Can each week be considered crazy?

I have to tell ya, this week has only seen three days. The first was catching my 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders up to see "Beethoven Lives Upstairs," but the second and third days were NUTS. They are classified as NUTS because my mentor teacher was absent both days. By the grace of God, Tuesday is the day that Ben is in for his teaching day and Wednesday a MIRACLE happened and we got a sub.

It was nice to have had 3rd through 5th prepared, which I taught both days. Ben taught K-2 yesterday, but I had them today. That meant that today, I taught for the first time ALL BY MYSELF for the entire day. I did not have K-2 prepared, which has to be one thing that I never, ever want to do again. Tracy's absence today was a surprise, so I didn't have much prepared at all. Again, I never, ever, want to be unprepared again.

K-2 was not horrible. It wasn't. Kindergarteners and 2nd Graders reviewed Lucy Locket, and we got to talk about crescendos and decrescendos with 2nd. 1st Graders had their work cut out for them because of the program. We worked on four out of the seven, but they knew everything but one. They were getting wild, and I could tell they were getting bored. I understand that we need to do program stuff, but what other teachable moments can be used so that they don't get bored? I don't know what I feel about programs now. It's great for a PRODUCT for admin, other teachers, and especially parents to come and see. On the other hand, what time is used up which could be valuable for getting them ready for 2nd Grade music?

3-5:
3rd: Argumentative. They do not like to share, and they really like to complain.
4th: Not bad. Not horrible. They actually listened and behaved very well.
5th: Wild, just after lunch. I had them get out their giggles and their energy at the beginning of class, then calmed them down for the movie. They went awesomely crazy with the instruments. It was funny, but I'm pretty sure if they had pushed on the drums just a LITTLE more, they would have broken at least one of the instruments. My discipline went out the window for that class until the end of class. Then again, I did give them permission to be a little crazy. After all, they became composers, just like Beethoven, and he was a crazy guy.

Whew. I'm starting up a new lesson for 3rd tomorrow. We'll see how that goes. I'd like to do an ostinato lesson, but it is still in the works. I am still able to adapt some of my old lessons from Dr. Sousa's Elementary Music Methods, but sooner or later, those will run out. I'd really like to keep them in reserve, but I have been having writer's block for the last two weeks. I hope I can come up with something interesting.