is vital to the artist AND to the working professional.
Specificity. When an artist walks into a room and participates in "group work", you will hear them say (with alarming frequency), "give me the specifics...Let's talk about THIS THING..." The ideas of focus and detailed correcting I talked about earlier will always color an artist's view on any given project. They are capable of focusing in, and correcting, specific areas of a project (be it a concerto, a monologue, a pas de deux, a painting, etc.) This specific, focused approach is part of our artistic methodology. You cannot, as a musician, work on an entire symphony at one time. You have to work in pieces.
So what will students be doing in the arts besides learning music, painting pictures, and telling stories? They'll be focusing on their work in the most intimate ways possible. They'll be opening up their minds and (more painfully) their hearts to the creative process. They will be allowing others to judge their work and they will be judging others (you non-arts people call that "critical thinking"). They'll spend hours in front of mirrors. And they'll know their strengths and weaknesses better than someone with an Accounting degree...but at the end of the day, they'll still be able to sit down and work with someone with an Accounting degree.
All of the literature currently being provided to arts advisors (and undeclared advisors talking to arts students) talks about how students can translate their "arts" skills (i.e. "soft" skills) into the business world. Yes, arts students are generally better at critical thinking, communicating and understanding ideas, collaboration, leadership (beat THAT Business majors!!), and public speaking. But there are skills that we are forgetting; skills that we aren't viewing in the right light, that will provide clues to BOTH of these problems.
Idea Synthesis. Can you compile data (in text, image, sound, etc. form) and synthesize it into new and compelling ways? You'll have to do that in dance, graphic arts, fashion, film, music, and theatre. Oh, and you'll probably need those skills in the business world too!
Focus. No one focuses (when they want to) like an arts student. Are you capable of spending 3 hours at a time standing in front of a mirror working on the position of your feet like my dancers do? Are you willing to spend 20+ man-hours on one project like a graphic arts student? That focus comes in handy when you are given a task to do in a 9-to-5 job too!
Visualization/Interpretation. Do you see a constant movie in your head? Now can you, with deliberation and accuracy, slow down the movie and notate everything that is happening? My film majors can. This ability to visualize an artistic ideal is necessary for every artist (the artist should say to him or herself, "THIS is how I want it to be, " and then make that particular thing happen.) The ability to visualize ideas is vital for everyone, no matter where they work.
Physical Mirroring/Detailed Correcting. Most artists understand that the smallest features in their work can help them attain perfection. The ability to look at something, identify a specific problem, and correct it on a finite scale is vital to the artist AND to the working professional.
Specificity. When an artist walks into a room and participates in "group work", you will hear them say (with alarming frequency), "give me the specifics...Let's talk about THIS THING..." The ideas of focus and detailed correcting I talked about earlier will always color an artist's view on any given project. They are capable of focusing in, and correcting, specific areas of a project (be it a concerto, a monologue, a pas de deux, a painting, etc.) This specific, focused approach is part of our artistic methodology. You cannot, as a musician, work on an entire symphony at one time. You have to work in pieces.
So what will students be doing in the arts besides learning music, painting pictures, and telling stories? They'll be focusing on their work in the most intimate ways possible. They'll be opening up their minds and (more painfully) their hearts to the creative process. They will be allowing others to judge their work and they will be judging others (you non-arts people call that "critical thinking"). They'll spend hours in front of mirrors. And they'll know their strengths and weaknesses better than someone with an Accounting degree...but at the end of the day, they'll still be able to sit down and work with someone with an Accounting degree.
Friday, March 5, 2010
The Empathy Challenge (The Academical Doctor is In...)
I've been told, on more than one occasion, that a good advisor needs to be empathetic to their student's experiences. I'm lucky in that gratuitous Theatre training (and genetic predispositions) slide me further along the empathy scale than a number of my peers. In the interest of full disclosure, I will point out that I am a sympathetic crier. Watching my students break down has been known to send me into corresponding tears. I think that makes me a better advisor because I can understand what my students are going through...and then help them move past it.
But how often do you, as students, "flip the script"?
I once had a student wander back down the hallway to my office and knock on the door frame (I never close my office door unless a student needs to talk about something personal). When I looked up from the paperwork I was trying to finish, the student informed me that he was my 11:30 appointment. I asked the student to walk up to our front desk and sign in (we keep track of how many students come through our doors). The student's response was, "that's weird." I told him that he probably had to sign in when he went to his doctor and this was a similar concept. The young man responded, "oh yeah! You're like my academical doctor!"
