“We cannot simply strive for a majority of adequacy … leaders must know what better is and motivate people to break the mold.” – @pisanojm

The #MusEdChat held on July 12, 2010 discussed the advantages and opportunities for student leadership in the music classroom. The discussion included suggestions of how to appoint leaders, or how to go about leadership-role elections.

Benefits of Student Leadership

At the beginning of the chat, participants relayed that some leaders are born with the skill of leadership, but others can be taught leadership. One of the benefits of leadership is that the leaders end up learning as much as the people they are leading. @thomasjwest said, “The best way to learn something is to have to teach it to someone else. Student leaders get to do that.” Multiple teachers said that a big benefit is that leadership instills a sense of responsibility in students, which includes taking ownership of the ensemble.

How to Choose

While discussing the many benefits of student leadership, some participants wondered how to fairly select student leaders. As stated earlier in the chat, student leadership can be an extrinsic motivator for the students who are chosen, but could have a negative effect on the students who are not. Many suggestions were offered for this. Some stated that students should vote for which student they want in leadership positions. Many had confidence that the students know who would make the best leaders. Depending on the position, some teachers had different ways of choosing, such as holding auditions and interviews. Despite the method of choosing, not everybody can be a leader. To this, @pisanojm responded, “Everyone cannot have a leadership role all the time, but they all should have equal opportunity to try for those roles.”

Chair Placement

The #MusEdChat participants had differing opinions on using chair placement and section leaders in ensembles. Many of the participants felt that chair placement developed unnecessary divides in the group, and that it only motivated first-chair players to practice, while others may go to extremes such as quitting or not cooperating. Other chat participants did like and use chair placement in their ensembles. Their reasoning was  that those who didn’t cooperate, or quit the ensemble wanted to be a boss, not a leader. If they quit or don’t participate, then they don’t hold the ensemble higher in importance than their title, and probably shouldn’t be in a leadership position anyway.

Music teachers were adamant about making section leader assignments based on chair placement. Many felt that if a student is the best player in a section, that doesn’t mean they are the best leader.

Other Leadership Opportunities

The #MusEdChat participants also discussed other opportunities for leadership other than section leaders and chair placement. @justine_robin suggested that teachers do in-class assignments that give every student the chance to be a leader. Others suggested allowing students to run rehearsals when the teacher is absent. @richardmccready stated that he gives opportunities for leadership in his Music Technology classes through kids who like to tutor and help others in the class. Multiple participants had experience with allowing older students in an ensemble to direct a song. The idea of student-lead small ensembles was also discussed briefly (Check out the previous #MusEdchat on Small Ensembles!) Regardless of the role, it is important for teachers to create an environment that supports the efforts of leadership in the classroom. @jimfrankel shared,” I created officer positions with specific roles trying to foster leadership. Kids couldn’t handle responsibility or resentment.” He went on to say,”I believe students can really shine in a leadership role, but the teacher has to create the right environment.”

Related posts:

1. #MusEdChat Recap – Chamber Ensembles (5-24-10) “We find that small group opportunities strengthen our large ensembles...
2. #MusEdChat Transcript-Student Leadership (7/12/10) Below, please find the transcript from this week’s #MusEdChat. The...
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“I would say if your students end up with an appreciation, or even better, a love for music, then you have done your job right!” – @musically8

The #MusEdChat held on July 5th 2010 discussed what the participants thought defined a successful music teacher in today’s society. @Zweibz7 broke the chat up into how different groups of people view a successful program.

Successful Music Teacher as Defined By Parents

First music educators discussed what parents are looking for in a successful music teacher. Many stated that unfortunately, parents often look for only good concerts, or awards and trophies from festivals. Some stated, though that music teachers are often evaluated by the happiness of the students involved in the program. @KFreesen stated though, “Parents seem to want to have a teacher who is fun. The ones I’ve dealt with haven’t put performance quality as priority.” Most teachers felt that good ensembles are a sign of a good program, but they were sure to relay that it is only one aspect of the entire program. The participants stressed how vital parents are to a music program. Getting their support helps to keep the students active in music, and serves as great advocacy for the music program in general.

