Charles Hopta, a recent graduate of Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania, describes himself as “a brand spankin’ new music teacher.”  Hopta is probably the exception among his classmates, since he graduated with a double major and minor thanks to summer courses.

His alma mater has a four-year bachelor of science in music education program. All courses required for student teaching must be completed before the fall of the senior year, the only semester in which music students can student-teach.

Although this crams an incredible amount of information into the three previous years (not enough time, one could easily argue, on certain subjects), Hopta says this schedule proves beneficial for two reasons:

• Fall student teaching allows education candidates to share the experience of helping to create basic classroom rules, policies, and teaching techniques instead of entering a situation midyear when these are already established.
   
• For student teachers with an interest in instrumental teaching, working with a marching band is crucial, and a fall slot provides this opportunity.

“This approach,” Hopta says, “allows candidates to spend their last semester on campus (spring of senior year) catching up on other general graduation requirements and--dare I say it--relaxing.”

Hopta feels the current plan is workable. However, given the forthcoming Pennsylvania state requirements in special education courses (including a possible nine to twelve additional required credits), there may need to be adjustments. Hopta states, “To get everything in that music educators need, I believe a five-year program is going to be necessary in the future.”

Hopta adds, “Because of transfers and other life changes, those students who graduated in 4.5 years were not substantially better off than those who still had to complete a spring semester. While the opportunity may come up for long-term substitute positions or other emergency hires, most hiring is done during the summer (and late summer, at that)."

Showing unusual wisdom for a new teacher, Hopta concludes, “Music teachers have the rest of their lives to be insanely busy and stressed--there’s no need to have it start at the college level.”

MENC member Charles A. Hopta III is in his first year as the music teacher/band director at Notre Dame High School, Easton, Pennsylvania.

--Ella Wilcox, November 5, 2008, © MENC: The National Association for Music Education (www.menc.org)