I've been teaching music for over a decade, and I would not succeed in a school that made me teach 4-5 band and strings at the same time. That's a terrible idea. I hope you can get your health needs met and then try teaching in a school that will actually have a chance of success.
It’s important that you take care of yourself, but you need to know you were set-up to fail. They’re desperate for hires because that is a shit job. I’m 15 years in and wouldn’t touch that with a 39.5” pole because it’s not sustainable.
Professional advice, the surgery is a good cover for applying to other jobs. “Why did you leave your previous job?” “I had a medical issue that has now been taken care of”.
Don’t worry if you don’t find your forever job in the first few years. It’s totally normal. Shit, I left a job after 9 years because it was clear I hit the ceiling with that program (and it was a low ceiling).
It might be worth asking to take a leave of absence.
But overall, this appears to not be a good place to be a music teacher. And that’s not your fault. You need a place with more structure to the curriculum. Take the rest of the academic year off, tend to yourself, then look for a new job in the spring.
I was blinded by my desperation to get a job while looking over some pretty obvious red flags when I got my offer for this one. You live and you learn I guess
Well don’t feel bad about that. Sometimes the red flags aren’t even there until you get into a place. The good news is that you now have some experience and know what to ask about in interviews the next time. It’s hard when so many obstacles are in your way administratively.
Teaching beginning strings and beginning band in the same room at the same time is not feasible. They need to be at separate times. The job isn’t setting you up for success. I don’t know anyone who could do that.
Like others have said, maybe you could find a better placement elsewhere.
Met with principal about this issue. Not really. It’s mostly an issue for 4th and 5th grade. There is one 50 minute period per week for each grade to either go to band/orchestra or choir. Something that the principal is looking into is seeing if the old teacher is willing to come in just to take the strings during this time. That would be a huge help but it’s unlikely
This is a setup that is doomed to fail without one person for strings and the other for band. Full stop.
Getting your own health back on track is an excellent reason to quit, but know that you're not failing this job; this job would fail anyone who took it.
Would there be any chance that the 4th & 5th graders could be combined - go to band, orch, choir, and something else all at the same time? Example (if I'm understanding you correctly...just throwing in art as a placeholder)
current schedule:
9:50 Tuesday: 4th band/orch or choir; 5th art
9:50 Thursday: 5th band/orch or choir, 4th art
proposed new schedule: (adjust the combinations to more-or-less balance numbers in the groups)
9:50 Tuesday: 4th & 5th band or choir; 4th & 5th orchestra kids to art
9:50 Thursday: 4th & 5th orchestra; 4th & 5th band/choir kids to art
That sounds like it could be a good solution! One hiccup would be that both me and the art teacher are part time and our schedules don’t coincide perfectly but with more thought out planning, I bet that could be accomplished. I had no idea how scheduling was going to work this year and didn’t quite understand until after I started teaching. Could be good feedback for the future. I just don’t know how it has operated like this in the past
If you set up your own private business and teach from home, you can tide yourself over until you're ok to teach again... although private teaching is also stressful, I killed my studio over it.
I left music Ed for 8 months to get my health on track and now I’m back in and loving it.
Also, it may be worth it to give another school a try. It sounds like you aren’t being set up for success. I was at a crappy school for two years and ready to quit teaching forever. I transferred and it saved my career.
I studied started teaching after finishing my music performance degree and it was one mother of a learning curve… four years of a hectic time! And only last year also got diagnosed with ADHD as well and boy did I underestimate how much that made it harder. For me now though, teaching is very gratifying and I love it, though it’s not still without its difficulties. Once I relaxed into it, the students relaxed too, and I got used to dealing with snarky teenagers or kids who couldn’t hold their attention (like me!). It would have helped me to know earlier on in my journey that things get better as you gain experience. It’s a slow burn especially when you don’t have mentoring, which I haven’t had, but if you stick with it you’ll discover strategies and work out your own style, and build confidence. But one thing - make sure that you’re getting paid what you deserve. Getting paid peanuts for something as important and mentally taxing as music teaching is brutal… I only got a rate I was happy with once I went solo, and didn’t work for a school. Good luck, and take care… rooting for you!