Successful Music Teacher as Defined By Administrators

#MusEdChat participants then started to discuss what a successful music program looks like to administrators. Many of the tweets stated that administrators are mostly concerned about having happy parents, happy students in the program, and getting good press from the program. Administrators also like to see a lot of students in the music program. Many places begin to cut music teacher positions if enough students are not enrolled in the program. #MusEdChat participants discussed how to advocate to administration in a previous chat – be sure to check it out!

Successful Music Teacher as Defined By Students

Chat participants had many ideas of what their students think make a successful music teacher. @justine_robin stated that if students aren’t bored in class, they will see their teacher as successful. Students also want somebody who can relate to them and teach to them on their level. Many educators said that students are looking for teachers who truly care about them. This can be relayed in multiple facets, including sticking around when the school day ends, and talking to students on a personal level – getting to know who they are outside of the classroom.

Successful Music Teacher as Defined By Music Teachers

To end the #MusEdChat, the participants decided to make a list of what they thought made a successful music teacher. Here are some of the ideas that were tossed out:

• Always doing everything with students as the center.
• Knowledgeable of music
• Encouraging/supportive of a student’s creativity and supportive of them as a person.
• Eager to keep learning
• Learning how to do your craft better so you can show them how to do it better.
• Meeting students at their level, then bringing them up through your teaching.
• Minimizing distractions to learning by taking care of administrative items ahead of time.
• Willingness to work with EVERY student.
• Inspiring a need for musical expression.
• Has and instills a love for music in all its forms.
• Has flexibility to handle multiple ability levels.
• Learning the needs of the community you teach in and meeting them where they are.
• Have high expectations of everyone, especially yourself.
• Have a passion for what you do – why live any other way?

Previously, music educators shared what many years of experience has taught them including many tips and tricks. If you’re looking for advice, find it here!

Related posts:

1. #MusEdChat Recap – Advocacy to Administration (5/10/2010) “If your program is significant and relevant to students, families,...
2. #MusEdChat Recap – Alignment of K-12 Programs (4/12/2010) Participants of the #MusEdChat held on April 12, 2010 discussed...
3. #MusEdChat Recap – Collaboration (3/15/2010) The #MusEdChat on 3-15-2010 discussed the topic “ How have...

To kick off the Collegiate MENC and New Teachers academy, Milt Allen gave the opening session”You’re Finally Here: We’ve Been Waiting Your Whole Life”, and a following session entitled,”Hero Training: How to Harness Your Superpowers”.

“You’re Finally Here: We’ve Been Waiting Your Whole Life”

Hero Training – How to Harness Your Superpowers

“You’re training the next generation of Artist Heroes”

In his second session, Dr. Allen built upon the foundation he laid in the first session – this time dealing with how beginning music educators and students can begin to hone their skills in teaching music. Dr. Allen put forth alot of great advice in this session.

He began by discussing whether or not we as teachers or future teachers were mature musicians. Some criteria he put forth to self-assess were, Do you: “Teach with the heart of a child and soul of a musician”, accept responsibility and exercise discipline, listen to music of all types, continue to learn about music no matter what your age?

He continued to give advice about your surroundings. He suggested to make sure your “hideout” (office, professional space) is conducive to being a hero, reflecting your passion and ideals. Along with this, Dr. Allen suggested to always dress professionally, and to spend money on your tools such as batons and music. He also suggested to be wary of your “sidekicks” and reminded the attendees to “Surround yourselves with greatness.”

Next, Dr. Allen explained how to Discover Your Superpowers. One piece of advice he gave was to tape yourself teaching. He stressed the importance of assessing this tape well. First, he said to watch it twice. The first time you assess the tape, note what you did well. On the second viewing, he recommended recording gestures or techniques that you used that you may have gotten from another source. When evaluating these, make note of : What did work, what could work, what could work if you modified it, and what just didn’t work. Dr. Allen said to be sure to build on what worked, modify what needs altered, and drop what just won’t work. In addition to effective assessment, he cautioned to never be afraid to try something new, and suggested to have a more-experienced teacher view your tape and ask for suggestions.

In his last portion of this session, Dr. Allen discussed “Your Musical Mission”. First he discussed something he called “Pure You”. In this, he challenged the attendees to think back to the passion of the moment when we realized that music was “it” for us. He challenged us to remember that moment in our teaching. He also told the session that we will learn much from our students.

