Maybe you are getting ready to graduate or  have recently graduated, have a degree in music education and are ready to begin teaching, but now the challenge of finding a full-time music teaching position begins. If you find yourself in this position you are probably starting to realize that this can be quite a daunting and overwhelming task. You are overwhelmed with where to begin, how to find job postings, applications, portfolios, resumes, and eventually interviews. As we all know interviewing is a challenge itself, but actually finding and applying for jobs can be a long and tiring journey. In this post I will give some resources for finding job postings, tips on filling out applications, and some general tips on the daunting task of job searching.

Where To Begin

1. Know What You Are Looking For- Before your start your searching you need to know what type of job you are looking for. What area or areas of music education do you want to teach. Also, think about what area of the country you want to work in. This helps to narrow your search and keep you focused. 
2. Do Your Research- After deciding on what you are looking for make sure you do your research. Start by researching schools in the areas you would like to work and find schools that seem like a good fit. Also, make sure you research each state you are applying in so that you know their application requirements. If looking out of state be sure to find out the requirements for transferring your teaching certificate. 
3. Have All Your Materials Prepared- Get all of your materials prepared such as cover letters, resumes, portfolios, clearances, and recommendations ready before you start searching. This way as soon as you start to find postings you are ready to mail in your materials. 
4. Be Open Minded Yet Selective- Have an open mind as to where you search, but also be selective. What I mean is don’t apply to every job posting you find even if it is where you are looking. Before you apply make sure it is a job you could see yourself in for at least a few years and the area is right for you. 

Tips On Filling Out Applications

1. Know the Expectations and Requirements- When starting to fill out applications make sure you read the job posting and make sure you know all of the requirements. Each state and often each school district requires different essays, applications and materials. Also, many schools are starting to use online applications and don’t want you to send anything by mail. Finally if you are interested in a school district that hasn’t posted a job yet, check before you send in your materials. Some schools are fine with this, but others only want materials for jobs they have posted. 
2. Allow Time- When filling out applications allow plenty of time as it is a very time consuming process. This is especially true if you are using job search sites such as USReap or PaEducator which require extensive profiles. These take a long time to fill out and need to be done before postings start coming out. I recommend getting this done in the winter or early spring before you start searching. 
3. Have Standard Essays and Applications Prepared- If your state has a standard application or essay get these prepared ahead of time. Also make sure to keep a hard copy of these on your computer so you can print them out for other schools or update the information. 
4. Appearance is Half the Battle- When filling out applications and preparing your packet of materials make sure that everything is neat and organized. Appearance is half of the battle. Since schools get hundreds of applications for one position they often start weeding out the applications by just glancing at them and checking if you followed directions before they even start reading your qualifications. 
5. Find Ways to Stand Out- When sending applications find ways to make yourself stand out. One way to do this is by making a mini-portfolio or brochure about yourself that you can send with every application. Another way to do this is by making an online portfolio and including the web address in your materials. WordPress is a great way to do this for free. Here is mine as an example: www.elizabethheist.com

Resources For Finding Job Openings

There are many easily available resources for job searching. Below are some specific sites and and also some more general ways to find postings. For anything below that is state specific, most states have their own version of the same website.

1. PA Educator- A specific site for PA that many PA schools use to post openings.
2. US Reap- Online job portal for many states. Create a profile once and then use it for any of the states that post jobs.
3. Teaching In PA- Postings for all fields of open jobs in PA. Many others states have sites just like this one.
4. Teacher Catapult- Another site specific to PA, but is a great resource if you are looking for jobs in PA. Also, has great general job searching resources.
5. Teachers- Teachers- An online job portal where you can search for jobs worldwide and also private schools. All you have to do is create a profile, select what types of jobs you are looking for and it will automatically show you related postings.
6. School Spring- Similar to teachers-teachers where you can search any states for postings.
7. Classified Ads- Websites such as Indeed, Craigslist, and Monster have postings for music education jobs.
8. State Education Boards- Most stated school boards update regular job postings such as Pennsylvania School Boards Association
9. State Department of Education- Check out your states department of education website. Most have an online job search portal.
10. State Music Education Associations- Most state music education websites have a job board.
11. NAFME Job List
12. Local School Districts- If you are looking in a certain area check the local school district websites for a list of postings.
13. Local Newspapers
14. Private Schools- A directory that links you to private schools by state.
15. Job Fairs- Attend local job fairs or do a search for job fairs and see which school districts are attending and what subject areas the are looking to hire.
16. Word of Mouth- Sometimes the best way to find openings is by word of mouth. Ask friends, co-workers, professors, private lesson teachers, music stores etc.
17. Professional Learning Networks- In my opinion this is one of the best ways to find postings and also ask about certain areas or job opportunities.

