2015 Resolutions!

Happy New Year!

This break did not go exactly as planned.  I spent break sleeping, blowing my nose and resting.  After going to the doctor I learned that I have pneumonia.  I guess my body was telling me to rest and take it easy.  The good news is I didn't have to miss school to be sick!  The bad news is I didn't have a very productive break.  Maybe I needed to take a break.

In my lazy state I have been reading a lot of new music blogs and taking time to catch up on my favorites.  Mrs. Miracle's Music Room hosted a linky party and I was happy to link up!  

Personal: 

   Find a balance.  Over the summer I started to blog, got engaged and we bought a house.  I am coaching volleyball, leading a CmPS (Community Problem Solving Team),  singing in my church choir and trying to establish myself in my new teaching position.  It has been a lot.  I am told it only get busier when you have kids :)  

   Before this year, everything was work and coaching with some time for friends and family plugged in.  When I reflected in an earlier blog, I didn't have much to report on the personal accomplishments.  This year while planning a wedding and becoming a homeowner,  I have entered a different world trying to figure out how to get rid of mice, learning about roof rakes and ripping up carpet.  I have fully enjoyed it but I still need to learn to balance my time with these new adventures in my life!

Professional:

    Last year I taught in a Spanish/Chinese Immersion IB School and collaboration was mandatory to be successful! In my new school, I can be more independent and I realized I have not collaborated with what students are learning in their classrooms.  Although I collaborate with behavior concerns, my PLC time and socially I feel I have slipped with my content collaboration.
    It seems like people are very split on the issue of collaborating with what students are learning with their classroom teacher and focusing on the music pedagogy. I personally find collaborating inspiring for me and very helpful for my students.   I don't make the classroom content the center of my curriculum, but I would like to add a few songs a month that connect the two.

Classroom:

   Organize and establish myself.  I am very fortunate to replace a fantastic veteran teacher who had a plethora of resources and the school loves music.  This year I am working on creating my system and routines.  As a fifth year music teacher in a new position this year, I have been trying to find what is going to work best for these students this year.  As a result I have modified my lesson plans, expectations, communication, etc.  I love keeping traditions, but I also want to make my own.  With so many wonderful things available it is sometimes hard to navigate what I should do first!  I want to focus on curriculum mapping and staying organized for the rest of the school year.

Blog/TPT

   As I mentioned in the personal goals I struggle with balance and one of the first things that tends to get lost is my blog.  I realize that right now blogging once a week might not be reasonable but I want to try and blog twice a month and post at least once TPT resource a month.  I find both things to be extremely valuable and although I am busy I want to make time for this outlet!

Just for me!

   Like many people thinking about New Years Resolutions, I would like to be more healthy.  Making myself a priority for 30 minutes a day to work out should be reasonable.  Planning ahead for the week to ensure I can eat healthy is completely possible.  The most helpful thing for my accountability has been joining my friends in a Facebook fitness challenge group!  To see others complete there workout for the day is sometimes all my competitive body needs to get moving.  It is also so encouraging to see everyone transform.  I am very spoiled and I am not the cook at home.  If we get the groceries, Jeff will make us fantastic healthy food, I just have to eat it.  No excuses then!  

I wish you all the best in your goals of the year!
2015 is going to be a big year!

Music a la Cart!

Happy Saturday!
  
    I have been getting a lot of questions about my year teaching from a cart.  I thought this might be a great first topic for my blog.  I will share a little bit about my experience and maybe others will have great tips to add.

How did it happen?

My school reached capacity and there were literally no rooms left.  We are building a new school for the fall, but this was a year of flexibility and compromise.

How did I prepare?

Well, I knew that I wanted to do as much as a could and just make the best of it.  First, I bought a cart!

I looked all over the internet for tips on what to buy and how to use it and I was really disappointed with my options.  I decided to go big to try and cram on as many things as possible.  I opted for a giant chrome cart from Target and Wheels with brakes to add to the bottom.

                               View the shelf on Target.com        View the wheels on Target.com                               

What's on the Cart?

After purchasing the cart I realized I need to choose some basics to keep on the cart that I would use most days.

1. Keyboard and plug way up on the top shelf

2. Basic Orff

3. A bin of unpitched percussion

4. A water bottle!

5. I laminated my schedule (one for each of the six day rotations) and attached it to the shelf of my cart for quick reference

6. Small bins with file folders for each class to keep the papers under control

7. A binder with my lessons ready to go

Advice

~ I met with the teachers about where music could meet.  As a responsive classroom school each room has a "Morning Meeting" rug space.  Although small, it fit what I needed a LOT better than having them in desks

~ Decide if you feel comfortable teaching while their classroom teacher is in the room.  Discuss how this functions for you.  For me, I didn't mind it at all!  We talked to the kids about how their teacher was getting things all set for the rest of the day, and if the students needed anything they needed to ask me.

~ Do you have travel time built in to the schedule?  How does your administration want to handle this?  Be kind but ask!  Should the teachers come back early so you can leave or should they stay and wait for you to arrive.  Be clear that no matter what you do, you can't be in two places at once :)

~ Establish routines for the students begin while you traveling their way.  In my older classes, students lead body percussion, they could start a musical game we learned, or  even begin vocal warm-ups to get focused.  

Advantages of teaching from a cart:

1.  The students have desks if you are writing or composing.

2.  You don't need your own music pencils, crayons, scissors, glue, etc.

3.  You get to explore the classroom set ups throughout the school (sometimes it can tell you a lot about how the students are used to learning)

4.  It really is great exercise!

5.  You let go of a lot of clutter.

Feel free to leave any comments or questions below!