I like telling this story for a few reasons. First, it's just plain funny--I've dressed up like an "academical" doctor for the last several Halloweens. Secondly, the story illustrates how infrequently we take the time to open up our perceptions to the experiences of others. Imagine you are a student who takes the time and energy to schedule an appointment with your advisor. You had to look over your schedule carefully, you might have had to forgo plans with friends after class. You probably have important questions you need to ask your advisor. Maybe you're concerned because you didn't get on-campus housing for next year. Maybe you are panicking about a bad grade. Whatever your reasons, you deserve to spend uninterrupted time with your advisor. How would you feel if another student wandered back and took your advisor's attention with a "quick" question? How would you feel if your advisor answered phone calls (personal or otherwise) during your meeting? You would probably feel like you didn't have your advisor's full attention and, even worse, that they didn't care about you.
I don't say all of this to scold my students (who generally have a flexible idea about the notion of time). I merely want you to understand why I do the things I do.
When I first started advising, I established very clear boundaries:
1). Never answer the phone while with a student unless it is an emergency (or a Dean is on the phone--and then you MUST apologize to the student BEFORE answering the phone).
2). Always give a student your full attention. You never know when they will disclose something important. That means one student at a time!
3). Respect a student's time: it's just as important as yours. If you are going to be late to an appointment because of a meeting, call and apologize...then apologize again when you arrive. If you are running behind because of another student's appointment, apologize--do not shorten one student's appointment to get caught up!
4). The phrase "open door policy" is literal and figurative. That door stays open, even during lunch. If someone is freaking out, you should be there to help.
I am asking all students (and all advisors) to take a moment and stretch out their empathy feelers a little further than usual for the next week. Before you react to a situation, put yourself in the other person's position.
Let the Empathy Challenge begin!
But how often do you, as students, "flip the script"?
I once had a student wander back down the hallway to my office and knock on the door frame (I never close my office door unless a student needs to talk about something personal). When I looked up from the paperwork I was trying to finish, the student informed me that he was my 11:30 appointment. I asked the student to walk up to our front desk and sign in (we keep track of how many students come through our doors). The student's response was, "that's weird." I told him that he probably had to sign in when he went to his doctor and this was a similar concept. The young man responded, "oh yeah! You're like my academical doctor!"
I like telling this story for a few reasons. First, it's just plain funny--I've dressed up like an "academical" doctor for the last several Halloweens. Secondly, the story illustrates how infrequently we take the time to open up our perceptions to the experiences of others. Imagine you are a student who takes the time and energy to schedule an appointment with your advisor. You had to look over your schedule carefully, you might have had to forgo plans with friends after class. You probably have important questions you need to ask your advisor. Maybe you're concerned because you didn't get on-campus housing for next year. Maybe you are panicking about a bad grade. Whatever your reasons, you deserve to spend uninterrupted time with your advisor. How would you feel if another student wandered back and took your advisor's attention with a "quick" question? How would you feel if your advisor answered phone calls (personal or otherwise) during your meeting? You would probably feel like you didn't have your advisor's full attention and, even worse, that they didn't care about you.
I don't say all of this to scold my students (who generally have a flexible idea about the notion of time). I merely want you to understand why I do the things I do.
When I first started advising, I established very clear boundaries:
1). Never answer the phone while with a student unless it is an emergency (or a Dean is on the phone--and then you MUST apologize to the student BEFORE answering the phone).
2). Always give a student your full attention. You never know when they will disclose something important. That means one student at a time!
3). Respect a student's time: it's just as important as yours. If you are going to be late to an appointment because of a meeting, call and apologize...then apologize again when you arrive. If you are running behind because of another student's appointment, apologize--do not shorten one student's appointment to get caught up!
4). The phrase "open door policy" is literal and figurative. That door stays open, even during lunch. If someone is freaking out, you should be there to help.
I am asking all students (and all advisors) to take a moment and stretch out their empathy feelers a little further than usual for the next week. Before you react to a situation, put yourself in the other person's position.
- If you're angry at a professor for not excusing an absence because you SAID you were sick, take a second and consider that the professor probably hears hundreds of students SAY that--what the professor needs is PROOF!
