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# James Divine - Music Educator and Motivational Speaker

Changing The World - One Note At a Time

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://www.jamesdivine.net/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [I Wanted To Build My Mom a Treehouse](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2023/06/15/i-wanted-to-build-my-mom-a-treehouse/) - The desire to build mom a house was not based upon some longing to construct. It was based out of fear of my abusive father. I thought, "I'll build a treehouse"
- [From Chaos to Control: 12 Hacks to Transform Your Rehearsal Room](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/12/17/from-chaos-to-control-12-hacks-to-transform-your-rehearsal-room/) - Storage space in band rooms is often insufficient. When I taught marching band, I had a decent size class but not enough storage for all the drumline equipment.
- [The Comparison Trap: Why It’s Time to Let Go](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/12/03/the-comparison-trap-why-its-time-to-let-go/) - I often found myself comparing, Look at their facilities… I wish I had their students… Have you seen her budget… Wow, he’s doing it all... Stop It!
- [How to Instill High Standards Even When Facing Resistance](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/11/12/how-to-instill-high-standards-even-when-facing-resistance/) - You didn't get into teaching to do the easy thing. You got into this field because you're going to do the right thing and hold students to high standards.
- [9 Practical Tips to Help Brass Players Master Partial Changes](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/10/29/9-practical-tips-to-help-brass-players-master-partial-changes/) - Air will Get you There. In 90% of cases, brass players are either not using enough volume of air or are not using a fast enough air speed. Check those 2 things.
- [Why Structure and Management Work Better Than Discipline](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/10/15/why-structure-and-management-work-better-than-discipline/) - At an interview one of the questions was, “It’s the day of the spring concert. Students are running around acting the fool. Complete chaos. What would you do?
- [Top 10 Tips For Managing Large Groups of Beginners](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/10/01/top-10-tips-for-managing-large-groups-of-beginners/) - Play. Play a lot. Talk less. When you think you’re talking less, reduce it even more. Review. Review again. Fix one thing, don’t try to fix 25 things.
- [Unique Drill Rehearsal Technique for Marching Band](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/08/06/unique-drill-rehearsal-technique-for-marching-band/) - You will find that if you do this, you've gone through each set 9 times! y that point, it's going to be in their muscle memory.
- [When To Play Or Not Play During Football Games](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/08/20/when-to-play-or-not-play-during-football-games/) - Play as often as you can. Most students want to play. The crowd wants to hear the band. Sometimes there is someone in the box who likes to play recorded music.
- [Repertoire Selection Can Make or Break Your Performance](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/09/03/repertoire-selection-can-make-or-break-your-performance/) - Repertoire selection can make or break your performance! It can affect student focus, enthusiasm, motivation, and it can even affect your classroom management.
- [You Can Get More Parent Participation Using These Tips](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/09/17/you-can-get-more-parent-participation-using-these-tips/) - We all want more parent participation. It’s going to look different depending on where you teach. You can change the culture, but it will take time.
- [Repertoire Selection. The Hardest Thing About Teaching Band.](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/04/21/repertoire-selection-the-hardest-thing-about-teaching-band/) - Repertoire selection can make or break your performance! It can affect student focus, enthusiasm, motivation, and it can even affect your classroom management.
- [Try These 16 Tips To Make Your Next Festival Performance Better](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2026/01/13/try-these-16-tips-to-make-your-next-festival-performance-better/) - I once withheld the scores from my students. As soon as we got on the bus, they said, “What's our score? What's our score?” I made them wait until the next day.
- [Ways To Keep Your Percussionists Focused, Engaged and Happy.](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/04/14/ways-to-keep-your-percussionists-focused-engaged-and-happy/) - It's easy for percussionists to become unfocused and unengaged. Picking the right repertoire and thinking about the students can help.
- [Is Your Band Out Of Tune? Try These Tips. Warning - It's Not a Quick Fix](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/04/10/is-your-band-out-of-tune-try-these-tips-warning-its-not-a-quick-fix/) - I wish there was a quick fix to playing in tune, but there’s not. It’s a long process of training the ear. The process never ends. A few tips to help.
- [You Spend How Much Time On Fundamentals](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/04/07/you-spend-how-much-time-on-fundamentals/) - The longer I teach, the more I focus on fundamentals, scales, breathing, warm up exercises, and more. Twenty years ago it was 10 minutes of class. Now half.
