Classroom Pics!

So I finally got around to taking some pictures of my classroom.  There are still some things that need to be done (for instance, at some point soon, the SmartBoard on my wall will be replaced with the one that's chillin' in the back of the room) but I've done just about all I can.  Enjoy!

View from the door.  The wall to the immediate right is a bookshelf and my rocking chair.  Along that right wall is also my SmartBoard and piano.  On the far left you see the new SmartBoard that will soon be replacing the one bum one on my wall.  The giant atrocity that my tv is on will hopefully be gone by the end of the year.  Our schools are removing all the tv's (and their stands) since by the end of this year, all classrooms will have a SmartBoard.  Straight ahead is a cubby shelf full of fun little instruments (covered in fun fabric to keep little hands from exploring) and behind that is my desk.
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Closer view of my desk, the drumming table, two of my four student computers, Allie Gator (haven't found a good home for her yet - she's a prop from a previous program), and my word wall.  We're still reviewing and prepping new elements at this point so we don't have any words up there yet, but we will soon! 

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 Looking from the edge of my cubby shelves to my SmartBoard and the door.  Currently the only thing I can use that SmartBoard for is to tape pictures to - but that should be changing soon.  The spots you see on the floor are velcro pieces with numbers on them.  Each kid has his/her own special number that they sit on.  My friend Emily used this in her music classes.  It works great!  To the left of the SmartBoard is our new school song.  To the right is our School Creed, our BRAVO Expectations (i.e. school rules), my Bravo Board (also taken from Emily), and a list of rewards to be earned by getting stars on the Bravo Board.

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Continuing on around the room, counterclockwise from the first two pictures.  You see the edge of my desk/cubbies to the right, Allie Gator, bookshelves and cabinet unit, and my new SmartBoard.  On the floor is my awesome Wenger Footnotes carpet (it has a grand staff on it and interchangeable clefs - it's pretty cool).  The two doors in the back of the room are both currently used for storage, though the one with the window is supposed to be a "practice room".  I would eventually like to clean it out and actually get some use out of it.  Between the doors is my awesome finger puppets stage that I found for less than $5 at Ikea (my favorite place).  To the left of the doors is your first glimpse of a magical place called Aria Island.

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And here is Aria Island.  The people on this island only understand you if you use your singing voice (even if you need to go to the restroom!).  It's so much fun!  Beyond that you see more cabinets (that have every Kodaly book I could ever want/need!), my bass bars and some percussion, and my other two student computers.

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There are those two computers to the right, moving to the left from there you see my Wall of Fame (one of my Bravo Board rewards), my dry erase board, my CHAMPs chart (our school-wide way to show classroom rules/procedures.  It works really well), my A Team (any child who can sing an "A" by himself without hearing it in class first - another idea from Emily), and the hallway door where we started our tour.  Oh, and you also see some of my bigger mallet instruments (I have more in my closet.  This place is amazing!)

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I am so enjoying being at this school.  I have amazing support (obviously) from my Fine Arts coordinator.  I know she's got my back for anything I need.  I couldn't ask for a better specials team.  The faculty and staff as a whole are some of the kindest and most welcoming people I've ever met, and the kids are well, they're just kids, and you can't ask for more than that.  There are some brilliant kids here and some that we are working hard to get help for.  And every single one of them just need to be shown that someone cares about them and loves them.  It's not an easy job, but it is so rewarding.  I can't imagine myself doing anything else or in a better place.  I am truly blessed.

Food for Thought

More about this soon. Stay tuned!

Donors Choose Update

Yet again, within hours of posting, ALL THREE projects from teachers at my new school are FULLY FUNDED! Thanks to all who gave or shared! You are making a difference!

If you didn't have the opportunity to contribute this time around, I know of several more projects from my teacher friends (and maybe one or two of my own) that will be posted soon. Stay tuned!

New Donors Choose Projects

Many of you remember my own Donors Choose project from last spring, "Help Us Hear the Sounds of Music." That project was so successful that it was funded within the first 48 hours! Because of that, many people who would have gladly pitched in did not get the chance. Well, here is your chance!

While I do not have a current DC project of my own, here are several projects from teachers in my new school that could use your help. Since, as a music teacher, I see every student in the school, these projects directly affect my own students. Please check out my giving page and consider supporting these projects and my students by donating or sharing this page with others. Thank you for making a positive impact on the life of these children!

