 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ClariBone
Date: 2005-08-03 00:45
Hello
I am in my senior year of high school and preparing to enter college. I was wondering if anyone knew what condition the music education job field was in, specifically band or orchestra director?? Is it pretty much like trying to perform full-time (where the chances of job placement are slim to none) or are there a good number of open/opening positions available upon completion of the degree program?? Thanks in advance!!!!!
Post Edited (2005-08-03 00:46)
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Author: jbutler ★2017
Date: 2005-08-03 02:31
More jobs available than teachers in Texas at the moment.
I can't tell you the situation in your area or what it may be in four years.
jbutler
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-08-03 02:42
There is good news and bad news.
The good news:
There ARE jobs available in music education, however there are far fewer than in past decades due to consolidation, school district budget constraints and staff cut backs.
The bad news:
The job applicant pool can be daunting. Just recently in my school district (one that has kept their music program intact) when an elementary vocal music opening was posted in the New York Times and other local daily newspapers, there were over 300 applications received within the first week. They quickly withdrew the posting, but the applications still continued to pour in. The days of a job seeking teacher getting competing employment offers from 2 or 3 districts are long gone.
The good news:
I found that the teaching of music in the public schools was a fabulous career. Wage and benefit packages, while they vary from district to district, are, for the most part, quite good and perfectly liveable.
The bad news:
There may not be a job where you would ideally want to live. Many jobs are found in inner city districts, or the poorer, less affluent geographic areas.
The good news:
As we all know, the kids in music programs can be great. Many of them are high achievers, have a good work ethic and are the "better" kids in the school. The kids are what makes the job so rewarding - day after day, month after month.
The bad news:
Not every beginning music teacher starts as a high school band or orchestra director. Most young teachers find jobs in the elementary schools, in beginning instrumental programs and classroom music. As this is a VERY important part of a school district's feeder program - know your subject and methodology well. Can you start a beginning trombonist? How about a beginning bassoonist? Can you teach recorder to a class of 3rd graders?
There is a lot more - but I'll let others add to this thread...GBK
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Author: Francesca
Date: 2005-08-03 05:01
I'll have my music ed degree in May. (Yippee!) In terms of getting a job right out of college, most of your friends will be envious. Across the nation, there are typically more positions than teachers. As noted previously, there is competition for the more "desirable" jobs (ie high school director). It's really like any other career; you have to work your way to the top. As long as you're willing to relocate after graduation, you're almost guaranteed some type of employment.
One word of caution, however. Please, please, please do not go into music education because it's a safe bet in terms of employment. The last thing the world needs is another jaded, bitter ineffective educator ruining music (or any other subject) for hundreds of kids. Major in what you love. Most people don't use their degree in their life's career path, and that's ok. It's the journey through college that really matters.
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Author: msloss
Date: 2005-08-03 12:48
As I've been telling my own aspiring college prep student, an honorable profession, but get certified in more than one subject. While arts programs are getting decimated in the public schools, a band director who can teach a couple math or history classes becomes a whole lot more valuable. Hard work, but employment and then job security comes at a price.
In several districts, I've seen them go to journeyman music directors who have to run programs at multiple schools, commuting between them at midday. Some districts that have slashed the arts have gone to part-time music instructors outright (at least they kept the program). Being Mr. Holland or Harry Dingle ain't what it used to be.
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2005-08-03 21:38
Dr. Mark Wolbers at University of Alaska Anchorage told me recently that at least here in AK, the schools are ridiculously short on music teachers, and someone coming up here with a degree in music education is almost guaranteed a job.
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2005-08-03 22:34
As others have said - while there are places where there have been program cuts to fund manic testing, there is an upcoming shortage of qualified public school music teachers. Many are retiring or will retire soon, and some are reluctant to deal with NCLB.
It is very common for recent graduates to feel that they prefer high school work. As GBK said, it's unusual for an inexperienced person to get a job as a high school band or orchestra director. As GBK also said, the other jobs that may be available are equally challenging and important.
I teach elementary, as I've told some of you before, classroom 2-5 (yes, that means recorder to the entire 3rd grade), as well as beginning bands and chorus. I can't imagine a greater kick for me than to take a child from a challenged background and get him playing the trombone. Do we all sound wonderful together? Well, to me we do, but nobody's approached us with a recording contract yet! But I think I'm the luckiest teacher in the school.
By the way, I'm 48. The year I got out of grad school, my state passed a limit on taxes and major cuts happened in music and art throughout the state. So, no job for me. I went in another direction, and 15 - 20 years later, here I am.
Yes, there are jobs. Your school placement office should have some information about regions in the country, should you be willing to relocate. Good luck.
Sue Tansey
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Author: ClariBone
Date: 2005-08-03 23:26
Thanks to all who have posted.
Franesca: You need not worry, as I love working with kids (will be assisting the band director at a local middle school as part of a graded class!!!)
GBK and others: Thanks as always for your honesty (this was a big decision for me and I didn't want any sugar-coating)
I do have a couple more questions though: Would being a certified band/orchestra instrument repair technician make me a more valuable asset to a school district (was thinking Red Wing or Western Iowa Tech)??
Also, I would ultimitly love to teach applied clarinet in a university, so would having a B.M.E. harm my chances of being considered for that open position (I have read in past threads about the irrelevance of having a B.M. in performance)??
Thanks again in Advance
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Author: Gandalfe
Date: 2005-08-04 01:04
Fixing instruments can be fun but for any school it really is a full-time job. So taking instrument repair, especially at Red Wing which a way cool place won't necessarily help you get a teaching job. But it also wouldn't hurt. I pity the teacher who gets hired with the expectation that they will fix a school's worth of instruments though.
If you are a people person, good with children, and really enjoy teaching, you will find work. It might be at a high-risk school in an inner city or small town USA like Podunk, Iowa. There is work out there.
If you are a perfectionist, you might want to stick to performance. Most kids don't get the perfectionist. I can even imagine the potential stress associated with that situation.
Jim and Suzy
Pacifica Big Band
Seattle, Washington
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Author: diz
Date: 2005-08-04 04:43
Glenn said:
Can you start a beginning trombonist? How about a beginning bassoonist? Can you teach recorder to a class of 3rd graders?
Worse still ... can you handle a class of recalcitrant and surly junior high school kids in Science because their teacher's off on sick leave due to a nervous breakdown ... and the principal's told you to go "babysit" them. This is NOT a joke, I know from experience.
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2005-08-04 06:29
I think that the situations can vary by location. If you are willing to relocate, there are some good jobs available. I live in South Dakota now (having grown up in New Jersey,) and enjoy the area quite a bit. While I don't teach in the schools, I do follow the job market to an extent, having taught at two colleges. We have a shortage of music teachers in this state, as well as in neighboring states. Many teaching jobs are grades 5-12, or even K-12, but if you want to teach, it's a start. In fact, some people love the small town 5-12 type of positions so much that it becomes a lifetime position for them.
As for teaching at the college level later, most of the college instructors I know have taught in the public schools, and many of the college/university job postings that I've seen have "experience as a public school teacher" as a requirement. Therefore an ed. degree will help you, not harm you. You might want to consider an M.M. in performance if you want to teach applied clarinet at the college level.
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