Videos and Love & Logic

Happy new year!

I have been using many of the things that we learned at our previous NTI in my classroom since December 2nd. I've always known about love & logic, have the book, and student taught with two teachers that were firm believers in the methodology. As I reexamined my classroom management last month, I realized I was doing a lot of the L&L stuff, and didn't even know it! I greet my kids individually at the door everyday, and also send them off in the same way. I use the little "catch phrases" all of the time (especially with kinder and 1st graders), and utilize natural consequences that are fair for things that go wrong during class. I really am glad I put a name to all of those little things though, because now I am more aware of what I am doing, and also my management really feels like it has a purpose.

In the second half of our session on December 2nd, we talked a lot about showing videos in the classroom, and the appropriate way to introduce them, which included points to look for in the video clip and things to think about while the students are watching. I have been showing YouTube videos of the PS22 Chorus from NYC (thanks to savevid.com) which are only 2-3min performances of popular songs. I give the students something to watch for and also some leading questions that make them think a little harder about what they're seeing. I can definitely tell a difference I responses to my questions now that I ask them before the clip and not after. And consequently, the students get more into the clips they are watching and tell me they have been looking up the choir at home in their free time! I hope they are as inspired by PS22 as I am!

Overall I have been using the skills we've talked about in NTI, but it is more of a refresher of things that I learned during student teaching and in college courses. It is nice to remember the names of the techniques that are already second nature to me, so I can identify them as I am using them in my classroom.

It's Been a While...

Well, it has been a while! I forgot my domain name, and just found it again... so I'm back!

Teaching has been amazing thus far, and everything has been running smoothly. In new teacher training we have been meeting once a month to discuss strategies for problems that occur most often in a new teacher's classroom. Being a music teacher, many of the common problems do not happen in my room, just because it is a very different setting. To give you a better idea of what my classroom setting is, I'll try to give you a picture: There are no desks, and to room is completely open. Sometime I put out carpet squares in a circle formation, and then students have assigned spots, but if no carpet squares are present when they walk in, they know to spread out in the room and face the white board. There are also risers that I have been using to get us ready for our holiday musical, and the students have assigned spots according to their height, but we are only usually on the riser for 15 out of the 50mins they are with me.

So, on an average day my classroom is not like any other in the school. That means I have unique problems that I have come up with my own strategies for.

We have also been talking about Kagen structures in New Teacher Training. It is nice to learn about them not only when we meet once a month, but also in cluster every week. It gives me new ideas on how to use Kagen, but those structures will also always look different in my room compared to regular classrooms. I really have been able to use the structures that involve movement in my classroom, and I have noticed that the conversations coming from those discussions are always more fruitful that discussion we have as a whole group.

One other thing that I have really liked so far in New Teacher Training is all the video clips! It really keeps me involved and interested after very long days at school!

What this is all about

Hi There, thanks for visiting!

I am a first year elementary music teacher, and I am here to tell you all about my experiences this year. I will be teaching students from kindergarten all the way to fifth grade, and there are bound to be a lot of crazy and fun things that happen!

This blog will follow the process of my new teacher induction and what I learn in the process. I'll keep you updated!