Educator Ethics Training Revisited!

September 29, 2024October 13, 2024 paulkfoxLeave a comment

ALL ABOARD THE E-TRAIN… Embarking and Embracing a Journey of Essential Educator Ethics

The wheels of the train go round and round…

“All black, well stacked, goin’ down the track clickety clack” = the train looked good on the visual roll-by inspection.

“Highball it out of here” = proceed at maximum permissible speed

“Let’s pull the pin and roll” = uncouple so we can get out of here

The fall season is bringing upon us a series of ethical workshops, classes, and the creation of other resources, and the perfect time to warehouse everything at the main rail terminal! Take an excursion below to learn more about “staying on track” with research on the responsibilities and “regs” for serving as an educator.

Can you name the exact title of your Code of Conduct? What agency enforces it? Do educators have a Code of Ethics? Are school teachers fiduciaries or model exemplars? *What does all* *of this mean?*

First, let’s take a pretest of your knowledge and experience on the subject of school ethics. Which of the following statements has the least validity?

Moral professionalism involves being well informed about students, education, and content, confronting parents of underachieving students, cooperating with colleagues to observe school policies, and criticizing unsatisfactory policies and proposing constructive improvement.
Teachers, attorneys, doctors, nurses, counselors, therapists, and the clergy have “fiduciary” duties: own the highest legal duties of good faith and trust and are bound ethically to act in another party’s best interest.
Although not always defined in exact terms of school law or policies, professional ethics are “standards that assist practitioners within situation and systemic contexts in choosing the best course-of-action.”
A code of ethics outlines a set of principles that affect decision making, while a code of conduct delineates specific behaviors that are required or prohibited and governs actions.
The primary goal of professional ethics training is to emphasize the “minimum standards of acceptable behavior” and focus on specific illegal and unethical actions that may result in disciplinary actions.

After a thorough exploration of the materials below, you should feel confident in responding to this question. (If you need help, scroll down to answer at the end of this blog-post.)

Classes and Conferences on Ethics, Oh My!

I am looking forward to sharing insights on ethical issues and especially the seeming “conundrums” or conflicts in the myriad of snap judgments of daily decision-making, both in and outside of our classrooms. Upcoming opportunities are on the ethics e-train schedule.

Currently, we are completing the sixth series of our 25-hour PDE-approved Act 45/PIL online course for school/system leaders, career and technical center directors, and other administrators. Sponsored by my colleague Thomas W. Bailey (check out his website here), the next class “PA Educators: Your Ethical Codes & School Law” begins on October 22 for four consecutive Tuesdays from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Thomas Bailey and I were also invited to present this Act 45/PIL course for the Northeastern Intermediate Unit #19 as a two-day workshop on November 19 and December 16, 2024. Visit http://www.iu19.org or click here to register.

I am venturing out of the Western PA to Eagleville, PA (near Valley Forge) to provide a 70-minute in-service, a school ethics “refresh” for the faculty at Methacton School District on October 14, 2024. Click here to download a copy of the slide summary with all links active.

Finally, I am happy to report that I was invited back to the PDE SAS Institute to do two sessions: “Planning School Ethics Training, Part I – Definitions, Codes, and the Commission” and Planning School Ethics Training, Part II – Model Code of Ethics for Educators. My proposal to present the session “CATCH THE E-TRAIN – Codes, Case Studies, and the Challenges of Ethical Decision-Making” was not approved for the 2025 PMEA Annual Conference in Kalahari Resort (Poconos). However, a facsimile of similar slides from past NAfME/PMEA workshops and webinars on educator ethics is available here.

Supplemental Resources for the Study of Codes, Case Studies, and the Challenges of Daily Decision-Making in Education

And now, the grand daddy of school ethics destinations…

Past paulfox.blog posts on educator ethics

Especially for Pennsylvania educators, pre-service students, and newcomers to the Commonwealth (citing the PA Professional Practices and Standards Commission website)

An additional sampling of articles

WHY STUDY ETHICS? Answer to the PRETEST above.

A code of ethics sets a higher threshold than regulatory codes of conduct or even a nonprofit organization’s bylaws and compliance rules enforced by the government. A code of conduct, such as the Pennsylvania “Code of Professional Practices and Conduct” of the PSPC, provides absolutes for employment, licensure, and/or civil/criminal sanctions. In contrast, the Model Code of Ethics for Educators document serves more as a general compass to help steer professionals towards sound judgment in their daily decision-making. What is unique about a true code of ethics vs. a code of conduct is that the principles are not defined in exact terms of law or policies, nor do they necessarily model family morals or values on which we as individual educators have been raised. The proposed standards are not about definite issues of right/wrong or black/white, but shades of grey. They are more open-ended, offering opportunities to discuss recommendations for consideration from a set of possible choices based on the circumstances of each ethical dilemma or resolution.

– excerpt from “The Ethical Music Educator,” Winter 2020 issue of PMEA News

Teachers are ethical professionals. Our moral aspirations, the “codes” and “standards” we subscribe to, and our professionalism are important to us, our students, our programs, and our communities. Essentially, these are the beliefs for which we stand, the values and behavior we model in our day-to-day decision-making to “make a difference” in the lives of our students, and the overall integrity of the profession. Therefore, the answer to the PRETEST above is #5. (#1-4 are TRUE!) But, as stated in #5, the goal of meaningful ethics training is NOT to emphasize the minimum standards of acceptable behavior or to focus on specific illegal and unethical actions that may result in disciplinary actions.

Do you have anything to add to this collection? ALL ABOARD! The conductor would appreciate feedback! Please feel free to make a comment to this blog (see link next to the title).

PKF

Retirees: It’s Not YOUR Sandbox!

May 2, 2019April 28, 2019 paulkfoxLeave a comment

It is time that this saying should be made into a bumper sticker, added to a t-shirt design, or automatically displayed on the home page (or screen-saver) of all retired music teachers’ smartphones, tablets, and computers.

I first mentioned this notion as “surrendering your urge to be an agent of change” in a previous blog, entitled “Retiree Concepts.”

As observed in many unhappy incidents involving fellow retirees, this deserves a repeat mention here with much greater emphasis.

[Teachers] consistently seek ways to reform “the system,” much like efficiency experts. In other words, ‘break it if it needs fixed,’ or seek new practices or approaches to solve problems or improve the student learning. This means we seldom accept the status quo or “that’s the way it’s always have been done.”

I found that in my volunteer work, when I come up to a challenge like a policy that isn’t working, I look for better ways of doing it. Teachers always self-assess and seek changes for “the good of the order,” but these “systems” are not our classrooms. Educators were expected to “modify and adjust,” revise our lesson targets, rip down old bulletin boards and put up new with more exciting media, re-write curriculum, etc., always with the mission to “build a better mouse trap” for the more efficient delivery of instruction to all.

In retirement, this can be frustrating. You can’t tell somebody else how to run their operation. Some people do not want to hear criticism, nor do they care what your opinion is, nor do they want to change their traditions or fine-tuned (?) step-by-step procedures. You on the other hand want things to improve, e.g. better training, more consistent application of the rules, etc., and therefore you feel “unrequited” stress.

Throughout my whole “professional life,” I never looked the other way. I try to fix things. But that’s not everybody’s inclination, and the world is not going to come to end if someone doesn’t take your advice. As retirees, remove the unnecessary hassle. You have two choices. Resign from the activity, or step back from being its self-appointed critic, accept the situation, and let everyone go back to playing their own way in their sandbox. — Paul Fox in “Retiree Concepts”

My own personal hands-on experience with this has to do with volunteering to push wheelchairs at a local hospital. Taking it very seriously, I was thoroughly trained on all aspects of the transport of patients, including the mandated safety rules for locking both wheels on the wheelchair, going down backwards on ramps and into elevators, and the avoidance of hazards like discharging someone to their car “over a curb” or other obstacles. We knew the hospital policies for contact precautions (isolation), carrying oxygen tanks, and moving overweight patients.

But, almost daily, we watch other medical personnel pushing wheelchairs failing to adhere to these “basics” – resulting in safety infractions too numerous to count!

Yep, it’s not our sandbox!

Retiring professionals have to learn to de-stress and take ourselves “out of the loop” for every organizational decision, training program, and generation/enforcement of an practices, policies, and regulations of an institution. The reason we retired in the first place was to enjoy the privilege of leaving all of this behind.

As teachers, we embraced “moral professionalism.” That meant, according to E.A. Wynne in “The Moral Dimension of Teaching (Teaching: Theory into Practice, 1995), we were charged with the responsibility to “follow to the letter” school policies and procedures, and if we saw somebody who wasn’t compliant or “on board,” we were supposed to instruct or intervene. (As “fiduciaries” looking out for the students’ best interests and welfare, we were required by law to report serious misconducts.)

Wynne also confirmed that, when a rule was simply not working, we were also obligated to firmly but tactfully suggest a better way of do something.

Past tense! Now that we’re retired, we no longer need to solve these kinds of problems – they belong to the head-honchos. The people who have the privilege (or curse) of “running the show” may not appreciate hearing from us. What was that saying by Robert Heinlein? “Never attempt to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and annoys the pig.”

More importantly, stressing over someone else’s poorly run “sandbox” will cause you to waste energy, become irritated and short tempered, lower your mood, raise your blood pressure, withdraw from socialization and the things you like doing, or begin to hate with whom you are interacting. No, it’s not worth trying to teach that pig to sing!

Finally, here’s a little more sage advice from “the experts” on stress and retirement. Please pardon any of their references to the term “senior.” GOOD LUCK!

PKF

Photo credits in order from Pixabay.com: “sandbox” by RAMillu, “children” by qimono, “doctor” by geralt, “children” by Ben_Kerckx, “young” by vinsky2002, and “wooden-train-toys-train-first-class” by Couleur.

21st Century Job Search Techniques

August 14, 2016May 5, 2020 paulkfox1 Comment

“New Age” Employment Tools for Music Teachers

Portions of this blog-post reprinted from “Job Searching in the 21st Century – The 5 W’s of the Application” in the Summer 2016 issue of PMEA News, the state journal of the Pennsylvania Music Educator Association. Special thanks goes to contributor Joshua Gibson, PMEA State Director of Member Engagement. PMEA members should go directly to the website, download and read the entire insightful article: http://www.pmea.net/resources/pmea-news/.

Hello and welcome to all collegiate music education majors and prospective job seekers! Here are a few more suggestions to help you go out and find the perfect public school music position, especially in Pennsylvania. But first, if you have not read my past blogs on this subject, please click on the above link “Becoming a Music Educator.”