Dr. Allen then covered some basic “Hero Rules” where he covered some thoughts that we should be thinking about. First, he stated that if the job were easy, everybody would be doing it. He also suggested having HAT (How Are Things) talks with students, where you as the teacher just check up on students and try to get to know them on a personal level. Also, he stated that teachers are on duty 24/7 – it becomes a way of life. Along with this, Dr. Allen warned that there are no shortcuts, and recommending doing things right the first time.

Dr. Allen left the session with some last closing thoughts:

“Don’t restrict your adult self”

“Dont define yourself by what others will let you do.”

“Don’t define yourself by what you have, how you got it, what you can’t get, and what others won’t give you.”

We were lucky enough to snag an interview with Dr. Milt Allen following his sessions. Dr. Allen was kind enough to expand some thoughts for us for better understanding, and delve in to some other topics in our interview. Check it out here!

Special Thanks to Dr. Milt Allen for his inspiring sessions and willingness to talk to have an interview with us!

Dr. Milton Allen is the Visiting Associate Director of Bands at The Ohio State University. He is currently taking a leave of absence from the Eastern Illinois University as the Director of Bands and Instrumental Division Director. Here, he conducts the Wind Symphony, Collegiate Band, University Band, teaches undergraduate conducting, guides the graduate conducting program, and oversees all aspects of Eastern’s band program.

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One of the biggest obstacles I have heard for people interested in participating in #MusEdChat that participating requires a basic knowledge of Twitter. In order to combat that issue, I’m going to use this post to walk you through how to get set up to participate in #MusEdChat quickly and easily. Enjoy!

Step 1: Get on Twitter

MYTH: Twitter is NOT a service to let you tell your friends what you’re eating for breakfast!

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way… here are the easy steps to setting up a Twitter account so you can participate in #MusEdChat:

1. Go to the Twitter Homepage (http://twitter.com)
2. Click “Sign Up”
3. Enter the requested information-see below for tips on filling this out!
4. Click “Create My Account.” You may be requested to enter some “Captcha” information for anti-SPAM purposes
5. Check your email for the address you entered, and click the confirmation link in the email you receive
6. You’re all set up! Once you’re logged in, go to Settings -> Profile and upload an avatar. While you’re here, you should also fill out your bio.

Tips for your profile information:

• Username: This should be something that can be tied to you (consider including part of your name), and professional in nature. Also, try to keep it short in length – remember, you only get 140 Characters in Twitter, and people talking to or about you will need to include your username as part of their 140 characters!
• Password: Make it safe!
• Email: Use a professional address, similar to one you would use on college applications and resumes.
• Avatar: Your avatar should reflect who you are! It should actually be YOU (your face, that is) and should reflect your personality
• Bio: This is your 160-character “elevator pitch” to potential followers. Tell people who you are, what you talk about, and what you’re interested in.
• Location/Web: Fill them out if you can/want. If you have a website, use it! If not, you can always point to your LinkedIn profile. I would advise against linking to your Facebook profile, unless you don’t mind potential employers seeing your Facebook!

Great. You’re on Twitter! Now what?

Step 2: Learn the Important Concepts

Some important concepts/terms to know about Twitter that will help you navigate the site:

• Tweet: This is a Twitter update. You can send a Tweet by posting in the “What’s Happening?” box on your Twitter homepage, by text message (if you set up Mobile in your settings), or from an external application.
• Follow: Unlike Facebook, following on Twitter does not have to be confirmed by the person being followed. You can follow anyone with a Twitter account, without needing their approval. Tweets from anyone you follow will be displayed in chronological order on your homepage, with the most recent tweets appearing at the top.
• Mention: When you want to refer specifically to or about a Twitter user, you can include a mention in your tweet. To do this, simply put the @ sign before their username. For example:

Happy Birthday to @pisanojm!

You can view all mentions about you by clicking the “@ Username” link in the sidebar of your homepage.

