Thanks for suggestions on music. So far I've found electronic to be a decent compromise.
But my current plan, that I'm nerdy excited about, is to get music from different cultures and feature a place and style each week.
The trick is that my collection of world music is pretty minimal and my budget for this isn't happening.
So places that I've found that I'm excited about.
Greenstar Music-- I used to have all of their samplers downloaded, but then my harddrive died. This was a good chance to get them again. (Sidebar. I found out about Greenstar because they advertise on PovertyFighters.
Global Rhythms-- 10 free downloads a week. In a variety of musical genres. But the music isn't offensive (and usually not just because I can't understand it). I found it through Afropop Worldwide. Warning, you have to register and this site is not very user friendly. The downloads are there. Read the FAQs to get directions. For a CD a week, it's worth it. And I'll find a way to budget some to support they system.
The students' reaction so far is mostly along the lines of, "You're crazy." "Why are you so old? Even the old teachers at the school let us listen to hip hop." I get some sort of perverse pleasure from this. I just don't think they have a clue of how all-around nerdy I am.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
hoping the mango lasts through Thanksgiving
Recent comfort foods:
Battling the depression. There's a reason they tell you to get your support network in order before you start teaching. Thanks to everyone who listens to me gripe when I need it and who distracts me with thoughts of their lives when I need that escape. Gossip updates are amazing. Updates about the potential for gossip are even better. (Then I can ponder my advice.)
Lots of hugs to all who are comfortable receiving them.
- Lotus tea (Tazo goodness)
- Jasmine Pearl tea (so much better than just loose jasmine because they unfurl!)
- Chocolate mousse (maybe a bit too rich. I didn't use enough cream. And really, plain chocolate chips rather than fancy ones would be fine. I think. 60% caco is too much.)
- Dried Mango
- Mixed nuts, unsalted
- Cheese-nips
- Milk
- Homemade pizza
- Scrambled eggs
Battling the depression. There's a reason they tell you to get your support network in order before you start teaching. Thanks to everyone who listens to me gripe when I need it and who distracts me with thoughts of their lives when I need that escape. Gossip updates are amazing. Updates about the potential for gossip are even better. (Then I can ponder my advice.)
Lots of hugs to all who are comfortable receiving them.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
What to listen to?
First thing, today was a better day. Now on to what I want to write about.
Some of my students want to listen to music in class.
That's great. Sort of. Maybe. I mean it seems like something I could do. But I'm having trouble figuring out what to listen to.
They like hip-hop. me, not so much. Never did get into that.l And the songs they like, even when there aren't swear words, are way too sexual for me to be playing in my class.
Part of me is tempted to do classical music. But I don't really have any. And am not sure where I'd want to begin. Or how they'd react to it. I like classical. But really, I like watching it more than listening to it. It has to be that entire experience. I got so spoiled in college. Going to the concerts with AMAZING performers (free with tuition) and sitting wherever I wanted. I can listen to a concert by Joshua Bell, but I can't be fascinated by his hair over streaming audio. (He has really amazing hair.) I can't see the performers and imagine their grandchildren. I can't giggle throughout at how a friend's demeanor shifts while playing.
More later on my students already mocking me for being old before my time with taste in music. Not that they even know that I listen to Taize during my prep and that the other math teacher asks me if I listen to anything else.
And I do. But I find myself agreeing with today's Slate article that the indie music I listen to may be a bit snobby. So do I play that for them? (That seems more odd than letting them play their music.) My feeling is no.
Is there some good world music to listen to (a different country each week!)? Do I see about more local music? What helps focus? What just distracts?
What do you listen to when you study?
Some of my students want to listen to music in class.
That's great. Sort of. Maybe. I mean it seems like something I could do. But I'm having trouble figuring out what to listen to.
They like hip-hop. me, not so much. Never did get into that.l And the songs they like, even when there aren't swear words, are way too sexual for me to be playing in my class.
Part of me is tempted to do classical music. But I don't really have any. And am not sure where I'd want to begin. Or how they'd react to it. I like classical. But really, I like watching it more than listening to it. It has to be that entire experience. I got so spoiled in college. Going to the concerts with AMAZING performers (free with tuition) and sitting wherever I wanted. I can listen to a concert by Joshua Bell, but I can't be fascinated by his hair over streaming audio. (He has really amazing hair.) I can't see the performers and imagine their grandchildren. I can't giggle throughout at how a friend's demeanor shifts while playing.
More later on my students already mocking me for being old before my time with taste in music. Not that they even know that I listen to Taize during my prep and that the other math teacher asks me if I listen to anything else.
