Interview with Richard McKee, January 25, 2018

Partial Transcript: How long have you been teaching?

Segment Synopsis: McKee describes the multiple schools at which he has taught, including the demographics of the diverse student populations. He talks about how music got him out of trouble in high school and inspired him to become a teacher. He talks about feeling overwhelmed at the start of his career.

Keywords: Acworth Elementary School; Acworth, Georgia; Betty Woodward; Cobb County, Georgia; Floyd County, Georgia; GMEA; Garden Lakes Elementary School; Georgia Music Educators Association; KSU; Kennesaw State University; Kennesaw, Georgia; Marilyn Wood; Oklahoma Baptist University; Rome, Georgia; Shawnee, Oklahoma; Smyrna Elementary School; Smyrna, Georgia; Title 1 schools; Title I schools; Tunnel Hill, Georgia; Westside Elementary School; Whitfield County, Georgia; band directors; chorus directors; conducting; conductors; elementary school; high school chorus; lower class; lower middle class; mentorship; music education; student teaching

Partial Transcript: When you think back on the years you’ve been teaching

Segment Synopsis: McKee talks about learning on the job that the focus should be on the children rather than the curriculum. He talks about how he would have benefited from learning Orff earlier in his career as well as observing other teachers. He describes the strengths and weaknesses of his teacher training in college.

Keywords: Athens, Georgia; B.M.; Bachelor of Music - Music Education; Dalcroze eurhythmics; Dalcroze method; EdS; Kodály concept; Kodály method; M.M.; Master of Music - Composition; Orff Level 1; Orff Schulwerk; Rome, Georgia; Shawnee, Oklahoma; Shorter University; Specialist in Education - Music Education; UGA; University of Georgia; classroom management; elementary school; general music; lesson plans; music education; music theory

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

Segment Synopsis: McKee talks about the reward of helping children discover a love for and proficiency in music. He talks about the multiple demands outside the classroom that lead to many teachers leaving the profession. He describes the challenge of working under administrators who have a different philosophy than his own on how music should be taught.

Keywords: administration; classroom management; discipline; elementary school; general music; lesson plans; music education; parents