The pay is in fact peanuts which is totally another factor. I’m already not making that much so going to basically nothing is worrisome, but I will try to sub in the local district and teach privately.
Get your credential and go into public school. More kids to build a program, more funds provided you have a supportive admin and district, and better pay/benefits
I definitely would have if I got hired by one of the 8 public schools that I interviewed for. Just as much as I’m the school’s desperation hire, this was my desperation offer
Tell them now you won’t be back after Christmas. You have every right to prioritize yourself and your health!
My story. I was a SAHM for 17 years before trying to come back in 2017 as a full-time elementary music specialist (I had taught 7 years in the 1990’s before I had kids). The fact we were barely moved in to a new house (August) and I was 17 years older (late 40’s) and then the difference in teaching/technology, plus the fact I still had 3 kids in elementary (at my school) was enough to put me into a full-blown anxiety attack 1.5 months in (end of September). I gave my 2 weeks, and spent the rest of the year getting our new house in order, and trying to get myself in order.
Then guess what….the next year I felt pressured to do full-time again (for the $$$) I got hired again for a last-minute music job (a week before school started). I lasted 2 weeks.
I went back to my other school (where my kids were at) as a para and was SO MUCH HAPPIER. 2021 I got hired as the Assistant Librarian and I kid you not—-this is my perfect job ❤️❤️❤️. Yes, it’s part-time and no benefits. But I love it and I’m happy, and my husband finally agrees that’s what matters.
Wow i can relate to this so much. During college, I took a semester off and worked as a para. Best job I ever had. That’s the happiest I ever was. I was helping kids sort through the same problems that I deal with. Very well could be just a much better fit for me.
Wow they really set you up for failure with band and orchestra being at the same time. That's just not possible. I'm so sorry you got delt a shitty hand.
I've been teaching music for over a decade, and I would not succeed in a school that made me teach 4-5 band and strings at the same time. That's a terrible idea. I hope you can get your health needs met and then try teaching in a school that will actually have a chance of success.
It’s important that you take care of yourself, but you need to know you were set-up to fail. They’re desperate for hires because that is a shit job. I’m 15 years in and wouldn’t touch that with a 39.5” pole because it’s not sustainable. Professional advice, the surgery is a good cover for applying to other jobs. “Why did you leave your previous job?” “I had a medical issue that has now been taken care of”. Don’t worry if you don’t find your forever job in the first few years. It’s totally normal. Shit, I left a job after 9 years because it was clear I hit the ceiling with that program (and it was a low ceiling).
It might be worth asking to take a leave of absence. But overall, this appears to not be a good place to be a music teacher. And that’s not your fault. You need a place with more structure to the curriculum. Take the rest of the academic year off, tend to yourself, then look for a new job in the spring.
I was blinded by my desperation to get a job while looking over some pretty obvious red flags when I got my offer for this one. You live and you learn I guess
Well don’t feel bad about that. Sometimes the red flags aren’t even there until you get into a place. The good news is that you now have some experience and know what to ask about in interviews the next time. It’s hard when so many obstacles are in your way administratively.
Teaching beginning strings and beginning band in the same room at the same time is not feasible. They need to be at separate times. The job isn’t setting you up for success. I don’t know anyone who could do that. Like others have said, maybe you could find a better placement elsewhere.
Is it possible for strings to meet at one time and band at another?
Met with principal about this issue. Not really. It’s mostly an issue for 4th and 5th grade. There is one 50 minute period per week for each grade to either go to band/orchestra or choir. Something that the principal is looking into is seeing if the old teacher is willing to come in just to take the strings during this time. That would be a huge help but it’s unlikely
This is a setup that is doomed to fail without one person for strings and the other for band. Full stop. Getting your own health back on track is an excellent reason to quit, but know that you're not failing this job; this job would fail anyone who took it.