• Reply: This is a specific type of mention in which you are replying to an individual tweet by someone else. You can do this by hovering over the tweet you want to reply to, and clicking the “Reply” link. This will automatically put a Mention of the user into your tweet box, and allow you to type your response. Replies are different from Mentions because when you view a Reply, you have the option to see what tweet it was in response to.
• Retweet: If someone posts a tweet you feel is worth sharing with your followers, you can Retweet it! To do this, hover over the tweet, and click the “Retweet” button. This will display that tweet in the timeline of all your followers, even if they don’t follow the original author of the tweet. You may also see tweets containing “RT @Zweibz7: ” – this is a way that users Retweet a comment while retaining the ability to add their own commentary (usually before the RT label, or after the entire RT’ed text).
• Profile: Your profile is located at http://twitter.com/yourusername. Your profile will only show tweets by you, and RT’s that you have published (through the RT link, with no commentary).
• Direct Messages: These are private one-way messages from one user to another. Nobody else can see these messages. In order to DM someone, they must be following you, although you don’t necessarily have to be following them. You can see your DM’s by clicking the “Direct Messages” link.
• Favorite: If you mark a tweet as a Favorite (hover over the Tweet and click on the star), it will be stored under the “Favorites” tab on the Twitter link. This can be great for Tweets containing links to articles you want to read eventually, or particularly inspiring tweets you want fast access to.
• Hashtag: A hashtag begins with a # sign, and helps categorize a Tweet for searching purposes. For example, many people post content on the #MusEdChat hashtag over the course of the week (including me posting topic poll information, recap links, etc.) – this allows all the users to search for one common phrase (“#MusEdChat”) and gather the information. To include a hashtag in your tweet, simply place the # sign before the tag.

Step 3: Start Following!

The next step to being ready for #MusEdChat is to follow some Music Educators! Dr. Joseph Pisano (@pisanojm on Twitter) has made this process extremely easy by creating a list of Recommended Music Educators to Follow on Twitter. You can automatically view and follow all the great members on this list (53 of them!) by checking out the list’s page on TweepML or by clicking this button:

That was easy, wasn’t it?!

Step 4: Get Ready to Chat

Once you’re set up with an account, understand the lingo, and have begun to build your Twitter network, it’s time to get ready for the chat. The first thing to do is to start searching for the #MusEdChat hashtag ALL the time (not just at 8pm on Mondays!). Enter #MusEdChat in the search bar on the right of your Twitter page, and click the “Save this Search” link to keep a quick link in your sidebar. As you browse, be sure to check the #MusEdChat feed for great links/discussion, and for important updates on the chat!

Each week, I post a poll using TwtPoll where anyone can vote on what topic they would like to discuss in this week’s chat. You can always find the most updated poll by visiting http://musicedmajor.net/musedchat/poll (bookmark this!). Be sure to vote each week for what YOU want to discuss.

So, you’ve got your account and network set up, you’re following #MusEdChat and voting in polls… it’s 7pm on a Monday night, and it’s time to get ready for the chat! How in the world will you keep track of all this information? There are a few services you can use to keep track of the flow of information during the chat, but I will recommend TweetGrid. @pisanojm has also made this process extremely user friendly by creating a TweetGrid template for #MusEdChat. When you open this template, all you need to do is enter your username and password for Twitter underneath the “Tweet” area and enter your username in the rightmost column, and you’re set! The following columns have already been set up for you (you can always modify them to suit your own needs):

1. pisanojm – one of our moderators, this column allows you to see what Dr. Pisano is posting
2. Zweibz7 (that’s me!) – I’m a moderator for the chat, see what I’m saying in this column
3. #MusEdChat – follow this one during the chat to see what everyone is saying!
4. yourname – replace this with your username to keep track of your mentions during the chat

Step 5: Chat Time!

You’re all set, it’s 8pm, and it’s time to chat! Here’s what you can/should do:

• Follow the moderator columns to see what the topic is, and some specific questions for discussion. Post your answers in the “Tweet” area at the top and click “Tweet!” to share your thoughts
• Follow the tweets streaming into the #MusEdChat column, and if you see something you have an opinion on, hover over the tweet and click the “Reply” arrow to respond to that user’s comment
• Follow your mentions column to see who is responding to you
• If you see something worth sharing with everyone else, retweet it!

It’s that simple!

Step 6: After the Chat

After the chat is over (or if you missed the chat), I post a transcript of the chat on the #MusEdChat homepage. Stay tuned in to the #MusEdChat search on Twitter for the link. Also, the wonderful Andrew Ritenour (@andrewritenour) posts prose-based recaps of the chats here at MusicEdMajor.net. If you want to stay updated on these posts and more, consider subscribing to our feed!

