Use of Pull-Out Lesson in Band Programs: A Survey Project

Pull-out lesson programs are a long-standing practice of band programs at the elementary, junior high/middle school, and high school level. Given the difference in settings and contexts, the structure, frequency, and scope of pull-out lessons in band programs vary from district to district. Still, the commonalities that exist may be helpful to directors as they analyze and reflect on the best way to help their students grow musically. To extend and enhance the discussion and understanding regarding pull-out lessons, a survey was created to collect information on this practice in instrumental music education. Participants were invited to participate via an open invitation posted to four different band director groups on the social media platform Facebook. Participation was strictly voluntary. The survey was open for two weeks and information was collected through a Google Form. Data was coded and analyzed with appropriate statistical tests. Participants were offered the opportunity to contribute additional information through some open-ended questions. These participants were given one week in November 2022 to respond to the open-ended questions.

Results of the data provided descriptive statistics for the benefit of band directors who would like to gain a better sense of the use of pull-out lessons with their band program. Click here to access all of the survey research. Some highlights from the results include:

• Of 103 participants, 60% of the directors taught across four or more grade levels.
• Most directors (88%) offered pull-out lessons to the students involved in their band program.
• Overall, directors favored organizing their lesson groups by instrument and grade level.
•  Lessons were included as part of a students’ grade in band by 65% of the directors.
• Despite differences in the context in which they taught, there was little difference in the frequency, length, and assessment of pull-out lessons among suburban and rural school settings.
• A higher percentage of rural directors were able to provide lessons to their students.
• Regardless of teaching inside or outside of Pennsylvania, the number of lessons and the average time length between these two groups were almost the same.
• In the area of assessment and grading, there were a higher percentage of directors outside of Pennsylvania (72%) that used lessons as part of the band grade than directors in Pennsylvania (58%). In contrast, directors in Pennsylvania held lessons to be worth more of their students’ grade in band (42%) than directors outside of Pennsylvania (29%).
• Directors in Pennsylvania rated their perception of administrative support lower than the group of directors teaching outside of Pennsylvania.
• The use of rewards or an incentive system for band lessons were mixed among the directors who provided open-ended responses.
• Eight directors who responded to to the open-ended questions reported involving students in the process of setting goals or selecting content for lessons.

For some students, pull-out lessons provide the first opportunity to acquire skills that set them on the path to become a musician. For some directors, pull-out lessons provide the opportunity to build a balanced and skilled group of musicians that contribute to a band program. As band programs move forward, it is obvious that the use of pull-out lessons will continue to be part of that process.