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| My camera only takes ghost pictures indoors |
We went to one of those giant, indoor trampoline places yesterday. We had four free jump coupons for participating in Jump Rope For Heart. As you could imagine, we'd never pay $48 for the kids to jump for 60 minutes in a germ-infested warehouse.
"I can get a whole trampoline on sale off season for $150.", Greg mentioned.
Greg was amazed that they packed the people in.
The kids thought it was just oh-kay. They've had a trampoline since they were two, two, two, and one, so the novelty of jumping on a trampoline is not there for them.
They really prefer to do things outside anyway. They certainly get that from me and Greg!
Before we got to the free jumping session, Greg pulled into the 7-11 and told me to come in and get a coffee. I was stunned. Was I still married to the same man who held me hostage in a car for 29 hours while on our trip to Michigan and wouldn't pull over to get me coffee for 2200 miles?
When we got in there, he whipped out two free coupons for our coffee, then the guy working there asked him if he had any more and he said no. Then the clerk gave him more coupons.
"Do you know that guy?", I asked when we got back in the car.
"Yeah. He's the guy that bought our couch. He didn't have all the money so he pays me with coffee."
Remember when sold our 17 year old television for $50 and 10 Slurpees?
Same guy!
I read all your comments on my Music Class Freakout Post and I have to tell you that I've been pissed off ever since. I'm not sure if I should write a letter and tell the music teacher she's lazy and making my kids hate music, or go to school on Thursday and sit in on the Music Glossary Writing punishment and tell her she's lazy and making my kids hate music.
Would you prefer I told you to your face that you suck, or would you prefer it in writing?
And you know what really makes me mad? My kids LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to perform. They sing and dance and have been doing nightly performances for us since they were two years old!!! Here they were performing when they were just THREE.
How do you make kids like this hate music?
I blame the introduction of the smartboard this year. I think technology can be a great thing for a classroom, but I think when a teacher depends on the smartboard to teach the class, she becomes nothing more than the Smartboard Warden. Sticking a kid in front of a computer screen does not make you a teacher. Nor does it teach children to appreciate music. Nor is it enriching them. I could keep them at home and turn on the TV myself. That's why I send them to school.
To be clear, we interrogated all four children at dinner last night at Greg's mom's house and they all verified that they walk in music, the teacher tells them briefly what they are going to learn, then they sit in front of the smartboard for 45 minutes for their "music lesson". They do not sing. They do not learn songs. They do not play instruments. They look at the smartboard. Then people get in trouble and the "teacher" puts them in timeout. When they watch the smartboard, she's on her computer or she's reprimanding.
I think instead of school districts paying exorbitant amounts of money for technology to usurp the teacher, they should pay teachers more who DON'T SUCK. I am a hundred percent behind merit pay.
This irritates the heck out of me.
Don't you think I should just show up on Thursday and walk in and sit down and say, "Hi!!!! I'm interested in the music curriculum so I'm going to sit in today, m'kay?"
Then break out my microphone and my tap shoes and start singing and dancing??????
29 comments:
Various tactical questions:
Does the principal know this is the curriculum? What are the state standards for music education in each grade? What does the curriculum director in the Las Vegas public schools (the main office) say about this?
I might just show up. You can't bluster your way out of a situation in an ambush. Write letters and you get into a big argument. Just show up, note what's going on, then take it up the chain of command.
There Is No Excuse.
(It looks to me as if the principal has quite the pool of "specials/support" teachers. Maybe all the resources are going into classroom teachers, which is good, but between this and the librarian, it's ridiculous.)
The kids told me they hate all their specials except PE. Amanda hates ART????? I can't even wrap my brain around that one.
Okay. Yes, I need to do some research before the ambush.
Here's what a description says for a music teacher in the Clark County School district.
POSITION EXPECTATIONS:
1. Demonstrate knowledge, skill, and ability to provide instruction in an elementary music setting with appropriate
musical skills for singing, playing, conducting, and musical literature necessary for the implement of the CCSD
Music Orff Curriculum through the Orff, Kodaly and Dalcroze methodologies for elementary music instruction.
2. Work cooperatively with students, parents, peers, administration, and community members.
3. Guide the learning process toward achievement of curriculum goals.
4. Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects.
