The Music Room

It's been awhile since school started but I never got around to posting pictures of my room and how I rearranged it. Last year was my first year teaching and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools being what it is, I didn't actually get into the classroom for almost 4 weeks after I was hired. I was hired the day before school started so when I actually did start teaching, it was CMS orientation on Friday, dumped in the classroom on Monday. With a full schedule of kids. Needless to say I had no time to do Anything in my room besides maintain my sanity. So during the workdays in June and at the beginning of this year, I moved everything that was not bolted to the wall.

My desk had been facing the wall (that's a good way to watch children right?), the piano right next to it (also staring at the wall) made for very awkward body positions trying to play while being able to see anyone. And  trust me, being able to see them is VERY important. You wouldn't believe what can happen in the 1.3 seconds it takes to look down at the keyboard. Anyway, I moved the tv stand, my desk, the piano, the computer desk and its' two student computers, my file cabinet (note to self - take files out next time), my student folder cabinet, a bookshelf with shaky shelves and two keyboards, rearranged all my Orff instruments, got rid of old books, cleaned out the old teacher's crap and tossed some really nasty looking plastic bottles.

Here's to a new (and much improved in my opinion) music room!

This is the view standing at the door of my room. I give my kids assigned seats - it cuts down on talking and younger kids fighting over who sits next to whom. I have found that while they groan about it, it eliminates the possibility of anyone feeling ostracized or left out because no one is trying to sit next to them. 

The tape is a new thing this year that I love. I can't tell you how frustrating it can be to spend time after every class redoing my chair rows. It is amazing how far a kindergartner can move without you realizing it's happening! So as a beginning of the year procedure, we went over how to do "Chair checks." I simply say "chair check" and they all check to make sure the back legs of their chairs are on the tape lines. So easy. 

This is the straight down the room view. You can see my Kodaly hand sign posters doing up the back wall and some of the posters I made with our fabulous poster maker (seriously, it has changed my life). I am blessed to have a sink with water fountain and paper towel dispenser in the back on the right. The student books are also stored over there under the cabinet. 

This is a bulletin board that I leave up. I bought 25' of loop side velcro (not the hook part, just the loop) from a warehouse company and spent an afternoon last year putting it up in straight lines - not easy. It was sticky on the other side so I simply stuck it to the board. I cut out clef signs, laminated them and put velcro on them so I can move them if necessary. I also used plastic baseball card holders to put quarter notes, half notes and quarter rests in and put velcro on the back of those. This makes it so easy for kids to write music for the class to see without me spending ages drawing a staff and them trying to draw notes on the board. I made it so that the notes can be placed so that they go on the lines or the spaces. 

My word wall with bookshelf and "reading corner" tucked in behind the piano. I decided that instead of kids coming up and asking what they can do when they finish early, they can go get a book and read. They love this! I'm not sure if it's the reading or the comfy pillows... I would love to get more music-themed books but since I have a "champagne taste on a beer budget," right now any books work. I also have games on the bottom shelf that we will be pulling out in class. The clipboard on the right is one of six I have hung on command hooks around the room for centers or group work. No more pointing to an area and saying a number while kids aren't paying attention. 

My not usually so messy desk area. The folder hanger on the wall is where I store my lesson plans by grade level as well as seating charts and class lists. 

The frames hold my objectives for each grade level (so easy to change!), I bought dollar store frames and put scrap book paper in them - instant cute dry erase boards. I also have laminated days of the week with magnets for easy changing. 

The Student of the Week board is my way of encouraging positive behavior and participation in class for the older kids. I also just added laminated 'frames' (scrapbook paper cut into a frame) that I stapled so I can just slide the certificate in and out. Each week I pick one 4th grader and one 5th grade from each class (there are two of each) and post them on the board. They then get to pick a prize out of a big box that includes $5 to our school store, a bag of Takis (all the rage, really hot rolled chip things), candy bars, book bags, planners, basically anything cool I can get for little or no money. 

This is the door to my room. The red folder on the door is my emergency folder that we are required to take on a fire drill or any other emergency. I attached it with command velcro (Command is my new best friend) strips so I can pull it off on the way out. The poster on the door is my Rule set. To the left of the door is my K-3 reward system. We call it the sticker chart - high tech I know. Basically, I have three laminated, magnet stars I keep on my whiteboard. At the end of the class, however many stars are left on the board = how many stickers go on their chart (note the guideline poster above the chart). When they reach ten (the limit), K-2 goes to the prize box and 3rd gets a party with fresh-baked cookies and either games or a movie. 

