Open House!

I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the open house tonight! We'll get things going in the gym and then head off to RAPP. In RAPP you should get an explanation about a Parent, Teacher, Student Compact that we are implementing this year. In addition to that, you'll receive a folder with some information. As you go around to each room, you can pick up a resource sheet for each teacher. Hopefully that will have some information on how to stay in contact with the teachers, but also on ways to help your son/daughter in that particular classroom--whether you know much about that subject or not. We as a staff are looking for ways to stay connected and in communication with parents. We really hope you are going to find it beneficial! Hope to see lots of you tonight!

In addition, all of my classes (minus RAPP) will meet in the gym due to size restrictions of the band and choir rooms. Since those classes meet opposite each other, there is no way I can be in 2 places at once and still cover everything! :)

Choral Sounds

I told the choir students last Thursday that I would put links to audio files of songs we are going to be singing this semester, in case they wanted to listen!

Seize the Day--This is a YouTube link of the original song from "Newsies"--not exactly the same, but it's the idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOnuGJsEV_8

Here is a clip of a choir singing something close to the arrangement we are going to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDN4EfOER30

Gloria In Excelsis Deo-- The entire song isn't there, but it has a part of it! Click where it says MP3Audio.

http://www.jwpepper.com/3283595.item

Carol of the Bells--I haven't been able to find the exact arrangement yet, but I'll keep looking!

One Candle--I can't find any recording of this one. I may have to make one...

Lessons and Practicing

So, I didn't get around to getting the pictures up and I left the camera at school, so that will have to wait until next week.

Lessons will start on Monday and each student should have a lesson schedule! I'll try to get that up on the website soon. I still don't have network access on the machine it is on at school, so I'll try to get it out there some other way! It is really important that students practice each week for at least 45 minutes. In the September edition of the Des Moines Register's Moms Like Me section, there was a great list of "tips to motivate your young musician." I list them here because I think there are some great ideas!

• Ask to hear old favorites as well as new, challenging songs.
• Have your child perform a few tunes at a "concert" for the family.
• Have your child practice with someone else.
• ask your child's band teacher for suggestions for alternate, fun sheet music to play for a change of pace.
• Go to concerts, buy music CDs or listen to the radio. Ask your child to pick out his instrument sound from the group you are listening to.
• Attend your child's performances.

One day down

I would call the first day back a success! It is always great to see all those students coming back to school. Almost everyone comes with a great attitude and is patient while they sit through 8 periods of classroom rules and expectations. I figured by the time the 7-8 choir got to me 7th hour, they would be tired of that--so we started right away with warm-ups, range checks and a new song called Gloria in Excelsis. Hopefully by the time next week rolls around, everyone will be assigned a part (soprano/alto) and we can really get going. I am really excited because we have 34 people in choir and 8 are guys!!!! We are in store for some fun music!

I'll try to post some pics tomorrow (if I get a chance)! It's good to be back!

Tomorrow, Tomorrow

The summer is officially at an end with students arriving tomorrow! After being refreshed on the teacher evaluation procedure, we had scheduled time to work in our rooms until noon today. Of course we could stay longer, but it was officially compensation time for hours spent on back to school night/open house. Many people did stay at the middle school, working to get things ready for tomorrow. I am still without email and Internet access in the band room, so the best way to contact me might be the telephone! Hopefully that can get worked out soon.

From a teaching perspective, I am eager for the year to begin. Everyone always has such high hopes as we start the new year--teachers, students and parents. It really gets me motivated to see what we can all accomplish together this year. My plan is to put more pictures in this blog and on the website. Along those lines, if there is anything you would like on the website, relating to music or other things, don't hesitate to let me know! I am really looking forward to good things this year!

Getting Back to Work

We have survived one day of inservice. So far, I have spent a lot of time working to get both of my rooms ready to go for the year. It always seems like double the work. :) Trying to get things all lined up for 4 different performing groups is always interesting. I have been spending a lot of time making sure we can hit the ground running. I still do not have access to the computer network, so no email or Internet for the time being. Hopefully that will all get worked out soon, so that I can communicate with all of you! Today's inservice is going to be spent in different clinic sessions--hopefully I'll find something that I can use!