- If you're angry at your roommate for being in the room when you wanted to be in there with your boyfriend (or girlfriend), consider the fact that your roommate has a paper to write and all of their materials (and their computer) are in the room.
- If you're angry at someone on 95N for driving like a lunatic...no, I'm sorry, there's just no excuse for the drivers on 95.
Let the Empathy Challenge begin!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Second Semester Supply List
During the summer, I posted a supply list for all of my incoming first-year students. Today seemed like a good day to give you an updated list for the Spring semester.
With any luck, you left most of your collected life's works in your dorm room over the Winter Break (minus clothes, favorite toys, and your Snugee). So what should you keep in your dorm and what should you leave at the parental unit's place? What new things do you need? Let's start with the junk:
Throw Out Your:
1). Crap that didn't get used. You know you overpacked for the Fall semester. Look through your stuff and get your hands on anything that hasn't been opened or used in the entire time you've been at school...put that in the "To Go" pile.
2). Trash. For God's sake, clean up your dorm room! I swear you will feel a hundred times better making a "clean" start in the new semester. Get some Clorox wipes and disinfect every surface of that room.
3). Moldy Dishes. I know there are students out there who have bowls and plates that are starting to grow legs (and possibly spinal columns). Put the poor creatures out of their misery and just trash them. Clean the rest of your dishes (in a sink...with lots of hot, soapy water. If necessary, just let them sit until they stop smelling so badly!)
4). Old Books. Now, when I say "throw out", I obviously mean, "make as much of a profit on as is humanly possible," but you get the general idea. If you're not going to use the book in the Spring semester, don't leave it lying around.
5). Extra Clothes. You KNOW you overpacked shorts and tee-shirts and things that aren't "seasonally" appropriate right now. You also know that you'll be making another trip home between now and the end of the semester (probably around Spring Break time). Be strategic and swap out your wardrobe!
Keep Your:
1). Favorite Clothes. I bet there was at least one outfit that you wore ALL THE TIME during the Fall semester. A favorite sweatshirt, pair of jeans, or tee-shirt might be the thing that makes you feel better during a crappy day (or you might have a lucky sweatshirt for tests!)
2). Favorite/Most Useful Books. Are you taking a class this semester that is the continuation of a class from last semester? You should probably keep last semester's books as a reference!
3). Favorite Foods/Dishes, etc. You now know what you like to eat at school (both in your dorm and in the dining hall). Maximize your dining dollars by eating the things your CAN'T get at the dining hall in your dorm!
Useful New Stuff:
1). The New Year's Resolution. I bet there was at least one instance during the Winter Break when you said, "next semester, I'm going to..." Now is your chance to start off on the right foot! If you wanted to be more organized, get that planner I told you to buy for the Fall semester and actually USE IT! Buy a wall calendar to put up in your dorm room. If you want to save money for Spring Break, get a computer program (like Quicken or Apple Money) to keep track of your expenses.
2). Now you know...You spent all last semester figuring out what this whole college thing is all about, and chances are you probably figured out a lot. So put some of that learning to good use! If you figured out that you hate using binders, try something new for the Spring semester! Change up the way you did things if you weren't as successful as you wanted to be.
3). A Fresh Start. No matter what, remember that the Spring semester is a chance (even if you got off to a bad start academically) to make different choices. So my best advice is this: take a new attitude with you. What doesn't work for you should be left behind. You don't have to stick with something just because that's how you've always done it. You CAN change.
With any luck, you left most of your collected life's works in your dorm room over the Winter Break (minus clothes, favorite toys, and your Snugee). So what should you keep in your dorm and what should you leave at the parental unit's place? What new things do you need? Let's start with the junk:
Throw Out Your:
1). Crap that didn't get used. You know you overpacked for the Fall semester. Look through your stuff and get your hands on anything that hasn't been opened or used in the entire time you've been at school...put that in the "To Go" pile.
2). Trash. For God's sake, clean up your dorm room! I swear you will feel a hundred times better making a "clean" start in the new semester. Get some Clorox wipes and disinfect every surface of that room.
3). Moldy Dishes. I know there are students out there who have bowls and plates that are starting to grow legs (and possibly spinal columns). Put the poor creatures out of their misery and just trash them. Clean the rest of your dishes (in a sink...with lots of hot, soapy water. If necessary, just let them sit until they stop smelling so badly!)
4). Old Books. Now, when I say "throw out", I obviously mean, "make as much of a profit on as is humanly possible," but you get the general idea. If you're not going to use the book in the Spring semester, don't leave it lying around.