Are you a PCMEA or PMEA member?

The number one “tool” for finding a job is not a tool at all – it is all about modeling professionalism, networking with other college students and music teachers, and becoming actively engaged in your state/national music education associations (click on the acronyms to go to their websites) – National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) and Pennsylvania Collegiate Music Education Association (PCMEA). Interaction with others in your field is essential to build and maintain connections to what is “state-of-the-art” in curriculum/instruction, innovations in teaching and technology, news, trends, and other information related to the field of music education, and even “leads” to possible openings in PA school districts via job banks and conversations with other colleagues at state conferences and meetings. If you are not already a member of NAfME and PCMEA, you are walking away from numerous opportunities and benefits that could help you land a job!

The Mobile Resume

Much has been written about the curriculum vitae (CV) or employment resume. One recommendation is for it to be constantly updating, adaptable, flexible, and “very digital.” Your “travel document” (paper copy you bring to the interview or “one-of-kind” attachment in response to email application) should be easy-to-modify based on the specific job posting to which you are applying. Your philosophy, goals, education, and teaching experience should focus on and reflect your competencies in alignment with the requirements for the music position. Your professional website and online resume should be more “general” and not rule out being considered for employment assignments outside your major. The PA teaching certificate states you are licensed to teach music in grades pre-K to 12… which means you should be qualified for any opening in elementary, middle, and high school general music, band, choir, jazz, keyboard lab, and strings, right?

If your professional “contacts” (or the school district’s website) help you discover more specifics about the type of music position to which you are applying, you can include on your resume past performances and interactions with students even remotely related to this subject area, as well as become better prepared for the questions and a demonstration lesson at the interview. For example, the school district from which I retired recently began looking for a middle and elementary school band director and high school assistant marching band director. Even if you majored or emphasized in voice, piano, or strings in college, “if you really want the job,” you should be able to revise your resume to include such experiences like playing the flute in your HS marching band for a year, conducting a small instrumental ensemble to accompany your youth church choir, giving a few summer lessons to the bell players in the local drum line where you live, etc. In addition, prior to the first employment screening and mock lesson at the interviews, you could “bone up” on your instrumental methods, suitable middle and elementary band warmups/literature, the meaning/concept of “middle school education,” and perhaps even pull out and brush up playing a few scales on that flute (or whatever) in your closet.

Electronic Business Card

Past blogs (see https://paulkfoxusc.wordpress.com/category/marketing-professionalism/) discuss personal branding, the set-up of a professional website, business cards, and networking. Have you thought about placing a Q code on your business card that scanning would go directly to your e-portfolio and sample recordings, perhaps displaying an excerpt from your senior recital and several videos of your teaching or conducting?

Check out these online resources that are “pro” using a Q code:

To be fair, these sites recommend against placing a Q code on your card:

At the every least, you need to print on your business card the URL listing to your website or LinkedIn pages… access to find “everything you always wanted to know about” you as a candidate.

Where Are the Jobs? Websites and Online Hiring Agencies

PMEA State Director of Member Engagement Joshua Gibson shared his research on using the Internet to search for music teacher openings posted in Pennsylvania. (PCMEA and PMEA members should read the entire article, “Job Searching in the 21st Century – The 5 W’s of the Application Process” on pages 62-63 in the Summer 2016 issue of PMEA News.)

With descriptions printed in the journal, you should become familiar with these sites:

PMEA Educational Entities Map

Another great reason you should be a member of your professional association (PMEA or PCMEA) if you are looking for a job in PA is… the PMEA Job Board. Many PMEA members have relied on the Job Board for the most recent information when it comes to available PA music teacher positions.

Adapted from Google Maps, Gibson recently created/unveiled the latest interactive tool to facilitate a hunt for PA musical jobs: PMEA Educational Entities Map. His explanation:

The PMEA Educational Entities Map will “allow anyone to be able to search jobs in any geographical area in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. You can sort by Public School Districts (red), Charter Schools (blue), Career and Technology Centers (green), High Education (yellow), and Intermediate Units (orange).”

The job seeker can also use a specific PA county overlay to outline a specific area, as well as correlate with the PMEA District and PMEA Region maps.

In summary, “Once you click on the specific entry, you will be given the name, address, phone number, website, the employment website, and county of residence.”

For more information about the PMEA Job Board, go to http://www/pmea.net/job-board/. Gibson invites comments or questions for using the PMEA Interactive Map at jgibson@pmea.net.

Break-a-leg! Hopefully these 21st Century marketing hints will do the trick! Best wishes on starting (or restarting) your music teaching career!

Photo credits: David Dockan, my former student and graduate of West Virginia University. Check out his professional website: http://www.daviddockan.com/.

Additional Blogs of “Tips and Techniques” for Getting Hired

PKF

Networking Niceties

April 4, 2016May 5, 2020 paulkfox1 Comment

The “How to Schmooze” Guide for Prospective Music Teachers

Do you have a business card, e-portfolio, resume, and professional website?

There are three critical skills you need to foster searching for a school music position, marketing yourself, interviewing, and landing a job:

Personal branding (who are you, what makes you unique, and what do you have to offer?)
Story telling (anecdotes) of your positive attributes and personal brand, and
Networking (associating with other professionals and getting your stories “out there”).

In previous articles posted in this blog series, we have discussed the essential need for the development and constant revisions of a professional e-portfolio, resume, and website. If you have not read them, click on the following:

Merriam-Webster defines “networking” (noun) as “the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business.”

The concept of networking is two-way communications. Just like collective sets of nerve synapses, two-way connections are expected to fire repeatedly in all directions. That’s actually the science behind memory. For professional networking, it is your “charge” to create multiple pathways to/from school administrators, HR managers and secretaries, music supervisors and department heads, and music teachers… and you – your skills, accomplishments, unique qualities, experience, education, and personality traits.

Business Cards – One of the Earliest Known Methods of Networking

Do you know the history of the business card? How long ago was it introduced?

You might have guessed it was first “kicked-off” in the 1980s, the decade that corporations expanded on the adoption of the 3.5 by 2-inch rectangle business card format we know today.

However, according to Design Float Blog [Source: “A Brief History of Business Cards” posted at http://www.designfloat.com/blog/2012/04/02/history-business-cards/], its origin can be traced back to 15th century China. They were first known as “visiting cards” and used to announce one’s intention of meeting with another individual.

During the 17th century, especially during the reign of Louis the 14th, the “calling card” made its heyday in Europe. “…An individual’s success or failure in society often depended on the strength of their personal promotion.”

Etiquette was involved in the deployment of “acquaintance cards” in the 17-18th century.

“…A strict protocol existed to ensure that calling cards were employed correctly. If a gentleman wished to call on a lady, he had a lot to think about. On making a ﬁrst call, he had to make sure there is a separate card for each lady of the household. Alternatively, he could fold his card down the middle to indicate it was meant for all members of the household. Cards had to be left with the servant; admission to the house would only be permitted after the hostess had examined the card. Calling cards were to be collected on a small tray kept in the hallway, which would be presented by a servant on the palm of his left hand. While a gentleman may carry his cards loose in his pocket, a lady should use a card case. If the gentleman received no acknowledgement of his card, he had to accept that there would be no continuation of the acquaintance. And on no account was it ever acceptable to sneak a peak at cards that had been left by other callers.”

Later in the 17th century, London merchants used “trade cards.” At a time when street numbers were not in popular use, these cards were crucial in promoting the business and informing customers of its location and services available.

So how do you collect and distribute your business cards? What methods do you use to record and store the contacts you meet on a daily basis? How is your contact information given out to every professional you meet, especially at conferences, mass employment screenings, or job fairs?

Business Card Basics

Today’s professionals still exchange this “old-fashioned invention” called a business card as part of employment and business networking. (Who knows? Maybe someday we will be doing this electronically. Perhaps, our new “super-smart phones” will automatically talk to one another and seamlessly pass on our contact information.)

According to Ivan Misner, contributor to the online Entrepreneur website (http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/159492), “The business card is the most powerful single business tool – dollar for dollar – you can invest in. It’s compact, energy-efficient, low-cost, low-tech, and keeps working for you hours, weeks and even years after it leaves your hands!”

He outlines what it does in support of person-to-person networking:

The business card tells people your name and the name of your business.
It provides prospects a way to contact you.
It gives others a taste of your work, style and personality.
It can be so unusual or attractive or strange or charming or funny that it tends to stick in the memory of the prospective employer like a great radio or television ad.
It can be reused, passes from person to person, giving the same message to each person who comes in contact with it.

What data should be shared on a business card? The quick (and obvious) answer is your name, mailing address (street, city, state, zip), cell phone (and if you still have a landline telephone number), email address, and extremely important – a link to your professional website (and password if needed).

Your Personal Brand Displayed on a Piece of Cardboard

Huffington Post provides some insightful recommendations on the design of business cards (see http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/12/designing-a-business-card_n_997449.html):

Your card should look professional and project your image.
Do not use clip art.
Consider printing a QR code with direct access to your webpage.
Resist a cluttered business card layout.
Do not try to save money and buy cheap business cards.

Like it or not, your business card will convey (accurately or inaccurately) your image – possibly an instant snapshot of your professionalism, proficiency, and personality – to potential HR people and the decision-makers that hire future staff. What do you want to display… traits of artistry, collaboration, commitment, discipline, even temperament, goal-minded, initiative, leadership, mastery of music and music education, organization, positive outlook, style, tact, and/or teamwork… or just the opposite?

Check out the unique examples and design elements (size, shape, color, style, materials, effects, printing methods, etc.) at http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2010/06/how-to-design-your-business-card/. A wooden business card? How crazy do you want to be? Just remember, educational leaders are generally very “conservative” in the search for filling teaching positions in the public schools.

Readability and clarity are important (#4 above). After retirement, I had a lot of fun designing a new business card. Many retirees (myself included) lean towards putting more information than what is generally needed on their card. I was also guilty of printing a hodgepodge of all of my past school positions. Ironic, isn’t it? The business card is not really the device to archive past successes, especially for a retiree who is not trying to find a new full-time job!

I even went as far as to hire a professional layout artist to create a new personal logo. Can you tell my focus areas and favorite composer from the image to the right?

The Act of Sharing

When you meet someone for the first time, the unspoken code/decorum of networking and professionalism directs you to flash your most charming smile, look the person in the eye, introduce yourself (“hi, my name is…”), and offer/give a firm handshake. Repeat his/her name (place it permanently in your memory), and use it to strike up a short conversation to familiarize/update each other about where he/she works, and where you have most recently graduated or been employed.

