Start of the School Year... again?

     Well, hello there! Welcome welcome, if you find yourself back to this blog. Remember how last post, I mentioned blogging every Friday? Is it okay if that Friday post is approximately 60 weeks late? I hope so!

    Of course, a lot has happened in the last 60 weeks. I'm not sure I can write about all the things that happened in those 60 weeks. A lot of great things, and some not so great things, but the great things outweigh the bad... I think.

Gillam

    I have left Gillam and started a new position in Winnipeg. I felt (and still feel) bittersweet about leaving Gillam. When I think about Gillam I am often tempted to cry! I made wonderful friends and had such wonderful students. I applied for MusiCounts Band Aid Grant, and we won!! With $10,000 I was able to buy a class set of tubanos, and 15 steel pan drums. We received the instruments in late May, and you bet I spent that last month really soaking up my time with the new equipment. Though my time there was short, I hope I was able to leave a positive impact on the students and program there.

    I reflect and think about my lessons in Gillam. As a first year teacher, there was a lot of trial and error. Even though it has only been a year, I am seeing improvement in my teaching. I had only (student) taught in schools before where they had a strong, sturdy music program... and here I was in a school that hadn't had a solid music program in 10 years (music, not fiddle - they have amazing fiddle programs!!). It seemed that even my middle school students weren't confident in what 'ta' and 'titi' was. It was a challenge, but I told myself that even if my students are just having FUN with music, that was half my battle.

    My reasons for leaving Gillam were totally personal - my partner is in school, and thankfully with COVID he was doing classes online, but the likelihood of him finding a job in Gillam was slim. He could maybe work remotely depending on his job, but the internet in Gillam isn't great... The chances of him missing work was too high to consider staying. I love the community of Gillam and I would love to go back sometime soon!

Winnipeg

    In my new position in Winnipeg, I am teaching at a school where their music programming was cut because of COVID. So not only am I new to the building, but the kids are also super amped to get back into the music room!! At this school, I teach K-3 (in one instance I have a 3/4 class) from September to January, then February to June I still teach my kinders, but also grades 4-6. I have 45 minute classes which was new for me! Sometimes 30 minutes felt way too long - never mind 45! Now that we're in late October, the 45 minute classes feel much more natural.

    So far, I've spent the last couple months playing name games, exploring new movement activities, and reviewing prior curricular goals so I know where the students are in terms of curriculum. Knowing that they had a year off from music, I wasn't sure what students would remember. We've played non-pitched percussion instruments, mallet instruments, and soon we'll be playing djembes (I just received them in my classroom today)! My 1/2 classes are learning ta/titi with different apple themed activities, and my 2/3, 3, and 3/4 classes are reviewing ta/titi and (soon will be) composing using different vegetables.

My older students LOVED this video...

    I find my biggest challenge this year has been classroom management. In our first three or four classes, we spent time reviewing expectations and WHY those expectations are in place. When students do not follow those expectations, I remind them WHY I have those expectations, so they understand that there are reasons for these expectations. I remind myself that as a new teacher they are trying to test boundaries. I can also acknowledge that with some of these students, they have not had any school experience (again, thanks COVID!). While I understand the 'why's, I find myself often frustrated and feeling so drained.

    If you're still reading - thanks! I hope you have enjoyed my wall of text. Dare I say again - hopefully I will blog every week? Doubt it... but you never know :)