But I'm supposed to be perfect...
Practice teaching one again...
Because of what is called Musicfest I wasn't able to start practice teaching until yesterday. Musicfest is where all the high school bands in the area come to compete to get either a gold, silver or bronze (or thanks for comen' out) level. My school was practicing for it all last week so it was a slow integration for me. But yesterday the debacle began. It must have been a long time since I have been teaching because I was very nervous. Although, I must say that the day began on a very good note, literally. I got to run the senior band rehearsal. We rehearsed the March from the Second Suite in F Major by Holst. I must admit that I was very impressed. Some of the lesser experienced players had trouble but the will and capability to do it was there! And the students even seemed excited to be playing it. at the end of the rehearsal one of the students even thanked me.... I felt very good.
The two grade 9 classes I teach in period three were not so bad. My pacing was a little too fast for their level; ironically the pacing of my classes were too slow last semester =P So what I have to do is slow down for them and add some more technical exercises.
The place where I had my greatest difficulty was with the 11/12 music class.
Was it difficulty or was I just disorganized. I was having them use the first 5 notes of the G minor Scale. Then I was trying to have the play the G Minor I and V chords so we could use the notes to improv over the chord progression I-I-V-V-V-V-I-I and that failed miserably, I forgot how to transpose all of the sudden and sounded like a babbling idiot when I couldn't tell the bari sax what key she was supposed to be in! Then what else? I started the class with a great Buddy Rich video as a sort of hook into jazz... what brilliant questions did I have about the video? Lets see: how does this differ from the music you listen too?
Which music? I didn't even give them something good to talk about! What a waste of a great hook. I almost even gave them the wrong dates for Scott Joplin - can someone please hold my degree for me while I try and re-earn it, or at least try and deserve it?
These kids are smart and you have to keep on your toes... The only saving grace (no not that grace, remember the Richard Dawkins banner!) was the really good trumpet player from the senior band rehearsal was walking past me after that last class. She thanked me for the rehearsal that morning and said she had lots of fun. Talk about a pick me up right when you needed one. (Disclaimer: I am not fishing for sympathy, just venting - it's what blogs are for)
Because of what is called Musicfest I wasn't able to start practice teaching until yesterday. Musicfest is where all the high school bands in the area come to compete to get either a gold, silver or bronze (or thanks for comen' out) level. My school was practicing for it all last week so it was a slow integration for me. But yesterday the debacle began. It must have been a long time since I have been teaching because I was very nervous. Although, I must say that the day began on a very good note, literally. I got to run the senior band rehearsal. We rehearsed the March from the Second Suite in F Major by Holst. I must admit that I was very impressed. Some of the lesser experienced players had trouble but the will and capability to do it was there! And the students even seemed excited to be playing it. at the end of the rehearsal one of the students even thanked me.... I felt very good.
The two grade 9 classes I teach in period three were not so bad. My pacing was a little too fast for their level; ironically the pacing of my classes were too slow last semester =P So what I have to do is slow down for them and add some more technical exercises.
The place where I had my greatest difficulty was with the 11/12 music class.
Was it difficulty or was I just disorganized. I was having them use the first 5 notes of the G minor Scale. Then I was trying to have the play the G Minor I and V chords so we could use the notes to improv over the chord progression I-I-V-V-V-V-I-I and that failed miserably, I forgot how to transpose all of the sudden and sounded like a babbling idiot when I couldn't tell the bari sax what key she was supposed to be in! Then what else? I started the class with a great Buddy Rich video as a sort of hook into jazz... what brilliant questions did I have about the video? Lets see: how does this differ from the music you listen too?
Which music? I didn't even give them something good to talk about! What a waste of a great hook. I almost even gave them the wrong dates for Scott Joplin - can someone please hold my degree for me while I try and re-earn it, or at least try and deserve it?
These kids are smart and you have to keep on your toes... The only saving grace (no not that grace, remember the Richard Dawkins banner!) was the really good trumpet player from the senior band rehearsal was walking past me after that last class. She thanked me for the rehearsal that morning and said she had lots of fun. Talk about a pick me up right when you needed one. (Disclaimer: I am not fishing for sympathy, just venting - it's what blogs are for)
posted by MJB at
6:55:00 p.m.
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