First impressions mean a lot. Experts say that early judgments about you are made in the first ten seconds, and after four minutes, it’s all over. For employment consideration, others have written that you are evaluated by 7% what you say, 38% by your vocal tone, and 55% by your facial expressions.

Be very positive and be sure to closely listen to the other professional, responding to his/her questions or topics. Be outgoing and energetic (but not pushy) and friendly (but not overly personal). My former superintendent commented on a music teacher interview he experienced that did not go very well. The potential candidate did not seem to show personal initiative or self-direction, and lacked any overt displays of excitement or energy. Administrators want to see that you are truly committed to making a music program successful (“will go that extra mile”), have creative ideas to help “grow the program,” and love to work with children.

Before you close your “network connection,” be sure to swap business cards (have yours handy – nothing slows things down more than fumbling in your wallet or coat pocket), and make a promise to touch base with him/her again.

Gathering Data from Your End

One of the most important concepts about networking is how you use the information you collect. You need to “tag” or catalog the names of individuals with whom you come in contact, to help sort and create an easy-access index of professional resources.

After the opportunity presents itself to exchange business cards, you need to save and organize his/her data in a way to be able to place/find the acquaintance for future reference. Why was this professional important to you to remember his or her name? How, when, and where did you meet? Reference the subjects you may have discussed, school affiliation, title, and locality of the contact, so at some point, you can lay your fingers on the name in your file; just search on the “key” word or phrase like “choral director” or “XYZ School District.”

As soon as possible, copy the new contact’s name, information, and subject areas into your smartphone’s (and computer’s) contact app. If he/she was a potential administrator, department head, or teacher in the district, you are well within your rights to follow-up with an e-mail. “Do you know of any possible future music positions (or retirements) in your district?” “Should I send a letter to the superintendent for his consideration?”

Now Get Out There and “Meet and Greet!”

According to Devora Zack in her blog “Ten Tips for People Who Hate Networking” (a great read, see http://www.careerealism.com/hate-networking-tips/), “…Real networking is about establishing mutually beneficial, lasting connections, one person at a time… This new and improved definition of networking means being true to you, capitalizing on your strengths, and tossing aside ‘rules’ that don’t match your temperament.” She proposes several unique “rules for the road” for making positive peer connections from the book Networking for People Who Hate Networking (Berrett-Koehler 2010):

Be true to you
Realize less is more
Plan your first impression
Volunteer
Get in line
Set challenging yet achievable networking goals
Show, don’t tell
Research
Listen
Follow-up, or forget about it

Another good resource for quiet/unassuming personality types is the online article “Twelve Tips for Shy People” by Meredith Levinson: http://www.cio.com/article/2437488/relationship-building-networking/how-to-network–12-tips-for-shy-people.html.

Conclusion

Take advantage of any chance you have to present your personal brand, “sell yourself,” and connect with colleagues in the field of music education. Practice a few “schmoozing” techniques, but really try to be open, positive, true to yourself, and well-organized. The business card helps you to “call on” and make a lasting impression to potential employers. Good luck, and happy job hunting!

Sources for this article and additional hints on the use of business cards and networking may be found at the following sites. Here’s YOUR homework for further reading!

PKF

Interview Questions Revisited

February 27, 2016May 5, 2020 paulkfox1 Comment

New Getting a Job Tips for Prospective Music Teachers

The Interview Playbook: Directing a Showstopping Performance in Interpreting and Reciting Your Lines!

All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts… – William Shakespeare

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice! How do you market yourself, take interviews, and succeed in landing a job? Practice, practice, practice!

This article reviews rationale and methods to intentionally prepare, rehearse, “stage,” and “act out” your answers to interview questions.

Depending on the structure of the interview, the hiring procedures of the institution, and the type of session (whether it is a general screening prior to any job opening, or the first round, second round, demonstration lesson, final round with the superintendent, etc. in order to fill a specific position), you will be exposed to many different kinds of questions.

Listed below are 71 samples of what might be asked at interviews for a school music posting. As they say, it is time to “woodshed” your upcoming performances!

The first step is to think up as many examples as possible of past incidents that exhibit your mastery of core standards in teaching, critical thinking and problem solving, professionalism, music and academic accomplishments, and all positive interactions with children, in both musical and non-musical settings. Assemble and catalog these successful “scenes” (even write them down) to prep your responses for the interview.

As I go out to help at job fairs and mock interviews for music education majors, I advise the soon-to-be candidates to practice their storytelling skills and recall relevant personal anecdotes in order to satisfy the interviewers’ questioning, promote an image of competency and self-confidence, “show that you have what it takes” and would be a “good fit” for their school district, and ultimately “ace” the examination.

One example I give the “recruits” is probably more suitable to a sales position. If an interviewer asks something like, “What was your first job?” – your response should not be a quick rejoinder of several words like “a paper route.” To enhance your “personal brand” and illustrate your character, proficiency, and work history, you should take the opportunity to tell a story about that first “gig.” Describe what you did as the neighborhood paperboy, perhaps revealing a little insight into the kind of entrepreneur you are, adoption of “customer-first” philosophy and habits, a savvy business sense, focused motivation, and a strong work ethic. Narrate an anecdote rather than list facts. Plan (and dress rehearse) something like this script: “My route was small, so I surveyed my existing customers, asked about their needs, desires, and their definition of a ‘perfect paper delivery,’ and how I could help them. I tagged and followed-up on their unique requests, like ‘hiding the pile of papers that end up accumulating during vacation periods’ (advertising to the world that homeowner is out-of-town), and ‘when NOT to place the paper in the screen door early in the morning so as to avoid waking up the dogs and the whole household.’ I also solicited business from non-subscribers, asking them how I could be of assistance. Pretty soon, word got around, and my enhanced customer-care translated into almost doubling the number of the people on my route.”

Next, with or without help from your peers (your future competitors in the job market), set-up one or more video recording sessions of “mock interviews.” Put yourself in the shoes of the both the interviewer and the interviewee… randomize and select questions from the lists below (take representative samples from all three categories for multiple settings) and form your responses. View and assess your performances. What are your strengths and weaknesses, and what improvements could be recommended? Besides the content and clarity of your answers, monitor and evaluate your body language, eye contact, and posture, vocal tone and projection, and those intangibles like “charm,” “attitude,” and “first impressions.” If you do this in a group (roommates, collegiate music education chapter, methods class, etc.), request feedback from your “critics.”

Finally, here are five more considerations for successful interviews:

Answer the questions as truthfully as possible. Be true to yourself. Never try to predict or recite what you think the interview panel wants to hear. Also, keep in mind, “anything you say may be held against you…” such as declaring a willingness to participate in a host of extracurricular activities, sports, student council, and other clubs. If you claim you want to become the marching band director, musical choreographer, swim coach, Sadie Hawkins dance organizer, and yearbook sponsor, the administrators (who are always seeking to fill these positions) will expect you to sign up for all of these extra-duties in your first year!
Some questions may be designed to see how you respond to stress. Although no longer considered a valid measurement of intellectual capacity or emotional stability, “stress interviews” are still conducted by some institutions. You’ll know immediately if for some reason you are thrown into one of these seemingly “hostile environments.” No matter what you say or how you respond to a question, the interviewer(s) will exhibit a negative attitude, look disinterested, inattentive, unimpressed, or disappointed, or even act angry, belligerent, or argumentative. Talk about “playing to a dead crowd!” Actually, their sole purpose is to evaluate your behavior during artificially-induced tension or conflict. Your only strategy? Play the game! Stay calm, cool, and collected.
It is not a crime not knowing the meaning of a single educational term, solution to a problem, or failing to answer a question. If you are just starting out in your career, recently completed coursework in music education, don’t be surprised if a question or two is beyond your study or experience. Just admit it! You could say something like, “I haven’t had the pleasure of teaching long enough to totally comprehend what I would do in that situation.” Or perhaps, “I am not to familiar with that term/method/philosophy, but I am willing to research it, ask my building principal or supervisor for his/her advice,” etc.
Don’t get carried away, offer too much information, or share irrelevant personal information or random opinions. Listen carefully to the question. Be precise and stay “on topic.” Refine your response to a specific story to back up your perspective, understanding, and/or success in dealing with the issue. And, as the dictionary defines “run on,” don’t “blab, blubber, blurt, cackle, chat, gossip, gush, jabber, mumble, mutter, prattle, rant, rave, run off at the mouth, trivialize, or yak!”
Search and consume every job resource and advice you can get your hands on. Peruse the numerous articles about marketing your professionalism, branding yourself, creating e-portfolios, taking interviews, etc., and additional materials in the “Becoming a Music Educator” menu link at the top of this page.

“The world is a stage” and now you need to “act your part” when participating in employment interviews. Carefully prepare to show-off the best elements of your training, skill sets, and personality traits. In the field of music and music education, we preach “perfect practice makes perfect,” so apply your performance know-how to interview storytelling and get ready for the questions! The stage is now yours! “Break a leg!”

The word “theater” comes from the Greeks. It means “the seeing place.” It is the place people come to see the truth about life and the social situation. – Stella Adler

