This is why I teach...

I have just finished my fifth week teaching Junior High School Choir and had one of the neatest things happen today. Working with Junior High guys' voices can be a challenge since most of them are going through a voice change and virtually all of their voices are in different changing stages. Along the way, their singing range gets pretty small and you really have to select music carefully, easing them all along during the voice change. I spent the last three school days listening to students audition for an after-school ensemble and when I was done with that, I heard the guys sing privately to evaluate their current voice ranges.

One of the young guys is pretty active and has had trouble settling down during my class. A frequent need for my direction and attention, this young man has a history of behavior problems; his previous choir teachers have even prepared me for the coming difficulty. At one point, I considered asking his counselor to move him to another class but there was just this tugging down in my heart that I might be able to "reach" him if we hang in there.

When it was his turn to sing for me today, he was really resistant! I could see his body get all tense as he followed me to the piano; sadly, it was a little like a lamb to the slaughter. At first I just asked him to hum with me and we had a little humming contest. After he was comfortable with that, I asked him to sing those same things on "ooh," which he did. As I encouraged him, he relaxed and finally was able to sing, "mah" for me. He has the sweetest, purest tone I have heard in a long time. As I coached and praised him, I could just see his little chest puff up and see a little pride-ish glow envelope him. This is a kid that would hardly open his mouth during class and here he was singing full voice. I could have cried, both for him and for me.

His class behavior demonstrates that there are "issues" somewhere in his life. I hope that his 50 minutes in my class each day can be a place of success for him because he's obviously gifted. I'm thrilled to report that we made the start of what I believe will be a breakthrough for him. Hopefully, in June, I will be able to write that he turned the rest of his school behavior around over the course of this year as he experienced success in my class...today was the first day of that turn around and I hope that Monday will be the second day!

This is why I teach and I'm so happy I went to work today!

Ah...the weekend!

It is Saturday, blessed Saturday. The first day of the two-day weekend and a day that is just for me to do whatever I want. If you read my last blog, you'll see that I have just finished my first week as an employee of the Turlock Unified School District. As far as first weeks go, I think it has gone well. Each of my choirs has adapted to my strong, quick pace and, when I began enforcing the Tardy Essay yesterday, nobody had to write one.

For those of you who aren't students of mine, I will enlighten you about my tardy policy:

Students who arrive late to my class without an excused note must immediately write a five-paragraph essay. The first paragraph is an introduction. The second paragraph explains the reason for their tardy. Paragraph number three discusses the impact their tardy has on the educational process at Pitman High School, particularly the educational process in my classroom. The fourth paragraph addresses what their life will be like if they maintain this pattern of tardiness into adulthood. Finally, the fifth paragraph is a conclusion. I read the essay, keep a scanned copy for my records, then mail the essay home to their parents. Parents like this policy since it keeps them informed about tardies on an immediate basis and it amazes me how quickly students can move when they are motivated to not have to write that dumb essay! At Pitman, the students have seven minutes between classes with a one-minute warning bell, so I don't see how anyone can need to be late.

Anyway, back to my week. The kids at both Pitman High School and Turlock Junior High School are great! They're funny and friendly; they ask questions and seem to be engaged in what we are doing. I've added students to each ensemble and have lost just a few. I was worried but I'm not any longer. I recently heard someone say that they approach life, "like a duck...it's smooth on top but I'm pedaling like hell underneath." That's me!

I can't imagine that I will ever catch up with the five hundred gazillion things I have on my to-do list and if this 42-year OLD brain of mine ever learns the names of all these new kids, it will amaze me. But I have had an incredibly fulfilling, quite fun week in this new job and I'm happy that I took the leap to this new endeavor!

Monday, I got a call from the office that there was a delivery for me to pick up...when I got there, it was a lovely Anthurium Plant from Grace Lieberman. Don't you just love Grace; what an unexpected treat on my first, nervous new day. Here's what she wrote on the card:

"On your first day with new & hopefully talented kids - How lucky they are." I will love Grace forever for this sweet gesture of faith (I was going to love her forever even before this, anyway, I assure you)!

To my family, friends and current and former students, I say, "Thanks for your support." This change is a big one and I feel you right behind me. The first week has gone well; only 35 more to go...

P.S. JHS Vocal Music Students: I'm thinkin' about you and hoping for a great first week for you, too! Mrs. C is amazing and I'm so happy she's going to have the joy of you guys in her life...love her and learn all that she has to teach you, and...DON'T GET YOUR PANTIES IN A BIG FAT WAD! (Especially Kathleen)