My six month nephew had a brain tumor removed.

I decided to help subdue the middle schoolers and to help get the correct emotional response of a chorale that I would update them with the happenings of my little nephew by showing them the blog entries posted by his parents. We then play the chorale.

One student suggested we record the piece and send it to them. I agreed, and last Friday they received this email and recording:

Tim and Liz,

This became a project.

A little background. Our group is the Middle School Advanced band at the Idaho Arts Charter School (IACS), which is composed about 25 individuals who are primarily 8th graders that have played 6 months to 6 years. I have chosen to keep them updated on Michael’s status from the day of the surgery. Talking about what is happening to you and following your blog (I can show it on the projector in the classroom) has helped them to connect to the piece we use to warm up.  The piece is a short warm up chorale called Windham Chorale.

Band members suggested we could record and send you an audio file of the piece. Tuesday we recorded. Wednesday, we listened to and discussed ways to improve our performance. Thursday we did a second recording. Today, we listened to both to compare and hear our improvement, and now you get the second performance.

Again, we send lots of loving thoughts to you and Michael,

IACS Middle School Advance Band

My initial response is “ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!” In some ways, I went there, but not as bad as the other students. The percussion class is composed of middle school students, so they are not always very kind. A few students treated this student and the question with the disrespect I felt like showing.  My lead teacher helped break the moment by asking me to turn on the SMARTboard where he had prepared an announcement about times and order of performance. I’m thankful for a lead teacher to help break up these moments.

As the board was warming up, I said something to the effect of  “Yes, I didn’t your question because this has been on the board, in your handbook, and online; however, I’d rather get this question now and here than on Tuesday.”  We then discussed details of the concert with set up, performance order and take down.

In percussion class, we have them divided into 4 groups performing 1 or 2 songs. The second group has two songs because they mastered their first. They had just finished their second piece, Vivaldi’s “Spring”, when I called for the next group. The same individual who asked when our concert is starts to get set for his part in the next group while asking, “What about them playing Spring?”  “They just finished playing Vivaldi’s ‘Spring.’”  I need patience with clueless students.

Students at the school I am student teaching prepare and present their information to their parents in lieu of a parent-teacher conference. We call them “Student Led Conferences” or SLCs for short. We see 12 sophomores every day for about 15 minutes, and we spent about 3 weeks preparing these students for their student led conferences. They were to write a biography of themselves that detailed who they are to this point in their lives. I actually liked the prompts given enough that I plan to revamp my bio page in my portfolio using the format outlined for theirs.

Yes, they have portfolios. Many of them complained of having to use a portfolio, so we explained its usefulness and even pulled out our own portfolios to show the students how they can be used when job hunting.  Most could see the value, but a few still moaned and groaned.  We helped them with page dividers, an outline to follow, and example after example for them to see what they should be putting into their portfolio.  We gave them multiple days to work on it, and about half the class pulled them together. The rest, my lead teacher simply said “It just makes them look bad.”

Parent(s) and student came into our classroom and looked at the portfolio, the grades, and then the student got to present self-set goals. The process goes very smoothly for the students that are prepared, and it’s painstaking for the ones that aren’t.

The format of the SLCs is one that I hope to find in the school I teach at because it puts more weight on the students for them to be responsible about their work, and to present to their parents why things are happening in school the way that they are. If the student is doing well in school, the student gets to tell their parents. If the student isn’t doing well in school, the student informs the parent and it isn’t a parent versus teacher process but more of a parent and teacher both present to say “We are resources to help you, but you must do this on your own.”

My lead teachers does a TON of the prep work to make me look great such as having reminders about the concert up on the board. He also helped me to realize that tomorrow, Thursday, the majority of my classes will be half the members of the band due to activities, so we plan to show movies.  He had work for the TAs, which I was wondering if I would have to come up with something. He had music playing for them to listen to. Yes, he was there first thing int he morning, but he and 4 of our best players left just after 8pm to go to NNU for a rehearsal in an elite group of players that have a concert tomorrow night.

First period is used to me directing rehearsal, so it went without much of a hitch. Infact, he was there at the beginning and then just slipped out about half way.  This beginning Middle School band is preparing for a concert on December 8th, and progressing faster now than a few weeks ago.  We had originally planned two sheet music pieces, but the band was struggling with the first one we gave them, Carol of the Bells, so we will perform two other simplier pieces from their books.

Second Period is the Middle School percussion class that is also used to me directing them. I cracked the wipe a couple times, so at the end I made a point that I enjoy working with them and I enjoy being at the school and I like them, and that I am fortunate enough to be here int he Spring and be with the school all year long. They are preparing ensemble pieces and two group pieces for a concert on December 6th. there’s still so much work to do. Many have lost sheets of music and are sloppily borrowing frmo each other, so today I made a point that they must all get copies of the music with them to class by Monday, November 28th due to break starting this week.

