Yesterday, we featured the Music National Service initiative, the basis for Obama's MusicianCorps idea. I wondered what career music educators would have to say about the plan, a subject we first featured earlier in this post.These are some of the comments I've gathered from the MENC forums.
- I think it's a fantastic idea, and I commend the volunteers that are forming the Corps. But I'm terrified of school boards across the nation saying, "Well, times are tough... We might as well cut Music, since we know the Corps will come in for free!"
- While I see no harm in bringing artists and performers into a school setting, it is not the same as providing consistent, quality instruction that is meaningful for the long haul . . . Nothing wrong with the "ArtsCorps" idea, but it should supplement, NOT take the place of, consistent, quality instruction from a highly qualified teacher.
- After seeing this post yesterday, I went home to my roommate who is a Teach for America volunteer. She went CRAZY! She fully believes and supports Americorps..so much so that she wants to work for them next year after she finishes her assignment. But she was (as am I) completely against this idea. There is a reason that TFA does not place teachers in the music classroom. There is no data that supports the success of a first or second year teacher in the music classroom as there is . . . Having a degree in other areas can help qualify you to teach middle school English, for example. But to be successful as a music teacher, I think you need more preparation than a 5 week summer institute...Some of us don't even feel prepared after 5 years of college geared towards this subject
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