Questions on Philosophy or Core Teaching Standards

Concerning music education, what is your philosophy, vision, and mission? (Educational Philosophy)
What is your view of the teacher’s role in the classroom? (Educational Philosophy)
What is most important to you (and why): music content, outcome, or process? (Educational Philosophy)
Describe a successful lesson plan you have developed. (Knowledge/Education)
What rules and expectations would you establish in your classroom? (Classroom Management)
How will you control behavior in large ensembles? (Classroom Management)
How would you deal with a difficult student who has gotten off-task? (Classroom Management)
How will you incorporate the use of technology in your classroom? (Technology)
How have you utilized technology to assist in instructional preparation? (Technology)
Summarize a list of software programs and other technology you have mastered. (Technology)
Describe your strengths in oral communications and public relations. (Oral Expression)
How would you disseminate information to the students in support of your daily lesson targets? (Oral Expression)
Provide sample announcements you could make at an a) open house or b) public performance? (Oral Expression)
Discuss your strengths in writing and/or written communications. (Written Expression)
What role does the Common Core have in general music (or music ensembles)? (Written Expression)
Describe your last or favorite college essay or article on music or curriculum. (Written Expression)
Describe your leadership style. (Leadership)
What actions would you take to get a group of peers refocused on the task at hand? (Leadership)
Illustrate your role in a group project or collaborative assignment. (Leadership or Teamwork)
How would you involve students in the decision-making or planning of your classes/ensembles? (Teamwork)
How would you involve parents in your music program? (Teamwork)
How would your musical peers describe you? (Judgment)
How do you typically model professionalism and judgment in dealing with conflict? (Judgment)
How do you differentiate and teach to diverse levels of achievement in your music classes? (Problem Solving)
Describe a difficult decision you had to make and how you arrived at your decision. (Problem Solving)
How will you accommodate students who want to participate in both music and sports? (Problem Solving)
How do you insure that long-term plans and music objectives are met? (Planning and Organization)
Illustrate a typical musical (or marching band or ensemble) production schedule. (Planning and Organization)
How would you structure a general music (or ensemble rehearsal) classroom of the future? (Innovation)
Share an anecdote about a new or innovative teaching technique you have used in music. (Innovation)
Describe a project you initiated (or would initiate) in your teaching or extra-curricular activity. (Initiative)
What motivates you to try new things? (Initiative)
How much time outside the school day should a music teacher be expected to work? (Initiative)
How would you define professional commitment in terms of music education? (Dependability)
What after-school activities do you plan to become involved? (Dependability)
How do you cope with stress? (Adaptability)
How do you manage shifting priorities or changing deadlines? (Adaptability)
Why did you choose to become a music teacher? (Self-Insight/Development)
In your own music-making or teaching, of which are you most proud (and why)? (Self-Insight/Development)
If you could write a book, what would the title be? (Self-Insight/Development)
What hobbies or special skills do you have which may influence your future activities? (Energy/Enthusiasm)
In what extra-curricular activities did you participate at the HS and college level? (Energy/Enthusiasm)

Content-Specific Questions & Demonstration Lessons

How would you teach “steady beat” or pitch matching in the primary grades? [GENERAL MUSIC]
How and when would you teach syncopation to the intermediate grades? [GENERAL MUSIC]
Describe in detail an introductory lesson on improvisation using 12-bars blues progression. [JAZZ]
How would you assess the learning in EL/MS music classes? [GENERAL MUSIC]
What marching band style do you prefer to teach and perform in the halftime show, and how would you organize the marching auxiliary units (majorettes, color guard, dance team, and/or drum line)? [BAND]
How would you improve the intonation/tone quality/bow technique of a string players? [STRINGS]
Describe the selections you would program for a EL/MS/HS choral/band/orchestra concert in December/May. [ALL]
How would you assist fifth graders performing dotted quarter/eighth combinations hesitantly or incorrectly? [ALL]
When and how do you present the concepts of shifting/spiccato/vibrato to string students? [STRINGS]
Describe a lesson in which you would use classroom instruments. [GENERAL MUSIC]
How do you advise/assist in the student’s selection of a beginning band instrument? [BAND]
What criteria and methods should be used assign voice types for your EL/MS/HS chorus? [CHORAL]
What steps would you take to improve an ensemble’s phrasing/blend/balance? [BAND/STRINGS/CHORAL]
Discuss the process you use in developing the singing voice. [GENERAL MUSIC/CHORAL]
Describe your background and knowledge of each of the following methodologies: Orff, Kodaly, Gordon, Suzuki, Dalcroze. [ALL]
What are your keyboard skills like? Vocal skills? Secondary instrument skills? [ALL]
How would you warm-up a band/chorus/orchestra? How do you tune instruments? [ALL]
Show us how you would start a piece in general music/band/chorus/orchestra. [ALL]
Tell us about a composition/improvisation/multimedia project you have done with students. [ALL]
How would you integrate music with the other academic subjects in the EL/MS/HS? [ALL]
What are the most common problems for beginning instrumentalists/vocalists? [ALL]

PKF

Hints for the Job Search Process

January 29, 2016May 5, 2020 paulkfox1 Comment

Ten (More) Tips to “Bag” Music Teacher Employment

I will probably never tire writing articles for new or prospective music educators seeking a public school position. I am subject to a flash of inspiration – epiphanies or revelations – at any moment, many of which come while I am walking the dogs or driving the car. Here are some random loose-ends I have not covered before, the results of recent bouts of brainstorming and mind wandering! Hopefully, they will provide you additional insight towards success in the job hunt process. Good luck!

First stop? Under “Becoming a Music Educator,” a link at the top menu of my WordPress site, there is a summary of all previous articles for getting a job. I have included many resources and recommended links to samples and blogs from “the experts” in developing marketing skills, personal branding, preparing for interviews, and e-portfolios. My blogs are presented in a suggested sequential order, so it would probably be a good idea that you read all of them chronologically beginning with “Marketing your Professionalism.” A copy of my PowerPoint slide handouts for presentations at collegiate music education seminars and PCMEA workshops is also posted.
Timing is everything. Teachers who are planning to retire usually have to notify their school administration in the months of February, March or April to receive some of their “golden handshake” benefits. For the school district, it helps them plan for future hiring. For you, it should focus your attention and organize your work at a time when the jobs are just becoming available. (Don’t wait for summer vacation!)
What is saturation? In “the old days” when I was fresh out of the university and looking for public school music employment, I used my own version of saturation marketing. I took the metal-end of a compass point and pushed it in a map on the spot where I was living. The pencil-end was stretched as far as I was willing to travel in one day to go to work (for me, seven PA counties). The circle that I drew represented the targeted school districts that I spent most of my effort. Of course, today we use online application registries such as PA-educator.com which broadcast data on the pool of candidates. Regardless, I sent a custom-designed letter to every superintendent of school “in my hot zone” announcing that I was interested, met all education and certification requirements, and was available for immediate employment consideration. You should prominently share the name/location of your professional website. In addition, this would be the perfect place to mention if you student-taught or served as a private teacher, coach, summer camp counselor, or marching band/musical assistant in their area. For me, this meant a lot of extra work (looking-up the names/addresses, and you can’t just send a blanket form-letter “To Whom It May Concern”), but it seemed to give me a little edge, a foot in the door so-to-speak, and the opportunity to place follow-up calls later to the HR department to confirm they received the letter and did not need anything to add to the file (transcripts/portfolio, etc.). If you’re not restricted to a specific geographic area, saturation this way would probably not be feasible.
Enhance your online presence! The more I think about the process that today’s graduates must go through to get a music teaching job, the more I am convinced that digital portfolios and a website would be essential to show off your skills, experiences, and accomplishments. I would even go as far as to suggest the purchase a premium domain name (something simple like yourname.edu or .com). Graduating this year from West Virginia University, my former student David Dockan (www.daviddockan.com), among a host of others at https://www.mcgill.ca/edu-e3ftoption/portfolios, http://music.psu.edu/musiced/e-portfolio.html, and http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/teaching-portfolios/, have excellent sample postings for your perusal.
You need to research the school districts in your area for potential of job openings. If you graduated from a local school, a good person to ask is your former high school band, choral and orchestra directors. They probably go to music festivals and other events and would hear “through the grapevine” who may be transferring, going on maternity leaves, or considering retirement.
Like it or not, you will be judged on how you look! In another blog, I talked about coming to the interview in “business-professional formal dress.” Try to avoid anything trendy, mod, or “cool,” and guys, this means you wear a tie and a jacket. Unkempt or unusual length/coloring of hair, extra body piercings, and visible tattoos will not help project the classic corporate image of “conservatism” which most administrators seek in teachers. Sure, you do have the right to be “unconventional,” “artsy,” “one-of-kind” or “make a statement,” but you also have the right never to get a public school job!
Preparing digital samples of your teaching is important! Do this NOW while you are still in college. In a previous article, I have already strongly urged you to limit “specialization” and instead take pictures of all kinds of interactions with music kids: band and string lessons and small ensembles, large group conducting, choral practices, general music classes, dance/drama coaching, marching band rehearsals, etc. However, there is the issue of getting permission to photograph or video the students you are teaching in field experiences, problems with displaying their faces up-close in your e-portfolio and website (and definitely NOT printing their full names). In my school district, we have a “do not photo” list in each building, so just check with the school secretary where you are student teaching. This is also a concern for summer camps, recreational programs, church groups, etc.
Testimonies are great! Don’t be shy! As far as I am concerned, you are within your right to “beg” for a congratulatory note or a thank you letter from a parent to insert in your portfolio. This would look particularly good fulfilling Charlotte Danielson’s Domain 4c “Communicating with Families” in The Framework for Teaching (see https://paulkfoxusc.wordpress.com/2015/08/09/criteria-for-selection-of-the-ideal-teacher-candidate/. Probably, I would approach it this way: “Thank you so much for your kind comments. I am a budding music teacher, and need to get a few notes from parents to add to my portfolio. Would you be willing to send me something?” This process should be repeated with cooperating teachers and other professionals with which you have a relationship in music education.
Go to www.majoringinmusic.com. I stumbled on this delightful website that gives comprehensive resources for majoring in music and preparing for the job market! You should especially read their article, “7 Things Music Education Majors Can Do When Facing the Job Market” at http://majoringinmusic.com/7-things-music-education-majors-can-do-make-themselves-more-employable-2/, “hitting the nail on the head” about this topic! They have given me permission to share their outline below. (Do these sound familiar? They are preaching from the same pulpit as many of my past blogs!)
- Be an outstanding musician.
- Learn how to improvise.
- Acquire entrepreneurial skills.
- Become as broad-based and well-trained as possible.
- Combine advocacy with exchange to create better programs.
- Learn all you can about relevant technology.
- Keep an updated list of your skills, relevant experiences, and training.
College students who collaborate have a significant advantage. As they say, “there is safety in numbers,” and the concept of teamwork would do you well in the employment search process and preparation for interviews. For examples, you already have many lists of employment screening questions: https://paulkfoxusc.wordpress.com/2015/09/01/a-blueprint-for-success-preparing-for-the-job-interview/. It is inconceivable to me that you are not already spending massive amounts of time together, with or without your head music education professor(s):
- Dividing up the work load in finding contacts and possible job openings in local school districts.
- Helping each other with the proofreading process of writing/designing resumes, cover letters, a philosophy of music education, and a personal professional website.
- Holding numerous mock interview sessions, jointly assessing your class mates’ responses to possible interview questions and story-telling skills.

PKF

Tips on Personal Branding

December 16, 2015May 5, 2020 paulkfoxLeave a comment

Prospective Music Teachers: Why Personal Branding Might Help You Land a Job!

“A brand is anything—a symbol, design, name, sound, reputation, emotion, employees, tone, and much more—that separates one thing from another.”

– Neil Patel and Aaron Agius

Quick – Who are you? Define yourself in three words!

