Groovy Bumble Bees

I had such a fun lesson today! My 1st and 2nd graders are getting so much better and consistent with our music procedures. We only have to "practice" once or twice before everyone is doing them correct now! And I totally mean only the little stuff: standing up together without noise, finding their "polka dot spot" while walking piano, etc. (Of course, I'm thinking as I write this, I'm going to be in for quite a day tomorrow... haha)

Anyway, our school's set of textbooks is Music Connection. And the one before that is Share the Music - which is where I found the songs.

We begin by reviewing a little bit of piano and forte (they were both introduced last week, and I use them daily for the rest of the year to keep them refreshed). Anyway, we slid through that and I had them listen to the "Flight of the Bumblebee." We talked about what animal we were hearing, what we think the bees were doing, and what the title of the song might be called before I tell them.

Next, I have them find their "polka dot spot" somewhere in the classroom, and play the song again. Only this time, if the music is piano, we squat down, when it's in the middle, we're halfway up, and forte is standing. Our version is pretty short and has quick dynamic changes, which keeps their body moving.

The song that comes after it is some kind of fancy version that has a very groovy feel to it. I have the kids mirror my movements (which are always a good time). We had lots of smiles today! :)

Tin Can Composer

Hello all! So I completely transformed this idea (and stole it from a fellow classroom colleague that does it just slightly differently), but I can't wait to try it out this year!

I'm calling it "Tin Can Composer" (but you could use any empty food or oatmeal can). I'm planning to use it with my 5th graders at the end of the year, after we've learned a fair amount of info about a few composers.

My plan is to give them two weeks outside of music class to create their Tin Can Composers, but they will have a few things to add to them. First, they'll have to use at least three different textures on their can to create the face/hair/etc. of their composer. Next, they'll write the name on the bottom (for us to check at the end of voting), and five facts about them written on slips of paper that will be inside of the empty can.

I'll show them to each class and have them vote as a class on who they think the composer is, only by seeing the creation and hearing the five facts about them. Once all classes have cast their votes, the 5th graders will graph their results to post beside the composer.

At first, I was thinking this would be a great end-of-year project, but now that I'm thinking more and more about it, I wonder if it would be better to have them set out around the music room or hallways at parent-teacher conferences. If I'm really being honest, I don't usually get a lot of parents to visit the music room on those nights, so I do get work done, but it would be a fun thing for parents to see...

Either way, I'm super excited about it and can't wait to tell the kids about it! (Even if I do have to wait until next semester...)

Happy Sunday, Everyone!

Love Me Some Ron Clark!

And PS - I finished Ron Clark's new book and I recommend it to everyone! It did not disappoint! I would LOVE to be able to visit his academy in Atlanta! A-mazing!

You're a.. Heartbreaker

WHAT A WEEKEND! I am so excited (but overwhelmed all at the same time), because I have so many great people in my life ready at the drop of a hat to bounce ideas around! There are a million things I want to incorporate into my classroom, a trillion ideas that aren't completely developed yet, and a zillion.... (Ok, so I don't have a zillion anything, but you could tell where I'm headed.)

I am mid-working on a 3rd Grade program that will be in October - speaking parts are being distributed this week, introducing 5th Graders to their program - which is the Veteran's Day Assembly, and in the process, auditioning students for our few extra honor choir opportunities they'll have throughout the year. Whew! (And that's only the upper-elementary grades!!)

Although, I have to say, I sent home an interest letter to the 4th and 5th graders this past week, and I have 45 (FOURTY-FIVE !) students that are interested! My only problem is that I can only pick 12 (plus 2 alternates) to go to one festival, and about 8 to go to Real Men Sing (boys only)... I'm slightly stressed. I LOVE that I've got their interest, but it's always the worst to break hearts in the process. I wish I could take them all. I always worry that I'm crushing someone's dreams, so I have to remind myself - "There's not one thing I say that can break - or make - a child." -Madame Esme. (It helps.)

Back to the weekend, I spent today hanging out with fellow sisters at our Kappa Delta Alumnae Tea. I love me some Stillwater and sorority life, but I felt so old there! My big/little family is still going strong, but I met my GGGG-Little (too many G's...I know, right?), who informed me that there are three of them and now five GGGGG-Littles! (I have to give a shout-out to Team Hendrix (our newly adopted family name), because we rock!)

Hope everyone else had a fabulous weekend! Once I get through these next few days, I hope to be back to posting classroom-ready pics and new ideas! :)

Gone to Library!

