Name 
Alice Burnette
School & School System Where You Work
New Dimensions Public Charter School, Burke County Schools
Number of Years Teaching
14
Teaching Area(s)
Chorus, Elementary
Grade Level
Elementary, Middle School
What do you love most about teaching music?
I love to see the students get excited when they learn new concepts and new songs.
Who inspired you to be a music educator and how did they inspire you?
My dad instilled in me from a very young age the love for music. I have known my whole life I wanted to work in Music someway somehow. I had amazing band and chorus teachers in middle school and high school and fantastic professors at UNC Asheville. All of them inspired me to do what I do.
What did you need the most when you started teaching?
I needed everything! I literally started from the ground up when I started at NDS. Everything I had as a music teacher fit in a small cardboard box. I had never taught and I had to figure everything out for myself from how to write lesson plans to grading.
Describe the biggest challenge to teaching music education and how you have worked to overcome this challenge?
The biggest challenge is time; not having enough of it. I have overcome that by finding ways that are fun and interactive to teach the lesson.
How do you advocate for your program?
We do concerts. We do programs to let parents see what these kids are doing and learning.
What is one piece of advice you would give to beginning teachers?
Learn how to build relationships with your students.
How do you build relationships with students and parents?
I try to take time to find something the student is interested in, even if it’s not music.