Teaching...- Page 6

[Dark_Angel]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 6:21am

KelRel, I wish you all the best in your first year as a teacher!

[KelRel]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 8:10pm

fienstien, alas for my own sanity I am not allowing students to bring in music. I take suggestions and then I will buy it myself. It sounds silly, but I have one student who wants to bring in a cd with that "crazy frog" song and the "hamster dance" song. I can't handle that stuff. Though if a kid did come to me with the Fab 5 I might give in on that rule.

So ladies, how was your first day?

[singingwendy]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 12:06am

It was good by long. Teaching on the stage went pretty well..except for about 20 minutes of lunchtime that was pretty noisy through the curtain, but we're looking at ways to solve that problem.

After school I went to my "second school" , where I'll be teaching 3 classes to check out the building. I met with the other music teacher, got my schedule, looked at the resources, met the principal...and before I knew it, it was 5:30! And then I had "Sweeney Todd" rehearsal at 6:30!

And then I came home and was trapped in my car for a while because there were two skunks making wild, passionate skunk love in my back yard by my back door! I finally went around to the front, where a third skunk was prowling, and a neighbor scared him away long enough for me to get inside!

Oh....and funny story from today, entitled "Why we don't let 8 year olds cast a show". I happened to mention to my 2nd grade class that I was in a production of "High School Musical" this past weekend, and asked them what part they thought I had played. Nearly unanimously, they answered "Sharpay"! LOL! I wasn't sure if I should be flattered or appalled. So then I said, "No...I played Ms. Darbus".....and I forgave them because they said "But you're not old enough to play Ms. Darbus!" Gotta love that 8 year old point of view!

[Jess1483]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 12:29am

I don't start until the 4th, but I saw my building/classroom for the first time (they're frantically trying to finish construction--they literally worked through the big Chicago storms, no power, they worked by flashlight!! They deserve medals--or at least thank yous from my kids.) I literally have nothing. Eventually I should have desks, a desk for me, chairs, and potentially a filing cabinet and a table if I'm lucky, but it is literally empty right now. I'm trying to collect books and supplies and storage and things from friends and family, but all my friends live 1500 miles away. And I'm moving at the moment. And the other second grade teacher quit. Ah, the wonders of public education (well, the moving part is just me and my idiot landlord).
But I'm still ridiculously excited to get started, meet my kids, and make some progress. They deserve that.

[singingwendy]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 8:36am

Jess...I can sympathize. About 6 years ago, I was working at a school that was closed because of toxic mold. Luckily, since they were switching music teachers, the old teacher had taken her personal things, and I hadn't moved anything in yet, because once the mold was discovered NOTHING was left out of the building.

We started the year a week or so later than everyone else, and they relocated us to an old office building that was no longer in use. Like you, we had NOTHING. We were borrowing tables, chairs and benches from other schools just to set up learning spaces. We recieved special permission to copy parts of textbooks until the new copies came in. Binney and Smith donated all sorts of art supplies. Other organizations donated paper. Luckily, the other music teacher and I came from schools that were well supplied, and so we were able to "loan" items from our rooms in our other buildings.

It was a less than ideal situation, but I will say, that it made me aware of how little "stuff" you really need to teach. Yes, it makes your life easier, but when all is said and done, with a little creativity you really CAN reach kids with very limited resources. Not that that's an excuse to cut school funding.......

OK..now I need to go finish getting ready for the morning. Hope everyone has a great day!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 9:52am

It's 8/28 and the Mecca of education still hasn't notified the teaching staff when they should return.

Sounds professional, doesn't it?

[DG]

Posted: 10/20/07 at 11:56am

Time to bump one of my favorite threads.