My Giving Page

(cross posted on our family blog, The Stewarts' Little Family)

Getting Ready

I'm in love! Seriously! But I can't decide what I'm in love with. I don't know if it's my cute-as-a-button school building (built in the early 50's, it has a certain charm), the great "backyard"/playground (that reminds me so much of Camp, btw), having my own classroom, the AMAZING faculty, or just the excitement of a new school year. Or maybe it's all of those things. One thing is for sure, there is nothing on earth that I would rather be doing than preparing myself for the upcoming school year. I have truly found my calling.

I feel like I fit in so well here - even more than I did in Odessa! The teachers here are so passionate about what we do, so inviting and welcoming of new people (me!) and ideas, and just crazy enough to let go and sing and dance to Princess Pat with me! I've only just met these people, and already I feel like I belong! I can't begin to tell you what a wonderful relief and exciting feeling that is! I just know this school year is going to be amazing! Now if I can just finish my classroom and survive another week of inservice we'll be ready to go. Countdown to the kiddos: 9 days!

New Ideas

Well, summer's drawing to a close and I'm getting excited (and admittedly a little nervous) about the coming school year. Brandon and I are finally in our new house and, now that we're somewhat settled, I'm ready to start lesson planning, organizing, and preparing my new classroom. I have only seen it once (when I interviewed) and, though I've been by the school several times since, I have not been able to go in. Gah! I want to get started!

In the meantime, I've been gathering my things, and finding some super cute manipulatives and new ideas. My two favorite things that I'll be going in with are from Ikea and Bobby McFerrin (of all things). :D

With my younger kiddos, one of the biggest things I work to develop and identify is "steady beat." I use heart icons a lot for this (since a heart "beats") and the kids really seem to relate to it. When I went to Ikea a few days ago to get some kitchen stuff, I just had to look around the kids' section. I found the most perfect thing for steady beat! It's a huge plush heart pillow with arms and big plush hands! I can just see my little ones hugging the heart and using its hands to keep a "steady beat"! It couldn't be more perfect if a music teacher had come up with it! It's my own version of Emily's "Steady Freddy"! Now it just needs a name . . . what do you think?
My other new idea came from a video posted from the 2009 World Science Festival. Bobby McFerrin demonstrates how anyone, anywhere can have a basic understanding of the pentatonic scale. I just saw this today, but I'm already working on a way to incorporate this into one of my choir programs this year. How cool would it be to have my choir sing a little solfege melody while the audience provides the accompaniment! I can't wait to try!

Here's the video.

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

School's Out for Summer!

Last week was the official end of the school year here in Odessa, and thus the official end of my first year of teaching. I can't believe how quickly it flew by! There are so many things I want to say, and I may (when I get the time) do a nice long wrap-up post. For now, here's a quick overview of what's to come in the next few weeks/months in this teacher's life.

Starting tomorrow I will be spending two weeks in Lubbock, TX working toward my Level 2 Kodaly certification. I've been desperately trying to finish up and organize everything for my year-long homework that I have to turn in soon. Plus, I'm having to pack to live in a dorm for these two weeks. Ugh - I thought my dorm-days were long gone. Other than the dorm thing, and, of course, the whole leaving-the-hubby-and-puppy-for-two-weeks thing, I'm really looking forward to this. I learned so much last summer and I can't wait to start soaking things in again now that I have a year of teaching under my belt.

Not long after Kodaly ends, Brandon and I are picking up and moving to our first house just outside of Denton, TX! He will be starting his doctorate in music at UNT and I will be getting to know a whole new school full of kiddos at Burks Elementary in McKinney. It was hard to say goodbye to my kids and all my teacher friends here in Odessa last week, but I am so excited to get things started at Burks! I'm sure there will be many more posts about it as the new school year gets closer. Until then . . . "stay tuned"!

Donors Choose

I am so very excited! I just got word that my project was just approved and posted online at DonorsChoose.org!

Here's the scoop. At this nonprofit website, public school teachers (like me!) submit projects for materials or experiences their students need to learn. These ideas become a reality when concerned individuals choose projects to fund. Donors who complete project funding or give more than $100 receive photos and personal thank-you notes from the students they helped. It's easy - and very rewarding. Anyone can donate!

