The Score After 2 Innings

I'm a little excited for baseball season - can ya tell?!

So I survived the first 2 days at the new job! I love it! Doing rehearsals, small group lessons, lesson plans, etc. has been so intuitive for me.  Being up on the podium (or down off the podium which I did a lot of today) is so easy and planning time has greatly decreased because this is my comfort zone.  I love having an office all to myself. I don't have to go outside the building all day. People know who I am. It's like a whole new world! I also really like how the instrumental music department is set up in this school. The old cafeteria was turned into the band room (we still have the lunch windows behind cabinets to prove it!) so it's large enough for part of the room to be set up for the orchestra and half for the band day.  There are two overhead projectors, 2 computers, 2 whiteboards. The schedule is such that the orchestra has rehearsals when the two band directors are either on prep or have pullout lessons, which occur in the spacious (not being sarcastic, it's huge) instrument storage room. It's nice to always have kids in the room; there are only 20 minutes in the entire day when none of the 3 teachers are scheduled for anything. While the 9th grade band director teaches his band classes, I pull out his brass and percussion kids from rehearsal to do group lessons/percussion ensemble. He teaches his woodwinds by taking them out of their other classes.  The opposite is true for the 8th graders - he takes my woodwinds and percussion and I pull out my 8th grade brass from their classes.  It works nicely and we're very lucky to be able to have it scheduled that way. 

similarities and differences

I realized that it's almost 1 year to the day since I started student teaching. When you student teach, it's important to establish a good rapport with the kids. You should try to become a part of the program yet still make your own decisions and make your own personal statement.  Because I am coming into this job after the students have already established a routine with their other director, I feel almost like I did when I was student teaching...except now I get the whole 40 minutes to myself and don't have to share with my cooperating teacher! Haha.  I'm still trying to get to know the kids - by name and attitude equally. 8th grade is rough. So far, my take on it is that they act like kingergarteners most of the time but view themselves as hot stuff.  I had a discussion with one of my bands yesterday that ended in me calling them "boys and girls" and saying that I hoped I wouldn't have to treat them like the little kids I used to teach.  That class was great today, but the class that gave me no management issues (well few issues) was super chatty.  I mean it's probably because this is the week before spring break and I'm new and they're moody, but I need to figure out a way to get them to respect me a little more and act a little less like children. An obvious difference between student teaching and real life right now is that it's all me in front of the class. Logistics for the concert, getting info to the kids, making sure that everything is set for my ensemble, parent emails/interaction? Me. Thankfully I can ask lots of questions of my colleagues and the fact we share the room is great.  It's still daunting though that I have to write an email to a parent tomorrow. Also attendance and grading are things that have a new level of protocol that I have never dealt with; kids don't cut kindergarten general music like they might do in band and I only did 1 report card for the little ones. 

checking in on real life

Full-time pay checks are great and my bank account and I are looking forward to the first one. My sleeping, gym-ing, and eating schedules are all wonky now - partially because my job report time is now 7:15 when before it was noon (lol), and partially because I'm just beginning the 4th of 5 musicals I'm playing this musical season and that makes me sleepy. But as I mentioned in a status last week, I really can't complain about being tired when I spend all day doing what I love (aka music and eating). Oh and my wedding is in 4 months and my man and I are looking for places to live starting in June. WOAH. Look forward to more posts more frequently since I'm really into what I'm doing now!

Endings and Beginnings

In my last post, I mentioned that I had some good news to share, so here it is - I will be starting a new job on Monday! My part-time elementary general music job was only a year long leave replacement, so when I saw there was a maternity leave position posted for one of the band directors at the junior high school in my district, I applied. I ran it past my supervisor first, because I knew that it would create a problem if I got the job and he had to hire for my position.  He okayed it, I interviewed and got the job! I'm super excited because band is what I've always wanted to do.  Also, my resume looks sweet because I have K-1 general music experience and 8th grade band experience (not to mention that my position has me teaching brass and percussion lessons and not woodwinds which looks great for me as a flute player).  The other great thing about working in my district is that it has a great reputation in the state for academics, athletics, and the arts so administrators have heard of it when they see it on a resume.  Alsoooooo, the full-time pay for the last few months of the school year makes my bank account smile. 

end

It was bitter-sweet to have my last day at the elementaries today.  I've been prepping my kids for the last day since last week when it was all official that the new job was going through, but I don't think it really hit them that I wasn't coming back until today.  One class gave me an adorable card. 