This is one of the most common job interview questions. In my past blogs on the subject of getting a music teaching job (see https://paulkfoxusc.wordpress.com/category/marketing-professionalism/), we explored preparing for interviews, planning portfolios, developing stories/personal anecdotes of your strengths, defining criteria for the ideal music teacher candidate, and understanding the term “professionalism” as it applies to music education. Now to wrap-up your “marketing plan,” it is time to dive into “personal branding” as it is presented by quite a few experts in the field.

What is Personal Branding? Google defines it as “essentially the ongoing process of establishing a prescribed image or impression in the mind of others about an individual, group or organization.”

Branding is critical to help you “stand above the rest,” showing you have what it takes and would be a major asset to a prospective employer, and marketing your own unique qualities that would make you “a good fit” for the specific job opening. But you don’t have to take my word on this… a quick search on the Internet yields numerous articles on branding and marketing yourself.

The question is no longer IF you have a personal brand, but whether you choose to guide and cultivate the brand or to let it be defined (or assumed) by others on your behalf.

According to Shama Hyder, bestselling author of The Zen of Social Media Marketing, “The term branding has long been relegated to companies, but today almost every individual has a personal brand. Not many of us have consciously cultivated these brands, but they exist nonetheless. A digital footprint in the sands of time and space crowd sourced by friends, colleagues, and bosses. According to an AVG study, 92 percent of children under the age of two already have a digital footprint.”

At http://www.forbes.com/sites/shamahyder/2014/08/18/7-things-you-can-do-to-build-an-awesome-personal-brand/, Hyder posted “7 Things You Can Do to Build an Awesome Personal Brand,” including the following outlined summary. (Take a look – you won’t be sorry!)

Start thinking of yourself as a brand
Audit your online presence
Secure a personal website
Find ways to produce value
Be purposeful in what you share
Associate with other strong brands
Reinvent

You can learn something about branding from an accountant. In “Five Tips on Branding Yourself” (by the American Institute of CPAs) at http://www.aicpa.org/InterestAreas/YoungCPANetwork/Resources/Career/Pages/FiveTipsToBrandingYourself.aspx, steps are offered to help build a positive image and promote your professionalism. Branding helps “to remain current in your field, opens doors for you, and creates a lasting impression…”

Define your brand and become an expert.
Establish a presence.
Generate brand awareness through networking.
Remember the 3 Cs of branding – clarity, consistency, constancy.
Get feedback from those who know you best—at work, at home, anywhere.

For #1 above, hopefully you have already read my epistle (see https://paulkfoxusc.wordpress.com/2015/07/04/marketing-yourself-and-your-k-12-music-certification/) on not limiting your options or selling yourself short as a music specialist (e.g. band director or elementary vocal teacher). If you want a job with a Pennsylvania Music K-12 Instructional certificate or equivalent, you have to be “expert” on all types and grade levels of public school music.

The music curriculum leader/department chair/lead teacher involved in the employment screening will want to know your mastery of creating lessons in everything from the foundations of “steady beat” and “matching pitch” to developing advanced technique and musicianship in any/all instrumental and vocal ensembles, including jazz improvisation, a cappella singing, and string chamber music.

However, principals, HR staff, and other administrators will likely care more about your classroom management skills, ability to communicate and work with others, personal initiative and willingness to work after school and in the evenings, record of consistent attendance (low incidence of absenteeism or tardiness re: college classes and other work history), and other personality characteristics. Believe it or not, at more than one interview, I was asked, “Since you call yourself trained as a musician, are you temperamental?”

The single most comprehensive publication on branding (and it looks like it is provided as a free service!) is The Complete Guide to Building Your Personal Brand by Neil Patel and Aaron Agius” at https://www.quicksprout.com/the-complete-guide-to-building-your-personal-brand/.

According to them, the greatest rationale for building your personal brand is that it opens up more professional opportunities. “Creating a vision for your future and implementing that vision can lead to a better job…” You should take time to read the guide’s chapters in detail:

How to Create Your Personal Brand Vision
How to Define Your Target Audience
How to Build Up Your Online and Offline Assets
How to Build Your Brand Through Outreach
How to Get Free Press Coverage
How to Connect with Mentors
How to Monitor your Brand
Be Yourself Because Everyone Else Is Taken

After you peruse all of the above material on personal branding, here are my top ten “takeaways” specific to every budding music teacher.

Your personal brand is everything about you – your values, attitudes, integrity, initiative, work ethic, skills, and personality traits.
Remember, a career in public/private school education is based on very conservative values. Be cognizant of what you say, how you look and act, and the overall image you portray. “Everything you say and do (or have ever said or done) may be used against you…”
In this profession, there’s no place for too much levity or a lack of respect for conformity, longstanding traditions, and the orthodox. At my first job interview, I carelessly made a crack about signing an outdated “loyalty” oath (“I promise I am not a communist and will not try to overthrow the government…”), the result of which the superintendent gave me a major tongue-lashing and a 20-minute lecture on patriotism (but, somehow I still got the job!).
Clean up your social media sites (Facebook, etc.). A photo of you and your college buddies drinking “adult beverages” in bathing suits at a beach may be misinterpreted. Google your name to see what comes up. How would you define the content you see of yourself online?
Create a personal website to warehouse the elements of your “professional brand,” including your philosophy of music education, mission, goals, and a digital resume of your education, experience, and accomplishments. If your college/university does not set you up with a free online site, explore “doing-it-yourself” with WordPress, Wix, or Weebly.com.
The only social medium I can recommend without reservation is LinkedIn. Create and optimize your professional identity on LinkedIn, everything from getting an excellent photo of yourself to providing copious samples of your references, writing, hands-on teaching experiences, etc.
If you have personal essays on your educational philosophy and vision, share your priorities as they relate to music curriculum, lesson targets, concert programming, assertive discipline, collaborative projects, and professional development, and always be ready for the most commonly asked interview questions (beat them to the punch by posting in writing your thoughts): Why is music essential to a child’s education? Why did you choose to become a music educator? Who had the greatest influence on you and why? What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses in this field?
If you have time, design a personal logo, a symbol of you wherever you go on websites, e-mail footer, digital and printed portfolios, business cards, etc. Although I retired in 2013, I created the illustration at the above right. It implies that I am “a happy fox” (my last name), involved in music, and especially love a certain Beethoven symphony, reinforcing that I am an orchestral musician.
Better than providing quick one or two-sentence answers to the interviewers’ questions, try to assemble a collection of personal anecdotes that dramatically illustrate your musical and teaching skills, critical thinking and problem solving, personality traits like patience, compassion, self-control, and thoughtfulness, and past successes. (For more information on developing story-telling skills, go to https://paulkfoxusc.wordpress.com/2015/08/02/when-it-comes-to-getting-a-job-s-is-for-successful-storytelling/).
Whenever possible, archive your student teaching and other field experiences. “A picture says a thousands words!” Post short online video, audio, and photo examples of your positive interactions in music and with students in all kinds of settings.

One final thought. The best advice I have learned about branding is that it is all about “work in progress.” According to Adii Pienaar in “How to Build Your Personal Brand: The Next Step to Anything” (http://thenextweb.com/entrepreneur/2013/08/18/your-personal-brand-the-next-step-to-anything/), “Your brand is a living organism just like you are as a human and it needs to mirror the same kind of progression, evolution and maturation that you experience in your own life. Whilst legacy is important (as it gives context to your brand), continuous improvement and change should be part of how you shape your brand over time.”

He adds, “Your brand should make mistakes and you should have the opportunity to learn from them.” Just like a model college-entrance essay relating how you have persevered and adapted to life’s challenges and solved problems, your online presence should reveal your dedication to and steps towards self-improvement.

Finally, I echo Pienaar’s conclusion that there is no time like the present to get to work on personal branding: “Start today and brand shamelessly.”

PKF

The Do’s and Don’ts of Interviewing

October 11, 2015May 5, 2020 paulkfoxLeave a comment

Final Tips to Land Your First Music Teacher Job

“I hate interviews – but you have to do them.” – Jackie Chan

You just received that blessed, long-awaited phone call… “XYZ School District has reviewed your application and résumé, and would like to call you in for an interview.” Hooray!

Okay, but now what?

There is no perfect formula for “acing” a particular interview or clinching employment opportunities. Like music auditions, there are a lot of variables and factors even outside the control of the job seeker. One might say there’s a lot of “luck” involved in the inspiring a warm and productive chemistry/atmosphere at the interview, and “clicking” with members on the HR review panel. There is no magic “pill” or perfect process to communicate your strengths and experiences to the interviewer and matching them with the needs of the position.

When I ventured out the first time into the public school music teacher job market (1978), there were many more potential candidates than openings. The competition was very high. I had to be aware that selling myself as a “total music education professional” was essential, not allowing myself to be branded (and eliminated from the running) as a much more limited “music specialist” (string teacher, vocalist, band director, etc.). I had to “prove competency” and provide evidence (portfolio of my personal philosophy of music education, stories/anecdotes about my experiences, certifications, sample lesson plans, music programs, recommendations, and other documentation) that would support my mastery of the institution’s teaching standards, positive personality traits, and overall suitability for the job. I’ve said it before! This is everything about “getting noticed,” “making connections” with the interviewers, and demonstrating that you have “what it takes” and would be a “good fit” for their school district.

So, how do you get a job during hard times? Embrace and model the “five P’s” to employment success: Persistence, Professionalism, PR savviness, a “Powerful” organizational system, and (of course) Patience!

Hope these recommendations help! Feel free to share your thoughts. Let’s here from YOU!

DO THE PREP: A Thorough Sequence for Planning and Practice

“Rarely does an interviewer ask questions you did not expect. I have given a lot of interviews, and I have concluded that the questions always look alike. I could always give the same answers.” – Italo Calvino

Practice makes perfect, they say, and preparation is the name of the game.

Trying to analyze and provide insight in developing the skill sets necessary for positive employment interviewing and “personal branding,” I have written several other blogs about marketing professionalism, formation of a unified philosophy of music education, current trends and “buzz words” in education, learning storytelling skills, the attributes of a “model” music educator and assessment of prospective candidates, and sample interview questions. At the bottom of this blog, please click on the links. (It is suggested to read the entire sequence in order for the best effect!)

DO THE GROUNDWORK: Research, Lead Time and Advance Leg Work

“Failing to prepare for your job interview is, in our experience, the most common reason why people fail at interviews. In fact, recent research found that 95% of job interviewers believe 90% of interviewees come to job interviews ill-prepared. You want to be in the 10% of interviewees who do prepare. Right?” – Catherine Jones, Recruitment Expert, at http://www.job-application-and-interview-advice.com/preparing-for-an-interview.html.

