# data[].attributes.body
MECA's Course Evaluation has been posted to Schoology. Please complete this by Sunday, August 2. I will provide a link below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The course you are trying to access has expired and you no longer have access to view its contents.

# data[].attributes.body
Stephen Midlock's Case Studies for Educational Leadership: Solving Administrative Dilemmas.

Do you ever wonder why an administrator made a decision in a certain way? This book might provide some insight. I love this book. It brings forth case studies/dilemmas that have no right or wrong answer, but forces you to think in terms of an administrator. Quite a few of these scenarios helped me to become a better music organizer. If you plan on being an administrator some day, I think it's worth the money. Otherwise, see if your current admin has a copy that you can borrow. The price tag is hefty.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Case Studies for Educational Leadership: Solving Administrative Dilemmas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Case Studies for Educational Leadership: Solving Administrative Dilemmas [Midlock, Stephen] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Case Studies for Educational Leadership: Solving Administrative Dilemmas

# data[].attributes.body
Taylor Mali: What Teachers Make

This is a quick afternoon read. Taylor Mali became teacher-famous in the 90s for his poem "What Teachers Make," which can be found on Youtube. If you ever find yourself getting bogged down by educational philosophy and reform and instead need a quick pick-me-up, this can provide a small spark.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Teachers Make: In Praise of the Greatest Job in the World

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What Teachers Make: In Praise of the Greatest Job in the World: Mali, Taylor: 9780425269503: Books: Amazon.com

# data[].attributes.body
A download link to all resources from the class and some additional resources will be available by the end of the week.

If you have any resources that you think the class may benefit from, please feel free to link in this post.

# data[].attributes.headline
Continuation: Optional: What Do You and Your Students Need for the School Year? Posted July 20.

# data[].attributes.subject
Continuation: Optional: What Do You and Your Students Need for the School Year? Posted July 20.

# data[].attributes.body
We're in one of (if not the most) universally trying times for education. I hope that you are receiving some information from your administration or, if you have one, your union leadership. What are some other resources that you are in need of as pertaining to teaching music next semester, either in-person or remotely?

# data[].attributes.body
Upon receiving final projects and receiving permission, final projects will be shared with course members. I've had quite a few come through so far and there are some stellar projects that we can all benefit from. These will be emailed to the class within one week of the course end.

Content will be posted Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

# data[].attributes.body
A link to a folder containing the previous week's padlets is included below. The padlets are in PDF format. If you open the padlet, all links are functional. Please feel free to copy this to your own Google Drive or download the folder.

# data[].attributes.body
Music is expensive, but the benefits can outweigh the cost in the hands of effective teachers and students that are convinced that they are “worthy of music education.”

Working in a low-income high needs setting is an opportunity and not a sentence. The work will be challenging and rewarding. Some teachers may feel like they are making real changes in the course of a student’s life trajectory. The satisfaction that both a student and teacher may feel after overcoming obstacles and breaking stereotypes is immensely rewarding, but can also take a toll on both.

That all being said, teaching in a high needs environment is not for everyone. The teacher that tries but either does not succeed or has limited success should not feel ashamed or degraded; it is OK to seek work in a different setting, especially if a low-income and high needs environment is taking a personal toll on the teacher. Every type of person, including race, culture, socio-economic status, and personality types, deserves a good teacher, and many teachers may thrive in situations that they never expected to be in.  We are not trying to create “rags to riches” stories; rather, we are hoping to give all students equal opportunities.

I do hope that this course did not come across as being condescending or unaware of students from the middle class to higher-income areas.  Furthermore, I hope that I did not paint a picture of low-income area families constantly needing a helping hand.  Rather, the intent was to focus on specific issues and possible solutions to help provide a fair or equitable education for all students.  We will always have those students that seem to get the job done without any stress or need for additional support. It is easy for those students to blend in, but we should not forget them, and we should never prefer one group over the other simply. We can certainly celebrate students that have worked through tough issues, but we don’t know what everyone is going through.

Finally, remember that teaching is a lifestyle that can be broken down into additional sub-lifestyles.  Think about your current professional description: it may be middle school orchestra and general music teacher.  Or it might be K-12 orchestra, choir, band, and technology teacher.  Adding “teacher for low-income area students” is yet another lifestyle.  If this is you, wear it with a badge of honor, but also don’t be disappointed or ashamed if this is not the lifestyle for you.  Our situations already had challenges prior to COVID-19. Still, I'm confident that all of us will prevail and come out as stronger teachers and advocates for our students and ourselves

# data[].attributes.headline
4/25/2022: Discussion: How Much is Enough? When Does Our Role Stop?

# data[].attributes.subject
4/25/2022: Discussion: How Much is Enough? When Does Our Role Stop?

# data[].attributes.body
The past years have been trying for educators, students, and education. We all work hard to advocate for our students and communities, but expectations continue to increase.

Where does a school and teacher's role in a community end? Regarding services beyond "reading, writing, and arithmetic", where do you anticipate P-12 education will be in 5-10 years?