wisconsin music educators association president


Maintaining the Joy IN Teaching Brad Schneider, WMEA President


Let’s face it. Teach- ing is one of the hardest professions you will ever love. But if you look for it, joy can be found in many places. Examples include daily interactions with students, pro-


fessional relationships with colleagues, and of course those special “Aha” light bulb moments that we are lucky enough to witness.


Though the pandemic brought with it a whole host of challenges (technology is- sues, remote learning, hybrid instruction, loss of personal connection with students… and the list could go on), when I Googled teacher recruitment and retention, I found many articles dating from 2016 and before, indicating that the teacher shortage is not new and not simply pandemic related. As a colleague of mine is fond of saying, “There isn’t a teacher shortage, teachers are simply choosing to leave the profession.”


How then does a teacher remain inspired to love a profession that doesn’t always love you back? I believe one solution is to develop a mindset that stays focused on our students and their needs, and then accept the challenge of meeting those needs with creative, innovative teaching techniques.


First, the mindset. Our students increas- ingly come from different backgrounds, ethnicities and socio-economic settings,


but whoever they are, all of them have potential as musicians, possess special qualities, and are on their journey to be- coming unique human beings. A teacher’s job – in reality, a teacher’s privilege, is to help their students realize their potential. It is cliché, but teachers touch the future. We think of music teaching as sequential but in teaching independence sequentially, we are really laying the groundwork for a lifetime of learning.


Second, borrowing from my address at the October Conference, good teaching inspires, but it also works both ways. We inspire our students to be better musi- cians, better thinkers, and better people. If we remain open to see it, our students can inspire us to be better, more creative teachers who continue to grow and learn over our entire careers. If we view teach- ing as a creative pursuit (which it is), the “artistry” of designing and orchestrating complex activities that communicate new ideas and skills will motivate us for the long haul. Plus, the job never stays the same; it evolves continually. I can honestly say that I have never been bored a day in my career.


On particularly challenging days, I some- times reminded myself why I chose music teaching as a career. For me, my inspiration to teach came from several formational experiences.


I knew I wanted to be a music teacher when I was in 10th


grade. As a camp counselor


I had found I enjoyed working with kids and found the process of teaching outdoor


“…develop a mindset that stays focused on our students and their needs, and then accept the challenge of meeting those needs with creative, innovative teaching techniques.”


skills fun and interesting. In 10th grade I had


the good fortune of making the Minnesota All-State Band under H. Robert Reynolds. The sound of 16 horns nailing the opening of Reed’s “La Fiesta Mexicana” is burned into my emotional memory. What a rush!


Cue the light bulb: Music+Kids=Engaging Career. The point I’m making is that we as music teachers are doubly blessed. Who else gets to work with kids AND music each and every day? Reminding yourself of what inspired you to make a career of teaching can help you navigate the rough spots we all experience.


In summary, the “Joy of Teaching” or should I say the “Joy IN Teaching” is al- ways available to us if we remember where to look for it. What we share with students every day is special. Learning through music is special. It touches the soul like few other academic pursuits can. If you feel your frustration level boiling over with all the myriad of challenges we face daily, look to your students for that spark you need and that reminder to celebrate the joy of learning music together.


Brad Schneider is a retired instrumental music educator.


Email: wmeapresident@wsmamusic.org 6 January 2023


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