Hey friends! This week seemed to fly by. I am at home now with my mom and brother awaiting the arrival of my niece, who has decided that the due date assigned to her didn't suit her taste... I am so excited an anxious for her to get here! My sister is doing well, but she is antsy for the baby as well. I spent this entire week with my phone in my pocket, waiting for it to go off saying that Erin was in labor, but no baby yet. Hopefully I will be able to come right away whenever she does have the baby and it won't be during the school day!
This week was the first week where I was sort of on my own two feet. I did a lot of solo teaching and made a few teaching videos. Monday we were without technology as the tech guy worked on all of the computers. This would have been a challenge if Alissa didn't have an iPad! It did pose some difficulties seeing as we couldn't use the smartboard... Which, by the way, I wish I would have had a lot more training in! Those things are so cool, but if one thing goes wrong, I am completely amiss as to how to fix it. I began teaching the 4th graders a 2 part song on recorder on Monday, where I opened them up to the idea of sight-reading. It went pretty well seeing as they only had to sight read two notes for different note values. I was proud!
Tuesday was my first day flying solo and teaching my own lessons. Alissa had an appointment, so the classroom teachers just sat in the room while I taught Alissa's classes. I taught two sections of Kindergarten where I got them working on identifying high, medium, and low pitches. By the end of the class, students were able to draw simple melodic contour sketches for songs. I was worried the lesson would be too hard for them, but I was impressed by their answers and creativity. I still really struggle to gauge what is appropriate for Kindergarteners... I also taught two 2nd grade classes where we discussed form through the piece "The Aquarium" by Camille Saint-Saëns. It went really well and the kids seemed to pick up the concept quickly. I used colored fish to represent the different sections of the piece, and they enjoyed pretending to swim around the classroom.
Wednesday was out of the ordinary, as we didn't have Mass but had a rehearsal for the musical instead. The 5th graders had a rude awakening as we pushed them out on stage to show us what they know. The show is in 3 weeks, and many of them still struggle with the words to the songs. It was a good little wakeup call that was repeated with the 8th grade later that day. We have lots of work to do!!
Thursday I got observed for the first time at this new placement. I taught the 4th graders more of the song and we did some more sight-reading exercises. It went really well, and I am growing less and less nervous every time I get observed. I feel like my supervisor is so supportive that it puts my nerves at ease. I also found out that I'm all done with student teaching seminar for the semester! WAHOO!! It is sort of starting to feel like the end of student teaching, even though I still have 6 weeks left...
Friday. was. crazy. We had VIP day at school where students bring their family, friends, or others to school with them for a day. We all went to Mass together, then we provided refreshments and entertainment by some of our talented students, and then the VIPs followed their student around for a few classes before heading to lunch. After lunch, the day resumed as normal. Alissa had another appointment on Friday afternoon, which meant I took her 1st and 3rd grade afternoon classes, 4 classes back to back! I opened new units for each, 1st grade began with partner songs while 3rd grade began to read solfege. I was so worried that they would be super squirrely after VIP day, but they were pretty good and stayed engaged. I was so beat by the end of the day though that I got to my mom's house and crashed. It was a good day and I got some great footage of myself teaching!
I was very happy this week to get many compliments on my teaching by the teachers who were sitting in on my classes. They kept telling me that I'm a natural and that my lessons were great. One teacher said, "I even learned something new!" That really boosted my confidence, especially since I read the evaluations that I passed out to the kids at my high school placement and many of them told me I needed to work on having clearer directions... My Music Appreciation class was especially kind, telling me to "eat poop" and that "you suck." That was probably the low point of my week. But you just have to shake it off and move on! Not everyone is going to love you!
Prayer requests: My paperwork with MPS is taking a really long time, so pray that the process speeds up! Also pray that my sister has her baby with no complications and that she is healthy! Thanks for your support, and I am grateful for your prayers!
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Week 2: Jobs Jobs Jobs
Hey everyone! My second week at school has gone really well. I'm feeling very comfortable in this new school, and the kids are so adorable. Alissa and I get along great, and she has been very open to letting me teach as much as I am comfortable with. She and I have also connected on a personal level as she has told me more about her life. I appreciate the wisdom she has been speaking into my life, about teaching as well as real adult life.
This week, I realized that I am still in high school mode. I caught myself trying to explain why a quarter note gets one beat using a pie example... to second graders. The idea would have gone over fine in high school, but these kids just stared at me blankly and I quickly realized the idea was over their heads. As I watched Alissa teach the 4K classes, I realized how much she actually had to break things down in order for concepts to be grasped and things to go smoothly. It would have never occurred to me to tell a 4 year old the difference between high and low notes. As I write this I feel foolish for not realizing that this is not an innate concept, but I had never taken the time to realize that it had been learned. I think this will be my biggest challenge- making sure I am breaking things down to ensure the kids get it.
We had a few drills this week, which was interesting to see. We had a fire drill on Tuesday, and we had first graders at the time. The entire building moved outside silently as the alarm went off. Then we stood in perfectly straight lines out on the playground without a word. The entire school stood silently and watched for the all-clear. I couldn't believe it. Every school I've ever been to, all of the students (no matter the age) would be chatty out on the playground, especially if they knew it was just a drill. When we were given the signal to come back in, they moved silently into the building as well. I was amazed. We had a tornado drill on Thursday, and this one was less awe-inspiring. I had one kindergarten student immediately run for the door and begin to leave. I was so surprised by his reaction that I just ran to the door and stood in front of it. He looked terrified, and I just said, "Remember what we talked about? Where should you be sitting?" He panicked as he moved to a side of the wall and tucked his head in his hands. Note to self- in crisis, kindergarteners will bolt!
