ChunkyMunky

Hello, everyone.

I have searched through the various threads on here and decided to sign up to ask a relatively repeated question, however, this one has a bit of an odd variation on it. I would be thoroughly grateful if anyone could help me on this one. The main answer I'm looking for is in regard to the teacher specification, as I'm sure I can just as easily research the legalities and customaries regarding emigration. Thanks, all!

To give you all a bit of background information on myself, I'm training to be a music teacher but I want to move to the US to be with my girlfriend. (marriage is definitely on the cards as soon as I finish my degree)

In order to teach in the US, I believe it's common for one to have a degree in Music Education. As far as I am aware, the UK offers nothing like it and the only idea that I had would be to rack a whole host of teaching experience whilst I do my degree (which is a performance one) as well as any other extra curriculum activity that would significantly boost my chances of being admitted on to an MM in Music Ed. After completing my MM (or MAT, whatever variant is available to me), I hope to then find a position teaching. Disregarding everything regarding marriage and admission to the country, am I being thoroughly unrealistic about this or is there anyone who can share a success story regarding this situation? Thanks for reading in advance.

Cheers,
Josh

AmerLisa

To teach in schools here, you'd have to be certified. So completing your degree would only get you there part way. I'm betting that you will have to take the plunge, get married, move over and then become certified.

Anyway, that's not what you're wanting to know... This is something I Googled, not sure if it's any help.

http://majoringinmusic.com/music-degrees/

I have to say though, just teaching music severely limits your chances of finding employment as a teacher. Not sure what age/grade you're looking at, but music (particularly elementary schools) is a area that has great cutbacks.

Nutmegger

You don't say which state you would be moving to, so check with that state for required teaching qualifications. Berklee is one of the big music schools here, so you might find useful info about teaching in the US on their site:

http://www.berklee.edu/careers-music-education

Cadenza-93

Hi,
I am a music teacher in California, I have a Bmus (performance based), post grad degree (also performance based) & PGCE.

To get my California Teaching Credential, i googled LOTS - google is good..
I sent ALL my certificates & transcripts to be evaluated by a company that was recognised by the CTC, then I sent that evaluation & Livescan to the CTC and to my county bods.
A little while later, when I googled more stuff, I applied to the school districts that were possibilities & requested a temporary county clearance & applied for jobs.

ChunkyMunky

Sorry if I left some information out.

My main aim is to eventually become a professor in Music however, I understand one must really teach 3 to 5 years of compulsory education first. I would thoroughly prefer to teach in high school rather than middle or elementary, however, I am flexible as this is all circumstantial. In regards to location, my girlfriend is based in Ohio but frankly I would be happy anywhere in the states as long as I'm with her.

I have heard quite a bit about certification and I take I would correct in assuming it'd be the K12 license? Of course, I'm sure each state varies in standards and such. Thanks for the link too, it was rather helpful. I have also been told about a lot of the cutbacks as well some reports of music teachers swapping between a middle school in the morning and then teaching the high school for the rest of the day.

Up top, Nutmegger!

I've applied for Berklee before way back in the day and honestly, I have heard nothing but horror stories from the place. Not to mention the fact that I would be close to $200,000 in debt, so I would rather find another option first before considering that. As much as I appreciate the notion of you recommending it, I'm a bit worried of taking such a high debt. If there is absolutely nothing else, then it's a potential. It does seem like a pretty neat place to go to, but in essence, I'm in a position where I would be nearer to 20k rather than 200k.

Just out of curiosity, did you happen to go to ICMP/ACM/BIMM or somewhere like that? I considered doing my masters at ICMP but I ended up realising I wanted to teach rather than be a full time musician. I'm not sure if this would help but I've also got a PTTLS L3 and L4 to my name, do you reckon this would probably help a bit? Good ol' Google, hey?


Cheers, all!

Michael

You may think that is correct but in the US, there is usually far less regulations teaching at the university level then K-12. My daughter in law with a masters in photography started teaching at a university directly out of college and my son with a masters in architectural design has taught a couple of times at a university (usually only a semester or two at a time).

I don't think music would be any different. However finding a university that will hire you may be the challenge.

Cadenza-93

No I'm full on classical, RWCMD & Trinity - which is mostly what they want here with their love of bands - being wind band. Though there is an expectation that I can play everything, including the spoons! Luckily I do play guitar, bass & kit a little to I can bluff it rather well & i've developed a good basic ability working knowledge of production.
I very much doubt that a city & guilds (PTTLS??) will get you anywhere at all. You should probably think about doing a PGCE (then your NQT year) or going through credentialling in Ohio, possibly get a Masters under your belt.

ChunkyMunky

I thought I'd just throw a guess in there! I take the majority of the school band stuff is mostly classical, essentially? The problem for me is that I'm mostly a Jazz/Contemporary guy. Bugger...

Then again, I've got time to learn properly. I never thought I was into Jazz much until a year or two ago, anyway.

Cadenza-93

You might find that the jazz angle is quite favourable!
I suspect that your shortfall may be on the instrumental teaching & conducting side of things. Where there is some value to being able to play modern instruments, they have limited use regarding the face/profile of the school compared to a marching band! or strong choral groups for example. However, being able to lead, direct a solid, wind, big band, jazz ensemble may indeed be an invaluable and a highly marketable skill.
I get the impression that you're a guitarist?? May be time to dip your toe into ensemble skills, directing & conducting.

ChunkyMunky

You'd be spot on. My main discipline was in fact guitar, however, I ended up switching to bass and piano with guitar being relegated to a recreational level after I severely burned out with it.

I have had a couple of offers to conduct a couple of local amateur chorales and orchestras, I take that would really help out substantially, too?

Cadenza-93

Piano is good, piano is awesome... Take the choral conducting practice, build your piano skills beyond basic chords so you can accompany choral stuff. Then you have a collection of desirable skills that you should be able to make work for you. If you can add a bit of paper (course certificate) to prove your prowess then all hail!

lisa67

It really does vary not only from state to state but also from school district to school district as to what music education is offered in high school and middle school.
I'm classically trained and teach piano and cello privately. My local school district only offers marching band (before Christmas) and concert band after Christmas.
Drive 8-10 miles away and the next school district offers strings and symphony orchestra.
We also have 2 great youth orchestras within a 50 mile radius.
Our school district has a great jazz band program too with many moving on to University of North Texas which has a fantastic jazz program.

Bob

At a guess, realistically, higher education will be the best bet for getting a job. In many states, most possibly, you'd be starting from scratch to teach in K-12 and even then, getting a job when so little is put towards the arts will be very tough. Most I know that got their jobs in the arts were connected, via doing camps, school band gigs and other stuff like that that put them up the pecking order when a full time job came about.