General Job Searching Tips

1. Start Early- Don’t wait until summer to start searching because you will miss out on a lot of opportunities. End of April/beginning of May is when many schools start positing, but you will often find a lot of postings earlier in the year as well. Some schools will even start interviews as early as February or March. 
2. Search Often- While job searching is definitely time consuming I have  found that it is extremely important to get into a routine and do your searches often. Many times schools will only keep a posting up for 1 week. So you want to keep checking back and have everything ready to send in so that you don’t miss a chance at a job because of being unprepared. 
3. Continue Gaining Experience- While you are job searching, continue to gain teaching experience. This could be through student teaching, substitute teaching, a long-term assignment, working at  a summer music camp, or being on a marching band staff. The more experience you have the better your chances are for landing and interview and securing a job. 
4. Have a Backup Plan- We all hope to land that first job right out of college, but unfortunately that doesn’t always happen. Try to have a backup plan in mind in case you don’t land a full-time position right away. If you are planning on subbing if you don’t get a full-time position get your materials in during the summer. It is better to get your materials in early and possible have to tell them you got a full-time job instead of waiting until August. If you wait until then you probably won’t start subbing until at least the end of September. 
5. Don’t Give Up- This is definitely easier said than done, but try to not give up. There is a job out there for you, but sometimes it takes awhile to find. Some of the best educators I know didn’t get a full-time position for a few years. Just keep plugging away and something will eventually come your way!

Related posts:

1. How Evernote Changed the Way I Job Search
2. Hire Me! Tips for Finding Your First Music Teaching Job After Graduation
3. Applications Applications…

As an undergraduate music ed major, I approach teaching probably a little different than some other people.  I teach my students facility on their instrument, but I believe it is just as important (if not more important) that they develop overall independent musicianship.  In other words, I try to teach my students to be good, independent musicians by using/playing their particular instrument.  I choose this approach for a few reasons.  Most importantly, I believe that it is my duty as a music educator to create good musical citizens.  It is critical that people are able to listen to music, evaluate and analyze music, sing melodies in tune, and keep a beat in their bodies.  These skills transcend the playing of any particular instrument, and having them makes for a more fulfilling life.

I try to teach independent musicianship to my private students so that they can carry their musical knowledge into the rest of their musical lives.  When I was in fourth grade, my first instrument was the clarinet.  I played it in school for five years.  I am now in my third year as a tuba major in music school.  If I had only learned the technical aspects of pushing the correct buttons on the clarinet, and nothing else, I would have been out of luck when the time came to learn the tuba. Instead, because I knew scales, reading, theory, how to sing in tune, and how to audiate, I had a much easier time transferring my musical knowledge in a relevant and applicable way.

Another reason I try to ‘make good musical citizens’ out of my students is very related to the previous reasons.  Basically, I want my students to be able to appreciate and enjoy music to the best of their ability.  Too often do we see people experiencing truly beautiful musical moments, but they find those moments incredibly boring or unlistenable because they have not been taught how to appreciate them.  That does not mean I try to brainwash all of my students to enjoy classical music; I don’t.  Instead, I try to work with the student to help them ‘open their ears’, and learn how to listen to more than just the surface of whatever particular piece of music they are listening to.  I don’t care if it’s Mozart, Duke Ellington, or Lady Gaga, I want my students to be able to experience, appreciate, and enjoy the music that they play and listen to.

