Patrick Hait
Education is a Life-Long Process 

I have never envisioned the end of my academic career.  I have been going to school almost every day of my life since the age of five and I have no plans on stopping now.  As I complete my master’s degree and look at what lies ahead, I look forward to the time when I can do more to help my students.

I currently work in a district with a high percentage of special education students and have seen the benefits of an instrumental music program on their development.  An instrumental music program affords all children – including those with learning disabilities – a chance to learn and explore in an aural, visual and expressive way.  In my first year of teaching, some people in my building were surprised that I wanted special education students to be involved in the music program.  Personally, I was taken aback by their concern.  Had special education students been denied instrumental music in the past?

One of my goals in furthering my education is to earn a master’s degree in special education.  As I learn more about the disabilities that plague a growing number of students, I may be able to help them to learn, grow and contribute to society.  Between the two buildings that I work at, I teach ten classified students.  Up until a few weeks ago, I could not even tell that the students had learning disabilities.  I investigated some of the students IEP’s and they mentioned deficiencies in fine motor skills, behavior problems, decoding difficulties and other problems.  While thinking back to the opening weeks of the band program, I did notice some difficulties in these particular students, but as of now – eight months into the program – the students are performing beautifully.  One particular classified student asked me if he was allowed to write his own music.  About once a month, this student brings in his short compositions and performs them for his lesson group.  I am very excited at the possibility of this particular student having a musical future.

I feel that earning a masters degree in special education will provide me with more tools to help these young, struggling children.  It is important for young students (4th and 5th grade) to feel success in school.  With the new state requirements that every student participate in the ELA, science and math tests, special education students are burdened by tests that they are not necessarily prepared for.  Unfortunately, this can leave a special education student feeling very discouraged.  As I teach these students instrumental music, they can feel great success and feel better about the school environment.

            As I look further into my future, I can see many different avenues that my life might take.  I feel that I would be perfectly happy remaining in my current teaching position as an elementary band director.  However, I may want to branch into field of music technology.  Within the next ten years, I also see the possibility of me earning a doctorate in education.  Another option would be going towards an administration certificate.  Although it is very important for me to remain in the classroom, an administration position might allow me to affect greater change in the musical development of my students.

            It is very important for everybody to have a long-term plan for the future.  I look forward to the ongoing development of my musical and educational career and to bringing musical education to my students.

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QCP 1, 5 KSD NYSSTEP ix INTASC 9

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