Live- My wife is sick.
I don't like it.
I don't like it because there's still a bunch of stuff that she has to do that no one else can. I want to be able to take care of her and let her rest, but all the stuff she has to do, I can't do.
Things like...grading...watching the kids when I'm at work...breast feeding...
The kids got to do something really nice for her today though. They gave her a present. Sleep.
Today was probably the first time they have ever slept in in the morning. They made it until about 8:00am!
It was the first time that I've left for work and both kids have been sleeping.
I was really glad to see teachergirl in bed when I left. I know she hasn't slept well in about 2 years.
She deserved the almost 4 hours in a row.
Love- We recently had two teacher work days at work...because...where else do you have those?
The first one, I used to the fullest. I planned for approximately 7 hours. Not bad if I do say so myself.
Granted, I am a music teacher. So some of my planning was learning how to play Hava Nagila on the guitar and how to dance the Bele Kawe...But still, 7 hours is pretty good.
The thing I loved really happened in the second day. I got to actually play my instrument. I played the trombone and it was really good.
I love when you haven't played in a while and when you pick up the instrument, the slide doesn't need grease. I love it how the tone slowly gets more clear and mellow...how the lip slurs become more smooth and how, after you've made the best music you have in a long time, your top lip is swollen and you have a brass hickey.
One thing I really liked was learning a Cannonic Sonata from one of my books. I really liked it. I don't know why I liked it more this time than the other times I tried to read it...
It's probably a combination of me not hearing good musical music in a while and me actually trying.
Make Music- The music I have been listening to has mostly been at school...and in prep for the fifth grade performance coming next week! AHHH.
I was really worried this week until the full rehearsal we did today.
They sounded really good.
I don't know what it is about choirs but it always sounds better with more people. When every class but one sounds wobbly and weak in class, it apparently doesn't matter because as soon as you take those unsure singers and put them together, they sounds good.
Today, when they all sang together, I felt joy. I loved it.
Music. Rocks. Make some.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013
Since when is winning not enough?
Live: Kids can be really tiring... Enough said. You know what I'm talking about.
It does, however, give you the opportunity to grow, or become a heartless, raging doo doo head.
It feel like, even though the kids are using their baby telepathy to communicate and give us a hard time just to let us know who's really the boss, my wife and I are, using it to help change us into the parents and people we more want to be...
That's right, parents are people.
You're always assessing what is working and what isn't working and tweaking the processes a little every day. In that process your changing yourself and your habits and eventually, your very nature.
I think that's why raising children seems like it goes by so quickly.
I remember my time in the missionary training center. When I was there I was learning all day, every day. And when you're learning that much all the time, the days, for me anyway, seemed to take forever. It wasn't just the learning though, it was the huge anticipation of what was coming next.
When my kids are growing, from the time they're born, you are always looking forward to the next thing. You look forward to when they'll first smile at you, or for them to roll over, or to sit up, or walk, or sleep through the night, or talk or go to school so they can leave you alone some, etc. until the day comes when they're leaving...
and then all you want is for time to stop and back up.
Be where you are and be when you are.
Love: My girls are starting to play together. My oldest will talk to her sister and show her things she can do with the exersaucer and ask her how she's doing and what she's doing. She'll bring her toys to play with and try to share her strawberries. She'll tell her she loves her. Even in the middle of all the tiringness I talked about before, this stuff cuts through it all like katana through...well most things.
Make Music: Today I did some composition with my Kindergarteners and 1st graders. I got some foam hearts and put notes on them. Each group got 12 hearts and had to make 3 rows of 4 hearts to perform for the class. They did really well. It took a little for them to figure out how they were going to decide where to put them, but when they did, it was rolling. Once a group was ready, they did their lines for the class.
I also did games with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades. Every time I said "and whoever (insert action here) wins," some one in my class said "so what do we get?" Since when is winning not enough?
Just more tiring kids.
It does, however, give you the opportunity to grow, or become a heartless, raging doo doo head.
It feel like, even though the kids are using their baby telepathy to communicate and give us a hard time just to let us know who's really the boss, my wife and I are, using it to help change us into the parents and people we more want to be...