I found out this week that I will be conducting a Mass on my own, which should be a good experience. I'm getting more conducting experience here than at my high school placement, which is interesting, but not surprising. I was only there for the music learning stages. I'm grateful for the practice though, because Lord knows I need it!
This week was all about jobs in my mind- I had two interviews, but only went to one. Its a long story that maybe I'll recount later, but I'll just say that the first interview went so well that I was 100% sure I shouldn't go to the second one. Both are in MPS, and sometimes in MPS if you are offered a job at more than one school, the district will just place you at whichever school they choose. I know it sounds crazy, but it happens. The first interview was my first choice school, and I feel extremely good about it. I will have an announcement for you in the next few weeks ;) Thanks for your prayers!
I don't have much else to post, simply because this week I was so focused on interviews and the MPS process that I honestly don't remember much about this week. I just have a lot of catchy little kids songs floating around in my head to represent what happened! This week flew by, and I have a feeling this placement will seem very short. My next steps in life? I will focus on getting something together for summer employment, sign up for CMP workshop, and start apartment hunting! Life is changing so much, I feel like my heart is going to burst out of my chest sometimes I am so excited. Thanks for your continued prayers, and if there are any prayer requests you'd like to send my way, I'd love to hear them! Feel free to comment or email me! heidirobertson14@gmail.com
This week, I realized that I am still in high school mode. I caught myself trying to explain why a quarter note gets one beat using a pie example... to second graders. The idea would have gone over fine in high school, but these kids just stared at me blankly and I quickly realized the idea was over their heads. As I watched Alissa teach the 4K classes, I realized how much she actually had to break things down in order for concepts to be grasped and things to go smoothly. It would have never occurred to me to tell a 4 year old the difference between high and low notes. As I write this I feel foolish for not realizing that this is not an innate concept, but I had never taken the time to realize that it had been learned. I think this will be my biggest challenge- making sure I am breaking things down to ensure the kids get it.
We had a few drills this week, which was interesting to see. We had a fire drill on Tuesday, and we had first graders at the time. The entire building moved outside silently as the alarm went off. Then we stood in perfectly straight lines out on the playground without a word. The entire school stood silently and watched for the all-clear. I couldn't believe it. Every school I've ever been to, all of the students (no matter the age) would be chatty out on the playground, especially if they knew it was just a drill. When we were given the signal to come back in, they moved silently into the building as well. I was amazed. We had a tornado drill on Thursday, and this one was less awe-inspiring. I had one kindergarten student immediately run for the door and begin to leave. I was so surprised by his reaction that I just ran to the door and stood in front of it. He looked terrified, and I just said, "Remember what we talked about? Where should you be sitting?" He panicked as he moved to a side of the wall and tucked his head in his hands. Note to self- in crisis, kindergarteners will bolt!
I found out this week that I will be conducting a Mass on my own, which should be a good experience. I'm getting more conducting experience here than at my high school placement, which is interesting, but not surprising. I was only there for the music learning stages. I'm grateful for the practice though, because Lord knows I need it!
This week was all about jobs in my mind- I had two interviews, but only went to one. Its a long story that maybe I'll recount later, but I'll just say that the first interview went so well that I was 100% sure I shouldn't go to the second one. Both are in MPS, and sometimes in MPS if you are offered a job at more than one school, the district will just place you at whichever school they choose. I know it sounds crazy, but it happens. The first interview was my first choice school, and I feel extremely good about it. I will have an announcement for you in the next few weeks ;) Thanks for your prayers!
I don't have much else to post, simply because this week I was so focused on interviews and the MPS process that I honestly don't remember much about this week. I just have a lot of catchy little kids songs floating around in my head to represent what happened! This week flew by, and I have a feeling this placement will seem very short. My next steps in life? I will focus on getting something together for summer employment, sign up for CMP workshop, and start apartment hunting! Life is changing so much, I feel like my heart is going to burst out of my chest sometimes I am so excited. Thanks for your continued prayers, and if there are any prayer requests you'd like to send my way, I'd love to hear them! Feel free to comment or email me! heidirobertson14@gmail.com
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Week 1: Welcome to Catholic School!
Hello again! It has been a while since I've posted, and it is because I had a glorious two weeks of spring break! I spent my time hanging out with my family and catching up with friends in Oshkosh. It was so relaxing, and after feeling stressed for 9 weeks, it was exactly what I needed.
This week began my second placement at a Catholic school. I was raised Catholic, but as I grew into my own faith, much of my Catholic upbringing was quickly forgotten. I've never been to a Christian school, but I've always wondered what it would be like. Let me tell you, there is something truly wonderful about prayer in the middle of the day. Knowing that God is allowed to be part of the school day put me at ease immediately. My new cooperating teacher, Alissa, has been so welcoming. I knew we'd be a good fit when she turned to me on my second day and said, "Is there anything I can pray for you about?" We sat right there at her desk and took time to pray! This is a dream, especially since this would never be permissible in a public school (understandably so).
The school is about 350 students, 4K-8. We see the 4K-4th graders twice per week, and the 6-8th graders once a week. Let me tell you, going from an hour and a half block class to a thirty minute class is no easy transition! Everything is so fast paced compared to high school, but luckily I have more prep disbursed throughout the day to break it up. The little ones are so adorable, they just want to make you happy.
I was relieved to be thrown right into the mix on Monday, as opposed to an entire week of observation as the University encourages. I think I would have been bored. Alissa was more than happy to throw things my way immediately to get me involved and getting to know the kids. It made for quicker days, and even though I was nervous at first, by the end of the week, I was excited to jump in. I got to do some warm ups, test kids on recorders, and lead little hello songs. It was a nice introduction to the class. I had forgotten all of the cute things I had learned in Elementary Methods, but I was surprised (and grateful) at how quickly they came back. There are just so many fun activities to do with these little ones, but I needed a lot of energy!
