Wonderful Day

Basically everything about today was good. Today is the first day since the weekend that I actually felt half way decent. I am finally starting to get over the sore throat, runny nose/congestion, cough, etc.

The classes that usually are difficult were so much better today. But not by magic, by lots of work. I really put a whole lot of effort into my day. I put all my songs for today on one cd since I still don't have my singing voice back. That way there wouldn't be any down time of me changing cd's. That made a big difference. They didn't get the opportunity to fool around between songs.

Today was blue day for one of my kindergarten classes. So was yesterday at another school. So since most of my nice blue shirts were dirty I wore a blue dress today. I think they really think it's special when I wear a dress. I am always dressed nice, but the girls all get really excited when I wear dresses. One of my girls told me that I was the prettiest teacher she ever had. Aw.

Happy.

I got a lot of hugs today and a few kids told me that music was really fun today. : )

All in all, happy day!

Fire Drill

In one of my classes today, a kindergartner decided to pull the fire alarm when he lined up. Subsequently the whole school was evacuated.

And why didn't I stop him? I was tying some kid's shoe and wasn't facing the door as the students lined up.

What an eventful afternoon. The rest of the day went perfectly.

Teaching is a Rollercoaster

Some days are up, other days are down.

I am getting into the swing of things and (slowly) my students are too. Many are still in summer mode and come to school really tired.

I am finding out who can not sit by who, and who needs to be close to me.

Highlights:

A second grader came up to me before school the 2nd day and hugged me and told me that she missed me.

Kids compliment EVERYTHING: my hair, my shoes, my clothes, my voice. It's lovely.

Half way through one class a little boy asks "Can we do music now?" I said "What have we been doing???" I still have no idea what he meant by that.

99% of my students sang a little solo line all by themselves on day 2.

Most successful songs, rhymes, activities:

- "There was an old lady who swallowed a fly" book which I sung to the class.

- "Chop Chop Chippity Chop" fingerplay/action rhyme

- "Hello There" this was out of one of the Kindergarten music texts. But for some reason they just thought this was hilarious and everyone wanted to take a turn to sing into my magical microphone.

- "Frog in the Meadow" with those little frog guiros.

-"Rain Rain Go Away" with a rain stick

-"Itsy Bitsy Spider"

- "I'm a Little Teapot"

- different types of voices: speaking, whisper, calling, singing

-Keeping the beat (Feierabend CD)

Each day has been different. I am starting to learn a lot of names (I have about 350). We will make some progress really soon. With kindergarten it's just an accomplishment if they can come in and find their spots and we can get started without anyone crying. There has been a lot of crying in the kindergarten halls this week. Hopefully things will only get easier!

It's Coming!

FIVE DAYS TIL THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Am I going to be ready???

New Pictures!

Most of these were taken in the middle of last week, so some progress has been made since then.

Classroom #1- This is the classroom that started out as a huge pile on the floor. I've done a lot of work in this room!

You can click to enlarge them to see them in detail. Picture #1: Orff instruments, tempo cats (Which I LOVE!) I have named my tempo cat Senor Don Gato. When I was little we sang a song from our books called Senor Don Gato. It was our class favorite in 4th or 5th grade. I also enjoy have him as my classroom pet because I miss my real cat back home.

Picture #2: Here you can see along that wall. Right now my high bookshelves are crammed full with instruments, books, and other odds and ends.

Picture #3 Boomwhackers and balls! We're going to be having a lot of fun with these in music class.

This is my Instrument Families bulletin board. It's not quite finished.

More storage and classroom instruments!

Collection of children's books. Many are set to music so I can sing them to the class.

This is a portion of the front of my room. I have a Kodaly Hand Sign poster, the big Spotlight flip book, and an ancient overhead... but there is a possibility that I may be getting a smart board!
Other part of the front of the room. My "K, 1, 2" on the board I made out of static cling at the teacher resource center. I can write a short version of my lesson plan beside each grade. I also have a clavinova, a chart that I may put my "word wall" in, or use for reading rhythms. Behind that chart, I have a dry erase easel. My room is just so narrow that there is hardly enough room for all these things at the front, so I angled the keyboard and slid the chart and easel next to it. I have my sterio behind all that, which is not a good location, but I also have a small cd player that I could also use. Things may get moved around a little still.
Front of my classroom. I haven't really decided what to do with that awkward tiny strip of bulletin board. Any suggestions?

Bell sets. I probably have more bell sets than I need and right now they are all stacked in one cabinet which makes me cringe because it messes up the screws.

The back of my room: I have a desk and some little drawers back there. The filing cabinet was still in the center of my room because it was too heavy to move on my own. It took two janitors to move it. I really just wanted them to get rid of it, but it is full of music/musical things....I guess it stays for now.

School #2: I have not been to yet. I share that room with the main music teacher at that building, so she will arrange it however it works best for her.

School #3: Quite the opposite from my first school where I got moved to a new room and they piled everything in the center of the floor. This will be the first year that they have had two music teachers at this school. Therefore, my room had literally nothing.

I wasn't kidding. Nothing but walls, floor and ceiling. Not to mention the air conditioner didn't work. It was 105 degrees the first time I was in this classroom. The good new is that it has been fixed! : )
We will see what I can do to turn this "blank slate" into a magical world of music.... we will see...
I do like that is a really large, open space. I will have these kids moving around a lot, so it makes me happy that there will be plenty of room.

The good news is that I get my own bathroom!

New teacher inservices start tomorrow!

Countdown til the first day of school: 9 days

Classroom #1

I've been working very diligently the last few days in my room, but before I put up new pictures (hopefully tomorrow) you will have to see a few

"before pictures" to really appreciate it. I was moved from one classroom to another to accommodate a new teacher. So the janitors (thankfully) move most of the stuff for me, however it was all in a huge pile in the center of my room until this week. : (

I wish I had more "before" pictures but my card was full.

You can click the pictures to enlarge!

Countdown til the first day of school: 15 days

First inservice: 7 days

Wow! It's coming whether we're ready or not!

All Moved In

I am officially in Dodge now to stay for at least the next 10 months. It was hard today when Ben left, but I brought a few little projects to keep me busy until tomorrow when I am able to get into the schools.

This week includes:

- Organizing 3 classrooms

- Lunch with high school band teacher, another elementary teacher and one of my principals

- Potentially making curtains for one of my schools

- Lesson plans and learning music

- Ben comes on Friday : )

- Jess and Brooke (hopefully!) comes this weekend

Countdown to the first day of school: 18 days