You Here to Take My Job?

Shortly after I became a music teacher, and still a bit unsure of myself, Jeanine Hajdu, transferred to AV Graham.  I didn't know Jeanine at all except that she was a real music teacher and had been for years.  "Crap, now she'll see that what I'm doing is probably all wrong," the insecurity in me bemoaned.

Jeanine tells of our first meeting thusly:  The first time I met Rick I was sitting at the staff room table and he came over, plopped himself in the chair beside me and said, 'So, you here to take my job?'

Yup, that's pretty much what I did.  Jeanine recalls it as being quite funny.  However, this is the first time that I have acknowledged that it was based on insecurity.  She, and all the other music teachers I had ever met, all had music degrees, could play piano, and had gone through the music educator strand at the Faculty of Education.  I had none of that - just 2 years of high school baritone and 15 years of self-taught guitar in rock bands. 

Do I wish I had had a music degree and all that?  Absolutely.  Without the formal background, it meant that I had to work harder to acquire the knowledge that was required to teach elementary school music.  Would my job have been easier?  Oh yes, I would have had the core skills prior to finding myself in charge of a band program.  Would I have been a better teacher?  For sure, technically, but not necessarily would I have been a more effective teacher.

I believe teaching is very similar to coaching.  No, that's not entirely accurate.  I actually believe teaching is a form of coaching.  Once you acquire a basic competency in your field, your ability to coach/teach is not dependent on your own personal performance ability.  (Does anyone really believe that those fat, male, Russian women's gymnastic coaches could ever do any of the fantastic feats that they so expertly coach their athletes to perform?)  I don't need to have grade 8 piano, or instantly recall the circle of fifths, or be able to play a trumpet concerto in order to be a great teacher.  As William Arthur Ward explains it:  “The mediocre teacher tells.  The good teacher explains.  The superior teacher demonstrates.  The great teacher inspires."  The ability to inspire students is more important than the ability to tell, explain or demonstrate.  My teaching strength is based on inspiration - and that's good, because I'm a shitty flute player.

As it turns out, I had nothing to worry about Jeanine.  She had done her stint as a music teacher and wanted to have her own homeroom class.  Over the last 20 or so years, we have become wonderful friends.  With Jeanine's help and expertise on piano, we have collaborated on choirs,  Remembrance Day ceremonies, student performances, and dozens of musical productions, involving thousands of children.

I now believe that Jeanine did not come to AV Graham to take my job.  I also believe that her arrival was not coincidental, accidental, or merely happenstance.  It was orchestrated (pun not intended) and I have been a major beneficiary.