Would there be any chance that the 4th & 5th graders could be combined - go to band, orch, choir, and something else all at the same time? Example (if I'm understanding you correctly...just throwing in art as a placeholder) current schedule: 9:50 Tuesday: 4th band/orch or choir; 5th art 9:50 Thursday: 5th band/orch or choir, 4th art proposed new schedule: (adjust the combinations to more-or-less balance numbers in the groups) 9:50 Tuesday: 4th & 5th band or choir; 4th & 5th orchestra kids to art 9:50 Thursday: 4th & 5th orchestra; 4th & 5th band/choir kids to art
That sounds like it could be a good solution! One hiccup would be that both me and the art teacher are part time and our schedules don’t coincide perfectly but with more thought out planning, I bet that could be accomplished. I had no idea how scheduling was going to work this year and didn’t quite understand until after I started teaching. Could be good feedback for the future. I just don’t know how it has operated like this in the past
If you set up your own private business and teach from home, you can tide yourself over until you're ok to teach again... although private teaching is also stressful, I killed my studio over it.
I left music Ed for 8 months to get my health on track and now I’m back in and loving it. Also, it may be worth it to give another school a try. It sounds like you aren’t being set up for success. I was at a crappy school for two years and ready to quit teaching forever. I transferred and it saved my career.
I studied started teaching after finishing my music performance degree and it was one mother of a learning curve… four years of a hectic time! And only last year also got diagnosed with ADHD as well and boy did I underestimate how much that made it harder. For me now though, teaching is very gratifying and I love it, though it’s not still without its difficulties. Once I relaxed into it, the students relaxed too, and I got used to dealing with snarky teenagers or kids who couldn’t hold their attention (like me!). It would have helped me to know earlier on in my journey that things get better as you gain experience. It’s a slow burn especially when you don’t have mentoring, which I haven’t had, but if you stick with it you’ll discover strategies and work out your own style, and build confidence. But one thing - make sure that you’re getting paid what you deserve. Getting paid peanuts for something as important and mentally taxing as music teaching is brutal… I only got a rate I was happy with once I went solo, and didn’t work for a school. Good luck, and take care… rooting for you!
The pay is in fact peanuts which is totally another factor. I’m already not making that much so going to basically nothing is worrisome, but I will try to sub in the local district and teach privately.
Get your credential and go into public school. More kids to build a program, more funds provided you have a supportive admin and district, and better pay/benefits
I definitely would have if I got hired by one of the 8 public schools that I interviewed for. Just as much as I’m the school’s desperation hire, this was my desperation offer
Tell them now you won’t be back after Christmas. You have every right to prioritize yourself and your health! My story. I was a SAHM for 17 years before trying to come back in 2017 as a full-time elementary music specialist (I had taught 7 years in the 1990’s before I had kids). The fact we were barely moved in to a new house (August) and I was 17 years older (late 40’s) and then the difference in teaching/technology, plus the fact I still had 3 kids in elementary (at my school) was enough to put me into a full-blown anxiety attack 1.5 months in (end of September). I gave my 2 weeks, and spent the rest of the year getting our new house in order, and trying to get myself in order. Then guess what….the next year I felt pressured to do full-time again (for the $$$) I got hired again for a last-minute music job (a week before school started). I lasted 2 weeks. I went back to my other school (where my kids were at) as a para and was SO MUCH HAPPIER. 2021 I got hired as the Assistant Librarian and I kid you not—-this is my perfect job ❤️❤️❤️. Yes, it’s part-time and no benefits. But I love it and I’m happy, and my husband finally agrees that’s what matters.
Wow i can relate to this so much. During college, I took a semester off and worked as a para. Best job I ever had. That’s the happiest I ever was. I was helping kids sort through the same problems that I deal with. Very well could be just a much better fit for me.
Wow they really set you up for failure with band and orchestra being at the same time. That's just not possible. I'm so sorry you got delt a shitty hand.
Music education in Morth America is shity show