The practice of telling stories is an integral part of the historical, cultural, and social fabric of societies around the world (Ripani, 2022). Teachers have been telling stories over the years with increased frequency and the value of story has become a dominant focus of educational research (Carter, 1993). In that some teachers often undergo what researchers refer to as praxis shock and find themselves unprepared for the realities of teaching (Ballantyne, 2007), it is critical that they have the opportunity to share their experiences. This study examined the stories of music teachers regarding their experiences in public school music programs. The following questions were examined:1. Which factors do school music teachers attribute to why they chose music teaching as a profession?2. Which aspects of their work are school music teachers most proud?3. Which aspects of their work do school music teachers find most challenging?In this narrative inquiry, in-person and online interviews were conducted with forty public school music teachers residing in seven U.S. states. Teachers were asked to share their stories about teaching with respect to why they chose music teaching as a career, which parts of their work were they most proud, and which parts of their work did they find most challenging. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for emergent themes.School music teaching as a profession was chosen for a variety of reasons. Some music teachers felt that they had an inclination to teach. Some were inspired by an exemplary teacher. Some always enjoyed music performance and felt that music teaching was a good fit. Some of the most challenging aspects of their work included balancing family life with demands of teaching, budget constraints, and poor parental support. Some of their proudest moments included showcasing students, observing students overcome musical challenges, and seeing students excel in music. This study explored stories told by school music teachers with the aim of gaining a better understanding of how they viewed their teaching experiences and themselves. Regardless of challenges faced, teachers tended to show great resilience and remained committed to the profession. By understanding how teachers perceive their work through the stories they tell, music teacher education programs may be able to better prepare teachers to navigate successfully through their careers and lessen the chances of them leaving the profession.