The Munchkins

This may be more information than anyone ever really wanted to know about my student teaching, but I figured I would give a little detail about all the classes I am teaching.

First off, I am teaching at two different schools, Desert Hills Middle School and Sunrise Ridge Intermediate. At the middle school, there are 2 early morning jazz bands (one 8th grade, the other 9th) that meet twice a week at 7:30 am, the 8th and 9th grade bands, and a percussion class made up of both 8th and 9th graders. At the intermediate school, there is a 6th grade woodwinds class, the 7th grade band, and thunderbolt time (I'll explain this one later).

So far, I haven't really worked too much with either of the jazz bands except when Rob wants to work with one section on their own in another room. Most of the time, if I do anything, I am just standing at the front giving a tempo while he walks around playing various parts with the band. This one probably makes me feel the most awkward since I'm not really in charge, I'm just their to look pretty. I know he wouldn't care if I took more control (and he'd probably jump for joy if I did), but when it comes to jazz, I still have a lot to learn before I will feel like I can actually teach them anything.

The 9th grade band started out a little rocky, but is slowly getting better. When I first started teaching them, it felt like they kind of had the attitude of "you're not my real teacher so why should I listen to you?" But as I've started taking over some of the pieces they are playing, things have started to relax and I enjoy that class a lot more than I used to. They are also one of the classes I have seen the most progress in. One of the songs they are working on didn't really sound all the great when I first took it on, but it is actually starting to come together. It's exciting to see progress in so little time!

The 8th grade band has been a challenge from the beginning and hasn't gotten much better. They have a tendency to talk and play out of turn a lot and just can't seem to pay attention. I've even come down on them a few times about it, but every time I seem to yell at them for talking or playing too much, they stop talking, but seem to just automatically check out. They may not be talking, but they aren't paying attention either. I was grateful to hear from Schmidt, though, that he struggles with this class too. He's even told me that a lot of the other teachers have noticed the same sort of things about this particular grade. I'm still trying to figure out how the crap I'm going to teach them this new song they got the other day. So far it's been pretty disastrous. And it doesn't help that none of them really like it.

The percussion class has definitely been interesting. From day one, Schmidt told me I wouldn't ever be taking this class on alone unless he just can't be there for some reason, and even then, it would only be a one time thing. The trouble with this class is that their are two different grade levels and probably about 3 or 4 different skill levels in the class. How do teach all of them at the same time and still manage to do it effectively? My answer: who knows. With me here, he plans to split them up a lot more and team teach the class. Mostly I have just been running through the music with them and passing them off on certain sections. I also get to help them all a little individually if they are struggling with something. I'm not a great percussionist by any means, but surprisingly I have been able to help some of them with various things. I was expecting to dread this class (since there are about 30 ADD children with sticks in there), but it's actually been kind of fun. They get a little rowdy sometimes, but for the most part, it hasn't been all that bad.

The 6th grade woodwind class is the first class that I have completely taken over. And I have to admit, they are my favorite class. Is it bad that I have favorites already? Anyway, they are beginners and are all on flute or clarinet for now, but will have the choice of switching to something else at the end of the year for 7th grade if they want. It's been kind of a challenge figuring out how to teach the basics, but it has overall been fun. They are still at that age where they are excited to learn, but haven't reached much of the teenage attitude stage yet. But oh how they like to ask questions. Usually there comes a point where I just have to cut them off and say no more questions or else we would never get anything done. They have had a bit of a hard time adjusting to me, though. They definitely do not like change. It isn't that they don't like me or anything, they just love Mr. Schmidt. Most of them have to find him either before or after class and tell him all about what is going on in their life that day. It's pretty funny.

Then comes the 7th grade band. I don't even know where to begin with them. There are 60 kids in the class and 10 of them are ADD percussionists. (In the 8th and 9th grade classes, there are about 45 kids each and only 19 kids in the woodwind class.) I'm conducting 2 of their pieces right now, but one of them they already pretty much know and the other is a ballad. I've always heard the saying that ballads are the hardest to play, but I have to add that they are the hardest to teach also. Every single time I cut off this class instantly starts playing and talking. When all 60 of them are doing this at once, it takes awhile before I can get them quiet long enough to give instructions of where we are starting. Half the time they are still not paying attention and I have to stop again because I only have half the class playing. What frustrates me most is when I look up from the score and see people goofing off when they should be playing or talking to their neighbor in the middle of the piece. This class by far tries my patience the most. Once again, I'm not alone in this. Just today Schmidt lost it on this class. I'm not one to yell, but he definitely is. I'll say one thing though, it definitely gets their attention. I have never heard that class as quiet as it was today after he yelled at them. I'm going to have to learn this trick I think if I ever want to have complete control of this class. Maybe I should find someone to practice on. Any volunteers?

Now for thunderbolt time. Three days a week classes are a few minutes shorter and at the end of the day, the students go to what is called thunderbolt time. There are all sorts of different ones. Pet grooming, career explorations, golf, rubik's cube, jungle drums, etc. Most of them I have heard of so far have just been really random. Since I have been there, Mr. Schimdt has actually had this period free. Normally we use this time to make copies, talk about teaching techniques, plan for the next day, enter grades, pretty much anything we need to do and don't want to do later in the day. Next week, though, he starts teaching a new one (I think they rotate to a new subject every 3 weeks). I think he said it was called Google Extreme. I'm not exactly sure what this is going to entail, but it should be interesting.

Overall, I think one of the hardest things for me has been learning names. I think I figured it out that I am dealing with about 200 kids. That's a lot of names to learn........ Luckly most of them answer to hey you, or I just have to name their instrument to get their attention. Maybe I'll have to make flash cards one of these days to attempt to learn all their names.........