Marketing your music program can help make sure that parents and administrators can see the value of your program, build community relationships (including with local businesses), and improve your fundraising efforts. Whether your motivation is to show everyone why music education matters, or to simply improve your relationship with your administration, marketing is a vital part of your role.
Last time on the Music Ed Mentor podcast, Bruce Rockwell and I discussed some ways to improve your relationship with your administration. This is one of the most important aspects of your career, but one that many educators don’t know how to improve. Studies on teacher burnout routinely show that many music teachers don’t feel supported by their administrators.
In a recent poll, only 50% of music teachers responded that they feel supported by their administration. But relationships are always two-way streets. As educators, we can (and should) take the initiative to improve, nurture, and maintain great relationships with our administrators.
I promise you, it can be done, even if you’re convinced that your principal is the most frustrating administrator of all time.
Summer is coming to an end. Whether you’re excited about the coming school year or just dreading it, now is the time to make sure that you (and your classroom) are prepared. Spending time and effort now to formulate a plan for the year will pay significant dividends in the coming weeks and months.
Maintaining your equipment and school instruments is critical to the long-term success of your program. Whether you teach band, orchestra, or choir, having a plan to repair and replace classroom equipment makes it easier to secure funding and plan ahead so that you aren’t stuck needing a repair the week of the concert.
Your local music store can help you fix more than a broken clarinet. Learning to work effectively with your local retailer can help drive recruitment, offer networking opportunities, and make managing your budget easier.
In this episode of the Music Ed Mentor Podcast, I interview Cris Behrens of Summerhays Music.
What do you wish you’d known before you became a music teacher?
You probably have more than one answer. You might think of those topics you still consider a challenge, obstacles you’ve worked hard to overcome, or issues that you know that other teachers are still struggling with.