Music Teachers Having Difficulty Organizing Weekday Lessons

By: Jessica Huang, Jane Park, Athena Wang, Catherine Wu

Students aren’t the only ones suffering from the rigorous new spring schedule—due to most students’ lack of free formats during the school day, private music instructors, most of whom work part-time at the Academy, have been struggling to schedule lessons with their students.

Many music teachers feel that the new spring term schedule has made scheduling private music lessons a challenge.

Saxophone Instructor Charles Jennison attributed scheduling difficulties to the academic schedule’s lack of consistency with its two-week cycle. “Any schedule that doesn't repeat itself each week presents unique challenges to arranging extra-curricular activities such as music lessons. When times and places differ from week to week, confusion is bound to occur,” Jennison said.

Trumpet Instructor Beverly Perriccio agreed. “I liked last term’s [schedule] better than this term. I felt that there was a little bit more flexibility because when you have weeks that flip-flop, that can be a problem,” Perriccio said. “I've really had to scramble a bit for a couple of the students to find a spot for them because they don't have a lot of frees. And when I put them in a slot, if for some reason the schedule changes at the drop of a hat, for some teachers that's really been a problem.”

Many music teachers have had to work around their student’s academic class schedule and athletic practices.

Piano Instructor Lodowick Crofoot described the ways he has had to adapt to the new schedule. “My strategy for scheduling spring term one-on-one piano lessons has been: avoid all conflict with academic classes by scheduling lessons only Fridays after the 3:30 p.m. end of classes, then all day and evening Saturdays and Sundays up until 10 p.m. Even with all this apparent open time there are many conflicts with sports and club meetings, but this works better than trying to work around the confusing and sometimes changing Monday-Friday schedules,” Crofoot said.

Piano Instructor Jon Sakata emphasized the challenging nature of this term’s unique schedule. “For the first time in 27 years at the Academy, I've had to schedule lessons on Saturdays. A number of students do not have free blocks during the morning and early afternoon, resulting in a glut of students with the same frees later on,” Sakata said. “What has been particularly challenging is scheduling students who are either on team sports or dancing, due to the shifting practice and rehearsal times between Weeks 1 and 2.”

“Having to teach on weekdays and weekends certainly has had an impact on my mental 'freshness': being in a state of perpetual teaching mode has its wear. Teaching online, rather than having to come on to campus, has helped to mitigate the challenge somewhat,” Sakata added.

Voice Instructor Jean Strazdes also mentioned the extra impact of COVID-19. “It is hard to differentiate between the Spring Schedule and the pandemic, as to the mental implications—it is draining,” Strazdes said.

Piano Instructor Barbara O’Brien agreed. “​I am mentally tired but I credit that to COVID-19 generally. I know my students are bone tired and I feel for them. I also feel for the people who are responsible for creating a safe schedule in the first place; keeping their exhaustion in mind is important too,” O’Brien said.

With the minor changes to the spring term schedule to accommodate longer lunch times, some music lessons have been cut by five to 10 minutes. Cello Instructor Velleda Miragias sympathized with her students. “Somehow the extra five to 10 minutes didn’t affect my schedule that much, but I was on the other hand very distressed to hear how stressed a lot of the students were by having classes back to back with little time in between to walk where they needed to and mostly barely enough time for a lunch break, waiting 20 minutes in line already,” Mirgias said.

“Being from a French culture, meal time is sacred and breaks are vital in order to work well. So I was mostly glad Exeter made the necessary adjustments to accommodate a better and healthier schedule for the students,” Miragias added.

Perriccio mentioned the difficulty of scheduling lessons around shifting sports schedules. “When I have students that are involved in a sport, and then the schedule changes right away, I might not have a spot for that student,” Perriccio said. “So, you know, when these [sports] schedules are hard to find, they're not published in a spot where everybody can find them, and we have to fend for ourselves, it makes it difficult for us to schedule because our lessons need to start at the same time as the academic classes.”

Fluctuating sports schedules have also affected Piano Instructor Jung Mi Lee’s students. “My students who are doing team sports and have their classes until F block are put into the very taxing condition of having to do their homework and practice the piano in the evening, after being mentally and physically spent,” Lee said. “Personally, my students have expressed how immensely challenging this front-loaded schedule is for them. Being creative takes so much thought, sensitivity, energy.”

Crofoot added that the confusing music building open hours take away from valuable lesson time. “Students are locked out of the Music Center until noon on weekends. I can work in a few earlier lessons with day students, one remote student, and two students with isolated piano rooms in their dorms. The worst weekend problem stems from locked practice rooms and building monitors not always to be found to unlock them. Department Chair Mr. Johnson and Department Administrator Ms. Darby have been doing their utmost to remedy such frustrations and put an end to lost or truncated lessons,” Crofoot said.

Many students felt like the new schedule made it difficult to arrange for lessons. Prep Addie Vining said, “It has created a bit of a feeling of not quite having enough time and being rushing around a little bit.”

Lower Nat Kpodonu felt similarly. “It makes it almost impossible to find time to put a lesson in, especially since most of us use our frees to do homework [and] relax,” Kpodonu said.

People also feel these changes are an indication of how the Academy prioritizes the Music Department.