That's right, parents are people.
You're always assessing what is working and what isn't working and tweaking the processes a little every day. In that process your changing yourself and your habits and eventually, your very nature.
I think that's why raising children seems like it goes by so quickly.
I remember my time in the missionary training center. When I was there I was learning all day, every day. And when you're learning that much all the time, the days, for me anyway, seemed to take forever. It wasn't just the learning though, it was the huge anticipation of what was coming next.
When my kids are growing, from the time they're born, you are always looking forward to the next thing. You look forward to when they'll first smile at you, or for them to roll over, or to sit up, or walk, or sleep through the night, or talk or go to school so they can leave you alone some, etc. until the day comes when they're leaving...
and then all you want is for time to stop and back up.
Be where you are and be when you are.
Love: My girls are starting to play together. My oldest will talk to her sister and show her things she can do with the exersaucer and ask her how she's doing and what she's doing. She'll bring her toys to play with and try to share her strawberries. She'll tell her she loves her. Even in the middle of all the tiringness I talked about before, this stuff cuts through it all like katana through...well most things.
Make Music: Today I did some composition with my Kindergarteners and 1st graders. I got some foam hearts and put notes on them. Each group got 12 hearts and had to make 3 rows of 4 hearts to perform for the class. They did really well. It took a little for them to figure out how they were going to decide where to put them, but when they did, it was rolling. Once a group was ready, they did their lines for the class.
I also did games with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades. Every time I said "and whoever (insert action here) wins," some one in my class said "so what do we get?" Since when is winning not enough?
Just more tiring kids.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Termites gave us one good thing...Didgeridoos.
Live- This past week was my first "Professional Development" day. It was way fun.
While my colleagues were talking about curriculum planning and common core standards, which probably would have been very helpful for me since I'm a first year teacher who's coming in half-way through the school year...but that's neither here nor there, I was dancing and moving to music and learning these awesome improv games! I really liked it.
We did a couple different games and then used them to make a framework to create an improv dance performance that can definitely be used for a performance. One was called, I see but I want to do. In that one, some one does a movement and says " I want to do..." The next person then says "I see..." and does the movement of the last person and then says "but I want to do..." and makes their own movement.
The second game was called I go, You go. In it, you're in partners. Both begin frozen in a shape. When the music starts, the first partner moves in shared space (close but not touching). Then they freeze and say "You go." Then the next partner goes.
The third game was follow the leader...you know the one...
The fourth was called flocking. In this game, there were three partners in a triangle. It would, however, work with more people in another shape (4 in a square/diamond etc.). Whoever was in front was in front was the leader. Everyone behind them in their group copied them. When they wanted to pass off being leader they simply turned to face another person in the group. When they do this, everyone also turns that direction and whoever is in front is now the leader. It provides essentially seamless transition.
Love- My wife is my best friend and my favorite person in the world. I think she's amazing. She broke her leg while she was really pregnant with our youngest daughter. It was like...oh hello bones...nice to see you...kind of bad break... and now she's almost walking normal. During all that, she also dealt with having a toddler and having a new born (a few weeks later of course) by c-section and still teaching like 5 to 7 classes a semester and doing physical therapy and on top of all that, she had to deal with me not being home because I was students teaching.
My wife is a super hero and she amazes me.
I love her with all of me.
Make Music- As I'm sure everyone knows, next Saturday is Australia day.
I mean...who doesn't know that?
Because of this, I'm making my lessons this coming week Australian based. In K/1 I'm going to do a song that I wrote in college. It's the Kangaroo Song. It's pretty awesome.
I'm also doing the Kookaburra song in the upper grades. I'm just going to continue to add more an more difficult Orff parts for the higher grades.
I'll start with singing and then singing in a round. For second grade, I'll have them TRY to do c-g-c'-g-c :|| with the song. If not, they'll do hands together on c and g to ta-ta-ti-ti-ta. In third, we're doing the c-g-c'-g-c:|| for fourth, I'm going to add in a so-fa-mi-re-do on beat three of every measure. It'll come on kookaburra sits in the OLD gum tree. Merry merry king of the BUSH is he...etc. SHould be awesome.
