Alabama Music Educators Association

Why do elementay music teachers show up day after day and do what they do? Without a doubt, there are many and varied answers to such a question; however, high salary, easy workload, optimum conditions, and being members of a highly respected profession certainly will not to be the popular answers. On the other hand, there is making joyous music with students, hearing preschoolers match pitch and, seeing the sparkle in a fourth grader’s eyes when he or she gets a brand new recorder. Additionally, there is watching an English language learner participate and smile, hearing the question “Is today music day?” as you walk down the hall, receiving smiles, high fives, and hugs at the end of class are just a few of the many answers that race through my mind. Why do elementary music teachers show up day after day and do what they do? We do it for the students.

We teach for students who, despite their disability, raise their hand in the middle of class just to clap and read the Heart Chart rhythm perfectly. Students, who struggle to understand and are hesitant in other classes, participate in a myriad of ways in music class. Students, who resist in other places, participate and are not behavior problems in music class. These students comprise many colors, shapes, sizes, languages, and abilities. In this age of testing pressure and economic stress, we elementary music teachers must remember the reason we do this job everyday is for our students.

The elementary/general division is here to support elementary music teachers in their quest to keep students the focus of their daily work. We have a website full of information available to you. Check out the AMEA website. I trust many of you joined your colleagues for the fall workshop on October 8. And, I look forward to meeting all of you in Montgomery January 19 – 21, 2012, for the annual in-service conference. Please take advantage of this support.

I paraphrase the lyrics to a popular country song and say, “To the world you may be just another teacher, but to at least one student, you quite possibly could be the world.” Keep up the good work. Keep your students at the center of what you do everyday. Make music and enjoy.