I SAID I'd never let it completely go away

[KelRel]

Posted: 10/20/07 at 5:31pm

Aww Thanks DG. Things are going great in the teaching aspect of the job. As far as dealing with the administration it is a roller coaster right now that is just too drawn out to get into, but needless to say there is a lot of stress there. Right now I am enjoying my Fall break and taking a break from packing. We close on the house on Wednesday so we have a lot of stuff to do/buy in the next few days.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 7:43pm

This is a series I do in my blog, entitled "Times I Love My Job"

It's things the kids do that make me remember why I work so freaking hard day in and day out.

(Just as a background, I teach K-5 classroom music. I've always wanted to work in a secondary vocal program but keep getting hired in elementary positions. Though I've now discovered that I am actually very good with this age group, so I may end up sticking with them)

Today's installment:
-4th graders dancing around their classroom to showtunes thinking they're pretty much "the ****".

-4th graders asking to listen to MORE SHOWTUNES!!! (Holy moly, they really are loving the snippets of "Little Shop of Horrors" I've been bringing in.)

-2nd graders staring, opened mouthed and grinning, like I am some sort of circus act.

-1st graders discovering the "Yankee Doodle" theme in an orchestral theme and variation, and thinking that is basically the coolest thing in the whole wide world.

-5th graders actively engaged, participating, questioning and EXCITED about a lesson on the history of Blues Music and the 12-bar Blues Form.

-These same 5th graders singing Christmas carols full-voiced and without shame.

-These same 5th graders actually thinking they can beat me at the antiphoning game when I INVENTED THE BLOODY GAME AND WILL FOREVER BE THE MASTER! (and not realizing that only an hour before, the 1st grade class was playing the same game...)

Updated On: 10/23/07 at 07:43 PM

[KelRel]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 8:19pm

Colleen, that is so great! I had a pretty good day today, too.

We are doing lessons about immigration and what it is like to come to a new country and not speaking the language or having to do a lot of work to make a new life for themselves. The teacher's manual suggested playing a tape of a person reading the day's reading in German to help the kids understand what its like to not be able to understand what someone is saying and how frustrating it might be. To me I thought that if a teacher played that for me I would day dream until they got to the point. So to mix things up I began the lesson and taught a condensed version of the lesson in French and refused to speak any English the entire time. The kids were freaking out on me and were so confused until finally it clicked with a few of them what was going on. It was so amazing watching these kids struggle with getting over the fact that their teacher had #1 gone apparently insane and then #2 made no sense to putting body language and emphasis together with the context of what we have been studying in this unit to really "get" the concept. After they figured out what was going on we talked about how it made them feel and how they think someone else would feel if their entire life was like that for the most part.

Seeing kids really get it like that reminds me of why I do this job. It was a great day.

[jasonf]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 9:54pm

Great story - great lesson idea! I'd like to see them test for THAT with NCLB. :)

[singingwendy]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 11:38pm

Colleen....I didn't realize you were teaching elementary music too! Your list gave me such a good laugh!

I've had similar experiences.....

---a group of 4th graders during summer school asking to listen to Ella Fitzgerald sing "A Tisket, A Tasket" EVERY day

---5th graders looking through a book for songs in a meter of 2, finding "Do a Deer" and saying "hey...we know that from Chorus last year"

--1st graders being able to write the rhythm to "Bee Bee Bumblebee" in iconic notation....and know when they do it wrong, and make the corrections.

--5th graders creating and performing their own verses to the school chant I created

--3rd graders asking to do a folk dance

--Kindergarteners laughing themselves silly because I when we're standing up based on hair color I called out "green"

-5th graders spending their very last elementary music class playing "Doggie Doggie Where's Your Bone"....which is a tone matching game we play in 1st grade!


For all the sources of stress and dissatisfaction we might have with our jobs, THESE are the things that keep us coming back. THESE are the things that inspire us, and our kids to be better teachers and learners. THESE are the moments that get us through the day. THIS is why we are still teachers.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 12:11am

What is the "antiphoning" game?

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 6:17am

What is the "antiphoning" game?

I don't know if I can explain it without demonstrating it.