When you get right down to it, I think that is what it is all about, that is why we do what we do: to teach students how to have a genuine and enjoyable musical experience by using their independent musicianship.  This is what I try to accomplish with my students.

Matt Ercolani is in his third year as an undergraduate music education major at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey.  At Rowan University, he is the Vice-President of the Rowan chapter of Collegiate NAfME (National Association for Music Education), and helps lead the most active collegiate chapter in the state.  Mr. Ercolani has taught at music camps across the country, including as a member of the all-volunteer SWAG Team at the 2010 Music-For-All Summer Symposium in Normal, Illinois. Most recently, he was selected for participation in the first-ever TI:ME Leadership Academy at the 2012 TI:ME National Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.  Mr. Ercolani is an active freelance private teacher and musician in the South Jersey area.  His research and teaching interests include early childhood music education and utilizing technology to teach non-traditional music students. You can find more about him at http://mattercolani.wordpress.com.

Related posts:

1. #MusEdChat Recap- Life Lessons (10-18-10)
2. Benefits of Drum Corps for a Music Education Major (Part 1/2)
3. Don’t Waste Your Electives!

This software gives you the ability to notate, play back and print music. As stated by Karen van Lith, MakeMusic CEO, “MakeMusic shares our customers’ devotion for creating music, and we are pleased to offer our entry-level app as a free download. Hobbyists, students, educators and musicians will find NotePad fun and easy to use.”

This is an awesome service provided by MakeMusic, and gives students, teachers and people in all aspects and levels of music an opportunity to express their musical ideas for FREE! Check out the links below to download Finale NotePad and read more about it!

For you MusicEdMajors out there, this is a great piece of software to take advantage of! Finale does a great job of offering a platform that can help you get the job done and is fairly user-friendly. As Music Ed Majors, this is just a really handy to have if you like to compose, or to have on hand in case you would ever need it. And what do you have to lose? – It’s FREE!

Download

• Finale Notepad

Read more about this in MakeMusic’s offical Press Release!

Related posts:

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2. Music Teacher 2.0: Blogging Your Way to a Better Classroom
3. #MusEdChat Recap- METOS 2010 (10-11-10)

Prior to participating in the 2012 TI:ME Leadership Academy, I was skeptical about technology’s applications in music education.  I thought it was a gimmick.  I thought it was overcomplicating education, and made teachers teach their students about technology, not music.  After attending the Academy, I am a believer.  I believe that it is truly possible to do as Barb Freedman says: “Teach music.  The technology will follow.”   I now realize that technology is the future of music education.  We as educators can use it as a tool to make music accessible to more students than ever before.  Non-traditional music students have so many musical outlets and tools available to them on the computer, and educators have a responsibility to learn about them in order to reach as many students as possible.  If music is important to study, it’s important for everyone to learn about, not just those in band, orchestra, and choir!  We are on the forefront of a movement.  I can’t wait to help shape it!

Matt Ercolani is in his third year as an undergraduate music education major at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey.  At Rowan University, he is the Vice-President of the Rowan chapter of Collegiate NAfME (National Association for Music Education), and helps lead the most active collegiate chapter in the state.  He is also in the process of starting a collegiate chapter of TI:ME (Technology Institute for Music Educators) at Rowan.  Mr. Ercolani has taught at music camps across the country, including as a member of the all-volunteer SWAG Team at the 2010 Music-For-All Summer Symposium in Normal, Illinois.  He has attended numerous regional and national music education conferences.  Most recently, he was selected for participation in the first-ever TI:ME Leadership Academy at the 2012 TI:ME National Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.  Mr. Ercolani is an active freelance private teacher and musician in the South Jersey area.  His research and teaching interests include early childhood music education and utilizing technology to teach non-traditional music students. You can find more about him at http://mattercolani.wordpress.com.

Related posts:

1. 2012 TI:ME Leadership Academy
2. Private Lessons
3. Collegiate Leadership Academy at MENC’s Music Ed Week

Special thanks to Dr. David Williams for the Leadership Academy photos! See more at the bottom of the page!

