Forum of the Saxes

JPSaxMan

I've been teaching a class of elementary students for a year now and I've run into a lot of hoops to jump through and I'm opening this up for discussion.

When I say "jump through hoops" I mean having to deal with their schedules (teacher, class based) and not being able to make rehersals. I actually had very few incidents, but when I did have one, it seemed to be at the oh most worst time you could imagine. For example, today, I was giving them their final. Two of the students didn't have their saxophone, but no big deal, we could just sanitize and stuff and swap saxes. However, they had graduation practice (all 6th grade students) at 1:30. According to another teacher, they weren't going to be lining up until then so we could keep them as late as I needed. So I showed up at 12:45 after gulping down a terrible chicken sandwich and a couple of Baked Lays, ready to rock. They all show up, with keep in mind those two without their sax, we get started around ten minutes later and at 1:00 the phone rings. It's a 6th grade teacher calling out two of my students (coincidentally the ones without their horn) to go line up. They left...as I'm giving them their final for my class which is my graduation project. So I'm like..."Ok great, I still have two of my other students to work with." The one girl reminds me that her teacher too wants her back at 1:00, so she packs up and leaves and to follow suit, the other boy leaves too. At this point I'm steaming...we got through my hand-written final piece like three times with no major progression and one of the students admitting they didn't practice it. But that's ok...it's only their final.

The music teacher (who is mentoring me) storms down to the gym where they're holding grad. practice and demands an explanation as to why these two classes which took all 4 of my students had to be there early. Supposedly it was because they didn't practice lining up so they had to do it early. So the teacher(s) had to yank their kids from my lesson to do this.

I'm still furious...I'm thinking about this and what the music teacher has been telling me all year about how teachers are constantly pulling this sort of stuff with her students. The music students at this school have a music lesson ONCE a WEEK. These teachers still have a major issue with letting them get out for this half-hour time slot. Why is my question? Why for half an hour of any given subject can my students not get out of class?

There are several possibilities: One is the fact that prior to the PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) exams, they were studying. But those were over long before the concert. Two; No Child Left Behind Act. This act ensures that every student is getting the most out of their academics. With this Act, however, it seems that the teachers are taking it almost too seriously and hence, we in the music department cannot get any slack.

So, teachers, what kind of obstacles like this do you run into in your job? The rest of you, is this the future of music? It being cancelled out over academics (and as we all know music is equal if not paramount to academics in some aspects and if anyone trys to tell me different they will be blasted out of the water). I'm looking for feedback; I'm off to research that No Child Left Behind act.

_________________
JP
Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

JazZz · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 170

It's pretty much the exact opposite in my school.
Our music teacher is new this year and he worked his magic on the entire staff. He has like every teacher and all the admin doing what he wants, we all say that he can sell a freaking ice cube to an eskimo. Anyway, the teachers in our school are supportive of our stuff and actually let us out of class to go to band near concerts. Whenever we get back from a competition all the teachers like run up to us and ask us our scores and for pictures. The teachers are so cool about letting us go to band, that a few friends and I only reported to Gym like twice in the second semester because the teacher let us skip to band. They all feel that band is something every kid should take and some of the teachers have told us that they made their kids sign up for band again because of the importance they now see in it.
Their just jealous because our band program did better than every athletics program this year Cool

JPSaxMan · Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 6:43 am Post subject:

Must be nice....must, be, nice =P
_________________
JP
Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Thomas · Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 223 Location: Alberta, Canada

At my high school, the band program has never really got the recognition it deserved. Even now, when people think Victoria School, they think dance, drama, art, and new media. I don't know what attributed to this disappointing disparity between the programs, but what I do know is that the band program used to be in shambles. That was until 8 years ago, when a trombone player named Craig Brenan took it upon himself to turn the progam around, and establish a new level of professionalism and musicality amongst the students which remains today.

Many good things have come out of Craig's work. Not to be egotistical, but the young musicians involved in his program are among the most talented and musical in the city. There's something different about the atmosphere of the school that inspires them, or maybe it's just Craig's belief that playing in band is about musicianship, not about the audience.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's the teachers that really make a difference, not the administration. I don't think I could ever teach public school, but I have great admiration for those who have the "cojones" to slave through it, year after year. If you get a great band teacher who knows their stuff, and knows how to get what they want, then you'll get great students who do great things.

I truly respect Craig for all the things he's taught me, amd I realize now that it really was worthwhile to be a part of his program. No matter how boring the class seemed, it still really was contributing to my growth and development as a musician, and I wouldn't be where I am today without it.
_________________
Thomas Hay
Sax player, music student, composer, Finale user, and part-time slacker/procrastinator.

kirbay · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 30

Hello peeps! ^^

Well in elementary I had music once a week like you and all we had were Dollar Store Recorder (flute things... <_<) and some xylophones... >_< yeah so it was a terrible experience oh and one time I had to sing a song hahaha.

But it was when i got to my highschool that music got better (got my sax! ^_^) and well the teachers and important people in our school support us and stuff. They pay for the trips to competitions and stuff. (We also get to use a big auditorium for music class! ^_^) and if you choose music as an optional course you get like 4-5 class in a 9 day cycle thing our school uses. So yup... anyways I think it's only because of the school you're teaching at that's making it really poopy for you... =( you should come to lauren hill and teach... ^^ or you can always try to convince that school to give the students more music classes instead of once a week. (don't make them do projects... :P)

good luck in teaching!

dunebug222 · Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 12 Location: arlington texas

Catholic eliminatory, after school, 1 hr, mon. & tues. same thing for 2 years the teachers and had no respect for band we were last. We talked to each trouble maker quite often for abought 6 months and eventually things got better as they began to understand no means no. you have your time and we have ours. you misted your lineup practice reschedule on Saturday whatever.

JPSaxMan · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 10:14 pm Post subject:

dunebug222 · Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 12 Location: arlington texas

We had the same problem we talked to the other teachers and staff we insisted on having our time after a while the other teachers worked out their schedules without destroying ours.

JPSaxMan · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 12:04 am Post subject:

Gotcha...glad to know you had such cooperative teachers. I can only hope for the same when I finally get a teaching job!
_________________
JP
Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

seansdadj · Joined: 18 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

in my high school music wasn't as important

the band was small and they just didn't take it serious...but i am now going to a music school in la which is totally the opposite of what i dealt with in high school !