School is great . . .

I'm having a good year. This is good . . .

We expect our teachers to always be positive, to always have energy, to always give 100% . . . well, sure, that's our job. We have to pretend that we aren't tired, that we aren't getting a cold, that we didn't have that argument with a friend or family member . . . But c'mon, we're human. We wouldn't be good at what we do if we didn't empathize with a student who is having a bad day. We wouldn't be good if we didn't know what it felt like to have our feelings hurt.

Quite frankly, it's hard, sometimes, to smile and be understanding and enthusiastic and encouraging. We're expected to observe disgruntled parents and bring compassion into our conversations with them. Maybe disgruntled parents could understand that sometimes teachers need a hug and a goodnight sleep. I sometimes wonder if parents, who are tired of their child's behavior, understand that we see the same things in school . . . only teachers really don't have the option of sending the child to their room. The highs of teaching can be like riding a great rollarcoaster but the lows are like riding a cheap carnival ride that makes you nauseaus.

Much to many people's assumption, teaching is and will never be a day job with weekends and summers off. I don't know any teacher who walks out of school and stops thinking of their students. The fact is, we are teachers 24 hours of the day . . . whether we want to or not. We work with our nation's most precious resource--our kids (hope that doesn't sound like a bad Hallmark card). Teaching kids is simply not a job but instead, an avocation that invades our entire being . . . and I'm okay with this on most days.

As I write this I'm thinking that I wouldn't want to have a day job. I hope I continue to have a good year!

New Year . . . why not September?

As I'm fighting the need to get ready for a new year of teaching music, I started to wonder about the reasons for our Western European/American tradition of designating January as our "New Year". Nothing starts in January . . . except for new cycles of colds and the flu. Wouldn't it be more enjoyable to hang out in Times Square in the month of October? The fact is that most people, especially those of us who live with school-aged children, connect our lives with renewal each September (okay . . . we start school in August now, a fact that I deplore). Fall comes, football starts, the nights become cooler, the lazy hot days of summer start to recede . . . fall, even though plant growth starts to recede, seems to be a time when modern people simply wake up. Who doesn't like fall?

Don't get me wrong, I love the month of January. I was born in January and have always liked the idea of my birthmonth being named after a Roman god. Janus is the Roman god of gates, doors, and doorways. Quixotically, the pre-Julius Caesar Roman calendar designated the month of March as the beginning of the new year. Julius, being a typical over-bearing "What-I-say-goes" kind of Roman emperor, instituted the foundations for our modern calendar. Considering the seasons (northern hemisphere), the month of January occurs in the dead of winter . . . not exactly a time when we look for renewal. I've often wondered if I suffer from affective seasonal disorder as I find the months of January, February, and March to be very depressing and dreary.

Other cultures don't follow our Westernized sense of conventional beginnings. I was surprised to discover that the Christian calendar designates the month of March . . . I had easily forgotten this fact that was first presented to me during junior high Sunday school classes. Do we need to follow the mammoth over-commercialized holiday of Christmas with another excuse to party and drink? While Christmas is now characterized by excess, the season of fall is characterized by beauty in nature, bountiful harvest, and cool nights that encourage wonderful slumber. People used to celebrate harvests with barn dances and fall fairs. My own children probably don't know why fairs exist.

I also discovered, in my non-scholarly research of this idea, that quite a few cultures have used the moon cycles to determine the specific day of the new year. We seem to ignore the moon these days except when an unpopular politician tries to send a space mission there . . . in an effort to gain a few approval points in the polls. The festival of Diwali (yes, all you Office fans, this is where I learned this term) follows the moon cycles and occurs on a full moon in October and November. Maybe we could start using the moon as a reason for a holiday celebration . . . instead of simply honoring dead white men and Martin Luther King, Jr. I like the moon . . . it's beautifully simple. I love the way it changes colors as it rises over the horizon.

On a more practical standpoint, do we really need an alcohol infused holiday during a season of the year when can be treacherously icy? I know, residents of Sydney, Australia don't have this weather problem but New Year's Eve has become one of the prime nights for alcohol related vehicle "accidents" . . . sorry, DUI accidents are not really "accidents".

Anyway, I'd better stop meandering through my random thoughts. To all you teachers . . . enjoy the last few moments of summer!

A bit of poetry . . .

I like these lines from a poem by Jack Gilbert (disclaimer:  I know nothing about Jack Gilbert, I simply found this when surfing one of my favorite poetry sites).  These are the opening and closing lines of his poem "Failing and Flying".  I like the idea of finding things to celebrate in the middle of apparent failures.  The rest of the poem is a bit more real world and not as enlightening.  You can read it here:  http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16872

Everyone forgets that Icarus also flew . . .

