Weekly Review: 12/5/2015

A recurring topic during the '5 AM Miracle' podcast is the idea of a weekly review.  Time where you reflect, check your progress and plan for the next week.  Having a review process in place is not something I have done before and I think this process can help me stay motivate, focus and continue to grow.  These are the areas I want to reflect and focus on this year. 

Fitness

Spiritual

Personal Development

Professional

Personal (relationships/family/friends)

Happiness: Day 1

Monday, December 1, 2015

Last week I stumbled upon a blog post by Hugh McDonald (Hughtheteacher).  He talks about a 100 Day Happiness Challenge one of his friends challenged him to.  I am not sure if I will complete a 100 days, but I know that everyday where I focus on the positives is a day in the right direction.  I had intended to begin this journey last week, but I never scheduled it, so it never happened.  Today is December 1st, so it seems like the perfect time to start a new challenge.  The holiday season is even busier than normal life and it can be easy to overlook the wonderful blessings and sources of happiness in our lives.  Keeping track of the things I have gratitude for and the sources of my happiness are two ways to combat the daily stress of life.

Today I am thankful for my husband.  He is a constant source of encouragement, laughter, information (mostly random and useless), updated weather reports and he continually deals with my sleep derivation crankiness, which I am grateful for everyday. 

This may be taking the easy way out for day one, but he is a true blessing in my life and someone I need to be more intentional about thanking and being thankful for.  I truly believe we can never tell our loved ones how much we care and love for them too much.  The most important people in our lives need to be told this often.

This Week in Music 11/30/2015

Brown Bear, Brown Bear Rhythms

I used the book 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear' to reinforce ta and ti-ti rhythms in my First Grade classes.  We read the book, played the singing game 'Grizzly Bear' and students created their own rhythm patterns by connecting different animals.

I am a big believer in the old saying "If it's not broken, don't fix it."  I found these Brown Bear word cards online through a google search, which led me to Pinterest.

My students enjoyed this activity and it helped me access their ability to recognize ta and ti-ti patterns.

Expectations

The last few weeks I have found myself starting my morning off in a cranky mood because I kept feeling behind.  It took me a while to figure out why I was feeling this way.  I was expecting way too much from myself and getting mad when things did not work out the way I had planned.  I am a believer in high expectations, but expectations also need to be realistic.

My Mourning Plan

Get up at 5 am

Workout, read, shower, get myself ready for school, pickup around the house, do dishes, clean the kitchen, make breakfast, pack lunches and pack the diaper bag.

6:40 am

Wake up my daughter (if she is still sleeping:), get her dressed and ready to go and feed her breakfast.

7:00 am

Walk out the door to drop kiddo off at daycare on my way to school.

Now, maybe I am an underachiever, but after writing down this list I quickly realized why I was stressed out.  I was expecting way too much to happen in a very short amount of time.  These expectations left me constantly frustrated and rushed.  Once I realized the issue, I was able to create a better morning routine which has been helping me start my day more relaxed.

How often do we do this with our families and students.  We have crazy expectations and get mad when they do not achieve them.  Yes, we need to push them, but we also need to look at what we are asking of them and make sure it is logical.  We also need to make sure that those around us truly know what we expect of them.  We may think we have been clear, but sometimes we are not and it is vital that others clearly know what to expect.

This Week in Music 11/16/2015

Morning Ritual

This year I am working in a new district which requires me to spend about ninety minutes in my car driving to and from school each day.  I am sure this commute with not be as enjoyable during the winter, but right now, I love it!  I have been listening to audio books/podcasts and I love having time to focus on me without the distractions of a to do list.  I have enjoyed listening to personal development, health/fitness and education podcasts and I have already learned a lot.  

One of the common topics during many of the podcasts that I listen to, in terms of personal development, is starting the morning off right by having a great routine.  Now, my ideal morning does not happen very often and I am thrilled if my plan worms out 2-3 times a week. The sleep schedule of a one year old is not always conducive to waking up early. 

Three years ago I was consistently getting up at 5 in the morning and I loved having time to read, workout, journal and complete house work. This habit disappeared once my daughter was born and I am slowly working my way back to a consistent morning routine. I have found that waking up early, feeling productive and spending some time on me, really help my day go better. 

What does your ideal morning look like?  What one activity would make your day go better if you completed it first thing in the morning?

Everyone is different, my husband's ideal morning is waking up at 6:15 am, taking a shower, eating breakfast and leaving for work at 7:15 am. I find that I feel stressed when I do not give myself enough time to get things accomplished in the morning. Does your morning help you start your day on the right foot or add more stress to your day?

I created an Evernote notebook for my morning routine and I have a note for each day that contains a checklist with my morning routine. The other tool that has really helped me is coming up with multiple morning rituals, which is another idea I learned from the '5 AM Miracle' podcast.  I created and wrote down a Morning Ritual for my ideal morning, a weekend/no school morning and a morning I wake up late or sleep in.  Having these ideas written down has really helped me feel more organized. 

Connection

How much time do you spend per a day checking out Facebook?

