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 OT-Masters Degree for Secondary Music Educator
Author: ClariTone 
Date:   2006-05-17 16:09

Hello

I know most school systems require a masters degree to reach the next tier for career advancement and salary level promotion. So does that apply to any Masters degree (i.e. Band directors who have a B.M.E. and a M.M. in Saxophone Performance). Just curious because both degrees are related, but the Masters isn't education (arguable, I know) related - more suited to performance. Hope this made sense. Thanks!!!

Clayton



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 Re: OT-Masters Degree for Secondary Music Educator
Author: donald 
Date:   2006-05-17 19:41

"the masters isn't education related"- this statement is so very arguable i wouldn't have bothered writing it if i were you
donald

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 Re: OT-Masters Degree for Secondary Music Educator
Author: Terry Stibal 
Date:   2006-05-17 20:18

Looking at it from a musician's perspective, I agree with you Donald. Unfortunately, school systems aren't looking at it from that perspective, and they're the ones that make the decision.

It varies from district to district, that one thing that I do know. My lovely wife stopped progress on her master's degree due to relocation (many years ago) and having a family, but she still had the credit hours completed on record. When I found out that she was three hours short of getting a jump up in salary level, we shipped her off to night school tout d'suite.

It didn't matter what the subjects were, or (for that matter) if the degree was in the field of employment. All that mattered (per the contract) was that the time had been spent and the credits earned.

Policies vary. Down here, the districts are mandated to pay both by education level and by years of experience. (Not so in IL, at least not in the 1980's). She went from being a reasonably high seniority employee in the third lowest paying district up there to an ultra high seniority employee in the second highest paying district down here in Texas. She got a huge rise in pay, and snapped up on the very first interview; offered a contract almost at the very beginning of her "probationary period".

I, on the other hand, came here for a job with three times the responsibility for a 5% pay raise. Go figure.

leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com

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 Re: OT-Masters Degree for Secondary Music Educator
Author: ClariTone 
Date:   2006-05-17 21:08

Donald

Would you care to expound on your view of a Masters degree in Performance as relating to education for the setting (i.e. large ensemble, public school teaching where a degree in the performance of a SINGLE instrument may seem, to many, impractical for the position of band/orchestra director).

Thank You
Clayton



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 Re: OT-Masters Degree for Secondary Music Educator
Author: donald 
Date:   2006-05-18 09:45

whatever job you have (for instance, conducting the school choir, which one might argue is irrelevant to a clarinet performance degree) you have to know about performing music. So, your clarinet performance is relevant. I've too often worked with school music teachers who lack interpretive skills- while the students/parents/head teachers etc might not notice, the fact is that the students are not learning as much as they could otherwise.
It's fairly safe to assume that a degree in performance will include some ensemble credits, how could you not consider that relevant?
donald

"first place ICA Orchestral Audition Competition, 1998"

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 Re: OT-Masters Degree for Secondary Music Educator
Author: ClariTone 
Date:   2006-05-18 12:31

Donald you wrote

"You have to know about performing music".

I believe thats why when pursuing a Masters in Music Education they still require you to take lessons. To continue to broaden your knowledge of interpretation and style.

On the flip side, how many performance majors are good at leading rehearsals?? How many know the ins and outs of all the instruments?? How many trombone or tuba performance majors could adequately replace woodwind pads/keys?? How many bassoon performance majors could remove a jammed trumpet mouthpiece or fix a trombone that fell down a flight of stairs 1 hour before "show-time"?? While I understand your viewpoint, I disagree with your view of a performance degree being *implied* more suited to education than an education degree. Perphaps I'm reading too far into this however and you were simply stating how a performance degree may be useful to an educator - in which case I agree. Teachers need to have a broad range of experiences. Is this what you meant??

Now back to my original question: "Would a Masters in Performance allow a music educator to reach that next tier in the career ladder and subsequently attain a higher salary. Or since it may seem "unrelated", would the Masters be discounted?? Thanks!!!

Clayton



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 Re: OT-Masters Degree for Secondary Music Educator
Author: Mark Charette 
Date:   2006-05-18 15:26

ClariTone wrote:

> Now back to my original question: "Would a Masters in
> Performance allow a music educator to reach that next tier in
> the career ladder and subsequently attain a higher salary.

A master's in any subject suffices if you're only interested in the career ladder (either teaching or administration). An MBA might count for more if you're looking at the administrative ladder. In the teaching ladder - ask around at any high school. You'd be surprised at the supposed "mismatch" in degrees.

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 Re: OT-Masters Degree for Secondary Music Educator
Author: ClariTone 
Date:   2006-05-18 21:11

Thanks Terry and Mark!!!

Clayton



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 Re: OT-Masters Degree for Secondary Music Educator
Author: donald 
Date:   2006-05-19 07:09

i implied nothing and you read too much into it
you stated that a "Masters degree" wasn't education related
i responded to that

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 Re: OT-Masters Degree for Secondary Music Educator
Author: genekeyes 2017
Date:   2006-05-19 14:07

Each state has it's own licensing requirements. Salary differential (horizontal movement on a salary schedule) is a negotiated item between the teachers union and the local school board.

Within public schools in New York State:
The credentials for temporary certification include a Bachelors degree in your subject area, a specified number of education credits (which may or may not be included in your degree) and a specified number of hours of supervised student teaching. It is also necessary to pass a standardized exam. Permanent certification requires the completion of a Master's degree within 5 years of the onset of a teaching position.

While it is not necessary to have a completed Master's to start teaching, unless your undergraduate work includes the required education courses and student teaching, it can be very difficult to find a school that will allow you to take those courses without matriculating for a Master's degree in Education.....esp the student teaching requirement.

Credits taken in fulfillment of a certification requirement are usually applicable to salary differentials as are credits taken within your subject area.

Credits taken in education or educational administration are usually applicable to salary differential.

Salary credit for courses taken beyond licensing requirements and outside of your teaching area are negotiated as part of the teaching contract or, in some districts, at the discretion of the local school board. I do know that some school districts accept all credits (used to be the norm) and many now only accept credits that apply to the teacher's field, a secondary certification area or educational administration.

A limited number of 'In Service" courses offered by the district or through a district affilliation may also be accepted for salary credit.

Again...my reference is New York State.....Other areas may handle this differently and this should be looked into when considering accepting a position.



Post Edited (2006-05-19 14:08)

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 Re: OT-Masters Degree for Secondary Music Educator
Author: ClariTone 
Date:   2006-05-19 20:21

WOW Gene!!! Thanks for the info

Clayton



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 Re: OT-Masters Degree for Secondary Music Educator
Author: 3dogmom 
Date:   2006-05-19 22:08

In Massachusetts, I don't think that the Dept. of Ed. is scrutinizing the differences between degrees in music at the graduate level. I may be wrong. I think that most people who are not musicians view a degree in music as a degree in music.

For example, would you discriminate against a Math major if his or her degree were in some more specific or esoteric area of Math? Probably not.

Sue Tansey

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 Re: OT-Masters Degree for Secondary Music Educator
Author: genekeyes 2017
Date:   2006-05-20 04:44

The Dept of Ed. doesn't do the hiring.....they are only interested in whether the candidate meets licensing requirements. It's the school district that will decide whether you have the specific knowledge for the position they are filling.

Unfortunately, in most places, a degree in music + the required ed. courses meets the requirements to teach everything from elementary classroom music to HS performing groups and everything in between.



Post Edited (2006-05-20 04:53)

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