The great news is that my project, Help Us Hear the Sounds of Music, is now posted at DonorsChoose.org! Check it out at:
http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=252946&utm_source=teachers&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TeacherMarketing


I am asking for two portable boomboxes for myself and my co-teacher to use in our classroom. Right now, all we have is our classroom computer and a rather old and unpredictable mp3 player (the speaker system for it barely "speaks").

Hopefully, if we are funded soon enough, my students will be able to see the benefits of this project before our school year ends! Take a look. Also, please consider supporting me and my students by forwarding or linking this message to others who may be interested in improving education.

EDITED TO ADD: My project was fully funded before hardly anyone had the chance to see it! Wow! Thanks to Patty and Steve for being so generous - my kiddos are so excited! And thanks to everyone else who read about our project, even if you couldn't donate. Hopefully, we will have more projects like this in the future!

ONE MORE EDIT: Our CD players are here! My kids are LOVING them and it makes our lessons sooooo much easier! We have been dancing, singing, and practicing for our 2nd and 4th grade program with them! Thanks again!

Missing Lubbock?? Really??

Lubbock may not be the prettiest place in the world. In fact, it took me quite a while when I first moved there to really start to appreciate the uniqueness (and tree-less-ness) of the landscape. It's a little dizzying and depressing to be thrown into such a brown, flat, open environment when you have been used to green, trees, and hills all of your life. However, that first spring at Tech I discovered that colorful things really can exist out there! Texas Tech and its amazing grounds crew plants beautiful tulips all over campus every spring. I was thrilled to see my favorite flower blooming everywhere I looked! That first year, it made me yearn for the tulips planted every year around Denny Chimes on Alabama's campus. The following year, I greatly anticipated the blooms at Tech.

This year, I'm no longer in Lubbock. And I actually find myself missing it a little! I would so love to take a sunny afternoon walk around campus (with my camera in tow) to capture a little of the spring beauties that should be in full bloom by now. Instead, I will be content with my yet-to-bloom tulips in the pot on my balcony and hope that they will be half as gorgeous as this . . .

Kudos to my kiddos!

Today was our first day back from spring break. In the past, for me, it's pretty much the most depressing Monday of the year. Today, however, rocked! It was so great just to be around my kids again! And they were excited to see me and tell me all about everything they did over the break. They're so cute like that! Seriously, I'm convinced that if you ever want to feel important, special, loved, wanted, beautiful, or anything good - be a teacher! It's the best self-esteem booster ever!

My day hit a high point this afternoon when I got to Cavazos. You see, just before spring break, our students took the reading portion of the TAKS test (our state standardized test). Now, for those of you keeping up, remember I've been tutoring 3rd grade readers this year, so this test really had me holding my breath. Our scores came back over spring break and were given out to the kids and teachers today. 8 out of my 9 students passed the test!! And one even had a commended score!! Woohoo!! I nearly cried when our reading interventionist found me to tell me my kids scores. I cannot even begin to express how proud I am of those children! They've worked so hard and have come so far this year! Even the one kid that will re-take the test is very close to passing - and we will get there! Kudos to all my kiddos! I can't wait to see what these last two months of school will bring! :D

The Slave Shepherd

Here's a nice green story for today. This is from my pastor, Andy Wood, at Turning Point Community Church in Lubbock, TX (don't let the Texas part fool you though, he's a true Alabamian!). If you have time, take a look at some of his other LifeVesting stories, or read about the name LifeVesting. It's a pretty cool concept.

Happy St. Patty's Day!
-Melanie

The Slave Shepherd

Posted using ShareThis

(Picture is of my sister, Anna, with her baby Alpine goat, Nuttah)

My Mission

It really stinks to be home sick - especially when it's such a beautiful day. But, being stuck on the couch all day does give one ample time to reflect on the week.

On Tuesday I attended my last session of the First Year Teacher Academy here in our district. All of the induction year teachers in our district have been meeting periodically through out the school year and going through a wonderful book called The Heart of Teaching by Ginger Tucker. Tuesday's session was actually led by Ginger Tucker herself. It was fantastic. By the end of the day, the majority of women in the room (myself included) were teary-eyed and filled with purpose as we each stood and read our freshly drafted vision and mission statements, and told why we decided to become a teacher. It's a powerful and awesome thing to realize the amount of influence we, as teachers, have on the lives of the children we see. I wish every teacher (new and old) could experience what we did on Tuesday. We would all be better teachers and better people for it.

