I am the young one... :)

So, funny anecdote: the teachers were all discussing what it was like to live in the 80s and what they wore, the mullet style, the perm, the bangs, etc... and I just nonchalantly say "I wasn't even BORN in the 80s..." At first, they were seriously in shock and seemed to think that I was mistaken, thinking, that there was no way that I was born after 1989... They even asked me, then when were you born?... too too funny :)

Needlesstosay, all the teachers freaked out, it was quite hilarious. Allie, who is the 5th grade teacher and I think in her early early 30s was like "that is just crazy! Now I feel old!" She was in disbelief at first, too funny :)

Ms. Gray lays down the law!

Teaching is a very humbling profession. It is humbling because it forces one to look at the problems in the classroom and see how your lack of discipline, clear instructions, preparation, etc... may be the ultimate cause of your students' misbehavior. I learned this the hard way with my 6th grade class. I realized, looking back at the last few weeks, that I definitely was a bit lax with this class and they completely took advantage of me. When I say take advantage, I am not saying that I had no control whatsoever, they just really struggled with paying attention and there was continually chatter throughout the classroom. 

It is so easy, as a teacher, to blame the students' lack of attention, success, or understanding on the students, but it is usually a mutual problem between teacher and students, or it is the teacher's lack of clear directions and motivation. This being said, it was a mutual problem between the students and I. They were purposefully taking advantage of the "new and young teacher" and I was not strict enough with them from the beginning. 

So, this Wednesday, it all changed!.... well kinda. The kids walked into Ms. Gray's class and saw assigned seats on the board, so of course the expected grumbling began. So, I talked to them a bit about how it was choices that they were making in the class that resulted in assigned seats. I talked to them about how it is now up to them whether they are privileged with fun interactive activities, or less fun/ more academic and simple activities in class. I finally felt like they were truly listening to me and seeing me as an authority figure. 

The exciting result of this lecture was that the 6th graders FINALLY received a sticker and they had fun in music. (They were singing the song that they learned in their classroom- Jeannie, the 6th grade teacher told me that "Hello Ma Baby" was stuck in her head now!) I can't remember if I already explained this... but my rewards system is a sticker chart where they receive a sticker when I do not have to give any warnings- warnings which are in the form of a "sad face" on the board, if they receive 3 stickers then they get to learn a fun fact about Ms. Gray. My first fun fact is that I am Left handed, it is amazing how many kids had not realized that lol :) 

The lesson that I taught them on Wed. was a lesson on Ragtime and near the end of the class, they all had a chance to play the PIANO! ( I am convinced that there is a light emanating from the piano, the kids were SO EXCITED to have the opportunity to play the simple bass line, it was wonderful!) 

So, all in all, it was a wonderful class and I beginning to really enjoy this class, as long as my expectations are ridiculously clear and my lessons are always incredibly well planned and, at least for now, they are in assigned seats. 

It was so good for me to have to "law down the law", because it is not natural for me to confront anyone, so it was a good growing experience (as I am sure this entire year will certainly be!)  

A little view into my Music in Movies unit

Okay this made me really sad... 

A few of my junior high students have NEVER seen Beauty and the Beast!!! :( We listened to movie scores and analyzed what composer was thinking. I had them guess what movie the various songs came from. 

Though... another music nerd moment... I realized that Alan Menken inserted a short motif from Be Our Guest into his score for the "West Wing/ Wolf Chase" scene to create irony, since obviously Belle was not feeling very welcome when she is kicked out of the castle... :) I played it again for my students to hear it. I just LOVE the complexity that music brings to movies, we take so much of it for granted.

Okay now I am starting to sound like my sister Jenny ;) ( love you sis!) But it is really true! 

Here it is, see if you can hear it :) 

fun idea- I hope it works :)

So, on musick8.com website (a WONDERFUL resource for us crazy elementary music teachers)  I found this fun idea that brings "pop music" into the music classroom. The teacher had the idea to assign different students a part of a layer that creates the pop song, (ex. a piano player playing a simple rhythm ostinato, a student playing a steady beat on the bass drum, a student playing a simple melody on the hand drum... etc.) The class then has to listen to what they are playing and see if they can decipher what the mystery song is.

