required music class
I can remember one class that I enrolled in college that was the bain of my existence. Ironically, the course was designed to be guiding force in people's lives, offering them self-improvement. The course's title was "Concert band performance." As I was majoring in Theater Arts, I was required to take classes that were aligned with this study in order to graduate with a degree in Theater Arts. The instructor did not like to engage with her students and did not wish to be bothered with simple concerns like questions from her students. Oh, the irony of a teacher who was supposed to be offer a self-improvement course yet was unable to help others to do so! After I finished the semester, I thought to myself, "I would have liked to have had a better agreement with Ms. Smith."
If my recollection is correct, I was required to take one music class; confusing, as I had skills in theater arts. I was on my way to Broadway! Ms. Smith was unaware of the fact that I was a theater arts student. She was assuming that I needed to improve my music skills by performing on stage. At the beginning of the semester, I found myself alone in the classroom, taking brief notes from my new instructor's lessons that she was giving. After I asked, "Where are all of the other students" she replied, "I don't have to worry about that" and all I need to have are good music reading skills." That entire semester, I was required to meet with Ms. Smith, who appeared military like, wearing an impeccable suit, standing tall and upright, with perfectly coiffed hair. Every day, she complained about my poor music skills and about her being tired of teaching music for many years. She also mentioned that she wanted to retire from teaching soon and to become a lawyer. I was thinking to myself, "When will this misery end?"
I was afraid of failing the class because I was not a musical performer and in addition, Ms. Smith's disposition towards me was not one of my liking. I decided to bring my own instruments, a keyboard and a Saxaphone, think Bill Clinton (!), to my performance. At the final performance, I performed flawlessly, playing both the keyboard the saxophone. Ms. Smith looked perfect as she was the main performer and once again ignored commenting on everyone's work. One of the students complained about Ms. Smith not following the descriptions of the course in the college curriculum and that we would benefit by discussing our concerns with the dean of music.
Even though I finished the course with a better than average grade, I wish that I would have better compliance with Ms. Smith. I did not o to see my classmates to have stage performances, I had to buy my own instruments and constantly hear an instructor negging about my work. Even though I heard many times that she wanted to be a lawyer, I wish I could have courage to say to her to become a preacher.
