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.