Early this morning, when I was on hallway duty, Esther* (a sweet 4th grader) was walking down the hallway when a 2nd grade boy came barrelling out of his classroom, arms open wide. Esther* edged up against the wall and scurried past the little boy.
Me: Esther*, what's going on? Didn't you want Jordan* to hug you?
Esther*: No way!
Me: Hmmm, does he bug you or something?
Esther*: Well, see, he LIKE likes me.
Later in the day....
Second Grade, sitting on the floor, playing a very exciting card game, Name the Instrument, with the kids.
Me: Hey, everyone, would you mind scooting back just a little bit? I'm getting kind of claustrophobic with you crowding over me like this.
After a minute or so....
Hank* (looking at me with a quizzical expression) : Wait, Ms. N, does that mean that you're afraid of Santa Claus?
Esther*, Jordan* and Hand* are, of course, not these students' real names.
2/24/10
2/23/10
Daily Life, 28
Today, in Kindergarten, while we were getting instruments out for the jam session:
Me: What happens if you touch an instrument before the conductor tells you to do so? (This is a
familiar refrain at the start of every jam session--otherwise, there'd be some serious cacophony going down!)
Kids(in a unified singsong chorus): You lose your turn.
Me: Forever? Like, until you're 93?
Kids: No, just for one time.
Sandra*: Wow, if you lost your turn until you were 93....that would be a long time.
Bojin*: Yeah. It'd be like when you're in High School or something.
*Sandra and Bojin are, of course, not these young musicians' real names.
Me: What happens if you touch an instrument before the conductor tells you to do so? (This is a
familiar refrain at the start of every jam session--otherwise, there'd be some serious cacophony going down!)
Kids(in a unified singsong chorus): You lose your turn.
Me: Forever? Like, until you're 93?
Kids: No, just for one time.
Sandra*: Wow, if you lost your turn until you were 93....that would be a long time.
Bojin*: Yeah. It'd be like when you're in High School or something.
*Sandra and Bojin are, of course, not these young musicians' real names.
2/22/10
Daily Life, 27
First Grade, helping them get their snow boots on for before-school recess:
Kristen*: Did you know there are two cats who live in that little shack near the school?
Me: Really? They must be cold today.
Kristen*: No, they're not. They snuggle up to each other to keep warm.
Me (Struggling with a stubborn shoelace): Oh.
Kristen*: Yes. I think they might like to come out and take a walk to see this beautiful day
today.
Me: Hmmm, maybe. It's cold outside for kittens.
Kristen*: No, they're cats. I'm going to invite them to come to my house and give them
a ride in my car.
Me: Hmmm. What does your Mom think of that idea?
Kristen*: I don't know yet.
*Kristen is, of course, not this completely sweet child's name.
Kristen*: Did you know there are two cats who live in that little shack near the school?
Me: Really? They must be cold today.
Kristen*: No, they're not. They snuggle up to each other to keep warm.
Me (Struggling with a stubborn shoelace): Oh.
Kristen*: Yes. I think they might like to come out and take a walk to see this beautiful day
today.
Me: Hmmm, maybe. It's cold outside for kittens.
Kristen*: No, they're cats. I'm going to invite them to come to my house and give them
a ride in my car.
Me: Hmmm. What does your Mom think of that idea?
Kristen*: I don't know yet.
*Kristen is, of course, not this completely sweet child's name.
2/19/10
Daily life, 26
Fifth Grade Music, start of class, kids getting xylophones and mallets and ukes ready to play.
Brian* Ms N, I sprained my neck yesterday.
Me That sounds like it hurt.
Brian* Yeah.
Me Did you want to go to the Nurse? Because we're just about to start the jam session.
I'd rather you didn't miss that, if you can wait to go to the Nurse.
Brian* No, I didn't want to go to the Nurse. I just wanted to tell you about it.
Me Oh. Was there something more?
Brian* Well, yeah. See, I was putting on deodorant last night, and I stuck my head down
into my arm to smell it, and then my neck sprained.
Me Hmmm.
Brian* Yeah, my Mom had to take me to the doctor and everything.
Me Really. Well, if it hurts too much to play an instrument, let me know, OK?
Brian* OK.
Later this morning, in 4th grade, while we were setting up instruments:
Me Alex*, if you continue to tease Sarah* so much, she's going to think you have
a crush on her or something.