I am working hard to cut down on the amount of time I spend on Facebook. Many times, I end of feeling sad or frustrated with my life. Facebook is a great way to connect but it shows one snapshot. It's similar to a standardized test. It should not be used to give a full picture. It is so easy to look at everyone's happy moments and feel defeated because their moments don't match up with how we feel about our life at the moment. It is not fair to ourselves to judge our challenges against the greatest hits we see from others online.

The other reflection I had during my journal time last week is time spent on Facebook does not equal the amount of time spent interacting with others. How often do we connect with friends, families or even strangers? We are surrounded by pictures and status updates, but we lack true human connection. We look at pictures and we see what is going on with our "friends" but we rarely connect with them and have real conversation.

At first, my goal was to limit my time on Facebook. I continued to not like how I felt after checking Facebook and my mental state, so last night I decided to delete the app from my phone. I am taking a break from Facebook right now. I am going to give myself time without the bumbarment of images and updates. 

How do you spend time on Facebook? Do you find social media helpful? Have you ever taken a break from social media? 

Podcast Favorites

I have been listening to a lot of podcasts lately. Right now I am listening to a lot of self help, productivity, health/fitness and education podcasts.  I find that shorter podcasts are easier for me to listen to, so I tend to listen to more of those than thirty minute interviews.

What are your favorite podcasts?

The following is a list of my top ten podcasts. These are not in any particular order, but they are ones that I routinely listen too.

My Top 10 1. 5 AM Miracle
2. EduAll Stars
3. The Project Life Mastery Podcast
4. Love and Logic
5. Rapid Fire
6. Switch on Pop
7. Take Back Your Life
8. The Charged Life
9. The City Church
10.  The Productive Women

Open Loops

How many items are on your To Do List? How many projects are on your mental To Do List? How many projects are partially complete? How many projects and activities do you think about on a daily/weekly basis?

One of the podcasts I listen to calls these open loops and for me, these add stress to my life. Until I listened to 'The 5 AM Miracle' I did not know what to call these projects or why they were causing me stress.  Each week I have two lists of projects; one I want to complete and one I must complete. Sometimes my personality makes the line between want and must confusing. I don't have to clean my house but for my sanity it must meet a certain level of clean. 

I am working very hard this school year to spend time each week completing these open loops. I want to get rid of hose mental lists of projects that need to be complete or things I need to do.  I have found this helps lower my stress level, improves my memory and helps me be more productive. Not having as many things to remember or think about makes everything easier for me.

How do you manage open loops?

The Breakup

You know those moments that follow a breakup? The days, weeks and months that are filled with doubt, confusion and emotion. The questions...

Why was I not good enough?
Why didn't they stay?
What did I do wrong?
Why?

I find myself recovering from a breakup, but not one with a person. In May my school district and I broke up. It was a mostly peaceful split but it still took me months to come to terms with my emotions. I realize I still have issues to overcome.

Budget cuts are never fun and being a music teacher, I feel like my job is always on the line. I realize now that this experience is shading how I view issues now and that is something I am trying hard to change.

At the end of the day, it was not my performance that caused me to loose my job. I know this is a fact, but it is still tough to accept. There is still a feeling of rejection, like I was not good enough and this emotion shows up every time I have a challenging lesson. The doubts sneak in. The questions pop up.

Maybe I'm not as good as I thought I was. Maybe I didn't work hard enough.
Maybe I need to find a new profession.
Maybe I made too many mistakes.
Maybe I'm not meant to be a teacher or a coach. 

Maybe this is why I was riffed.
Maybe...

Rejection is never easy and I am slowly working my way through this experience.  How do you deal with rejection? Two things that have helped me are reflecting and writing in a journal. Rejection is a fact of life and I will learn from this experience and move on. It will not define me. Time to focus on the present and not dwell in the past. This year is full of great opportunities with a new district.

Daily Routine 9/28/2015

Daily Routine 10/5/2015

This Week in Music 10/5/2015

Anything You Can Do..

Having a child continues to change my perspective. I am continually amazed at how my daughter learns and picks up new things. She learns so much by watching and then she tries, fails and tries more until she gets it right.

I don't remember talking to my daughter about her bedroom or going to bed, but if you ask her if it is bedtime, she walks straight to her room.

This got me thinking...

Do students have enough experiences with behaviors we want them to demonstrate?

Do they see people read?
Do they see people responding positively to frustration?
Do they see people practicing new skills?
Do they see people acting kind towards others?
Do they see people having positive interactions?
Do they see people fail (and respond with a positive attitude)?

My daughter continues to prove to me that children learn a lot but watching. She has also reminded me the importance of intentionally modeling behaviors I want her to copy.

How can we setup our schools and classrooms to ensure that our students experience these behaviors? Student will immulate what they see. We need to make sure they are seeing positive behaviors and copying behaviors we want to see.

Lessons Learned from a Summer Coaching Youth Sports

This year I was asked to coach 5th and 6th grade summer softball. It was a great learning experience and I gain a lot from this summer.

