Almost there...but with a job

After searching and searching, I have (finally) gotten a job. I decided to stay in the area that I grew up in so that I could live with my family. I now work at my old junior high, (West Wilson Middle), with the CDC (disabled) kids as an educational assistant. I LOVE IT. Stories to come...

New Beginnings...and I'm already in for it!

I have been at Karns Middle School for the past month with Kami Lunsford as my main mentor teacher, but again, another general/choral teacher who co-teaches with her has also taken me under her wing (Terri King)! I'm so excited to be working with both of these awesome teachers. They have already taught me so much! I have summaries of my first few weeks already...more to come!

This past week, I took over the 8th Grade General Music class, which has been COMPLETELY different from the elementary school music classes I was teaching. The kids just LOOK at me, and it's hard to get them motivated. The time of day (as in, the second-to-last period) has to play a big part in the whole thing. These kids are also the ones who don't really want to be involved in the arts. They didn't choose band, orchestra, choir, or art...and usually, they go to PE right after our class. This class is somewhat of a dumping ground for the un-interested. My job is to GET them interested. They are only in class for 9 weeks, and I've been observing them for the first two or three (until I got to take over.) I also have been doing a research project on one child who has autism who is present in the class. I did my research during my observing time...but now that I'm teaching, I honestly have no idea on how to reach him. I feel like I need more training!

The week before that, I took over both 6th Grade choirs (Women's and Mixed)! It has been an adventure. I'm getting my discipline footing down, and I'm teaching them a couple of songs for their concert at the beginning of May. It's been fun so far, and I'm learning how to get my timing down. It's not perfect, but I think I'm improving each day.

On a side note, as I'm planning and preparing for classes, I'm also applying for jobs and trying to figure out how I'll survive for next year. I'm just hoping that I get hired SOMEWHERE.

Until next time...

Last week: THEY ARE ALL CRAZY WEEKS!

Summarize what I did last week! To be determined...as to what this says!

This was my first "official" week of teaching K-4 (though I have already taught several days off and on K-4 or even K-5.) It was admittedly a difficult week.

V-day Night--Choir Galore!

I am sitting in the Amhurst Elementary gym with the most entertaining, fun, yet stern, teacher ever for me to see as an elementary choir director. Wow. The kids know who’s boss but also want to keep coming to create really cool music! I have heard modal/minor warm-ups, English, and even German...and Swahili?! There are three parts to this treble choir, and they are pretty darn on-key and in-tune. How many songs have they sung? LIKE FIVE?! We still have fifteen minutes to this thing!

I’m just amazed at how well the director knows her stuff. I’ll bet she has to prepare for these elementary choral pieces just as much as a high school choir director has to. I am so impressed.

I can tell she’s a Kodaly person. Tracy had told me that she was, and that’s just—well—wonderful. They have very good musical ownership. They practice outside of choir—which has to be essential, since they only meet once a week. I’m so excited for them! I can’t wait to hear what this choir does, and what the choristers wind up doing with their lives. I guess that’s the beauty of being a “choirmaster.” You get to watch kids grow and become real people.

Okay, just as an ending note, there are five more minutes to rehearsal. Edie has just asked the students to take out their seventh piece. Wow. They even started ten minutes late. This is awesome. I want to be a music teacher when I grow up.

V-Day Valentiine (No longer SAD.)

Today was a wonderful, sugar-y day. The different parts that were crazy, though, were brand-new lessons for Kindies and 3rd Graders. Kindies were good—not stellar, but still good. 3rd Graders just got back from lunch, and HOLY COW—they were not attentive and VERY MUCH SO on sugar highs. One class (out of the two, since today is Monday Madness with two classes per music period) had not done Beethoven Part II. So I didn’t get to do my V-Day lesson on love! NOT FAIR! Tracy said, “Yep, that’s the problem with the schedule. It’s a toss-up and easy to miss classes.”

From now on, I am teaching all grades but 2nd and 5th, and when I do solo-week, Tracy would like to keep 5th Grade. I hope I get to do some, but the Beethoven/rap Orff lessons have given me some experience with 5th Graders. Yaaaay.

Note to self: Stop mouthing for the 1st Graders during their program songs. That was something that came up in seminar today. I think it’s a great idea. Dr. Moore said during seminar today, “Even 1st Graders can have ownership of their music.”

Crazy Week II Synopsis

Crazy week. It was a crazy week of taking many, many, many classes to teach. I was ready to lay over the xylophones and fall right to sleep. Oh. Dear.
I am always teaching 1st now. Really. Really?! I’m just glad that Tracy trusts me with the 1st Graders. I am so glad to have actually been able to get the movements right, and Tracy lets me make mistakes. I am learning so much from her. It’s unreal. I didn’t have to teach Kindergarteners, but I did have to teach them once when Tracy was out due to sickness. I have enjoyed doing mini-lessons for Kindies (Kindergarteners) and 2nd Grade, but I haven’t done a full lesson for either since the infamous Kindie High and Low lesson.
The craziest thing happened. I ran out of students to teach Beethoven Part II. I had to come up with an entirely new lesson, but it was okay. I just furthered the lesson by doing a rhyme/poem/rap Orff lesson that tied on to the rhythmic portion of Beethoven Part II. It was hilarious. I got them to sound like M.C. Hammer. Oh. Dear. Again. (Only this time, it is a positive one!) This lesson added in ostinati (spoken, body percussion, and percussive instruments—non-pitched.) I’d like to build on the lesson with Orff instruments, but I think that Tracy would rather me move on to a new lesson…? (or just modify my melody to make it simpler.)

Thursday toast

I was a little overwhelmed today.

A little.

It wasn't that bad. In comparison to yesterday, this wasn't so bad. I didn't teach kindergarten, and I didn't teach 2nd Grade. I did the same lesson (again) for 3rd through 5th Grade, and I taught the program songs for 1st Grade.

By the last period of the day, though, I was toast. Thursday toast. It's that time that your body says, "It is Friday, and I am ready to take a nap instead of go to lunch." I eat lunch with the Principal and VPs of our school. Oh, where's Sheridan? That student-teacher who really liked our Valentines Day chocolate? Oh, yes, she is conked out over on the xylophones. Let's fire her. (If that was true, I'd be in quite a position. Bad news, Bob. Sheridan has been fired from her student-teaching. She's not even being paid for that, right?)

Solution: Sheridan, you need sleep tonight.

New proposition--Sheridan, it's time to start taking over most of the classes. Let's try a new lesson for each grade.

Oh.
Dear.