Also, hello? Didgeridoo? I'm so playing one for the classes.
While my colleagues were talking about curriculum planning and common core standards, which probably would have been very helpful for me since I'm a first year teacher who's coming in half-way through the school year...but that's neither here nor there, I was dancing and moving to music and learning these awesome improv games! I really liked it.
We did a couple different games and then used them to make a framework to create an improv dance performance that can definitely be used for a performance. One was called, I see but I want to do. In that one, some one does a movement and says " I want to do..." The next person then says "I see..." and does the movement of the last person and then says "but I want to do..." and makes their own movement.
The second game was called I go, You go. In it, you're in partners. Both begin frozen in a shape. When the music starts, the first partner moves in shared space (close but not touching). Then they freeze and say "You go." Then the next partner goes.
The third game was follow the leader...you know the one...
The fourth was called flocking. In this game, there were three partners in a triangle. It would, however, work with more people in another shape (4 in a square/diamond etc.). Whoever was in front was in front was the leader. Everyone behind them in their group copied them. When they wanted to pass off being leader they simply turned to face another person in the group. When they do this, everyone also turns that direction and whoever is in front is now the leader. It provides essentially seamless transition.
Love- My wife is my best friend and my favorite person in the world. I think she's amazing. She broke her leg while she was really pregnant with our youngest daughter. It was like...oh hello bones...nice to see you...kind of bad break... and now she's almost walking normal. During all that, she also dealt with having a toddler and having a new born (a few weeks later of course) by c-section and still teaching like 5 to 7 classes a semester and doing physical therapy and on top of all that, she had to deal with me not being home because I was students teaching.
My wife is a super hero and she amazes me.
I love her with all of me.
Make Music- As I'm sure everyone knows, next Saturday is Australia day.
I mean...who doesn't know that?
Because of this, I'm making my lessons this coming week Australian based. In K/1 I'm going to do a song that I wrote in college. It's the Kangaroo Song. It's pretty awesome.
I'm also doing the Kookaburra song in the upper grades. I'm just going to continue to add more an more difficult Orff parts for the higher grades.
I'll start with singing and then singing in a round. For second grade, I'll have them TRY to do c-g-c'-g-c :|| with the song. If not, they'll do hands together on c and g to ta-ta-ti-ti-ta. In third, we're doing the c-g-c'-g-c:|| for fourth, I'm going to add in a so-fa-mi-re-do on beat three of every measure. It'll come on kookaburra sits in the OLD gum tree. Merry merry king of the BUSH is he...etc. SHould be awesome.
Also, hello? Didgeridoo? I'm so playing one for the classes.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Teaching Elementary School
Quick update.
I graduated and got a job...and not necessarily in that order...
My family has moved to another state and I'm teaching music at an elementary school. It's going well so far.
Live: Today was a hard day. I woke up very tired. I'm not sure why...probably going to bed late. I had to get in that Spanish lesson in so I could keep my goal for the year...anyway...tired.
Today was also my first day with an elementary chorus. Just FYI, at my school, there are three vocal ensembles...yes it is an elementary school...and the chorus is the one that is NOT auditioned. There were a lot of people there. I think I collected the cards at the end and there were 91 today. After it was over, actually during, I realized that I was not at all prepared. It didn't seem to go well to me. I did, however, get ideas of what I need to do for next time. It's going to be much better.
I remember something that another teacher I know said. He said, "I learn a whole lot more from falling flat on my face than when everything goes perfectly"...or something like that. So...lesson learned...in part anyway.
Today I also had a great idea! It was, of course, too late to implement it today but it was good nonetheless. Almost all my classes were rowdy today. It was not what I expect of my students. I made one kid cry...and couple were fighting it back...oh, second grade...anyway...my idea was that I'm going to keep a reward in my shirt pocket to give to students who are doing awesome amidst the AAHHHH!!! that way, when the class is all "oh we're talking because were too cool to pay attention and we like the attention from everyone else" I can see someone doing super good and be like "here you go! you're great and you get a dollar!" not a real one but you know...
