would you have a problem with an unqualified person teaching music in your school?

[goonIcantakeit]

question to both parents and teachers.

I shall be teaching classroom music next term. I'm very excited, but want to be prepared for any ill-feeling/doubts there may be about having an unqualified person teaching. It's during the teachers' PPA time.

I have a track recorder at the school in that I run an ensemble there, so I am not an unknown quantity and it is on merit.

[JimBobplusasprog]

Not qualified as in not qts? I wouldn't care

Not qualified as in no musical qualifications? I'd care a bit. I'd want someone teaching my kids music to be able to play an instrument and have a good knowledge of theory

[rabbitstew]

Depends what you're not qualified in!...

I'd love to know what a track recorder sounds like.

[ThisBitchIsResting]

Do you play an instrument? I'd not be happy tbh - I'm a music teacher and see this as an insult to my professional ability. Not a personal attack on you but this makes me angry. The children deserve a specialist and there are plenty of us around.

[JimBobplusasprog]

I'd prefer mine to be qualified... but tbh I consider myself lucky if the kids are taught music at all. If it's not in the sats it may as well not be in the curriculum. The fact that the school sees music as a filler subject for ppa time suggests that it's not taken very seriously.

That's why my dc have lessons out of school

[EdithWeston]

Do you have any music teaching qualifications in stead of QTS (eg a licentiate)?

[ThisBitchIsResting]

Music is often taught during ppa time by schools that pay a specialist to come in and take classes while the class teachers have ppa time. This is usually a good thing (well as good as the person taking the class obviously)

[morethanpotatoprints]

I have never known a music specialist in any school tbh, apart from the obvious specialist music schools.
My dd knew more than the "specialist" music teacher when she was 8 and as this is her core subject she is now H.ed
For run of the mill music in schools I see no harm tbh, its not like its even considered important in most schools. Even Gove doesn't think it important enough.

[ThisBitchIsResting]

[clam]

Well, if a school has the money to be able to employ a qualified specialist teacher for all classes, then that would be great. But in reality most don't, and music in primary classes is therefore taught by generalist class teachers who may or may not have a musical bone in their body. If it's the latter (and I've witnessed a fair few colleagues make a right hash of teaching music, to be honest), then an 'unqualified' person with a talent/passion would be preferable, in my book.

[ThisBitchIsResting]

We're no more expensive than any other teachers. Someone has to watch the pesky kids while teachers have ppa - might as well be us.

[ladygracie]

I am a qualified teacher but almost anyone would be better at teaching music than me. So no it wouldn't bother me.

[goonIcantakeit]

thanks! forewarned is forearmed. No offence taken TBIR.

No, no QTS, no diploma. Just that track recorder!

[ThisBitchIsResting]

What kind of thing will you do with them? Do you play an instrument?

[goonIcantakeit]

class band.

then looking at what we've done. At how it fits together.
So garage band
upload to youtube
notate it.

All ways of looking at music.

Yes, I play instruments :)

[Ericaequites]

I wouldn't care,as long as you could play the piano for singing. I have no children, but wouldn't want them taught music. I come from a long line of tin ears, and loathed music theory and instruments at my secondary school.

[BackforGood]

As a teacher and a parent, I start from the point that my dc (indeed, everyone's dc) deserve to be taught by a qualified teacher for the whole of the week.
That said, I actually think a real musician may be able to teach music a lot better than a qualified teacher who hasn't a musical bone in their body. It ultimately depends though - some people are 'naturals' and others may have a musical skill but it doesn't mean they can teach.

[BackforGood]

[ThisBitchIsResting]

Ah ok that sounds fine. I couldn't care less whether you've got QTS, it's when non musicians teach totally unmusical lessons that it bothers me! I am reassured that you play instruments and use some music tech too, and your ideas sound like a good start.

Will you seek some professional development?

GarageBand is great but be careful about using YouTube due to privacy etc. Don't worry too much about notation.

Feel free to PM me if you want re resources / basic schemes of work etc.

[SueDNim]

Do you have a curriculum to follow? Will you plan like a qualified teacher (short and long term planning, differentiation etc)?

[clam]

Erica you don't need to be able to play the piano to teach singing.

[Appletini]

Yes I would have a problem with it.

I can play instruments. Doesn't mean I know a fig about teaching, how children learn, classroom control, etc.

[goonIcantakeit]

Thanks this Bitch (feels odd saying that).

I'm well networked locally but thank you.

[ThisBitchIsResting]

It worries me a smidgen that you seem convinced that you can do it, without sharing very much at all. I'm not sure what responses you were expecting.

Please do try to observe and learn from experienced music teachers - you will learn a lot. Don't be blasé just because you have some musical skills. I might be reading you wrong here but you do sound a bit blasé about it. Although no wonder, given the low expectations of some parents on here and irl of what music in primary schools should look like

Ok I'm off before I totally out myself.

[ladygracie]

I realised that what I said didn't come out right at all. I am that totally unmusical person & so would far rather have a professional. Totally off-topic but I want to ask: Our current music teacher is teaching children a song by singing it to them over & over and getting them to join in. Is that a usual way to do it? It's not how the last teacher did it but she was totally amazing so I am a little biased!