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.

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…