I believe Icarus was not falling as he fell,

but just coming to the end of his triumph.  

If I were not so tired, I'd load a photo with this blog.  Maybe tomorrow . . . maybe in June!  I used to write poetry when I was a college English major.  I was scared off and intimidated when another student ridiculed a poem that I had written poetry workshop.  Maybe I ought to try again . . . 

Endings . . .new beginnings . . .

My school year is almost over.  My students and I always manage to end the year on a good "note" (pun intended, I teach music!).  I am grateful to them for this . . . it helps me to recover from the bleak winter and causes me to look forwards to the next school year.  I like this cycle . . . which caused me to pause when I read an "educational reform" article.  Disclaimer:  music teachers tend to despise anything having to do with educational reform as we are mostly excluded from these efforts.  

While I try to avoid written discourse on educational reform, the concept of year round school keeps popping up in places that I can't avoid.  While I understand that this concept exists to raise standardized test scores, I think that this policy must have been created by people who didn't go to their neighborhood pool in the summer.  It must have been created by people who never climbed the apple tree . . . or picked flowers from their neighbors garden . . . or built a fort in the woods . . . or who went to movie matinees on the hottest days . . . 

Students (and teachers too) should be allowed time away from school to experience personal growth.  The concept of having a new beginning each year is important to student growth.  It allows them to start over each year with mostly new teachers.  Students have the opportunity to shed the baggage from the previous year when they make a fresh start.  When I was growing up, the first day of school was filled with such optimism.  I had a new outfit for the first day and new notebooks and school supplies.  I was always excited to meet my new teacher.  Aren't cycles of renewal part of life?  I think so.  

Year round school is justified by reformers as halting the regression of skills.  Well maybe . . .  anyone who has worked with children know that learning is not always marked by continual progress.  Learning is sometimes easy and sometimes not.  Kids "master" new concepts but sometimes forget them when their class moves on to a new unit.  This is how our brain works.  Pathways are created when new information is assimilated.  Those pathways become stronger when they are consistently used but will fade when not used.  Let's face it . . .  we can't use every pathway in our brains all the time.  Proponents also cite the fact that kids spend most of their time in front of the television . . . well, not all tv is bad!  Besides, most kids I know have too much energy and like to do things.  This faulty reasoning underestimates the need of kids to be active.  

Besides, we are discounting the value of the activities and experiences that children engage in during summer vacations.  Kids go to camp, create art work, take lessons in new things like karate, music instruments, and pottery.  Kids make new friends and discover new internet sites.  They might also develop more proficiency in the current version of Madden.  These are varied experiences that cause cognitive, social, physical, and emotional growth.  We shouldn't discount the importance of spending time with family members.  Our family structure erodes more each year, or so Fox news projects.  Summer vacations are a time when families connect.  Some of my best memories are from the times when my dad and mom would play hide-and-go-seek with all the kids in our neighborhood.  Why would we want to take away the value of spending time with family and friends?  Building effective social relationships has a direct effect on school success.  Why would we want to discount the value of play?  Early childhood educators have always promoted play as a necessary part of learning about our environment.  Shouldn't kids have the opportunity to pick up cool looking rocks and stone and sticks?  

While I do understand the politics of these types of "reform", do we really want to deprive our students of the opportunity to climb a tree, eat a sticky popsicle, or jump off the highest diving board at the pool?  Shouldn't a child be able to start each new school year with optimism and a fresh slate?  Maybe we should give the students a choice:  they can draw on the driveway and sidewalks with chalk or practice their six time tables . . . I suspect that we all know what the result of that question would be!   

Time for Spring!

I really believe in this affective seasonal thing.  Otherwise, why do we all come alive in the spring?  I've always envied true outdoorsy type of people . . . you know, those people who want to be outside even when it is below zero.  I'm not like that, I tend to like being cosy and warm in the winter.  I also have to fight negative thoughts in February and March.  I've truly come to dread those months.  Maybe I need to learn to ski!  Or . . . I could simply ignore this grueling music teacher lifestyle and perhaps go on a vacation like real people.  I know one music teacher who does this most winters.  I think that the mess that I'd come back to would prevent me from wanting to do this again.  Let's face it, teaching strings is not something that most substitute teachers want to deal with.

In the meantime, the weather should just stop teasing us and turn into mild nice weather.  I know I'm lucky, the place that I live has summery weather through September and often into October.  However, winters seem to linger.  My school seems to be going through an extra round of viruses--perhaps good weather would help this.  Fresh air is healthy.

I can tell when the weather is getting nice--my students start trying to sneak outside during rehearsals.  I have a hard time being the "mean teacher" when this happens because I do get it.  However, parents want to see good concerts so we do have to practice.  If I didn't have so many kids, we could practice outside.  