Alex* Whaaaaaaa? I don't have a crush on her!
Me Well, you know, that's what they say. If you like someone, you tease 'em a lot.
Matt* (glancing up from his xylophone) Oh, Ms N, that might've been true in your day, but
not anymore.
*Brian*, Alex*, Matt* and Sarah* are, of course, not these children's actual names...or their actual grades.
Brian* Ms N, I sprained my neck yesterday.
Me That sounds like it hurt.
Brian* Yeah.
Me Did you want to go to the Nurse? Because we're just about to start the jam session.
I'd rather you didn't miss that, if you can wait to go to the Nurse.
Brian* No, I didn't want to go to the Nurse. I just wanted to tell you about it.
Me Oh. Was there something more?
Brian* Well, yeah. See, I was putting on deodorant last night, and I stuck my head down
into my arm to smell it, and then my neck sprained.
Me Hmmm.
Brian* Yeah, my Mom had to take me to the doctor and everything.
Me Really. Well, if it hurts too much to play an instrument, let me know, OK?
Brian* OK.
Later this morning, in 4th grade, while we were setting up instruments:
Me Alex*, if you continue to tease Sarah* so much, she's going to think you have
a crush on her or something.
Alex* Whaaaaaaa? I don't have a crush on her!
Me Well, you know, that's what they say. If you like someone, you tease 'em a lot.
Matt* (glancing up from his xylophone) Oh, Ms N, that might've been true in your day, but
not anymore.
*Brian*, Alex*, Matt* and Sarah* are, of course, not these children's actual names...or their actual grades.
2/15/10
Sharing what we know
As educators and learners, we depend on the generosity of others to help us master new skills and knowledge.
One of my favorite blogs, Make and Meaning, is hosting a live blogging event at 8pm tomorrow (Tuesday) evening, on this topic.
Of course, the live discussion will be centered mostly on the crafting community, since that's who Make and Meaning serves. But I think the discussion is applicable--and interesting--to those of us whose primary art & work is in other fields, as well.
Here's how one of the contributors, Diane Gilleland, describes the event: "Free Thinking" is "an interactive liveblogging discussion of how Free is affecting our creative culture".
Interested? Here's the link for more information:
http://makeandmeaning.com/2010/02/16/coming-tuesday-evening-free-thinking-join-us/
One of my favorite blogs, Make and Meaning, is hosting a live blogging event at 8pm tomorrow (Tuesday) evening, on this topic.
Of course, the live discussion will be centered mostly on the crafting community, since that's who Make and Meaning serves. But I think the discussion is applicable--and interesting--to those of us whose primary art & work is in other fields, as well.
Here's how one of the contributors, Diane Gilleland, describes the event: "Free Thinking" is "an interactive liveblogging discussion of how Free is affecting our creative culture".
Interested? Here's the link for more information:
http://makeandmeaning.com/2010/02/16/coming-tuesday-evening-free-thinking-join-us/
2/14/10
Navigating into the new
Yesterday, I became frustrated while trying to figure out how to use Tweetdeck.
Computers are still pretty new territory for me. I'm confident enough to be willing to try new things, but when what I'm trying to do hits a standstill, it's enough to make me shut down for awhile, and want to stop trying altogether.
In this instance, a friend calmly walked me through the steps to figure out how to overcome the roadblock.
Thinking about it afterwards, I realized two things:
1. There's actually an underlying sequence of steps, a way to approach the challenge, which sorts out the confusion and leads to possible solutions.
2. I can learn that approach.
How empowering is that?
It occurred to me later that this is what I need to give to my students, for whom playing music is somewhat new territory, as computers are for me.
I can help them towards autonomy by giving them not only knowledge specifics, but--more importantly--the framework within which to approach learning. A rubric, a set of steps, to help them evaluate for themselves how their performance is and how to make it better.
So, for instance, lately I've been setting a set of questions before the kids, to help them think through their playing, and discussing the answers afterwards.
Me: OK, Kindergarten Musicians. Here's what we're listening for:
Did you start singing together?
Did you end together?
Did you stay at the same tempo in the middle?
Were your words clear? Did you need a grownup to help you?
Did you like what you heard?