Sakata appreciated the Academy’s increasing support for the community’s involvement in music, but hoped that it would be seen more as an integral part of an individual. “I deeply appreciate how the academy supports, fosters, upholds music: to evolve its standing as not an extra-curricular but an integral part of a student's holistic growth. I feel that the Academy has begun to see just how valuable and intensely impactful it is for a student to be able to learn and explore in a classroom-size of ONE over multiple years,” Sakata said. “The current schedule—which opportunes time for lessons largely 'after' classes are done (and in my case with weekend teaching, after the workweek for others is done)—seems to be tilted toward an extracurricular view of music rather than an integral, holistic one.”

Strazdes acknowledged that the Academy’s efforts to allow in-person meetings have played an important role for students participating in music. “I do think the Academy values music/extracurriculars, and the administration realizes that one to one contact with students is essential during these isolated times. As for scheduling, we are not consulted in the process and this leaves us grappling for quality times to schedule lessons,” Strazdes said.

Prep Advay Nomula advocated for the Music Department and Athletics Department. “Personally, I don’t think the Academy is paying attention to music or athletics. Athletics happen to get the point across and do things for themselves easier, but it’s hard for the music department to be heard. This needs to change, since I believe they are all, including academics, equally important,” Nomula said.

Vining agreed. “I think it shows they prioritize making time for sports over making time for music. I think that they assumed that people would probably be able to meet during their one very short, free period. However, that is clearly not the case. And I was hoping to see some change that reflected this when they changed the schedule last week, but nothing happened,” Vining said.

O’Brien emphasized that it was necessary for the Academy to prioritize COVID protocols over lesson scheduling to ensure the health and safety of the community. “The creators of the schedule had to prioritize health and safety above all else, which I'm sure pained them at several points. If there is a perfect solution, I sure don't have it. I'm grateful for everyone who is focused on keeping us all safe,” O’Brien said. “I'm very impressed by the goodwill of my students; they carry exhaustion but gratitude as well. How does the new schedule reflect that (PEA's valuing music/extracurriculars)? The schedule challenges do not demonstrate a devaluing of music or extracurriculars, only a best effort to keep us all safe.”

Lee noted that scheduling times for personal musical practice has been difficult for many students. “I know that many students have been having weeks that feel hellish, where they don’t even have time to work on all the things that are being assigned, let alone for creative work and play,” Lee said.

In spite of COVID-related difficulties, Jennison praised the Academy’s comprehensive music offerings. “Over the past few years I have felt that the adjunct music faculty has been included more thoroughly in substantive discussions of the problems we collectively face in teaching at an institution such as Exeter,” Jennison said. “There are many advantages to being here as contrasted to a public institution, and we have not only been able to utilize those resources, we have also been called upon to contribute our own experiences in shaping a more inclusive and diverse musical environment.”

Symphonia Director Paola Caballero noted the privilege to even have the opportunity to go forth with in-person rehearsals. “I come from a very different perspective that we are incredibly privileged and the students are very deserving of this though, of course, that we get to do this in person,” Caballero said.

Jennison suggested that the Academy find ways to make the schedule more regular to support scheduling. “I feel that the Academy is doing its best to offer a wide range of activities outside of academic requirements, but I would like to suggest that the schedulers exercise caution to keep the schedule consistent and as simple as possible when considering which choices to offer,” Jennison said.

Miragias shared similar thoughts. “I do hope the scheduling team can foresee those changes sooner in the future and implement what’s needed directly in an ideal situation but there was no easy way to transition from remote/hybrid to in person without bumps on the road,” Miragias said.

Many instructors expressed gratitude for Music Program Administrator Barbara Darby and Kristofer Johnson for their support in lesson scheduling. “I have nothing but praise for the Music Department for handling all problems that have arisen professionally and efficiently,” Jennison said. “It has definitely meant extra work for the department chair, the other full time teachers, and the music coordinator, Mrs. Darby, but they have maintained a positive attitude and persisted in working out complex issues of protocols and room assignments.”

Crofoot praised Darby’s and Johnson’s efforts to support the music program, despite the many circumstances surrounding COVID safety. “Regardless of frustrations noted, I have tremendous admiration and gratitude for how well our administrative leaders have planned for and dealt with such a multitude of crucial matters,” Crofoot said. “They have enabled everyone at Exeter to work, study, learn, teach, and stay well physically and mentally through our worst public health crisis since the flu pandemic of 1918-19.”

O’Brien added that both the Music Department and students’ supportive attitudes have been crucial to the music program. “Ms. Darby, our music department administrator, has been incredible; her communication and thoughtful diligence have been a tremendous help. And Mr. Johnson, our department chairperson, has been encouraging, understanding and given us loads of support. He is a great advocate and liaison for us, helping us stay connected to the larger community,” O’Brien said. “The students have been more than gracious during my process of finding a suitable lesson time for everyone. They have been understanding, flexible where possible, responsive and oh so patient.”

As the final weeks of the term roll around, teachers and adjunct faculty of the Music Department praised students for their dedication. “You always strive for excellence and you are given the very best opportunities by performing the way that we are and having orchestra and chamber music in person,” Caballero said.