I hope the kids are good for the new teacher and they don't think I did a bad job with them... Eh, but I know that I taught them well, so it's fine. 

Looking back over my first teaching job (woah), I learned a lot. I thought I'd have more things to post about with more lessons I've learned along the way to document and share.  Clearly that wasn't the case, but nevertheless I learned a lot of tips I want to share, as evidenced by the series of bullet points below:

•  it's okay to feel like you have no idea what's going on because once the kids come in the room, your planning kicks into gear and it works itself out
• you have to stick up for yourself and your classes, especially when you don't have your own teaching space
• be proactive and work to find available spaces in the building where you can teach
• always present a problem and a possible solution at the same time to an administrator
• "I know that it's difficult to find space for all the traveling teachers, but I noticed that this room is open during 2nd period. Can I use it to teach my music class on Mondays?"
• it takes WAY longer to write general music plans (okay maybe this is just me personally) than to plan for a band rehearsal or group lesson
• in the beginning of the year, familiarize yourself with delayed opening, half-day, early dismissal schedules
• aka make sure you have one that matches across multiple schools if you travel
• ask all of the questions, even if you think it's dumb
• ex: How do you draw a quarter rest and time signatures in elementary general?

beginning

I have two concerts coming up shortly after I start my new junior high  job - one the week after spring break and one the week after that. I'm excited to jump right in and go! I spent the day at the school yesterday so I could see the whole day of classes, lessons, duties, and the after school jazz band rehearsal.  I also was able to hear 3 out of the 4 pieces that the 8th grade band will be performing on their concert so I can plan what I'm doing next week.  The schedule is such that I will see the students every day for band - split into 2 sections of 8th grade band - so it will give me a good amount of time to continue to work on the circle of 5ths, rep, technique, etc. 

future

I already got a call for an interview for a permanent position for next September. Things are going well. I foresee having more to blog about from now on! Woo!

Wisdom from a Convention

I've been having trouble picking things to write about. I haven't come up with anything revolutionary for the kindergarten and first grade general music class, I don't have huge issues that I feel like I need to write about. I guess my job isn't all that interesting at the moment.  However, I recently went to the New Jersey Music Educators Association Convention and I jotted down a couple things I thought were worthy of posting.  Conventions are great because you get to do great networking, you can go to sessions that make you realize what you're doing right, and some sessions make you see what you should be doing.  

I want to focus on 3 aspects of my teaching that I found out I'm doing right and how I learned to tweak it a little bit for maximum effect.  

• it's important to have a game (even if it's not really a game but a movement exercise you say is a game)
• Learned to: give kids 5-9 seconds after playing each round of a game to laugh/talk/move before getting their attention back because the behavior problems don't happen in that in between time - they happen if that's your whole class
• I used to: get their attention and keep it quiet between rounds

• use time-saving assessment strategies
• Learned to: use call and response to assess if students are matching pitch, keeping a steady beat, playing instrument properly, etc
• Learned that: using checklists of yes/no options are valid assessments and are very quick
• I used to: overthink my assessments and worry that when I collected data in the above styles that it wasn't a valid method

