I Was A Band Director For A Day

That’s right. I got to be Band Director for a day at one of the local public Middle Schools where I substitute occasionally.

Now, I must say that I know next to nothing about music. I am more of a visual arts person… but, when in Rome…

I think the teacher was expecting a musically inclined sub when she wrote out her plans, because she included regular rehearsing and helping kids with fingering and toning. Yikes.

The kids were great. These were 7th and 6th graders. I told them I was an Arts person rather than music, and that I would do the best I can to help them get their practice in for the day. One of the kids would give me the beat and I did my best to keep it steady.

We did manage to practice scales a few times over, then get through several of the music pieces they were to review that day.

It was fun. I have a new found respect for music directors. I had no idea it would take so much concentration to keep a steady beat for them. Off course, that was all I was doing really, was keep the beat -no emphasis, no special clue for new cords or new instruments coming in, or any of all those subttle yet important signals the director communicates with his or her orchestra.

New experience for sure. I had fun, and like I said, the kids were great. They humored me through the pieces and we did all manage to get something out of it.

Looking For A Job

I have been looking for a job this January and getting a little frustrated, if not somewhat concerned.

I’ve applied left and right from everything to temp job to retail in grocery stores and restaurant waitress… nothing, no calls, nada…

What gives?

Am I not qualified for anything?

I have excellent references, education, I am mature and stable, I am willing to work for low wages… what else do they want?

Yesterday I went for a substituting orientation for the local public school district, so at least I can do that. I called into the system and there were no positions available for today. I’ll keep calling everyday to try and pick up something… bills are due at the end of the month no matter what… those don’t stop, that’s for sure.

I figure if I can manage to sub 3 days a week, I can probably make due for a while, until I get hired as a teacher again.

Tough times. Never been unemployed before.

We have officially left the station

That’s right. It’s back to school. With the first two weeks behind us, we have now officially left the station, our little train steadily travelling onward through this Fall semester.

It really does take two weeks to get things going and the routing in place. The first three days everyone is a little dazed -kids and staff alike. We’re all thrown back to the reality of the morning alarm clock, having to decide what to wear to work, making lunches, looking over the to-do list, getting lesson plans ready, etc. Same for the kids. I had kids fighting hard not to fall asleep during my 8am class… they’re not used to getting up this early anymore.

And then off course there is that whole schedule mess, which does take about 5 to 10 days to settle. Kids not in their desired class go beg the counselors to re-adjust their schedule because their friend is in that one or this one, or that’s not what they’d signed up for last year, or this class is going to be to hard I want out, and on and on. On top of that, kids get lost or confused about where they go next at the bell.

If you’ve never been a part of the public school system, you probably have no idea what I’m talking about -or think it can’t possibly be like that. Turst me. After 10 years of teaching high school, I am well familiar with the start of the year. It all works out in the end. New bell schedule, new semi-block classes, new teachers -it all finds a way to mesh into one coherent organism that resumes its familiar dance throughout the day, at the tune of occasional ear piercing bells.

Ha, ha… an image just popped into my mind. Imagine a shool with a glass ceiling and a camera above, filming the day. Then play it in fast forward. You’d see this mass of dots going to and fro, entering a building, flowing like a river through hallways with each dot finding itself into a room for a period of time. Then a sound. All instantly get moving, flowing through hallways again, and repeating the behavior. And on through the day, until that last one at the end, where all dots exit the building.

Almost sounds hilarious and a bit ridiculous this way, doesn’t it?

Let me say though, that I am enjoying being back in the classroom. It’s all about being with the kids, afterall.

More about my impressions on the start of the year soon.

Teachers’ Feelings About Education

Are you in public education? How do you feel about your job, salary, and various policies and testing going on in public schools today?

I think politicians and other writers of policies have no idea what it is truly like to be in the classroom, with kids ranging the gamut in ability, comprehension, background, etc., and having to get through certain concepts / ideas / lessons in 45 minutes. Though some may be well-intentioned, having some experience in the classroom should be required of anyone making decisions about our education system.

Often times as teachers, we get handed down new rules that look really good on paper, with great ideals of what will happen and our first reaction is “what planet are these people from?” Sure, it always sounds wonderful on paper, and implementing in the classroom, with 25-35 kids, is a whole different ballgame. Now we are not dealing with numbers and facts, but with a certain amount of unpredictable factors that, more than not, throw all good planning aside for on-the-spot adjustment and adaptation.

That’s what makes a good teacher too. Planning and ability to adapt to students.