The most interesting part of my first week was Mass on Wednesday. The church is beautiful, and the priest seems really nice. All of the kids attend Mass together as well as some community members. Each week, there are students who do all of the music for the Mass, led by Alissa. It seems like a great opportunity for leadership and performance. I was counting on my Catholic upbringing in this setting to help me blend in with the congregation, but was immediately revealed as an outsider when I realized the Catholic Church had reverted to a different response that aligns more with the original Greek. Needless to say, I fumbled over my words regularly and probably looked like a joke to the little boy in the boy scout uniform next to me.
Speaking of uniforms, they are enforced at this school. The students don't seem to mind them too much, which I would have thought middle schoolers would loathe the idea of dressing alike each day. They seem ok with it though, so the system works. The teachers have also been so warm and welcoming to me, and by the end of the first day, I think almost all of them knew my name. It made me feel very at home right away.
Prayer request: I have two job interviews next week, so please be praying for me to prepare myself for these interviews. Please pray that I would represent Christ and myself well as I try to find the best fit for me. It is such a blessing to have two interviews, and I really feel that God has opened these doors for me.
Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support, and I will keep you in the loop as to how my interviews go!
This week began my second placement at a Catholic school. I was raised Catholic, but as I grew into my own faith, much of my Catholic upbringing was quickly forgotten. I've never been to a Christian school, but I've always wondered what it would be like. Let me tell you, there is something truly wonderful about prayer in the middle of the day. Knowing that God is allowed to be part of the school day put me at ease immediately. My new cooperating teacher, Alissa, has been so welcoming. I knew we'd be a good fit when she turned to me on my second day and said, "Is there anything I can pray for you about?" We sat right there at her desk and took time to pray! This is a dream, especially since this would never be permissible in a public school (understandably so).
The school is about 350 students, 4K-8. We see the 4K-4th graders twice per week, and the 6-8th graders once a week. Let me tell you, going from an hour and a half block class to a thirty minute class is no easy transition! Everything is so fast paced compared to high school, but luckily I have more prep disbursed throughout the day to break it up. The little ones are so adorable, they just want to make you happy.
I was relieved to be thrown right into the mix on Monday, as opposed to an entire week of observation as the University encourages. I think I would have been bored. Alissa was more than happy to throw things my way immediately to get me involved and getting to know the kids. It made for quicker days, and even though I was nervous at first, by the end of the week, I was excited to jump in. I got to do some warm ups, test kids on recorders, and lead little hello songs. It was a nice introduction to the class. I had forgotten all of the cute things I had learned in Elementary Methods, but I was surprised (and grateful) at how quickly they came back. There are just so many fun activities to do with these little ones, but I needed a lot of energy!
The most interesting part of my first week was Mass on Wednesday. The church is beautiful, and the priest seems really nice. All of the kids attend Mass together as well as some community members. Each week, there are students who do all of the music for the Mass, led by Alissa. It seems like a great opportunity for leadership and performance. I was counting on my Catholic upbringing in this setting to help me blend in with the congregation, but was immediately revealed as an outsider when I realized the Catholic Church had reverted to a different response that aligns more with the original Greek. Needless to say, I fumbled over my words regularly and probably looked like a joke to the little boy in the boy scout uniform next to me.
Speaking of uniforms, they are enforced at this school. The students don't seem to mind them too much, which I would have thought middle schoolers would loathe the idea of dressing alike each day. They seem ok with it though, so the system works. The teachers have also been so warm and welcoming to me, and by the end of the first day, I think almost all of them knew my name. It made me feel very at home right away.
Prayer request: I have two job interviews next week, so please be praying for me to prepare myself for these interviews. Please pray that I would represent Christ and myself well as I try to find the best fit for me. It is such a blessing to have two interviews, and I really feel that God has opened these doors for me.
Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support, and I will keep you in the loop as to how my interviews go!
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Week 9: The End of the Beginning
I am officially done with my last week of student teaching at my high school placement. I don't think it has completely sunken in yet that I won't be back on Monday... This placement has been so amazing and I've learned so much, I cried like a baby yesterday after school was over.
This week was pretty eventful. Monday Erica had to leave school because her contact ripped in half right before school started. I took over warm ups for Women's Choir and passed the baton to her when she got back. I felt like a real teacher and like I finally know what's going on that I can just pick up the class and fill in when needed. Rehearsal was still tough, but I think that partially had to do with my low energy level. I was pretty sad on Monday thinking about this being my last week, and I think the kids read it on my face.
Tuesday we had a lockdown during Concert Choir. No warning, just a loud announcement on the loudspeaker to lock your doors and shut off the lights. I had a feeling that it was a drill, but I also didn't want to not take it seriously. The kids didn't seem too worried, as they were talking and giggling in the dark. Sure enough, it was a drill (praise God!). At lunch with the other teachers later that day, another teacher told us that her student teacher was nearly hyperventilating and she had to do more to calm him down than the students! So glad I wasn't like that! It was interesting though to see how this school takes care of emergencies.
Wednesday was the Composer's Forum after school for IB Music students who have to write compositions for class. It was absolutely astonishing what these kids came up with. One student in particular is really interested in digital music (he's going to Oshkosh for it! Woot!) and he wrote two pieces on Mixcraft 5 that were amazing. The notation looked crazy because it's not like normal music with notes and such, it is more like a graph as to which instruments are happening where, volume levels, etc. He said he had worked 90 hours on these pieces. I can't think of a single thing that I have focused on for 90 hours!! I was so impressed with the compositions they wrote and I couldn't help but feel inspired to write myself. Now to just find the time...