Third period is prep, and I found myself grading work for economics and trying to shoot out some emails, and it went TOO FAST. Because I didn’t get all the grading done, I spent lunch in the band room all by myself grading instead of going to lunch with the other teachers. The room was very quiet, and I got a feeling for how a teacher works solo. The shared student-teaching experience is VERY different from being by myself in the classroom.

Fourth period is our 5th graders who have a concert on Thursday. YES, THIS THURSDAY! They are nervous. Probably because they are still nto ready. I spent time answering questions, which gave me a chance to memorize a couple more names. Seeing the 5th graders every other day and having ALL the fifth graders has made it more difficult for me to learn their names. I still stumble ona couple names in teh other classes, but the 5th graders are still half known to me. I’m working hard on claling them by name even if I must refer to the sitting chart.  One of these 5th graders came up to me and told me that he’ll be missing Thursday because his uncle passed and the funeral is planned for Thursday. My heart ached for him.

Advisory went without much of a hitch. This is a class of 12 Sophmores that meet with an Advisory teacher to work on college prep skills, portfolios, preparing for student lead conferences, and learn team building skills. Mondays are generally grade checks while one student presents a current event. Tuesdays are 30 second questions. Wednesday is etiquette training. Thursday has been book reading by my lead teacher, but this month was to be “Thankful Thursdays” Fridays we often play games to build teamwork. Anyway, today we discussed the question “Do others know your locker combination? why? and do you feel safe?” The responses ranged from “No one knows my locker combination because I only dial the first number and then leave so on my return I dial the last two. I do this because last year I watched others open their locker while pretending to talk to someone else so I could get in.” to “I leave nothing in my locker because so many people know my combination.”

Fifth hour challenged me. They are the higher performing Middle School Band. I remember middle school, so I did the wisest thing I could have done by running the rehearsal yesterday. My lead teacher was in the room. I conducted the band. I knew what their routine was. I knew who played what instrument. I knew what to expect. If I hadn’t have, they would have run me to the ground like a regular sub. They tried. I had a group wanting to go in the other room to rehearse a quartet piece. Nope. They had huge amounts of energy before and after songs with boestrous comments and hollering. Then I started getting questions. “Mr. Bradshaw, what the marking that looks like its a mouth eating somethign?” “Mr. Bradshaw, what is this….(runs up to show me the music and pionts to a crescendo.” ETC.  I answered the questions to the point that it got ridiculous which was the point when one of the ones that wanted to go into the other room to rehearse asked me why I conducted a fermetta straight through, and it was a forte marking. I then said somethign to the effect, “You wanted to go into the other room when I have to be teaching what a forte marking is?” She than replies, “You hurt my feelings.” I sat down (on the stool at the podium), and I began, “speaking of hurt feelings. I’m hurt that you are treating me this way. (almost silence in the room). I came in here yesterday and I ran the rehearsal, and we didnt’ have any of this…(I summarized the requests and questions).I want to help you learn, and I want to answer questiosn, but if you are asking questiosn yo uknow answers to you are like the boy that called ‘WOLF!’ You think you are being funny by treating me like a regular sub, but you are just hurting yourselves. You have a concert in less than 3 weeks, and you need to get ready for it. every minute you take from rehearsal to ask me questions you know answers to is a waste of your time and will only reflect on YOU! Now, let’s get serious and rehearse.” After that, I didn’t have a problem, and I am SO GLAD I came in yesterday!! It was right after lunch, and I imagine that they made a pact right before class to give me a bad time. The Middle School mentality is fascinating, so why do I want to teach it?!?  It’s exhilarating!

Sixth period asked for a “Jam Day” but we have a performance on November 28th, so we had to rehearse. We did. Jazz band is the top rehearsing band, and the rehearsal ran almost normal.

Those still reading, you’ve finally made it to the end of my day and the final class that had the fight. Background: In Wind Ensemble, we have a percussion section that has a lot of pride. One student has been through the thick and thin of band and played for many years. He is an excellent musician, and has many other talents with technology. School is easy for him. He has an opinion, and he shares it strongly with the others. The rest of the percussion section do not like being bossed around by him. The sophmore who incidentally stated in Advisory that he observed people’s combos to get into their lockers, stated to the more experienced senior, “You’re not the teacher.”  Entering conversation from stage left we have one of the most humble of percussion players that asks both of them to “just stop.”  An altercation begins between the experienced player and the sophmore begins with the third person trying to call them down but getting the point of also arguing.  In the end, the most experienced player and the humble student appear to me to nearly be at blows, but the experienced player was acutally coming between the humble player and the sophmore. The humble player leaves in tears, and I’m left with a classroom of silence.