- [Four Strategies For Working With a Small Jazz Band](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/04/03/four-strategies-for-working-with-a-small-jazz-band/) - Jazz is my forte. Yet in my entire career I have worked with small jazz bands. I have started jazz bands from scratch several times.
- [13 Top Mistakes Directors Make](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/03/31/13-top-mistakes-directors-make/) - 13 Top Mistakes. One is knowing when to shut up. When your principal is giving feedback, it’s normal to get defensive. Principals don't know what we do.
- [Score Study Revisited - Make Lesson Planning Easier](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/02/27/score-study-revisited-make-lesson-planning-easier/) - In about a half an hour to an hour of score study, I can get several pages worth of goals written down. I use those in my lesson planning.
- [Rethinking the Score: Radical Grading Approaches in Band Education](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/02/25/rethinking-the-score-radical-grading-approaches-in-band-education/) - What does my gradebook look like right now? I teach part time, 55 students total. One F, 3 Cs, and 51 As. The F? A student who doesn’t care about anything.
- [Teaching in the Trenches: How to Survive the Stress Bubble](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/02/06/teaching-in-the-trenches-how-to-survive-the-stress-bubble/) - Set boundaries...Don’t put school email on your phone...Don’t bring work home...Don’t feel like you have to lead every activity...Leave when school is over
- [Spicing Up Rehearsals: Flavorful Techniques for a Better Band Rehearsal](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/02/13/spicing-up-rehearsals-flavorful-techniques-for-a-better-band-rehearsal/) - Make One Comment About Tone To Every Section In The Band. What do they need to improve? More air? Don’t do this every time you stop.
- [Marching Band Is Needed Now More Than Ever Before](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/02/20/marching-band-is-needed-now-more-than-ever-before/) - Most interactions are face to face with their peers and coaches. They learn how to talk to people, express differences of opinion, and how to hold a meeting.
- [Teaching the Heterogeneous Beginning Band: The One Person Show ](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/01/27/teaching-the-heterogeneous-beginning-band-the-one-man-show/) - Begin teaching proper hand position and posture. You must insist that every student is paying attention.
- [With one proclamation, the President would have my unending support](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/01/14/with-one-proclamation-president-trump-would-have-my-unending-support/) - "Let it be known that from this day forward, all marching band competitions shall be held on Fridays. All students involved in the competition shall be exempt..
- [Cockroaches in the Coffee, Tablecloths, and Music](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/01/14/cockroaches-in-the-coffee-tablecloths-and-music/) - I never went to a “normal” music college. I enjoyed my time at the SOM. Many music college graduates did not like the way the Army taught theory and counting.
- [It's Easier Than You Think To Land That Next Teaching Job](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/01/29/its-easier-than-you-think-to-land-that-next-teaching-job/) - What they care about the most… What do you bring to the table for their needs Are you going to be committed or is this just a stepping stone
- [A Master's Degree for less than $9,000](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/01/02/a-masters-degree-for-less-than-9000/) - A Master's Degree does not have to cost a fortune. I earned mine for less than $9,000 at www.swosu.edu NO, it wasn't when dinosaurs roamed the earth. I completed a master's at the age of 45 in 2012. Read more in this article. www.jamesdivine.net www.jazzysaxman.com
- [11 Ways to Lose (and Keep) a Band Student](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/03/25/11-ways-to-lose-and-keep-a-band-student/) - Nobody wants to lose a band student. Sometimes it's inevitable - you get a student who doesn't want to work at all for example.
- [When A Life Is Lost](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2025/01/08/when-a-life-is-lost/) - A girl who was in marching band lost her mom to cancer. The day after her mom passed, she came to practice just to be with her “family.” We paused rehearsal.
- [Creating a Great Culture In Your School Band](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2024/12/18/creating-a-great-culture-in-your-school-band/) - Don’t try to change everything when you are new. Listen to the “why things are done this way” . There may even be a reason to keep a “bad” tradition for a time.
- [Advice For Leading Your First High School Parade](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2024/11/20/advice-for-leading-your-first-high-school-parade/) - We had a parade, and I had a pair of new shiny dress shoes we wear in the army. I could FEEL them starting to cut into the area above my heel.
- [You’re Not Going To Reach Every Student Every Time](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2024/11/13/youre-not-going-to-reach-every-student-every-time/) - She set the tone for the entire school culture with her attention to detail, love for staff, and love and concern for the 1100+ students at our school.