Someone special . . .

I just read the blog of a former student.  She doing missionary work in Nigeria in an orphanage.  She's a really special person . . . one of those people who never ceases to help others.  She's the most faithful person I know.  I wish I could believe in people that way she does.  Her blog is worth checking out and if you are looking for a worthy cause, consider this program.  Her blog, Faith's Heart, is listed on the right hand side of this screen.  

Check out her blog entries and her pictures.  You will see many things that are heartbreaking but the spirit of her work always shines through.  I am proud to know her!

Speaking of photos, I am ready for spring . . . yes, I say this on a daily basis.  I can't wait for soccer to start . . . my youngest child plays soccer.  

I was truly offended when a certain ex-vice presidential candidate who used a political forum to make a negative comparison of "soccer moms" . . . in favor of "hockey moms".  We all support our kids . . . why would someone who aspires to lead this country be so condescending of parents who actively become involved in their kids' activities . . . didn't she want our votes?!!  

Wow, we did it!

I had a lesson today with some young violinists.  This particular group are students who all receive learning support services.  They are grouped together because their schedule is very restrictive, I have few options for times when they can come work with me.  

We have been proceeding through beginning skills very slowly, not always steadily. However, today these students came in and played almost all of our D string songs and exercises really well.  It was like their minds merged into one great energy source.  They played with amazing flow and beautiful musicianship.  I'm still smiling, hours later.  Hours later, I can still see the mixture of intense focus and joy on their faces.  It was truly a "Wow, look what we can do" kind of moment.  These young students were finally able to achieve a sense of flow in their music making.  

We started the lesson with some free improvisation and for once, I stopped teaching and simply facilitated.  I wonder if this allowed them to play freely with flow.  I've started to consider, on an almost daily basis, if we are stifling the natural creativity that all young children possess.  Creativity doesn't have to be artistic.  I've always found a sense of creative satisfaction when I find patterns within mathematical processes.  Designing a science experiment involves the creative consideration of multiple approaches to an idea.  Writing is probably the best example of improvisation.  My favorite writers always use language in a vivid musical style.  

This reminds me of a book that I read a while back.  The author's site is www.freeplay.com.  Stephen Nachmanovitch's ideas are easy to read, insightful, and have real life meaning.  

Spring must come . . . soon. Walt agrees!

I'm ready for spring.  I'm ready for cold weather to go away.  I want to feel warm sun on my face.  I want to drive a car that stays somewhat clean for more than a day.  I want to spend less time tuning my students' string instruments.

Spring must come . . . soon.  

Today, I read a few forgotten poems by Walt Whitman.  As a former English major, I am disappointed that I had forgotten some of his poems.  His writing is almost aural instead of visual, even though most writers try to paint visual pictures with words.  The words that he chooses create vivid sound . . . almost more than images.  Consider this example . . . doesn't it make you hear the city traffic of your favorite city while listening to a lawyer performing arrogantly for the jury and judge . . . Walt sure loved to exclaim (did anyone use as many exclamation points as he).  What an American treasure!  

   Beat!  beat! drums!--blow!  bugles! blow!

   Over the traffic of cities--over the rumble of wheels in the streets;

   Are beds prepared for sleepers at night in the houses?  no sleepers must sleep in those beds,

   No bargainers' bargains by day--no brokers or  speculators--would they continue?

   Would the talkers be talking?  would the singer attempt to sing?

   Would the lawyer rise in the court to state his case before the judge?

   Then rattle quicker, heavier drums--you bugles wilder blow. 

Spring . . . coming soon . . . please!

I am truly ready for spring.  I want to feel warm sun and mild air.   We've had some beautiful weather this winter but I'm getting tired of driving my car when it's covered with road salt and dirt . . . although I have a secret yearning to spend money that we don't have on a ski vacation.  

Here is my attempt to force Punxatawney Phil, albeit belatedly, to either see or not see his shadow--whichever is the one that encourages and early spring.  

Okay, time to rant . . . I really like being a teacher.  I do.  Being a music teacher is often busy and stressful but has many moments where I can't believe that my job is to simply make music with kids all day.  It's truly amazing when my kids come in and say "Listen to me play this song".  There is no better feeling as a teacher when kids are proud to show you what they can do . . . being proud of students is one of the best parts of being a teacher.

However, I am finding it difficult to be appropriate when my students complain about standardized testing.  Our students are currently in the middle of their second consecutive week of standardized testing.  This process has become invasive into the educational process.  We spend more time testing and preparing for testing than we spend teaching . . . okay, not really but it seems like it.  

