JJJ
Active Member
Tigger has played stringed instruments since the end of 3rd grade. It has been a typical difficult child journey (changed instruments several times, only lasted 3 months in the 'group', ALL due to lack of focus never a behavior problem). Of course, now he really want to focus and has been doing lessons once a week and guided practice twice a week.
The orchestra directors are less than flexible. Heck, we had trouble with them with Piglet! Their attrition rates are horrible -- Piglet's grade started with 140 kids as 4th graders and they were down to about 25 as 7th graders. So it isn't just the special kids that are falling away from the program. They do not seem concerned about the attrition, in fact they keep putting more hurdles in front of the kids (they work very hard to give the impression that private lessons are mandatory, even though they can't require it; but since so many parents then do it, if you don't then your child falls behind, etc, etc)
I'm so torn cause Tigger would do well with the right supports but the directors have their heels dug into the sand on this one and while I know the school would force them to allow him into the orchestra, do I want that? It is three times/week for 30 minutes each. I can just keep Tigger in the outside lessons and stall until high school when he switches to a new director who seems more open to all.
I hate when, even though your child has a legal right to participate in something, the people in charge can make it so unpleasant that it loses all value.
The orchestra directors are less than flexible. Heck, we had trouble with them with Piglet! Their attrition rates are horrible -- Piglet's grade started with 140 kids as 4th graders and they were down to about 25 as 7th graders. So it isn't just the special kids that are falling away from the program. They do not seem concerned about the attrition, in fact they keep putting more hurdles in front of the kids (they work very hard to give the impression that private lessons are mandatory, even though they can't require it; but since so many parents then do it, if you don't then your child falls behind, etc, etc)
I'm so torn cause Tigger would do well with the right supports but the directors have their heels dug into the sand on this one and while I know the school would force them to allow him into the orchestra, do I want that? It is three times/week for 30 minutes each. I can just keep Tigger in the outside lessons and stall until high school when he switches to a new director who seems more open to all.
I hate when, even though your child has a legal right to participate in something, the people in charge can make it so unpleasant that it loses all value.