There's been alot of discussion on the Band Directors Group about transitions. I think this point in the year (late fall) is especially stressful for teachers in a new position. Why do I say this? Because it's a tough time in the year for any teacher, so it can only be amplified for those in transition. Winter break is coming, hang in there! Now, I'm pretty sure the graphic I posted got your attention, so let's get right to it and see if there are some things to help you get through the year.

Evaluating your predecessor

Most teachers who have gone through multiple transitions have come to recognize that the process is definitely an art more than a science. But there are some concrete things you can be aware of during this process. One very important aspect is understanding the type of teacher you are following. Some might say not to worry about that, but to me it is a key component so let's take a look at the possibilities.

1. Following a good musician/teacher who was well-liked

This is generally a good situation for you musically (if you are a strong musician) because you are going to be able to continue to teach good technique and repertoire. However this will be a challenge for you relationally because the students are going to be dealing with feelings of abandonment and you are going to feel the brunt of this. You must remember that students are not mature enough to do otherwise, especially those who are in their last year in the building (seniors, for example). Do not add fuel to the fire by changing anything. Keep things the way they are and build relationships. Learn names quickly, engage students in conversations about future plans, interests outside of music. And here is another important one: building relationships with parents is just as important. Eventually the program will be yours but right now you are basically an invited guest, you need to accept that. Teach to the best of your abilities and be thankful that you are inheriting a strong program.

2. Following a good musician who was not well-liked

After doing your research you may have found that your predecessor was a solid musican. You see evidence of good repertoire and a well-rounded curriculum. But if for whatever reason the teacher was disliked, you are going to find that students may be resistant to things that make good sense musically because they associate those things with the former teacher. Furthermore they may assume that you too will not show care and concern for them. Building trusting relationships needs to be job one in this situation. Each and every day you need to build one-to-one relationships with students. You have to break the cycle of distrust while maintaining as much musical integrity as they will allow.

3. Following an incompetent musician who was well-liked

This is by far the most frustrating situation, especially if you have high musical expectations. You must remind yourself daily that you are asking for trouble by moving too fast with your musical expectations. Slow down. When students like a former teacher they will associate everything that was taught to them as correct, so conversely everything you do differently will be considered incorrect. Don't dwell on this...accept it and get through the year with as little change as possible. The program will be yours soon enough. Do not ever disparage the former teacher. Much of quadrant number one applies here as well.

4. Following an incompetent musician who was disliked

While not a no-brainer situation, this is by far the easiest situation to manage. Students will be glad you are there (thought they won't show it) and they will welcome a certain amount of change, but you must still be very careful and don't forget to build relationships and consensus with students and parents. Make them a part of this exciting new era. Identify a few positive changes that will be widely accepted and take your time with the rest. Remember that the students' weak musicianship is not their fault. Be musically patient.

Being "You"

This is where the art comes into play. Given the situation, you may feel like you just can't be the teacher you expected to be this year (this is especially true for first year teachers). You will hear a lot of people suggest to "just be you." I'm going to very carefully disagree with that. Your first concern in a transition year must be your students. If they are used to certain traditions, routines, practices that are not your normal way of operating, you need to consider their world first. If "being you" means doing things differently, think twice. There is a very fine line between consistent with your predecessor and being too far out of your comfort zone, I get that. But if you stay focused on the fact that none of this is the students' fault, you will usually know the best way to proceed, and usually that is very slowly in regards to change. If your predecessor had high musical standards and the students liked him/her, well you'd better learn the extant repertoire, and have the score in your head and your head out of the score! If your predecessor chose substandard literature and was well-liked...breathe deeply and don't start programming masterworks this year. If your predecessor told a joke every Friday, and you aren't the joking type, suck it up for a year and tell some jokes. You get the idea. Put yourselves in the students' shoes...remember, even after the transition, it's not about you anyway.

Build trust, be empathetic, and be patient. You can do it.