You Need a Gig, You Can’t Just Practice.

We started our band on a lark. It was just a bunch of friends that played their instruments alone and decided to get together and form a band. When it started the practices were great. We would hang out, talk, play, eat and drink, learn new songs, and generally just practice. Eventually we just got tired of practicing. We would look at each other and say "What are we practicing for?" None of us had an answer. We were practicing for nothing. After we figured that out, practices became boring and meaningless. I mean what was the purpose of practicing and not playing.

We needed a gig. Who would hire us? We were a bunch of middle age amateurs. We looked at a bunch of open mike nights but it was too intimidating. A real paying gig was out of the question because of our skill level.

We ended up creating our own gig. We set up on a bandmember's porch, tempted our friends and families with free burgers and hot dogs and a moon bounce for the kids. Other bands wanted to play with us (we found some like minded individuals). They invited a few friends, about 100 people showed up. We even got an offer to play another party.

In our preparation for the gig, practice got better. There was a purpose. Everyone was concerned and wanted to not look awful.

This is what a class needs...a gig. We spend a lot of time in class practicing reading, writing, math, science and a bunch of other topics. We tend to not have a gig. Sure we may have a test, that's not a gig. Students need to show off their skill no matter what their skill level is. A class needs a gig. From my band experience, I've tried to incorporate the same ideas that worked. Invite friends and families to share what students learned. Tempt them with food, drinks and prizes and the opportunity to see your students do something. Find other like minded individuals to join you, have them invite their friends. Soon you'll have a community to support your learners. You will have a gig. That is important, because soon your students will have a real gig, one that pays.

You can’t rock all the time sometimes you need a ballad.

Don't get me wrong, I love to rock out, but sometimes you need a ballad. In the band, I hate slow songs. They are much harder to play than fast ones. Timing is difficult to keep. Your mistakes linger out there longer for all to notice. Slow songs often clear the dance floor..... Or fill it.

When a band plans a set list it's easy to rock out. Throw in all the fast songs you know. But it wears a crowd out. It's monotonous. Everything begins to sound the same. When you are at that point it's time to play a ballad.

In a class, students and teachers need variety. It's easy to go with a simple lesson. Have kids read and answer questions. Or, you could have the kids listen to a lecture and take notes. But you need to throw something in there to add variety to the listen. You need to build a lesson like a set list. You need to rock often and then throw something different at them.

You need to fill in your lesson by thinking that lessons need to be at times silent and alone, whispering and working in pairs and, conversational and working in larger groups. Students need to get information from a variety of inputs like reading, listening, watching, talking, and writing.

Most of all as the builders of lessons we need to look for ways to provide variety in a lesson. As much as we like to teach one way or rock one way the audience needs change to keep interested and continue learning.