- [Christmas Is The Worst Time To Have a Concert](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2024/10/22/breaking-tradition-why-i-dont-do-christmas-concerts/) - I quit doing Christmas concerts. Everybody seems to be putting on a performance. Every school group. Every community group. It creates a very busy time.
- [I Know Exactly How To Fail at Work Life Balance. I Burned Out - TWICE!!!!I](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2024/10/30/i-know-exactly-how-to-fail-at-work-life-balance-i-burned-out-twicei/) - It happened at my first teaching job. I was determined not to let it happen again. It happened at my 2nd teaching job. I was more determined. I think I made it.
- [Why Are The Flutes Better Behaved Than The Drummers](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2024/11/06/why-are-the-flutes-better-behaved-than-the-drummers/) - A VERY energetic percussionist, always getting into trouble. I put him upfront. A visitor mentioned, “That’s NOT the proper place for percussionists.”
- [I Became A Bully. I Felt Powerful. I Felt Strong. It Was Wrong.](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/04/14/i-was-a-7th-grade-bully/) - Patrick pursued me into the hallway of the apartment building. As he grabbed me and tormented me with his words and shoves, something in me snapped.
- [The First (and only) Time I Picked up a Prostitute](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/04/09/the-first-and-only-time-i-picked-up-a-prostitute/) - It was October 2000, one of those rare, drizzly, grey days we hardly ever see in Colorado Springs. I was driving down Nevada Ave, the main drag through downtown
- [5 Great Band Directors and How They Influenced Me](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/04/08/the-5-band-directors-you-meet-in-heaven/) - You can sometimes see someone’s ego attached to their shoulder. Why would someone want to carry that dead weight around? Dale carries no such weight.
- [Everything You Need To Know to Write and Self-Publish a Book](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/04/04/get-started-writing-a-book/) - EVERYONE has a book inside, but maybe you don't know how to get started writing it. In this course, I teach you the steps I used to create my own six books.
- [Life on Four Paws - A Dog's Perspective](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/02/12/all-dogs-go-to-heaven/) - Not many dogs have undertaken the task of writing about life. It’s important for you to understand what it is we see in life as dogs. Dogs were designed
- [The Impact of Memoirs (Guest Post)](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2024/10/19/the-impact-of-memoirs-guest-post/) - So please, tell your story - record your memories or share stories your parents told you. Perhaps you can help the elderly record their life story.
- [Practice Tips - Plus THE BIG LIE About Practicing](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2024/09/25/practice-tips-plus-the-big-lie-about-practicing/) - One of the lies we’ve told students is that practice makes perfect. Not true! Perfect practice makes perfect! But most students don’t know how to practice.
- [Good Tone - The Number 1 Thing You Should Focus On](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2024/09/11/good-tone-the-number-1-thing-you-should-focus-on/) - “I don’t worry about tone. I focus on fun and enjoying band and figure you will fix those things when they reach high school.” But why can’t we have both?
- [Classroom Discipline Techniques Guaranteed To Work (most of the time)](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2024/08/28/classroom-discipline-techniques-guaranteed-to-work-most-of-the-time/) - It’s important that you have a lot of grace and forgiveness. Consequences? Yes. Here are some discipline techniques I have had success with:
- [Teachers - Do This The First Week of School](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2024/08/13/teachers-do-this-the-first-week-of-school/) - Establish AND Practice Routines and Procedures The time you invest early in the school year in processes and procedures will pay HUGE dividends throughout the year! Teachers often tell me, “I just don't have time to spend on procedures.” I understand that we all want to perform the best that we can at concerts, and
- [Unveiling Genius: The Best Music Teacher- Her Hidden Talent](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2024/06/13/unveiling-genius-the-best-music-teacher-her-hidden-talent/) - But her biggest skill, her greatest superpower, one I have seen many teachers use and incorporate, but never to the extent I have seen in Julie…
- [Teens - How To Be More Productive & Accomplish Your Goals](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/10/29/3-time-saving-tips-for-teens-how-to-be-more-productive-accomplish-your-goals/) - Many teens waste a lot of time. When I was a senior in HS, I used these tips for teens and almost never took work home! I got ALL MY HOMEWORK done at school.