Here is my vision and my mission as an elementary music educator.

My vision is to foster a love of music and a love of learning in the children that I teach.

My mission is to provide a safe, positive learning environment where my students can have a joyful music making experience as individuals and as a community, and to equip my students with the tools and experiences needed to continue to love, listen, and participate in music throughout their school careers and into their adult lives.

Spring Has Sprung! (well, almost)

"It's a wonderful world in which we live. If you ever doubt that, purchase a pack of seeds. Give them soil, moisture, and sunlight, and then stand back as nature delivers an inspiring performance." - Rebecca Bull Reed and Ellen Ruoff Riley, Southern Living March 2009

Amen and amen! Right after Christmas we planted about 25 tulip bulbs in a couple of large planters on our balcony (oh how I long for a backyard!). We now have 25 sprouts that are about 5 inches high. They are growing so fast, I would almost swear you could watch them get taller just by staring at them for a few minutes! What a little miracle! Brandon laughs at me, but I'm so excited about them (you should have seen me when the first little nubs started coming out of the ground!). It's just an amazing thing.

It's feeling more and more like spring around here. Seems like I'm not the only one enjoying these high 80's temperatures we've had this week. In addition to my sprouting tulips, my pansies in a pot are looking better and better. My students are reaping the benefits too. I haven't seen this many teachers giving extra recesses in months - we even took our music class outside to be in the sunshine this afternoon! Of course, I've lived out here long enough to know that this beautiful weather is probably not here to stay yet (in the two springs I've spent in west Texas, I've already had one white Easter - though sadly, no white Christmas). Sure is nice while it's here though. And just think - only two more weeks until Spring Break! Hooray!

Tulips!

Teaching High

I love being a teacher! I cannot think of anything more fulfilling or rewarding than teaching elementary aged children. It's amazing to watch them grow and mature so quickly - plus, it's seriously the best booster-shot of self-esteem anyone could ask for!

Today was a great day. I just came back from spending Wednesday through Saturday at TMEA (the Texas Music Ed conference) in San Antonio. Not only did I get a ton of great ideas and a good recharge to finish out the year, but I came back with some awesome classroom materials for myself and my students. God bless my new slide whistle! It has the coolest sound ever invented (even my 6th graders think so!) and kids LOVE to imitate the way it sounds. This is fantastic, since I try every day (some days are more successful than others) to get my kids to explore their vocal ranges and learn what sounds are high and low. They just think they're playing a game - and I'm actually getting them to do exactly what I want! We also discovered the joys of making our own thunderstorms - courtesy of my new thunder-tube. Super simple invention, but it fascinates everyone that hears it. You should look it up - it rocks!

I had to wait until my last class of the day before I could use my favorite thing I brought back. The school where I teach in the afternoons has TEN decent quality mallet instruments - I don't know how, but WOW! Unfortunately, they have been used so rarely in the past that we only have enough mallets for three kids to play at a time. You can imagine my dilema as a roomfull of impatient kids tries to wait for their turn to hit something and make noise! However, thanks to my amazing principal and a brilliant TMEA vendor, our school is the proud owner of TEN brand new mallets for only $50! Today was the first day we've used them, and it was wonderful! By the second round of playing, EVERY kid had a chance to play! That was unfathomable until today!

To put the icing on my cake of a day, after school I had a sheet of paper in my teacher mailbox with the AR reading scores of the nine 3rd grade struggling readers I've been tutoring since November (by far my favorite group of students!). A couple of students keep me posted on their progress, but looking at that chart today, I was able to see all of their scores every month since we started. I've been seeing an improvement in my students, but looking at their test scores on paper blew me away! These 3rd grade students all started off with no higher than a 2.1 reading level (the level of a beginning 2nd grader). Several kids placed in the mid-to-low 1's! Today, none of my students are below a 2.6 and THREE of them are 3.0 and higher! HALLELUJAH! One adorable little boy has gone from a 1.2 to a 3.0 - and his mom told his classroom teacher that the number one thing he requested for Christmas was books to read! WOW! That one child makes it all worth it!

What a great way to start the week!