26 Things Music Teachers are Thankful For

1.  Hearing a song you've taught a class, ringing out of the student bathroom as you pass by.

2.  An email that says "My son/daughter has never taken an interest in music, but I think you have inspired them to take up a new hobby."

3.  Boomwhackers, arranged in perfect order and hanging on the wall.

4. That rush of pride and relief that comes after a performance.

5.  Comfy shoes and a drawer full of chocolate.

6. The technology working just as it is supposed to.

7.  Supportive administrators.

8.  Spouses who totally get concert week.

9.  Being tagged in a favorite teachers post on Facebook.

10.  Perfect attendance at after school choir.

11.  That one second in recorder class when everyone rests at the same time and your soul knows a moment of peace.

12.  The parade of the birthday cupcakes, donuts, snack cake and other goodies during the last hour of the day.

13.  Classroom teachers that accept you as part of the team, not a babysitter during their break.

14.  The smooth, clean feel of a brand new tubano.

15.  Artie Almeida.

16.  Pool noodle ponies standing neatly in their "stall" waiting for the next class.

17.  Finishing a folk dance with students that rolled their eyes and moaned in disgust before, but now are flushed and happy and saying things like "That was so much fun!"

18.  Teachers Pay Teachers.

19.  Food Fridays in the teachers' lounge.

20.  Kids who laugh at my jokes.

21.  Friends and family that have to listen to me talk about my classroom and students non-stop.

22.  Thunderous applause.

23.  Being a witness to music bringing people together.

24.  Although many of us would like to see our students more often than we do, we are also pretty darn thankful that we see SOME classes once a week for less than an hour.

25.  Beautiful, colorful bulletin boards hanging perfectly on the wall.

26.  We have the best job in the whole world.  We make a difference in the lives of students every day and are often the only ambassadors of joy they see each week.

Let me know what you are thankful for in the comments!  Like this post?  PIN it for later.

Music Teacher Pet Peeves

This blog post was written to let music teachers everywhere know that they are not alone.  It seems that we are always having to justify why the study of music has merit, defend our class times and handle the same student issues over and over.  Here are just a few of music teacher pet peeves I have experienced or that music teaching friends have experienced.

I can't come to the concert because I have sports practice.
Practice?  Not a semi-final championship?  Not even a game...just practice?  This is frustrating.  The concert happens one time a year.  One time.

It's Moat-zart not Mo-zart.
I have modeled this correctly time and time again.  Why?  Why say it incorrectly?  Argh!

No gum.  Anytime.
This one is probably just a personal pet peeve, but we are going sing and you don't need gum in your mouth to do that.  If we are playing instruments, I don't want any gum in or on them.  Weirder things have happened.  Just don't do it.  Spit out your gum or better yet, just don't chew it at school.

Little Johnny is behind in math, can he skip music today?
So that he can become behind in music?  I get 50 minutes one time a week to teach a year's worth of curriculum.  I need every single one of those minute and so does little Johnny.

Is this for a grade?
Bwahahaha.  No, dude.  This is pretty much like recess but with drums. *rolling eyes*
Of course this is for a grade.

Sorry we are late.  It is just so important that we get every single minute of reading in that we can.
This is complete disrespect for my time and my job.  What happens in your room is not more important that what happens in mine.  It may be tested more than my curriculum, but it is not more important.

I understand if once in a blue moon you run late, or forget to give a spelling test because it is party day or whatever, but if this is a regular thing, it is a regular problem.

Somebody farted.  I must roll around clutching my nose, flopping around like I have inhaled poison until the whole class is in complete and utter chaos.
You've smelled bad things.  This isn't theater class.  Let's move on.

P.S.  Okay.  Okay.  I've had a few of these that we actually had to stop what we were doing because we all thought we might die, but usually...we can just move on.

Are you a real teacher?
Seriously?  I have more credit hours with my Bachelor's degree than most classroom teachers have with their Masters.  I have dual certification in both K-12 instrumental music and K-12 vocal music.  I see up to 30 different classes a week with individual lesson plans all the while maintaining accommodations for IEPs and 504s.  I cram all of my yearly objectives into one class period a week.  I do this while preparing concerts where I am judged for 60 minutes of "show" instead of the hours of teaching I do every day.  It's like a big public report card.

I am not just a "real" teacher.  I am a frickin' rock star.

Let me know if one of these is also one of your pet peeves.  What other things make you a little crazy (vanishing pencils, observations the day before Christmas vacation, hearing the word "li-berry" instead of library)?

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