• Have a parent meeting and set clear guidelines and expectations. 
• Don't be afraid to ask for help during practice. Parents can hit, catch or toss so that more kids can be participating at one time. 
• Don't assume anything. 
• Be clear and kind. 
• Ask your players to explain their thinking. 
• Ask questions. 
• Listen 
• Spend 1:1 time talking with each player. 
• Spend 1:1 time on player development. 
• Some kids will go home and be told everything they did wrong, some kids will go home and be told everything was great. Know which kid is which and be intentional with your words to each. 
• Be organized. 
• Be early. 
• Set the tone. 
• Set clear routines and expectations. 
• Practice and model everything you want them to do. 
• Say more positives than negatives. 
• Players often do not see their progress the same as you.

This Moment

My daughter is almost fourteen months old and she goes through each day as though she is on a mission. A mission to get into everything and go everywhere that she can. You leave a door open and she will find it. You leave a cabinet unlocked and she will empty the cabinet for you.

Fourteen months is a wonderful time of life. Along with all of the  new skills she is learning we get to deal with molars.  Teething is not something we were ever warned about as new parents. Molars, in my limited experience,  are not fun! Now, I know every child is different and mine does not match some of the horror stories I have head, but this is still not always a great time. There have been many sleepless nights, cranky afternoons, bites (I'm still amazed she can bite thru jeans) and early mornings.

Tonight I was laying in bed trying to get my daughter to fall back asleep. She has her head on my shoulder and her arm wrapped around me. It was incredibly adorable  and peaceful and a calm washed over me. It made me realize how awesome this moment is. This moment, for me, makes it all worth it. The cranky behavior,  being awake for hours in the middle of the night and even the biting. It's all worth it for this moment. These moments are one of the best parts of being a mom and they bring me such joy.

What moments make you feel like this with your students or your job in general? What moments make it worth it? What makes it worth dealing with their cranky behavior, their rude comments and mean behavior? What makes it worth all of the hard work, time and energy?

I can't answer it for you and every teacher  will have a slightly different answer. For me, the moments when my students are grooving as a group and creating wonderful music, that makes it worth it. It may not happen often but it makes my skin tingle and my heart happy.  Seeing my kids grow and thrive makes it worth it.

Kids will be kids. They are learning and growing each day and sometimes they will mess up. These mess ups may make life more challenging, but without these times I don't think we would fully appreciate  the great times?

What makes it worth it?  Being a teacher or a parent is hard. Many times are challenging, but many times are wonderful too.

A New Year of Blogging

As I have written about before, I blog for me.  Now, I will admit I do check the site traffic and I greatly appreciate when people take the time to read my blog.  The original purpose of this blog was to share my thoughts and lesson ideas.  I have a paper journal and I have found writing helps me process what is going on around me.  

One reason I like blogging is that others may read it.  This forces me to reflect and write in a manner that will not get me fired or embarrass my family.  This process is vital for me.  Sometimes a situation can be overwhelmingly negative and writing in a public space allows me to work thru these thoughts and emotions in a more positive way.  I know at times I publish too quickly and I apologize for any typos or mistakes.

During the 2015-2016 school year I want to focus more on sharing resources and lesson plans.  I will also being sharing my random thoughts, but I want this blog to evolve to be more than just my thoughts.

I have no way of knowing how many people actually read this blog and at the end of the day it does not really matter.  My goal is to create lessons that are worth sharing.  That is the bottom line because that will help my students.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and I enjoy the extended conversations that occur in the comments.  Blessings on a wonderful new school year!  Lets make this one the best one yet.

World Wall 2015

These vocabulary words are based on the Quaver Music Curriculum

Kindergarten

• Beat
• Steady Beat
• Sing
• Talk
• Shout
• Whisper
• Rhythm Syllables
• High
• Low
• Up
• Down
• Waltz
• Beats of 2
• Beats of 3
• Beats of 4
• Stepping Song
• Instrument Families
• Woodwind
• Brass
• Flue
• Trumpet
• Percussion
• Drum
• String
• Violin
• Loud
• Soft
• Tempo
• Fast
• Slow
• Long
• Short
• Found Sound
• Singing Voice
• Performance

First Grade

• Beat
• Measure
• Steady Beat
• Strong Beat
• Weak Beat
• Meter
• Waltz
• Ostinato
• Rhythm
• Bar Line
• Pitch
• Low
• High
• Mi
• Sol
• Sing
• Short
• Talk
• Lungs
• Breathing
• Whisper
• Solo
• Vocal Chords
• Lines
• Spaces
• La
• Treble Clef
• Mallet
• Staff
• Song
• Melody
• Melodic Direction
• Notes
• Rests
• Duration
• Length
• Tempo
• Presto
• Moderato
• Largo
• Dynamics
• Forte
• Piano
• Cresendo
• Decresendo
• String
• Percussion
• Pitched
• Non Pitched
• AB Form
• ABA Form
• Chorus
• Verse
• Repeat Sign
• Performance

Second Grade

• Beat
• Steady Beat
• Strong Beat
• Weak Beat
• Medly
• Meter
• Waltz
• Conducting
• Conductor
• Improvisation
• Ostinato
• Rhythm
• Partner Songs
• Staff
• Home Tone
• Diaphrahm
• Pentatonic Scale
• Phrase
• Melodic Direction
• Step
• Skip
• Repeated Notes
• Compower
• Ornaments
• Baroque Period
• Duration
• Quarter Note
• Quarter Rest
• Whole Rest
• Whole Note
• Half Rest
• Half Note
• Dynamics
• Forte
• Piano
• Fortisimmo
• Pianisimmo
• Cresendo
• Decresendo
• Embouchure
• Lyrics
• Melody
• Composition
• Verse
• Chorus
• AB Form
• ABA Form
• ABACA Form
• Repeat
• Performance

Third Grade

• Ostinato
• Meter Sign
• Rhythm
• Round/Canon
• Range
• Musical Alphabet
• Soprano
• Alto
• Tenor
• Bass
• Pentatonic Scale
• Improvisation
• Interval
• Lines
• Spaces
• String Quartet
• Classical Period
• 16th Notes
• Whole Note
• Whole Rest
• Crescendo
• Decrescendo
• Mezzo Forte
• Mezzo Piano
• FFF
• Recorder
• Woodwind
• Note A
• Note B
• Blues
• 1st/2nd Ending
• Treble Clef
• Measure
• Metronome
• Acc.
• Rit.
• Largo
• Moderato
• Molto
• Presto
• Chords
• Harmony
• Major
• Minor
• ABA Form
• Rondo Form
• Verse
• Chorus

Summer of Reading 2015

My goal for the past two summers is to read a book a day.  

Summer of 2015 Reading List

1. Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess
2. Drive by Daniel Pink
3. 50 Things You Can Do with Google Classroom by Alice Keeler
4. Teaching: Teaching Techniques (eBook)
5. The Fireproof Teacher by John Spencer
6. Life Lessons from Living with Luke (eBook)
7. Mr. Miarcle by Debbie Macomber
8. The Student Teaching Experience (eBook)
9. 51 Ways to Love Your Enemies (eBook)
10. The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller
11. Second Time to Die by Tess Gerristen
12. Once Upon a Summer by Janette Oke
13. Blogging (eBook)
14. Live to See Tomorrow by Iris Johanson
15. Your Personal Life Coach (eBook)
16. Control Your Class (eBook)
17. Passion Matters by Angela Maiers
18. Subconscious Mind Power (eBook)
19. Your Next Breath by Iris Johanson
20. Mental Health Principals (eBook)
21. Procrastination (eBook)
22. The Carpenter by Jon Gordon
23. Accelerated Learning (eBook)
24. Personal by Lee Child
25. Players First by John Caliparai
26. Success (eBook)
27. Perfect Mindset (eBook)
28. Gospel of John (eBook)
29. Achieve Anything (eBook)
30. ADHD (eBook)
31. The Matheny Manifesto by Mike Matheny
32. Last One Home by Debbie Macomber
33. Womens Murder Club #14 by James Patterson
34. Code of Conduct by Brad Thor
35. Learning by Choice by A.J Juliani
36. The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon
37. 10 Miracles by Jeff Sanders (eBook)
38. The 5 am Miracle by Jeff Sanders (eBook)
39. Move Your Bus by Ron Clark 

Why I Deactivated My Class Dojo Account

I want to begin by saying I am not passing any judgement on people who use Class Dojo.  I believe there are many great ways to implement the program.  This was a decision for me based on what I think is best for me and my students.

Last week my husband asked if I would walk to the bank after summer reading program to pick up our checks.  On my way there, I stopped and talked to a former student of mine who was riding his bike around town.  I asked him about his summer and he told me about being pumped for football, planning how he was going to get to practice and which friends were in his class this year.  I realized after talking to this boy for a few minutes that I did not recognize his voice and I could not remember the last time I had a 1:1 conversation with him.  I know I had conversations about behavior and paying attention, but I don't remember just talking with this boy.

At the beginning of this week I was finishing up a run around town when I came across another former student playing in front of her house.  I asked her about her summer and she told me about what she has been up to and how she is excited because she got the teacher she wanted again this year.  Just like a week ago, I realized I did not recognize her voice.  She is a very quiet student and I don't remember really talking to her.

These interactions made me sad and sick to my stomach.  I teach music, so I see all students in the school every week.  With students constantly entering and leaving my room, it is easy to miss the small opportunities to talk and interact with my students.  This also helped in my reflection about being intentional.  I have to be intentional about my interactions with my new staff and students.  These two interactions and my reflection afterwards led me to deactivating my Class Dojo account.

I am at a bigger school this year and my number one goal is to take advantage of every opportunity I can to interact with my students.  I loved many of the capabilities of Class Dojo, but I always struggled with using it consistently and I felt like it got in the way of interactions between my students and myself.  Now, this could be because of me the user and have little to do with the program.  I am not sure, but I do no that for me personally, it was not working so it was time to come up with a new system.  As much as I love technology, sometimes a paper grade book, post-it notes and face to face communications work the best.

Intentionality

My greatest lesson this summer has been learning about being intentional.  Every May I think of great things that I want to accomplish during summer break and when I think back on these lists in August, I realize that most are left undone.  It is easy to make lists of things we want to do, but without intentional planning and thought, these activities are often never accomplished.

My husband and I are trying to teach our daughter baby sign language.  We started with the sign for more please when she was six months old.  She picked up on more quickly, but just started signing please.  The tricky thing with sing language (learning any new skill) is that we have to use it often.  When we are talking to our daughter we need to sign the words we want her to use.  Doing it once or twice will not help her learn it.  At the beginning we were good about signing 'more please' when we talked to her, but soon we stopped signing 'please' which is why it took her longer to learn it.  Once we started being intentional about signing please and practicing it with her, she started signing it to us.  This was a great reminder for me that we need to be very intentional with exposing her to the signs we want her to use. 

I believe I will be very disappointed when I look back at my life if I do not live everyday with conventionality.  Things will be left undone and I will not accomplish all of my goals.

One of the greatest tools for me to ensure that I am intentional is writing.  First, I write a list of things I want to accomplish.  Second, I may journal ideas and my thoughts about each activity (This depends on the activity.  I do not do this for every day to do list items.) The last step is to come up with a plan: how am I going to accomplish this goal, when am I going to accomplish it and what other information or resources do I need to accomplish it.

Life moves quickly and without being intentional about our days, time will fly by even quicker.  Having a list of goals or dreams is not enough, having an intentional plan is vital.

Thank you for reading!

What Being Up Until 3am Taught Me About Being Needed

Last night my daughter woke up at 11:30 screaming.  Despite my husband's best efforts he could not get her to calm down.  It was not until I laid down with her that she sucked her thumb and relaxed.  The fussing was limited, but teething and a stomach ache made it impossible for her to fall asleep.  Eventually after a bit of running around, lots of cuddles and a snack, she finally fell asleep around three in the morning.  I love my sleep, but these moments of cuddles and jabbering melt my heart.

When is the last time you felt needed (for a positive reason)?  When is the last time you showed appreciation to someone you rely on?

We are all needed. Someone, somewhere needs someone (us) to guide, support, help, love and care for them.  Our students, family, friends and coworkers all need this from someone and there is no reason we can't be the one.  Now, I know we are all busy and we don't always have time, but little actions can go very far to improve the course of someone's day.

I am not suggesting you go hug or cuddle with your coworkers, but there are many ways we can help support each other (that won't creep others out or get you fired).  Listening and being present are two great ways to help those around you.  Sometimes we don't even have to help solve the issue.  Sometimes they need someone to listen.  I can't take away my daughters stomach ache or her pain from teething, but I can cuddle and be there for her as she deals with the situation.  I may not take the pain away, but sometimes I can make I can make it better by being there.

Someone needs you.  It may not feel like a big role, but it is important.  Be present, be loving, be helpful and be kind.  It may feel like a small action, but it may change someone's world you and you may never know which small action had the greatest impact.

Three Years

Three years ago today I married my best friend.  Now, I know everyone says that and honestly everyone should.  If you don't think you are marrying your best friend, I would take that as a red flag.  In the past three years I have moved from Alaska to IL, started two new jobs, moved into my husband's house and in June we celebrated our daughter's first birthday.  Sometimes I can't believe it has been three years and other times I wonder how we are going to make it.  I know the statistics are not favorable, but I am confident that we are too stubborn to give up.  Regardless of how frustrated I become with my husband, I know there is no one else I would want to be stuck with (plus, I realize I would endure many of the same issues.)  Marriage is hard.  It is wonderful, but it is a challenge at times.  In three years I have learned more about relationships, communication and viewpoints than I did in my previous twenty-seven years on this earth.  

• People can look at the same situation and see it very differently.  When it comes to men and women, these differences are sometimes even greater.
• Don't assume anything.  What I say and what he hears are not always the same thing and vise versa.
• When you are mad at someone, it is very easy to make a list of their faults.  Don't let yourself get into a cycle of negativity. 
• Be intentional about everything: how you treat others, how you talk to yourself, how you treat yourself and how you spend your time.
• We each value different things and we value them differently.  
• Don't let how you feel dictate your life.  You may not always feel like being kind but it is almost always the best choice.
• You will see what you focus on.  You focus on their faults and you will see more of them.
• Your brain will see what you tell you tell it to see.  How you answer: Marriage is ________ and my spouse is ________ are vital.
• Just because it makes sense in your head does not mean it makes sense to someone else. 
• Let it go.
• Forgive.
• Don't keep a list of offenses. 
• Be clear on what you expect.
• Chances are your spouse will not see everything the way you do. 
• Keep your word.
• Give people a chance to process.  Don't overreact due to their first reaction.

As with everything in my life, I see parallels to life in general and teaching specifically.  These lessons are beneficial to all relationships.  Our students need our positive energy and they deserve teachers who demonstrate love, forgiveness, intentional behavior and who are not controlled by their feelings.  In the end marriage is about getting along with someone, which is true for school, a job and life in general.  Life is about relationships and how we treat others and how we interact are vital for happiness. 

Mistakes

Using Web sources correctly has been a hot topic lately and I realized while following Twitter conversations that I have broken these rules on occasion. This reflection has caused me to feel stupid but has also taught me a lot.

It is acceptable to reference a book online and give credit to the author, but it is not acceptable to reference online material without permission.

All online material needs to include permission and credit unless it is public domain or a free source.