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the TI:ME National Conference in Louisville, Kentucky as a part of the first-ever TI:ME Leadership Academy. I was chosen as one of eight music education students to participate in this academy, and was blown away by the incredible ideas and conversations generated by participants and instructors alike.

Participants

• Ann Dorgan, Senior Music Education Major, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
• Matt Ercolani, Junior Music Education Major, Rowan University
• Brian Rivers, Junior Music Education Major, University of Cincinnati College – Conservatory of Music
• Alyssa Hoffert, Senior Music Education Major, Case Western Reserve University/ Cleveland Institute of Music
• T.J. Wolfgram, Senior Music Education Major, University of Michigan
• Sophie Taft, Senior Music Education Major, Northwestern University
• Camden Ritchie, Master’s Student/Graduate Assistant, Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
• Andrew Ritenour, Senior Music Education Major, Grove City College

Instructors

• Rick Dammers, Chair of the Music Department, Rowan University
• Dave Williams, Professor Emeritus of Music and Arts Technology, Illinois State University
• V.J. Manzo, Music Technology Director, Montclair State University

The Other 80%

The participants and instructors of the 2012 TI:ME Leadership Academy discussed the research done concerning music education at the high school level referred to as The Other 80%. The research shows a pyramid effect, where there is a large number of students receiving a music education at the elementary grades. As grade levels increase, a smaller number of students are reached by music education with the largest drop occurring around the high school grades. This leaves the percentage of high school students receiving some kind of music instruction during the school day around 20%. Much of our discussion used this research as a starting point, exploring both the positive effects and concerns about changing curriculum to include these students. One of the biggest fears often expressed by teachers is that offering courses in music technology would take students away from traditional ensembles, causing numbers to drop. But research actually shows that this does not usually happen and in many cases, music technology courses recruit students to participate in traditional performing ensembles.

The Non-Traditional Music Student

Many great thoughts were shared on how to engage and reach this other 80% of students in high schools, referred to as the non-traditional music student. Making up the large majority of the student body, this student is not the typical band/chorus/orchestra/music theory student. Rather they are the students involved in rock bands or audio recording. The leadership academy discussed the fact that these students are at a severe disadvantage in our music education curriculum today as there are often no courses offered to help them create and perform music.

TI:ME Leadership Academy

The Leadership Academy brainstormed ways  to reach the non-traditional music student using music technology. The participants were assigned the task to create a 3-lesson unit plan using music technology that would engage non-traditional music students and reach out to the other 80% of students who don’t participate in traditional performing ensembles. This task required quite a bit of out-of-the-box thinking and consideration of new software, hardware and web-based resources.  Using software including GarageBand and Mixcraft, Audacity, Ableton Live, hardware like the Blue Snowball Mics and  Zoom H4N Handheld Audio Recorders, and online resources like Aviary’s Myna, Tone Mantrix and Noteflight, the Leadership Academy participants created several effective plans to reach these students. Since non-traditional music students often can’t read music, notate rhythm or have basic music theory knowledge, these lesson plans involved quite a bit of differentiated instruction designed to scaffold each student from their individual level of understanding, to a platform where they could make and understand music.

Overall, the TI:ME Leadership Academy discussed and agreed upon the need for current music curriculum to be expanded to include music technology.  Society and times are constantly changing. In order for music education to remain relevant to our society and to our students, our instruction must change and our curriculums must expand. While the core aspects and standards of our curriculum will remain the same, we must find a way to not only change the way we teach this curriculum, but broaden its to reach as many students as we can. Music technology offers many opportunities for music education to remain relevant in our students’ lives.

Matt Ercolani
 

Related posts:

1. 2012 TI:ME Leadership Academy Reflection
2. Collegiate Leadership Academy at MENC’s Music Ed Week
3. 2012 TI:ME/JEN Annual National Conference

After a 6.5 hour drive with Dr. Joseph Pisano, I am finally here! This year, the TI:ME (Technology Institute for Music Educators) Conference, held in conjunction with JEN (Jazz Education Network) is taking place in Louisville, Kentucky.

