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!

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

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.