I hope this tutorial was helpful in getting you set up on #MusEdChat! If you have other questions, don’t hesitate to leave them in comments to this post, and I’ll be sure to address them. Happy chatting!

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I’ve gotten to know Andy over the past four or five months through blogging and this site. He is a great guy and a great teacher whose contributions to music education as an undergrad are truly astonishing. In just the past year, his contributions were many including the startup of #MusEdChat and the development of MusicEdMajor.Net. In addition he has been on the launch team of Dr. Pisano’s MusicPLN.Org. All of these projects serve to help the common music educator (or music education major) to be better at what they do.

Happy Birthday Andy, and thanks for all you do for music education!

Feel free to leave Andy your own birthday wish with a comment!

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“Quite a few people spend the summer playing or performing for joy instead of work! I love that.” – @girlfromPBO

The #MusEdChat held on June 28th, 2010 discussed ways teachers spent their time during the summer. This spanned from professional development to rest and relaxation.

What Teachers Actually Do During the Summer

The chat  began by discussing activities that they actually participate in over the summer. While many stated the importance of taking some time for yourself, they also suggested some great ideas to become better music teachers. A few of the participants said that they were using the summer months to become more literate in Web 2.0 Technology as it pertains to music education. Some teachers use the summer to catch up on some administrative duties of the job, like file music, organize things, and @shawdave will be adding his entire music library holdings to Google Docs. Other teachers are spending the summer brushing up on instruments. Performing is also an activity that teachers spend time with during the summer, generally through community groups. Advocacy is also an important aspect to summer that some teachers take advantage of, including getting principals and administrators behind their programs. @jimfrankel said that when he was teaching, he made a list of 5 things he would improve on for the next year. Since summer is a generally busy time for band directors, it offers a great opportunity for both undergraduate music education students, and teachers who don’t teach band to gain some experience in that area.

In an Ideal World…

Music educators began discussing what they would like to do over the summer. Many said that the summer should be spent doing whatever prepares them for the upcoming year. @jimfrankel suggested that teachers learn to compose, or brush-up on their composition skills. Along with this, some participants cited the importance of knowing how to improvise. Others would love to tour or staff with DCI bands. @LindsayMorelli said, “I think teachers should form summer performance ensembles. Great way to keep playing/singing, as well as talk about music!”

#MusEdChat Books

At one point during the chat, participants recommended a multitude of great books to each other. Some also tossed around the idea of collaborating with each other in a #MusEdChat Book chat. Since summer seems to be a time of professional development and relaxation, reading seemed to be a way to conquer both. @Zweibz7 compiled all of these books into a easily-navigable #MusEdChat Book List.

Connect With #MusEdChat!

Be sure to join us tonight at 8 PM EDT/12AM GMT for the next #MusEdChat. The topic will be, “What are ways we can teach across the curriculum in the music classroom?” Also, check out MusicPLN.Org, the new community for music educators which launches to the public today! This is a great way to connect with many of the #MusEdChat participants, and carry our Monday-night chats into full fledged discussions and learning opportunities! Check out MusicEdMajor.Net’s post,”Music Education Professional Learning Network Opens to Public.”

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2. #MusEdChat Recap – Relevance (3/29/2010) The #MusEdChat on 3/29/2010 focused on making music relevant. The...
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Music Education Professional Learning Network Opens to Public

Grove City, PA – July18, 2010  — The Music Education Professional Learning Network (MPLN) opens to the public, at12:00 pm EDT, on July 19, 2010.

The MPLN is a new Website specifically developed for music educators, pre-service music teachers, and teaching musicians of any kind. As its base framework, it incorporates the BuddyPress and WordPress Social Networking (SN) platforms, but also includes integrations with Twitter, FaceBook, and other existing SN platforms. As a SN platform, this site seeks to promote elongated discussions about important topics facing music educators today.

Founded by Dr. Joseph M. Pisano the Associate Chair of Music and Fine Arts at Grove City College, the site’s official Launch Team includes ten of the top Music and Technology Integrators today including: Dr. James Frankel (President of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction and Managing Director of SoundTree), Ms. Amy M. Burns (President of the Technology Institute for Music Educators) and Ms. Marcia Neel (President of Music Education Consultants, Inc.).

