10 Things a Music Teacher Really Thinks During Staff Meetings

What does a music teacher really think during staff meetings?  Well, a lot actually.  During a staff meeting, a lot of the agenda or things talked about doesn’t apply to a music teacher.  So, of course your brain naturally starts wandering off and having thoughts.

In this blog post, I’m hoping to provide some comedic relief and help you realize that you’re not the only music teacher having these thoughts.   Oh yeah… and there’s a podcast episode that goes right along with this blog post you can listen to here. You might be able to relate to just one of these points, or all of them.  But, no matter how many thoughts you have during staff meeting, it’s just part of the teaching game.

 

1. “Sure, I’d love to go over more data”

A lot of staff meetings are full of going over test scores and the latest data.  You sometimes sit there and get frustrated, because you don’t know how to read the data, and let’s be honest… it doesn’t apply to you and what you do.

But, you can shift your mindset into thinking about how can you help the data improve.  Is it integrating music into other subjects?  Is it helping tutor some of the kids who need extra help?  Here’s the thing… just as frustrated as you feel, a lot of the classroom teachers are as well.  Data is something that no one wants to deal with.

 

2.  “Why does that teacher keep asking questions”

There’s just 5 minutes left of staff meeting and you see a hand shoot up.  There’s always “that teacher” who asks questions right at the end of staff meeting every single time.  You think, “couldn’t you just email the principal this question?”  Yet, it still happens and you just start expecting it.

 

3.  “I thought this meeting was going to be short today”

You get an email right before staff meeting starts that says something like, “hey guys…today’s meeting won’t be longer than 20 minutes.”  But, during staff meeting you notice you’re still sitting there after 50 minutes have passed by.  Maybe it has something to do with all the data or Ms. shoot her hand up.  You begin to realize that these meetings that were supposed to be “short” never end up being any less amount of time than any other meeting.

 

4.  “I love participating in more PD that doesn’t apply to me”

Blood born pathogen meetings anyone?  How many of these videos have you seen now?  Or, maybe your school brings in someone to lead the staff meeting and they’re definitely going to help the classroom teachers with math and reading ideas.  But, yet again… although this professional is great, it has nothing to do with music.

 

5.  “Oh good, they want me to do another music icebreaker activity”

Has your principal ever walked into your classroom 5 minutes before the staff meeting starts to ask you to do a music icebreaker activity with the staff?  It’s not the music part that’s frustrating, but the fact that you know maybe only one teacher will want to do this.  So, you come into the meeting with a great body percussion activity or a creative movement activity and get a lot of blank stares (kind of like a bunch of 5th graders).  But, of course you oblige and plan activities because sometimes we just say yes to things to keep the peace.  Am I right or am I right?

 

 

 

6.  “Did I finish my lesson plans for tomorrow”

This is what you’re sitting there thinking about most of the time during a staff meeting.  Also, you’re thinking about how much prep you need to do for your upcoming program or did you set your classroom up for tomorrow.  While everyone else is going over data, you’re pretty much going over data in your head of everything that needs to get done.

Then, you hear your principal say something like, “who agrees with this” and you snap out of it and think…”do I agree with what?”  Your brain has trailed off so much, you completely missed what they said.  Does this sound similar to how our students act sometimes?  Oops.

 

7.  “Why doesn’t this technology ever work”

A lot of staff meetings include some kind of technology.  You hear the presenter says something like… “this worked earlier”, or “hold on, let me get the secretary down here to fix this”, or “well it worked earlier”, or “why is this frozen”.  Yet, you know that each and every time technology is used, there will be some kind of issue that accompanies it.   The first 15-20 minutes of these staff meetings begin with someone trying to fix some kind of technology.  Deep breaths everyone.

 

8.  “Oh, I see you texting under the table”

You’re really trying to pay attention.  You really are.  But, then you see someone texting under the table, and there goes that wandering mind again.  “Hmm, I wonder who they’re texting.  Maybe I have a missed text.  No, I don’t.  Oh, I’ll text them something funny… and send.”   Don’t act like this has never been you.  You know you’ve either texted the teacher right next to you or even played a good game of Solitaire on your phone at some point.

 

9.  “If I snuck out right now, would anyone notice”

Maybe you’re eyeballing the door.  Or, you’ve decided to start strategically sitting next to the door so you can be the first one to leave.  You signed in, so you know you need to stay for the whole staff meeting.  But, during all the data talk, you could probably sneak out, go grab a cup of Starbucks coffee, and come back in before anyone notices you’re gone.

 

10.  “Some of these teachers need to learn audience etiquette”

During staff meeting, some of the teachers talk so much.   A lot of them aren’t paying attention at all.  You teach your students every day about concert and audience etiquette, and you know the teachers talk to their students about paying attention.  Yet, when they’re in a staff meeting, it’s like they’re acting like they’re on a field trip and won’t be quiet.  Although a lot of what’s talked about during staff meeting has nothing to do with you, you can’t hear it anyways sometimes from all the noise.

 

What do you think about during staff meetings?  Can you relate to any of the thoughts posted in this blog post?

P.S.  Are you feeling frustrated or stuck as an elementary music teacher?  Check out these free resources to help you teach elementary music with confidence!