I have finally created my teacher website through the utility that our school has... I have no HTML or other web building skills whatsoever, so its pretty convenient for me. If you know who I am, go to my Facebook page and find it on there. Its very much still in progress but I would appreciate any feedback and ideas. I hope to make it a resource that students and parents eventually use a lot, for everything to downloading schedules and permission forms, to looking up repair tips, to discovering a great new artist or piece of music (idealistic, I know!)
Our band and orchestra are taking a big spring break trip to a warm location, and that has been a big organizational journey. I believe we are over the hump though, and I am really looking forward to it. I think it will be a great opportunity for bonding with the students. Hopefully, if all goes well (cross your fingers) it will also be a good sign to parents and administrators. They have done a trip like this every other year for many years, so I'm sure it will look good that the tradition is continuing without a hiccup (I hope!). But yeah, it has been a logistical saga that is not over yet...
IMEA and Midwest were a total blast. It was great to catch up with everyone, and of course heard some really great groups, information, new music, etc. It was especially insightful this time to have a program of my own to actually relate to. It made it a completely different experience. The conferences really inspired me, and they also made me feel very insecure! Watching the stellar groups perform, and comparing them to my own, really just made my head swim. The students on those stages all seemed completely dedicated to the entire process. What I deal with each day seems so different from what I saw at these performances. I was struck with all kinds of thoughts of what I could be doing better as a teacher. I know that many of those wonderful qualities are products of time, comfort, repetition, and consistency. I hope it comes eventually. I hope I do everything I can to further that along. This right here is a topic for an entirely different, lengthy post.
With that said, I am enjoying making music with my students most of the time. We are playing a good mix of music now in all the classes, and they seem to be enjoying most of it. Small ensemble contest is coming up, and I am having much more stringent requirements than they are used to having in the past. (I'm making everyone in the band classes participate in a small ensemble, something which hasn't been done before.) Some of the groups are really taking off and enjoying the process, others are really struggling. Having them playing in duets, trios and quartets really illuminates the strengths and weaknesses of each student. It is obvious that several of them have never been challenged like this before. So, although the process is sometimes frustrating, and I have to deal with some complaining and do more rote teaching then I'd like, I am still very glad to be putting them through it. I was worried that the small ensemble repertoire I had selected would turn out terribly; that it would be too hard, or they would hate it, etc. Honestly, I'd say about 80% of it has worked out great. I have only had to make a few adjustments. So that's exciting. I hope to see the benefits of the small ensemble experience pay off in band rehearsals down the line.
The other night at pep band we had some down time while we were waiting for the Varsity basketball game to start. While most of the students were just relaxing and talking, one of the trios in my freshman band immediately cracked out their ensemble piece and began working on it. That about made my weekend.
I recently submitted a proposal for rotating sectional classes, in which students would be pulled out of other classes each week to work in like-instrument sectionals. I would love that so much. I would probably give up my left arm for those. I also just finished a proposal for a $14,000 grant; for upgraded instrument storage (the lockable Wenger cabinets, we don't have any individually locking storage), and a few new instruments. So, wish me luck.
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