In the beginning, there was Richard Dawson. And Richard Dawson begot Ray Combs. And Ray Combs begot Louie Anderson. And Louie Anderson begot Richard Karn. And Richard Karn begot John O'Hurley. And John O'Hurley begot Steve Harvey.
And they all said, “One hundred people were surveyed and the top answers are on the board.”
Yes, I'm talking about that classic game show “Family Feud”. Contestants had to guess the top responses to a question delivered to one-hundred audience members.
It pays to ask questions. Assessments are average but surveys are super! If you've read any of my post on S.T.A.R., you know that the A. stands for ask and answer questions.
There were several questions that I always found intriguing when asking my elementary music students.
Maybe you've asked your students the same questions.
Maybe you've gotten the same responses.
Several questions I often asked were:
“If there was any one instrument you could really learn how to play, what would it be?”
“If you could pick only three instruments to learn in music class with me, what would they be?”
“If you were going to play a song for your grandparents, what instrument would you want to be able to play it on?”
Occasionally kids would say drums. They would never say xylophone, maracas, sticks, symbols, or tambourine. Maybe five to ten percent of the time, they would name a band instrument like flute, clarinet, trumpet, or trombone.
The top three answers were always the same.
Piano, guitar, and recorder.
Full disclaimer: I played those three instruments quite a bit during class.
In addition, at the beginning of every day as I was setting up the music room, I would always take out a band instrument and put it on my desk so I would remember to pick it up and play a few notes in support of the band program help kids become more acclimated with band instruments.
But the top two answers were always piano and guitar. They were the biggies.
Was I informed by my students’ answers? Yes.
Do you get the same answers when you ask these questions of your students?
So much of what we do is often subconsciously guided or weighted by the Golden Rule, the one where you are advised to do unto others as you would have them do unto us.
My father taught me there was a Platinum Rule, one that was more valuable and superseded the Golden Rule. The Platinum rule was to do unto others the way they want to be done unto.
In other words, it's not about what I like and providing my choice for someone else but rather to know what someone else appreciates and providing that for them.
I learned a long time ago to ask kids important questions, reflect, edit, modify, and act on my adjustments.
Whether or not the school district or the individual School was interested in the answers of my students did not factor in the way I preceded. My kids wanted to learn how to play guitar and piano.
Our school and school district were not interested in funding for those instruments.
What would you do?
I made a plan. I allocated money generated during my 16.5 hour business day to supplement my 7.5 hour job. Over the period of about two years, I budgeted monthly money from my 16.5 hour business to subsidize my 7.5 hour job – something I rarely did. It was a worthwhile investment, one that I will never regret making.
And I’m glad I asked my students those questions.
So, just in case Steve Harvey ever says to you, “We asked Boyd Holmes if investing in his students by personally buying pianos and guitars was one of the most critical decisions he made in his career”, just know that the survey's number one answer will be "Yes”.
And they all said, “One hundred people were surveyed and the top answers are on the board.”
Yes, I'm talking about that classic game show “Family Feud”. Contestants had to guess the top responses to a question delivered to one-hundred audience members.
It pays to ask questions. Assessments are average but surveys are super! If you've read any of my post on S.T.A.R., you know that the A. stands for ask and answer questions.
There were several questions that I always found intriguing when asking my elementary music students.
Maybe you've asked your students the same questions.
Maybe you've gotten the same responses.
Several questions I often asked were:
“If there was any one instrument you could really learn how to play, what would it be?”
“If you could pick only three instruments to learn in music class with me, what would they be?”
“If you were going to play a song for your grandparents, what instrument would you want to be able to play it on?”
Occasionally kids would say drums. They would never say xylophone, maracas, sticks, symbols, or tambourine. Maybe five to ten percent of the time, they would name a band instrument like flute, clarinet, trumpet, or trombone.
The top three answers were always the same.
Piano, guitar, and recorder.
Full disclaimer: I played those three instruments quite a bit during class.
In addition, at the beginning of every day as I was setting up the music room, I would always take out a band instrument and put it on my desk so I would remember to pick it up and play a few notes in support of the band program help kids become more acclimated with band instruments.
But the top two answers were always piano and guitar. They were the biggies.
Was I informed by my students’ answers? Yes.
Do you get the same answers when you ask these questions of your students?
So much of what we do is often subconsciously guided or weighted by the Golden Rule, the one where you are advised to do unto others as you would have them do unto us.
My father taught me there was a Platinum Rule, one that was more valuable and superseded the Golden Rule. The Platinum rule was to do unto others the way they want to be done unto.
In other words, it's not about what I like and providing my choice for someone else but rather to know what someone else appreciates and providing that for them.
I learned a long time ago to ask kids important questions, reflect, edit, modify, and act on my adjustments.
Whether or not the school district or the individual School was interested in the answers of my students did not factor in the way I preceded. My kids wanted to learn how to play guitar and piano.
Our school and school district were not interested in funding for those instruments.
What would you do?
I made a plan. I allocated money generated during my 16.5 hour business day to supplement my 7.5 hour job. Over the period of about two years, I budgeted monthly money from my 16.5 hour business to subsidize my 7.5 hour job – something I rarely did. It was a worthwhile investment, one that I will never regret making.
And I’m glad I asked my students those questions.
So, just in case Steve Harvey ever says to you, “We asked Boyd Holmes if investing in his students by personally buying pianos and guitars was one of the most critical decisions he made in his career”, just know that the survey's number one answer will be "Yes”.
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