My middle school band teacher was my favorite teacher ever, and he taught me everything there is to know about music. he has stuck with me now, even after middle school to better me as a musician and to hook me up with pro bands and gigs. he was unjustly charged with a felony, which was then reduced to a disturbance of the peace. it was all a great misunderstanding. But now the superintendent, who does not like Mr. Beck, hired a lawyer to gert him completely fired. The community is sending letters to her and the school board to keep him here. this is my letter...
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Dear Dr. Obermeyer:
My name is Danyelle O’Brien and I am currently a junior at Valley Center High School. I am an A.P. student, in the top 20 of the junior class, and enrolled in almost every music class our high school offers, including the marching, jazz, and concert bands, orchestra, drum line, and jazz choir. I plan to continue my music career after high school, and I have one person to thank for introducing me to my love of music: middle school band teacher Mr. Jeff Beck. Mr. Beck has taught me most everything I know about music, and I truly appreciate him for all he has done for me individually, the school, and the community as a whole.
Mr. Beck was my middle school band teacher for my two years at the Valley Center Middle School, and he immediately became my favorite teacher. He was so extremely accommodating and supportive to every individual student who needed any sort of help, and he made the class so much fun for everyone in it. Most every student loved Mr. Beck for keeping the classes on task, upbeat, and a making a perfect learning environment for any student who had the passion to learn an instrument. In one year, I learned almost everything I could about my main instrument and music as a whole from Mr. Beck, and I know for a fact that multiple students did, also. It was my pleasure to join the band for my 8th grade year and be able to be taught under Mr. Beck again.
When I left Middle School to become a member of Mr. Hollyday’s High School Band, I knew that I would miss Mr. Beck’s teaching, but my contact with him did not falter. I would attend his Jr. Jazz classes on Mondays and Wednesdays after school to help him with the younger band students from the elementary and middle schools. While attending these classes, I could tell from the looks on every student’s face that being in his band was a joy and a treat, and that they were enjoying every minute of Mr. Beck’s teaching and jokes. Mr. Beck not only spent the whole class period bettering his students, but he also spent hours of his own time to better each student as an individual musician. Other teachers might teach to the extent of the end of class, but Mr. Beck takes a more active part in each of his students’ lives, and works as hard as he possibly can to help each continue music. For me, Mr. Beck used his own time to give me instructions and guidelines on how to better my musicianship and my instrument. He would take time out of his already busy schedule to assist me with any questions or concerns I had with anything, music and alike. Mr. Beck also brought me to some of his professional big band rehearsals so that I could sit in with the band and learn by experience.
The number one thing about Mr. Beck is that he puts his students first. As I stated earlier, he continues his teachings after class is over, giving tips, hints, and suggestions to better every young individual musician. Even after some of his students have left his Middle School band, he has continued with them to further their education and craft a future in the music business. I have experienced this personally and first hand. He has stayed with a few of my fellow students and encouraged, motivated, and helped them into opening their own doors into the musical future. Recently, he has included me and fellow students in multiple big bands and college bands. I can’t stress enough about how much Mr. Beck is devoted to the education of each of his students.
Music is not just a simple hobby; it is a passion and a way of life. Mr. Beck of all people understands this, and wants everyone to understand it. He takes extra steps towards his students, exposing them to the world of music that possibly awaits every one of us after school. Without him, none of any band students would realize the possibilities that they encompass, or the great heights they can achieve. Mr. Beck is almost certainly the most important part of the school district’s music program. He is the one who gets the students started on the music mindset, the one who teaches them how to play their instruments, the one who educates the fundamentals of music, and the one who gives every student the capability to expand their musicality from middle school to high school and beyond. Mr. Beck knows how to play and teach most every instrument, more so than any band director who only knows one section or another. He starts the students off slow and steady, but little by little pushes them to become more skilled at their instruments so that they can play more exciting and fun music. The proof of Mr. Beck’s effective teaching methods are evident in every trip and competition that the band attends. Never have I seen a Valley Center Middle School Band get anywhere below an “excellent” rating, which is only a mere step below the top “superior” rating, which is the usual for Valley Center Bands of any kind. Valley Center music regularly brings home first and second rankings, all courtesy of Mr. Beck’s teachings.
I, along with many other students, left Middle School band ready for anything that high school might offer; ready because of Mr. Beck’s teachings. Without Mr. Beck, the music program would slowly deteriorate into close to nothing. No student would be correctly prepared for high school or the real world of music. The music program’s popularity is at its peak, and taking Mr. Beck out of the music equation would be detrimental to all involved. Everybody makes mistakes, some might be bigger or more of a “big deal” than others, and some may just occur at the wrong place at the wrong time. All I can truly ask is that you look past this one mistake, that you can overlook this one instance for the good of the whole situation. I know that Mr. Beck has been spending this temporary time away from his position to bettering himself in every way. Everyone deserves a second chance for their mistakes, and I believe that- just like everyone else-Mr. Beck is worthy of a second chance and another opportunity to prove himself the most needed part of the music program. Because without him, it just wouldn’t be the same.
As a student and friend of Mr. Beck and his family, and an active member in this community, I ask for your support for Mr. Beck. I would greatly appreciate a response to my letter, and the help to reinstate Mr. Beck into his rightful place in the Valley Center Music Program. Thank you for taking your time to read my letter, and I hope you will take my thoughts into consideration when making your decision.
Sincerely,
Danyelle (last name here)
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