Standardized tests were created to provide statistical information about a school system's curriculum.  The original purpose was to show schools potential skills that needed to be addressed within the curriculum and classroom instruction.  Politicians have decided, in their effort to show that schools and students are accountable, to use these tests to determine individual progress. I wish that all politicians would have to come in and watch students take these tests.  I could go on and on about the detrimental effects of this process but it is too infuriating.  

In addition, these tests incur a huge cost to school districts.  Imagine what we could do with the funds that are spent on testing!  We could do things that are proven to actually improve student achievement . . . gee what a thought!  Sometimes I wonder if the general public truly understands the unfunded mandates that politicians impose upon school districts.  Perhaps our frustration with school funding could be directed at those who cause all the red tape and bureaucracy that takes a huge amount of funding away from schools.  

"Economic Recovery and Educational Issues . . . ?"

Someone on the radio today said that economic recovery may end up costing us one trillion dollars.  I wonder how large that pile of money would be if it were stacked up in $100 bills.  Is this worth it?  I don't mean to go all "W" on this but . . . sheesh, that's a lot of money to borrow from China.  I truly can't conceive how this much money would look in its material form. 

I do have a better solution . . . stop flushing money down the drain in Iraq!  Invest in education instead.  

The school district that I live in had a pretty good reponse to the current economic crisis.  They stated that while they must always use public funds responsibly, cutting education opportunities would not help our children to become productive (read "working") members of society.  They are oh so very right!  Now . . . they aren't particularly stellar in funding the arts but my family has been able to provide artistic experiences for our children.  

I hear school boards and administrators in other areas saying that "we have to cut spending so that people won't lose their houses" . . . wouldn't it be worse if our current generation of students can't afford to buy houses because they aren't well educated?  This is an excuse, I think.  

I also heard another education quote that makes me step back and blink . . . a media happy school superintendent recently stated that "we need to stop thinking of teaching as a life-long professions and should encourage and support teachers who only want to teach for a few years".  Her justification for this comment was that it would save districts from paying "high" salaries for teachers who have become too comfortable and complacent.  This person has been out of the classroom too long . . . and tends to like saying things for shock value.  She smiles a lot when she generates headlines in major newspapers.  

I don't know too many teachers who can put up with the job if they are doing less that their true potential.  Sure . . . there are ineffective teachers who need to retire, but there are also ineffective doctors, lawyers, and customer service representatives at McDonald's.  The worst doctor that I ever saw was an emergency doctor who didn't think that anything was wrong with me . . . right after I slammed into air bags in a car accident.  This doesn't mean that I distrust all doctors.  We need our public to stop blaming the masses for a few bad apples!  Most teachers do care and work very hard.  

Teaching is, at its worst, a lower paid thankless job.  It takes many years to learn how to wear the hundreds of hats that we ask of teachers.  A five or six year teacher is still very new at this job.  We should aspire to want teachers with loads of experience and we should create job environments that encourage teachers to want to stay in this profession.  After all, research shows time and time again that economic investment into education pays off in much greater dividends for society . . . isn't this a better way to view economic recovery!

What to do with a blog . . .

Hmm . . . I've always wanted to start a blog.  I have lots of thoughts that I don't always share with anyone.  Now that I've taken the initiative to start one, I'm not sure what I want to include.  I guess I'll have to take this one in stride and see how things develop.  Maybe I'll discover my inner poet.  I like to take pictures and will share those as well.

Perhaps it's appropriate to start with a New Year's Resolution . . . During 2009, I'd like to do something meaningful . . . for me.  So much of my life is consumed by my teaching that I don't often have enough energy left in me for other things.  I think that this is why people often burn out in this profession.  I think this is a worthy goal . . . I hope.  Meaningful can be simple . . . like going for a walk every day, or reading books that I've been ignoring, or maybe finding time to learn something new like weaving or becoming a (very) amateur watercolor painter.  

Here is a photo that I like . . . I wanted to add a reminder that spring isn't too far away.  Fresh snow is pretty but icy cold windy and dirty slush is not something that I enjoy.  I do like fresh snow and there is nothing better than the first snow day from school.  

I remember a song that a friend of mine taught a group of pre-schoolers that we were working with in an inner city school.  She composed it on the way to our morning lessons.  It's simple and childlike . . . but isn't snow something that causes all of us to remember positive times from our childhood . . . I wish that my children had more memories of ice skating and sledding on icy roads.  Anyway, I digress . . . here's Katie's song . . . remember that it was written for carefree 4 year olds!  

Snowflakes

Snowflakes

Snowflakes

all around

Snowflakes

Snowflakes 

falling to the ground

Snowflakes

Snowflakes

all through my hair

Snowflakes

Snowflakes

I don't care!