A NEW PROFESSOR'S PERSPECTIVE AND THE OPPORTUNITY IN MUSIC BUSINESS TEACHER EDUCATION, A PSEUDO-DIALOGUE

by David Schreiber & Kristel Kemmerer

David:
There’s nothing like being the new kid on the block to make you realize how much you don’t know. Recently taking a gig in the academic world after working in the industry is enough to make you think twice…actually, it’s better than I could imagine.

I arrived at Albright College about six weeks ago, literally, being afforded an excellent opportunity to teach a wide array of music industry courses. These first few weeks have allowed me just enough time to stay one day ahead of myself, going from class to class in preparation for lectures. Life couldn’t get better! The first year is the worst they tell me, 80-hour weeks in preparation for a full-time load as you make your way through the inherent politics of an academic career.
Of course you can’t forget about scholarship and service. One of these days I am hoping to make my way around … it sure does make life exciting.

In all seriousness, it really is great. Seeing a connection with a brilliant group of students who are so eager to get their feet wet in the industry and the dialogue with fellow colleagues about the latest developments makes for a great educational experience. I feel very fortunate that I received an excellent graduate education in music business, here and abroad, coupled with invaluable industry experience. Having this behind me has really made the “content” aspect of the education great, but I can’t forget, that now, I am a teacher and must effectively be able to transfer that information to my students. This education, unfortunately, I have not received. There is nothing like trying to fumble through writing your first test or “learning as you go” what the most effective teaching techniques would entail. This doesn’t even include how to design a course.

Now that it has been almost two months since I have made my way to the northeast, things are starting to settle a bit. I can find my way around a little more than the few buildings around my office (which is huge by the way…no sense being envious, it’s orange and purple. No offense Kristel, I actually do like it!) and the campus center. I’m also starting to compile a list of excuses from my students, which if it hasn’t been done already, may make for a good book.

With this said, I think it paints a bigger picture and an opportunity for those of us in academia to prepare students interested in teaching, a chance to study basic classroom technique. I know most students we encounter have no desire, but I did, and I know I’m not alone.

Kristél:
David is the newest faculty in Albright’s music business co-concentration. Actually, we are a small, liberal arts college so suffice to say David IS the music business co-concentration. He totes an impressive resume of practical experience and college degrees and his enthusiasm for higher education is contagious. The students love him and he is starting to lose that “deer in the headlights” look. Of course, his youthful exuberance is like a shot-in-the-arm for the department. It has been said that I have shoes older than David.

David brings up an important consideration: in spite of his healthy educational and practical industry experience, he sometimes feels under prepared for some of the fundamental aspects of being an educator. He mentions a few above: designing a test that assesses knowledge, classroom techniques and management, and course design. He also expressed concern about balancing his teaching with required research and college service. On the serious side, I would also add to that list academic advising; on the side of humor, I would add Intro. To Driving the College Van, Submitting Your Grades Electronically When the System is Down, Maneuvering Your Way Through the Quad During Peak Hours, Budgeting Two Years in Advance of the Program, Dealing with Parents, and How to Say No to the Request, “How about you and some students provide the entertainment for the trustees meeting on Saturday night?” All those are fun skills that come more easily with experience.

Humor aside, I was pleased that David brought up this concern because his point echoes those that I addressed last year. I question whether MEIEA®, as an educators’ association, should be doing more to prepare our students to be educators. Given that we are not an accrediting association and provide neither curriculum guidelines nor recommendations to music industry programs, I am not suggesting we try to impose curriculum standards. Instead, I propose that we help facilitate the educational development of our students who express a desire to teach at the college level by embedding teaching skills in the curriculum. These skills, as David mentioned above, combined with an excellent resume will truly give our students a leg up in the job market by making them more marketable and help make them more likely to persevere in their chosen career.

David Schreiber is Visiting Lecturer of Music at Albright College. This is his first college teaching gig and he’s doing great and loving it.

Kristél Pfeil Kemmerer, formerly of the music department at Albright, somehow ended up as Acting Dean of Students and Undergraduate Studies for the College. She misses her purple and orange office.