Sociology for Music Teachers CH 2
Silky Carter
Sociology for Music Teachers CH 2
How do institutional objectives clash with ‘real’ objectives in schooling today? Why would one call schools a bureaucracy? How have you deal with hierarchy inside bureaucracies?
The Hierarchy of the Department of Education has many layers. There are many divisions to consider; local, state, and federal, the teacher, (vice) principal, superintendent, and Board of Education by county, The Federal Department of education with Duncan/Obama and all of the in between(s). With so many hands in the pot, who determines how the dish is ultimately made? Technically speaking the student, then teacher is the last in the chain of command.
This makes it difficult for the teacher to teach what they deem important and even harder for students to communicate what they feel is pertinent. Institutional objectives “seem” to be to further students, with Legislations such as No Child Left Behind and standardized test such as the HSPA, High School Proficiency Assessment, but the measure taken and result of actions reveal other wise. Teachers are going crazy, because of the harassment they receive from students, students’ parents and their higher ups. The Teachers responsibilities are to provide tools for survival, knowledge and skills for functioning of everyday continued existence, and expertise to perform various occupations.
There are many veiled complexities teachers suffer, such as turning in a year worth of lesson plans, pressure for students to produce better test results, intimidation of “superiors”, music teachers fighting with superior and equals for students to attend music class.This is not conducive to a healthy school environment or prepping future citizens for humankind. While teaching should be about some of the above mentioned things it should also be about the love of education and developing good human nature.
Our educational system reminds of the phrase, “You are what you eat” or in this case “You are what you learn/ you are what you teach.” Students learn information, but the manner in which they are taught promotes leisure momentary success. Most students, and I can say this because I am a student and through observation of my colleagues I know this to be true, will study for a test only when their knowledge of information is going to be tested or performed. So students are living an unstructured, artless, and non-fulfilling life. Music teaching and the relationship between students and teachers have an unspoken association with self-worth on both ends. If the student or teacher is not successful at communicating with each other conflicts arise and lead to the butterfly affect. This process of communication is even more grueling with obligatory assignments from “superiors.”
Dr. Froehlich says “For teachers at all levels and for all subject areas, institutional bureaucratization demands compliance with recommendations and directives from professional associates, teacher unions, and/or state educational reform agencies. They become added objectives that have to be met in addition to all instructional objectives and, in the eyes of many teachers today, meeting such institutional objectives take time away from ‘real teaching’.”
Why do Educators need recommendations from professional associates, etc. if they too are professionals? According to Dr. Froehlich’s categorization of teachers, they settle into the labor group. Professional: “control of clientele, determining fee structure, supervise their own work…” Semi-Profession “…have supervised skills that they apply in relative supervision” Neither of these categories apply to music teachers. Labor “ little to no personal decision making” (check), most tasks are assigned or under the direction of the supervisor, and fees are pre-determined (check) is where Educators fall.
There is no wonder the educational system has lost value. Teachers are being treated poorly and as inferiors instead of a part of a team. This too, is why students’ astuteness is declining at an alarming rate, and why parents feel that Doctors, Lawyers, etc are more proficient than teachers. It is ever clearer to me that a shift in perspective and community is needed. Instead of concentrating on being at the top/bottom of commanding power we need to create an atmosphere that aids us in creating a community of equality and acceptance of all identities. Bureaucracies need to be abolished, for the people and by the people is a statement that should be true of everything pertaining to civilization. If we are to create a humane society, then we should act like cultured humans and not an eco-system of animals that “kill” each other off in the name of their own survival.
