It was 30 years ago today…
Today marks 30 years to the day since I began formally teaching music in public schools back in 1993. I thought I would observe this occasion by reminiscing a bit and sharing some thoughts on my career (so far) in education. Be warned, some colorful language is included.
Don Butterfield and I on my graduation from Montclair State - May 1993.
I will say that when I graduated from Montclair State College in 1993 with a Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing in K-12 music education, I was very reluctant to become a teacher. I wanted to be a professional tuba player and tried as hard as I could during the mandatory (and very annoying) 5th year that Montclair required to make all of my income from performing. I played gigs, though FAR from great ones, almost every single weekend. I was performing with some of the best ensembles in New Jersey and even New York. I played every single firemans’ parade, Italian Feast, Oktoberfest, Christmas caroling, New Years Eve, old age home, fireworks, summer concert I could. If you know this life, you know that it’s tough and it doesn’t pay very well. I was in the Musicians Union Local 16-248 and I thought I was doing relatively OK. I was able to afford living in a shared apartment in Hoboken, and I wasn’t missing any meals - though they basically consisted of Hamburger Helper, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Chef Boyardee.
In late August of 1993, I realized that my best career prospect (other than teaching) was to be an usher at Lincoln Center. I went in for an interview and didn’t get the job. In a slight panic, I decided to apply for a teaching position (elementary band) at the Irvington Public Schools - an urban school district very near Newark, NJ. When I went into the interview, I was hired on the spot by the Supervisor of Music, Joe Kaspriskie. I went to a few other interviews that day, filled out my paperwork, and two days later I was in a new staff orientation at Irvington High School. Two things stick out in my memory from that orientation: there were over 150 new teachers (which I later realized isn’t a good sign) and the Superintendent of Schools, Rodgers M. Lewis, advised us all to buy the Club - a popular steering wheel lock that prevented auto theft. His exact words, after all of us chuckled nervously at the suggestion, was that while Newark was the “Car Stealing Capitol of the World”, all of the car thieves were students in our classrooms. I kid you not.
I was charged with teaching elementary band in two elementary school buildings - Berkeley Terrace (pictured above) and Madison Avenue. At Berkeley Terrace, I taught on the stage behind the curtain. Far from ideal as all of the gym classes and lunch periods made focusing on learning an instrument a little challenging for the students and I. At Madison Avenue, I literally taught in the boys bathroom off of the gymnasium. They constructed a plywood bench that they placed over all of the toilets after they ripped out the stalls. Tough place to teach. Demoralizing for a new teacher and the butt of MANY jokes from the students and my colleagues.
On my very first day of teaching, I walked into Madison Avenue Elementary with a brief case full of music teacher tools and my brown bag lunch. I was excited and nervous to start my teaching career. I was immediately approached on the playground by a young student - most likely a first grader - and he asked me “Who the fuck are you?” I was so shocked by the question I had absolutely no idea how to respond, so I just kept walking. They never taught you how to deal with that in college.
My first year of teaching was filled with ups and downs, some WILD stories, mistakes, triumphs, and an incredible amount of on-the-job training. I was mentored by some wonderful people, including Joe Annechino, and I learned to love the kids I was teaching. They were amazingly resilient, in spite of all of the challenges that come along with growing up in an urban environment and school district. About one month into my tenure, I was advised by everyone to look for another job and to “get out” as soon as possible. I followed their advice and the rest is history. I have always looked back on my first year and the students I taught with great fondness. I am so glad that I started in a district that had many challenges. I learned how to be creative, how to be resourceful, how to achieve goals with limited resources, and how to relate to students to help them love the subject that I was trying to teach them.
Today I look back on the 15 years that I spent teaching in New Jersey Public Schools and the 25+ years that I have been teaching in Higher Ed, and I reflect on how very different things are now. While I still love this time of year - to me it feels like the actual start of a new year and I do miss picking out my first day of school outfit - there have been so many technological advances, so many societal changes, a very different political landscape, high-stakes testing, shifting parental involvement, pressures on administration, etc. To be honest, I’m not sure if things are better or worse for teachers today. Just very different. I am so proud of the career that I chose, and very happy to make a difference in the lives of my students. It is one of the most noble careers - even if we aren’t treated that way. To spend your life in the field that you love is a wonderful thing. Even though the day to day drudgery of teaching might feel overwhelming at times, I can assure you that after 30 years in the game, I wouldn’t have done it any other way.
Have a great school year everyone!
Me at the New York Brass Conference for Scholarships at the Roosevelt Hotel in 1993.