What does a teacher do in this moment?!?  “We all want our band to be better. We all have ideas on how that looks and sounds. What we want can’t be more important than friendship. We must remember respect and kindness before fighting with each other. We must find a way to unite and not fight. We need to solve this discord in the percussion. I think the solution is a section leader, but we’ll discuss that with Mr. Vaughn.”  I choose to let the percussion player get a break, and we played the piece I had asked to play. when it was over, I sent one of his friends out after him to let him know we care about him and miss him and would like him back. He returned, and rehearsal continued.  After class, I had two of the three come and talk to me. Now, I need to have a discussion with the third (our locker combo stealer.)

Sitting at the end of my day, I am satisfied at how things did come together. There are a thousand other details of the day such as having a class member run an errand for me in the middle of the day and playing Julie Andrews and someone guessing it was Justan Bieber. Many Highs and Many Lows, and the one that learned the most was probably me!

A new percussion player met with my lead teacher to learn how to read and play music, and he gave her words to remember rhythms: “Butterfly” is for a triplet. An eight note pattern phrase is “Flower,” and a set of 4 sixteenth notes is  a “caterpillar.”  I suppose if I teach a 5 tuplet I’ll use the word “Lepidoptera.”

I’ll move on to making beautiful music.

http://www.skyleapmusic.com/

Kyle Coughlin has put together a lot of resources that other musicians can use, and it has the two of us (my lead teacher and myself) searching for a similar site for flutes, who struggle more with fingerings in the beginning.

1st period-Beginning Middle School Band where I sometimes direct the entire rehearsal

2nd period-Percussion where 12 students have just been organized into 4 ensembles and selected a piece that they will perform in the concert towards the end of the semester. A daily schedule is to set up for 2 minutes, have the 4 ensembles rehearse on the instruments for 10 minutes each (the other ensembles are rehearsing or practicing just not on the instruments) with 2 minutes between and 2 minutes to strike the set.

3rd period-Prep when my lead teacher and I lesson plan which is when he puts ALL his classes on the board.

4th period-Beginning band which is composed of the four 5th grade classes coming on an A/B day schedule (2 classes on A days and the other 2 on B days). They’re just getting to making notes on the instruments.

Advisory-12 sophomores get together with us and have activities to aid in being better students.

LUNCH-almost always spent in the faculty lounge (always interesting discussions)

5th-Economics, but I observed Concert Band this last week.

6th-Jazz Band where we have a performance this coming Friday: Fall Festival at the school, and all are welcome to come enjoy music, dance and food!

7th-Wind Ensemble where I rehearse a particular march.

The school day ends with me running off to work my 8 hour shift.

Fellow Music Educators,

As I’ve been surfing the web, I’ve come across a couple resources that I’d like to share.

Sim Music Superstar

http://www.tucows.com/preview/387145

This free online game could be something the students will do in a computer lab during the free time of the retreat.

Cooperative writing projects

http://www.schooloftesl.com/publications/cooperativewritingprojects.pdf

As the school’s focus is to improve writing, these are some out-of-the-box ideas we could use to have them writing things that are engaging and fun and not the typical “Write a 5 paragraph essay about ________.”

It is a pleasure working with the three of you!
-Tony

This fall, I will be student teaching at the Idaho Arts Charter School. This week has been busy with the music department meeting on Tuesday, my lead teacher doing lots of work on Wednesday without me as I had family obligations, and then today with lesson planning, music selection, more communication between the department members, and even more smart board training from my lead teacher. I’m learning a LOT, adn I’m happy to work with these amazing people.

We are preparing to collect articles for the yard sale. Tomorrow and Saturday we will be at the school for parents and teachers to drop off donations. We’ll organize. We’ll set up, and be prepared so that during the registration on Tuesday and Wednesday we are outside selling the items. It is one of the department’s largest fundraisers, and music students and their parents can help and reduce the cost of their music fees. WE are already collecting. We are already at school during most of the day this week (2 weeks before the first day of school, which will be the 17th of August).

the halls are pretty quiet, but the music department rooms have music playing and the teachers working hard to prepare early so they can focus a lot of time and energy on the fundraising. We also are planning a music department retreat for the high school students which will be August 26th and 27th. Lots of fun!! Lots of work!! Lots of LOVE!!!!!

I sat down to compose an email to the economic lead teacher, and I realized that my need to keep the music and all that is happening there separate from the economics. I also plan to create blogs for each of the music and economic classes, so stay tuned for links to other blogs which have updates and information for my student teaching activities.

Without Further adieu: http://teachingeconomics.wordpress.com