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

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