Love: I have a new baby. It's another daughter. She looks a little like my first. She is such a happy little baby. She loves to smile and she's just started talking. By that I mean that she yells all smiley for an extended period. It's very cute. I just got finished laying on the floor with her. She's rolled from front to back but not back to front yet. When I was laying with her, I was just talking to her and pointing out things and telling her "this is your belly. belly, belly, belly, belly..." or "head shoulders knees and toes." She just was smiling and looking at me like what I was saying was the most insightful and wonderful thing ever. Love it.
Make Music: In my classes today and some of last week, we went ice skating in the lower grades. It was great! they think it's so cool. I guess it's not really making music. It's really moving to music. What they do is stand on two paper plates and, if you don't lift your feet up, you can slide around on them like you're ice skating.
When they are "ice skating," it's like they're really doing it. They let out little squeaks and squeals when they slip and some of them hold hands to keep balance. It's a great idea and you should try it for your kids if you live somewhere where there is no ice or it's not ice season. It works on linoleum and carpet. I think really short carpet works best.
Also, we did some improv for the first time on instruments. It was good. Most of them were super short or they were just random. I think they'll be a lot more comfortable with it when they do it more though. some were really good. I think we might try putting an improv section in with the song we did last week...or with a new song. we'll figure it out.
I graduated and got a job...and not necessarily in that order...
My family has moved to another state and I'm teaching music at an elementary school. It's going well so far.
Live: Today was a hard day. I woke up very tired. I'm not sure why...probably going to bed late. I had to get in that Spanish lesson in so I could keep my goal for the year...anyway...tired.
Today was also my first day with an elementary chorus. Just FYI, at my school, there are three vocal ensembles...yes it is an elementary school...and the chorus is the one that is NOT auditioned. There were a lot of people there. I think I collected the cards at the end and there were 91 today. After it was over, actually during, I realized that I was not at all prepared. It didn't seem to go well to me. I did, however, get ideas of what I need to do for next time. It's going to be much better.
I remember something that another teacher I know said. He said, "I learn a whole lot more from falling flat on my face than when everything goes perfectly"...or something like that. So...lesson learned...in part anyway.
Today I also had a great idea! It was, of course, too late to implement it today but it was good nonetheless. Almost all my classes were rowdy today. It was not what I expect of my students. I made one kid cry...and couple were fighting it back...oh, second grade...anyway...my idea was that I'm going to keep a reward in my shirt pocket to give to students who are doing awesome amidst the AAHHHH!!! that way, when the class is all "oh we're talking because were too cool to pay attention and we like the attention from everyone else" I can see someone doing super good and be like "here you go! you're great and you get a dollar!" not a real one but you know...
Love: I have a new baby. It's another daughter. She looks a little like my first. She is such a happy little baby. She loves to smile and she's just started talking. By that I mean that she yells all smiley for an extended period. It's very cute. I just got finished laying on the floor with her. She's rolled from front to back but not back to front yet. When I was laying with her, I was just talking to her and pointing out things and telling her "this is your belly. belly, belly, belly, belly..." or "head shoulders knees and toes." She just was smiling and looking at me like what I was saying was the most insightful and wonderful thing ever. Love it.
Make Music: In my classes today and some of last week, we went ice skating in the lower grades. It was great! they think it's so cool. I guess it's not really making music. It's really moving to music. What they do is stand on two paper plates and, if you don't lift your feet up, you can slide around on them like you're ice skating.
When they are "ice skating," it's like they're really doing it. They let out little squeaks and squeals when they slip and some of them hold hands to keep balance. It's a great idea and you should try it for your kids if you live somewhere where there is no ice or it's not ice season. It works on linoleum and carpet. I think really short carpet works best.
Also, we did some improv for the first time on instruments. It was good. Most of them were super short or they were just random. I think they'll be a lot more comfortable with it when they do it more though. some were really good. I think we might try putting an improv section in with the song we did last week...or with a new song. we'll figure it out.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Band camp x3
LIVE- okay so I'm not sure how to make things bold...so you'll just have to deal with all caps for the catgory titles. It's summer. I'm spending a lot more time with my wife and kid...and I love it. I love them lots. We've been working slowly on organizing the house. Our downstairs closet is looking better than I ever remember. We're going to start a budget thing soon. By soon, I mean today. we're going to use the leftover cash for a debt reducing crackdown! It'll be exciting.
