Hey friends! This was probably my most stressful week so far at my elementary placement. I am all in, teaching all of the classes, and I had something after school every day. I just felt like I was nonstop! I guess that's what happens when your big spring program is the following week!
Monday was pretty packed as usual, but with an extra dress rehearsal with the 7th and 8th grade for our spring program, Schoolhouse Rock Live Jr. I'll be frank, the rehearsal was awful. The students just couldn't stay focused now that all of the pieces are coming together. They get distracted by the dancers and actors around them and miss entrances left and right. We were so frustrated by the end of rehearsal, it made the rest of the day tough to get through. I introduced a unit on solfege with the 3rd graders and a unit of sixteenth notes with the 2nd graders. These unit intros went pretty well, but I was exhausted by the end of the day! I scooted down to MPS central office after school to see what is up with my contract, and they gave me a note to get a physical before signing my contract.
Tuesday was more relaxed, but was filled with running around preparing for the rest of the week. Funny that days that are supposed to be relaxed end up being filled with little errands and planning. I did an assessment with my 4K kids on pitch exploration and writing vocal waves representing pitch fluctuation. I went after school to get my first physical in Brown Deer.
Wednesday we had a rehearsal with the 5th and 6th graders like we did with the older ones, but the rehearsal didn't go much better. They seemed to be on the ball a little more and were definitely more quiet than the other students during transitions, but it was still rough. It got us pretty nervous about Tuesday next week when we are supposed to be putting this whole thing on. In 1st grade, I introduced Peter and the Wolf, which I have quickly found to be a staple in the 1st grade curriculum. In the afternoon, we had a prayer service where Alissa and I sang a Saint-Saens "Ave Maria." It was nice to have a little performance again.
Thursday, the kids were a little wild. I think it was because the weather was so nice. I also experienced for the first time 4 year olds truly being mean to one another. It was of course among a few girls, saying that they weren't friends with another, but I was shocked. I was naive enough to think that these youngsters were too innocent to be cruel... How wrong I was! They can be right up there with 7th graders! After school, I had another physical appointment for MPS (yes, it was a two appointment sort of deal!). One step closer to my contract!
Friday was crazy. We had a 5-8 rehearsal for Schoolhouse Rock in the morning, and it was a train wreck. No one wanted to listen, they made frequent mistakes, and many changes had to be made to accommodate all of the students. It made the day seem so long knowing I still had 4 classes to teach afterward. I was observed for the final time in my third grade class with my solfege unit, and it went well. Both my supervisor and I are impressed by how quickly these students are able to learn to sightread! After school was another rehearsal, and then I high tailed it to Oshkosh.
Though this week was crazy, I feel a sense of accomplishment to know that I can juggle so many things and still be alive and functional. I really don't have very good stamina yet and I get pretty tired in the middle of the day, but I love what I'm doing. Elementary school definitely has its benefits!
Thanks for catching up with me, and next week's update should come early for memorial day weekend! Schoolhouse Rock, here we come!
No comments:
Post a Comment