It's a technique I use when in the early stages of learning a song to help speed up the memorization of lyrics. I started it mostly with the younger grades who aren't reading very proficiently because putting a piece of sheet music in front of them is basically a waste of time, but the older kids really love it too, so I use it with them now also.

I essentially have them "fill in the blanks" of the song. When I point to myself, it's my turn to sing, when I point to them it's their turn to sing. In the beginning, I'll usually sing most of the song, and they'll fill in the words at the ends of phrases (which usually rhyme, so that makes it easy), but I'll make it more and more challenging as they know the song better and better, and then when we know it really well, the kids get the turns to be leaders and to try and trick me and their classmates.

Even though they're singing only one or two words in a phrase, they still have to sequence the song in their heads as I'm singing in order to know what the next word is going to be, so it teaches the whole song even though they're only singing a small part of it.

It works really quickly. I can have a Kindergarten class singing all the verses of "Over the River and Through the Woods", fully memorized, by the end of one class period using that game.

[caitiesus1522]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 7:51am

Wow! That sounds awesome colleen! I would have loved you (and wendy!) as my music teachers! Mine were NEVER that fun!

And Kel - that lesson is amazing!

[Jess1483]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 9:57pm

My first few months teaching (2nd grade) were pretty insane. My school is an administrator's nightmare--they give all information over the intercom which, oh, isn't hooked up in my room. My class almost completely missed the tornado drill--the security guard had to knock on my door. That, and with 221 kids, we have only 2 IEPs (none of them mine) and I have at the very least 3 kids who need them. And, of course, the process takes forever to get them the services they need.

I pretty much alternatively love and hate all my kids, but we have enough of the former to get past the latter (though it's been a rough week). The only think I really can't stand is how mean they can be to each other, but even that is getting better. I think the last time i posted (forever ago) I said my co-teacher had quit. Well, 5 weeks into school, they finally hired a co-teacher (which is totally necessary for a 7:50-4:30 school day, where you eat lunch with kids and supervise recess), so life has gotten a lot easier.

Also, I am having a lot of success with some of my kids. One girl who literally was failing first term just got an "A" on the last math test (after a lot of hard work on her part, her mother's part, and my own.) And one little boy who literally wouldn't answer any question that required writing at least is writing some words on his own, and he was failing math first quarter and just got a C on his math test (which is a HUGE improvement.) He is so proud of himself (though probably not as proud as I am) and we're even working to get him to read significantly higher. It's really nice to see that kind of impact.

Favorite quotes from the last three months:
"My mom is huge." (One of my second graders, asked to use the word "huge" in a sentence.)

"I'm telling your mom." (One of my second graders, when I took his pencil.)

Me: So, what do you think you need to do?
Child: Apologize
Me: I think so. Go ahead.
Child: I'm sorry for holding my fist up and I'm sorry for saying I was going to rearrange your face.

They are sweet though, and we're getting there, we really are.

[DG]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 3:37pm

*bump* because I saw the lovely KelRel had posted.

And I love this thread.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 8:24pm

I had my final pension consultation and was ready to file my papers to retire on February 1st when the Dept of Education began a new policy in which anyone wishing to retire in NYC has to state their intentions in writing SIX MONTHS prior to their retirement date.


DRAT!

[cturtle]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 9:27pm

i'm trying to really increase my energy and drive for the beginning of the 2nd semester. i took RON CLARK's idea to heart and created THE MEDIA 55: DIRECTIONS FOR ACHIEVEMENT. we'll see how it goes!

[nmartin]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 9:42pm

To Anyone Who Is or Is Thinking About Being A Teacher: I hope you are blessed with decent students, supportive administrators, dedicated colleagues, involved parents and a limitless budget for supplies. If you don't get any of these, then you know how I feel. I've taught for 21 years in the public school system.

[KelRel]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 2:03pm

DG, Thanks for bumping this thread. Sorry I haven't been posting as much lately, but between teaching and getting ready for the baby I haven't had much time to post.

