Interview with Angela McKee, January 25, 2017

Partial Transcript: How long have you been teaching?

Segment Synopsis: McKee describes how her experience teaching elementary music helps with her current job as a professor of children’s music education. She talks about connecting with music very early in her life. She talks about her experience of being a white teacher at a predominantly black school.

Keywords: Bartow County, Georgia; Cartersville City Schools; Cartersville City school system; Cartersville Elementary School; Cartersville, Georgia; Emerson Elementary School; Emerson, Georgia; Ferne Gibson; Floyd County, Georgia; KSU; Kennesaw State University; Kennesaw, Georgia; Lindale, Georgia; Main Elementary School; Mary Lou Munford; Pepperell Elementary School; Rome City Schools; Rome City school system; Rome, Georgia; children’s choirs; elementary music; general music; kindergarten; mentorship; music education; pre-service teachers; private schools; student teaching; western music

Partial Transcript: I know you’ve done a lot of teaching since, but when you think back on your teaching

Segment Synopsis: McKee talks about the differences between student teaching and full-time teaching. She talks about learning to build a relationship with her students and not taking things so personally. She describes the limitations of her college’s music education program compared to the resources available to current students and teachers.

Keywords: Atlanta Area Orff Chapter; Atlanta Orff Chapter; B.M.; Bachelor of Music Education; Berry College; Floyd County, Georgia; Kodály concept; Kodály method; Mount Berry, Georgia; Orff Schulwerk; classroom management; corporal punishment; elementary school; general music; liberal arts college; liberal arts school; mentorship; music education; performance major; piano major

Partial Transcript: Why have you stayed in teaching all these years?

Segment Synopsis: McKee talks about seeing the lasting impact music has on her students and how it keeps her going in the profession. She describes the challenge of keeping up with individualized needs and requirements when teaching a large number of students. She talks about being proud of former students who have accomplished great things as well as those who have fostered a love of music in their children. She talks about feeling discouraged whenever she couldn’t fully reach a student as well as dealing with administrators who don’t value music education.

Keywords: Broadway; IEP; Individual Education Program; New York City, New York; The Julliard School; administration; assessments; elementary school; honor choirs; leadership; lullabies; music education; parents; poverty; report cards; salary; senior recitals; special education; special needs

Partial Transcript: When you think back on your classrooms, can you recall any of the funniest moments that you’ve had?

Segment Synopsis: McKee talks about enjoying the humor of elementary and college students as well as not taking herself too seriously. She talks about offering moral support to her former college students as they begin their careers in music education. She describes how teaching a student with special needs helped her focus on things within her control and having more patience.

Keywords: administration; college; elementary school; general music; music education; music specialists; resources; special education; special needs; “mainstream”