Submitted by Sheryl, Michigan
Idea posted October 12, 2001
Our district hired a teacher without giving her a music budget, and to make things even better, the newly hired teacher was not certified in music. (She was an emergency hire due to a shortage of certified music teachers in our area.) Fortunately she had to teach only kindergarten and she was very resourceful. HOWEVER, NO TEACHER SHOULD HAVE TO TEACH WITHOUT RESOURCES! As soon as I (who am tenured) found out about his problem, I tackled it on her behalf and pitched a gentle but firm hissy fit with the powers-that-be. We are not merely prep-time providers; we have a curriculum to teach! The reading teachers do not teach without books, the social studies teachers do not teach without maps. The gym teacher does not teach without bats & balls. If you have art, I doubt that the art teacher teaches without paper, pencils, crayons, and paint!
My state (Michigan) in its wisdom has mandated a teacher mentor program. If yours has not, may I suggest that you find one for yourself? Do not try to tackle this alone. Call one of the other music teachers in the district that has been there for a while and ask for help in securing the supplies that are necessary for your students. You are not asking for things for yourself, but for those precious children for whom you are responsible. If you do not have any other music teachers available that will suit, scope out the kindest, most sympathetic classroom teacher available and ask for help. Do you have a union? Ask a union rep to help you. Everyone is busy with the beginning of the school year, and may not have thought to offer, but there will probably be someone out there who will be pleased to help if asked.
As for the limited photocopy issue, one way to reduce the number of photocopies you need is to use an overhead projector. Make one transparency of whatever material you want to teach and show it to the entire class at one time. Of course, this requires that the district provide you with a projector and transparencies. AND, if you use copyright protected songs or other material on transparencies you are breaking the law. Perhaps this would be an argument to use with the powers-that-be for providing you with adequate materials. After all, you wouldn't want them (or you) to get sued, now would you?