Today was my last day of student teaching. 

It was unfortunately uneventful.  Because it was day 6 of the rotation I had two hours of planning period first thing, and then I only had to teach one class of 3rd grade.  They were very unruly and talkative.  We accomplished everything we set out to do though.

I told them it was my last day and was met with blank stares and a couple “huh?”.  Oh well.  I didn’t think I would have left much of an impression on the kids.  Because of the rotation schedule I only saw each class five times.  So some of those kids only saw me five times as a teacher total.  Some less because I wasn’t teaching everything from my first week on.  It was ok though. 

Also, I moved out of my dorm today.  That was quite sad.  I’ve lived in the same room with the same roommate for the last 3 years.  So clearing it all out and looking at it empty was hard. 

Spent the rest of the day moving things home.  Some of my extended family is coming in for graduation tomorrow, so I’ll have to clean up my room so they’ll be able to stay in it.  And I’ll get to sleep on the floor in one of my sisters’ rooms.  Yay.

The kids were out of control today… 

Ugh, I hope it was just because it was Friday and they were antsy and ready for the weekend.  They were so chattery though.  And they got way too excited over a game I played in the 3rd grade class.  I don’t know if I’ll use that again.  It got out of hand yesterday to the point that a kid ended up crying.  That didn’t happen today, but they were just more wild in general.

Next week I have to start teaching everything 2nd grade through 5th.  Blah.  That’s a lot.  I just wanna go back to middle school band.  I actually understood those kids better!  And I just enjoy band more. 

Oh well…

Didn’t get to ride today.  :P  It was unusually chilly.  I also had to go home and make cream cheese mints for the bridal shower on Sunday.  Should be a lot of fun!  I’m just ready to be able to stop worrying about it.

30 Day Challenge Day 09 - Something you’re proud of in the past few days  

Well, yesterday I got Navigator to really do some good rounding up and accepting the bit, which was a big accomplishment!  We need to keep working of course, but it was a really good ride  :)

And this week I’ve been teaching 5th, 3rd and 2nd grades, and the lessons have all been going really well.  My 2nd grade lesson today went so well in fact that I had extra time left over at the end of class that I had to try and fill! 

I need to plan a 3rd grade music lesson… 

Today during Kindergarten one little girl (who was wearing a Justin Bieber shirt) asked the teacher if she had ever heard of One Direction… 

She then proceeded to say something along the lines of “OH! they’re it’s so cute, the song is so cute!”…

How does a kindergartener even know what that is?  *I* barely know about that.

When I was in kindergarten I couldn’t tell you one thing about any bands on the radio.  I was still watching shows like Sesame Street and listening to Raffi on a cassette tape.  This one, actually:

…Oh gosh, I just listened to the preview clips of each song on this CD…I had so much nostalgia!!

Yeah, if I ever have kids, I’m definitely getting this to put in the car.  This is what we will listen to…Not Bieber… 

Not because Bieber is “bad” necessarily, but just because the content of his music, while clean compared to much of what’s out there, is still not really appropriate for kids that young (at least, I don’t think so). 

Music Lesson Went Better Today… 

I still had little kids giggling at me while I sang, but no one covered their ears this time.  I also figured out a way to spend more time playing my flute than singing. 

Since I was more comfortable, the kids were more comfortable, and the class today was able to sing the melody much more easily than the class I taught yesterday.  I will try to incorporate that technique more tomorrow. 

I’ll have to work on a way for them to learn the words better though.  There are a lot of them, and a lot of the class was mumbling their way through it (but they were singing the correct melody which I was happy with!). 

Hopefully tomorrow will be better!  If I can somehow get through without singing, that would be awesome…

As much as I feel like this is at least getting better, I know for sure now there’s no way I can ever be an elementary music teacher. 

Therapy Session Complete. 

I had the longest day, starting with getting myself into a pointless little argument with Jon this morning, and lasting all the way through elementary school when I had to teach the last 15 minutes of 1st grade alone (the regular teacher left…and the children went crazy).  Not to mention I’ve had a bit of a headache all day.

So I went out to see the horses and groomed Navigator for a good 45 minutes.  And I feel sooo much better now.

So Much Food… 

I ate way more than I ever should have today.  But it was all so good!  :O  Yay for Easter Dinner!

I’m back at the dorm now, hanging out in Jon’s room.  I don’t think I have anything I really need to be doing, so I’m probably going to spend way too much time on here for a while.  Yay. 

I guess I could lesson plan a little bit for my 2nd grade lesson on Tuesday…but I’ve already done most of it, and I just don’t want to. 

I miss those middle school kids so much.  I just don’t understand these little elementary school children.  They’re so different!  I’ve only been there for a week, but I can already tell I’ll be much happier in a job with middle school or older, and doing band instead of just “music class”.  I know it’s important…I just don’t work very well with little kids.  :-/

Last Day with the Middle School Bands :( 

Yep, yesterday was my final day with my three middle school bands.  On Monday I’m starting my elementary school placement for my student teaching experience.

It was really sad to have to say goodbye to all of my students and cooperating teachers.  

In my flute class one girl brought cupcakes and they all signed a hand-made card for me, and I was getting hugs left and right, even from a few of the boys.  I think most of all I’m going to miss my kids from the second school I visited each day.  I had three flute girls and two French horn boys that I worked with a lot in pull-out lessons.  They were all such sweet kids, and I’m really going to miss them.  Of course, I’ll also really miss the little low brass class I had at the end of each day.  There were only fourteen kids in that class - it was the first class where I learned everyone’s names.  :)

Hopefully I’ll be able to make it to their Spring concerts though.  :)

Anyway, Monday I’ll be at the elementary school.  I’m very nervous about this.  I just got so comfortable with the middle school band, and it’s just confirmed for me that that’s really what I want to do.  I don’t want to go to elementary school now.  I guess I need to keep an open mind about it though.