Posts

I'm leaning into this isolation situation, and you need permission to do so as well.

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COVID-19 has thrust teachers and students into uncharted territory for the foreseeable future.  We are in a holding pattern that is unfamiliar and the end seems to be further away than it was yesterday.  New phrases like social distancing and distance learning have now become ubiquitous in our daily lives.  Nevertheless, teachers are confronting this situation with creative solutions and opportunities.  I'm inspired when I see many of my colleagues creating virtual ensembles, posting daily challenges on social media, creating YouTube channels, and scheduling Zoom conferences.  I deeply understand the desire to keep the same routines in an effort to preserve normalcy.  Staying connected to our colleagues, students, and teachers is important, but I'm more interested in finally connecting with someone which I don't often get the chance: myself. Social distancing has led to a social pressure to still be connected with everyone in some virtual fashion.  While at times it
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ABC Projects

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The Musical Trombonist Balance and Harmony
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Discovering a Kid's Motivation

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Kids participate in band for different reasons, all of which are valid.  Through building personal relationships, I try to understand what those motivations are, and at the same time, try to find a harmony between them.  After 6th grade band this morning, I found myself in a discussion with my co-teacher about many of our current seventh graders.  At this point, we have known them for a full year as 6th grader and are just now starting to see what kind of student they are shaping into.  Some are definitely band kids now - they're sticking.  Some of them aren't quite as stuck, but are getting stickier!  Regardless, they are all here for  some  reason. What is motivating each one to be in band?  I think the kids that want to be here most often settle into a few of these categories. 1. Kids who love band 2. Kids who love their instrument 3. Kids who love music 4. Kids who are good at their instrument Kids who love  band  love being part of a group.  They love that they a
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About this blog...

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So, I'm starting a blog again.  The last time I did something like this I was a sophomore in college, and I really enjoyed it.  I will commit to making this one less angsty.  I'm doing this because I've collected some thoughts over my short experience teaching music.  The idea of a "how to" blog doesn't interest me too much, but I do miss the mindful and meditative practice of writing.  I love how writing organizes my thinking, so I want to do more of it with the hope that some of it might even be worth reading!
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