I ran across poll results of surveys conducted with teachers K-12 throughout the country.

Discipline:   My school & its discipline policy

Clearly stated, consistently enforced:         1995: 43%        2008: 38%
Clearly stated, NOT consistently enforced: 1995: 46%        2008: 50%
NOT clearly stated:                                      1995: 9%          2008: 11%

A slight negative trend regarding discipline enforcement in school. My experience in our school is that the kids themselves have progressively become more rude and disrespectful in general, with a lack of pride in their work, desire to put up effort rather than what they like to call “good enough,” and also a lack of respect for anything in the classroom. By that I mean writting on desks, breaking supplies, having to be asked to throw something away rather than leaving it on the table or on the floor, not picking up something that falls on the floor, etc. Details maybe, but very noticeable in my years of teaching -and we are still considered a somewhat “small” school at just over 700 kids this year. (high school) 

I’d like to also point out that we have some tremendous kids, who are respectful and behave in what I would consider to be normal, descent human being manner.

Teacher Satisfaction:   very/fairly satisfied, in 2008

Quality of teaching                                    81%
Professional development opportunities   71%
Class size                                                  53%
Salaries, benefits                                       45%
Discipline, behavior                                  36%
Level of stress                                           25%

No Child Left Behind (NCLB):        its effect on education

Positive            2003: 22%             2008: 10%
Neutral             2003: 26%             2008: 21%
Negative          2003: 39%              2008: 64%
Not sure          2003: 13%              2008: 5%

64% of teachers today think NCLB is having a negative impact on public education! You can count my vote in there as well.

Here are a couple more noteworthy facts.

Teachers feeling that students are being tested too frequently: 71%
Schools put too much emphasis on preparing for state accountability tests: 69%

This past May, for the entire month, there was not one single day with all of my students in the classroom. Not one! Covering a new concept with half the class means you’ll have to cover it again 3 to 5 times with individual students are they rejoin you class. Same goes with reviewing for semester exam. It’s extremely frustrating. I’ve had conversations with teachers at my school who basically quite teaching at the end of April because of this.

During the end of May, students were gone for:

• TAKS;  3 full days with entire school, then singled out classifications (Fr. Soph. Jr.). This spreads over a good 2 weeks.
• Benchmark tests; individual teachers’ testing
• AP tests: extended 1/2 day testing, am and pm. 
• Field trips: UIL, Band, Theater, Sports
• EOC: End Of Course Exam (different from semester exam)

During all this, we are often times reminded as teachers that the “year is not over” and we are expecting to keep teaching until the last day… hmmm…

And then off course, the last 4 days of the month are spent administering Semester Exams, which we have reviewed the best we could amidst the rest of all the happenings.

These poll results fairly support what I see to be true at my school: too much testing, too much emphasis on standardized tests, downward trend in behavior and discipline, and raising stress levels for teachers, not to mention a growing dissatisfaction with education in general, both from teachers and students.

Gifted & Talented School Workshop

I’ve been at a workshop at school all week. At first I was feeling a little resentful that I had to spend an entire week in yet another booooring workshop. Well, let me tell you… surprise, surprise.

NOT boring at all. This is about how to better serve the G/T kids (i.e. Gifted and Talented). These are the kids that are overly “smart” in one or two particular field but could also be your regular kind of kids in the rest. Their brain literally functions differently than the rest of the population. They get to be the math genius, or music genius, or next most amazing artist, etc.

Get this, 60% of high school drop outs are G/T kids! 60%!

At first I was shocked, and then I thought, well, this makes sense. They are uterly bored because they get it the first time, and then have to sit through the same lesson for the next 5 days until everybody catches up.

My general experience with some of these kids is that they tend to be the clowns, the trouble makers, the rebels. They are in fact too smart for their own good.   Now I’ve also had some that were wonderful, mature, and a joy to work with.

What we must do, as educators, is channel that brain into challenging activities that will keep them engaged and interested.

Anyway, back to the work shop. It had been a tremendous eye opener, and I’d say probably the most useful and practical workshop I have been to in my years of teaching high school. The presenter is doing an excellent job. I would recommend for every educator out there to get the information. It’s that good.

The irony is that the public schools are very well funded and supported for all special ed. services, but lags behind for the G/T kids. Who do you think is most likely to run a corporation, come up with new inventions, cure, be elected in public office, or … [fill in the blank]… in the future?

Not to say that special ed services are to be removed. We just need to remember that they are other “special” kids are out who’s needs are not met.

Well, I’m off to the last day of this presentation…