ABSTRACT
Adapting to a shifting and changing environment is not exclusive to urban schools, but somehow the unpredictability of flooded classrooms, loudspeaker interruptions, students coming and going (in terms of enrollment), administrative promises that fall through, or the death of a family member or child seems more frequent and severe in the urban school. For novice music teachers, just walking into an urban school can create culture shock. The school students may all be a different color; there are often security guards at the door; and, in some cases, the teachers may have to walk through a scanning device before heading off to their classrooms. One-on-one experience with a child or adolescent who attends an urban school can be very illuminating. Reichert notes that new teachers must distinguish between problems and dilemmas. Teachers may see the following behaviors from students: crying, withdrawal, anger, depression, inability to concentrate, somatic complaints, high-risk behaviors, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts.