“The mission of the MPLN is to generate better, more accessible,  information about music, education, and technology and to use technologies to bring musicians of all types together to benefit by it, discuss it, and collaborate with it for the generation of even better and even more accessible information about music, education, and technology…”

The site requires independent registration, but is dedicated to providing its services for free to all music educators –everywhere.  Find the MPLN at http://musicpln.org.

ENDS
###

250 words

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Now what?

For some, the next logical step is graduate school. For others, it’s time to start your teaching career. The great thing about getting a teaching position is that, from now on, you can expect and demand to be paid for your services as a music teacher. But, the real challenge is getting hired.

As a professional music educator for the past 12 years, I have changed teaching positions four times. I was in my first job for six years, then have jumped jobs quite a bit the past six for a variety of reasons. This process of applying and interviewing multiple times has given me a pretty good handle on what it takes to get hired in American public school systems.

Go For The Dream Job, But Have Realistic Expectations

Every music major has an area of emphasis. Take the time to visualize or even write down your ideal dream job. You need to know what that dream job looks like so you’ll recognize it when it comes. The fact is, many other music teachers, both recent graduates and teachers with years of experience, are probably looking for the same job you are. You main objective upon graduating and starting your career should be simple: land a job you can live with.

This certainly doesn’t mean you should “settle,” but you are not going to appear attractive to someone with your dream job if you yourself believe that dream job is beyond your skills as a new teacher. Your first job does not have to be the place where you spend a 30 year career. However, don’t consider accepting a job offer in a school that you can’t see yourself spending at least three years in. In most states, K-12 tenure is attained after year three, and achieving tenure in a state is a big feather in your cap for future employers. You really won’t see the effect that your teaching has on a music program until you’ve worked through at least one graduating class. For example, if you teach middle school band, grades 5 through 8, you will need to see those 5th graders through to 8th grade graduation before you can really call that program “your own.”

If you really want to search for the dream job right out of the gate, you have to be willing to relocate. The desirable music teaching jobs, particularly secondary performing ensemble jobs, will always have a high number of applicants no matter where you are in the country.You will have to carefully weigh the pros and cons of leaving comfortable locations, friends, and family behind to pursue a desirable job. You can always make new social connections in a new place, and with online social networking, it’s easier than ever to stay connected to people you care about.

Applying for Jobs – Leave No Stone Unturned

Consider the following suggestions for finding jobs to apply to:

1. Most states, some regional areas, some counties, and even some school districts have their own online job search portals. Be sure to check out USreap.net to see if your state has a REAP employment website.
2. For states with county-wide school districts, most county districts or I.S.D.’s have their own employment portal for every school in the county.
3. Both Craigslist and Monster.com have regional classified ads for education.
4. Many state board of education associations have regular job postings. For example, here are the listings for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association website.
5. Many state music educators associations have their own job boards, and certainly check the MENC jobs postings. By the way, if you have a music ed degree and you’re not an MENC member, what are you waiting for?
6. Check out online forums for organizations affiliated with your primary teaching area. I actually found my third teaching job by posting “I’m looking for a job” in the forums at Youth Education in the Arts.
7. School districts are required by law, at least in my state, to make a public announcement every time they have an opening, even if the position is filled internally. Many school districts will give as little warning about openings in public advertising as possible if they already have a good applicant pool. Many districts do not advertise job openings at all except for the “employment” page on their district website. If you have a specific school district you are gunning for, be sure you check out their website and talk to people who are on the inside. The first place to find out about openings from a specific school district is the rumor mill.
8. Many retail music stores have a list of local openings. Typically, they have a traveling sales representative who visits all of the schools in a geographic area. Those road reps are great sources for all kinds of insider information on the districts they serve.