Today was wonderful. I mean, I've really had such an awesome time getting to know my new school of students. They have so much personality, they're adorable, and like all kids - full of energy and lessons to learn. :)

However, my "library time" began about 4:00 this afternoon at Chili's. Another teacher and I decided that we needed to make a date and talk over an order of their fabulous chips and salsa. We got to know more about each other and we talked about how much we have to look forward to for this year! (Cheesy, I know, but true.)

Hope everyone had a great Teaching Tuesday! (I'll be sure to fill you in on my day tomorrow - it seems to be becoming more of a "What-Did-I-Miss Wednesday" since I never seem to be caught up these days!)

Is This a Ride at Six Flags or What?

Okay. These past two weeks have been nothing but one roller coaster after another!

Let me begin:

• We started with Open House where I was able to meet a few parents and new students (all are new to me this year). However, I spent the majority of my night roaming the halls, helping direct parents to their classrooms, and chatting with my favorite new librarian. (It's her first year as a librarian, but she's taught theater/drama and English at the HS level for over 10 years - can you imagine how fabulous her read-alouds are going to be?!)
• Then was Day One. I should say that this was enough said, but I did survive. I taught 12 classes and still managed to love every minute. My principal came by to make sure I survived with this schedule (which is loaded to the absolute max - only 1 other music teacher in the district has a schedule like mine... it's rough). But I smiled and actually said "It was great! I'm a rockstar, so I new I'd be fine once I got the kids in here!" (Professionalism is seeping from my pores, no?)
• Well, within the first 3 days, I had lost my voice and the glands in my throat had started to swell. This is the wonderful thing about being a voice major/singer - you get this "feeling" and you know it's all downhill from there. Luckily, I loaded up on more vitamin c and sucked on cough drops enough to be fine once Monday returned.
• On to our first FULL WEEK. If I wasn't tired within the first 3 days, then this did it. It was sad in the fact that my hubs caught a 48-hour flu-like "bug" and was vomiting and out of the office for a couple days. Luckily, I took care of him, and made it through the week alive.
• This weekend, on the other hand, is another story. Pretty sure my lovely, well-deserved, 3-day weekend began with a 4:30 a.m. wake-up call. Yes. I caught the sickness, too. I missed my sweet alma mater's first game yesterday (GO COWBOYS!), and stayed home throwing up all day. (Yes, in case you were wondering, T did go to the game and tailgate all afternoon. I'm not bitter.) haha
• I will say that the only thing that was disappointing throughout the first full week was that a teacher actually kept 5 students from my music class with them, because she felt that they needed to "write procedures for her." Are you kidding me?! They only come to music only 3 times a week, and I do not feel like it's appropriate for them to miss my class because of a punishment given by their classroom teacher, not to mention that they also get a grade as well. I'm quite positive there is plenty of classroom time to make that up. Well, 3 boys returned separately all at different times within our 30 minutes once they'd finished. Such crap. (Mind you, this is also the teacher that has already been late picking up her kids, made them wait at my door while my next class was outside because she was finishing up a call on her cell phone, and is not my favorite person. We've only been in school EIGHT DAYS!) Just need to vent. Thank you.

Hope everyone else has a relaxing few days! Good luck this week!

Teaching... Only the Strong Survive

Well... I have almost made it through my first week! Teaching 12 (TWELVE) classes a day has really gotten me exhausted. Now, I understand that classroom teachers may have their kiddos for an equivalent amount of time, but I get to go non-stop for exactly 29 minutes, line them up, and start the process over again and again for the next five classes. (Here's where I eat some lunch and try to plan, after which involves a repeat of the entire morning all over again.) I'm not here to complain. But I don't get to take kids on a 15-minute bathroom break, to computers or library, or an extra recess. I fully believe that if I start getting tired and let up, that I may mess up a kid's entire music education!

Now don't get me wrong, I truly think I'm the right person for the job. And I know that any single thing I do will not break (or make) a child. But I do add a lot of extra pressure on myself to make sure the job gets done right!

I'm reading Ron Clark's new book (The End of Molasses Classes - AH-mazing by the way!), and I am completely inspired. If I could get my hubby to move me to Georgia, I'd be set.

Speaking of... My guy has been feeling under the weather this week, but he felt good enough to actually be involved in my nighttime reading last night! I read a few blurbs from Mr. Clark's book, and he was loving it! (Okay, "loving it" may be a stretch, but I do think he was totally into it.) It excites me when he gets into what I love so much!

Now that I have been spending all of my extra time at school, I'm not quite back on my making-dinner-or-going-grocery-shopping-so-my-hubby-doesn't-starve-or-doing-laundry-so-he-has-enough-clean-clothes routine yet. My schedule is finally set (which, sadly, is not always the case in some schools right now), so maybe this "long" weekend will give me time to catch up... Always playing catch-up. :)