I decided to do One Direction's song "What Makes You Beautiful". (this decision was quite simple because every time that I say that I am playing a song, the kids are like "Is it One Direction???") I gotta say, this song just makes me happy and it is super catchy, AND... it is super simple! The refrain melody is literally 3 notes (do do do do do do re mi re mi re do....) (for the music nerds reading this :) As I was figuring out the rhythm (Yay for rhythm dictation coming in handy!) I realized that the refrain rhythm is actually quarter note triplets, I was pleasantly surprised with the use of this more complicated rhythm pattern. A quarter note triplet is 3 notes for every two quarter notes. (I know ultimate music nerd, but hey this is kinda my career, major, life :)

I hope that my crazy talkative 6th graders will enjoy this activity and I pray that I can harness their attention for at least 10 minutes of class... it is a definite struggle! They are great kids, they just know each other TOO well and get along really well and just well will not stop talking! If anyone has any suggestions for this lovely age group I would LOVE to hear them!

Here is the song if you haven't heard it.

Listen to this one :)

Too funny :)

Catholic music nerd/ excited music teacher post, get ready

So, I was just randomly searching through my history on my computer (yeah, I know, there are MUCH better things to be doing...) anyways... I found this site, Chant Cafe, and a British guy has created a short, 6 lesson unit on teaching chant in private schools. It is COMPLETELY free and he has a great way of putting chant in context and comparing it to other forms of music that children are used to hearing. Since he is from England, his "pop music" is a bit different then American style but most of his ideas will work great!

I just LOVE this short recording he has demonstrating the various ways (the incorrect and then the correct) of singing a chant: Singing Amen and Alleluia (pop like...)

Enjoy! I am just soooooo excited that I found this! The man who created this is entertaining and he has great activities to make learning about and developing a love of chant, fun!

The internet is my friend once again! :)

Some interesting things about being the new young teacher....

So, I think that a few of my students may have little crushes on me... It is just kinda funny. I am pretty sure that one little boy (a first grader!) was trying to muster up the courage to say "I love you" after he called me over and told me that he had something he wanted to say... He said "I think you are a really nice teacher" very quickly instead. I then had another student (a fifth grader, I definitely need to be a bit careful with this one...) come up to me and say, "I had a lot of fun in music", but it was just the way that he said it... Oh kids. :)

This definitely adds an extra element to teaching, that is for sure... It is funny though, because I was reflecting on when I was in 6th grade at Naples Elementary and basically every girl in the school had a crush on Mr. Beane, and I think he was around 26, and I am even younger. Girls were seriously so disappointed when he got engaged lol. I also have been thinking about my teacher in 4th grade who was a second year teacher, if I remember correctly and I remember how she still seemed nervous, which just makes me feel better that is for sure, I am not the only one! Everyone has to start somewhere.

I was talking to one of my student's parents and we were discussing how in life we are constantly at the top, then the bottom, the top, then the bottom...which I had never quite thought of. I mean, last year, I just felt so comfortable at BC and I definitely felt like I owned the place in a way. I could talk it up to anyone and I could easily show people around and explain traditions, etc... But now, a few meager months later I am back at the bottom, as the new teacher at school.

Just so you are not worried about me, I am COMPLETELY content and happy with my position, and I truly LOVE my job and all my colleagues are wonderful, even if I can't relate with many conversations since they revolve around being parents and/or being married...  :) ("So my parents did this..." doesn't really fit the conversations") It has been so great though because one of the teachers has a student teacher and so I have someone to talk to that is my age! Sadly she is only here for another month :(. And the part-time spanish teacher is a student at BC so I can totally relate to him.

So I hope you enjoyed my reflections and ramblings about being the new young (hip? ;) teacher.

God bless!

Guess what song?!?

Guess what piece??


I will give you hints...

- I am doing a little Unit on Impressionism.

- Yes, the kids are drawing churches sinking in the water

- The composer is Debussy.
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Give up???


