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Date Posted: 18:46:52 04/20/05 Wed
Author: Heather Gosche
Subject: Are we merely "prep" teachers?

Case Scenario:

This past Tuesday I went to my cooperating school for my normal teaching block with the high school choir and fourth grade general music class. My cooperating teacher is also the show choir director and she spent the first two hours of her normal morning doing a recruitment concert at the district's junior high school. Due to her early morning absence, her first and second grade classes did not have music that morning. When it came time for me to have the fourth grade class, their classroom teacher decided it was best for them not to come to music. The reason for this? My cooperating teacher informed me that the fourth grade teacher did not want the first and second grade teachers to be upset that his class got music because those teachers had to give up their "plan period" and keep their students in the morning. I was completely appalled! What kind of message does this send to the students? Why do I feel like we are merely looked at as the "babysitters" who watch the students so the classroom teachers can have a break? And why in the world would the fourth grade teacher be concerned about whether or not the other teachers would think it was fair for him to still have his "free time"? Help me make some light of this!!!

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Replies:

[> Re: Are we merely "prep" teachers? -- Jaynee, 06:13:23 04/25/05 Mon [1]

I think the music teacher needs to improve relations with the other classroom teachers. The music teacher needs to explain that music is important. I'm assuming the students do not have music everyday which makes attending class that much more important. I teach 5th grade band in Tiffin. We are at each school only one day a week. My teacher stresses how important it is to come to rehersal. He even requires the student to sit in on band and lessons if he forgot his instrument and follow along. I think that when you are a new teacher you need to make it perfectly clear to the classroom teachers that you take music very seriously and they should be serious about it also because their attitudes rub off on the kids.


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[> Re: Are we merely "prep" teachers? -- Cynthia Holcomb, 06:15:16 04/26/05 Tue [1]

Wow, I too am appalled. I agree with Janynee that some educating needs to take place on the importance of the music classroom. It seems to be a combination of the music teacher's expectations and the culture of the school that determines music's place in the educational environment. Unfortunately the teachers involved in Heather's scenario are sending a very clear message that music learning is secondary to other priorities. The challenge for a new music teacher would assumably be comparable to what a seasoned teacher would endure to change the tide of what was once acceptable. In either case, the goal is to offer the students a well-rounded education, and it is up to the adults to make sure that happens.


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