- [8 Ways To Mix Up the Method Book](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/04/26/8-ways-to-mix-up-the-method-book/) - It can be challenging for band students to maintain focus. Mixing up the method book can make band class more interesting. 8 Ways to Mix Up The Method Book.
- [Teachers: Powerful Forces for Good or Bad](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/05/13/teachers-powerful-forces-for-good-or-bad/) - A Hebrew named James had this to say about teaching... "Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends...Teachers are held to the strictest standards."
- [Believe It Or Not, I Say "Thank God I'm Boring!"](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/05/26/believe-it-or-not-i-say-thank-god-im-boring/) - When the girl I was dating would break up with me, I always wanted to know why. “Why are you breaking up with me?” I would ask. The answer... "You're boring."
- [A Dog Named Snoopy, Peeing on Trees, Eating Meatballs](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/06/21/playing-with-snoopy-peeing-on-trees-eating-meatballs/) - On September 27, 1966, I arrived, a blank slate, ready to be filled with knowledge and take on the world. I knew how to eat, sleep, cry, and poop. That was it!
- [FREE Chocolate Chip Cookies! It Doesn't Get Better Than That.](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/06/24/kindergarten-is-great-the-ladies-are-nice-and-there-are-free-chocolate-chip-cookies/) - In May of 1972 we left for good. We moved to Italy, leaving everything behind, all our toys and clothes, and flew to Naples, Italy where mom is from.
- [Sleeping Under a Bridge? No, But Homeless Nonetheless](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/06/27/we-were-homeless-but-not-sleeping-under-a-bridge-homeless/) - We lived with relatives. We lived with friends. We had our own apartment for a time - but we could not afford electricity, so candles lit the way for us.
- [In One Moment He Stole My Innocence](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/06/29/a-secret-that-no-child-should-ever-have-to-keep/) - After the horrible act, George comforted me with words. He confessed that he was a sick man. He asked me to forgive him. I did! 6 year olds are very forgiving.
- [Moses Could Have Taken The Easy Way Out](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2024/01/11/moses-could-have-taken-the-easy-way-out/) - Moses could have taken the easy way out. A life in the palace was luxurious compared to that of a slave or shepherd. But Moses followed the call of God
- [He Hated The Japanese People With a Passion](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2023/12/29/he-hated-the-japanese-people-with-a-passion/) - Unforgiveness will eat away at your spirit like an aggressive cancer, hold you back from attaining all God meant for you to be, even affecting your health
- [Just Say No! (So You Can Say Yes). It's Life-Changing!](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/12/27/just-say-no/) - My own mom is a cruise director for guilt trips! My sister and I toured the world several times, and it didn’t cost us a thing.
- [Teens Today Get a Bad Rap - One They Don't Deserve](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/12/14/teens-today-get-a-bad-rap-one-they-dont-deserve/) - Lots of teens ARE lazy. Lots of adults are lazy too. But if you get the right motivational structure in place, the majority of teens will impress you.
- [At What Age Does a Boy Become a Man](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/12/03/are-you-a-man-or-a-boy/) - Turning a certain age does NOT make you a man! It is often hard to pinpoint exactly when a boy becomes a man. I think it is actually a process.
- [Little Known Italian Secret Predicts Marital Success](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/10/27/little-known-italian-secret-predicts-marital-success-2/) - I married my HS sweetheart in '86, but my mom was able to predict the success of our marriage right at the start using this little known Italian secret.
- [Prayer Has Never Been Removed from Schools.](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/07/14/prayer-has-never-been-removed-from-schools/) - I hear Christians lamenting about the Supreme Court removing prayer from schools. Those decisions did not remove prayer, but removed state-sponsored prayer
- [How To Pay For College Without Debt and Without Worry](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/07/12/college-students-youve-been-lied-to/) - Many say that a college education is not affordable. That is simply not the case. With hard work and compromising your "wants", college is still affordable.
- [I Wasn't Always This Way - Once was a Sad Boy, now a Joyful Man](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/07/10/i-wasnt-always-this-way-2/) - People look at me and they think “Wow, James is so confident and sure of himself. Life has been good to him. I wish my life was like that.”
- [Choosing Quality Band Literature at the Appropriate Level](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/04/26/choosing-quality-band-literature/) - A piece of music may be the greatest creation ever made, but if it's too difficult for the students to play, they will become discouraged. I often made mistakes
- [Are you burned out? Take this easy test. Make changes.](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/04/10/are-you-burned-out-take-this-test-to-find-out/) - Are you burned out? Take this Burnout Self Test to find out. If the results come out positive, make the changes necessary to prevent burnout.