TI:ME Leadership Academy

I have the privilege to attend the conference as a part of the  TI:ME Leadership Academy. I am very excited to be participating in this way, and look forward to collaborating and working with the other participants of this academy. The participants all look to be very qualified, which should make for some really interesting discussion. Stay tuned, as I will be sharing my thoughts and lessons right here on MusicEdMajor.Net!

Follow Along!

To find out more about TI:ME and the conference, visit the TI:ME homepage. To follow along with my experiences, follow the hashtag #timejen12!

If you are attending this conference, I would love to meet up with you! Send me a Tweet @andrewritenour, or email andrewritenour@gmail.com!

Related posts:

1. 2012 TI:ME Leadership Academy Reflection
2. 2012 TI:ME Leadership Academy
3. Collegiate Leadership Academy at MENC’s Music Ed Week

Musicians and singers face extremely strong competition for jobs. On top of that, education budget cuts from elementary schools to PhD programs often hit music departments the hardest. Music education majors should plan on having a backup career choice, and maybe even earn a double major or a minor in another field to ensure their career prospects will be solid upon graduation. Most musicians have day jobs, since few musicians and singers can support themselves on performance alone.

Music Teachers

Many musicians and singers choose to supplement their income by becoming music teachers. For those who want to teach music in public elementary or secondary schools a degree in music will qualify graduates for a state certificate to teach. Elementary and secondary school teachers earn a median salary of $47,000 to $52,000.

For those who want to become college music instructors, a master’s degree in music will likely be required. College-level music instructors earn a median salary of $59,000. Another option for music graduates is to offer private lessons at local music stores, through local Parks and Recreation, or even online.

Recreational Therapists

Some music majors choose to diversify their studies to become recreational therapists. Recreational therapists use music, games, dance, and arts and crafts to improve the well-being of their patients. The median annual salary of recreational therapists is $38,000.

Musicians and Singers

For those who want to pursue careers in popular musical performance, it’s best to look for jobs in cities where recording studios and the entertainment industry are concentrated. Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, and Chicago are the best places to find work in the music industry. Musicians and singers may also find salaried work with performing art companies, religious organizations, or in the US Armed Forces. Full-time musicians earn a median wage of $21.00 an hour.

Most musicians work part-time and are self-employed. The hours are typically evenings and weekends. Since the competition for long-term jobs is high, few popular performing musicians and singers have guaranteed full-time, long-term employment. For students of music education, performance is probably best left a supplement to a music teaching or other career.

Music-Related Professions

The following are other music-related professions music education students may be interested in pursuing:

 Elaine Hirsch is a jack-of-all-interests, from education and history to medicine and videogames. She is currently working as a writer for various education-related websites and writing about relevant education-related issues.

Related posts:

1. What type of Grad Program is Right for Me?
2. Majoring in Music Education: Graduate vs Undergraduate
3. Music Education Professional Learning Network Opens to Public

Music Advocacy

Karen French presents Dr. Thomas Moore: Educational Consultant Early Childhood Development posted at Dr. Thomas Moore, saying, “This article could also be used in the Music Education Category”

Music Education

Susie Ahrens presents An Interview with Tubist, Andrew Hitz (part 1) posted at For the Love of Tuba.

David French presents Songs with scrolling lyrics posted at Tanbur Music Education Blogspot, saying, “Songs with scrolling lyrics are a feature of TANBUR MUSIC EDUCATION LINKS. You can discover several that are unique to the website, together with related links.”

Eugene Cantera presents 6 Things I’ve Learned WhileTeaching Music posted at Discover, Learn, Play.

Yiyi Ku presents How much should I practice? posted at Yiyi Ku Piano Studio Murrieta Temecula CA, saying, “Piano, practice, teaching, lessons”

Natalie Wickham presents Congratulations on Brushing Your Teeth! posted at Music Matters Blog, saying, “Ever feel like you have to acknowledge every little accomplishment just to feed your students’ sense of self-worth and keep them coming back for more? This post highlights the importance of recognizing and praising true character to help students achieve greater success in all their musical pursuits.”