5. Employ a variety of instructional techniques and strategies aligned with instructional objectives, in order to meet the
needs of all students.
6. Participate as an active member with other faculty and staff.
7. Maintain accurate and complete records as required by law and district policy.
8. Maintain and improve professional competence.
9. Communicate effectively both written and orally.
10. Perform other job-related duties as assigned by principal.
Here are the Nevada music standards: http://www.doe.nv.gov/Standards_Arts_Music.html. She is not following them if they are just sitting in front of the smartboard.
And several links for the benefits of music in elementary school:
http://www.getyourcontent.com/1/49200-0/Benefits-of-Elementary-Sc.aspx
http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/advocacy/benefits.html
http://www.ehow.com/info_8010701_effects-music-primary-school.html
http://www.vh1savethemusic.com/node/2192
I would print all these out, plus the standards and right after you go to the class, meet with the principal to go over your observations and why the program needs to be revamped. Also, check with other public schools in the area to see what they cover in music classes (or any other special for that matter).
If you want any other specific information on the benefits, I can also see if Eric will put something together for you.
You may not be able to just drop in. When I was working for the schools in Florida my contract clearly stated that I receive 24 hours notice prior to an observation of any kind.
Music class reminds me of sitting and noting down lyrics of some well known songs of the country and then those with best voice were chosen to sing them. So, my knowledge is even less than elementary and my interest never really took off.
Hoping you win this battle ...
Warmest regards,
Ruby
Is that SKYZONE?? We have one here in St. Louis and I completely shredded my ACL and meniscus there a few years ago during Skyrobics class, which was totally fun until it wasn't. I passed out from the pain, and when I finally got off the court some dodge ball moron pelted me in my bad knee with a million mph throw he intended for his frat brother. I screamed obscenities (which i normally don't) and turned around to see a doe eyed 5 year old sitting right behind me. Awesome! Two surgeries later (plus 8 weeks in a machine that bent my leg for 8 hours a day), my knee only reminds me of Skyzone on days that end in "y."
Yes. It was Skyzone!! I can totally see that happen in there!!! OMG!
One of those trampoline places just opened up by us. I think I'll skip this one. The kids don't even know it is there yet and I'll keep it that way as long as possible.
Okay I am defensive about the smart board. I have used smart boards and I currently use a Promethean board. Most of my activities are interactive, meaning kids come up to the board and do things. I am an Autistic support teacher and honestly my Promethean board has drastically changed the attention of my students, for the better. That said, it is not used for all activities. Most of my instruction uses hands on materials. If done right, she could have interactive pianos, drums, etc up on the smart board. Maybe there has been behavior issues and she just needs some help. Granted she could be taking a lazy approach and that is the issue, but maybe it goes beyond that. She may have even been told she has to use the smart board and she has no idea that there are so many options.
As a teacher who spends every night from 7:30 to 10 doing classroom work, even on the weekends, I am defensive of teacher bashing unless it is backed up. 100% go in and observe. Say that your kids no longer like music and you would like to problem solve the issue. Maybe the teacher is unaware that the kids are not interested. I have to take millions of data during all of my activities and it is clear to me when something I am doing has bombed because my data shows it. Regular teachers do not have that.
Carrie- don't worry. I'll be on full-on Church Lady mode until I see for myself. I only bash in my daily Internet bitch fest!!!! It cathartic.
Oh yes, it is an accident waiting to happen! The hilarious part was that RIGHT before our class two of the girls were talking about the enforceability of the waiver they have you sign, and I, being an attorney and everything (gag), chimed in that the language in those waivers were really pretty tight and people that got hurt would most likely be out of luck. HA! Within 30 minutes I crashed and burned! Then the people at Skyzone told me that I was the first injury EVER! The nearby hospital ER disagreed.
Language WAS tight....touch pads!
" Sticking a kid in front of a computer screen does not make you a teacher" Amen, Amen, Amen! I could not have said it better myself! I don't know how I would go about bringing down the music teacher, whatever you do, you can't make her feel threatened in any way or she'll freak out and have you arrested. I would probably write a letter to the principal, start making noise at PTO/PTA meetings, get parents behind me, and once I had a good posse, I'd call a local news station. The end.
