Candidates for SDMENC President-Elect Interview with Christine Fisher
Christine Fisher
1.Can you tell us what teaching and leadership experiences you have that you feel would support you as Southern Division President? As a music educator I have taught high school chorus, elementary general music, chorus and beginning band and middle school band. In July of
2001, after 25 years of teaching, I became the director of the Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) Project at Winthrop University, in Rock Hill South Carolina (SC). My love of MENC and SC MEA over 33 years as an arts educator will help me better listen and communicate with all music teachers. The Music Education Journals, the SC MEA, Southern Division, and National MENC Conferences always gave new creative ideas, much needed support, and inspiration. It is important that it does the same for all MENC members. In 1998, I was selected the SC Teacher of the Year. For a year, I worked with District Teacher Forums, high school students groups interested in becoming teachers, gave presentations across the state and assisted in monitoring all education bills at the SC Legislature. It was not only a year of collaborating and building consensus with many education groups, students and legislators, but also a year of educating everyone about the importance of the arts. We sang, played instruments, danced, acted and made art. Now as the ABC Project Director I work to help schools ad districts create strategic arts education plans to improve arts education. I assist them in locating and developing partnerships within the school, the district, parent groups, local artists, community organizations, and businesses that will assist in implementing the arts plan. The ABC Project coordinates the SC Council of Arts Education Presidents (CAEP). It is made up of the arts education associations of SC. They meet bi-annually to network, share ideas and work on initiatives. They group started by writing a position paper on arts education entitled, “Where We Stand.” The next issue the group addresses was the recruitment and retention of arts teachers. 2. What things, in particular, would you like to accomplish if you were Southern Division President?
The Southern Division of MENC is a large and extremely diverse group. I hope to be a sounding board through contact with the State Presidents and Executive Directors. A main priority would be to communicate regularly with the state presidents. Listening to thoughts and concerns is crucial, and getting constant feedback on all issues is essential. Communication through email conference calls, webinars and social networking can keep the lines of communication open. It is also important that we assist our members in becoming active participants and proactive advocates for music education at the state, divisional and national levels. With states in fiscal crises, heavy emphasis on high-stakes testing, the need for schools and districts to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) every member needs to be proactive! This is a necessity if we are to provide every student access to a comprehensive, sequential
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music education. We also need to grow the next generation of music educators and music leaders. From encouraging high schools students, mentoring new teachers and identifying and training emerging leaders to take up the gauntlet of music education we must assist in continuing to provide quality music teachers for our students. 3. How do you see your roll as Southern Division President – Elect and Immediate Past President? As Southern Division President – Elect, I will vigilantly listen, take careful notes, and be an extra set of ears for the President. I hope through active listening, I will understand the division presidents’ ideas, needs and concerns. It is extremely important that I understand the needs of each state.
As
immediate Past President I would assist the president in any way possible. I can assist as the historical memory for the way things were done. Help explain the history of the past years. I also hope to better inform the President of the special contributions each state has made to the Southern Division. 4. What do you feel is the vital role that MEC plays in music education today?
MENC has the means to be the leader in policy change through music advocacy, a source of comprehensive materials and resources for new music teachers to retired music teachers, a means to hold up music educators and celebrate their many contributions and the vehicle for the all members to feel they have a voice. 5. What do you feel is the vital role that the Southern Division plays in music education in the states of the Southern Division?
It is important to listen to and promote the individual states in the Southern Division. It is important to discuss individual state’s concerns and ideas. The knowledge base from the eleven can be invaluable when trying to solve problems and expand music education. It is their division! 6. What new and different directions do you feel MEC should take?
I think MENC has a good start in building quality partnerships and coalitions, but it needs to be expanded. Forming partnerships and coalitions with groups such as the National Parent Teacher Association, the National Dance Education Organization, or even the International Reading Association will enable us to find common ground, infom associations and organizations of the importance of music and arts education and learn in depth about their associations and organizations. I know that MENC has Music Educator Recruitment, Preparation, Retention, and Professional Development as a Strategic Direction under Goal One, but I would like to see it fully implemented. 7. What new and different directions do you feel the Southern Division should take? I think the Southern Division should also work to find common ground with other state and regional arts associations and organizations and various education organizations. It is a chance to educate and learn. It would also be helpful to learn what the Southern Division states are doing about teacher recruitment and retention and advocacy. Are there inexpensive ways such as virtual education seminars
to better train teachers to be advocates, or assist new teachers in classroom management, or arts integration? There are so many talented members of the Southern Division States we could train fleets of advocates and ease many new teachers’ panic attacks. 8. What level of importance do you place on communication with the membership of the Southern Division and how to accomplish it? This is the membership’s division. It is important to listen both ways. Two way communications through emails, social networks, and focus groups are essential for members to be heard. It is my job to listen to the grass roots and respond. 9. What level of importance do you place on communication with the state presidents in the Southern Division and how would you accomplish that communication?
The presidents are the eyes, ears and backbone of their state associations. They know what is happening in each music division within their state. It is therefore crucial to communicate in many different ways. Communications through emails, conference calls, social networks, webinars, can all be used. If a president has another form of communication they feel is better, I will try that. Open communication is the only way we can improve music education. 10. What issues or items do you feel the EB should deal with without the membership being involved?
The NEB can monitor national issues and then alert everyone if there are any changes. The NEB can also address policy issues as long at the division presidents are in communication with the state presidents. The division presidents are the voice for the states presidents. It is also important NEB must listen to the division presidents as they bring issues from the state presidents. 11. What issues or items do you feel the EB should deal with that the membership input would be essential? Any large issue concerning music education or any huge change in MENC should always have membership input. 12. Other than what you have mentioned above, what personal skills do you have that are especially valuable to MEC? Christine S. Fisher is the director of the Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) Project at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC. Prior to coming to Winthrop, she taught band, chorus, and general music at the elementary, middle and high school levels for 25 years. Selected as the SC Teacher of the Year in 1998, she traveled the state discussing the importance of arts education and monitoring education legislation. She has served on the Executive Board of the South Carolina MEA over ten years and is an active musician in the community orchestra and big band in Florence, SC. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education from UNC Pembroke and a Masters in Music Education from the University of South Carolina.
October 2009
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