False Alarm

I have been gone and haven't seen my sweet little friends in so long it feels like! We were off last Monday, but then I was gone the rest of the week at workshops! I finally got to see their smiling faces (believe it or not, they missed me too!), but I got to school today, and no kidding -- within TEN MINUTES I was nauseous!!

I got a call at the end of the day from my principal. Yes, I know what everyone is thinking, because I was terrified, too! What happened to the kids?? Who was the sub? Was she awful? Were the kids awful to her/him?? However, the awesome person that she is, she was calling to check on me, see what my status would be for tomorrow, etc. At the end of the conversation, the real reason for the call (wink, wink), she says, "Well, you know what everyone around here is thinking, don't you?" HAH! If my (already pregnant) friend wouldn't have texted me about 20 minutes earlier, it probably would've taken me awhile to catch on to what she was thinking.

It is a tradition to bring donuts to school in the morning if you get engaged, pregnant, having a grandbaby, etc. You write "Guess Who?" on the box, and the rest of us spend the morning playing detective and figuring out who it could be! I love the game, but I have yet to bring anyone donuts. I think I'll actually take donuts in the morning and write "False Alarm" on the note! Everyone loves a good donut!

John Jacobson Rocks!

I just finished the most fabulous, most amazing, most inspirational workshop that I think I have ever been to! Wow! What a wonderful way to get re-booted for the new semester!!

Three words... Double Dream Hands.

I'm very sure that John Jacobson (a man that I have been a fan of for many years now), has been the hit of the nation! He was the keynote speaker at our convention and I laughed, I cried, I danced in public (outside of my classroom), I looked over at the band teachers who all had an is-this-seriously-what-we-signed-up-for expression plastered on their faces, and I was so proud of the group of music educators that represent the state of Oklahoma.

I will always find something to talk (read: complain) about when it comes to a few fellow teachers and the nation's view of what they THINK is best for our education system, but when it really comes down to it, our teachers work hard. We may not always play nice together during the year, but for the three days we are in Tulsa, we are one.

I heard John Jacobson use a quote in his keynote speech that says,

If you want to go fast, go alone.

If you want to go far, go together.

I am proud to be an Oklahoma music teacher. I am proud of what we do.

There Was an Old Lady....

Yay! We had our first (and only) official "Work Day" of the semester! Being that we've already been in school almost two weeks now, it seems a little belated, but I can't complain. I'm really only disappointed that I had already spent soo much time over MY winter break that I rarely had anything productive to do today! My classroom is decorated and up-to-date, it's clean (yes, I cleaned every shelf, desk, and almost everything else), my lessons are planned, my grades are finished.... What else is there to do!

Well, let me tell you my friends. I recently discovered this fabulous new idea from a fellow blogger that rocked my educational world. You know that there are just about a million books to sing to that is taken from "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," right? Well, we sing quite a few of them in our class sooo....

Why not make a music book/literacy center from it??!! Each of my first and second grade friends will be making their OWN poem, complete with illustration, that I will laminate or put into page protectors, and make into a book!

I CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE IT WITH MY FRIENDS!! The finished product will be unbelievable, but the adventure will be well worth the effort!

Enjoy the week! I head to our state's annual music educators convention this weekend, so I'll be back refreshed and in full force to implement so many new ideas into our music room!

Bathroom Breaks...

I have no idea what the deal is with teachers and our obsession with pee. I read once that it was our inability to ever have time to go to the restroom that completely takes over. However, this post is not about our 5 seconds in the day to find ourselves taking a bathroom break. It's about our little friends and their ability to make something so simple -such as going to the restroom- into our mess for the day.

Pee Senerio #1: Meet Wet Pants.

Even though this friend only has my class for thirty minutes at a time, she has seriously wet herself at least three time this year! I can totally feel for the girl and I understand the first time. Wet Pants was so into our song, singing and dancing her sweet little heart out, then I say, "Fine." All students look to sit down and BOOM! It's all I can do not to scream at her, but she has completely wet herself, her clothes (pants and shirt - ask me how this happened, and I have no answer), and the top two steps on my risers. She has the biggest heart, but maybe it means she's loving music - who knows! All I know is that Wet Pants has officially been "caught up" in the music twice now that she has had a couple of accidents.

Pee Senerio #2: Introducing Whip It Out.

I honestly have no other name for this boy. I can think of nothing else for him. He has seriously taken a bathroom break when- and wherever he feels the urge. Applause for not having an accidents, but let's think about this. How many times can you go to the bathroom without actually getting to the bathroom!?? The first time I caught him was towards the beginning of the year out on the playground. Sadly, this wasn't even the first time he had been caught...peeing...on the playground.

Pee Senerio #3: Little S%*#s.

Talking to a fellow teacher over the weekend, I have learned that I have gotten the better end of the stick when it comes to bathroom accidents. As you can probably tell from the nickname, this is not another pee senerio. Three little friends of her's were caught... All three had gone around to the side of the building, dropped their pants, and pooped!!! Are you kidding me right now?! I was laughing hysterically when she told me this! (I'm sure, at the time she wanted to as well, but she kept her composure...100 points to her!)

