Making Your Budget Go the Extra Mile

Outfitting an empty music classroom with $300

The things we hear about music education these days are often focused on under-funded programs and regrettable music program cutbacks.  So when teachers receive a budget of any amount, we feel an obligation to use it wisely.  Any amount that is budgeted for supplying the music classroom will inevitably disappoint us, with our wild hopes of filling our classrooms with all the best tools and resources.  No need to wallow in the disappointment, though; with a little research and ingenuity, a smart music teacher can find the best possible use of those precious dollars.

The More We Get Together

Helpful hints for having a great convention experience

It was a bitterly cold January day in Cleveland, Ohio. My toes were numb and even my warmest winter coat seemed like nothing against the strong wind that swept down from Canada and brought tiny snowflakes to our lakefront location. I was walking with a merry group of future music teachers on the way to my first professional convention. I had received a long list of advice, commentary, and warnings from my academic advisor and the older students in the program, but nothing could prepare me for the moment we burst into the lobby of the convention center and joined an already long line of participants cheerily waiting to receive their name badges. This looked nothing like what I had expected. The mood was relaxed, if a little chaotic, and every person there seemed friendlier and happier than anyone has a right to be on a cold and dreary Thursday at 8:00 in the morning.