[AirForceSax]

To all the teachers out there,

I am currently a military officer with another three year commitment. Right now I'm contemplating using my educational benefits to seek a second bachelor's in instrumental music education. I have a great love for music and teaching and I figure it would be a natural fit. Being a military officer I'm used to dealing with significant budgets, leading employees, and governmental office politics. So, I figure I'd be well equipped to deal with the day to day operations of a band program. However, I have to ask how the job market is these days. I figure with my leadership, musical experience, and a decent ed degree under my belt I could be very successful at it if there are jobs out there and the pay is acceptable. I'm really in it for the kids and to give them a good musical background and teach them life skills through music including having a good work ethic and determination to stick with something. The other option I'm looking at is taking an air traffic controller with the FAA and gigging/ teaching privately on the side. Input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[vonbraig]

Many schools will be looking for someone just like you. Things in your favor:
Age
Male Teacher
Military Training
They will start you at the lowest step on the scale and get someone who can get the job done. NEA thinks merit pay is evil. Think Charter School!

Also be prepared to deal with people who have never had a job in the outside world. They won't get it.

 

[retread]

You might want to dress a little differently for your interviews.

 

[claxton]

Adam-

Please teach.

 

[AirForceSax]

You might want to dress a little differently for your interviews.

Lol, well I'm thinking about having some new publicity photos taken wearing my more normal gig attire, i.e. black slacks and dress shirt, etc. I just felt like posting that pic because it's totally outrageous and what I have to wear for my current gig. Isn't that the mark of a true professional...being able to put up with outrageous crap to put out a kick-butt product, or playing the everloving crap out of music that you can't stand

The only think I'm really concerned about with teaching is the pay. My mother is an art teacher in an average size midwestern school district and makes quite a bit less than I do right now, but has started a very good program at her district. I'm doing pretty well right now as an officer and have a wife and two children to support. One option I've thought about is to finish up a full career in the Air Force (another 15 years), and get both another bachelor's in music ed as well as a masters in either education or business, and then make teaching music a second career afterward. That way I'd have my military retirement as well as teaching pay to support our quality of living. I just feel a calling to teach music, I think I could make a great contribution to society in that field. After all, the children are our future and there's no greater gift than inspriring young minds and giving them the tools to excel in life...plus I'd be no good as a math teacher.

 

[AirForceSax]

Also, if could get hired at my alma mater (Jackson High School, Massillon Ohio) I'd do it in a heartbeat. They have a fantastic music program that is very well supported by the district, I'm familiar with the way the operate, and I agree with their teaching philosophies. I also wouldn't mind getting in with the Department of Defense Dependant Schools in Europe and running a music program there, although I'd still have to deal with all the governmental garbage that goes along with it.

 

[saxman_aja]

Go for it, man! Although you would have to take a cut in pay, as long as you were in the right community (ie-one with good teacher pay and low living costs, which is most of the suburban and rural midwest) you'd be in great shape financially. Also, most states include several years of your military service on your pay scale and retirement.

 

[EastCoastGhost]

I think being a mercenary soldier in Iraq would be much more profitable no?

 

[AirForceSax]

I think being a mercenary soldier in Iraq would be much more profitable no?

Yes, being a "Private Contractor" in Iraq or Afghanistan would be quite profitable, but not exactly good for the family life My wife is deployed there at the moment, and I'll probably be going sometime in the next year in my aircraft maintenenance job. Although, maybe I could go on a "goodwill mission" and teach saxophone at an Iraqi school that we've rebuilt. That would be noble and enjoyable...maybe I could work that out.

I went all through the Middle East this past spring with the Air Force's musical production that I'm currently playing alto for. If I was out of the military I would consider going to Afghanistan as an air traffic controller $125,000 tax free for one year. Not bad at all!

 

[gypsy]

One vote for teaching

This post is a few weeks old, but I thought I'd add my two cents. As you say, your experience in the military would hold you in good stead in an educational setting, that is very true. With your experience I guarantee schools would love to have you join their staff. People who start teaching after other careers bring a new perspective to the classroom that students appreciate. As others have said, please teach, you'll love the experience. Good luck to you and your wife.

gypsy

 

[thejoyofsax]

I wish you best of luck in a search and in your degree journey, but I'll tell you that the job market in Michigan is fairly poor right now. I think we are #1 in the country as far as residents leaving the state goes. Things may turn around a bit by the time you get your degree, but this near graduate will be looking for a career elsewhere. Hot areas in education currently are the Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada especially), North Carolina (particularly in Charlotte), and Florida. All growing areas and need teachers badly.

 

[gary]

One option I've thought about is to finish up a full career in the Air Force (another 15 years), and get both another bachelor's in music ed as well as a masters in either education or business, and then make teaching music a second career afterward. That way I'd have my military retirement as well as teaching pay to support our quality of living.

That would be my recommendation by a long shot.