Credentials, Credentials, Credentials

Here are some suggestions for sprucing up your application package:

1. Some districts prefer to get your entire application electronically. The previously mentioned USreap.net system delivers your entire application to any school district in the system. Others will give you a specific email address to send items to. Still others want it mailed to them in paper. As the old song goes, “Find out what they like, and how they like it, and give it to them just that way.”
2. Be sure that you have current copies of any clearances in your possession – child abuse clearance, criminal record check, FBI clearance, etc. Make copies of the originals and include them with your initial application. This shows that you are organized.
3. Make sure that your references and reference letters are people who really know you personally and can go to bat for you. The more recent their contact with you, or the longer-term their work has been with you, the better they are as a reference. The more references you can provide that directly interacted with you in a music teaching (or any teaching capacity) the better.
4. Make sure that your resume is clean, easy to read, and is full of action words. If you have not done a lot of teaching outside of your bachelor’s program, incorporate any employment you have had that demonstrates your professionalism. Be sure to include awards you have won and student leadership positions you have held in ensembles.
5. Your cover letter is one of the most important parts of your packet. This is where you need to customize the message for each school you submit to – do NOT write one cover letter and then send copies of the same letter to all of the employers. Your cover letter needs to address the specific position that is open in the school district and how you are uniquely qualified to fill that position. This is your chance to tell the employers something about yourself that is not apparent in your resume, as well as express your individual personality and philosophy with respect to the opening they have. I do not recommend that you use your cover letter to “tell them what you think they want to hear,” but certainly use it to highlight abilities you have that match the job opening.

The Interview

When you do finally get an interview, be thankful for the opportunity – it means that the district is considering you as a possible match for their needs. Keep in mind that districts are looking to add a full-time employee, complete with a significant salary and benefits – it is a big investment on their part. They are also adding someone to their extended work family. No matter what kind of “inside track” you may have with this district (you’ve subbed there, you know the principal, etc.), you really have no idea of what qualities the interviewing panel is looking for, so don’t try to “tell them what you think they want to hear.” It is much better for all parties involved if you are straightforward and honest with them about who you are, what you value, and what you want out of this relationship. You are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. If you get mixed signals from them or have any kind of intuitive “red flags” like a knot in the pit of your stomach when they mention something, consider finding a different district to work for. Yes, you need a job, but again if you can’t picture spending at least three years of your life working with these people, you will be much happier somewhere else.

Some tips for the interview:

1. Be on time, dress to kill. Plan travel time with at least a 30 minute cushion for unexpected delays.
2. Make sure you have a contact number in case you get lost.
3. Shake hands, make eye contact as much as possible. Sit with good posture, but not too rigidly.
4. Be prepared to answer questions on your teaching style, how you handle classroom discipline, what kind of music you program, how you accommodate special learners, etc.
5. If you don’t have an immediate answer to a question they ask, relax, take a deep breath, and if nothing comes, say so.
6. Be prepared for an interview panel containing anywhere between 2 and 10 people. Some districts will have the parent booster group president sit in on interviews.
7. Come prepared with at least one question to ask the panel, as they usually give you an opportunity to do so at the end. If something comes up for you as a “red flag” in what they say during the interview, dump your prepared question and ask about that.
8. Confident but not cocky is a good approach.
9. Most districts are looking for tech-savvy people. If you use technology, be sure to bring it up if possible.
10. Afterwards, send an email thanking them for the opportunity and looking forward to speaking with them again.

And here’s a great power tip: If you don’t get hired after giving an interview, call them back and ask who was hired and which school district they are coming from. Not all schools will give out that information, but if they do, you have another school to apply to. Chances are that the district the other person is leaving hasn’t posted their opening yet.

Above all, getting hired by a district has more to do with your own preparation and attitude than anything else. If you go in with a “please hire me, I’m desperate” attitude, this will come across in your presentation. If you consider yourself to be a valuable addition to a teaching faculty and expect to be hired by a deserving district, you will find yourself in a teaching position. Above all, DON’T GIVE UP! I got one of my teaching jobs in the third week of August and had two weeks to put a marching band show on the field! Best of luck to you on your job search, and be sure to join us as a professional in the Music Educators Professional Learning Network.

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“Blogging helps student musicians learn to think critically about their work and evaluate their performance.” – @LindsayMorelli

The #MusEdChat on June 21st, 2010 discussed how music educators use or could use blogs, podcasts and wikis in the music classroom. The topic for the evening was suggested by @katiesw1.

