Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1208082
to music education. "We're teaching them how to handle things in life." Creating curriculum is another particularly challenging piece for music teachers. Flanzbaum says she teaches band, orchestra and gen- eral music, and not once has she ever had curriculum handed to her. Instead, she pulls plans from the Teachers Pay Teachers website, or looks at national standards and builds her own lessons. Willert says he develops new curriculum every year, complete with selecting new songs to learn for seven major shows with his show choir. Bartell says it is common for music curriculum to vary from district to district because every educator addresses the standards differently. "Since music is not tested, it's not given the level of importance from administration," she says. Sharing the joy of music is a labor of love, says Flanzbaum, and even with the frenzied schedule, long hours and seemingly uphill climb at every turn, she wouldn't trade it for the world. "I love this exhausted!" she says. "I know what music means to my students, and I'm so proud to be able to create this space for them." For more information on Music in Our Schools Month and for ideas on how to support school music, visit the National Association for Music Education at nafme.org. " My school is 51 years old, and we have instruments that are just as old. We've had the same piano for 51 years." — Jim Hahn, Association of Placentia-Linda Educators Fundraising is a necessity for music educators who make the best of old and worn instruments, like Flanzbaum's broken timpani. Glenda Bartell recommends working through school districts' LCAP process to make music education a priority for students. 35 F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 2 0