My friend gave me not just the specific 'fix' for yesterday's quandary, but a tool with which to approach new situations with confidence, on my own.
I'm hoping to give my students not approval or compliments, but the tools with which to assess and approach new music with confidence, with autonomy.
Pretty exciting stuff. (and thanks, to my friend who had the patience to help me over the hurdle...)
*If you, like me, are still a neophyte with computers, you might want to take a look at this helpful little tool: www.dudecraft.com/2009/08/tech-support-cheat-sheet.html
Computers are still pretty new territory for me. I'm confident enough to be willing to try new things, but when what I'm trying to do hits a standstill, it's enough to make me shut down for awhile, and want to stop trying altogether.
In this instance, a friend calmly walked me through the steps to figure out how to overcome the roadblock.
Thinking about it afterwards, I realized two things:
1. There's actually an underlying sequence of steps, a way to approach the challenge, which sorts out the confusion and leads to possible solutions.
2. I can learn that approach.
How empowering is that?
It occurred to me later that this is what I need to give to my students, for whom playing music is somewhat new territory, as computers are for me.
I can help them towards autonomy by giving them not only knowledge specifics, but--more importantly--the framework within which to approach learning. A rubric, a set of steps, to help them evaluate for themselves how their performance is and how to make it better.
So, for instance, lately I've been setting a set of questions before the kids, to help them think through their playing, and discussing the answers afterwards.
Me: OK, Kindergarten Musicians. Here's what we're listening for:
Did you start singing together?
Did you end together?
Did you stay at the same tempo in the middle?
Were your words clear? Did you need a grownup to help you?
Did you like what you heard?
My friend gave me not just the specific 'fix' for yesterday's quandary, but a tool with which to approach new situations with confidence, on my own.
I'm hoping to give my students not approval or compliments, but the tools with which to assess and approach new music with confidence, with autonomy.
Pretty exciting stuff. (and thanks, to my friend who had the patience to help me over the hurdle...)
*If you, like me, are still a neophyte with computers, you might want to take a look at this helpful little tool: www.dudecraft.com/2009/08/tech-support-cheat-sheet.html
2/12/10
Daily Life, 25
Fifth Grade, immersed in Jazz, creating the liner notes for our mini 'album' book reports.**
Larry* says: I recommend Louis Armstrong, who played trumpet, because his music makes me laugh.
James* says: I recommend Louis Armstrong, because his voice is weird, but in a good way.
Jehlan* says: I recommend Ella, Jazz Vocalist, because she makes me happy.
Janita* says: I recommend Billie Holiday, Jazz Vocalist, because her voice is so wonderful!
Mirita* says: I recommend Louis Armstrong, because his music makes me feel real jumpy and it makes me laugh my head off.
Maria* says: I recommend Ella, Jazz Vocalist, because her music makes me dance.
I say, I recommend my students, because they're a joy to be around.
*As written, the names of these young musicians are not, of course, their real names.
**These mini-albums are totally great, easy to do with kids, and an imaginative way to incorporate learning facts and listening to music, with hands-on crafts. I got the entire idea from a great blog called Dudecraft. Here's the link to the instructions for making the albums, along with templates that are available (for free) to download:
www.dudecraft.com/2009/12/how-to-mini-lp-record-gift-tags.html
Larry* says: I recommend Louis Armstrong, who played trumpet, because his music makes me laugh.
James* says: I recommend Louis Armstrong, because his voice is weird, but in a good way.
Jehlan* says: I recommend Ella, Jazz Vocalist, because she makes me happy.
Janita* says: I recommend Billie Holiday, Jazz Vocalist, because her voice is so wonderful!
Mirita* says: I recommend Louis Armstrong, because his music makes me feel real jumpy and it makes me laugh my head off.
Maria* says: I recommend Ella, Jazz Vocalist, because her music makes me dance.
I say, I recommend my students, because they're a joy to be around.
*As written, the names of these young musicians are not, of course, their real names.
**These mini-albums are totally great, easy to do with kids, and an imaginative way to incorporate learning facts and listening to music, with hands-on crafts. I got the entire idea from a great blog called Dudecraft. Here's the link to the instructions for making the albums, along with templates that are available (for free) to download:
www.dudecraft.com/2009/12/how-to-mini-lp-record-gift-tags.html
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