• it's okay to use the same song/game/listening example week after week and year after year
• Learned to: introduce a song/game/listening example briefly one class and continue to expand upon it in the next few classes
• have students dance around the room to a piece one week, sit and listen while answering 2 questions the next, follow and active listening chart the next
• I used to: teach a game/concept/song in the same class then return to the game for fun over the next few classes or later in the year as an extra treat instead of continuing to teach using that song
• Learned to: teach aspects of a song in lower grades then expand on that from year to year because students don't get bored of things each year - they actually enjoy the familiarity of the songs and can reminisce year to year
• K) pat steady beat while listening 1) come up with a dance in small groups 2)  compose and write out a rhythmic ostinato to go with the song 3) write a story about/discuss mood 4) read and count rhythm of the melody 
• I used to: avoid using songs/listening examples in lower grades that are traditionally used in higher grades because I didn't want to step on the toes of the other teachers and so they wouldn't be bored of the songs

I hope that these main three things can help you think about your teaching as much as they did mine. Look forward to another post with some exciting news later this week!!

But All You Need is Faith...

...and hope will bring a brighter day. 
And every time you love
Let it lift someone else up." - Mae 

The above quote is from a song by one of my favorite bands, Mae.  It sums up something I've been thinking about a lot - faith.  Yes, faith is something we hear about a lot in a religious context, but it was a theme in the Presidential Inauguration and it has been on my mind in terms of faith in myself.  In most of my posts, I have been focused on reflecting on my specific situation as a music teacher in hopes of reaching out to others in my position or people who are embarking on a life as a music teacher.  In this post, the theme of faith is something that we all as humans can look to to help improve our outlook (robots/computers/non-humans need not continue reading).

If you went to college at any point and for any amount of time, realize that you were accepted because that institution had faith that you would continue the hard work you put in during high school.  If you were ever hired for a job, realize that you were hired because the employer saw something special in you and had faith that you would be able to fulfill the duties of the position.  When you were a child, the person that potty trained you believed that you would remember how to use indoor plumbing and had faith you would take this next step to growing up. Okay, that last one wasn't the best example, so let's go back to the second point - that you were hired because the employer saw something special in you and had faith you would be able to fulfill the duties of the position. 

It's hard when you aren't in your dream job - or maybe not in anything close to the dream job - to feel great about your work performance.  When any kind of doubt kicks in because of deadlines or because of trying to live up to the expectations of the position, it can bring down not only your mood but bring down those you work with.  If you continue to think about keeping the faith, treating the job as though you love it (even though you really might not!) and love the people you work with, it makes life a lot more enjoyable.  Not many people stay in one job forever so don't look at each day with dread but with faith that each and every work experience will add to either a) your hilarious "you can't make this stuff up" stories b) the thickness of your skin or c) the chances you'll get that job you really want in the future.  Choose your own adventure, my friends. But remember to keep the faith that you do have skills, that you will get a great job down the line, and maybe what looks bleak today will turn out to be great in the end! 

I hope that I remember the wise words of this post later...

Remember Me? and other questions

hello world. 

I know, long time no post. Like my friend Dana, I've tried to post meaningful things for the last month and a half but I haven't really felt like there was anything of importance.  And being that I like to analyze things in my life, the fact that I haven't wanted to post anything is something to post about. Let me explain.

Teaching kindergarten and 1st grade general music, it's hard to feel like anything I'm doing is groundbreaking, interesting, or worth telling my loyal readers about.  Not that what I'm doing isn't worthwhile or that I'm not into it, but it's just not something to record for all time on this blog.  I think what this stems from is the fact that this is just a stepping stone in my career as a music educator.  I know that I won't be in this district next year (unless something extraordinary happens) because I'm looking for a full time instrumental job and as of right now there aren't any anticipated openings.  I would assume that most educators, like me, want to put their stamp on things and make a lasting difference wherever they are working, but I don't feel like I can do that in my current situation.  