Blogs

Many of the participants saw the benefit of using blogs in the classroom. Some teachers use blogs instead of writing projects for their students in general music. This allows them to put their writing in an environment where their peers can comment on it. @thomasjwest uses blogs to offer challenges in order to keep his students practicing their instruments over the summer. In addition to practical uses of blogs in the classroom, music educators also discussed multiple benefits to having students participate in blogs. @palmerjosh thought that one of the benefits is getting students used to using technology. @Zweibz7 said,”One benefit to having students write blog posts is that parents can subscribe via email and be automatically kept informed!” This also has benefits for the teacher. When students blog an assignment, it is instantly archived so that the teacher can store it and use these archives to grade the projects. @jimfrankel also stated that when students realize their work is being read, they put more effort into their assignment. Music educators had mixed feelings about whether blog assignments should be done in class or as homework. Some felt that students should be given class time to complete such assignments, especially if they did not have a computer or internet connection at home. Along the same lines, some teachers felt that students already have too much homework. On the other hand, some of the participants thought that music class should be more about making music, and the blogs should be used as more of a reflection tool.

The #MusEdChat participants then began discussing how you can incorporate blogs into performing ensembles. Most felt that blogs were most effectively used as reflection tools for rehearsals. Students can get on the blog and discuss with each other how they felt rehearsal went, what they need to work on, etc. Students can do the same with performance critique using blogs. It could also be used to log rehearsal notes if students have to miss rehearsal.

Podcasts

Many of the participants have experience using podcasts with their students. @shawdave stated,” Yes to podcasting here. Announcements, recordings, will expand to student-produced interviews this year.” He also suggested having his students record assignments on their iPods, and then he would subscribe to their feeds. The idea was thrown out by @LindsayMorelli to podcast rehearsals for students who miss, or to use as general review. Teachers also cited the importance of developing followers of podcasts.

Wikis

Many teachers use and have ideas involving wikis. @CaseyMcCann said,” My goal is to create a comprehensive wiki that my teachers can use as a resource for different technical and curricular needs. It was also suggested to have a student-driven wiki where they are teaching each other various songs and aspects of music. Others stated that wikis help students to review information and draw connections between multiple topics. They also serve as a great way for students to communicate about what they are learning in general. Many of the participants were torn between wikis and Google Docs, as they both offer essentially the same collaborative nature for students. @musiccargirl14 suggested only using wikis for higher grade levels. When choosing between using a blog or a wiki, @gleneaglemusic said,” They’re different spaces: a blog is more of a publisher. Wiki is a collaborative tool (as well as presentation)

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So what are these videos? They are a clinic that Wayne Downey did for the Riverside City College in Riverside, California. “Who is Wayne Downey,” you ask? His biography explains:

Wayne Downey is the Music Director of the 13 time DCI Champion Concord Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps. Under his supervision as arranger and teacher, the brass section of the Blue Devils has been awarded the Jim Ott Memorial Trophy for “Excellence in Brass Performance” for an unprecedented 22 times, more than any other brass section in the history of DCI.

If that’s not enough, here he is in an interview from 1980:

Even posting them to my blog So You Want To Teach? didn’t feel like the right thing to do, so I decided that the best place to put them was here on MusicEdMajor.Net. The total time of the videos is nearly 30 minutes so before you start watching them, I want to list a few things that I took away from the video regarding his pacing and teaching style. Even more, I’d encourage discussion about some of these things or other things you see in the comments section below…

• Obviously, if you’re teaching a younger group, classroom management will be more of an issue.
• Notice how relaxed, yet engaged he is. People will generally respond with the same energy-level that you portray.
• Though these are basic concepts that most of us have heard at one point or another – and he has doubtless taught hundreds of times, he still goes at them with the same passion.
• On that same topic, the students have heard the same stuff for years also. But he focuses on four primary things over and over: breathing, tone quality, intonation, and releases.
• Notice at the beginning of the third video how he stops mid-thought and tells them he likes something that they did. If you missed it, rewind to about 0:10 and watch the baritones in the second row as they put their horns down.

All of these concepts are exactly why great music teachers and great coaches are just generally incredible teachers. Sorry about my mini classroom management clinic here, but it’s vital. We can really boil great teaching down then to three things:

1. Know the subject matter
2. Stick to what works, and present it passionately
3. Catch someone doing something remarkable – and remark about it

Enough of me, here we go:

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