This summer I'm going to be "working" at three band camps. The first one I have already done. It was a marching band leadership(drum major mostly) camp. It was a few days that were FULL of stuff. We did marching fundamentals, commands, squad competitions, conducting classes and an elective class. The walk between each of these activities, which also included eats, was about 15 minutes. Luckily for us, it rained all day for all of the days of the camp. There were two walks on which it didn't rain.
Now, I know what you're thinking.
That sucks.
During that camp, I was only dry when I went to sleep. My feet hurt because of the wetness and walking. They were raw for a few days after I got back. I had to get my wife to bring me extra shoes.
The awesome thing about it was the kids at the camp. They were right there with me...I guess I was with them... And there were zero complaints. They trudged through with smiles on their faces the whole way. Even when it was buckets, they were laughing and having a good time. I was thoroughly impressed with these kids. They didn't complain about the rain or the lots of walking or having to do all their marching in a parking garage or in a room that was way too small. They just got it done and succeeded. Awesome.
I'm going to another band camp next week that is a concert band camp. I'll get to teach a class in this one! I have no idea what it will be though. I'll let you know.
LOVE- I loved the band camp and the kids. That showed me that I'm definitely getting into the right business. Something I loved more though, was coming home. I missed my wife. I missed my kid. They are the ones I care most about. They are the ones I love most...even though the kid is in a hitting phase...
I love being a father and husband. And not just because of my father's day present. But I'll tell you about it anyway :) I was up with my wife visiting her family for the week prior to father's day. Her mom has an iPad. I used it every chance I could...Mostly because they're super cool. So one day my wife and her mom went out together...as part of a late mother's day present and when they came back...SHAZOWIE! iPad for daddy day. I don't know if I'd go as far as oprah and say its the greatest invention ever in the history of man, but it's pretty awesome.
I also got a $0.99 iPhone.
MAKE MUSIC- before the marching camp, I thought I'd try my horn again. Up to that point I'd only been playing the trumpet for the most part. When Iicked it up, at first, I thought that I sounded kinda stuffy and contained. After I played a little I realized that that's how I'm supposed to sound. I was used to the trumpet which is much more bright and cutting in its tone. This just goes to show you...keep playing!
Also, remember when I said I got a iPad? Well I got some apps that I really like that are music related. I first got a tuner and a metronome. Those are great. The metronome is just called tempo. It's good. It's got the tap feature and a bunch of different accent patterns and you can have presets and it has the tempo marking too (eg andante, allegro, presto). I recommend it. It's a whole lot cheaper than Dr. Beat...unless you have to buy the iPad...but it's on iPhone too. I also got these classical music apps. Theres two volumes. There's a free trial version that has partial songs on it. Then there's the full version. It's like $5. People were complaining in the reviews about the partial songs but they're a bunch of crazies. There's like 110 or 120 songs for 5 dollars. Try and find that on iTunes. There's also the iReal b app. Without the in app purchases, it's mostly a pocket rhythm section for any jazzers to improve your improv skills. Finally, and my favorite, is the Fingerings app. It has all the Fingerings for all the band instruments in multiple clefs and with...wait for it...tril Fingerings up to a major third trill.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Remember me?
Remember when I used to blog a lot... no?
Well... it's been too long anyway.
Live- It's summer. Summer is good. I'm getting to spend a lot of time with my wife and with my daughter. Our days were starting to feel unproductive. I know that's kind of the point of summer, but we were kind of over that part of the summer and were on to the let's start doing stuff stage. We made a schedule to follow when we're home together in which we have family play time, individual get 'er done times and time for projects and such. It's been working pretty well. I think I'm figuring out that I'm a schedule kind of guy. This does not mean that I'm good at planning. My wife sometimes has to make sure I brushed my teeth within the last few days...normally I have. I do think, though, that having a certain time to get stuff done is usually better than have a certain amount to get done. Things get done faster.