- [Has someone you know had a stroke? Some advice](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/03/23/a-glimpse-of-my-italian-widowed-mom-in-heaven/) - Dealing with a family member who has had a stroke is very difficult. There are so many things to attend to, not to mention wondering if your family member will even survive! My mom had a stroke in May of 2016. At first we thought she was going to die. When she made it through
- [I Was An Awkward, Middle School Boy](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/02/02/tube-socks-giants-and-a-teachers-trust/) - I remember his encouragement as I learned saxophone. I remember his praise - his gentleness - his push for high standards - not just musically but morally too.
- [10 Steps to Writing a Book - For Free](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/07/13/write/) - If I can write 6 books - no writing degree or experience besides what I have learned from life - I KNOW you can too. Here are 10 steps to get you to your goal.
- [7 (Fun) Rules for Losing Weight and Staying Healthy](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/12/03/7-fun-rules-for-eating-during-the-holidays/) - Start with a huge glass of egg nog. This is to coat your stomach lining to keep it safe. Home made fudge also works in place of or in addition to egg nog.
- [Do You Believe Everything You Hear On The News](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/11/19/why-i-dont-trust-the-media/) - so we were ordered to send candidates. When it was my turn to try out, I ended up winning the competition. I was a snarky early 20s young man
- [4 Tips to Help you be a Better Band Director using the Acronym BAND.](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/10/13/4-tips-to-help-you-be-a-better-band-director-using-the-acronym-band/) - There are four key areas that – if you focus on these and make them a priority – they can help you be a better band director.
- [How To Practice Effectively](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/04/30/how-to-practice/) - James' twin brother - Professor Jimmy from Southern Colorado University of Music - teaches you how to practice.
- [The Great Yogi Berra Tries To Explain Jazz](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2023/11/22/the-great-yogi-berra-tries-to-explain-jazz/) - I don’t know if it’s a true story, but it definitely sounds like how Yogi would explain jazz. Yogi: 90% of all jazz is half improvisation.
- [Why I Love The Saxophone](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2023/11/16/why-i-love-the-saxophone/) - What sets the saxophone apart is its ability to forge a deep emotional connection with listeners. Its sound resonates not just in the ears, but in the heart.
- [What If She Had Not Decided To Be My Grandmother](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/08/17/the-grandmother-i-almost-never-had/) - I never got to meet my grandfather. He passed away when I was about 2 years old. And my grandmother followed very shortly after. Then "she" came into our lives.
- [How Did I Get To Be Dad's Favorite Son](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/06/17/tribute-to-my-dad/) - All the crazy violence taking place is just a symptom of what's really going on! The disease in our country is the absence of fathers in our culture.
- [Hashtags Don't Change The World - You Do](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/06/08/hashtags-dont-change-the-world/) - The school community I was a part of suffered a terrible tragedy! A mom and three of her kids died in a highway accident.The loss hit us all really hard.
- [The Sheep, The Sheepdogs and the Wolves. Which one are you?](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/06/04/the-sheep-the-sheepdogs-and-the-wolves/) - Even though the lives of the sheep are dependent upon the sheepdogs, the sheep often hate the sheepdogs. But they're the ones who care the most for the sheep.
- [Don't Confuse Being Famous With Making Money](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/06/03/dont-confuse-being-famous-with-making-money/) - Many people set their aim on becoming famous, thinking that’s the path to earning money. It’s not. There are many musicians you have never heard of who make
- [Was My 1st Job a Coincidence? I don't think so.](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/05/29/searching-for-a-job/) - I found my 1st teaching job by "coincidence". Money was tight. I started delivering pizzas part time to make ends meet. The school's principal was a neighbor.
- [I Thought I Was Going To Jail](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/04/17/i-thought-i-was-going-to-jail/) - “You idiot. You were tailgating me, then you pulled in front of me causing me to tailgate you. I moved to the left so I wouldn’t be tailgating anymore. Why?
- [The Student Led Rehearsal - How To Teach It](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/10/18/the-student-led-rehearsal-how-to-teach-it/) - You’re going to be gone from school and you don’t want to leave the students with a written assignment. What do you do? Try the Student Led Rehearsal.