As far as teaching goes I'm still loving the teaching aspect. Working in a private school isn't the best situation in the world for me, but my kids are worth it. In fact, my student who has been struggling so hard this year got great grades and we finally were able to get her tested for learning disabilities so that in the future she can always get the help she needs. In fact, this student is the one that keeps me really motivated to be a teacher. She works so hard and even when she falls behind she rallies and tries to reach a higher goal each time. She is a great inspiration for any teacher.

[singingwendy]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 8:45pm

Kel--

So glad to hear that you're still loving teaching. I think most teachers are in the same boat you are....they love the teaching and the kids, it's the administration and day to day stuff that gets in the way that frustrates us. Thankfully, knowing what we're doing for the kids...and what they're doing for us...is what keeps us coming back!

Personally, I'm getting ready to take my first student teacher on Tuesday. I'm hoping i give her a great experience. I think it will be a learning experience for both of us!

[DG]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 8:51pm

"Working in a private school isn't the best situation in the world for me"

Kel - if you get a moment, and you're inclined to share, I'm curious as to why you feel this way.

[Jess1483]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 9:59pm

Well, I guess I'm inspired to update a bit as well. Things are going okay for me. The classroom is 10 times better and the administration 10 times worse. As long as I'm shut in my classroom with my kids, I'm fine, it's just dealing with everyone and their craziness that is really hard. It's the first year for my school (and me teaching!) and everyone's pretty frustrated, particularly the veteran teachers (who know better). I work at a public contract school, which, as far as I can tell, means we're under the public school system, but they provide us no support (including no special ed teacher, but they won't allow us to hire our own), I work longer hours, and I get paid 80% of public school teachers. Aside from the other three Teach for America teachers, on a staff of 20, only 1-2 other teachers plan on staying next year. Yikes! And we're expanding to add 4 new classrooms next year.

Kel--I have a couple of those students, too. I do ultimately love all my students and really want them to succeed, but there are those students who are so dedicated that it makes it impossible for me not to be. And a few of my huge behavior problems have turned around, which is nice. Also, good luck getting ready for the baby. I can't imagine doing that my first year teaching.

Funny moment: I'm 22, and probably look about 20. Friday one of my students handed me an invitation to an "Understanding Menopause" event. I laughed so hard my kids thought I was insane.

And nmartin--I just spent $20 on photocopies at Kinkos for the next two weeks--if you find a school like that, let me know.

[KelRel]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 10:58pm

DG, I guess I should more appropriately say private Christian schools aren't for me. We lost one of our best teachers because she got pregnant without being married. The administration doesn't support the staff the way we should be because the parents will throw a fit and threaten to pull their tuition, so the admin rolls over to give them their way. Case in point, when I was hired I told them how I didn't like doing a lot of worksheets, I liked teaching in a more hands on manner that way it is easier to reach more learning styles and I like to teach to the needs of my students while still adhering to the curriculum, etc.. They were thrilled with this. So that is how I started out the year teaching. The kids were engaged and my big behavior problem students at the beginning of the year turned around by the end of September. In the middle to end of October I was called in to the administrator's office to be told that I was about to face a "revolt" and that I was to start doing worksheets and not so much "extra" stuff. I came to find out later that a few of the parents were upset because they always do their child's work for them and they were upset about the extra work that they had to do. When it was just worksheets they would just let their kids do them. There are other things, but that is my biggest problem. For a "Christian" school there are a lot of non-Christian attitudes and it always bothered me that in my contract it says that you can get fired for "lifestyles that do not align with the beliefs of the church" aka we can fire you or not hire you for your lifestyle. That is not a situation I am very fond of and on top of it all the pay stinks and there are no benefits to supplement the lousy pay. I just took the job because I needed a job to make sure that we were able to qualify for our house. I am finalizing things to get my teaching license fully transfered so that I can get a job at a public school.