Life as an Elementary School Music Teacher

Clarissa Rochelle
Jan 1, 2019
2 min read

Updated: Dec 17, 2025

So here's what I have been busy with lately....I work part-time as a K-8th grade music teacher in a remote area of Montana, and have done so for four years. I also incorporate a little theatre and dance into it. I love it! Very fun and rewarding. Small class size makes it less overwhelming and more personable. It's very laid back. Flexible hours and curriculum, and excellent pay too. I'm able to be at home with my kids most of the time, which is important to me--while also enjoying a break and outlet for me, once a week. And then I usually teach three days a week in November and December in preparation for the Christmas program, each school year. That's when it gets a little more stressful.

This video is a little montage of all the mini-musicals I have directed--"Starry Night, Noisy Night," "Once on a Housetop/December in Our Town." "The Nutcracker Suite," and just a couple weeks ago, we did "A Snow White Christmas." Lots of fun!

K-8th Grade School Christmas Programs 2014-2018

After two school years, I moved away for a year, to be closer to my family, while my husband was deployed overseas. At that time I thought it was goodbye, but we moved back, and I ended up teaching for 2 more years! Each of my students made me a card. I had to pry a couple of the kids off me when giving group hugs, because they didn't want me to leave. It was super sweet and I felt so loved.

I also enjoy putting on little summer camps for kids, which, in the small town I live, there aren't very many extra-curricular activities and resources available. So it makes it extra rewarding because the parents are very appreciative, and the kids get super excited. It's also a fun way to earn a little extra cash. A few years ago I taught a bi-weekly Jazz/Ballet combo class for 6 weeks, with a casual recital at the end for parents.

And then this past summer I did a 4-day "Broadway Bootcamp," which included a music, theatre, and dance class (and then the last day we put it all together and welcomed parents to watch what their children learned).