I. Hate. Standardized. Tests.

TAKS starts this week.  Fortunately, we lose just 1 day of testing this week, but we lose 6 more before the end of the year.  7 days total of lost instruction.  Which famous education researcher missed the day where the professor covered importance of actually having the opportunity to learn?

Ok.  I'll get off my soap box.  For now.

The other band director is awesome, and quite the Shirley Q. Liquor fan.  At least 12 times a day I hear her ask students "How you durrin?" and it makes me laugh every time.  She found some Shirley Q. Liquor albums in her office, so we will be spending some time soon listening to those soon.

Things are getting better at my school.  I'm trying to be really consistent and true to my word with my students, which I'm pretty sure makes some of them hate me, but as long as they hate me while practicing and bringing their reeds to class everyday, I don't care.  It's more important to me that they learn how to be responsible than whether or not they like me.

In one of my classes I still have some classroom management issues.  If anyone has any brilliance to offer for this situation, I'm all kinds of willing to try almost anything.  This is the class I posted about earlier that I arranged their room with the exact chairs and stands they need.  It's better than before, but we need to start moving fast through the book and I can't afford to lose 20 minutes every day in getting them back on task.  Especially when I'm going to lose 7 days already this year...

Don't worry.  I'm not letting myself back on the soap box.

I have just 1 more thing to say.  Even with feeling like I'm running uphill a lot of the time, I still LOVE my job!  I get the opportunity to work at a school that is fortunate enough to still have music programs and I get to spend all day teaching the thing I've spent most of my life studying.  I'm pretty lucky.

Setting the pace

I survived my first full week as a band director!  Well, we have a contest tomorrow, so I guess this week isn't over yet.  My students are getting used to me, so I'm starting to be able to relax a little more in my classes and not be all angry and stern all the time.  I have 3 beginner woodwind classes that I teach every day.  2 of those classes quickly figured out that I am their teacher for the rest of the year and I won't let them get away with being insane.  1 of them however, hasn't passed the insane stage yet.  Since I don't want this class to get far behind, or cause me to have an aneurysm, I figured drastic measures needed to be taken.  I teach my classes in a side classroom, but both of the beginner classes meet together then split up.  One day this week, I told my students they would be lining up quietly before they came in my room.  Then when I brought them in the room, I had the room totally cleaned except for exactly 11 chairs and 11 stands, all at least 4 feet apart from each other.  How I wish I could have taken a picture of their faces as I placed them in their new seating arrangement.  It was priceless.  And let me tell you, since the day I did that, I have had little trouble with them talking out of turn or generally not paying attention.  They still sit in that arrangement, and probably will for a few more days, and then I'll go back to something more familiar, but will have this memory for them as a reminder of what will happen if things get out of control again.

While I'm working really hard to be firm and consistent with my students, I was really excited today when a student offered me some candy.  The creatures are inviting me into their club!  I also got my official box in the front office.  I can hardly wait for my first faculty meeting announcement to groan over :)

Catching up

I'll admit it.  I started this blog a couple weeks ago, but today I decided I didn't like the title and made a new one.  So this first post is just a copy and paste of the other blog.


Jan. 30, 2011
I'm going back to school, but this time I'm on the other side of the desk. After subbing for a few months, I landed a long term sub position (16 weeks!) in a middle school band room.  This week I'll be visiting the school to meet the principal, band director, and some of the students, and next week I start teaching.  While I'm extremely excited about this job, I will admit I have some nerves.  So to prepare, I will be reviewing my substitute teaching experience to remind myself of what I have already learned, experienced, and not died from.

1. Teachers and other adults always think I'm a student, so I guess if I get really nervous, I can just follow some kids and hide in an Algebra class.

2. Past students have blamed their poor behavior on "we had a sub today and she didn't know we aren't allowed to go outside of the school whenever we wanted." Did they think I had never been in a school before? Pretty sure they all have similar rules.  Anyway, that shouldn't happen much longer.

3. I had an elementary student ask if I'm pregnant.  Result: I have started running.

Don't worry.  I'll be back with more soon.

Feb. 7, 2011

I started my new job today!  I'll be honest...I may have freaked out a little last night...but I have a wonderful boyfriend who let me freak out and then tell me what's what.  He's kind of great.

So since I never explained it, here's the scenario: the band director at this school left in the middle of last semester.  Since then, they have had a sub that doesn't have any experience in music, so a couple weeks ago they started looking for a sub with music experience.  Through a chain of phone calls, I got in touch with the principal of this school and got the job.  I'm pretty excited about the job, but it could be a little rough at first.  Essentially, for the last few months there has been 1 band director doing the job of 2.  Therefore, the beginner classes have been combined even though they were at different skill levels and sectionals for the performing group haven't been much of a reality during school hours.  Tomorrow I get to really start taking groups out to work on solo and ensemble and UIL music, and probably start splitting the beginner classes again.  Maybe I'll start to feel a little more like a real teacher then.

Highlights of day 1:

1. Didn't get lost driving to school, or inside the school.

2. Got to walk 2 students to the assistant principal's office for fighting in class.

3. Only got called a student once.

Feb. 11, 2011

Greg and I are away at TMEA (Texas Music Educator's Association) this weekend, which is hands down the happiest place on earth.  The Swingle Singers performed Wednesday night and I think I could have just left satisfied after that, but figured I should probably stay and learn some stuff at the clinics.

Yesterday, we went to the University of Houston Wind Ensemble concert, walked through what seemed like billions of booths in the exhibit hall, watched some of the All-State Band rehearsal, went to a clinic about trombone playing, and watched the Texas A&M Wind Symphony concert.  Everything has been really great so far.  Off to another day of clinics and concerts!

Feb. 13, 2011

I just returned from my first TMEA where I didn't have a curfew.  During the last 2 days I attended the 5A Honor Band, All State Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Symphony Orchestra concerts, visited some more clinics, and ate lots of delicious food on the San Antonio River Walk.  Pretty good week if I say so myself.  I did, however, have a parent of an All-Stater tell me "That could be me next year."

So we all know that our state is not exempt from the recession, but it is starting to catch up with us finally.  Current decisions being made are easily causing teachers to lose sleep.  In one of the sessions at TMEA, the distinguished service award was given to the Texas Commissioner of Education who urged us to contact our legislature and school board about our thoughts about this decision and also reminded us that March is Music in Our Schools month.  I would really like to do something drastic at my school to create awareness and involve students in fighting for their programs.  Now just to figure out what exactly I'm going to do...