Thursday was my last day with Treble and Concert Choirs. I sang alongside the students as a final farewell, and at the end of rehearsal I had them fill out some evaluations that I created for my own personal growth. They gave me a card that apparently had been passed around for the past week among all of the choirs (I had no idea it was even happening!). It was filled with at least 5 pages of signatures and notes from the students. I immediately started crying. I was so touched and sad to be leaving. I still haven't gotten through the whole card reading the comments!
Friday was a wonderful yet hard day. I did evaluations in Women's and Men's choirs, and I performed a rap that I wrote for Men's choir. I've attached it to the blog if you want to check it out! They loved it, and I answered questions about college and life in general. The Chamber Choir kids brought tacos (authentic too, not the "dump the seasoning in the beef" kind!) and we celebrated and took funny pictures. They all looked ridiculous because they had decided they were all going to dress like Mexican thugs for one of the student's birthdays. It was a great last way to see them, with their hair all done up and heavy lipstick and gangsta shoes! After school, I had a bunch of students waiting for me in Erica's room to say a final goodbye. I snapped a couple more pictures, and packed up my things. I didn't start bawling until I was alone in the classroom. It hit me like a wave that it was all over. It had gone by so fast, and I learned sooo much, but I didn't want it to really be over. I've made such deep connections with these students, and I don't want to lose that! Erica hugged me tight as I cried. I know she and I will stay in touch and be good friends, but its hard to not know when I will see the students again... possibly not until their concert in April.
Though I'm sad that this placement is over, I am excited to check out Elementary school life. I don't have much experience in this realm besides the time spent in my mom's classroom. Alissa, my next cooperating teacher, gave me music yesterday to start working on for my first week. I'm glad to hear she wants to throw me in right away instead of having me observe for a whole week. That will make the week go by faster. They are doing School House Rock, Jr. right now, so I've got some music and dialogue to learn!
Now, I'm going to enjoy my spring break! Time spent in Oshkosh, time spent with my family and friends... It's going to be good! To tie you over until my next blog post, here's my Men's Choir Rap!! :)
This week was pretty eventful. Monday Erica had to leave school because her contact ripped in half right before school started. I took over warm ups for Women's Choir and passed the baton to her when she got back. I felt like a real teacher and like I finally know what's going on that I can just pick up the class and fill in when needed. Rehearsal was still tough, but I think that partially had to do with my low energy level. I was pretty sad on Monday thinking about this being my last week, and I think the kids read it on my face.
Tuesday we had a lockdown during Concert Choir. No warning, just a loud announcement on the loudspeaker to lock your doors and shut off the lights. I had a feeling that it was a drill, but I also didn't want to not take it seriously. The kids didn't seem too worried, as they were talking and giggling in the dark. Sure enough, it was a drill (praise God!). At lunch with the other teachers later that day, another teacher told us that her student teacher was nearly hyperventilating and she had to do more to calm him down than the students! So glad I wasn't like that! It was interesting though to see how this school takes care of emergencies.
Wednesday was the Composer's Forum after school for IB Music students who have to write compositions for class. It was absolutely astonishing what these kids came up with. One student in particular is really interested in digital music (he's going to Oshkosh for it! Woot!) and he wrote two pieces on Mixcraft 5 that were amazing. The notation looked crazy because it's not like normal music with notes and such, it is more like a graph as to which instruments are happening where, volume levels, etc. He said he had worked 90 hours on these pieces. I can't think of a single thing that I have focused on for 90 hours!! I was so impressed with the compositions they wrote and I couldn't help but feel inspired to write myself. Now to just find the time...
Thursday was my last day with Treble and Concert Choirs. I sang alongside the students as a final farewell, and at the end of rehearsal I had them fill out some evaluations that I created for my own personal growth. They gave me a card that apparently had been passed around for the past week among all of the choirs (I had no idea it was even happening!). It was filled with at least 5 pages of signatures and notes from the students. I immediately started crying. I was so touched and sad to be leaving. I still haven't gotten through the whole card reading the comments!
Friday was a wonderful yet hard day. I did evaluations in Women's and Men's choirs, and I performed a rap that I wrote for Men's choir. I've attached it to the blog if you want to check it out! They loved it, and I answered questions about college and life in general. The Chamber Choir kids brought tacos (authentic too, not the "dump the seasoning in the beef" kind!) and we celebrated and took funny pictures. They all looked ridiculous because they had decided they were all going to dress like Mexican thugs for one of the student's birthdays. It was a great last way to see them, with their hair all done up and heavy lipstick and gangsta shoes! After school, I had a bunch of students waiting for me in Erica's room to say a final goodbye. I snapped a couple more pictures, and packed up my things. I didn't start bawling until I was alone in the classroom. It hit me like a wave that it was all over. It had gone by so fast, and I learned sooo much, but I didn't want it to really be over. I've made such deep connections with these students, and I don't want to lose that! Erica hugged me tight as I cried. I know she and I will stay in touch and be good friends, but its hard to not know when I will see the students again... possibly not until their concert in April.
Though I'm sad that this placement is over, I am excited to check out Elementary school life. I don't have much experience in this realm besides the time spent in my mom's classroom. Alissa, my next cooperating teacher, gave me music yesterday to start working on for my first week. I'm glad to hear she wants to throw me in right away instead of having me observe for a whole week. That will make the week go by faster. They are doing School House Rock, Jr. right now, so I've got some music and dialogue to learn!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Week 8: All About Opera
Thanks for checking in again! This week has been the beginning of the end in my mind. Next week is my last week, so this week I couldn't help but begin to think about how fast this has gone by. Despite feeling sadness about the close of this placement, it was still an exciting week!
