"Why do you push them so hard?"

This is a question that I have been asked more than once. I have extremely high expectations for my students. Guess what? I get a lot out of them. Sometimes I get more than I really should be able too. I have seen students obtain things that they didn't even think they could ever get. I get emails from parents time to time stating that they wished their children would be as dedicated to their other studies as they are in band. Why do I push them so hard? Because I love to see them succeed. It is that simple. I don't get paid one dime more even if we win state and I won't get paid one dime less if we are last. Sometimes you just have to trust me though. If there are students coming home and complaining that I expect too much from them...Great! Things at rest tend to stay at rest. Things at rest need energy to get them moving. Things in motion tend to stay in motion. My greatest rewards in band directing are when I get to see my students succeed. I have seen them cry because they were so happy. That is why I push them so hard. My worst days as a band director have come when I see them fail. I can't stand to see them sad. So I will take the criticism because when we leave the field Saturday, I will know I have given it my all. I just want to make sure the students feel the same way. If having a great band was easy. There would be 400 students in band and every band program would be great. We will be the elite. It doesn't have to take that long of a time either. How do you speed up time? This is easy...hard work and don't except excuses.

Somebody sent me the quote below today. I think it says a lot:

"Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown".