Finally ready for show

Next week, I have two grade levels doing their shows on the same day. Fourth grade sounds great! My fifth graders, however, were really worrying me. Last week, after too much playing around and not sounding well-prepared, I cut two songs (they loved the two songs, but they love most of them) and I decided that many others they would only sing one verse of. So this weekend, I loaded songs into Garage Band and cut out verses (I was really proud of figuring out how) and burned a CD with their new concert repertoire. Then today they blew me away. All of the sudden they sound much better. Apparently they realized it would be embarrassing to sound bad on stage (that's what one boy remarked). So I put a song back in (the teacher running the CD player will just have to switch CDs for that one). I'm feeling much better now.

Breakthrough!

Today I had what I consider to be a major victory. It involved one of those students I never felt I could get through to. He wouldn't make eye contact, and he would mumble at me. The only time he would talk to me is when he was in trouble and I would tell him he had to answer me before he could go to recess. Then he would mumble "OK" to my question about how he's going to behave better and take off. This was an issue other teachers had with him, although he talked to his peers with no problem. He just seemed to have a hard time with adults.

Lately, he's been making progress. First, he was opening his textbook to the correct page! (his classroom teacher dissmissed that as trying to get a good report in the upcoming conferences). Last week, I invited students to write questions about George Gershwin on the board, and he wrote one incorporating a fact I had told them about him. Then, today, he raised his hand to answer a question and gave me an appropriate answer!!! I'm feeling so much better; I will never forget the girl who left last year and I never felt like I could get through to her: she was a classic "revenge behavior" student. So now I have hope.

Cool, free resources

Today, I found a cool resource. There's a PBS show which features young musicians, interviews them, and shows them performing at Carnegie Hall. PBS allows you to download them into itunes, and has lesson plans that go along with them here. I put them all on my work laptop, so I can project them for my students. I'll probably just play clips so they can really see the musical instruments, and see that kids their age can play them.

Also, if anyone knows some great Gershwin resources, please let me know in the comments. Thank you : )

Music teacher meeting (the fun part of my job)

Today, all the music teachers from my district got together (all three of us). Last year there were four, and two of them tended to go off on tangents about stuff, but one's been out so just the three of us met. We had a really enjoyable time. We're working on a song to present when our boss retires. So we spent our meeting singing and making up a dance together. Plus we did some gossiping (the principal I've had some issues with is resigning! and so the others are being moved around). This is one of the great parts about being a music teacher. Other teachers go to inservices about reading, but ours involve singing and dancing. When sharing lesson plans, we end up drumming. I think it's important to have that good adult time in my job.

They can read!!!

My first year teaching music, I assumed that my sixth graders knew how to read notation. I realized, about halfway through the year, that they didn't. I assumed this meant that their previous teacher hadn't done a great job with them. My next year, my sixth graders didn't seem to remember learning to read notation. That year, I knew exactly what they had been taught, so instead of placing blame, began trying harder to reinforce notation.

This year, finally, my students have retained from last year how to read notation. There are a few things I've been doing that I think I'll continue with. One thing I do is connect the staff to their hand. That was Guido's intention in the first place, and it seems to work. As students say Every Good Boy...or whatever, they touch each finger with the opposite hand, kind of like playing "this little piggy". Then they wiggle the appropriate finger at me (and I haven't yet had a student associate B on the third line with a vulgar hand gesture). This kinesthetic reinforcement seems to have made a difference.

I also make sure that students are learning to read music in association with playing it. Some teachers in my district will only allow students to play recorders after they can fill out a worksheet identifying all the notes. I'd rather use recorders as a teaching tool than a carrot, and I'm finally happy with the results. Today, I gave my sixth graders some easy notation and a review on recorder fingerings, and they figured out the songs with out me. Woo hoo!

Mainstreaming Special Ed with Music

At my schools, special ed students are mainstreamed for music. That means that a class of special education students (about 15) come to music at the same time as a regular class (32) in my little tiny classroom. My first year, they were just sent with an aid. After discussions with the principal, union reps, and others, we determined that their teacher needed to be present as well. It's still a very frustrating situation.

The worst part for me is the behavior. It's really difficult to manage the behavior of that many students in that small a space at one time. The special ed teacher doesn't do much to help, either. At first, I was hoping she would do all the management of her class since I don't know as much about their disabilities. That didn't work because she doesn't seem to monitor their behavior. So I teach all these students while monitoring and correcting behavior.

Here's what I've tried: Communicating with the teacher so that she'll be more involved with the lesson. Unfortunately, she seems really dingy and either interrupts me and the flow of teaching or just sits off to the side.

I've proposed giving them their own class time (can't because their IEPs specify mainstreaming them in music) or having just a few of them in many different music classes with an aid (the teacher wasn't willing to part with an aid for that much time).

I've tried having the teacher work with them in small groups while I do a whole-class activity with the rest. This doesn't work well when singing, and the time we did this while they were doing group activities, her group totally missed the objective, even though they were just writing what she told them to.

Has anyone had similar frustrations? Are there any suggestions you have? I love all of my students, but the current plan is just not conducive to learning.

Conversations with students

With a special ed student who had walked in the door late and sat down for five minutes, then got up to leave again. His class usually comes with the class that was in there, but hadn't today. I didn't realize he belonged to the other class:

Me: Where are you going?
Him: It's been five minutes, so my teacher said to go back.
M: Your teacher sent you to music for five minutes??
H: Yes. I got in trouble so she said to go for five minutes then go back.
M: Your teacher sent you to music for five minutes as a punishment???
H: Yes. Well, no. I was being lazy on a project so she told me to come here and choose.
M: OK. Have a good day.

Then his teacher called to see if he was on his way. I wish she'd sent a note with him or something.

Changing voices and other singing problems

Wednesday my plan was to have my fifth graders quickly sing through most of the songs for their show and then get in some recorder time. The classes chose (with their behavior) not to play recorders, and the singing had some issues, some of which I didn't know how to solve.

I have a few students whose voices seem to be changing and are singing down the octave. I try to encourage them to continue to sing higher, but one boy shook his head at me and I don't want to push him too hard if he just can't get those out right now. I need to do some more research about what I can expect from them (I guess I didn't expect so many changing voices in fourth and fifth grades). I also need to demonstrate singing myself more. I have them sing too much with the CD and some of those go back and fourth between low male voices and higher childrens' voices. Plus a lot of my students think the children singing are women...I've been trying to address that with them.

I've also had boys singing up the octave. Someone told me that can be common with autistic children, but these boys aren't. One might have been doing it to be funny, and the other one just seems to be having trouble matching pitch.

And then I had the girl too busy making flirty faces over her shoulder to bother trying. I came down pretty hard on her and felt bad afterward, but 11 years old is way too early to be throwing away your ability to learn on a boy. She had the flirty face pretty well down, too. I think that annoyed me as well.

I've been thinking about taking voice lessons over the summer (I did all my college work assuming I'd teach instrumental music) but I should probably also do reading on childrens' singing voices. Not that that will fix my last problem.

One concert down and one presumptuous teacher

My fourth grade students at one of my schools performed their show last night. I was really happy with how it went. It was shorter than in the past, with fewer speaking parts, and was pretty much just singing and introducing the songs, plus a recorder group. The students sang in five different languages, music they really enjoyed singing. Today when I saw some of them they told me their show was great! and I agreed. A big difference for this year was that one of the teachers, who usually did a lot with the show, had retired, so I was really in charge. I think I'll try to keep the show the same kind of thing for next year, with maybe more instruments.

I have been having issues with a very presumptuous teacher. This is the first year working with her, and she teaches one of my fourth grade classes. She's the teacher who I had an issue with in this post. Thursday I received an email from her, CC'd to the principal. She was informing me that she wanted me to teach her students a railroad recorder song, plus a Gold Rush one if I had time. Then she reiterated that she doesn't want her students to take recorders home. I was mad. So I responded that her students weren't quite at that level (they're able to repeat notes after me, but I don't know what kind of railroad song I'd teach them before they know "Hot Crossed Buns"). Then I said that I have my own set of standards I need to teach and so it's difficult to take requests from other teachers. She responded well to this so I thought maybe she understood now to treat me as a colleague and not a servant.

Then today she informed me that she'd told her students that everyone who came to the show last night automatically receives the highest grade possible in music. What do I do so that she'll let me do my own job, the way it should be done??? At this point I'm wondering if I need to involve the principal.

Heat wave after spring break

This is the first day back from spring break, and boy is it hot! The air conditioner in my classroom is on a timer, which means it never comes on when I need it and the custodian can't change it. Despite that, I had a good teaching day. My sixth graders have been bothering me about singing a Beatles song, so today we did "Birthday".

First we listened to it and analyzed the form (ABCA). Then we sang along. After that, I told them we were going to compose something in ABCA form as a class. They did pretty well, altogether, although I need to work on having everyone participate in that sort of activity without them interrupting each other and shouting. Next week I'll have them write pieces in small groups so I can make sure they're all participating. But I was impressed with how they did. The first class's composition was mostly eighth notes and quarter notes, which was fine. The next class was worrying about pitch, as well. They ended up with a pretty interesting piece of music, and would have kept going if I hadn't stopped them. My last class's A section was quarter notes and eighth notes on an A, their B section was the famous Beethoven motive, and their C section was the class singing the "William Tell Overture". Fun.

After teaching, I resolved the issue of when my shows are (without any response from the principal). Then I drove to my other school and got the lyric-prompting posters ready for my students, so I can run over there tomorrow and be ready for their dress rehearsal.

It's good to be back in the swing of things.

Staying positive

One of the most effective ways to get good behavior in the classroom is through positive reinforcement. I know that, I've read studies that show that, but it's still really easy to forget. One thing I'm working on is, when students are acting up, taking a breath and acknowledging those who are doing what they're supposed to. This generally gets the others in line and improves my mood.

To give the positive reinforcement, I use "credit cards" (an idea I got from a seminar by Rick Morris. Each student has an index card with their name on it. I give them a bit of time the first week of school to decorate it. And I have hole punches which punch special shapes in the cards. I have an eighth note punch at one school and a star at the other. Once my students have 10 punches in their cards, they choose a prize from my treasure box (the prizes are cheap toys from the dollar store).

Last year, my students were responsible for keeping their cards in their folders. That did NOT work for me. They would fall out and get lost, and it took too much time for me to walk over to the student and punch their card, so very few students got punched (they love it when I say it like that).

This year, each class has their cards on a metal book ring. The best is the ring that I can wear around my wrist like a bracelet. This way, I don't lose them, plus I keep them in seat order so I can easily punch them. Plus there's the added benefit of randomness. I can flip through the cards, pick one from the bunch, look at that student, and punch the card if they're following directions. It's fair. And it forces me to learn everyone's names (if I need help, I see who's around them). And if I'm going to call on a non-volunteer, I can just chose from my cards.

Here's my problem: my rings are starting to get too lose, so they won't stay closed. Any ideas for solutions?

More that I've learned about behavior

When I started teaching, I understood that my students were children and would have a hard time behaving in certain situations. I also felt like it was my responsibility to try to teach them how. I still think these things, but the way I respond to them has changed a lot.

Since my first year I have learned a lot about how to pace a class correctly. My first year, I went too fast. I gave directions once, assuming they would know most of what to do, and then I was frustrated when they didn't do what I had asked. My next year, I learned to give directions better. I would say what I expected, write it down, have students repeat it, show examples, etc. Students knew what to do, but blocked out half of what I said.

This year, I keep the pacing somewhere in between. I keep my students busy. This had eliminated most of my discipline issues. My sixth graders were very difficult at the beginning of the year, so I had them drumming and singing and writing, and the situation improved. I'm still trying to find a balance, and making sure that all their business is helping them learn, so if you have any insights I would love for you to leave a comment.

How to get students to behave

Isn't that just about the biggest questions of teaching? My student teaching experiences did not prepare me for this question: I was teaching in much different populations in established classrooms, and the teachers rarely left me alone to fend for myself. Luckily, in my (almost) 3 years of teaching, I've learned a lot.

Environment is important! My first year, one of my schools had me teaching on the stage in the cafeteria/multi-purpose-room. We had to pull the curtain, because in the rest of the room, there would be pre-schoolers having breakfast and baby-sitters baby-sitting children of adults learning English somewhere else (in a real classroom, presumably). I thought this was one of those things I couldn't change: It had been this way before I came and this is how the principal set it up. But we had a talk about classroom management in an unmanageable environment (the students were sitting on risers on the stage, with about 5 students per square foot, for pete's sake) and the next year I was assigned to something more resembling a real classroom. The next year, in a slightly better space, was MUCH better for my teaching. And there were some more changes. My principal at the other school switched me to a classroom as well. And so now I teach in classroom that I control. And that already has enabled me to be a much better teacher.

Break out the champagne?

Well today I passed what I guess must be a milestone in my career: I made one of my principals upset at me.

I'm required every year to put on two shows per school. These are usually scheduled with the my approval, so that I can go. That principal, though, likes my shows on the same day as open house, which is scheduled without my input.

Open house has been scheduled all year, and, yes I've had the date for a while, but today I realized that that date was horrifically bad for me, because of some non-school issues. I reasoned that, since I hadn't actually confirmed with the principal this year that my shows would happen then, it would be reasonable to ask her that they not.

She was NOT happy. I think she misunderstood and thought I wanted the whole Open House moved (I don't know why she would think I'm that much of a diva) and she was very rude when I explained that part of the conflict is a funeral schedule months in advance (I know it's strange, but that's what my family chose to do, again without my input).

I went back to my classroom and cried (I've been overwhelmed about that weekend since before I found out about the Open House, plus it was difficult to listen to her talk to me like that) but then I started reasoning it out. Basically, it doesn't matter very much that she's upset. She let me move my shows, she didn't write me up, and she'll probably forget about this some day. I just hope it doesn't wind up on my evaluation. But in the context of my whole career, this probably isn't a big deal.

Letting them choose

My sixth graders at one of my schools sing a song during their promotion ceremony on the last day of school. I've had a hard time convincing them to sing the past few years, so this year I decided to let them choose the song. I gave them choices that I thought were appropriate, from their textbook and from a subscription for music teachers, and had each student vote. With their vote, they had to give me a reason using music terminology, so I could use this for a grade, too.

I'm a little worried about the results, now. I haven't gone through them but most of my last class seemed to be voting for one that my other classes didn't like. If that wins, I'll have to hope they don't remember disliking it and just post the results. It was interesting the write-ins I got, too. One student voted for "The Bucky Rogers Theme Song" because it has a good message. I need to find out what that is. I also had votes for a Chris Brown song. Thankfully, there's no way that will be the winner.

UPDATE: Actually "The Buck Rogers Theme Song" actually would have been appropriate. I also had write-in votes for "Don't Worry" and "Let it Be".

Habits

Well, it looks like I'm keeping my job. It's amazing how relieved I feel. And now I keep thinking about all the things I can keep working on improving for next year.

Now that I'm in my third year of teaching, I finally feel like I know what I'm doing teaching, but lately I've noticed that my good habits cycle. Like lately I've been doing pretty well with keeping the students engaged: my 6th graders are starting to appreciate classical music, because I have them conduct it. My students get more comfortable with foreign-language songs because I have them listen while doing movement, or learning a percussion part the first few times.

On the other hand, I had stopped pointing out my objectives. I did that during my first few years as an induction requirement, and had continued to write them on the board. Today, I pointed them out to the students, as well as the plan for class, and we actually got through everything. I also had much fewer "requests".

I'm so glad I can continue to refine these kinds of things.

Assessing

Grades are due soon, so I've been trying to get caught up. Every year gets better, but it's still hard to have so many students to do grades for, especially when so many move away or just moved here.

Anyway, a lot of my grading is done by observation. I keep my seating charts in a page protector, and just put a mark on their names depending on if they can do what they're supposed to, and then I eventually enter those marks in my grades.

I've been trying to do some paper grades, as well. I think it helps me to be able to sit down and have something concrete to look at, and then if the teachers or principal has a question, I have something to show them. The students can give some really interesting answers, though.

In the beginning of the year, I had a substitute present a gospel version of "America the Beautiful" and then the students were supposed to describe the style. I had three students fill in the sheet that the style hurt their feelings. The first one made me laugh, but the third one made me frustrated.

I think I'm still trying to get the balance of assessment. Mostly I have to remind myself to pay attention and write it down, instead of just walking around and helping. Maybe someday I'll get a camcorder.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Today was one of those days that makes me want to quit being a music teacher. Not because of the students, but because of the other teachers. Last week, for the first time, I allowed a fourth grade class to take their recorders home. My gifted students (some in that class) had been doing so all school year, and the rest of the students were really excited to do the same. I had made them recite to me, and to their classroom teacher, the rules about take recorders home, I told them what to practice, and sent them on their way.