5). Extra Clothes. You KNOW you overpacked shorts and tee-shirts and things that aren't "seasonally" appropriate right now. You also know that you'll be making another trip home between now and the end of the semester (probably around Spring Break time). Be strategic and swap out your wardrobe!
Keep Your:
1). Favorite Clothes. I bet there was at least one outfit that you wore ALL THE TIME during the Fall semester. A favorite sweatshirt, pair of jeans, or tee-shirt might be the thing that makes you feel better during a crappy day (or you might have a lucky sweatshirt for tests!)
2). Favorite/Most Useful Books. Are you taking a class this semester that is the continuation of a class from last semester? You should probably keep last semester's books as a reference!
3). Favorite Foods/Dishes, etc. You now know what you like to eat at school (both in your dorm and in the dining hall). Maximize your dining dollars by eating the things your CAN'T get at the dining hall in your dorm!
Useful New Stuff:
1). The New Year's Resolution. I bet there was at least one instance during the Winter Break when you said, "next semester, I'm going to..." Now is your chance to start off on the right foot! If you wanted to be more organized, get that planner I told you to buy for the Fall semester and actually USE IT! Buy a wall calendar to put up in your dorm room. If you want to save money for Spring Break, get a computer program (like Quicken or Apple Money) to keep track of your expenses.
2). Now you know...You spent all last semester figuring out what this whole college thing is all about, and chances are you probably figured out a lot. So put some of that learning to good use! If you figured out that you hate using binders, try something new for the Spring semester! Change up the way you did things if you weren't as successful as you wanted to be.
3). A Fresh Start. No matter what, remember that the Spring semester is a chance (even if you got off to a bad start academically) to make different choices. So my best advice is this: take a new attitude with you. What doesn't work for you should be left behind. You don't have to stick with something just because that's how you've always done it. You CAN change.
Monday, November 9, 2009
A Life in the Arts
I haven't posted in a while...I admit it, I've been busy. And that's what I wanted to talk to you all about.
Living a life in the arts means that you're going to be busy. It means going without sleep (and sometimes food). It means working a dreaded "day job" while you figure out how to make a life in art work for you.
All too often, we see the glamor and prestige of a career in entertainment, and we forget the hard facts:
1). You're probably never going to get rich. Fewer than half of 1% of people with theatre degrees actually make a living in their chosen profession.
2). You're probably never going to be "famous". Fame happens to an even smaller amount of people...and the divorce rates, health problems, and resultant bankruptcies are disproportionally larger.
3). You know those "9-to-5" jobs you've been railing against for years? You're going to be worker even longer hours (for comparatively less pay).
We do all of these things because we love our art. So when I see my students posting messages complaining about how overworked they are, I start to worry that they don't know the true extent of a life in the arts. More to the point, I don't think they are (with the exception of a few) mentally or emotionally prepared for it.
Why have I been busy? Because I work a full-time job and I'm in the middle of starting my own dramaturgical consulting business. I lead a life in the arts because I have no choice. I can't not do this work. And, lest my students forget it, I'm a dramaturg first...and an advisor second.
Living a life in the arts means that you're going to be busy. It means going without sleep (and sometimes food). It means working a dreaded "day job" while you figure out how to make a life in art work for you.
All too often, we see the glamor and prestige of a career in entertainment, and we forget the hard facts:
1). You're probably never going to get rich. Fewer than half of 1% of people with theatre degrees actually make a living in their chosen profession.
2). You're probably never going to be "famous". Fame happens to an even smaller amount of people...and the divorce rates, health problems, and resultant bankruptcies are disproportionally larger.
3). You know those "9-to-5" jobs you've been railing against for years? You're going to be worker even longer hours (for comparatively less pay).
We do all of these things because we love our art. So when I see my students posting messages complaining about how overworked they are, I start to worry that they don't know the true extent of a life in the arts. More to the point, I don't think they are (with the exception of a few) mentally or emotionally prepared for it.
