Instead of posting yet another blog about my mishaps with classroom management, how there is a really big difference between behavior in the fall and behavior in the spring, or the many annoyances and frustrations of the week, I am going to share with you two great stories about jr. high... (shocking, I know.)
1. "Life lessons with Ms.Blazier." I started doing this on a whim with my eight grade after someone asked why I had a bandaid on my hand. We had story time while I told how I burned my hand the day before (trying to make the story as funny as possible)... The life lesson? "Ovens are HOT!" About a week later, I lost ALL of my lesson plans. That day, I had eighth grade, so I continued my life lessons. This week's moral? "Save Twice!" and finally, that same week, the rain and humidity got to my projector and it stopped working during mass and class... Life lessons again! "Rain ruins things!" What started out as a quick story has turned into something that my eighth grades ask about EVERY TIME they see me! "Ms. Blazier! What are your life lessons for today!?" They've even started asking other teachers for life lessons in those classes, too! It's really awesome. I've got to hold on to their interest and attention for this, because it's about the only way that I have all the either graders focused and paying attention in music... At least they will know something about life at the end of the year!
2. 7th graders are awesome. Who knew? This week I went to see our 7th and 8th grade girls basketball teams play a home game. The game itself was really cool. I enjoy seeing the kids outside of the classroom environment. I felt like a parent, I was so proud of them! But more than that, the moment that myself and another teacher walked in the gym for the first game, the whole 7th grade team smiled and waved at us. After the game was over, the 7th grade team (minus the few who play with the eighth grade team) came at sat with me and their english teacher in the bleachers...for the WHOLE NEXT GAME. and do you think they were watching the game? not a chance..they were circled around facing us like my first grade playing the penny game. It was ADORABLE! they were so excited to just talk to us! (Granted, it was a little annoying cuz I actually wanted to watch the 8th grade game!) I would have NEVER EVER sat with my teachers when I was in jr. high. These kids are crazy! It felt really good to see that the kids don't hate me, and I feel that it helped me get to know some of the kids that I haven't connect with as well yet. Yay!
great post, mary! glad to hear of some good stories!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! It's great to hear about how you are making some interpersonal progress with your kids.
ReplyDeleteThe other day, at the Wind Symphony concert, we thought we saw one of our old favorite professors in front of us, and all of us were whispering and pointing, wondering if it really was him. I guess things never change!
Mary-
ReplyDeleteIn my insecurity, I continue to find myself reading and re-reading some of my music teaching textbooks. One of my favorites is "The Teaching of Instrumental Music", by Colwell and Goolsby (my other favorite is "Teaching Band and Orchestra" by Lynn Cooper). Anyway, I was reading in the Colwell that studies have shown that the number one thing that middle schools teach, even more so than content, is character development.
When I first read this, I had to re-read it about 5 times. I tried to remember back to the content I learned in middle school, and it was fuzzy. Then I remembered back to days when teachers addressed things that I could use that day; things like how to help someone out who is in a bullying situation, how to tell when your girlfriend is preparing to dump you, who to talk to you when something bad is happening at home. Middle school health class had so much more of an impact than I could have imagined, and it's because of the life lessons.
I'm a first year band teacher, and I'm also a first year 7th/8th grade boys soccer coach. You should have seen how attentive my kids were when I blew the whistle a few weeks back and said "okay, folks, enough of that. here's comes a life lesson from Mr. Clark"..." . It was honestly incredible. I think that we discussed how the tone that you speak with influences the words you use, and how nice words said in a mean way only bring mean feelings. It sinks in, so congratulations to you!
Also, another thing about middle school kids: they care about ridiculous details. I luckily had learned this coming in, so I diffused a bunch of the chatter on day 1 with my speech to my 6/7/8 band: "I am Mr. Clark. I am 23 years old. I have two sisters. Now you know, and you don't have to ask". The kids now have two details about me that they conceive to be a part of my personal life, which are in no way going to challenge the fact that I'm the teacher. They have also now bought in to my class since they feel like we're instantly closer because they have that information.
Middle school. It can be a beautiful thing.