Research information about the school site, job posting, other music positions, and the academic (and arts) programs. If possible, find someone who works in the district, and get some background about…

The job opening and responsibilities;
Previous employees in this position;
General information about the music program;
School district’s mission statement and administrative support of the arts;
Work climate;
Community support.

Discover in advance and/or ask a few of these questions at the interview:

What do you know about this school district?
What music classes and extra-curricular activities are offered?
How many periods (not counting lunch) are scheduled daily?
Are any specialties emphasized e.g. Kodaly, Orff, Dalcroze?
What is the average make-up of the community (education and socioeconomics)?
What educational, cultural, and sport/leisure activities are available in and around the community?
What position(s) is(are) open and what duties are required?
What avenues of professional development exist?
What percentage of students are in the music program?
What percentage of the students own instruments, take lessons, seek outside ensembles, etc.?
What indicators of cooperative parental and community support exist (concert attendance, private teachers, booster groups, community arts organizations, etc.)?
What resources are budgeted (sheet music, music technology, field trips, piano tuning, instruments and instrumental repair, teacher in-service, festivals, etc.)
How often is curriculum updated?
What is the school district grading scale and music grading policy/practice?

Their website is an excellent resource to find out information. If the district has “teacher pages” or sections that the faculty may post information, review all submissions by the music staff and administration. Make sure you are aware of the mission and vision statements of the district and have a workable knowledge of the strategic plan, goals, and recent curricular/program innovations… almost always available as a public record.

Plan ahead! Learn the name, title, and level of responsibility of the administrator(s) and/or interviewer(s). Make a trial run to visit the site of the interview, observing first-hand any potential traffic or construction issues that could affect your arrival time. Arrive early, at least fifteen minutes prior to the appointment. (Punctuality is absolutely essential!) Dress to project an image of confidence and success. (Yes, this means wear a suit! If you are a guy, wear a tie!) Bring additional materials, such as transcript, portfolio, updated résumé, etc.

DO THE POSITIVE: Self-Confidence and a Self-Assured Mindset

“Emphasize your strengths on your résumé, in your cover letters and in your interviews. It may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people simply list everything they’ve ever done. Convey your passion and link your strengths to measurable results. Employers and interviewers love concrete data.” – Marcus Buckingham

“One of the most common mistakes for an entry-level job interview is to take the position: ‘What is this job going to do for me?’ You should be saying ‘Here’s what I can do and here’s what I want to do to help you.’ ” – Norah O’Donnell

Many say that first impressions are critical during the interview. According to Business Insider at http://www.businessinsider.com/only-7-seconds-to-make-first-impression-2013-4, “you only have seven seconds to make a strong first impression.” I have also heard that after four minutes, it’s all over!

The research also suggests that during the interview, the evaluation of your “merit” is based 7% on what you say, 38% on your voice or how you say it, and 55% on our facial expressions and non-verbal cues.

Do your best to relax and promote a calm, positive, and cheerful attitude. Share a warm greeting and firm handshake. Build rapport and demonstrate an attitude of openness and sensitivity to the interviewer’s style. Show a feeling of mutual responsibility for creating a comfortable atmosphere and establishing common ground.

Treat the interview process as an exchange of information between two (or more) individuals. Bring your questions! It is important you show you are motivated to learn about the details about the program and the position.

Be yourself, and demonstrate relaxed speech, posture, and body language. Angle your position so as not to sit directly in front of the interviewer. If possible, select the chair beside not across the desk, avoiding the creation of so-called “invisible barriers.”

Use the person’s name when talking. It is the best way to get/keep his/her attention.

A few more positive nonverbal cues to adopt include the following:

Respond to the interviewer with an occasional affirmative nodding of the head.
Sit erect in the chair with hands, feet, and arms unfolded, leaning forward slightly.
Offer good eye contact and smile appropriately.
Maintain a pleasant facial expression.
Look interested in and listen to the interviewer.

Provide thoughtful, professional, and firm answers to the interviewer’s questions:

Back up statements with specific examples.
Share the outcome or solution to a specific problem.
Summarize to emphasize your strengths.

If you don’t know the answer to a particular question, be honest and admit it. Inexperience is not a crime! And, be sure to say what you mean! If you end up getting the job, you may be “stuck” with your own words!

Finally, it’s all about feeling and projecting self-assuredness – and remembering “the three C’s of interviewing” – be Calm, Concise, and Congenial. No matter how you feel inside, you need to show you are a confident and competent candidate worthy of their consideration.

Check out additional advice at “Acing the Interview” – http://www.myfuture.com/careers/articles-advice/acing-the-interview.

DON’T DO THESE BOO-BOOs: Bloopers, Blunders, and Bad Habits to Avoid

“I picked up an issue of Cosmopolitan the other day that had tips for job interviews, because I was like, ‘I need to get better at interviews.’ The article was basically about how to get someone not to hate you in 20 minutes. Every single thing they told you not to do, I was like, ‘I do that every day.’ ” – Jennifer Lawrence

Here are a few of the obvious no-no’s! Avoid these nervous habits, almost guaranteed to lower your rating at the interview.

Repeated verbal pauses, or exclamations of “Umm” or “Ahhh” or “Like…”
Unsubstantiated or unsupported statements
Use of “weak words” that suggest a lack of conviction (“kind of” or “sort of” or “I feel like”)
Failure to look directly at the interviewer(s)
Verbal clutter (too many long run-on statements)
Any form of fidgeting (tapping your foot, spinning a pen between your fingers, wiggling in your seat, etc.)
Fast talking or dropping the ends of your words
Answers that are too casual, personal, or informal, or “flip” conversation
“Bird walking,” changing of the subject, irrelevant or unclear responses to a question
Touching of your hair, clothes, nose, mouth, or anywhere else on your body
Responses that go overboard and/or volunteer too much
Forceful, dominating, one-sided, opinionated views or arrogant attitudes
Nonverbal cues that reflect nerves, insecurity or lack of confidence (slouching or poor posture, looking down, failure to smile, clenching or keeping hands in lap)
Hollow, insincere, or disingenuous conversation

DO THE ANALYSIS: The Post Interview “Postmortem”

“I sometimes find that in interviews you learn more about yourself than the person learned about you.” – William Shattner

“I can count on one hand the number of people who wrote me a thank you letter after having an interview, and I gave almost all of them a job.” – Kate Reardon

After the interview, debrief yourself! (Do this on the same day – don’t wait for the memories to fade!) Write down everything you felt you handled right and wrong. Critique your “performance,” and document the details (including all names) for future reference. Learn from your mistakes. Look up the terminology or jargon on which you “stumbled” or with which you felt unfamiliar… so you will be ready for the next interview!

If you did well at the first job screening, you may be asked to come back for a second interview or “demonstration lesson.” In most cases, a member from the first panel or a music staff member may contact you and tell you what they want to see taught… perhaps leading a general music class on a specified concept, conducting a small ensemble, or teaching beginning instrumental music or jazz. Get ready! Look at your notes. Practice and drill (again) on those lists of interview questions, paying particular attention to possible content-area queries. If you did the research on the school district’s curriculum and focus areas of the music program, it will help you to prepare for the demonstration lesson.

Note information you need to include in future correspondence and follow-ups. This is where the “power organizer” in you should come out. Every communication you have “from” and “to” the school district should be recorded in a journal, and include the name/e-mail/extension of the secretary/interviewer/administrator involved and date of receipt and your response.

Write a personalized thank-you letter to the individuals on the interview committee. (Set yourself apart from the other applicants!) In your letter, you could offer to send them a(nother) copy of your digital portfolio or DVD video files of student teaching and/or other samples of your interaction with students (leading a church choir, conducting a small instrumental ensemble, coaching a marching band sectional, providing a private lesson, playing a piano accompaniment, etc.).

Follow-up your visit by making phone calls, fulfilling additional paperwork as requested, mailing materials (e.g. official transcripts) if asked, validating completion of coursework and clearances, confirming availability, etc. However, be careful not to become a “nag” or nuisance by making repeated calls and e-mails.

Break a leg! We are counting on every excellent music educator to become successful in marketing themselves and landing a position! Frankly, regardless of the current job market and status of arts education in the schools, we need more dedicated and inspiring music teachers to “get out there” and facilitate the spread of creative self-expression!

PKF

Additional Paulkfoxusc Blogs on Interview Preparation

Marketing Professionalism (getting a music teacher job)

Blueprint for Success – Preparing for the Job Interview

September 1, 2015May 5, 2020 paulkfoxLeave a comment

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” – Albert Einstein

New or Prospective Music Teachers – Reviewing the Situation

By now, I hope you have had the opportunity to revisit and reflect on my past blogs about marketing professionalism, pre-interview preparation, tips and techniques on interviewing, development of storytelling skills, and the criteria for selection of the “ideal” school teacher candidate. Please peruse these articles at https://paulkfoxusc.wordpress.com/category/marketing-professionalism/. I recommend starting “at the bottom” of the page with the oldest blog (July 1, 2015) and progressing towards the present.

Pay particular attention to the outline posted on July 8: https://paulkfoxusc.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/overview-strategies-for-landing-a-music-teacher-job/. In summary, it is important for you to complete the following steps:

Complete a thorough self-assessment.
Assemble artifacts of your professional activities.
Formulate a philosophy of music education.
Familiarize yourself with current educational jargon.
Compile a set of detailed professional anecdotes based on your positive attributes.
Create/revise your résumé, interview handouts, electronic portfolio, and employment website.
Research the school district, music program, job opening, and unique local curricular innovations.
Develop appropriate and insightful questions to ask the interviewer.

Next, the purpose of this blog is to provide the “nitty-gritty” for you to practice and drill answering common interview questions. This material is suitable for individual prepping or group mock interview sessions, and to assist in the formation of meaningful stories/anecdotes that would support a specific candidate’s mastery of each “core teacher standard.”

Music educators have experience in “music performance.” All aspects of excellent delivery of responses to these sample questions should be explored… good vocal tone, clear diction, clarity and organization of thoughts, a calm but engaging attitude, poise, professionalism, and self-confidence in front of an audience, and demonstrations of competency, critical thinking and problem solving towards a smooth, well-practiced interview – the most important “performance” of your career.

What to Expect – Types of Interview Questions

According to Alison Doyle at http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewsnetworking/tp/types-of-interview-questions.htm, “You’ll be asked about your employment history, your ability to work on a team, your leadership skills, your motivation, as well as other interview questions related to your skills and abilities.”

