Wednesday, November 2, 2011

small victories, today

These next few days I am subbing for the other music teacher as she is on the 7th grade cultural trip to Taipei as a sponsor. I wish I could go on a cultural trip. But anyhow, she left me with some private lessons to supervise, the younger elementary music classes, and middle school strings. I had a great time today. The best thing about it was that I loved middle school strings. Maybe because I had experience with it from last year.
 I loved it because the other music teacher had told me they are terrible with rhythm and you have to keep yelling counts at them and work slowly. No, that's not the real reason. I loved it because after hearing that, I was super encouraged by their ability to play the right notes and the right rhythms with me simply tapping out the beat. And of course, the occasional miracle-working demonstration.

Teaching is all about modeling. I am a model. Yes, you didn't know? I am a model because I am a teacher. I don't model clothes (although I have done that before...), I model technique. The cool thing is, the kids can do it back.

I also liked the fact that I have the air of novelty as the new teacher and the kids will be more interested in what I will do in class because of it. I know it's not something I can count on, but it's nice while it lasts.

 I wish I taught middle school.
 Not really.
 Just strings.

1 comment:

  1. you're a great model :) (including the kind for clothes hehehe)

    ReplyDelete