Monday we went on a field trip to the Florentine Opera Company's rehearsal space. My school has a community partnership with the Florentine, so not only did we get free tickets to their performance of Albert Herring on Friday, but we also got to spend time with the actors, costume designer, and makeup artist on Monday. Their rehearsal space is beautiful, tucked away in a vine-y brick building in the city. The actors performed selections from the opera, the director explained the opera and Benjamin Britten, and the chorus director did a musical analysis for us. The makeup artist did stage makeup on two students- one was made to look old, while the other got a faux mustache. It was a great time, and it got the kids really excited about the opera on Friday.
Tuesday I had another informational meeting after school, this time for a high school choir position. I got to tour the school with the principal, and again I was the only one to come to the meeting. I got to meet the assistant principals and some staff, and it seemed like they really liked me. I am still unsure as to whether I want to teach high school. My heart really lies with middle school, but I haven't seen many middle school positions available... We'll see where these leads go!
Thursday night was the IB Senior Recitals for 4 of our seniors. In the IB program, students are required to perform 25 minutes of music to be recorded and sent for scoring to other parts of the world. The recital was amazing, and the students performed well. By the end, I was crying like a baby. I was so proud of these students, and I've only known them for 8 weeks! I was so moved by their hard work and all they have overcome, I couldn't help but tear up.
Friday was a long, but great day (for the most part). I had a big project that was due in my Music Appreciation class where the students listened to an album, did a little analysis on each song, wrote a one page review of the album, and do a 5-7 minute presentation to the class about whether they liked/disliked the album. They have had at least 3 weeks to work on this project, 45 minutes of in-class work time each day... Friday it was due, and out of a class of 35 students, 18 turned in projects. I was stunned. I started grading, and out of the 10 that I graded, I had at least 5 cases of blatant plagiarism. I couldn't believe it! The project really wasn't difficult, especially for a junior or senior in high school, and to have them care so little about it made me mad! After talking with my cooperating teacher, I realized that they probably don't think I have any effect on their grade because I'm a student teacher, but he told me that he'd back me 100% if I failed them all. I told them at least 5 times that I wouldn't accept any late papers, and they'll have a rude awakening when they try to turn it in and I politely tell them absolutely not!!
Friday night was the opera. I stayed after school through to when the bus left at 6, and we took about 45 students. The opera was phenomenal. We had amazing seats, and the performers were great. It was really nice to have gotten to meet the actors before the performance, as it made them seem like someone we knew and were rooting for. I ended up seeing one of my former professors in the orchestra, which was a nice surprise. I didn't get home until around 11:30, but the long day was well worth it. It was so amazing to see 45 students who were genuinely interested in opera and speaking critically about the techniques and performances of the professionals.
This was truly a wonderful week, and I'm already sad that next week is my last. I know that I'll cry like a baby! It will be hard to leave, but I have to say, I'm excited to work with the little ones. Keep checking in with me, and I'll keep you in the loop! Thanks for the support!
Monday we went on a field trip to the Florentine Opera Company's rehearsal space. My school has a community partnership with the Florentine, so not only did we get free tickets to their performance of Albert Herring on Friday, but we also got to spend time with the actors, costume designer, and makeup artist on Monday. Their rehearsal space is beautiful, tucked away in a vine-y brick building in the city. The actors performed selections from the opera, the director explained the opera and Benjamin Britten, and the chorus director did a musical analysis for us. The makeup artist did stage makeup on two students- one was made to look old, while the other got a faux mustache. It was a great time, and it got the kids really excited about the opera on Friday.
Tuesday I had another informational meeting after school, this time for a high school choir position. I got to tour the school with the principal, and again I was the only one to come to the meeting. I got to meet the assistant principals and some staff, and it seemed like they really liked me. I am still unsure as to whether I want to teach high school. My heart really lies with middle school, but I haven't seen many middle school positions available... We'll see where these leads go!
Thursday night was the IB Senior Recitals for 4 of our seniors. In the IB program, students are required to perform 25 minutes of music to be recorded and sent for scoring to other parts of the world. The recital was amazing, and the students performed well. By the end, I was crying like a baby. I was so proud of these students, and I've only known them for 8 weeks! I was so moved by their hard work and all they have overcome, I couldn't help but tear up.
Friday was a long, but great day (for the most part). I had a big project that was due in my Music Appreciation class where the students listened to an album, did a little analysis on each song, wrote a one page review of the album, and do a 5-7 minute presentation to the class about whether they liked/disliked the album. They have had at least 3 weeks to work on this project, 45 minutes of in-class work time each day... Friday it was due, and out of a class of 35 students, 18 turned in projects. I was stunned. I started grading, and out of the 10 that I graded, I had at least 5 cases of blatant plagiarism. I couldn't believe it! The project really wasn't difficult, especially for a junior or senior in high school, and to have them care so little about it made me mad! After talking with my cooperating teacher, I realized that they probably don't think I have any effect on their grade because I'm a student teacher, but he told me that he'd back me 100% if I failed them all. I told them at least 5 times that I wouldn't accept any late papers, and they'll have a rude awakening when they try to turn it in and I politely tell them absolutely not!!
Friday night was the opera. I stayed after school through to when the bus left at 6, and we took about 45 students. The opera was phenomenal. We had amazing seats, and the performers were great. It was really nice to have gotten to meet the actors before the performance, as it made them seem like someone we knew and were rooting for. I ended up seeing one of my former professors in the orchestra, which was a nice surprise. I didn't get home until around 11:30, but the long day was well worth it. It was so amazing to see 45 students who were genuinely interested in opera and speaking critically about the techniques and performances of the professionals.