Music Pedagogy

Thomas J. West presents Teaching Chord Theory To Secondary Music Performance Ensembles – Thomas J. West Music posted at Thomas J. West Music, saying, “As part of a sequential curriculum in music education, my instrumental music performance students continually learn and practice written music notation. This begins with rote scale and arpeggio study. Once the students have become familiar with the first three key areas they are prepared to start talking about chord theory and simple harmonic progressions.”

Music Performance

Lisa Hood presents The 10 Best Diss Songs in History posted at ZenCollegeLife, saying, “If we’ve learned anything from musicals, it’s that emotions are better expressed through song.”

Allan Mathieu Perkins presents the Harmon Mute posted at The Oil Valley Hornist.

Music Tips

Susie Ahrens presents Play Louder Without Blasting posted at For the Love of Tuba.

The next Music Education Blog Carnival will be hosted by David Ahrens (@MrAhrens) at http://www.davidahrens.us/soundeducation. It’s not too early to submit your articles for next month. Just visit the submission page to add your article. If you’re looking for articles from past blog carnivals, check out the index page.

A special thanks to Dr. Joeseph Pisano for facilitating and maintaining the music education blog carnival!

Related posts:

1. November 2010 Music Education Blog Carnival
2. May 2010 Music Education Blog Carnival
3. November Music Education Blog Carnival

Categories

Bloggers can submit articles of a variety of concentrations including:

• Music Advocacy
• Music Pedagogy
• Music Education
• Music Performance
• Music Software/Hardware
• Music Technology
• Music Tips

Don’t Miss Your Chance!

To submit an article to the November Music Education Blog Carnival, just click this link. All you have to provide is a link to your post, your name and e-mail, and a short description of your post. It’s that easy!

Articles will be accepted through Monday, October 31st. Are you a teacher, musician, or music lover? Please consider contributing to this awesome music resource. If you have any questions regarding the blog carnival, you can Tweet me or contact me through the “Contact” page above.

Happy Blogging!

Related posts:

1. Hosting the Music Education Blog Carnival
2. November 2010 Music Education Blog Carnival
3. REMINDER: Last Week for Blog Carnival Submissions

You might be  itching to get back into working on your musicianship and teaching. Maybe your job is less than diserable or just not the right fit. You aspire to teaching at the collegiate level. Your district is offering compensation for continuing your education. Maybe you just need to be “recharge” your musical batteries. Of course, I would be niave to think that the salary increase isn’t a motivator on some level. Whatever the reason there are a variety of ways out there to earn your advanced degree.

The four main ways to earn your Master’s Degree:

1. Return to a university full-time for study.

2. Earn your degree a few classes at a time in the evenings and summers.

3. Summer only course of study.

4. Online programs.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each path. Ultimately, you must chose what is right for you. Let me offer a few suggestions.

You are a full-time teacher who is happy with your job. You can’t imagine leaving your students or school, but you know you’d be a better teacher if you took some more coursework. If that’s the case I recommend looking into programs that will allow you to study evenings and summers while keeping your job. Many universities offer programs like this.

You don’t want to leave your job, but you want to be more immersed in a program of study. I recommend finding a summer only program. Some of these programs can be completed in as little as three summers and will offer a more hands on approach to learning.

For the teacher who is really strapped for time and doesn’t have a way to commit to a regular schedule of classes there are online programs. Even though I’m a techie, I’m not completely sold on these programs because of the lack of face time with your teachers. I’m not saying it’s not worth it, but if you’re planning on going on to a D.M.A. or Ph.D. these degrees will not hold as much weight. Make sure you really check out the accreditation of any online programs as well.

If you are in place in your life where you can take the plunge and go back to school full-time, I recommend it. The immersion in your learning is worth it, if it is feasible for you (both personally and financially). In my opinion, this is absolutely neccessary if you want to get into college teaching or shooting for your terminal degree.

I hope now you’re thinking a little about what course of study might be right for you. In the next series of posts I will roll out some specific information on each of the four ways to pursue a graduate degree. Stay tuned!

Want to talk about it? Find me on Twitter @KFreesen or comment here!

Related posts:

1. Should I or Shouldn’t I? Things to Think About for Graduate School
2. Majoring in Music Education: Graduate vs Undergraduate
3. A Word from a New Editor