As a music teacher, expect inquiries from these general categories:

Music and music education content and methods
General education terminology and concepts (go back and read “The Alphabet Soup of Educational Acronyms”)
Past experience and education (avoid an emphasis on a specialty) and personal philosophy and goals (go back and read “Marketing Yourself and Your K-12 Music Certification”)
Personality traits, social skills, and habits of “professionalism” (go back and read “The Meaning of PRO” and “Criteria for Selection of the ‘Ideal’ Teacher Candidate”)

Special Interviews and Screening Procedures

NAfME published an online article “Music Education Interviews” and shared the following. Click here for an excerpt of the 2014 article (no longer available on their website): NAfME – Music Education – Interviews

Some schools are utilizing special techniques to pre-screen applicants. For example, the Gallup Teacher Insight Assessment is an online interview subscription tool for school districts. It uses a combination of question types that includes multiple choice scales (strongly agree, strongly disagree, etc.) and open-ended essays. A computer scores the essays by looking for “keywords” and then compares the scores on all questions to the scores of outstanding teachers, before sending the results to the school. Sample questions include:

How would you plan a lesson to reach both auditory and visual learners?
How would you incorporate different cultures in your classroom?
Why did you want to become a teacher?
After school, you come across a student whom you know who is crying. He’s 16 years old. You ask him what is the matter, and he says he was caught cheating. What would you do?
One member of a team working on a curriculum project isn’t pulling his or her weight. What would you do?
How would your co-workers describe you?

Other similar tools are available for administrators to use to determine various aspects of your personality and philosophy of teaching. These tools, similar to the Gallup Assessment, look for keywords in your responses and provide the administrator with a “pass” or “fail” rating scale for each question….

In rare cases, savvy administrators may ask you to “audition” for a position. This could include having you teach a sample class, conducting an ensemble, sight-reading a musical selection on an instrument, or playing the piano. You may also find yourself being interviewed by a committee of music students and parents. Be prepared.

One Evaluative Rubric

From the Assessment Criteria for Teacher Candidates (developed by Upper St. Clair School District Superintendent Dr. William Pope, Human Resource Director Ms. Jean Toner, and other staff), specific skills/behaviors/”core teaching standards” may be assessed at an interview, soliciting ratings of “Unsatisfactory,” “Satisfactory,” “Good,” or “Superior.” To see a sample of the rubric, click here: 7000.1 Professional Rating Form

Instructional

A. Educational Philosophy
B. Knowledge/Experience
C. Classroom Management
D. Technology
E. Oral Expression
F. Written Communications

Professional

G. Leadership
H. Teamwork
I. Judgment
J. Problem Solving
K. Planning & Organizing
L. Innovation

Personal

M. Initiative
N. Dependability
O. Adaptability
P. Self-Insight and Development
Q Energy and Enthusiasm
R. Appearance

Sample Music Teacher Employment Questions

(for study and practice, listed by core teaching standard, above USC criteria A through Q or “most popular”)

Most Popular

1. Who had the greatest influence on you to become a music teacher and why?
2. What are the most important qualities of an outstanding educator?
3. What is your personal philosophy of student discipline?
4. How would you assess the learning in your classroom/rehearsal?
5. What purpose does music education serve in the public schools?
6. What is the importance of professional development and how will you apply it to your career?
7. What are your personal goals? Where do you see yourself in ten years?
8. How do you recruit students to “grow” a music program?

A – Educational Philosophy

A1. Concerning music education, what is your philosophy and mission?
A2. What is your view of the teacher’s role in the classroom?
A3. What is most important to you (and why): music content, outcome, or process?

B – Knowledge/Education

B1. Describe a successful lesson plan you have developed.
B2. What units would you plan for __^th grade general music?
B3. List a few selections you might program on a choral (or band or string) concert.
B4. What steps would you take to teach someone how to improvise?
B5. How do you get a child to match pitch?

C – Classroom Management

C1. What rules and expectations would you establish in your classroom?
C2. How will you control behavior in large ensembles?
C3. How would you deal with a difficult student who has gotten off-task?

D – Technology

D1. How will you incorporate the use of technology in your classroom?
D2. How have you utilized technology to assist in instructional preparation?
D3. Summarize a list of software programs and other technology you have mastered.

E – Oral Expression

E1. Describe your strengths in oral communications and public relations.
E2. How would you disseminate information to the students in support of your daily lesson targets?
E3. Provide sample announcements you could make at an a) open house or b) public performance?

F – Written Expression

F1. Discuss your strengths in writing and/or written communications.
F2. What role does the Common Core have in general music (or music ensembles)?
F3. Describe your last or favorite college essay or article on music or curriculum.

G – Leadership

G1. Describe your leadership style.
G2. What actions would you take to get a group of peers refocused on the task at hand?
G3. Illustrate your role in a group project or collaborative assignment.

H – Teamwork

H1. How would you involve students in the decision-making or planning of your classes/ensembles?
H2. How would you involve parents in your music program?

I – Judgment

I1. How would your musical peers describe you?
I2. How do you typically model professionalism and judgment dealing with conflict?

J – Problem Solving

J1. How do you differentiate and teach to diverse levels of achievement in your music classes?
J2. Describe a difficult decision you had to make and how you arrived at your decision.
J3. How will you accommodate students who want to participate in both music and sports?

K – Planning and Organization

K1. How do you insure that long-term plans and music objectives are met?
K2. Illustrate a typical musical (or marching band or ensemble) production schedule.

L – Innovation

L1. How would you structure a general music (or ensemble rehearsal) classroom of the future?
L2. Share an anecdote about a new or innovative teaching technique you have used in music.

M – Initiative

M1. Describe a project you initiated (or would initiate) in your teaching or extra-curricular activity.
M2. What motivates you to try new things?
M3. How much time outside the school day should a music teacher be expected to work?

N – Dependability

N1. How would you define professional commitment in terms of music education?
N2. What after-school activities do you plan to become involved?

O – Adaptability

O1. How do you cope with stress?
O2. How do you manage shifting priorities or changing deadlines?

P – Self-Insight/Development

P1. Why did you choose to become a music teacher?
P2. In your own music-making or teaching, of which are you most proud (and why)?
P3. If you could write a book, what would the title be?

Q – Energy/Enthusiasm

Q1. What hobbies or special skills do you have which may influence your future activities?
Q2. In what extra-curricular activities did you participate at the HS and college level?

Now, it’s up to you. How do you improve your interviewing skills? How do you better your chances of getting a job? Practice, practice, practice!

PKF

52 Creative Tips to “Supercharge” the School Musical

August 18, 2015May 5, 2020 paulkfox1 Comment

Building Student and Community Support and Appreciation of Theater

Several “Tricks of the Trade” that Have Worked for the Upper St. Clair High School Spring Musical in Pittsburgh, PA. Adaptation of my 1992 article published in PMEA News, the state journal of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association.

GOALS OF THE BLOG: Food for Thought!

Brainstorm “tried and true” techniques that build support for the school musical.
Share shortcuts for adding pizzazz to your PR – better ways to market your show.
Generate discussion and collaborate on ideas… everything from student recruitment to ticket sales.

INTRODUCTION: Let’s examine “WHO and WHY” before “HOW and WHAT”

Multiple-choice question (choose your best guess):

Primarily, for what group of people do you sponsor a musical production?

A) Music students already enrolled in the choral and instrumental classes (and if you have them, drama/dance courses), who are more qualified and deserve the musical as a “reward” for their hard work and loyalty to the Fine Arts program.

B) A small core of the most talented students from the music program, probably those who have studied voice, drama, instruments and/or movement privately outside the school, participated in Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (CLO) Mini Stars, CLO Academy, or other local professional-caliber performing arts school, amateur theater, dance studios, etc. – the “cream of the crop” – many of whom will continue in theater or music as a career, but will achieve a higher degree of professionalism in performance, and thereby help the musical gain prestige and respect – not a “typical high school show!”

C) The general student body of non-music majors, e.g. a “class play,” which may help to draw some of them into the music program in the future (recruitment), while placing no emphasis on it for the students currently enrolled in music classes since they already have public venues for their self-expression.

D) Members of the community (parents, past drama alumni, amateur performers) alongside the students to share their more advanced skills and provide a higher level of performance and “taste” of realism, while filling the more difficult parts on stage, in the pit, and backstage – in short, building a support base community members by direct participation

E) All of the above with some limitation in using adults as actors

PHILOSOPHY: Sharing a Few Ground Rules for Improving Your Productions

Nonlinear problem solving – There are no “right” answers in this business, only ideas.
“One size does not fit all!”
No one uses “all of this” at one time.
Focus on your needs and prioritize.
Take slow “baby-steps” towards trying a few new things every year, and discard any that do not work!
Maintain (and share) YOUR secrets.

Two approaches that drive Upper St. Clair musicals: “bigger is better” and “throw out the rule book!”

SUPER TIPS: Creativity, Marketing, and Professionalism

The following 52 ideas are submitted for your consideration (and adaptation), under the categories of:

Encouragement of Larger Numbers of Student Participants (#1-11)
Student Leadership and Enrichment Activities (#12-20)
Involvement of the Parents and Community (#21-28)
Professionalism and Quality Productions (#29-34)
Real Promotion of the Show (#35-52)

