You've got to be a drill sergeant: week 3
I know, I know. This is super late and I honestly have no good reason as to why I didn't write it other than the fact that I was super tired. And I still am! No worries though, I have a good grasp on what happened last week and this week's blog should be up in a few days. Blogging is hard, y'all.
Anyways, last week was kind of tough on me and I know that this won't be the first time I say something like this. Things just won't be perfect all the time. They can't be and they aren't, but we try so hard for perfection and it is unattainable. Still, I try. Last week was full of surprises and oddly enough, it wasn't entirely in the choir room. For the most part, the kids were great! They've been working really hard on getting Broadway Revue up and happening (TONIGHT!! IT'S HAPPENING TONIGHT!!) and they're gearing up for Solo and Ensemble and they are being such troopers about it. The hard part was the behavioral issues that some kids have.
Most of the kids in choir either want to be there or think that they're too cool to be. Newsflash: They're not! It's an interesting mix of kids, but you make it work. Either way, you have to try to plant some kind of musical seed that will grow inside of them that will make them want to love and appreciate music and not only that, but also sing. They have to sing. Some children are just stubborn. They don't want to sing for you. Quite frankly, they don't want to sing. And it's not you, it's the music they don't want to sing or they don't want to work period. And I can't blame them. Most of the time in high school, I didn't want to do math, but who does? So, lately, I've noticed a few students who just won't sing in class. They'd rather lock themselves up in a practice room and talk and it's more than just not singing. It comes along with attitudes and death glares that seriously frighten me at times. I just have to stay "out of my feelings" as one of my students told me. And she's right. I'm making a difference no matter what I'm doing and sooner or later the students who think I am the worst person walking the planet will come to appreciate me...at least that's what I'm hoping for.
One major thing that was definitely an eye-opening experience for me were the behaviors and attitudes of students outside of choir. Remember the 6th period music theory class? This class almost 2 weeks ago was one of the worst that I have ever sat through and that's because a few students in the class were outright bullying a student. It got so bad that the student came and sat next to me and began to cry and I had no idea what to say or do. When one of the students tried to help by yelling and making a scene in the classroom, it got worse. I made sure the student was okay and that's when I heard from said student about all of the bullying that's been happening. I was almost in tears trying to explain that high school is only 4 years. The whole 'it gets better' cliche thing and it's because they're so insecure with themselves, but you could tell that none of it was helping. It was brutal and so disrespectful and it took everything in me to not breakdown. I made sure to tell them that I was available to talk at any time and if this were to happen again, then to notify a teacher.
My question: When did kids become so cruel? High school was rough for me, but it seems like bullying is a hobby. I know in earlier years, it was the norm to suppress and try to hide what mean kids had to say. The whole "sticks and stones" thing applied to me in elementary school, but it was never that bad. I am so concerned and hurt by the things that were said in that class and I wasn't even on the receiving end. All I know is that as a teacher, I have the ability to stop it. My cooperating teachers handled it the best way she knew how and it was effective, but what about other teachers who don't notice or don't want to get involved. I am so worried for teens who simply can't handle being the bullied.
So, from that week's experience, I figured that as a teacher, I have to be a drill sergeant. I don't have to be mean, I really can't be, but I need to be firm. I have to have high expectations for my students and make them sing and try to help them appreciate not only music, but the arts in general. I also have to look out for the downtrodden. The students who are overlooked and ridiculed each day for being themselves. It's sad that this is something that happens in every school right under everyone's noses and most people choose to not notice. There's life beyond high school. I really hope that they figure this out. It's a crappy or amazing 4 years of the rest of your life.
Thanks for reading,
Ms. Reed
First name basis:
Student 1: Miss, do you have sisters?
Me: Yes, I do!
Student 2: What's their names?!
Me: Kim and Michelle!
Student 1: And what's your name?
Me: Ms. Reed
Both: No! On your badge! Your first name!!! (checks badge)
Me: Ms. Reed!!!!