This was truly a wonderful week, and I'm already sad that next week is my last. I know that I'll cry like a baby! It will be hard to leave, but I have to say, I'm excited to work with the little ones. Keep checking in with me, and I'll keep you in the loop! Thanks for the support!
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Week 7: Go Big or Go Home
Howdy friends! This week was jam packed, but really great. I went to the MPS job fair on Saturday where nearly 1,000 people showed up to job hunt. There were 136 MPS schools represented by tables and principals, but only 4 music positions posted and available. I was warned that there wouldn't be many positions posted because they can only post full time jobs to outside applicants, but I was still expecting more than 4! I made a good connection with a high school principal looking for a music teacher on the North side of town, and she sent me to get an interview with HR. I waited in line for about a half hour, and the interview was probably the most intense thing I have been through in a long time. I really got the vibe that she didn't like me and that it didn't go well, but then at the end she was really nice, so I got some mixed signals. HR in MPS is really swamped, especially since they had more than 1,000 people just show up on Saturday, so I'm not really sure what my next step is for the district. Each individual school with an open position will be having information sessions within the next few weeks that may or may not become informal interviews depending on the turnout. I went to one of these sessions at an elementary school on the South side, and the principal really seemed to like me. I hope to get an interview with them sometime soon, but again, all of this is so new to me, I'm not too sure what to do! I have an information session with the high school I met at the fair on Tuesday of next week, so I'll keep you posted how that one goes. If you have any advice, feel free to send it my way!
Monday began my second full week of rehearsals, although it felt like the first due to our snow day last week and not having school last Monday. My pacing has gotten a lot better, which I'm proud of, but I let Women's choir get to me Monday and Wednesday. Some of them just get under my skin, and they know it, but I don't know how to hide that they're getting to me. Men's choir is always a joy for me though, and considering they come right after Women's choir, they are a much needed energy.
I got observed twice this week, Tuesday being the first, and the block before the observation in Treble choir, I got the girls so excited about their progress on their Baroque piece that they were literally screaming by the end of rehearsal. My supervisor walked in just as the excitement was peaking, which I really appreciated because it set me up nicely for the next rehearsal. The time with Concert choir went well, and I felt like I made some serious progress in some of their pieces.
Wednesday was a hard day. Women's choir was the worst that it had been in a while. I was rehearsing part of one of their pieces and they just weren't getting it and time was running out, so I wanted to leave the piece on a successful note. I went back and had them sing a part they already knew and then put it away, and one girl raised her hand and shouted, "Why did we just learn what we did if we aren't going to do it?!" I was so caught off guard, I paused, which I'm sure made her feel like she won. I just calmly said, "I know your part is easy in that section, but the second soprano's part is really hard, and I didn't want to just leave it like that." Not the most eloquent thing to say, and I'm not sure how else I could have recovered, but I was so frustrated and upset with myself afterward that I needed to take a lap before Men's choir came in. They always cheer me up, but it was still hard to shake the feeling of failure for the rest of the day.
Observation #2 was Thursday, this time in my Music Appreciation class. I scheduled two observations in one week just trying to get them out of the way, but it ended up just stressing me out more than usual. I was observed in my special ed section of the class too, so I really had to be on my game. During second block with Concert choir, I started to get a migraine. I felt awful by 11. Erica told me to call my supervisor and reschedule and go home, and I felt so nauseous that I agreed. I called, but no answer. It was noon and she was coming at 1:30, so I had little time to get over this wave of nausea. I just kept telling myself, "Suck it up, Robertson! Go big or go home! It's an hour and half then you're done!!" By 6th block, I was feeling ok enough to teach. It went really well- so well that my supervisor just started interviewing my co-op in the middle of my lesson! At the end, she just said, "When you're good, you're good!" I was so relieved. I celebrated by watching Everybody Loves Raymond when I got home... Yeah, I'm exciting.
Friday was the best day of the week. Women's choir and I finally overcame some of our trust issues and we got a lot done. I felt more respected and successful, which made Men's choir an absolute blast. It was a much needed day after the highs and pitfalls of the week. I drove up to Oshkosh and am in town for the weekend. I am so grateful for this getaway.
Now I'm on the downward slope for this placement. Next week, I'm back to half rehearsals and the week after I'll be phased out, and then I'm half way done! It is going so fast!! It feels so good to know that I've made it through the hardest parts of this placement and the next weeks will be more relaxed. I'll be really sad to leave this placement, though. The connections that I've made with students and staff are strong, and it will be really hard to say goodbye. I don't want to think about it now. Keep checking in on me, and I'll keep you in the loop! Thanks for the encouragement!
Monday began my second full week of rehearsals, although it felt like the first due to our snow day last week and not having school last Monday. My pacing has gotten a lot better, which I'm proud of, but I let Women's choir get to me Monday and Wednesday. Some of them just get under my skin, and they know it, but I don't know how to hide that they're getting to me. Men's choir is always a joy for me though, and considering they come right after Women's choir, they are a much needed energy.
I got observed twice this week, Tuesday being the first, and the block before the observation in Treble choir, I got the girls so excited about their progress on their Baroque piece that they were literally screaming by the end of rehearsal. My supervisor walked in just as the excitement was peaking, which I really appreciated because it set me up nicely for the next rehearsal. The time with Concert choir went well, and I felt like I made some serious progress in some of their pieces.