Select a show that allows for large numbers in the cast (e.g. Music Man, Fiddler on the Roof, etc.). Many schools select a maximum of 30-40 cast members, which can severely limit the size and scope of the production as well as the audience. In a few scenes, try to stage bigger groups (up to 100-150).
Larger casts place greater demands on the staging director. Be creative in your blocking. Use the middle and side aisles, and build multi-level sets. (A two story set can support upwards of 150 singers for the “Iowa Stubborn” selection in Music Man! A second floor loft would be perfect for Oklahoma!)
Bring the dramatic action on stage closer to the audience by constructing runways, pit ramps or other stage extensions. This also allows for staging a larger cast.
A simpler solution to open up the space and add levels might be to construct a dozen large crates or benches. A low budget production could camouflage band risers.
Adapt several of the song lyrics in the show for adding large choruses. (“Eloquence” from Hello Dolly, for example, can be expanded to have the entire cast enter and interact with the leads.)
For even more color, choreograph these “encores” with a small ensemble of skilled dancers.
Feel free to have the chorus sing several of the leads’ solo selections during the curtain calls.
Be daring! Display your school’s (full size) marching band parading down the aisles for one scene in Music Man! Or use students in the 6th-8th Grade Chorus to sing “Food Glorious Food” in the opening scene of Oliver!
Actively recruit students to try-out for the musical. Secure help from other school staff. For example, ask the football coach to mention the auditions to his players. Nothing will be more flashy (as well as hysterical) than a chorus line of football stars on the front thrust in Hello Dolly!
Do not place limitations on student participation in the spring musical. Some school programs require the prerequisite of enrollment in choral or instrumental classes. The best recruitment of “outside” students to the Music Department may be their involvement and brief “taste” of a musical.
Offer pre-audition rehearsals on the required music, and/or simplify the try-out procedure as much as possible as to not “scare away” less confident students. Since the musical is geared for the entire student body (some of whom do not sing or act on a regular basis), make the try-outs a positive experience for all! Give the students a choice of songs and/or readings, as well as specifics on how to take an audition.
Adopt an active and expanded Student Staff. The goal of quality education is to encourage students towards self-realization. In other words, the show should be “student run” – although selected, taught, and guided by adults. For example, once the scene changes have been rehearsed, the Student Stage Manager should actually call the cues.
Persuade students who plan to major in communications, TV/radio, or theatre to join the student staff. Also, “get the word out” to other students who are not singers or instrumentalists that you have openings for carpenters (set construction), artists (painting), writers (publicity), seamstresses (costumes), etc.
Develop comprehensive job descriptions for each student leadership position: Student Director, Producer, Rehearsal Assistant, Stage Manager, Crew Head, etc. Assign an adult sponsor for overall supervision of each area.
Hold weekly student staff meetings, with student department reports, idea brainstorming, problem solving, and discussions on group morale. Get the students actively involved in the day-to-day operations of publicity, ticket sales, production schedules, etc.
At all practices, Rehearsal Assistants should be placed at every exit (stage left, stage right, pit left, pit right, etc.), and should maintain script cues and warnings in order to call the actors and direct placement of props and sets.
Present a leadership or motivational workshop for the entire company or the student staff alone. Two to three hour sessions are available on time management, teamwork, communications, personal initiative and leadership. Excellent clinicians in this area include Bill Galvin, Michael Kumer, Tim Lautzenheiser, etc.
Announce a weekly S.M.I.L.E. award (“students most interested in leading effectively”) or other special recognition to spotlight extra achievement of individuals in the musical company. Display the winners (photograph and biographical information) on a public bulletin board.
Reward the student cast and crews by sponsoring an all-night (“lock-in”) company party at the school or local restaurant after the final performance. This could turn out to be real incentive for future participation in the shows – a dance, late-night banquet, awards ceremony, swim party, bowling tournament, or a combination of all of these activities. Parents also appreciate a well chaperoned final celebration, instead of (in some cases) totally unsupervised house-to-house parties sponsored by individual students.
Provide other perks for students. Plan field-trips around the community. Advertise the show by singing several selections at a local Women’s Club meeting or Rotary Club breakfast. Take the leads to the local TV/radio talk show, providing an audience for that thirty second “plug” of your show on the airwaves. Or sponsor an in-school theater production clinic (e.g. a make-up application session, underwritten by a local cosmetic firm).
Try to fill your adult staff positions with school staff: shop, art, and English teachers, etc. Who is more knowledgeable and supportive of the students? You can encourage the integration of drama subjects in their curricula: scenery painting (art), costume design (home economics), set construction (wood shop), publicity (journalism/English), etc.
Establish a parent volunteer group—theatre angels—to support the students in working on the production crews (costumes, painting, set construction, etc.). Grant the Angels special privileges (early ticket pre-sale) and “Honorary Thespian” status.
Have the Angels man your box office to offer the public regular and varied hours for ticket sales.
Utilize parents to set-up and supervise study halls for those long staging rehearsals. Set aside one room for absolute quiet and a separate waiting area for group study and socialization.
Because of the large cast size, post hall monitors (parents) to assist during the night performances of the show (first aid, distribution of props, overall supervision, etc.).
Hold sign-ups for the Angels during Open House or work through local PTA.
On Saturdays, sponsor staff “cover dish” luncheons to give everyone the chance to interact socially.
Invite a popular school administrator, public official, local actor, or other celebrity to narrate or assist in the show (e.g. the voice in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying).
Set out to achieve the illusion of realism in the scenery. Utilize a large student and adult crew of carpenters and build substantial backdrops, wagons, and book pieces to support your larger cast.
Rent professional set drawings from theatrical houses (e.g. New Wilmington, PA firm Sceno Graphics).
Ask for help from local professional theater companies (hand-me-down sets, props, or just advice).
Always seek professionalism from the students on the stage. Are all of the actors consistently in character? Adolescents have short attention spans, and as a large chorus, must be coached in displaying real enthusiasm, self-discipline, and accurate characterizations one hundred percent of the time! Nothing is worse than an inanimate or lackluster chorus, talking on or backstage, or other noises that detract from the dramatic action portrayed by the leads.
Be imaginative with special effects! Melt a witch (Wizard of Oz) using a trap door and smoke effects. Exaggerate their sizes—a ten foot Fruma Sarah in Fiddler on the Roof can be created by putting your lightest girl on the shoulders of an athletic boy; use a ladder on wheels to present a 14 foot giant (Ghost of Xmas Present) in Scrooge—all hidden by the costume.
Set a fast pace for the show. Avoid those periods of inertia, especially the Act II “doldrums!” Always execute smooth set changes and transitions. Never give the audience time to talk or lose their concentration.
Use theater P.R. firms (e.g. Pioneer Drama Service) to buy official logos, posters, buttons and publicity packets.
Design an official show t-shirt and button. Announce musical t-shirt days and give out random cash prizes to students who remember to wear their t-shirt and serve as a walking billboard!
Sponsor a musical trivia contest. Create a crossword puzzle and publish it in the PTA newsletter.
Type-set and distribute a special musical issue of the school newspaper (e.g. an “Anatevka Times” for Fiddler on the Roof) in order to devote space on the background of the play, local historical “splash-backs” in the time period of the musical, and a picture album of the cast and crews.
Insert a theater flyer in the school district or PTA newsletter mailed home to residents. Print informative articles about the play (Hammerstein anecdotes for South Pacific or Oklahoma, etc.)
Sponsor an elementary school art contest (e.g. draw your Little Orphan Annie).
Develop a partnership with your local merchants. Print pizza box advertisements, restaurant place mats, etc. Place messages on mall marquees, store magnetic signs, and in employee newsletters. In exchange for local business help in promoting your show, sponsor a special “employee discount” on tickets.
Make clever P.A. announcements using the leads and adaptations of the script.
Plan a pre-sale ticket lottery to determine the order students in the cast and crews can go to the box office to purchase their reserve seat admissions. This generates excitement and actually helps to sell additional tickets!
Sponsor a school staff appreciation breakfast (donuts and coffee) thanking everyone for their support of the musical. At the breakfast, pass out ticket vouchers (two complimentary tickets) to the teachers.
Help formulate creative school cafeteria menus using musical themes (e.g. “Wicked Witch” stew, “Jiggerbug Juice,” and “Toto’s Favorite Burgers”).
Schedule an in-school theatre education assembly for younger students. Give a short synopsis of the musical and demonstrate several scene changes, technical effects and lighting, application of character make-up, and several dances or songs from the current show (make sure you retain the rights to do a segment of the musical!).
After the final dress rehearsal, sponsor a picture taking session for the parents. Actors can pose in costume and in front of the finished sets. The taking of photographs or audio/visual recording during the show is illegal!
Construct an attractive hall display of cast and crew photographs, “Music In Our Schools Month” materials, etc. Always include a photographic history of the evolution of sets in construction, and the student names in the company.
Designate one performance as children’s night. Offer it one hour earlier (on a school night), and provide a special discount for children ages 12 and under, as well as backstage tours of the scenery, spotlights, soundboard, costume room, autographs from the leads, etc.
Dedicate each performance of the show to a special adult contributor to the school music and theatre program. Invite the honored guest to the pre-show cast meeting, and send him/her several free tickets. Announce the dedication on the P.A. before the Overture, and post it on the hall display in the auditorium lobby.
Find a P.R. “hook” – something that might interest the media – such as sponsoring Annie “dog auditions” or twins casted in dual roles. Send a new press release to the media every two weeks.
Print the musical performance dates on the computerized student report cards and school district payroll checks. Use inter-office mail to send personal invitations to all of the teachers. Be sure to list the names of the cast – teachers will be interested in coming up to see their former students.

SUMMARY: Concepts to Consider—BUILD is the Operative Word!

Involvement of greater numbers of students and parents will build audiences and community support.
Presentation of a quality production with student leadership and supplemental activities will build student enthusiasm and appreciation of the inherent “value” of theatre in school.
Finding the confidence to take risks and build on your own creativity—go ahead and adapt the score, script, set designs and staging to utilize your schools’ resources.
The allocation of ample time to publicity and promotional activities will build community awareness, attendance and EXCITEMENT in support of the show!

SAMPLE RESOURCES: Companies, Books, Sites

Dramatic Publishing: http://www.dramaticpublishing.com
Dramatist Play Service: http://www.dramatists.com
Music Theater International: http://www.mtishows.com
Pioneer Drama Service: http://www.pioneerdrama.com/default.asp
Rodgers and Hammerstein Library: http://www.rnh.com
Samuel French: http://www.samuelfrench.com
Sceno Graphics: http://scenographics.com/
Tams-Witmark Music Library: https://www.concordtheatricals.com/
Broadway Musical Home: http://broadwaymusicalhome.com
Guide to Broadway Musical Theatre by Tom Tumbusch
Richard Rosen Press, Inc., New York, NY 10010
A Practical Handbook for Musical Theatre by Larry Mitchell
Copyright 1984 by Larry Mitchell (now in its fourth edition)
Let’s Put on a Musical – How to Choose the Right Show by Peter Filichia (Amazon)
The Cyber Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre, TV and Film by John Kenrick: http://www.musicals101.com/
Producing Musicals – A Practical Guide by John Gardyne (Amazon)
Technical Theater for Nontechnical People by Drew Campbell (Amazon)
High School Theater Ideas http://www.ehow.com/how_2335679_teach-high-school-theater.html
How to Build Sets for Plays http://www.ehow.com/how_2139989_build-sets-plays.html
Publicity for HS Theater: https://www.musicals101.com/puton10.htm
Promoting Your School Play on a Shoestring Budget: https://theatrenerds.com/how-to-promote-your-show-on-shoestring-budget/
Costumes and Make-up (HS Musicals) by Doretta Lau (Amazon)
The Drama Teacher’s Survival Guide by Margaret Johnson (Amazon)
Let’s Put on a Show: Theatre Production for Novices by Stewart Lane (Amazon)

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