Last year I did the sticker chart but without the star idea and I got so sick of hearing "how many stickers are we going to get???" So now I tell them they can't ask me, they know how to find out (just look at the board). It's also an easy way of reminding them to get their behavior back on track because I can simply walk over without saying a word and go to take a star off and they freak. 

So, I realize I have written a rather long picture book but I am proud of how much my room has improved over last year. I hope you've enjoyed this tour, please feel free to tip the guide. :) 

Little time, big expectation

So, as typical of the world of education, we Specials teachers (if I haven't explained, that means everyone else. Computer, Media, Art, P.E. and Music) got thrown a big job with very little warning or prep time. Each grade level needs time to plan together as a team but the way our schedule works makes that hard to find the time. So our administration has tried several things.

 Last year, we did "double Specials" meaning that we had them for 1 hr and 30 min with half of that time being devoted to a Reading Special. We read a loud to the kids and then they had to do an activity on it. Well that was flushed because teachers often didn't plan anything for us (they were supposed to. surprise.) and it wasn't really effective as an instructional time. This year, they decided to do it differently and give each team one day a week to have the last hour and a half of the day to plan together. Well someone has to 'babysit' the kids.... Guess who?  Now let me preface this by saying that it's not a bad idea. It's just the way that it was presented and carried out that has left a bad taste in my mouth.

The four teachers who are involved in this were called in to a meeting on Tuesday. We were told that it would be a rotation by quarters, so we would see the same class in each level for 8-9 weeks then rotate. This time is supposed to be spent on a subject or topic of our choosing (completely open to us) with a presentable outcome or project, multicultural focused, tied in to our school's magnet theme (Spanish Immersion/Cultural Diversity) AND connect to either Common Core or my Essential Standards. And our proposals with material requests and costs were due on Friday.

Less than 4 days. Oh and you start on Monday with no time to get materials. Let me tell you, that is Not the way to get me excited about a project. Especially one that involves me and 25 kindergarteners together for 90 minutes.

All that said, I decided to focus on musical theater since it's something I really enjoy and isn't too far a stretch for me to accomplish. I decided to have 3-5 do one together and K-2 do one, working on it separately in the times that I had with each grade level. So I spent some time searching for age-appropriate, short, easy (but FUN) musicals and found 4 for each group that I liked (a different one each quarter). I emailed my proposal with a summary, material list (the musical books) and pricing to our principal but was told that $300 was too much, I needed to trim it down. I cut it to 4 (2 for each level, repeated in alternate quarters) and she said that was fine. HOWEVER our financial secretary had left for another job and we couldn't do anything until our new one was here. So I have to go how many weeks without the materials? And you still want something presentable? Right.

Long story short, I found a website that I could order them on approval (without paying!) for 30 days. I picked  Pirates! The Musical for the older group and Squirm! for the younger ones. I had them 2-day airmailed to me, got them Saturday and started working on Pirates! The Musical with the 5th grade yesterday. It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun. Third grade is today :) I'm actually kind of excited. Maybe I'll get to make a pirate costume too.

If you are interested in what we are doing, I will be posting more about it as we go as well as pictures. You can also look them up on www.popplersmusic.com which is the website that has saved me.



K - 2nd grades  

3rd - 5th grades  

Here we go

As a second year general music teacher, I am constantly trying to find ways to engage more students, get the concepts across and make it fun so it sticks. I know I'm really new to the profession so I do not claim to be an expert by ANY means. However, I do think that I've had some rather brilliant eureka moments in the past year that have led to lots of fun and music learning.

It is extremely rewarding when I get comments like "Wow, you actually learn in Music!" and "Man, I wish my music teacher had taught me that." Getting validation from general classroom teachers can be quite difficult and we "Specials teachers" often find ourselves fighting for what other teachers count as their right: a classroom, respect of our class times, materials, admin support, respect of the 4 years that we also spent in college learning to teach our subject. I've been very lucky so far at my school but I'm always looking for ways to make my class feel more valuable to our overall school culture.

I love finding new ideas online (often in blogs like this from wonderful, generous veteran teachers) and that has often spawned creative brain vomit. Finding cheap ways to create awesome learning experiences is my number one goal.

Well, besides helping my kids love and understand something about music.

Anyway, I digress. The whole point of this is to say that I want to share my ideas with you. I don't think my students have a monopoly on fun learning nor should your students miss out because, like me, you've had those moments of "I don't know what else to do! They just don't get it!" This blog is my place to share what goes on in my music room with you. Aren't you excited? ;)

So, here begins my first foray into the world of blogging. Technology and I have a way of falling out of sorts so I beg your patience and forgiveness ahead of time. I'm sure I'll need it.