I think back on the short history of my blog and I know that I have made mistakes. I have published blogs too quickly without thoroughly checking them, I have published using my phone which changes the format (still not sure why this happens), I have referenced lists and blogs while thinking that giving credit was enough and I have used pictures without giving credit.

I didn't realize I was doing anything wrong. I thought I was covering my bases, but now that I am aware of these issues I am going to do my best to correct them.

Recently,  I have read tweets where people are very upset because a person is doing something they deem as wrong. The inferences I make is that they believe these people are wrong, stupid, terrible people (fill in the blank with your negative adjective.) I know I have made mistakes and they were because I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was doing what was best.  Upon learning more and reflecting I have realized that I messed up. How often does this happen?

I choose to believe that teachers do not intentionally do wrong to a student.  Most of us do the best we can with the resources we have. Sometimes we look back with joy and other times embarrassment.

I challenge you to not feel anger towards another based on their tweets. The way they see a problem and how you see it may not line up. We need to take these opportunities to discuss with open minds and to learn from the situation.

Using Our Knowledge

I dislike playing tennis.  I like the idea of it, but I am not very good so I get easily frustrated when I play.

I love basketball,  but I dislike playing against my husband because I usually loose. I am not a good one-on-one player.

I know in my personal life that I put more effort towards activities wen I find success. I am successful which makes me want to work harder which usually leads to more success.

I think this fact is human nature. How can we use this information in our classrooms and schools to make them better?

I find it challenging to find activities that all twenty kids in my class will love, but I can help them find success in each activity. Chances are, students will enjoy the activity more if they feel successful.

It is easy to accept life's truths outside of the classroom, but I believe we need to do a better job of using this information in our classrooms.  It is very hard to learn if students feel like they are unable to do something.

What Do You See?

I was recent listening to a Joshua Medcalf track on Spotify (I strongly recommend them.) They are great tidbits of information and I have found them incredibly helpful especially when I am feeling frustration.

During this particular track, Joshua talks about how our brains have a vested interest in being correct and how you will see what you want to see. If you think girls are mean, you have a vested interest in only seeing that girls are mean. Therefore, what we tell ourself is vital to our view of the world. I have found this to be helpful. It is not always easy to do but it was a great reminder to be intentional. Have you ever noticed that when you are upset with someone it is easy to find more reasons to be upset with them? I soon find myself with a ton of reasons why I am upset with a person or proof that they are messing up. My brain is only focusing on the negatives.  What we tell ourselves colors how we see our world.

Here are a few questions that were eye opening for me and they are areas I need to be more intentional about as I begin a new school year.

Administrators are _____.
Specialists are _____.
Parents are _____.
Teachers are _____.
(Person) is _____.
My husband is _____.
My daughter is _____.
I am _____.
Music is _____.
Teaching is _____.
(This group of kids) are _____.
Coaching is _____.

Labels

My daughter recently had her 1 year check up and the nurse had a list of questions for me before the doctor came in.

How does she sleep?

I had no idea how to answer this. She is a baby and her sleep patterns change almost weekly. Did the nurse want to know an overview since the last time we were there, how she has been doing overall or how she is doing lately? Looking at this question from these three different points of view would give three different answers.

When we "label" kids, what information goes into that label?  Are we allowing them to grow and be relabeled?

I have had a drivers licence for fourteen years. Up until this year, I have had one incident involving a car. Does this mean I am a good driver? In the last two months I have hit a traffic cone and rear ended someone. Does this make me a bad driver? Three accidents in fourteen years sounds pretty good, but two accidents in two years dramatically changes the label (in my opinion).

Labels can be helpful,  but we need to be extremely careful how we use them and how we think about people, especially our students and coworkers. What we tell ourself is what we will see. Our labels of people should be as positive as possible. Life is miserable when we focus on the negatives.

What Are You Going To Do About It

What are you going to do about it?

You are upset with someone.
You are frustrated.
You are feeling stressed.
You are angry with someone.
You are experiencing a challenge.

If you can point to the problem, what are you going to do to about it? How are you going to fix it?

Student Portfolios

I am striving towards using more written work during music class. I think having students write music and practice these skills is a vital component (one that I usually overlook).  In order to make the implementation easier for me, I have been brainstorming ideas. So far, I have come up with the following setuo, which I hope will allow me to collect and organize student work quickly and easily.

I am going to have a file folder for each student and they will be in number order by grade and class. Students will write their class number on their papers and as they will line up in number order. As they leave they will make a pile which will be in reverse order so all I have to do is put them in their folders. As the school year progresses,  I think most of my classes will eventually be able to file by themselves.

Handout Ideas
1. Listening log
2. Instrument identification
3. Listening coloring activities
4. Daily/weekly reflection sheets
5. Exit slips

Growing a Reader

When I was in middle school, my baby sister was reading the Harry Potter series. I had limited interest in reading and I had ZERO interest in a book about wizards. I saw her reading these big books and I figured if she could do it, so could I. She is eight years younger than I am, I could not be outdone. During Christmas break I spent an enormous amount of time laying in a bed at my grandmother's house reading the first three books of the series. I was hooked! Not only was I hooked on these books, I was hooked on reading. I had officially caught the reading bug.

