The end of Week One

It's Friday! I guess it's been a good week. I've been with Rachel and her crew for the last five days. It's been great. Today, I got to take the majority of a class. We worked on recorders, rhythms, and a song or two. I think I learned several names in that class.

I think that has been one of the hardest things for me to do. I am really good at putting names with faces, but I haven't been around these kids long enough to know them yet, and it's really frustrating. It's also kind of hard to call someone down for being a royal pain when you have to ask their name.

I am also working with one of my observers to schedule a time for him to come watch a class. I am really trying to get him to come on Feb. 8th. I will have the afternoon classes that day, and I have an idea of what I want to do. More on that later!

Well, I can't wait to start next week. Thanks for reading!

Were you a car rider or a bus rider?

Well, this week has gone swimmingly. I can already tell that I am no longer in the shallow end, and the sharks are 10-12 year old kiddos! It's been so much fun this week. I've already taught a couple of songs and a recorder lesson or three, as well as helped with keyboards and rhythm lessons.

Today, we took the kids to a program at the high school's performing arts center. Seventy-five fifth graders on two buses with only four adults could be a little overwhelming, but the kids were amazing. We sang, listened to a few performaces from area groups, and I even started learning names of some of the kids! I think I freaked one of them out. I haven't had her in class yet, but I already knew her name. But when your name rhymes with Ally McBeal, it kind of sticks in your head!

I get to teach a full class tomorrow. I have that nervous anticipation going on right now. I know this lesson backwards and forwards, but having to put it in to practice is a little difficult. I just have to remember to smile and not glare at the children and I should be alright. I also need to spend some time on the piano; I'm a wee bit rusty, but it's all coming back. Now if only I can remember how to give the evil eye...

Do you remember your first day at a new school?

So today I joined the ranks of "official teacher" status. I was in the classroom! And I even got to help some kids and walk around with my "official teacher" red pen. It felt like home. I don't even know how to explain how much I have missed this.

Well anyway, my day began with the impossible task of getting to Bentonville without hitting traffic. Hello! This is NWA; you hit traffic everywhere, even the bathroom. So I made it to the school in one piece and was only a little harried from the treacherous drive. I walked into the office and was greeted by Ms. Cornett and Ms. Harper! It was just like home. I loved it! Rachel (aka Ms. Cornett) had all kinds of stuff for me- a desk with a lamp, a cup of pencils, a tape dispenser, a stapler, and an amazing five subject spiral notebook. I love her!

The day was rather normal. I observed Rachel in action today. I don't know if I have ever told her this, but she is an amazing teacher, and I count myself lucky to be able to learn from her. She works her class pretty hard the entire hour they are there. And what's neat is that the kids actually don't realize how much they are working.

I got to help the percussion section keep their beat going today. Can you say "I like bananas?" I also got to help with the sight reading exercise on the keyboards and the rousing recorder rendition of "Go Tell Aunt Rhoady." I felt very useful today. Rachel even has me teaching on Wednesday! I can't wait! Sing with me: A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam, gulley gulley gulley gulley gulley ram sam sam!

Day Four

So today was the last day of our seminar class. We started the day in the coldest room on earth, but eventually decided it was just too cold to sit there for the rest of the morning. Dr. M made the decision to take over the faculty lounge. Ahhh! Heat! It's amazing how much more information a person can retain when not shivering to keep warm. Dr. M even hung a sign on the door: Class in session- 328 is too bloody cold!

We went over a lot of what is expected from us as interns today. I really can't wait to get started. And I can't believe it's going to happen so soon. I begin with a middle school on Monday. My first foray back into the education field is with fifth and sixth graders! I am so excited!

Since I'm starting to actually be in the classroom, my blogs may not come every day, but I hope they do. I really want to share this experience with all of you! And hopefully I'll have so great stories to share along the way. Keep me in your prayers!

Day Three

Today was nothing out of the ordinary. My Dr. Pepper formed ice crystals during the morning session thanks to the fridge (also known as room 328 in the Music Building). Dr. M even had us get up at one point and do a "Swedish Jig" to get out blood moving, since it was frozen in our veins!

The class was privilaged to meet Dr. Ellis Melton today. He was in the same position as Dr. M in the 70's and 80's and will be one of the observers for my internship. He gave us a list of 12 things interns do. It was very informative. I really would like to pick his brain sometime. He's taught all over the world, including Austria, Saudi Arabia, and Trinidad. Can you imagine?

Well, hopefully I'll have more to share as the weeks progress. I can't wait until Monday when I actually begin to be in the classroom. My first assignment is with my friend Rachel. She has been a the music teacher at an area school for the last five or six years and was voted teacher of the year not too long ago. She shares an office with another friend of mine, Melanie, who is the band director at the school. The next six weeks are going to be extremely fun!

Day Two

Okay, so day two began with nothing out of the ordinary except the massive circus that is called the Garland Avenue Parking Garage. The people who park in the Harmon deck will be happy to hear that they don't have to worry about running out of spots or the fact that you have to basically be towed up the ramps. There is so much ice in there right now, and everyone in there was having trouble negotiating the tight turns and insane traffic! What made it even better was the lone physical plant work with a shovel trying to dodge the sliding cars and chip away at the ice at the same time. I think if I had had a little more time this morning, a big cup of coffee, and a little warmer climate, I would have thoroughly enjoyed the comedy unraveling before my eyes!

Now on to class.

So, the fridge that we call a class was living up to its name. I think it was just a little bit warmer in the room than it was outside (Why didn't I stop for coffee?). Today was fun; we worked the recorders, solfege, and sang a little. Not to mention watching the video "Approval Versus Disapproval." The day went by really quickly though, and Dr. M even told me that he could tell I had done this before! I'll give a life story on that account one of these days. Anyway, on to day three!

Day One

Since I'm starting something new in my life, I thought I would share it with you. This blog site is called Miss Brown Makes Her Debut for a reason- I'm begining my semester long trek into the student teacher world. It's kind of crazy to think I've finally made it this far! I know a lot of people never thought it would happen. Well, it's official: I'm now an unemployed, full time student again! Do you realize how long it's been since I've been in this position? Oh well, the times are a-changing and I'm ready for it!

Today, we started the seminar class for the internship program in the Music Education Department. It was really interesting. We reviewed a lot of stuff from our Intro to Music Education and Elementary Music Classes. Dr. Misenhelter even made us get up in front of the class and teach a song by rote (basically, echo singing with the teacher). This sounds easy enough, but with only about 20 minutes to choose a song from memory and rehearse it enough to teach it, there was some amazing sounds in our classroom!

Our seminar is actually meeting in the Organ room in the music building. If you haven't ever been in there, imagine a very oddly, mostly rhomboid shaped room with extremely high ceilings. One whole wall is completely windows. It's supposed to be climate controlled to protect the organ, but today, the coldest day on earth, the climate in the room perfectly matched the climate on the other side of the windows. It was FREEZING in that room. And nothing could be done to adjust the heat since the thermostat was lying on the floor and wires were coming out of the wall where the thermostat used to be! Talk about miserable. All of us at one point had our coats on, and one girl even wrapped her scarf around her neck and put on her gloves!

So, there wasn't anything exciting happening today, and probably for the rest of the week. I start with my first school on Monday, so we'll see how that goes!