Wednesday was a hard day. Women's choir was the worst that it had been in a while. I was rehearsing part of one of their pieces and they just weren't getting it and time was running out, so I wanted to leave the piece on a successful note. I went back and had them sing a part they already knew and then put it away, and one girl raised her hand and shouted, "Why did we just learn what we did if we aren't going to do it?!" I was so caught off guard, I paused, which I'm sure made her feel like she won. I just calmly said, "I know your part is easy in that section, but the second soprano's part is really hard, and I didn't want to just leave it like that." Not the most eloquent thing to say, and I'm not sure how else I could have recovered, but I was so frustrated and upset with myself afterward that I needed to take a lap before Men's choir came in. They always cheer me up, but it was still hard to shake the feeling of failure for the rest of the day.
Observation #2 was Thursday, this time in my Music Appreciation class. I scheduled two observations in one week just trying to get them out of the way, but it ended up just stressing me out more than usual. I was observed in my special ed section of the class too, so I really had to be on my game. During second block with Concert choir, I started to get a migraine. I felt awful by 11. Erica told me to call my supervisor and reschedule and go home, and I felt so nauseous that I agreed. I called, but no answer. It was noon and she was coming at 1:30, so I had little time to get over this wave of nausea. I just kept telling myself, "Suck it up, Robertson! Go big or go home! It's an hour and half then you're done!!" By 6th block, I was feeling ok enough to teach. It went really well- so well that my supervisor just started interviewing my co-op in the middle of my lesson! At the end, she just said, "When you're good, you're good!" I was so relieved. I celebrated by watching Everybody Loves Raymond when I got home... Yeah, I'm exciting.
Friday was the best day of the week. Women's choir and I finally overcame some of our trust issues and we got a lot done. I felt more respected and successful, which made Men's choir an absolute blast. It was a much needed day after the highs and pitfalls of the week. I drove up to Oshkosh and am in town for the weekend. I am so grateful for this getaway.
Now I'm on the downward slope for this placement. Next week, I'm back to half rehearsals and the week after I'll be phased out, and then I'm half way done! It is going so fast!! It feels so good to know that I've made it through the hardest parts of this placement and the next weeks will be more relaxed. I'll be really sad to leave this placement, though. The connections that I've made with students and staff are strong, and it will be really hard to say goodbye. I don't want to think about it now. Keep checking in on me, and I'll keep you in the loop! Thanks for the encouragement!
Friday, March 1, 2013
Week 6: Short But Oh So Sweet
Hello again! I'm happy to report that I feel like I'm finally getting some mojo in the classroom! This week was very short, considering we didn't have school Monday (not sure why) or Wednesday (snow day), but it was a good one! I needed a win after last week and after feeling like a total failure, and this week was exactly what I needed. I learned check multiple websites for school alerts... I got all the way to school Wednesday before I found out we had a snow day. Oops! I wasn't the only one either. Note to self: check LOTS of sources, not just two!
I spent the weekend in Oshkosh, which was a huge refresher after last week. It was so great to reconnect with friends and feel like I still have some kind of social life. Tuesday I worked on staying strong when Women's choir tries to throw me off my game. We worked on the same piece that broke me down, and again they challenged me with a slew of questions and some defiance, but I stood my ground. There was one girl that kept asking questions to challenge me, and I finally just ignored her and kept moving. She finally shouted, "Ms. Robertson! Don't you see my hand in the air?! I have a question!" I calmly smiled and said, "I'm not taking questions right now," and went back to my rehearsal. She grumbled amongst her classmates, but my rehearsal was not derailed. I was so proud! Though I was happy with the triumph of the block, Men's choir the following block had its own challenges. My pacing was terrible, and I got tripped up in my directions a few times, but the guys are pretty easy to please, so I don't think it they thought much of it (thank God!).
Wednesday, I spent my snow day relaxing. I had a much needed mental health day. I watched some TV, read a book, took a bath... It was exactly what I needed. I have just been feeling so stressed the past few weeks with little release time that it was nice to feel like I was all planned and could take a deep breath.
Thursday I focused on my pacing. I think I need to put a little clock by the piano to help because I can't always see the one on the wall. My pacing was a lot better when I was focused on it. I was with Women's and Men's choir again, and it made my classroom management a lot better. I even got to work on new parts of pieces in Women's choir. Men's choir seemed to appreciate my attention to pacing, though they were very chatty by the end of class. In their defense, it wasn't all their fault. During my warm up, a 6'2" 15 year old blew up on Erica because she asked him to stop goofing around during warm ups. The entire class's attention was diverted to this student, and he was escorted out of the room. After that, it was pretty hard to get their attention, but they tried their best to stay focused. The second half of rehearsal, the student who blew up returned to class and continued to distract those around him. After he returned, it was nearly impossible to wrangle them back into rehearsal mode. I ended up getting short with a few of them at the end of class because after I excused them to write in their logs for the day and wait for the bell, a few just walked out the door. I have never shouted at them before, but I definitely raised my voice to get them back in the room. They listened, but I regretted raising my voice. I feel like I have a really good rapport with Men's choir, so I hope it doesn't affect that.