Sometimes all it takes is one book to turn kids into lifelong readers. Sometimes it takes years for this book to be found, but it can happen.

I am trying my best to help my daughter become a lover of books. We ready daily and we go to the library every 7-10 days. I hope and pray that she is able to find the same enjoyment from books as I do, for life is so much better while surrounded by books.

What book turned you into a reader? How do we encourage those around us to read even if they have not caught the bug yet?

Comparison

"Comparison is the thief of all Joy"

This is a tweet I saw the other night from Jamie Gilbert (@jdgilbert19).  It was a great reminder for me.  How often do we compare ourselves to others?  As a new mom, a "new" wife and a "young" teacher I find myself doing this often.  Being a mom has brought this too my attention more than anything.

• I could never be a stay at home mom they must be a better parent than I am.
• We don't do ___ all the time, they must be better parents than us.

The list could go on and on.  It is so easy to see what others do and to compare myself.  Why do we use others as a measuring stick?  Each situation is specific to the individual and it is unfair to ourselves to judge what we do based on another person's circumstances. 

We want to grow each day, but we should grow based on who we were yesterday; not based on those around us.  Do the best you can, with what you have, where you are now.  Don't let comparisons steal the joy from your life.  

Autonomy

According to the Webster Dictionary; Autonomy is "the state of existing or acting separately from others. : the power or right of a country, group, etc., to govern itself."

I will be honest, I never really understood this word until recently when my husband explained it to me.  I remember being in interviews and making up answers because I didn't understand the word.  Now I get it and after reading 'Drive' and 'The Fireproof Teacher' I have a better understanding of myself and my desire for autonomy.

One of my first jobs was teaching in a district with three elementary music teachers and it was a huge challenge.  Not only was I a young teacher, I felt like I was always being compared to those teachers in my district.  I figured out quickly that I prefer a situation where I am the only elementary music teacher in the district.  I love learning from other teachers, but I prefer when I can do my own thing and not have group lessons.

One of my favorite school activities is setting up my classroom and creating bulletin boards.  I realized after reading both of these that this is in large part because of I have complete autonomy over when I work, how I work and where I work.  This is also why I enjoy teaching music as much as I do.  What I teach is not dictated to the degree that other subjects.

An important concept to remember is that not all people and not all teachers like autonomy? What side do you fall on?  I have realized that my stress level is significantly higher when I feel like I do not have autonomy over my career.  How do you help put yourself in autonomous situations?

The Great Things

As of Thursday, June 4th, I am officially done with my responsibilities as an AFC Teacher. This year has been overwhelming and challenging. Cutting positions and closing a school are never easy choices. I am going to miss my students (although I did remind them they can still come to my house for Trick-or-Treat) and I am going to miss many of my coworkers. Yes, there are people I may not miss as much, but the truth is there were some great things happening inside our buildings. This year, it has been easy to focus on the frustrations. The fact they cut the arts, the fact athletics seem to be more important and the feeling of not being appreciated, but upon reflection I have realized there were some great things happening and I am sure there are many more that I have forgotten. Thank you to the book 'The Fireproof Teacher' for making me reflect on the positives.

● Second graders made awesome roller coasters and recorded an amusement park video.
●  Fifth graders created artist videos using a green screen.
●  Our students read a lot of books!
●  Many of our Kindergarten students read above grade level.
●  Our students performed Crazy Train and Happy (along with other great pieces) for concerts.
●  Amazing student art work always fills our halls.
●  Fourth graders created a States Puzzle as they learned about each state.
●  Amazing field trips gave our students learning opportunities outside of their classrooms.
●  The school is field with amazing educators who truly care about their students.

Thank you to my students, coworkers and the community. It has been a wonderful three years and I am a better teacher now than I was when I first walked in.  Thank you for taking a chance on a Skype interview with a girl living in Alaska.

67 Days

My favorite things about summer are it gives me more time to read, write and play outside. At the beginning of summer, I sat down with a calendar and figured out that I have sixty-seven days until I have District Trainings. I made two goals this summer.

1.  Read sixty-seven books in sixty-seven days. I would love to read a book a day, but sometimes that is not possible, so I am hoping for a total of sixty-seven books before summer is over.
2. Run sixty-seven miles. This challenge is a mile a day. I am requiring myself to run a minimum of a mile a day.

What are your goals this summer?

Kindle Unlimited

I am a big fan of free kindle books so it took a bit of convincing for me to try Kindle Unlimited. I decided the summer would be the best time. So far, I like it and I have enjoyed the education books that are available.

Positives
-Many great education books are available.
-I can take as long as I need to read a book.
-A wide variety of books are available.
-I can have many books at my fingertips while not taking up physical space.

Negatives -You can only have ten unlimited books at a time and I have not found a way to make a list of books I would like to read. It would be nice to have a list tool as I am browsing.

What are your favorite reading apps or resources?  Have you tried Kindle Unlimited?  What were your thoughts?

We Learn

Children learn.  People learn.  At times we add roadblocks that make learning harder, but the bottom line is that children are born with the ability and desire to learn.  Watching a 6-18 month old child will prove this theory.  For babies it is simple, they want something and they will do what they can do get it. 

