This has been bothering me since last semester.

For starters, I'm a music education major. In one of my music education classes we talked about how "arts" teachers were being put down because of what they taught. Some people look at the "arts" teachers and tell them that they are not "real" teachers I've heard students in school say that as well. So, what make is going to make me not a "real" teacher? What makes math, english, history better than music, art, and theater? Or what makes a "real" teacher?

I have also heard things similar to what Alyse said. I think the arts teachers are sometimes the most important part of a school. The arts program itself is important and even research shows that students who participate in these programs do better in school than those who don't. I was in the music program at my school and feel that I got so much more out of those classes than any academic class. The arts teachers do not have a test they have to prepare their students for so are sometimes seen as less important or even not necessary. I think every school should have an arts program with well qualified teachers. These programs are sometimes a way for students to learn how to deal with their emotions or other issues they wouldn't normally get in a regular classroom. As for what makes a "real" teacher, I think it is someone who passes down knowledge to students, whether it be brush techniques or history.

I've also heard this. I considered being a music major when I came to Appalachian but I chose not to because of how time consuming it was. I believe that your major is one of the hardest and most time consuming majors at Appalachian. A lot of people don't realize this but it is the truth.
I believe teachers in the arts are faced with this problem because other teachers are jealous of how fun your job is. At the same time they also believe their is no instruction going on because all you do it have fun. Going through high school and being labeled as a "band geek" I will be the first to tell you that this is not the case. Music teachers work VERY hard and set high expectations for students. Music teachers have an end of course test called "State Festival". Band directors and choral directors take their ensembles and get judged. They are then given a rating which is posted in a magazine for everyone in the state to see. This is a very challenging process for the students and teacher. So anyone who believes that music teachers and art teachers are not really teachers at all are just flat out wrong. In fact I bet music, drama, and art teachers put more effort into their student than most other teachers.

I think that we are stuck in a rut of thinking of teachers as someone who gets up in front of a class and lectures while the students listen and take notes. A teacher who doesn't do this is not a "real" teacher. Yet we spend so much time in our education classes talking about how to teach in creative ways and teach outside the box. But we are still stuck in the mode of thinking of teachers mainly as lecturers. Also, as previously mention, since there is not normally a written test that students study out of a book or from notes for, people don't see it as a "real" class. But like Clayton said, arts teachers really do work very hard. It is different than math, science, or english class, but it is not any less real or any less educational. The arts classes stretches your imagination, they require you to think outside the box and be creative. It gives students a chance to express themselves. I think that the arts are a very important part of education, just as important as what we consider the "real" classes, and the art teachers should be viewed with respect.

I just too wanted to add that I think music majors, art majors, and teachers of these types of subjects work VERY hard at what they do. At my high-school, I saw my arts and musics teachers there after school a lot more than I saw the science, math, etc teachers. No offense to them. But I am tired of the the arts teachers getting criticized of not being "real." I spent a lot more time in band than I ever did doing math, science, etc. A "real" teacher is one who is involved with the class. Not just a lecturer. Students who are in band and labeled as "band geeks." Big stereotype. We take pride in music, something that everyone listens to. People love some form of music...which is apart of the arts. Not everyone loves math. I did not stick with music in college because of it being time consuming. But I want to say "GO" to all you arts majors out there. I think this subject and teachers who teach this are something we could not live without!

I am also a music major and it really frustrates me too that the arts teachers are not considered "real" teachers in many cases. I find that when I tell people I'm a music major, they think I don't have to work very hard and I'm just "having fun" all the time. To be a music teacher, we have to understand music history, music theory, aural skills, and practice a whole lot. It's not all so easy. I think all teachers are important. As a music teacher, I can make a great impact on my students because I'm teaching students to discover who they are through music. Music is not just teaching pitches and rhythms, but teaching students to look at themselves on a deeper level. It's so nice to hear that there are others in the class who see how important the arts are in school. Please help the arts teachers when you become a teacher. Fight for the arts because they are so vital in educating the whole person.

I have no doubt that the arts hold great importance in the lives of students. I think society as a whole does not look at these teachers as "real" teachers because of the emphasis we have started placing on testing. There is definitely a great need to keep the arts in our schools.

I've actually have heard talk about how music might be forced to have a state test....which I don't know how well that will go. You cannot test a student's ability to play, giving them a grade like that. Same with art. Maybe on music history and theory...but not in performance.

I was in band until my senior year of high school and I dont belive anyone in the school had a more fustraring and time consuming position than my band director. I think what the general public does not realize is that for someone to teach the arts, they will have a very strong (if not suicidal) desire to do so. Every music teacher I have ever met has had to devote almost thier entire life to teaching thier subject, contacting people, and setting up seminars and performances...if anything, they should at least be respected for having one of the most humble postitions in the school system.

I have also heard many things along this line about arts teachers, but I do not believe that most people mean that arts teachers are not teachers. I think that most people simply think of school as being math, reading, science, and history and those are the "real" subjects with "real" teachers and the arts are extra. It doesn't mean that art and music is not real and the teachers are not real. And it doesn't mean that these subjects are of any less importance than "real" school subjects. There will always be a student who is an amazing artist or musician who cannot do math to save their life. If someone were to take that from them, they would have no way to succeed or be happy in life, so I would never go to the extreme to say that music and art is not "real". I am going to be a Spanish teacher, and in many cases foreign language is grouped into this category because it is not among the subjects that are necessary for survival in our society. In Europe, students know two, three, even up to ten languages, and America is made fun of because of our lack of depth in language and culture areas. But where is the balance between the money we have to spend, what our students need to learn, and what they want to learn?

I have also heard this about arts teachers. I think the specialty teachers are so important. I really have only learned how special they are recently while taking How Children Move. We talked about how these teachers are looked down upon and why this is wrong and how important they actually are. Teaching PE is really hard and I have sooo much respect for those teachers. With these classes, there are so many things that overlap into the core classes that can help children to understand things better. Children get to be creative and have fun in these classes, and very often children look forward to going to school because of these classes. If they did not have these classes, I think the children would be very deprived and lacking in their potential to have skills that can astound others.