We went to the park today and my daughter went on the merry-go-round for the first time. She was watching this other kid getting spun by her mom and she decided that she was going to try it. I rode with her the first time but then she was climbing on by herself and even pushing it around...there was no one on it...but it's still fun to see how fast you can spin it...that's what I do anyway.
Love- I've been watching this Ken Burns documentary on Jazz (which was originally Jass by the way) on Hulu Plus. It's great. When I'm done I'll have watched about 20 hours of jazz history. I'm up to Dave Brubeck in the history of jazz. He's the Take Five guy.
After my recital I decided that I was going to take a break from the trombone for a while. It was wearing me out. I was burnt out on it. I was preparing so much for the recital. I was just practicing. I didn't feel like I was making real music with it. I started playing some beginning/intermediate solos for trumpet because...I have one.
After watching one of the episodes of the documentary, it inspired me to get my trombone out and read through my real book. It just how much I love playing some jazz. There's just something about it that feels freeing.
Make Music- As part of the schedule that my wife and I have, I have time everyday for musical things. I've been building my trumpet chops and some jazz chops today. I've also been working on my conducting. I got some wind band standards for Christmas last year. Right now I'm going through Holst Second Suite. I know it's overdone but it's a standard. I also figure it'll be easier to get through because I know that one. I'm working on knowing my fingerings for all the other band instruments too. Thank you red book teacher's edition.
Well... it's been too long anyway.
Live- It's summer. Summer is good. I'm getting to spend a lot of time with my wife and with my daughter. Our days were starting to feel unproductive. I know that's kind of the point of summer, but we were kind of over that part of the summer and were on to the let's start doing stuff stage. We made a schedule to follow when we're home together in which we have family play time, individual get 'er done times and time for projects and such. It's been working pretty well. I think I'm figuring out that I'm a schedule kind of guy. This does not mean that I'm good at planning. My wife sometimes has to make sure I brushed my teeth within the last few days...normally I have. I do think, though, that having a certain time to get stuff done is usually better than have a certain amount to get done. Things get done faster.
We went to the park today and my daughter went on the merry-go-round for the first time. She was watching this other kid getting spun by her mom and she decided that she was going to try it. I rode with her the first time but then she was climbing on by herself and even pushing it around...there was no one on it...but it's still fun to see how fast you can spin it...that's what I do anyway.
Love- I've been watching this Ken Burns documentary on Jazz (which was originally Jass by the way) on Hulu Plus. It's great. When I'm done I'll have watched about 20 hours of jazz history. I'm up to Dave Brubeck in the history of jazz. He's the Take Five guy.
After my recital I decided that I was going to take a break from the trombone for a while. It was wearing me out. I was burnt out on it. I was preparing so much for the recital. I was just practicing. I didn't feel like I was making real music with it. I started playing some beginning/intermediate solos for trumpet because...I have one.
After watching one of the episodes of the documentary, it inspired me to get my trombone out and read through my real book. It just how much I love playing some jazz. There's just something about it that feels freeing.
Make Music- As part of the schedule that my wife and I have, I have time everyday for musical things. I've been building my trumpet chops and some jazz chops today. I've also been working on my conducting. I got some wind band standards for Christmas last year. Right now I'm going through Holst Second Suite. I know it's overdone but it's a standard. I also figure it'll be easier to get through because I know that one. I'm working on knowing my fingerings for all the other band instruments too. Thank you red book teacher's edition.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Double "L" Double"M"
Live
Recital is done.
The last full week of classes is done.
Final concert as an undergrad is done.
I'm coming to the end and I like it.
Since my recital, I feel like I'm just going to classes with nothing to do. It's good but weird. All I have left now is a huge 2 page reflection paper, a notebook, and some finals...4 finals.
Made my first car payment yesterday. Sure. I used my wife's money...but that's not the point.
Tomorrow we're going to make a summer list. Have to do, Want to do, and Maybe do if we have a bad case of cabin fever. On my wants...play my trumpet solos, learn flute better, and eat some bratwurst.
Love
Summer is coming and I'm looking forward to spending time with my awesome wife and my awesome daughter.
I love my wife. She is my best friend and I am very glad that I married her. She makes me happy. I don't know how she manages to do all that she does. She teaches 7! college classes and has a 1 year old and has time to come and let me into my truck when I lock myself out. Amazing.
