Forever Young...
Sunday's rehearsal took an interesting turn: After playing frisbee, the rehearsal involved Kermit the Frog, the Muppets, and Casey buying all of us cookies afterwards. It truly was a youthful experience. Learning "Rainbow Connection" and "Muhna Muhna" only strengthens our grip on our 5-10 year old core audience. I assume our other core audience, 70-80 year olds, will find them cute as well.
While our 5-man sound is limited, I am constantly knocked around by the amount of material we have been eating through the past month or so. Our vibe within the group is strong; our confidence and motivation are higher than I have ever seen it. I definitely attribute most of it to the fun and enjoyment we are having. This group is keeping me sane while I apply for numerous(hooray!)teaching jobs. Yes, folks, it is that time of year again. In what has become an annual tradition four years running, I have begun the process of finding a music education position. Let us take a journey into the mysterious, hidden realm of our educational employment process. Do you have your torch? Your broad sword? There is evil here that makes skin crawl and reduces grown men to crying, gibbering crazies.
Before you venture out into the darkness, your inventory must be fully stocked with the following: the Scroll of Interest, the Resume of Glory, 3 Scrolls of Recommendation, your Transcripts of Knowledge, and the License of Authority. You will use these invaluable items upon every encounter; do not expect to get past any of these foes without them.
What are these creatures, you ask? They come in many forms; some seem innocent and harmless. Others rear up and show you they are formidable straight away. They are: the Guild of District Applications! Be afraid; there is good reason, but show no fear. They use subterfuge, confusion, and fearmongering to scare away all but the most devoted(desparate?) of teachers. Some may require your Resume of Glory here also, even though you included it in the Holy Packet of Power.... oh, your counter-atttack is to cut and paste from your word document? Haha, you lose all of the formatting and spacing from the original! Diabolical!! Upon fixing these problems, you then encounter required questions that are answered by the information on the Resume. Sorry, my young padawan, but you must answer these questions still.
And now we come to crux of it; the Heart of the Beast. If, by now, you have prepared your inventory, ran the gauntlet of repetitive questions and requirements, and are still not discouraged, they have a final fiend newly found. Within the last couple years, all of the Guild members have added: Essay Questions of Despair! Six to ten mind-wrenching, thought-twisting, skull-rattling brain busters that question your very being. Would you like to hear some? Stop me if your ears begin to bleed.
WHAT ARE SOME REASONS YOU SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION OVER OTHERS?
HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR STUDENTS IN ORDER TO BE MOST HELPFUL TO THEM?
HOW DO YOU DESIGN AN OVERALL LESSON FOR YOUR CLASS?
WHAT FOUR KEY COMPONENTS DO YOU BELIEVE YOU MUST INCLUDE IN YOUR PLAN?
WHAT TWO CORE TEACHING STRATEGIES DO YOU MOST USE TO ACHIEVE THIS RESULT?
I have at least 30 more that I have answered over the years, but I see you shivering in a fetal position underneath your desk, so I will refrain.
I assume you realize that all this is necessary before you even speak to a single person? It is very possible that you never will. You will devote many hours to a single application, and not even get a first interview. I have also found many of these positions are only posted publicly for one week. What this means to me is: A. They already have someone in mind and are just going through the motions, B. There is such an excess of teachers for the position that they only need to post for a week to get a good number of candidates. The thought of throwing a juicy steak to a pack of wild, ravenous dogs suddenly comes to mind.
Am I complaining? Actually, no. I am simply telling my experience. I am sure there are many others that have had an even tougher time of it than I. Am I frustrated? I think the parable above answers that question just fine.
Dono
Jazz Man
Subjecting people to the music of your choice (when they themselves have no choice but to listen) is not something I subscribe to. However, I do appreciate the situation when it arises, since it:
A. makes you appreciate the music you do enjoy; perhaps even the reasons why?
B. makes you listen to music outside of your "comfort" zone and forces you to analyze it; ultimately forcing a decision as to its merit.
One thing I do enjoy about the twin cities is the amount of interesting people I am exposed to. You know, the ones you can only find in the big city. I am lucky enough to often ride home on what I have dubbed, the "Bebop Bus." The cool cat behind the wheel is straight out of the Beat generation, with lingo, goatee, and shades in tow. Strapped down next to him, amidst a bed of foam and bungee cords, is his CD player. Upon entering said bus, the rider is engulfed by his daily selection of Jazz.
I personally adore Jazz music, and every time I stumble upon the sound of it I often ask myself, "Why don't I listen to this more often?" I will assume that not all of the other passengers feel the same way. I attribute this music appreciation to my past experience in Jazz band and Vocal Jazz. This led me to answer that question: I believe I don't listen to Jazz more often because it is more fun to play it than listen to it. I also believe this is the reason for its lack of popularity. Noodling over different progressions and finding that groove is an absolute blast. Listening to it is highly enjoyable, trying to guess where the soloist is headed is fun, but it ultimately saddens me being a passive listener. Not only this, but I believe one truly appreciates this music only when they have attempted to learn how to play it and realize how difficult it can be. You may think me to be elitist; so be it. I have instant respect for anyone who can play Jazz and improvise.
I bring all of this up, of course, to compare it to a cappella music. I feel a cappella has this same inherent flaw. It is not necessarily in the same boat as Jazz; I would say swimming in the same waters. A cappella can have a bit more grip on the casual listener by relying on covers of songs that were already popular to begin with. It is also more easily accessible to become involved with; the learning curve is much better and less music theory is needed. Still, I believe it is similar in that it is a type of music you only truly appreciate when you have experienced it yourself. Look at who buys and/or listens to a cappella music. It is the same as Jazz: people who are performing the music themselves or have done so in the past.
Solution? Simple: Make band or choir mandatory throughout school. This would solve many more problems than just this one. :)
Dono