Teaching Ukulele in the Cafeteria (before we had a classroom)
In the spring of 2013 I was substituting in the school districts of three counties. It was at the end of a fifth grade math lesson that the principal called me into the hallway to ask me if I would be interested in a full time job. I replied that I would. She informed me that Metter Intermediate school did not have an available full time teaching position, but that I could work as a teacher's aide to get my foot in the door. I struggled with the thought of having to submit to people that I viewed as equals, but the prospect of gaining much needed health insurance motivated me to apply for the position.
And so I did alternate between five teachers as their aide for a year. Knowing that I was a former music teacher, the principal created a daily rotation of classes through the cafeteria so that I could teach them music early in the day. We had no instruments or equipment so I brought my guitar and a portable CD player. Then I cut down many bamboo poles to make them into rhythm sticks. Then after of a year of this the superintendent asked me if I would like to be a full time teacher. I responded that I would which proved the principal's original plan to be a winner.
Since then the Metter school board, The Metter Education Foundation, and the Metter Chamber of Commerce has invested well over $25,000 into the elementary music program.