Admittedly, I should have talked to the fourth grade teachers first, but I feel like their response shows no respect to me. Some of the students (I know of one specifically, the class told me less than 5) hit another student with a recorder. Under my procedures, those students would not be allowed to take their recorder home again, and I sure hope the teacher wrote them up. Other students put their recorders in their desks instead of their backpack. Again, by my procedure, those students are not allowed to take their recorder again. But their teacher asked me to not let any of them take them home again. Despite the fact that I see them so little and try to teach them so much, and despite the fact that it is my class and curriculum and the students' recorders, this teacher (and another in her grade level) TOLD me not to let the students take them home.

I only wish I had had the presence of mind at the time to say what I should have.

The Joys of Having a Sub

I'm out sick today. I've had this terrible cough for what seems like forever (the doctor said it may last a month) and have taken one or two days off per week since it started. I hate being out sick, though, because I never know what will happen in my class while I'm out. I've had several interesting substitutes, who rarely ever do what I want:

I had one actually follow my lesson plan (mostly) but teach my students (and somehow they retained this despite my best efforts) that saxophones are in the brass family of instruments. Of course, saxophones are made out of brass, but, by virtue of the reed mouthpieces, are actually in the woodwind family. Plus, no brass instruments have that many keys. But you have no idea how much it work to convince my students of that.

I had another teach my lesson plan to the tee, except she didn't have the students sing, because she herself didn't know how. So I had a music class listen to a song several times, but not actually making music, because somehow the substitute didn't feel qualified to say "sing along this time".

The worst, however, are when they completely ignore my lesson plan. I had a substitute recently who left no note whatsoever. So I asked the students what happened (and I hate having to ask my students what happens in my own classroom). They told me they watched a movie. I didn't leave a movie, and the only movie I found in the room when I returned was Back to the Future, which I think was for the after-school program. The students told me the movie was about musical instruments, so I don't think it was Back to the Future, but I wish the lady had returned my phone calls. At least I don't expect the office will schedule her for me again.

And sometimes there is no substitute for me. Then it's really embarrassing to ask my students what happened in my classroom. And I have to figure out how to "make-up" the time.

I have had a substitute lately, who I hope to have again today. He doesn't understand music, but leaves thorough notes, doesn't yell at the students, and when I get back there are stacks of papers they wrote, showing me that they did something. You would think leaving the book of lessons developed by our textbook series developed specifically for non-music substitutes would be a bit more idiot-proof.

First Post--A good day, but a bad week

This is the first post of this new blog. In good teacher fashion, I'll begin by telling you my objectives: I plan to use this blog to reflect on my teaching. I hope that in the comments I will find new ideas for my teaching, while giving you ideas as well. Some of my stories should give you a window into the inspiring, amusing, always interesting, sometimes unpleasant world of teaching music. And sometimes this will be a way for me to vent feelings that need expressing.

I'll start with the good: Today was a great day because of several things that happened. My fifth graders really showed how much they love making music. They were singing with their eyes closed, swaying, enthusiastically, and sounded really good. They love singing partner songs (one group sings on song while another sings a completely different song with the same harmonic structure, creating harmony).

My fifth graders also started learning some Middle Eastern music. The district has been urging us to explore this more as our population changes, but I love introducing them to music from various cultures, anyway. Plus it's a standard. They got really into the songs and really seemed to enjoy it. And I love when they thank me for teaching them (and today they told me class was fun).

My fourth graders were really trying hard to behave today. It's amazing how motivating the possibility of recorders can be.

And my sixth graders' behavior is FINALLY starting to improve. We had a fire drill, but they were manageable. And they were learning and enjoying it, once the fire drill was over. It's amazing how much more they enjoy classical music when I have them conduct it. They still talk too much, but they're down to a normal-seeming-misbehaved, instead of the horrendous they started at.

Here's the bad: my district is having problems with money (like all the districts in the area) and is exploring the idea of cutting music. Meaning I might not have a job next year, and my students might be reduced to seeing a music teacher only once every other week. And the music teachers would have 40-some music classes each. I can't imagine how this would be a good situation for anyone.

So let me know how you are. Do you have misbehaving sixth-graders? Are you worried about your job? Did you have a swaying, angelicly-singing class this week that showed you why you do what you do? Or do you have another comment about music in your life?