- [A Love Letter to my Fellow Title I Teachers](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/02/25/a-love-letter-to-my-fellow-title-i-teachers/) - Dear Fellow Title I Teacher:Don’t compare yourself to other teachers. You are amazing. You work hard. Even if they don’t tell you, your students appreciate and love you! You may be one of the few stable things in their life! When you look at where your students are “on the charts”, often they fall behind
- [Benefits of Learning an Instrument](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2023/09/08/benefits-of-learning-an-instrument/) - Mastering an instrument takes time and consistent practice.It requires a ton of perseverance to help you push through those difficult times when you hit a wall.
- [Take This Job and Love It](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2023/08/17/take-this-job-and-love-it/) - “I’d put in my resignation today!” “Get out of there as quick as you can.” “If I were you, I’d polish my resume’ tonight.”
- [What It (Really) Means to be Anti-Racist](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2023/08/14/what-it-really-means-to-be-anti-racist/) - Fast forward to 2020, when we as a country witnessed a white man tragically kill a black man. This stirred a level of outrage in most of us.
- [Get Started Writing a Book](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2023/07/26/get-started-writing-a-book-2/) - Do you have an idea for a book? Many people dream of writing a book, but don’t ever start, which is probably the most important thing to do! Follow these steps:
- [That's My Orchestra Teacher](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2023/07/11/thats-my-orchestra-teacher/) - The young lady at the convenience store expressed to me how much orchestra class had meant to her. I got into my car afterwards and the tears started flowing.
- [Teaching Great Concert Etiquette to the Audience and Performers](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2023/02/20/teaching-great-concert-etiquette-to-the-audience-and-performers/) - Proper concert behavior can and should be taught to the audience and the band members. It’s possible to change the culture. It might take a year or two
- [Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/12/21/where-have-all-the-cowboys-gone/) - Ever since I was in school, I have been fond of old westerns (they weren’t that old back then). I completed many homework assignments while watching reruns.
- [Advice - Take It With a Grain of Salt](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/11/22/advice-take-it-with-a-grain-of-salt/) - Like a true teacher, Kirk didn’t give me any answers directly. Through thoughtful questions and targeted feedback, he got me to think for myself,.
- [The Story Project - Funny stories of growing up Italian](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/11/01/the-story-project-funny-stories-of-growing-up-italian/) - I shared funny, personal stories about growing up Italian at The Story Project in Colorado Springs. Why garlic permeates everything. Why I speak so loudly. More
- [The American Dream Is Still Alive](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/09/05/the-american-dream-is-still-alive/) - When sis and I complained about school, Mom would get a serious look and give us a passionate pep talk in her Italian accent. “Jeemy” she would say, (everybody called me Jimmy growing up
- [Big Boys DO Cry - and You're in Good Company](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/07/22/big-boys-do-cry-and-youre-in-good-company/) - I grew up in the era where MOST of the men in my life would tell me to “Stop Crying”. “Men don’t cry,” they would lament. They were wrong!
- [She Taught Us How To Think - He Didn’t](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/07/15/she-taught-us-how-to-think-he-didnt/) - She wasn’t out to teach us a certain ideology. She was out to teach us HOW TO THINK! For ourselves.
- [I Was Bullied Throughout School, but in 6th Grade I Became a Bully](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/07/08/i-was-bullied-throughout-school-but-in-6th-grade-i-became-a-bully/) - One boy I bullied saw me and started to run away as usual. I was running after him yelling, “Wait, I want to be your friend.” He must have thought I was crazy.
- [In 6th Grade I Almost Didn't Join Band](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/07/01/in-6th-grade-i-almost-didnt-join-band/) - Playing the clarinet was something I had a natural talent for. I practiced regularly. I had passion for playing & looked forward to it, it helped my confidence.
- [The brother I never knew](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/05/10/the-brother-i-never-knew/) - When I was 5, we fled from an abusive dad. He died a few years later. Mom lived with two other men. With one of them she conceived her third child.
- [Teachers - Your Dedication Makes a Difference. You Matter!](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/05/06/you-matter/) - “Does what I do matter?” “Would a career besides teaching be better?” We know our bodies are tired, but we don’t always recognize tired emotions. YOU MATTER.