Playing the clarinet:
Student: Oh! That's a key change. I learned about those in band. I played the clarinet!
Me: Oh really, why?
Student: Because I wanted to be like Squidward.
Anyways, last week was kind of tough on me and I know that this won't be the first time I say something like this. Things just won't be perfect all the time. They can't be and they aren't, but we try so hard for perfection and it is unattainable. Still, I try. Last week was full of surprises and oddly enough, it wasn't entirely in the choir room. For the most part, the kids were great! They've been working really hard on getting Broadway Revue up and happening (TONIGHT!! IT'S HAPPENING TONIGHT!!) and they're gearing up for Solo and Ensemble and they are being such troopers about it. The hard part was the behavioral issues that some kids have.
Most of the kids in choir either want to be there or think that they're too cool to be. Newsflash: They're not! It's an interesting mix of kids, but you make it work. Either way, you have to try to plant some kind of musical seed that will grow inside of them that will make them want to love and appreciate music and not only that, but also sing. They have to sing. Some children are just stubborn. They don't want to sing for you. Quite frankly, they don't want to sing. And it's not you, it's the music they don't want to sing or they don't want to work period. And I can't blame them. Most of the time in high school, I didn't want to do math, but who does? So, lately, I've noticed a few students who just won't sing in class. They'd rather lock themselves up in a practice room and talk and it's more than just not singing. It comes along with attitudes and death glares that seriously frighten me at times. I just have to stay "out of my feelings" as one of my students told me. And she's right. I'm making a difference no matter what I'm doing and sooner or later the students who think I am the worst person walking the planet will come to appreciate me...at least that's what I'm hoping for.
One major thing that was definitely an eye-opening experience for me were the behaviors and attitudes of students outside of choir. Remember the 6th period music theory class? This class almost 2 weeks ago was one of the worst that I have ever sat through and that's because a few students in the class were outright bullying a student. It got so bad that the student came and sat next to me and began to cry and I had no idea what to say or do. When one of the students tried to help by yelling and making a scene in the classroom, it got worse. I made sure the student was okay and that's when I heard from said student about all of the bullying that's been happening. I was almost in tears trying to explain that high school is only 4 years. The whole 'it gets better' cliche thing and it's because they're so insecure with themselves, but you could tell that none of it was helping. It was brutal and so disrespectful and it took everything in me to not breakdown. I made sure to tell them that I was available to talk at any time and if this were to happen again, then to notify a teacher.
My question: When did kids become so cruel? High school was rough for me, but it seems like bullying is a hobby. I know in earlier years, it was the norm to suppress and try to hide what mean kids had to say. The whole "sticks and stones" thing applied to me in elementary school, but it was never that bad. I am so concerned and hurt by the things that were said in that class and I wasn't even on the receiving end. All I know is that as a teacher, I have the ability to stop it. My cooperating teachers handled it the best way she knew how and it was effective, but what about other teachers who don't notice or don't want to get involved. I am so worried for teens who simply can't handle being the bullied.
So, from that week's experience, I figured that as a teacher, I have to be a drill sergeant. I don't have to be mean, I really can't be, but I need to be firm. I have to have high expectations for my students and make them sing and try to help them appreciate not only music, but the arts in general. I also have to look out for the downtrodden. The students who are overlooked and ridiculed each day for being themselves. It's sad that this is something that happens in every school right under everyone's noses and most people choose to not notice. There's life beyond high school. I really hope that they figure this out. It's a crappy or amazing 4 years of the rest of your life.
Thanks for reading,
Ms. Reed
First name basis:
Student 1: Miss, do you have sisters?
Me: Yes, I do!
Student 2: What's their names?!
Me: Kim and Michelle!
Student 1: And what's your name?
Me: Ms. Reed
Both: No! On your badge! Your first name!!! (checks badge)
Me: Ms. Reed!!!!
Playing the clarinet:
Student: Oh! That's a key change. I learned about those in band. I played the clarinet!
Me: Oh really, why?
Student: Because I wanted to be like Squidward.
