New Band Teacher Thrown into teaching Technical Theatre

[ruinexplorer]

Agreed. My dad quit teaching and changed careers (started designing highways for the state) because of that kind of garbage the administration sometimes does.

As for the "other assigned duties," I think every job that I have ever had has had that clause in there somewhere. As a stagehand, I find that I expect it (as long as it is backstage). I would draw the line when they wanted me to take over house staff duties.

[misterm]

i teach high school theatre full-time (and one middle school class) as well as my saturday set construction days and after school rehearsals. i know full well about extra duties as assigned. my first year i taught a speech and debate class. i've NEVER done debate. this year, i'm sitting in a computer lab for one period and monitoring students working on computer-based credit recovery courses, which is better since i can catch up on paper work. AND morning bus duty and afternoon parking lot duty and friday night football game duties. and i light the major dances. but all this is expected and i knew what i was getting into when i started teaching and absolutely LOVE what i do. nothing i can't handle.
however, throwing a music teacher into a TECH gig? that makes less sense than anything i've heard. that would definitely be something i would have a serious discussion with the administration over concerning contractual and qualification issues.

[Soxred93]

Originally Posted by misterm

however, throwing a music teacher into a TECH gig? that makes less sense than anything i've heard. that would definitely be something i would have a serious discussion with the administration over concerning contractual and qualification issues.

The idea is that in most schools, the theater department and music department are closely related (and sometimes even physically attached).

[mstaylor]

When I was in HS many moons ago, the choir director was the theatre instructor meaning he was in charge of all the tech also. He didn't have a clue but luckily I had some knowledge and a curious mind to help me self-teach. I graduated in '76 and he is still there. My son son graduated a few years ago and the theatre instructor at his school was an English teacher. She was fine with the staging shows but not a clue on tech. The head of the drama club told my son they needed to hire a professional to come in and run their Expression, he said he had it covered. Dad to the rescue.

[derekleffew]

This is what I was getting at in my posts to this thread: Thinking of becoming a teacher. Years ago, my college, which was big into creating secondary school teachers, highly recommended that all education majors take THE101: Intro to Drama, and THE102: Intro to Stagecraft. My HS didn't offer a single theatre course, but I guess I turned out okay. Luckily today CB serves to assist not only the HS kids, but also their teachers. I don't see a resurgence of arts education funding any time soon.

[fredo]

My wife is a band teacher, and I am a theater geek. Wow, I cringe to think what would happen if she were forced onto the stage to teach theater... Wait, I cringe even harder to think what would happen if I were suddenly forced into teaching band. I cringe, therefore I am!

[Tex]

Originally Posted by fredo

My wife is a band teacher, and I am a theater geek. Wow, I cringe to think what would happen if she were forced onto the stage to teach theater... Wait, I cringe even harder to think what would happen if I were suddenly forced into teaching band. I cringe, therefore I am!

Silly man...
Don't you know that it takes a specialized degree to teach music? Anyone can teach tech theatre!
Seriously though, any school that does this jeopardizes their AYP rating under NCLB and therefore jeopardizes their federal funding.

[Sayen]

My degree is in theater/education, and my first job wanted me to fill in part time as dance teacher too.

[ssellers]

dude.... thats WAY too much work for one person to take on... Band director AND TD???? I think not!!! My thoughts and prayers are with him if he stays!!