Today (Friday) was my favorite day. I got to see Treble and Concert choirs, which is always fun, despite the fact that Concert was the squirreliest I have ever seen them. They are just groups that are looking to please you and will try anything you ask. It was nice considering I hadn't seen them since last Friday. We also had a Black Heritage assembly, which was my favorite part of the day. It was so cool to see the students perform spoken word poetry, rap, dance, and sing. There was a group of students who did an interpretive dance to a worship song that was about giving your life to Christ. I was so happy with the message they were conveying, but I couldn't help but wonder how it got approved... Oh well! At the end of the assembly, they had a long line of African American students line the stage and one by one come up to the microphone and bust a myth about their culture. For example, one girl walked up and said, "Just because I am loud and don't use proper English doesn't mean I'm ghetto. The ghetto is a place, not an attitude." A young female student walked up and said, "Just because I'm black doesn't mean I'm going to be pregnant before I graduate." The entire auditorium erupted with applause. I realized in that moment that these kids are bombarded with these ignorant assumptions every day, and honestly, I think if you would have asked me in high school, I would have thought a lot of these statements were true and not just stereotypes. It made me sad to know how ignorant I was and that ignorance such as mine is still out there, but I was so proud of these students for conveying such a positive message about their culture to their peers. I nearly teared up! Coolest thing I've seen so far at school.
Today I found out that one of my students in my Music Appreciation class will most likely be kicked out of school for something he did last week. He was the student who was very defiant toward female teachers, but I had felt like I had made a lot of progress with him. I'm really upset about it, and I worry about his well being. If he really does get kicked out, he will more than likely just be shipped off to another school where his issues will continue. Please be praying for him and prepare those who are about to work with him. He is in what my cooperating teacher calls "the dance of the lemons."
Next week, I'm continuing full rehearsals (90 min). I can't believe I only have 3 weeks left at my first placement. This has gone by so fast! I'm going to a job fair tomorrow, so please pray that I will get some leads if not an early contract to work in MPS. It could be a great day! Thanks for your prayers, and I'll see you next week!
I spent the weekend in Oshkosh, which was a huge refresher after last week. It was so great to reconnect with friends and feel like I still have some kind of social life. Tuesday I worked on staying strong when Women's choir tries to throw me off my game. We worked on the same piece that broke me down, and again they challenged me with a slew of questions and some defiance, but I stood my ground. There was one girl that kept asking questions to challenge me, and I finally just ignored her and kept moving. She finally shouted, "Ms. Robertson! Don't you see my hand in the air?! I have a question!" I calmly smiled and said, "I'm not taking questions right now," and went back to my rehearsal. She grumbled amongst her classmates, but my rehearsal was not derailed. I was so proud! Though I was happy with the triumph of the block, Men's choir the following block had its own challenges. My pacing was terrible, and I got tripped up in my directions a few times, but the guys are pretty easy to please, so I don't think it they thought much of it (thank God!).
Wednesday, I spent my snow day relaxing. I had a much needed mental health day. I watched some TV, read a book, took a bath... It was exactly what I needed. I have just been feeling so stressed the past few weeks with little release time that it was nice to feel like I was all planned and could take a deep breath.
Thursday I focused on my pacing. I think I need to put a little clock by the piano to help because I can't always see the one on the wall. My pacing was a lot better when I was focused on it. I was with Women's and Men's choir again, and it made my classroom management a lot better. I even got to work on new parts of pieces in Women's choir. Men's choir seemed to appreciate my attention to pacing, though they were very chatty by the end of class. In their defense, it wasn't all their fault. During my warm up, a 6'2" 15 year old blew up on Erica because she asked him to stop goofing around during warm ups. The entire class's attention was diverted to this student, and he was escorted out of the room. After that, it was pretty hard to get their attention, but they tried their best to stay focused. The second half of rehearsal, the student who blew up returned to class and continued to distract those around him. After he returned, it was nearly impossible to wrangle them back into rehearsal mode. I ended up getting short with a few of them at the end of class because after I excused them to write in their logs for the day and wait for the bell, a few just walked out the door. I have never shouted at them before, but I definitely raised my voice to get them back in the room. They listened, but I regretted raising my voice. I feel like I have a really good rapport with Men's choir, so I hope it doesn't affect that.
Today (Friday) was my favorite day. I got to see Treble and Concert choirs, which is always fun, despite the fact that Concert was the squirreliest I have ever seen them. They are just groups that are looking to please you and will try anything you ask. It was nice considering I hadn't seen them since last Friday. We also had a Black Heritage assembly, which was my favorite part of the day. It was so cool to see the students perform spoken word poetry, rap, dance, and sing. There was a group of students who did an interpretive dance to a worship song that was about giving your life to Christ. I was so happy with the message they were conveying, but I couldn't help but wonder how it got approved... Oh well! At the end of the assembly, they had a long line of African American students line the stage and one by one come up to the microphone and bust a myth about their culture. For example, one girl walked up and said, "Just because I am loud and don't use proper English doesn't mean I'm ghetto. The ghetto is a place, not an attitude." A young female student walked up and said, "Just because I'm black doesn't mean I'm going to be pregnant before I graduate." The entire auditorium erupted with applause. I realized in that moment that these kids are bombarded with these ignorant assumptions every day, and honestly, I think if you would have asked me in high school, I would have thought a lot of these statements were true and not just stereotypes. It made me sad to know how ignorant I was and that ignorance such as mine is still out there, but I was so proud of these students for conveying such a positive message about their culture to their peers. I nearly teared up! Coolest thing I've seen so far at school.
Today I found out that one of my students in my Music Appreciation class will most likely be kicked out of school for something he did last week. He was the student who was very defiant toward female teachers, but I had felt like I had made a lot of progress with him. I'm really upset about it, and I worry about his well being. If he really does get kicked out, he will more than likely just be shipped off to another school where his issues will continue. Please be praying for him and prepare those who are about to work with him. He is in what my cooperating teacher calls "the dance of the lemons."
Next week, I'm continuing full rehearsals (90 min). I can't believe I only have 3 weeks left at my first placement. This has gone by so fast! I'm going to a job fair tomorrow, so please pray that I will get some leads if not an early contract to work in MPS. It could be a great day! Thanks for your prayers, and I'll see you next week!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)