curriculum 

During the original research project that Dana, Devon, and I did, we all grappled with curriculum issues; one of us had difficulties because there was no curriculum and I didn't like the book that the curriculum required me to use. Fast-forward to now and I have a curriculum that I really really have to follow.  Being that my class is the first music class these students have in this district, I need to make sure what I'm teaching aligns with the curriculum so that next year they will be on the right track with whatever teacher they have.  One thing I brought up in a department meeting was that the new kindergarten curriculum (since this is the first year of full day kindergarten, thus the first year of kindergarten music, art, and physical education) is pretty close to the 1st grade curriculum.  For example, both grades need to be able to sing and identify sol and mi.  It's hard to know how far my kindergarteners will go until I continue to assess them.  Will they be able to do what the 1st graders can in terms of sol and mi identification? If they do, won't that mess up the 2nd grade curriculum because these students will be more advanced? Will that end up inflating grades and have all students end up being above grade-level (not that it's bad to have high achieving music students, but we want the curriculum to push the students, right)?  I brought up these questions at a department meeting and no one knew the answer because we all have the same thoughts.  It's just interesting that in real life teaching in a large and successful district, when I thought that teaching within the curriculum would be super easy, it has made me question long-term goals for these students...in a district I won't be teaching long-term...which brings us back to the issue of me feeling like I'm not leaving a lasting mark. Mid-year malaise? I don't know.

on deck

Sorry for that baseball reference - it's just now that the Giants are out, I'm counting down until my next sports disappointment, my beloved NY Mets.  Because we lost days for Sandy, our district has school straight through January 2nd and March 23rd.  No. Days. Off. Needless to say, lots of us teachers will be taking personal and sick days to alleviate the discomfort of that much school. For me, I'll definitely be taking off a few days to go to my state music education conference and for the NAfME All-Eastern conference.  One thing I really liked from one of my instrumental pedagogy classes was the idea of a unit study.  It makes lesson planning easier when it's in big chunks based upon the same idea.  I just finished one that I used for all of December on The Nutcracker.  The kids danced to, drew, listened to, critiqued, compared and contrasted, and watched performances of parts of The Nutcracker.  It hit lots of national standards and was fun for them to learn little by little.  Maybe I like it because it's like watching the next episode in a series - "tune in next class for the dramatic conclusion of the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy!". But anyway, to get myself through this next long haul, I will most likely be doing a unit on Peter and the Wolf. I know I'll definitely do it for 1st grade, but I have to think about how I'll do it with the little ones. 

Well world,  I feel better having this all down on...paper screen. Happy New Year!! I promise to post more regularly from now on. Let's call it a resolution.

We're Baaaack!

the "first" week back

We are gladly back in school after missing 9 school days! I missed 10 days actually because I had plans to go up to Boston to shop for a wedding dress.  We were supposed to (as in before the hurricane) not have school on Nov. 8-9 for the teacher convention in Atlantic City, which was damaged during the storm.  Because of the devastation of Sandy, the convention was cancelled and schools were in session.  Since we had already made the hotel reservation and I booked an appointment at this bridal boutique, we went up anyway and I took the day off. So on Monday, it was my first time seeing the kids in 2 full weeks. Also, the week before the hurricane our district had half days for parent-teacher conferences. Having not seen the kids for full days/at all in a while, it was like the first week all over again! Some of the classes surprised me with how well they behaved - maybe it was that surprise and excitement factor that had them behaving so well in the first couple classes? For other classes, they were more out of control.  The kindergarteners were the ones I thought I'd have problems with, but it was actually one first grade that was the most shockingly annoying.  

the best laid plans, yadda yadda

I had a wonderful plan to do a fun composition on the Smart Board as a big summative assessment for steady beat, high and low (sol and mi really but we just call it high and low right now), and showing contour.  This was supposed to happen after we did all of our spooky songs for Halloween, but then we didn't have school so I shifted things around.  It's all about being flexible. Now I have to come up with another summative assessment project but that will be a good way to end out the calendar year.  I don't give out grades for my students every marking period - just 2nd and 4th.  It gives me time to be able to set a good foundation, get to know them, and give a more complete and accurate grade for each student. 

