Klarinet Archive - Posting 000341.txt from 2002/09

From: Jeremy A Schiffer <schiffer@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Looking for Middle School Music Teacher in New York (Brooklyn)
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 13:30:39 -0400

On Thu, 19 Sep 2002, Nick Simicich wrote:

> On Wed, 18 Sep 2002, Don Christensen wrote:
>
> > Since there has been some writing about arts education in the public
> > schools, there is another aspect: Here in New York City, for example, there
> > is a SHORTAGE of qualified, certified instrumental music teachers. The
> > Project Arts office has been receiving calls from various elementary,
> > middle, and high schools that need teachers, and they have practically no
> > one to suggest, even though the base starting salary for NYC teachers is now
> > $39,000.
>
> That might seem like a lot, but NYC is a very expensive place to live. I
> used to work in Westchester, the first county north of NYC, and the
> difference in salaries between someone in my then profession (Computer
> Geek) from Westchester to NYC was about 3/4ths of that starting salary. I
> remember someone telling me that admin assistants in NY made about that,
> at one point.

I know admin assistants in nyc that make a lot more than $39,000.
Executive assistants can pull close to six figures. $39,000 is NOTHING in
this city. To have a decent apartment, live alone, no car, and be able to
eat well, you need to make around $50,000.

> Their feeling was that NYC did well in
> teacher pay overall, although it was heavily backloaded - starting salary
> was low compared to other large city school districts, whereas the
> compensation got much better once you had seniority.

This may be true, I'm not sure of the high end scale, but salaries in the
city, for teachers, are only about 3/4 of the salaries in the suburbs. A
high school band director on Long Island, with 15 years and a masters,
makes over $100,000 a year.

> I guess that I do not see someone being able to buy a house in NYC on a
> Teacher's salary in NYC. In fact, I am not sure one could afford to rent
> a nice apartment.

If you are a single person, and want to live in NYC, as a beginning
teacher, you will not be able to live alone. You will need to have a
roommate, or several roommates. Or, take a second job.

> Then again, you can temp during the summer --- and the short work day
> gives you time to commute.

Well, teaching isn't a short work day for a committed teacher. A good
teacher goes in at least an hour and a half before school starts, and
stays at least that long afterwards. Especially in the arts, when you have
students who will want to practice before and after school. If you're not
willing to spend the extra time helping them, you would have no business
being a music teacher.

But yes, you'll have the time to temp (or wait tables, or something) in
the summer, which will be necessary to make ends meet.

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Jeremy A. Schiffer
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Columbia University
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