Weekly Blog # 7

I got my recorded lesson done on Monday. I wasn't sure when I would get to see any of the band classes because of MSP testing, so I was relieved to have done so.

I actually didn't plan on teaching a lesson that day but my cooperating teacher asked me if I wanted to do a lesson. I jumped at the opportunity unsure if I would get another chance. I had no lesson planned that day, so everything I did was improvised.

My cooperating teacher was telling me that the students in her percussion class are thrown in there if they need another class to take. The music director for the district informed her that the point of the percussion class is to allow other students who want to be in music an opportunity. In generally percussion is easier to pick up on than a wind instrument. Now that the point of the class had been divulged, she’s going to go a different way with it. All that needed to happen was a conversation and everyone is happy.

During home base everyday there is usually nothing for them to do. I was unaware of this because my cooperating teacher always has them doing stuff. For Memorial Day she printed off crosswords and word searches in the memorial theme.

It's nice to be working with a teacher who cares about her student's education and puts effort into teacher.

Because of MSP testing and the fact that my cooperating teacher teaches at two elementary schools every afternoon, the middle school bands don't get to rehearse very often. This is really unfortunate especially since they have a concert coming up in a couple of weeks.

A lot of equipment at the middle school is not in the best condition, especially the percussion mallets. It would be really useful to ask one of my percussion friends to teach me how to re-yarn them.

This past Friday at the middle school was teacher appreciation day. All of the teachers and staff were delivered geranium flowers as a thank you. During connections, one student walked up to my cooperating teacher, shook her hand, and thanked her for everything she does. This student then came up to me and did the same. This was such a small gesture that she thought nothing of it, but it made my day.