Music and the Education Community

How do you connect with fellow music educators in your board and beyond?

I have found it challenging to connect with music educators in my board. My colleagues who have been working here much longer have said that there was a time when the board would provide more professional development opportunities for music educators to come together for conferences. Nowadays, the Arts specific professional development events are few and far in between. Back in February, I signed my department up to attend an Arts PD out in Kleinberg, but it had been a full calendar year since the last PD I attended which was to a Hot Docs conference in Toronto. The conference served not just Music teachers, but Drama and Visual Arts educators. It was a fantastic way to learn and connect with others.

There is an Arts newsletter from the board which sometimes has connection opportunities. I do my best to read it and relay the information to my department but a lot we cannot participate in due to time constraints. I am aware of all of the Music Educator conferences such as OMEA and music festivals (OBA, OSA, Kiwanis, etc.) but have yet to receive any monetary support that would allow me the time off to participate.

I keep in touch with one of my music teacher’s who is on the elementary panel in a different board, and there are opportunities to connect online in Toronto Teachers Facebook groups. A colleague who came this year to teach some of the Music courses introduced me to her previous teaching group, though they come from an Arts school, where things are very different. 

What would you like to share with colleagues?

I would like to have the opportunity to have open dialogue with other colleagues about my insight into rebuilding a music program, navigating the challenges of being a “new” teacher, and possible cross-curricular connections. Over the course of my studies, I have had to make many cross-curricular plans but have not yet had the opportunity to put most of them into practice due to inadequate planning time and a disconnect from other departments. 

What would you like to gain from colleagues?

Insight into how people manage the budget, especially when it needs to be shared across programs, and deciding what needs to be prioritized when rebuilding a program. 

More knowledge on the brass and percussion side of things. I learn best through practice and seeing something being done. Engaging in a workshop led by another Music Educator or community musician would be beneficial to my learning practices.

Released time given by administration to partake in workshop opportunities when they do arise. Sometimes there are music workshops but they are on the other side of Toronto, or further, which ends up being a deterrent to my attendance.

Elgin & Winter Garden Theatres, May 2024