I love my daughter. She's fun. She is so smart too. She's not yet 13 months old and she walks (almost runs), and can say 20 or more words and knows the meaning of even more even though she can't say them. I can see me in her and my wife too. She dances to her music and loves to read...or be read to. She gets that from her mom.
Make Music
I found out where my student teaching is going to be and I'm excited about that. I am going to be one of the few lucky ones that actually gets to do all three levels of music education. My first placement is with a band teacher that teaches middle and high school band. The second one is with an elementary school music teacher that also does an elementary choir. Just so you know...that's SUPERAWESOME.
Before that, however, is summer, YAY SUMMER! You know...it's that time when there's no school...when it's sunny...and hot...and you can go to the beach...and there's no school...and it's hot...and...you know?
This summer I acquired an internship with one of the Smith Walbridge Band Camps. If you haven't heard of those....they're the best marching band camps at all. If you're in the band world, you've heard of BOA camps? It's like those but better. I'm doing one marching band one and one concert band one. It's exciting. It'll also be helpful for my marching band experience at the high school I'm going to be at for my student teaching. I'm going to the high school band camp too. I'm excited to get back into it.
High school marching band is better than college. It's better because the band members are excited. They love it. and they show it. The college marchers love it too. They just complain more and don't care as much about being great...and my college band is pretty good.
The music club is doing good. The numbers are low but today they were great. The thing I'm really excited about for the music club is next year...I won't be there...but I'm excited. I'm working with the assistant principal to make the club next year a beginning band. GO BAND! Now I just have to find some one to teach it next year.
Exciting stuff.
Recital is done.
The last full week of classes is done.
Final concert as an undergrad is done.
I'm coming to the end and I like it.
Since my recital, I feel like I'm just going to classes with nothing to do. It's good but weird. All I have left now is a huge 2 page reflection paper, a notebook, and some finals...4 finals.
Made my first car payment yesterday. Sure. I used my wife's money...but that's not the point.
Tomorrow we're going to make a summer list. Have to do, Want to do, and Maybe do if we have a bad case of cabin fever. On my wants...play my trumpet solos, learn flute better, and eat some bratwurst.
Love
Summer is coming and I'm looking forward to spending time with my awesome wife and my awesome daughter.
I love my wife. She is my best friend and I am very glad that I married her. She makes me happy. I don't know how she manages to do all that she does. She teaches 7! college classes and has a 1 year old and has time to come and let me into my truck when I lock myself out. Amazing.
I love my daughter. She's fun. She is so smart too. She's not yet 13 months old and she walks (almost runs), and can say 20 or more words and knows the meaning of even more even though she can't say them. I can see me in her and my wife too. She dances to her music and loves to read...or be read to. She gets that from her mom.
Make Music
I found out where my student teaching is going to be and I'm excited about that. I am going to be one of the few lucky ones that actually gets to do all three levels of music education. My first placement is with a band teacher that teaches middle and high school band. The second one is with an elementary school music teacher that also does an elementary choir. Just so you know...that's SUPERAWESOME.
Before that, however, is summer, YAY SUMMER! You know...it's that time when there's no school...when it's sunny...and hot...and you can go to the beach...and there's no school...and it's hot...and...you know?
This summer I acquired an internship with one of the Smith Walbridge Band Camps. If you haven't heard of those....they're the best marching band camps at all. If you're in the band world, you've heard of BOA camps? It's like those but better. I'm doing one marching band one and one concert band one. It's exciting. It'll also be helpful for my marching band experience at the high school I'm going to be at for my student teaching. I'm going to the high school band camp too. I'm excited to get back into it.
High school marching band is better than college. It's better because the band members are excited. They love it. and they show it. The college marchers love it too. They just complain more and don't care as much about being great...and my college band is pretty good.
The music club is doing good. The numbers are low but today they were great. The thing I'm really excited about for the music club is next year...I won't be there...but I'm excited. I'm working with the assistant principal to make the club next year a beginning band. GO BAND! Now I just have to find some one to teach it next year.
Exciting stuff.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)