La cathedrale engloutie! By Debussy. :) La cathedrale engloutie- Debussy

So, on this website: musick8.com I found this awesome idea for a lesson on Debussy's Sunken Cathedral. You see, in college, I did an original orchestration of this pieces, so I know it quite well. :) :) 

So I gave kids sentences which described what was happening in the music and so they drew their interpretation (hence the surfers and sharks...) I just love to watch the creativity of kids, it is quite endless. Then they had to listen to the piece and put their pictures in order of what happens in the story. They did a pretty good job, with a little help from the teacher. :) 

Nuages

So, today I had an impromptu lesson on Debussy's Nuages:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EFJsCaY0hc

First of all, this lesson made me quite nostalgic for Benedictine and my wonderful Music History and Orchestration classes where we had the privilege to break down this piece and understand why it is so beautiful and unique and a perfect example of Impressionism.

I did my "Music Words" wall and had my 3rd graders tell me what they heard. I just loved to hear their individual and very creative interpretations of this masterpiece. The four words which my students chose were: strong, heavy, smooth and flowing. The two boys chose strong and heavy while the girls chose smooth and flowing which I thought was so incredibly interesting. The boy chose "heavy" because of the times when there was a lot of depth and a lot going on. I asked him if it could be when all the instruments were playing to together and he enthusiastically agreed. What really surprised me and truly gladdened my music teacher heart was when I asked them what type of music this reminded them of, particularly which country, and they all were like "Chinese music!" It was just so neat how they could hear the pentatonic scale in this piece.

So, as we discussed the piece I asked if there was a student that wanted to draw what they heard on the board and this is what I got...

The sun down is what he drew.... He told me that is made him think of a desert which in turn made him think of Indiana Jones! Too funny :)


Many of the students told me that it was very suspenseful. My favorite description was when one boy shared with the class that he heard "an abandoned church and then a light is streaming through one of the windows...". How cool is that? It is amazing what kids can come up with when they are given the chance!

This is my Music Words wall (the yellow part of the bulletin board) in case anyone was wondering...

A music teacher's board! :)

"How is this "boring" for you?"

So, this is my new favorite quote from one of my students. One of the two (yep only 2) trumpet players in my 6/7/8 grade band said this after I stated that, "This is a 'learning' process for all of us."... I made clear to him that it definitely was not boring lol! I have decided that boring is probably the last word I would use for the wonderful and incredibly fulfilling and demanding career of teaching.

I have realized that one of my strengths in teaching is keeping the younger kids engaged and quickly changing the direction of the class. For example, instead of repeating myself many many many times to tell the students to sit "crisscross applesauce", with their hands in their lap, and with their mouths closed..." I instead, told them that my marker is a magic wand and after I wave my magic wand and open my eyes, my entire class will be seated and quiet. It is indeed quite magical to see how well this works.

Granted, there are many times that I find myself repeating those directions, but then I receive great inspirations to make it a game. It is just amazing the difference!

I just love to see kids falling in love with music and to see them start to understand the concept. It is also amazing to see how quickly the little ones pick it up. I was teaching the preschoolers (3 year olds to be exact" and I had them repeat "do-re-mi" and to follow what I did. I was singing "do" and leaning forward with my hands on the floor, and then as I raised the pitch to "re" and moved my hands a little of the floor, and then with "fa" I moved them even further off the floor... The little ones followed me AND they were singing on pitch, it was the coolest thing! I then had them listen to Vivaldi's Spring and act like "big strong trees" when the dynamic (volume of the music) was forte (loud) and then shrink to little bugs when the music dropped down to piano (quiet). The kids began to tell me when to get bigger and smaller when they started to understand the concept, I just loved seeing their enthusiasm.

Now on the other side of the spectrum, my junior high elective, I am definitely having a harder time figuring out how to teach them. If anyone has any suggestions on how to make a unit of Careers In Music (which includes a small unit on Music in Movies and a short composition project) incredibly enjoyable and applicable for the 7th and 8th graders, I would LOVE to hear it. For some reason I can teach and relate to the little ones so much better... lol. I think in a way, I am intimidated by the junior high schoolers... Don't get me wrong, the kids are really great kids. I just only have them once a week, so it is hard to get to know them and figure out how to teach them.

So, as you can see, my career is definitely NOT boring! ;)