Because we are sometimes left to deal with our accidents, I guess that leads to our obsession. Why aren't they teaching this in our methods classes? Haha!

Successful Stations!

What a week! Things went very well with all of my new stations in class! I had the most luck using them with the 5th graders, but the 4th graders were quite a bit nosier. Maybe because it was Friday, maybe because it was the first time I've really let them take control in the classroom, I don't know. All I know is that they were loud - according to my standards, at least.

I also tried them out with our Flexible Friday group. (I'm not the most excited about this new scheduling change, and it is really kind of a waste, but I always do what I'm told, so if two students from each class K-2nd come to me for 45 extra minutes every Friday, then so be it.) They seemed to be very excited about what we did, and loved getting to try a few new things in the music room. A few teachers were not very happy when their students came back so excited though...oops!

But we did have about 5-6 stations all going at the same time. Listening Center, Smartboard (nyphilkids.org --- great musical games!), Musical Pairs (matching game), Interesting Instruments (coloring pages), and Lyric Folders/Silent Reading. This last stations was probably the most difficult.

I honestly have no idea what degree or level of reading these kids should have at this point. I left books out like BINGO, Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?, There Were Ten in the Bed, Five Little Monkeys, etc. Which, yes, I do realize that Kindergarten friends would have a little trouble, but even my 2nd graders were having issues! I sat out Lyric Folders that I made as well, complete with all songs we've gone over and sung in class, but they struggled some.

I need some better ideas and book titles for music... Any help would be appreciated! Much love!

Music Centers

OK...so today was an average day. Nothing too special, but nothing to devastating either. I have actually been working on a few centers for my music room. (I guess now they are called "stations"...same thing. Potato, Potatoe.)

I came up with about five ideas during the day, but after school I was on fire! I came up with almost twenty new ideas, thanks to the internet and all of those awesome teachers that share with us!

Here are the few I tried today that worked:

Fiddlesticks is a great game based on "Old Maid" that uses instruments of the orchestra and the four families, Musical Pairs is along the same lines - and both games come in a sweet little box that's great for grades 3 and up!

Today was also the first day that I've gotten to use my Listening Center as well! I think it was a hit! I had them follow the music map that was in this month's Music Express Magazine. (LOVE me some J-Jacobson!) I have many, many more music maps for songs, Music Express magazines, and books with cds. I can't wait to try more!

The SmartBoard is always an easy center, and I let the students pick which game they wanted to play from the Game Room at nyphilkids.org. They love that site!

Lastly, a couple of years ago, I had put together all of our lyrics for our state song, laminated and cut them into pieces, and had a packet for each student in the group. First one to complete the state song correctly got candy! Yay for sugar! (It was their last class of the day before dismissal...they'll be ok.)

A few more ideas that I researched after school and can't wait to try are:

Like the state song packet, I intend to make a packet for the National Anthem and other patriotic songs they should know. I'll have a Silent Reading Corner filled with books for them to choose from, as well as a Composer's Corner and a center for Interesting Instruments. (Not sure what I'll come up with to put with them, but at least they have some cute names already!) I will write a few Musical Stories that spells out words using the treble and bass clef notes, and have them write rhythms with popsicle sticks to our favorite poems and/or nursery rhymes. Lastly, I've bought a few games on sale at Wal-Mart and made them musical. For example, I've added rhythm-reading to each block of Jenga (yes, it took quite a while), drew music symbols on Twister, and used a game with dice I learned from my mentor teacher when I student taught. BINGO is always a crowd favorite, and there are TONS of different versions, not including the ones you create yourself - if you have the time.

Hope I've helped and given you out there some fabulous ideas for your music room! Be back soon!

A Not-So-Super Colleague's Disaster

Since I was gone to an honor choir last Friday, I myself had a few ups and downs. The ups included the rest of my super colleagues and I getting everything organized and done for the festival, and the amazing job that the kids did for the concert. They sang their sweet little hearts out and I couldn't love them any more!

Now as for the downs...Pretty sure our newspaper sent a photographer to the event. Sounds great! Publicity for the music program! Awesome! Do you have any idea what they seriously posted on the front page??! I'm sure it was an "artistic picture" and would be great somewhere else, but it is a picture of another music teacher in our district who is sleeping on the back pew at the church?!!! I'll repeat myself-- another music teacher is SLEEPING while all the kids are rehearsing on the stage!! (In his defense, there are quite a few germs floating around, and he was not the only one that wasn't feeling well that day.) Still, that's not the kind of publicity I had in mind....

A Great Monday...Really??!

WOO HOO!!!! I seriously had such a fabulous day today with so many friends!! How many times can I honestly say that I had a great Monday? I would venture to say that Mondays are usually pretty average, but they are never just awesome. Well, today changed the rules because it was freaking amazing!

First of all, it's finally snowing here in Oklahoma and I am so excited! I mean, if it's going to be cold outside, I'd like to look at some beautiful white snow on the ground! AND there were some pretty detailed snowflakes that looked like there were taken right out of a movie! Oh, it was so lovely outside!