Is a smartboard the same thing as an "ELMO"?
Sabrina- Oh, heck, no. I'm not THAT upset. I'm just disturbed. I don't get all irate or unprofessional when I'm on an espionage mission. I'm your BFF!!!! UNTIL I'M NOT!
Karen- I noted the language when I signed my children's lives away.
The new California Standards for the Teaching Profession note "use of technology" (or integration of technology or something like that) and we're preparing for the battle with our district - which is full on into the Smartboard cult - to prove that it is actually NECESSARY to use the Smartboard instead of a regular old white board or - gasp - chalkboard, supplemented with a TV/VCR/DVD. I have a document camera and LCD projector in my room and nine times out of ten, I'm using it to project the text book for the kids who are too lazy to have brought theirs to class.
Talk to the principal and/or music teacher. Our teacher is great...he runs the chorus, for 4th and 5th graders. They sing songs all the time and are now playing instruments(recorders) in 3rd grade. As I said before...he is our music teacher and comes to our house once weekly to teach piano to my girls. Im so glad that we have a great teacher at our school. My advice is get to the bottom of what they are teaching.
Why aren't you homeschooling? or moving?
Toooo much kvetching at this point to make any argument for keeping them where they are hold water, michele -
Hahaha. I wonder if a situation exists where I wouldn't kvetch????!!!!!!
Based on what the kids are saying, she is not upholding 1, 2, or 5. I say go in and observe and see what you find out.
Amy F.
Our school just went through our own Smartboard fiasco. We had workmen in the rooms after school installing projectors, sound systems, and Smartboards to bring us up to CCSD “standards”. They insisted that the Smartboards had to be mounted on top of the whiteboards because they could not be hung on a “non-teaching” wall. Most of the teachers were UNHAPPY. You can’t use dry erase markers on a Smartboard, so basically it’s a really expensive projection screen. Thank heavens they ran out of Smartboards before they got to my room and I hope they don’t find one either.
Not IN, that is for sure. I am fighting the math war here, solo at the moment, and also fighting against a principal that wants to blame my son for his math difficulties...though he's a 2rd year Everyday Math student (I found his old journals to prove it) - EM teaches them to master nothing. ARGH. Anyway, I am wondering where an IEP would bring us at the moment...I don't want him negatively labeled for life because I don't want him to be held back from a career because they see he had trouble.
You should just call or email the teacher first and talk with her. You could say that your kids always loved music, but don't seem to enjoy it as much anymore. Ask her what she's teaching in class, because you are interested in supplementing it at home. That way it doesn't come off as an attack or she won't take it personally. Then if what she says confirms that the kids aren't really learning anything related to state standards, then you might bring up your concerns to her that they aren't getting enough "hands on" education -- singing, instruments, etc. If she refuses to change, then go to the principal.
I just get defensive of teachers, because so often kids go home and tell their story, which may not be the whole truth or maybe they don't understand why they are learning what they are learning (or the methods involved). If a teacher was forced to teach everything every parent wanted their kids to learn in the method they want their kids to learn it, teachers would never be able to get anything done.
Anon- I agree with you one hundred percent. Which is why it's so beneficial for me to have four students going to music at three different times, with three different classrooms. I never take anything ONE of my children tells me at face value because I volunteer a lot and kids' perceptions of what happens is often completely different that what ACTUALLY happens. I ask all of my children for their version of what music is like for them and the reality usually lies somewhere in the middle of all the stories I hear. In this case, all four said the exact same thing. They go in music, sit on the floor, and the teacher turns on the smartboard. Amanda and Austin aren't even upset about it. That's music for them. How would they know you are supposed to sing or play instruments in music?? That's all they know! So I'll just go see for myself!
Anon- Oh, yes, I'd also agree with you that she gets nothing done!!!! Writing from a music glossary for three weeks would be my definition of DOING NOTHING!
Oh, and one more thing, she's contractually obligated to TEACH THE CURRICULUM. I don't have to like the curriculum, but I can certainly expect AS A PARENT that she'll do her goddamn job that my tax money is paying her to do.
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