Sunday, February 26, 2017

My Gold Star (and My Love-Hate Relationship with Facebook)

This blog post idea has been in my brain for weeks now.  Part of me has been hesitant to put words on paper because I am afraid I will sound silly or pathetic. Motivational speaker Brendon Burchard says there are millions of people in this world and thousands of years of recorded history, so we should not think we are the first to experience something.  This seems logical and is probably true. No, I do not think I am the first person to feel unappreciated or overwhelmed. But, what if I sound like a pathetic looser? What if I just need to deal with it and get over it? What if I am being childish and petty? Or, what if I am being human and experiencing a normal emotion? I am not sure which one it is yet, I hope that writing helps me find clarity. 

Writing has always helped me clear my head. That is the main reason I started blogging in the first place.  It helps me reflect and clear my head. Knowing other people can read it (regardless if anyone does), forces me to put my ideas into coherent sentences that will not embarrass myself or get me in trouble.  I love writing in a journal too, but because it is a "safe" place to write, I can get a little negative.  Posting in a public space helps me keep my thoughts more balanced. 

I have been having issues with Facebook the past few months.  I go stretches where I delete it from my phone and stop checking it.  It wasn't until recently that I figured out why Facebook bothers me.  I knew if made me feel depressed and like I did not measure up, but I could not express why.  Seeing a video someone posted last week made me realize why I was having issues with Facebook. 

This is going to sound childish and pathetic, but Facebook bothers me because I want my gold star.  Last November, I read the book 'Happier at Home' by Gretchen Rubin and she talked about the struggle of wanting recognition. We show those around us appreciation and we praise them for their accomplishments and sometimes it is a struggle to not want that praise too.  I related to this struggle when I read it in the book and the last few months have made this struggle even clearer.  Lately, this is a big challenge for me! I am "just" a teacher; I am not working on my masters and I am "just" a mom. I have a few Facebook Friends who post about their work or lives and their posts fill up with comments praising them for how great they are or how hard they work. My first thoughts when I see these posts are usually 'So what! You did _____ but I did _____.'  

I realized that what it comes down to is me feeling unappreciated. I want to be told that I am great, doing amazing things and am a fantastic person that is loved by all (I tried to warn you that I was going to sound pathetic.) Being a teacher is hard. I am surrounded by people all day, but I rarely have a meaningful conversation with an adult. Being a mom is hard. I am constantly worried about keeping them fed, rested, clean, healthy and happy.  Being a spouse is hard.  It has been almost five years and I am still learning what it means to balance thinking about other's first while still taking care of myself.  Plus accepting the fact that another's life has a great influence on my own and I have little control over this influence is hard for my controlling self to accept.  Being a person in general is hard.  Our calendars are full and there are always things that need to be done.  

I do not think I am alone in my desire to feel appreciated.  I think it is a struggle for many if not all that shows itself in many ways.  I can offer no magic solution but I have learned that putting words to an emotion or experience often help me find a solution. That is my hope for this post. I hope it helps me find clarity and just maybe it can help someone else.  I may sound silly or pathetic, but I have a feeling that I am not alone. 

I don't know your individual story and I don't know what you have accomplished, but please know that you matter.  You are important! We may not hear it enough, but that does not make it any less true.  So whatever you have done today, here is your gold star!

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Third Grade Concert 2017: Recorder Concert and A Night on Broadway

I used to be against concert themes but the longer I teach, the more I like them. My third graders have a concert by themselves so we have 30-40 minutes for a concert. We did our recorder unit in November and December and I have decided to do a refresher before our concert in April. This past year we purchased enough recorders for a class set so this year I am going to include recorder in our concert along with singing.

Recorder Concert and A Night on Broadway


Recorder
  1. Walk Like a Mummy (B)
  2. AAA (A)
  3. Baba Ooo Lala (BA)
  4. Glue Blues (G)
  5. Hot Cross Buns
  6. Perry the Sheep


A Night on Broadway

  1. Supercalifragilicious (Grade Three Book)
  2. Disney Medley
  3. For Good
  4. Put on a Happy Face (Find CD?)
  5. Fifty Nifty (Grade Five Book)
  6. Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Grade Four Book)
  7. Singing in the Rain (Grade Four Book)

Kindergarten Concert 2017: Harold and the Purple Crayon

Each year I have many ideas about new things I would like to try and programs/apps I would like to start using.  Sometimes I have to think about wanting to try a new thing for a few years before I finally do.  This year I finally started using SeeSaw.  I have had the app on my phone/iPad for at least three years, but never took the next step.  Right now it is by far my favorite app for sharing student work, but that is another post for another day.  The other idea I am finally doing after thinking about it for years is having a performance based on a book.  I have to say, I am very excited!

I have wanted to try this for a few years now, but I was hesitant to try something new (last year was my first year in a new district and I was never sure how to make the concert format at my old school work with a book) and I didn't really understand the process.  I am still not sure if I fully understand the process, but I think I have something that will work (hopefully).  In my current position; I teach K-3rd Grade Music. My first and second graders have a combined concert in December, my kindergartners have a concert by themselves in March and my third graders have a concert by themselves in April.  One thing I like about one grade level concerts is it allows us to perform more material because the time is not split between two grade levels.  

I have chosen the book 'Harold and the Purple Crayon.'  I read through books I have in my classroom and I could think of songs that would fit with the story line off the top of my head.  After some more searching, I was able to find more songs that I think fit and will work for the concert.  I found a website that has hundreds of read aloud books and they have Harold and the Purple Crayon. My plan as of right now is to use this website to read the story during the concert.

Harold and the Purple Crayon
Scarf Routine to Moonlight Sonata (still deciding on this one)
Put On Your Walking Shoes-After Page 7 (World of Music)
Apple Tree-After Page 11
Stinky Pirates-After Page 19 (Quaver)
Lunch Box-After Page 24 (Quaver)
Dinosaur Just Ate My Lunch-After Page 24 (Quaver)
Great Big House-After Page 29
Balloon Poem
Twinkle, Twinkle-After Page 58
Chippewa Lullaby-Before last page (Quaver)

I would love to hear about your experiences with basing a concert on a book.