Hey everyone,

I just quit my school gig (I was running a small music program at a school the past 2 years). When I returned after the summer to sign my contract I learned they had moved me out of my room and all of the instruments were crammed into a storage room. No one seemed to know where music classes would be held and so I let it all go. I feel like a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders! Whew!

Just like sharing.

Sounds like Karma stepped in, eh?
Glad you're happy about it!

What's next for you?

Good for you. Some schools treat their music teachers like dirt and think they can get away with it. You don't need it.

I am sorry that yet another school has devalued music. I loved my music, choir, and band when I was a kid, and both my sons love it too. But a teacher should never work harder or care more than the students do. And certainly not more than the school administration. Best of luck on your next venture.

*Should*
Yeah, I couldn't agree more, but sadly that isn't the way it is. Teachers work harder than most students and ALWAYS harder than the Admin! lol

Good luck!

Karma recently stepped in and removed me from my ten-year teaching gig as well (not music)...Anyhow, I would just like to put my .02 in here and just say that if you really miss teaching (I know I do) think about doing some volunteering. Good teachers are hard to find and it's always a shame when the powers that be put us out of work. But don't forget to find other ways to share your gift if the spirit moves you!

Best of luck in your next adventure!

LVP

Schools are so hard up right now; here in CA, they're really starving. People act like computers in the classroom is the instant guarantee of brilliance with students, and in every single case where this has been studied, the only two things that are a lead-pipe cinch to improve intelligence in children and adults is learning an instrument and learning a new language. And music and foreign languages are always the first two things on the chopping block when budget problems surface. *sigh*

Yep, when money is tight buy some more laptops and interactive whiteboards!

don't forget better sports equipment and matching jerseys!!

But we pretty much never hear threats to cut out physical education because of budgets! Being forced to play volleyball and run the track didn't do me much good that I can see. I got plenty ef exercise outside of school. In elementary school it's good for the kids but requiring it in junior high or high school can be a waste of time for many students. Requiring it in college was a waste of my time and my money.

The school district I work for just consolidated and closed four elementary buildings in the past four years to save money, two of them over this summer so I'm not sure what I'll be going back to this fall. At least two of the positions I normally sub for don't exist anymore.

Ugh. Do NOT get me started on elementary school football.

This gig was only one day week so it's not a huge stress. I have almost a full roster of private students so I plan to just concentrate on that. Has anyone seen Office Space? And they keep moving that guy to Storage B? It was shades of that to the point I almost was laughing about it.

My heart goes out to the full time teachers who are in similar predicaments and their entire paycheck is dependent on such situations.

As to volunteering: My daughter starts Kindergarten in the Fall and I look forward to being quite involved at her school.

trilling: Were you teaching Kindermusik or something similar by any chance? I taught Kindermusik for a few years, and discontinued teaching last winter. It was such a relief. I loved the kids, and didn't have to deal with billing since it was in a school, but I had similar problems, sharing a room with other groups. I didn't mind that so much except when the group who was before me would leave chairs, music, trash, and the piano out for me to clean up. I taught kids under the age of 7 in Kindermusik, and sometimes the room is full of things, but it is always clean when I left. This group was a high school choir and they couldn't even put their own music books away!

Anyways, I found that I was looking forward to it less and less, even though when I was there I loved it. It was just a lot of work for very little reward, with a lot of turn over. It distracted me from my private lessons too, and I have not regretted discontinuing it once.

Hi Morodiene!

No, it was not Kindermusik. I had rotations of elementary school aged (K-6) on Orff type instruments (Xylophones, Metalophones, Glockenspiels, Triangles, Claves,etc.). I arranged simple classical tunes (ie:Ode to Joy)and then accompanied them on the piano for assemblies and such. It was really cool and they sounded great with very little practice but HUGE preparation (on my part).

It was a weekly gig and naturally my space was shared. So when I would arrive Thursday morning I never knew what to expect Usually it was clean but there never enough chairs and there were always desks in the way: once I showed up and there was a book fair going on and I was forced to do music in the classrooms. In hindsight I wish I had just gone home that day but I "made do" and I think this sent a powerful message that Mrs. Katchur is "flexible"....the following year my class sizes were doubled and then this year when I went to sign the contract my space was altogether gone and that was the final straw.

This last Thursday would have been my first day back and I just really enjoyed myself and loved that I wasn't exhausted for my after-school piano students who of course stayed on with me.

"I believe you have my stapler...."