By Bethanie Hansen, DMA
Faculty Director, Communication, Humanities, Music, Philosophy, Religion, and World Languages Programs, School of Arts & Humanities at American Public University
If you have never taught outside your field, count yourself among the lucky few music educators. Chances are that teaching outside of music education, or even making a career change, could be in your future.
Headline stories about public school music and other elective programs that have been cut are frequently reported and threaten the feeling of job security for music educators. Upon hearing occasional news of teacher layoffs and contract reductions, how can the music educator confidently move forward on a career path and plan for the future?
Consider four great ways to prepare for career diversification or changes:
Realize that your existing skills and life experiences may have already prepared you to teach outside your specialization area.
Assess yourself and realize that you may already have much to bring to the table when working outside your area of expertise. If you are willing, you may be able to fill additional roles in your current school or district. For example, your own college background is sufficient with brief training to teach an AVID course or general music class, if your school focus can support these courses.
You have life skills and experience, general professional skills, education-specific and teacher-training knowledge and skills, general music knowledge and skills, and music education and ensemble-specific knowledge and skills. From any of these areas, you can draw on your background to survive and thrive on teaching elective, online, or alternative classes you may not have previously considered. Rely on your background to take the risk in offering to teach in a new area.
Seek a master’s degree in a related area, such as special education, curriculum and instruction, or TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages).
By successfully working with students who have diverse needs, music educators can become a more integral part of their school culture and establish their role in working with such populations. If online learning fits your lifestyle, a degree at American Public University could help you reach this goal.
Although special education is a field of specialized training, it requires an expertise that involves specific methods of instruction, aids, materials, and tools, the number of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, and other circumstances in the general school population is increasing and warrants attention. Special training can empower you to serve all populations and increase your teaching effectiveness and resulting job satisfaction even in your current teaching position.
[Related: College Degree Choice and Your Career]
Consider obtaining an administrator credential in your state.
Music teachers often make great school administrators because they are already accustomed to working with and directing large groups of children and adults together. Reach out to your administrator to seek guidance and advice on moving forward with an administrative certification, and to learn more about this field in order to decide whether or not it interests you.
Prepare to teach online, through training or by obtaining a master’s degree in online education.
Whether in your local school district or at an online university, courses in music appreciation are often taught, and you might make an excellent online instructor. Taking courses online will help you determine whether this mode of instruction suits your lifestyle and appeals to you, and teaching part-time at an online school could effectively supplement income and add a sense of job security.
[Related: Where Will Your Goal Take You Today?]
About the Author: Dr. Bethanie Hansen taught public school music for 19 years and is an Associate Professor and Faculty Director for the School of Arts & Humanities at American Public University/American Military University. During her public school career, she taught elementary, junior high, and high school band, general music, AVID, cyber high school, and exploratory electives. She holds a Doctor of Music Arts in Music Education degree from Boston University. Dr. Hansen has presented teacher workshops and research, both in the United States and in Brazil, on topics such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, working with children who have special needs in music classes, careers, writing, and online education. Her current research interests include online learning, autism spectrum disorders, and music education areas.
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