Only Children Need Apply
Okay, of course we all know about teaching artists providing arts instruction in schools. We also know of non-arts teachers providing arts instruction (which predates the arts teacher). We also know, although it is still an outlier in arts education, of parents and other volunteers teaching arts.
Okay, here’s a new one: a New York City public school, P.S. 37, cuts its certified music teacher because according to the principal: “we didn’t have money for it.” For over a year there was no music teacher, and of course, yes, the elmination of this arts teacher position predates the economic crisis. (Perhaps it was the elmination of dedicated arts funding that led to this situation?)
The principal canvasses parents to see if there’s a volunteer, but no dice. So, along comes one of the students who takes over conducting the band.