Secondly, I had a grant funded over the break!!! (Now, I was actually part of the donation, but I can honestly say that it wasn't all my money!) However, all of my listening center materials came in today!! I'm not kidding, it doesn't take much to excite me, so I absolutely had it all set up and ready within the 20 minutes after getting it down to my room. I cleaned the table and chairs, I ripped open the boxes, made and organized folders (being the organizational goddess that I am...it had to be done right away), and I loved every minute of it!

Lastly, my hubby is taking me out to dinner because...wait for it... I AM THE TEACHER OF THE MONTH FOR AUGUST!!! Wait...what? August, did I really say that right? Yes, friends. I received my letter today that I was selected as McDonald's August Teacher of the Month. Came with a sweet pin and a few coupons for a free breakfast sandwich (or something along that nature). Despite the late notice, believe it or not, I'm really excited. Hope I can keep up the rock star work!

Enjoy the rest of the week! Keep warm!

I Have the BEST Job...

Whew! I LOVE my little friends!!! We had such a fabulous week together! Lots of musical learning going on, plus --and I am extremely proud and I will be tooting my own horn on this one-- but my friends came back from the winter break and retained information!!!!

Now, I know that there are some pretty awesome kids out there that can do this with no effort at all, but my friends have seen their share of distractions. They go home each day not knowing if there will be food for dinner, not knowing if mom or dad will be doing drugs in the next room, not knowing where they will be sleeping that night, and somehow managing to get themselves up the next day to walk to school. I know I demand a LOT from my friends (all 400 of them), and I cannot begin to imagine the struggles they go through daily.

Kindergarten is doing one of my favorite lessons of the year. We read/sing the book together, Mary Wore Her Red Dress, play our circle activity, and the next lesson we create our own class book! I took individual pictures of each little friend, and once I print them out -- new class book! I have been thinking about creating music stations (possibly for those few days that I am out on professional development), but this book could be one of them!

I also put together a Lyric Station from short songs and rhymes that we've covered so far this year. I have one for my classroom, and made one for each first and second grade teacher as well. The students seem to really like them, but I haven't gotten to really see them in action!

OH!! I don't know how I could've forgotten!! (Even though this week has been the faster part of a whirlwind...) I have been funded for a grant!! I have been wanting to use a listening center in my classroom, and I can't wait to get started and put it to use! Woo hoo!!!!!

First graders took their first adventure with Freddie the Frog, but fourth and fifth grades are the ones who really wow-ed me. We played our first round of Music Round Robin and THEY ROCKED IT!!! Our fastest times were unbelievable! They were so excited to see their progress! After the cheers and smiles...... oh, I love it. I love it.

Tomorrow is our regional honor choir concert, and I hope it's another day of wonders! ...For the students and the teachers.

2011... Here We Come!!

Even though my hubby had to wake me up to ring in the new year... (yes, it was a working week - I filled in at the office for a friend for three days- and I was pooped!) I somehow even managed to get a solid 10 hours of sleep last night! Hah! That is all subject to change since I have ONE DAY LEFT OF FREEDOM before school starts up again!

I still can't believe kids come back Monday! And for all of you who think us teachers will be showing up the same day and rocking out... You are wrong, my friends, you are wrong. I've been up at school at least three times this week getting ready and planning lessons, running into many fellow rock star teachers on my way. (Plus, the lucky few of us who have to change classrooms over the break have been setting up the new space. How could we ever get it all done on school hours??!) However, I did manage to sneak in a few glasses of wine over the break. My break was still a success.

As for the coming year and my resolutions... I'll be pretty honest, I have a hard time keeping any resolution, thus making it extremely difficult to consider making them each year! However, I do have a couple of NEW ones to keep me striving for excellence!

1. Read at least ONE book each month for pleasure. (Even if that means reading a 'repeater' that I read previously... It's been known to happen once or twice.)

2. Be more positive in 2011! (We'll see how long that lasts... I tend to sometimes judge those who aren't putting out the effort in their classrooms, leading my rock star teachers and I to believe that they suck. I'm working on it.) But the first step is recognizing the problem! Is 2011 the year to fix it? I think so!

3. Begin getting my Master's in Music Ed. Yes, I'm sure I'll be exhausted and I won't want to drive back and forth every week after a full day of teaching (I have it set up where I take evening classes, while still working full-time... Sounds crazy, huh?), but I'm still extremely excited!! I've always wanted to have a master's, and before any babies come around, this seems like the best time to do it!

4. Lastly (and I know this is the one that EVERYBODY and their dogs say each year), I need to get in better shape! Didn't realize how much I really needed this one until my favorite pair of jeans took second place to ill-forming, comfy dresses and tights. Wow.)

My two pugs (Pete and Wrigley) had a great year in 2010! They slept in, learned new tricks (such as Wrigley sings when I do!!), slept in the hammock -with me curling up with a great book- and got to explore/walk outside with us almost everyday!

Here's to next year -- being a better teacher, being a better human being, and being a better wife!! CHEERS!