Sax Education

The weather after school is still pleasant enough for me to sit outside on my patio to relax for a few minutes. It won't be for long, so I make an effort to come out here each day to sit and stare at our neighbor’s bug-infested tree while I try to purge myself from the day. It will grow cold in a few weeks; in fact, today I have to wear a jacket. I usually make some tea, put on some music on the iPod, and relax. Ron Time, if you will.

Today’s selection is John Coltrane’s Giant Steps. However, Coltrane’s smooth sax is competing with our next-building-over neighbor’s saxophone. Yes, there is a Korean man (or woman, who knows) that practices while I’m out here. Kristie says that he plays all day as well. And all that practicing isn’t doing too much to make him any better, believe me. So here I am, with Coltrane in one ear and the Korean man in the other. Quite the juxtaposition. I’m not sure which is worse, his playing alone or his defiling John Coltrane’s playing. Either way, it’s frustrating.

I can’t help but look at this as a metaphor for my classroom. I teach a 9th grade integrated Honors class this year, along with 11th grade English and US History. The freshman class is World History and World Literature combined into one class that spans two periods. Three hours with the same students. Try that one on for size, Hondo. I have taught 9th grade Honors before this year, and it is one of the most frustrating because it is usually the first honors-level class that these students take. To get in to the class requires nothing more than wanting to get in. Grades, teacher recommendations, parent signature, etc., have no bearing on who gets to sign up for this class. Overall, I like that. If a student wants to take a challenging class, he should. However…

The skill and –oh, let’s just say it– intelligence varies greatly among these 29 students. On one side are those students who force me to read and prepare because they are sharp and interested. One the other side, there are those who have a difficult time finding Korea on a map. Yet there they are, all staring at me, waiting for instruction (except for those cartographically challenged…they are staring out the window humming the Rugrats theme song). Sometimes it feels like one side is ruining the other, much like the amateur saxophonist is doing to Coltrane, and I am in the company of both.

I’m sure the neighbor sax man doesn’t want to squeak out the notes, and he probably wishes he could play more like Coltrane. Perhaps he listens to him for inspiration as he attempts to improve his craft. He has probably heard many times that his playing stinks and that he should simply watch TV or take up the air guitar. But he still practices every day. Those little freshman that I told you about have perfect attendance, even those who are earning C’s and D’s in class. Those non-Coltranes, both in the next building and in my class, know how far away from Coltrane they sound. They know that more than I do because they are the ones who listen to themselves every lesson. They have listened to the harangues of critics and felt the sarcastic comments from instructors. But, they come each day for another go-around. Perhaps this practice session will turn one of the honks or screeches into that note that were aiming for.

I stopped typing for a moment and listened to the sounds blur together again. Sure, it’s still terrible, but I think he is getting better.