Music To Our Ears

My students' days are filled with schedules and time crunches.  They are constantly on the go, both in and outside of school.  I have noticed that they often forget which way we usually walk to art or that we stop to get a drink and use the restroom after gym class.  How can I blame them?  They are little worker bees, clocking in and barely picking their heads up from 7:55 in the morning to 2:45 in the afternoon.  I noticed something that made me smile in my first few weeks as a teacher and that was that without fault, at different times every day, my students remember when their music lessons are.  Their instruments are piled by the front entrance to the room, a garden of fallen trombones and clarinets.  They stack their sheet music next to the brass and copper soldiers.  Pencil marks tear up the paper like the notes they sometimes fail to take down during a mini lesson.  These kids are inspired by music and it warms my heart.  I am a musician myself, having started playing in fourth grade, led by the very same teacher that conducts them on Monday mornings.  Mr. B hasn't aged a day and pops in a few times a week to adjust his lesson schedule that is magnetized to the white board.  The kids know when to pick up and leave for a lesson and are always concerned when a test finds its way smack dab in the middle of one.  "When can I go then?"  "I need to ask Mr. B when I will have my lesson."  I always allow for reschedules.  I understand the excitement and wonder of playing an instrument in the fourth grade.  It is so new and challenging and really mind blowing when you hear a song being played by the entire ensemble.  A song that you have trudged through in your bedroom after school for weeks, the smell of dinner being cooked teasing your focus.  I remember these feelings and the magic.  I love the music program in my district, its dedication and drive.  Playing and learning music allows students to grow in all subject areas.  Their fluency and focus in reading and writing can improve, their problem solving skills in math can benefit, and their decoding skills can become stronger.  It opens up a whole new world of possibilities learning wise and students aren't even aware of all that they are learning.  They are just having fun with a new instrument they get to take home and show off to friends and family at Christmas parties.  Isn't this what we want all learning to be like?  Bright and shiny, producing music to our ears.

What Happened to Fun?

It is difficult for me not to compare my experiences at the school I work at now to my experiences as an elementary student.  The fact that I attended this school sixteen years ago (wow, okay I officially know what it feels like to "date" oneself) makes it easier to see this comparison.  My first observations were of the building layout; the main office is now the art room, the fourth grade classrooms are in a whole new wing, and the windows seem brighter.  I then began to notice how different the school climate is because of the time and current trends.  I hear students singing Bruno Mars songs in the hallway and listening to books on MP3 players, reading on Nooks and typing on Chromebooks.  Their lessons are on Smartboards and they Skype with classrooms all over the world. This is all fascinating and inspiring to me, but there is one enormous difference and that is that these kids are so consumed and busy that they often forget to be kids.  Friday was the day before Valentine's Day and a party had been scheduled.  With the school's Health and Wellness policy, only healthy foods are allowed to be consumed.  With the school's busy schedule and expectations, the party only ended up being 20 minutes, not including set up and clean up.  When I think back on my experiences as a student, my memories are of course within the four walls of the classroom, but so many of them involve the birthday parties, holiday celebrations, and fun times sharing and growing together.  I think with today's fast paced world, these students need to also learn to be fast paced and think and act quickly and intelligently.  We are doing a fantastic job of preparing them for that, but we are forgetting one special thing; fun.  With all of the balancing I am trying to do, I cannot let myself forget to let these kids have fun in the classroom.  I want them to look forward to coming into that classroom each day because there is such a short window when they get excited about reading, writing, and solving math problems.  That window closes so quickly for so many kids.  I am so lucky to have my PLN and access to technology in so many ways.  I can find so many excellent resources and ideas on allowing fun within all of the deadlines and expectations.  I have a new thing to add to my to-do list: fun.

Tricks of the Trade

I have successfully completed my first week as a fourth grade teacher (even though that week included one snow day and two delays) and I feel very accomplished.  I was able to pick up on the majority of the class routines and schedules and get some really great lessons underway.  I learned something very important as I began my journey this week and that is the fact that I can add something new to my list of credentials.  I want to officially call myself a progressional multi-tasker.  I knew going into this profession that multitasking is an extremely useful skill to possess.  I knew that I would be balancing the focus and well being of 23 little minds all while maintaining classroom control, organization, discipline, and planning for the 8 other schedule blocks in a day.  But planning for this concept and actually putting it into use are two completely different animals.  The intensity of multitasking that teachers and educators do on a regular basis is incredible.  I find it to be the most challenging but important part of the day.  Your mind needs to constantly be working in thirty different directions in order to get one thing accomplished to goal.  Students have lessons, tutoring, meetings, and assessments that they are constantly being pulled out for and you need to be prepared to catch them up to speed.  Remembering where Eric sat yesterday in his independent reading spot but also that the occupational therapist needs an example of student work for her PPT next Tuesday and that students won't be finishing their rough drafts in writing because they will be taking a reading assessment on Thursday but students who need to make that up can't on Friday because you have a consult with the special education teachers then.  It is enough to make your entire body overheat.  I think what sets teachers apart from any other type of person in this scenario is that we signed up for this job and we are willing and happy to fulfill it.  I know that some days I am going to want to pull my hair out and/or forget to do half the things on my mental to do list.  I know that it is a challenging job, but one that I am excited to give my all to carry out.  Any multi-tasking tips are greatly appreciated from my fellow educators or superhuman non-educators!

I know that one thing I am so lucky to have on my new journey is love and support.  I have it from both family and friends.  I was brought a delivery from the school secretary last week that warmed my heart and soul.  It was a bouquet of beautiful flowers sent to me by the teachers I was working with at my previous job.  They were wishing me luck on my newest endeavor and it spoke to how lucky I am to have such positive love and support.