- [I Said To Her, "You could never disappoint me!"](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/04/08/you-could-never-disappoint-me/) - Our words have tremendous impact! I know we can get caught up in the 5-10% of students who give us a hard time, but most are hard working and want to please.
- [A Farmer's Life - Tone Poem](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/04/21/a-farmers-life-tone-poem/) - Live recital alto sax performance of A Farmer's Life - Tone Poem. Includes link to free sheet music. Download and play today.
- [Education Reimagined](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/04/17/education-reimagined/) - Education is in an upheaval. Teachers have been forced to learn how to teach online practically overnight. Parents were forced to suddenly become their child’s coach, teacher, and counselor. All this while we are at record unemployment rates, with many working from home while still supervising their kids. What if we took advantage of this
- [The Day I Stole my Mom's Identity](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/04/16/the-day-i-stole-my-moms-identity/) - In 2016, my mom suffered a debilitating stroke. I was the one tasked with handling her affairs.
- [It was recommended that we abort one of our kids](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/04/15/it-was-recommended-that-we-abort-one-of-our-kids/) - We received the news of all of our kids arrivals with joy and anticipation. Children are a gift from God. With one of our children, the doctor was a little concerned with some things he saw on our required test results. We were told that there was a good chance the baby would be born
- [I Wasn't Always This Way - And I Get Better With Age](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/04/22/i-wasnt-always-this-way/) - I had the same doubts and struggles as you. The same lack of self-esteem. I overcame and now I am this way. And I like that I’m this way…
- [The Beatles Had It Right - All You Need is Love](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/04/15/the-beatles-had-it-right/) - When they don’t meet your expectations…love them anyway. When they disrespect you…love them anyway. When they don’t work hard…love them anyway.
- [4 Tips to Being a Better Band Director Using the Acronym BAND](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/02/04/4-steps-to-being-a-better-band-director-using-the-acronym-band/) - There are four key areas that – if you focus on these and make them a priority – they can help you be a better band director.
- [Why I Love Colorado](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/03/11/why-i-love-colorado/) - I have been biking in the winter and have needed winter clothes in the summer. The joke here is that if you don’t like the weather, just wait half an hour.
- [Keeping Up With The Times - a no win scenario?](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/03/04/keeping-up-with-the-times/) - Over the years I am constantly hearing about how we need to "reach more kids"...Teach rock band! Teach hip-hop! Teach what the kids are interested in.
- [Peeing on Trees and Other Early Childhood Memories](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/02/25/my-earliest-memories/) - My father sat me on his lap and asked me if I loved him, and I answered "No, because you hurt Mommy." My father said Santa Claus wouldn't bring me anything
- [Deutschland - The experience of a lifetime](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2018/04/06/deutschland-the-experience-of-a-lifetime-life-lessons-from-my-trip/) - However, the dream to visit Germany never died! This dream was finally fulfilled for me and my beautiful wife Susan in December 2017.
- [Wait Until You See What His Mom Gave Him for Breakfast](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/02/18/wait-until-you-see-what-his-mom-gave-him-for-breakfast/) - Jill was cleaning her son Billy’s room, putting ALL the clothes in the hamper because – if you’ve had a boy, you know their clean and dirty clothes co-mingle.
- [How To Be A Great Student](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/01/21/how-to-be-a-great-student/) - Everything you need to know to become a wonderful student
- [I'm Glad My Marching Band Didn't Make it to State](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2022/01/07/im-glad-my-marching-band-didnt-make-state/) - When I told my students I was glad we didn’t make state, they looked at me like I was crazy. Some responses were; “Don’t you care about us?” “Why are you glad?”
- [I Want To Be Treated Like an Adult](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/09/28/i-want-to-be-treated-line-an-adult/) - Youth often say that they want to be treated just like an adult, but then their actions are more like children. https://www.jamesdivine.net/101free/
- [Don't Waste Your Time On New Year's Resolutions](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/12/30/dont-waste-your-time-on-new-years-resolutions/) - New Year’s resolutions are a waste of time! Most of the resolutions don’t last beyond the end of January. They are bound to fail. Do this instead.
