There
has always been an ongoing debate between private, public, and charter schools,
but the differences are becoming more and more clear. According to Susan
Poliniak, a music teacher, “Different types of schools
make for different experiences. Pros and cons abound, whether you teach at a public,
private,
magnet, or charter
school.
Although it's certainly true that some individual schools
may offer better environments for music education than others, no type of school
is categorically the "best." Still, it can be instructive to look at
some of the differences -- and similarities -- between school
types in terms of how they may affect music programs. We got in touch with
three music educators whose careers have taken them to several different types
of schools
and asked them to compare and contrast.”
While Susan chose to speak about her experiences with
music departments, she includes stories of other teachers and their experiences
in the different school systems. Below are some examples.
“David DeStefano is a music educator at Phillips Charter School in Napa, California, and has previously taught in public schools in Florida and California. He offers this clarification: "I think the term 'charter schools' is very misunderstood. There are many different kinds of charter schools and generalizing them is a tremendous mistake. Not all of them are like the ones in the movie Waiting for 'Superman.' There's a general assumption that charter schools are just like private schools -- smaller class sizes, students have to apply for admission, no special needs students -- but the reality is that my school is just the local public school, with the same obstacles as any other school. Any student in the neighborhood is welcome to attend and, if there's room, we welcome students from other areas of town and even other towns. What makes my school different is the structure of the academic day, the types of curriculum and programs offered, and an extended day."
Tom Miller is a music educator at Johns Hill Magnet School in Decatur, Illinois. He notes that "the 'magnet' term is used loosely; while the school does draw students from across the district, it does not have a specific focus. Although the fine arts are strong in the school, we're not a 'fine arts school' as other magnet schools might be. I also teach in one of the local Catholic elementary schools and the Catholic high school. The Catholic school jobs incorporate students from the home-school community as well. We offer beginning-to-12th-grade instrumental instruction for a nominal participation fee. This allows the home-school students to play in a larger ensemble, while also complementing the parochial band program.
Philip Steinbacher is a music educator at Island School, a private school in Lihu'e, Hawaii, and has previously worked in public schools in Chicago and elsewhere. Although he was originally hired to teach English, his responsibilities expanded, and over the course of several years he has built a healthy and varied music program with strong participation among the student body. "When Glee first came on," he says, "there was a pilot one spring and then the show. I'm the pilot -- I'm like the Spanish teacher who started the music program. This truly is my life -- trying to make something out of nothing. If you build it, they will come."”
“David DeStefano is a music educator at Phillips Charter School in Napa, California, and has previously taught in public schools in Florida and California. He offers this clarification: "I think the term 'charter schools' is very misunderstood. There are many different kinds of charter schools and generalizing them is a tremendous mistake. Not all of them are like the ones in the movie Waiting for 'Superman.' There's a general assumption that charter schools are just like private schools -- smaller class sizes, students have to apply for admission, no special needs students -- but the reality is that my school is just the local public school, with the same obstacles as any other school. Any student in the neighborhood is welcome to attend and, if there's room, we welcome students from other areas of town and even other towns. What makes my school different is the structure of the academic day, the types of curriculum and programs offered, and an extended day."
Tom Miller is a music educator at Johns Hill Magnet School in Decatur, Illinois. He notes that "the 'magnet' term is used loosely; while the school does draw students from across the district, it does not have a specific focus. Although the fine arts are strong in the school, we're not a 'fine arts school' as other magnet schools might be. I also teach in one of the local Catholic elementary schools and the Catholic high school. The Catholic school jobs incorporate students from the home-school community as well. We offer beginning-to-12th-grade instrumental instruction for a nominal participation fee. This allows the home-school students to play in a larger ensemble, while also complementing the parochial band program.
Philip Steinbacher is a music educator at Island School, a private school in Lihu'e, Hawaii, and has previously worked in public schools in Chicago and elsewhere. Although he was originally hired to teach English, his responsibilities expanded, and over the course of several years he has built a healthy and varied music program with strong participation among the student body. "When Glee first came on," he says, "there was a pilot one spring and then the show. I'm the pilot -- I'm like the Spanish teacher who started the music program. This truly is my life -- trying to make something out of nothing. If you build it, they will come."”
Poliniak continues to speak of the many differences between the
music programs at each school, and I agree with all of her statements. Schools are
not always classified correctly, and some are given the “magnet” classification
to simply look better. Lastly, the article also discusses the funding, parental
involvement, and administrative support involving music departments in each
type of school.
Works Cited
POLINIAK, SUSAN. "Public Private (And Beyond)." Teaching Music 19.5 (2012): 36-41. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Mar. 2013
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