This morning, I was tying to get some work done, so I had my papers spread out of the footstool as my daughter played.  My daughter, who is 11 months old decided she wanted to get my papers (paper is a far better toy than anything you can get in a toy store.) I moved her saucer to block her path to the table.  I should have known this was not enough of a deterrent, but I thought my trick was enough. She figured out very quickly that she could climb on the bottom of the saucer to get to a gab between the chair and the table, which would allow her access to the papers.

This is learning.  This is problem solving.  This was figuring it out on her own.  This was wanting something and figuring out how to get it

All kids can learn.  The key is making it relevant to what they care about.  My daughter is constant proof that if it is something she wants, she will figure out a way to get it.  I struggle with where the line is in terms of responsibility between students and teachers when it comes to learning, but maybe we as teachers need to take more responsibility.  Are our lessons fun?  Are our lessons engaging?  Does the content matter?  Do we encourage kids to be smart or kids to work hard?  I am a firm believer a hard worker will beat out a smart kid in the end.

Learning is a lifelong skill that is vital to success.  Learning should be fun, it is an adventure.  It is our duty as educators to make sure that our students are lifelong learners.

Love

I work with a school full of women, most of whom are older than me and they all have children of their own.  The majority of them are in the age where they are too old to have babies and their children are too young to have babies (too old to be a new mom, too young to be a grandma.)  When I was pregnant last year I heard a lot about how they all loved babies and now that my daughter has spent time around them I know they were not joking about how much they love babies.  It took me a while to figure out how lucky I am to be surrounded by these people.

I am realizing as my daughter grows that we (and she) are blessed to be around a supportive network.  It really does take a village to raise a child.  I am still getting used to asking for help and asking for babysitters, but the truth is, it is nearly impossible to raise a child on your own.  I need help and I am fortunate to be surrounded by people who are willing to help.

I used to take it for granted, but I have realized that we are lucky.  My daughter is growing up surrounded by family and friends who love and care about her well-being.  She is blessed to go to an amazing daycare where Ms. Toni and the kids take great care of her.  The other kids at daycare give her kisses and tell her they love her when she leaves for the day.  She often comes to school events with my husband and I (we are both teachers) and she is always passed around and played with by our students and their parents.  Every child deserves this, but I realize as a teacher that not every child has this situation.  Humans need to be loved and cared for and children need this even more.  I am a firm believer that children cannot be loved too much (coddled yes, but that is a post for another day.)

I am grateful for the community and people I am surrounded by.  It is a wonderful feeling to know that my daughter is growing up with people who take care and worry about her.  Our schools need to remember this easy to forget aspect of life.  Students need to know that people care and love them.  It does not matter if they come from a great family or a challenging one.  Students who come from a challenging background need the love and positive attention even more and even those who come from the best background can use extra interactions from caring adults.

Some schools are already out for the summer and others will be finishing up in the next few weeks.  It's a crazy time for teachers and students, but remember what really matters.  The students who need love will ask for it in the worst ways.  Focus on relationships and show students that an adult cares for them.  You never know exactly what they go home to.

What We Need

This school year has been stressful and it has forced me to reflect on many aspects of my life and career. These are my reflections after a crazy week.

We need listening not lectures.

We need hugs not talking.

We need to play catch not video games.

We need to care not judge.

We need supporters not people to point out the challenges.

Life is about relationships. If we do not make these a priority we will discover later that we missed out on a wonderful opportunity. In the end it is not about money, accomplishments or things.

4th Grade Choices

Creating lessons for one of my fourth grade classes is a challenge. I was looking for ways to motivate all of them so I decided to give them the choice of what pieces to work on and which instrument to play them on. I have let them pick their piece before but never their instrument. Overall, it worked pretty well. It allowed all students to succeed and empowered them to pick the music/instrument that fit their strengths.

I created a sheet that listed the instrument choices and the pieces they could pick from. I also gave them room on the back to pick their own music.  They put a check mark in the corresponding box when they completed the piece and I put my initials in the box once they performed it for me.

Instrument Choice Sheet

One Third

This school year has solidified a concept for me.  When it comes to discipline, decisions or opinions: people will (almost always) fall into one of three categories.  One-third will do what they are expected to do just because.  One-third will do what they are expected to do if the reward is good enough and one-third doesn't really care unless the consequence is something they truly care about.  The number of students in each group may not be different, but in most cases, students will fit in one of these groups.

The longer I teach, the more I realize that this philosophy almost always works.

Example One: Classroom Tickets
One group of students will act correctly regardless.  One group of students will act correctly because they want tickets or are afraid of losing tickets.  The last group of students will only behave correctly if the punishment is deemed  bad enough.  I have had students tell me on many occasions it is alright if they get in trouble because they are on green.

Example Two:  Reading Rewards
One group of students will read because they love to read.  One group of students will read if they really want that pizza or reward.  The last group will probably not read regardless of the reward.  This may be because they don't like reading or because there is no one at home to make sure they read each night.

Our goal should be to encourage students to want to do and be their best.  Regardless of the reward or punishment.  "Real" life does not always have clear cut rewards and punishments.  We need to prepare our students for this life.