- [5 Ways To Teach Kids About Gender](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2021/11/09/5-ways-to-teach-kids-about-gender/) - By Summer Stevens Reprinted with permission from GES. Link to the article online HERE. From Tolerance to Forced Approval There is an intentional attempt to indoctrinate your children to the LGBTQ lifestyle, and your church is likely doing nothing about it. This indoctrination is evident in obvious ways, such as in the mandatory teaching of
- [Little Known Italian Secret Predicts Marital Success](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/12/14/little-known-italian-secret-predicts-marital-success/) - Little Known Italian Secret predicts marital success
- [9 traits that GREAT students have](https://www.jamesdivine.net/2020/05/07/9-great-traits-to-have-as-a-student/) - We are ALL students, and in this video you will hear about 9 traits that Great students have.

## Pages

- [Why Don't They Teach THAT in School](https://www.jamesdivine.net/whydonttheyteachthatinschool/) - Have you thought "Why don't they teach THAT in school?" I noticed that students had less of the basic skills they needed for life. Thus this course was born.
- [All You Need: Books, Courses, and Teaching Tools](https://www.jamesdivine.net/products/) - This page takes you to great content being created, including "Adulting 101: Why don't they teach that in school," "Get Started Writing a Book," and more!
- [Crazy Italian. Musician. Husband. Father. Granddad. Cannoli Eater. Author.](https://www.jamesdivine.net/about/) - Want to find out a little about James' life outside of his work? This is the place to learn about his personal life and see fun pictures!
- [Jazz From The Start Curriculum](https://www.jamesdivine.net/jazz-from-the-start-curriculum/) - Many music teachers don’t feel comfortable with jazz. Many programs are not large enough to have a jazz band. Don’t those students deserve to study jazz?
- [Almost Everything Iv'e Learned About Teaching Band](https://www.jamesdivine.net/podcast/) - Link to subscribe and listen to episodes of The Music Ed Podcast and the 2 Minute Teacher Podcast
- [Empower Your Future - Goal-Setting For Teens](https://www.jamesdivine.net/empower-your-future-goal-setting-presentation/) - A dynamic and interactive goal-setting class designed specifically for teenagers. Equip teens to define, pursue, and achieve their personal and academic goals.
- [Useful Links and Resources](https://www.jamesdivine.net/links/) - Links to resources mentioned in podcasts and blog posts that might be of benefit to you. Most are free.
- [A Beautiful Symphony Can Still Pour Out Of Your Life](https://www.jamesdivine.net/speaking/) - I love sharing my story, but more importantly, sharing the steps I took to overcome and leave these events in the PAST where they belong.
- [Contact James](https://www.jamesdivine.net/contact/) - Email and phone number
- [Training Solutions For Your Small Business](https://www.jamesdivine.net/trainingsolutions/) - I help you develop a clear vision. Then through consultation with you, develop training solutions that work to achieve your desired end.
- [Why Don't They Teach That in School](https://www.jamesdivine.net/why-dont-they-teach-that-in-school/)
- [Dealing With People](https://www.jamesdivine.net/people/) - Get 50% off the course "Adulting 101: Practical, social, and emotional skills every young person should know" if you order by September 30, 2022 and use this link. (discount applied at checkout) Notes from Dealing With People Presentation Dealing with Parents1. Be respectful (even if disagreeing)2. Look at from parent’s perspective3. Realize they are teaching
- [How To Play Careless Whisper](https://www.jamesdivine.net/how-to-play-careless-whisper/) - Have you ever thought about sneaking up on someone and playing Careless Whisper? I do it all the time. This mini-lesson will teach you how to play the song.
- [Resources on Race](https://www.jamesdivine.net/race/) - Links to some resources and podcasts that have given me a better understanding of race.
- [Resources for the "Save Time" training January 3](https://www.jamesdivine.net/d11/) - Link to "Just Say No" article Link to the Powerpoint Link to EveryPlate meal plan Link to Dave Ramsey's Materials
- [Around The House](https://www.jamesdivine.net/house/) - Link to the Around The House Powerpoint Have you ever thought “Why don’t they teach THAT in school?” As a teacher of 23 years myself, I noticed that students had less and less of some of the basic skills they need for every day life. Thus Adulting 101 was born. Underlined/linked lessons are free. Get the full course
- [Farmer's Life Download](https://www.jamesdivine.net/farmer/) - Free PDF Music Download
- [Sitemap](https://www.jamesdivine.net/sitemap/)

## Categories

- [Blog](https://www.jamesdivine.net/category/blog/) - Articles to help you be a better person
- [Education](https://www.jamesdivine.net/category/blog/education/) - Posts on education, music education and students

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