Why have I been busy? Because I work a full-time job and I'm in the middle of starting my own dramaturgical consulting business. I lead a life in the arts because I have no choice. I can't not do this work. And, lest my students forget it, I'm a dramaturg first...and an advisor second.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Major Classes/Poor Time Management=GPA Sink...A (Non-Threatening) Equation for Artists
We're a few weeks into the Fall semester and I want to talk to you about a strange occurrence that has been happening to some of my students. I'm talking about the bizarre schedule math that my students have been engaging in. Follow along and see if this word problem makes sense:
The answer to the first question is: only the Music assignments will get done. When students are just getting acclimated to the college environment, it's incredibly easy for them to get overwhelmed. The amount of work I've listed above is in no way uncommon for a Music student...and it's a lot. In addition, students will often find that they are being challenged in their Music classes in a way they never were in high school. There is a reason we tell students on a regular basis that high school Music programs and college Music programs are TOTALLY different! The increase in musical difficulty, as well as the increase in workload will force students to concentrate their focus. The familiar refrain of, "I'm here to study Music, so that's what I'm going to concentrate on" can be heard over and over in my office. More often than not, the students will stop doing the work for (or stop going to) their general education classes.
But does this help you or hurt you in the long run?
Fast forward to the end of the semester. Student A is getting his/her Fall semester grades. The Music course grades aren't bad--Student A DID put a lot of work into those classes after all! But Student A still has 2 general education classes to worry about. And, as it turns out, Student A failed both of those classes. Even if Student A got B's in the rest of his/her classes...Student A will STILL be on Academic Warning at the end of the Fall semester (semester gpa of 1.941). Here's the other crappy thing: that freshman english class Student A failed? That is a prerequisite class to a TON of other classes (including some Music classes). So Student A is going to have to re-take that class! Here's another crappy thing: our Music department will NOT accept academically poor students. You will be asked to leave the Music program if your gpa falls below a 2.0. In essence, you just shot yourself in the foot. By concentrating on your Music classes, you saw to it that you would never be able to take another Music class.
What do I want you to remember from all of this? Dividing your time too much and only concentrating on your major classes is detrimental to your gpa--and to your career as a college student in the long run. There are actually people who can help you figure out how to get everything done (people like, I don't know, your ADVISOR???) Why not talk to us and ask for help? It's a hell of a lot better than dealing with all of this alone.
- The semester started and Student A began in the Music program. The student was registered for 17 credits, including two general education classes (freshman english and history), and multiple music classes (music theory, small ensembles, instrument master class, private lessons, etc.)
- Student A attended all classes the first week and was assigned 8 new pieces of music to learn, two papers (for english), a book to read (for history), several workbook assignments and online programs (for music theory), an hour of practice a day on piano (for the keyboard skills class), and at least three hours of practice a day (for the student's primary instrument). Which assignments does Student A actually complete? For extra credit: How many hours of sleep each night will Student A actually get?
The answer to the first question is: only the Music assignments will get done. When students are just getting acclimated to the college environment, it's incredibly easy for them to get overwhelmed. The amount of work I've listed above is in no way uncommon for a Music student...and it's a lot. In addition, students will often find that they are being challenged in their Music classes in a way they never were in high school. There is a reason we tell students on a regular basis that high school Music programs and college Music programs are TOTALLY different! The increase in musical difficulty, as well as the increase in workload will force students to concentrate their focus. The familiar refrain of, "I'm here to study Music, so that's what I'm going to concentrate on" can be heard over and over in my office. More often than not, the students will stop doing the work for (or stop going to) their general education classes.
But does this help you or hurt you in the long run?
Fast forward to the end of the semester. Student A is getting his/her Fall semester grades. The Music course grades aren't bad--Student A DID put a lot of work into those classes after all! But Student A still has 2 general education classes to worry about. And, as it turns out, Student A failed both of those classes. Even if Student A got B's in the rest of his/her classes...Student A will STILL be on Academic Warning at the end of the Fall semester (semester gpa of 1.941). Here's the other crappy thing: that freshman english class Student A failed? That is a prerequisite class to a TON of other classes (including some Music classes). So Student A is going to have to re-take that class! Here's another crappy thing: our Music department will NOT accept academically poor students. You will be asked to leave the Music program if your gpa falls below a 2.0. In essence, you just shot yourself in the foot. By concentrating on your Music classes, you saw to it that you would never be able to take another Music class.
What do I want you to remember from all of this? Dividing your time too much and only concentrating on your major classes is detrimental to your gpa--and to your career as a college student in the long run. There are actually people who can help you figure out how to get everything done (people like, I don't know, your ADVISOR???) Why not talk to us and ask for help? It's a hell of a lot better than dealing with all of this alone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)