halloween

I wasn't planning on doing a lot of baltantly-Halloween-themed songs; the only song I did that said the word Halloween was a cute little ditty called "What Will You be for Halloween". I added in between repetitions a place for the kids to come up and sing to the class what they were going to be using sol and mi.  One little kindergartener came up when it was his turn to sing to the class and said that he doesn't celebrate Halloween. I did not anticipate this, especially because I had done this song with 6 other classes before theirs.  This boy handled it like a champ, though. I asked him if he would sing the name of his favorite cartoon character and he smiled and sang "Spiderman".  I was very proud of his reaction! He didn't melt down or make a scene.  A few days later when I was leaving the building, he yelled my name and waved with a big smile (he's a huge fan of mine, nbd).  His mother walked over and said very nicely how her son told her that we did a Halloween song.  She wanted me to know that her family does not celebrate Halloween and to not require her son to sing those songs. I let her know that her son handled it so well and how this was going to be the only song we did specifically about Halloween.  I assured her that her little boy was a wonderful student and acted very maturely in a situation that could have been iffy.  That made her smile and helped comfort her fears.  I have to make sure before I do any winter songs that there are no other issues, but this kid is a joy!

November has flown by. Next time I post, I'm sure it'll be about my favorite turkey tunes!
Happy Thanksgiving in advance in case my next post doesn't occur before the day of turkeys.

Sandy

Today is the seventh school day that my district has been out due to the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.  I think everyone knew that this "superstorm" had the potential to bring heavy damage to our state and the eastern seaboard in general, but it's really overwhelming to see exactly what the storm brought.  In these difficult times, I think about my students and how they're coping.  My kindergarteners and first graders are young and probably don't fully understand what happened, but children can pick up on stress in the home and can understand from the tone of voice of the adults around them that something is wrong.  A lot of the district where I teach is still out of power.  The lasting damages of Sandy in my area were caused by all of the trees that fell.  I took a walk around my town on Wednesday (the storm made landfall on Monday night) and there were 100something year old trees that just uprooted.  There wasn't as much rain with this storm as there was with Hurricane Irene but the intense winds were what damaged these old, amazing trees. A large portion of my district is still without power.  It's a very sad situation because it's getting to be pretty cold at night - last night went down below 30 - and without heat it's obviously not easy to be comfortable.  

My finance's parents have a house down the shore on one of the barrier islands.  The ocean and the bay met on every barrier island (meaning the whole island had water on the ground at a point during the storm).  Check out these before and after interactive photos.  The one of Mantoloking is really breathtaking. Look closely and you'll see that there is a new inlet between the bay and the Atlantic there that wasn't there before.  I've driven down those roads that no longer exist hundreds of times. We haven't been able to get down to the beach house to look at any possible damages because there is sand all over the roads, sinkholes in the towns, no power on the island, and houses in the middle of the roads.  The town is slowly letting citizens back to the island, starting by bussing in 90 full-time residents and eventually letting everyone back to check their homes, recover what they can, and winterize the homes since there is no heat.  I am cautiously looking forward to when we are allowed to go back to the house because it means that we can start to recover.  We are so happy that the house is still there because it could have been so much worse.  In the next town over, Ortley Beach, is being called the "ground zero" for damage in this area.  All of these interactive photos are from the island where the house is. 

Despite the difficulties that the shore is facing, we all must be thankful for certain things.  NJ is a strong and resilient state.  The cleanup and rebuilding have begun already and people have been donating their time and energy to help others.  One of the most inspiring things that happened after the storm was a small gesture by a church down the shore.  My cousin Amanda got married the Saturday after the storm hit.  Her house, the church, and the reception hall were all without power.  I was the cantor for the mass and used everything I ever learned about breath support to make sure people could hear me! But more importantly, the ceremony was beautiful.  It was a little chilly...but absolutely beautiful.  The reception had to be postponed to next year and we were expecting to go to the church hall for cake (not the real wedding cake but a sheet cake), but when we all walked in, there were appetizers, drinks, hot food, a dessert table, and a someone with battery-powered iPod speakers.  It was a complete surprise to everyone.  It made the day even more special.  Those small gestures are something that will get everyone through the tough times.  

I look forward to seeing my students again and pray that they will recover from this disaster.