Band Motto Poster

When me and my team of assistant directors took on the Tennyson band program four years ago, we wanted to establish a culture of respect and hard-work. We wanted to create an environment where we all had high standards and worked hard as a team and as a family. We taught the students that Tennyson band students were to be three things: respectful, responsible and hard-working. It originally started with just two things (respectful and responsible), but I felt we needed to add hard-working. I wanted the students to know that success doesn't come easy - it takes hard work and dedication. Success isn't immediate. It doesn't happen overnight. But hard work does pay off. So we start every class and every rehearsal by greeting the class and then saying, "Tennyson band students are three things. They are..." and they finish the sentence by saying, "Respectful, Responsible and Hard-working." It sets the tone for the rehearsal. We also take the opportunity to remind them when they are not being one of those things. It doesn't become a personal attack or anything - just a reminder. At the beginning of the year we talk about what those three things mean in different contexts. It is like a contract. As a member of the Tennyson band program, the students will be respectful, responsible and hard-working - that's just our expectation. I created this poster just now that I'll print on the school's poster printer at the start of school. Our band hall isn't the prettiest, so this will help to beautify the space.