Also something to consider - I appreciate the experience you're getting administratively and leadership wise and they are good things to have, not to mention being used to working with bureaucracies, but believe me, they are a far world afar from a school and will not prepare you for unruly, disrespectful students who just simply don't give a damn and for parents who, on one hand expect you to raise their kids for them but who, on the other hand, will be in your face the moment little Johnny comes home crying that you might actually have disciplined him.

 

[vonbraig]

Yea but little Johnny needs the help. Little Johnny could grow up to be taking care of you some day Gary. There are rewards in teaching that you can't get anywhere else.

 

[Martinman]

I have it on good authority that Wisconsen has the best retirement program.

 

[thejoyofsax]

That would be my recommendation by a long shot.

Also something to consider - I appreciate the experience you're getting administratively and leadership wise and they are good things to have, not to mention being used to working with bureaucracies, but believe me, they are a far world afar from a school and will not prepare you for unruly, disrespectful students who just simply don't give a damn and for parents who, on one hand expect you to raise their kids for them but who, on the other hand, will be in your face the moment little Johnny comes home crying that you might actually have disciplined him.

Right on, Gary. The job I look for outside of Michigan (as stated by me above) will not be one I keep very long. I've never even had my own classroom and I feel burned out by the prospects above. Is the education system in Germany as abysmal as the one in the US is looking?

 

[gary]

Yea but little Johnny needs the help. Little Johnny could grow up to be taking care of you some day Gary. There are rewards in teaching that you can't get anywhere else.

Von my point was that afsax should not overestimate the value of the administrative and leadership experience he is getting as an AF officer when related to the dynamics of working with kids in a school or dealing with their parents. It's another ballgame altogether. Johnny's needs and his teacher's rewards are separate issues.

 

[hakukani]

As a public school teacher, formerly of music, I would say to get an education degree that enables you to be licensed in at least one area besides music, Seeing that you're an aircraft mechanic, perhaps getting a teaching license in vocational tech or business (which in high school is usually part of the vocational tech curriculum) would be a good addition to music.

 

[gary]

Is the education system in Germany as abysmal as the one in the US is looking?

My understanding of the American system is that, generally speaking, it is greatly dependent on the tax base of the school and the educational and socio-economic status of the parents. Therefore standards vary widely. In Germany it's more standardised (big city schools with immigrant families excepted).

In the US all students within a geographic zone attend the same school. In Germany they attend schools depending upon the students' interests and educational levels. It is a three-school system, Hauptschule, Realschule and Gymnasium. That is Gymnasium would be considered university and professional prep, Realschule some professions and trade school training and Hauptschule the "all others" school.

The teaching environment in Gymnasium is generally good; Realschule from decent to problematic and, unfortunately in many Hauptschulen (not all) that's generally a zoo.

Another difference that I think reduces some of the pressures US schools have, is that kids here can leave school when they are 15-16 with a school-closing certificate, so you don't have kids just marking time in a school because they are forced by law to. And unlike a kid dropping out of and american high school, these kids generally continue state-sponsored education through a coordinated program with industry and the educational system.

In recent years, a third school has opened up in some locations, the Integrierte Gesamtschule, which is basically all three schools under the same roof. Advantages are the socialisation of all "levels" and "classes", disadvantages are the kids who's goal is to get the Gymnasium-level Abitur (Diploma) must wade through most of their school years in classes with other students who couldn't care less about being there, with the resulting chaos and disciplinary problems.

My daughter is in Gymnasium and whatever discipline problems they have there pale in comparison with Hauptschule. My son went to Gesamtschule and had to endure misfits in his classes until they reached 16 and left school - and then suddenly it was a different environment altogether.

It might be interesting to know that all of these schools begin with fifth graders and kids in Gymnasium go all the way to Grade 13 and are usually 19 when they graduate, so you've got eleven year olds on the same campus as 19 year olds, which has its own kind of social dynamic.

To answer your question personally, thejoyofsax, I teach in a Gesamtschule one day a week. I have pretty good kids, sixth and seventh graders and even in this case there is no way I would teach there full time. Gymnasium, yes, most of the other schools, no.

 

[daddywagsmusic]

I see from your profile you went to Cincinnati. (Me - UC-CCM Jazz BM '03) Go back there and get a music ed degree, maybe your undergrad general ed. class credits will count, which will save you a lot of time, effort, and money (although, I am guessing you would get military help with the cost?) Study with Rick VanMatre and James Bunte, (who are two of the best teachers you will ever find) and then you would be in the ohio market, and have ohio license if you wanted to move back near canton if a job opened.

 

[vonbraig]

True Gary I'm lucky I've got a great principal. You have to see at least part of your job as a social worker or you're just kidding yourself. As far as teacher rewards go they are different than player rewards is all I'm saying. The music teaching profession desperatly needs people who are searchers looking to get better on their horn on a daily basis. I only know a couple so far. Most of the teachers I've met are very closed off to trying new things. Even those teaching jazz. They've turned jazz band into a team.