The number one frustration most teachers face is a lack of funding. Most teachers turn to fundraising to overcome this frustration, but most fundraisers come with their own challenges. If you’re teaching in an impoverished area, how do you ask the community for money? How do you add the time and energy required to run a successful fundraiser to your already busy schedule?
Read MoreMarketing your music program can help make sure that parents and administrators can see the value of your program, build community relationships (including with local businesses), and improve your fundraising efforts. Whether your motivation is to show everyone why music education matters, or to simply improve your relationship with your administration, marketing is a vital part of your role.
Read MoreIn this episode of the podcast, Bruce and I discuss our top five ways to make your administrators love you. Some of these tips are more easily said than done, but putting them in action this school year will serve you (and your program) well for years to come.
Read MoreIn this episode of the podcast, I talk at length with Bruce Rockwell. Bruce is a great composer and choir director, and he and I recently spent a lot of time researching the teacher-administrator relationship. We’ve come up with the ten most important things you can do to make your administrator love you.
Read MoreWhether you’re excited about the coming school year or just dreading it, now is the time to make sure that you (and your classroom) are prepared. Spending time and effort now to formulate a plan for the year will pay significant dividends in the coming weeks and months.
Yes, you really need to plan the entire year. Creating long-term systems and plans will not only give you peace of mind now, but they will make any emergencies that do occur later in the year easier to deal with.
Read MoreMaintaining your equipment and school instruments is critical to the long-term success of your program. Whether you teach band, orchestra, or choir, having a plan to repair and replace classroom equipment makes it easier to secure funding and plan ahead so that you aren’t stuck needing a repair the week of the concert. Better yet, having data to show your administrator makes it easier to get the funding your program needs.
Read MoreYour local music store can help you fix more than a broken clarinet. Learning to work effectively with your local retailer can help drive recruitment, offer networking opportunities, and make managing your budget easier.
Read MoreWhat do you wish you’d known before you became a music teacher?
You probably have more than one answer. You might think of those topics you still consider a challenge, obstacles you’ve worked hard to overcome, or issues that you know that other teachers are still struggling with. Whatever comes to mind is an important piece of knowledge, and one that would be great to share with other educators – and especially new ones.
I asked 100 music teachers this question. For the first episode of the Music Ed Mentor Podcast, I’m sharing the results. You may be surprised at how many responses came up time and time again.
Check out the episode below where I share what these fellow educators wished they had known before they started – as well as tips on how to leverage their responses to enhance your teaching experience today.
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