I am not here to persuade you (or your district) to put music teachers on a cart. I don't think any music teacher in their right mind would EVER want to teach on a cart. It's painful at times (literally--back, foot & knee issues!), and I feel like I'm always running (OK, so I AM running around my building every day). I never have a moment to rest...it's exhausting. But, I am lucky to be a music teacher with a job, and if it has to be on the cart, so be it.
Just to give you some background on my teaching experience, I have been a full-time music teacher in my district for 14 years. I have been on the cart for only 2 of those 14 years, so I can be thankful for the room(s) I did have. I have a job in a wonderful school with supportive and dedicated professionals. I once told my former principal that I would NEVER stay in my school on a cart. Well, life changed and my school grew...and grew...and GREW to over 800 students in a building built for about 650! So, on the cart I go...not completely happily, I might add.
Being on the cart has it's advantages and disadvantages...let's talk about the classroom itself:
PRO
I don't have a classroom to set up or tear down. I am in an office that doubles as the bookroom storage for my school, and I have a large janitor's closet where all the instruments and teaching materials are stored. So when I come back in August, I just open my closet to pull out what I need. I don't have to organize and uncover materials, and I don't have to decorate a classroom with posters and word walls.
CON
I don't have a classroom...period. I am not going to lie--it sucks to not have a space to teach in. I LOVE to do movement, play instruments and have everything at my fingertips. In my first year on the cart (2 years ago), I cannot count how many times I forgot my mp3 player, instruments, mallets, papers or manipulatives in my office or the closet. So far this year, I have forgotten my flash drive for a Powerpoint, some mallets for the glockenspiels that were ON the cart, and some copies of songs for the students. I just roll with the punches and improvise. Most teachers are good at that, right?
Do you have any pros or cons to teaching on the cart?
