Klarinet Archive - Posting 000688.txt from 1998/07

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: mozart...
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1998 23:41:23 -0400

On Tue, 21 Jul 1998 Cheddar99@-----.com wrote:

> Teachers need to put more effort into their job and help individuals.

You just pushed my button with that statement! I've been a high school
music teacher, and I can tell you that if you are conscientious about
wanting to do your best, there is no job in the world that is more
difficult than that one. President of the United States? No comparison.
Air traffic controller? Piece of cake compared to teaching music in the
schools. Brain surgeon? Like falling off a log. Business executive?
Farmer? Laborer? None are nearly so difficult. Housewife and mother?
Well, I've never been that (don't have the qualifications), but it might
be a close second to being a band director.

If you are a band director, you are expected to teach music, give
individual attention and care to each student, please your administrators
who probably don't understand what you do or care what you do, please the
parents of your students, be an organizer (band library, band uniforms,
instrument inventory), be an expert on each of 20 or so different
instruments, be a conductor, keep current in your field, be a physical
education instructor during marching band season, organize trips, be a
public relations expert, survive under constant mental, physical and
emotional strain, and leap over tall buildings in a single bound!

Unless you have "been there, done that," don't tell me that "teachers need
to put more effort into their job." I find that uncaring, insensitive and
insulting.

Sorry if my words are too strong, but I feel very strongly about this.

Ed Lacy
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Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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