And I do. But I find myself agreeing with today's Slate article that the indie music I listen to may be a bit snobby. So do I play that for them? (That seems more odd than letting them play their music.) My feeling is no.
Is there some good world music to listen to (a different country each week!)? Do I see about more local music? What helps focus? What just distracts?
What do you listen to when you study?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
breakdown
It's hard not to take things personally. It's hard to know when to take things personally.
Like when my aide, who I thought I had a good relationship with, transfers out of my classroom because I'm rude to her.
Like when my cell phone decides to have the mic die.
Like when way too many of my students aren't doing the work.
What's my fault? What can I change? What do other perople need to deal with?
Like when my aide, who I thought I had a good relationship with, transfers out of my classroom because I'm rude to her.
Like when my cell phone decides to have the mic die.
Like when way too many of my students aren't doing the work.
What's my fault? What can I change? What do other perople need to deal with?
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Musings on surroundings
We turned on the heat yesterday. Hopefully, the electrical company will be by soon to adjust settings so that we can pay less for the electricity used to heat the trailer. I haven't unpacked many of my winter clothes yet, but they're coming out fast. Wind, rain, and temperatures in the 40's encourage that.
Yesterday I went to a craft fair in the big town nearby. Got one of the other young teachers to come with, which was a good way to get to know her better. (I also learned a back road,so the trip's only 35 minutes!)
I found out about the fair from one of the older teachers at the school. We ended up having lunch with her and half of the women in her extended family (mother, sister, sister-in-law...). It was great to be with a family. Great to be welcomed into the community here.
But it also helps me remember why my trip back to visit college last weekend was so amazing. Being reminded that I have (close) friends my own age. I've been in the bubble with people my own age for so long, it seems odd not to be surrounded anymore. I've always been adopted by older church members, so I'm comfortable with the setting here. It's just healthy to remember that I have friends of all ages and that's okay.
Yesterday I went to a craft fair in the big town nearby. Got one of the other young teachers to come with, which was a good way to get to know her better. (I also learned a back road,so the trip's only 35 minutes!)
I found out about the fair from one of the older teachers at the school. We ended up having lunch with her and half of the women in her extended family (mother, sister, sister-in-law...). It was great to be with a family. Great to be welcomed into the community here.
But it also helps me remember why my trip back to visit college last weekend was so amazing. Being reminded that I have (close) friends my own age. I've been in the bubble with people my own age for so long, it seems odd not to be surrounded anymore. I've always been adopted by older church members, so I'm comfortable with the setting here. It's just healthy to remember that I have friends of all ages and that's okay.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
parent's night
Parent's Night was yesterday and went far better than I expected. I had ~20 percent turnout, which is good for high school in general and amazing for here.
The best part though was feeling like every conversation went well. That parents left with confidence in me. Whether I bragged on their student, honestly said the student wasn't working, or some mixture of the two, everyone was positive.
They weren't all easy conversations. When my first mother told me who her daughter was the first thought flashing through my head was "I couldn't start with an easy one, could I?" But I was able to pull out yesterday's assignment and say "We took 50 minutes to work on this. You can see what she didn't get done." (Anything.) "I would come ask her if she needed any, and she'd just smile at me and say no, covering her paper all the time." Mom's going to be in class on Tuesday.
There was one family that I'd been warned about because they love to argue. The student loves to debate a point and makes careless errors right and left. I feel like he's one that doesn't try nearly as much as he could. So when his mom asked if I was using a book, I explained that the book's provided for the material I'm teaching right now are trash and that the students are not at the level for the book that's supposed to go with their class.
"Well I was just wondering where you got your questions."
"I have teachers editions at home and use the internet a lot."
Apparently the real issue was a question in the homework. So I worked it on the board. I think it was a good thing that I made the same mistake she'd made. (So nice to have a parent who KNOWS math.) I couldn't see my error immediately, so I reworked it a different way. Finally, I had the lightbulb, "Oh, there's the mistake. I forgot that negative sign. That's the same type of mistake your son makes. I make the careless errors too, so I know how important it is to look for them and be careful." I think she was just as happy to find out what her mistake was as she was to know that I could solve the problem and do the math.
From there did the last homework problem with her son. Which was an amazing chance to show her how I work with him in class. I had him work it on the board and asked the same type of questions that I do when she's not there. "What's first in your order of operations?" "If you add two what does that do? Is that really helping you?" He didn't get it immediately, but did eventually. As they were leaving, I asked if that method seemed appropriate for him or if she had some other approach that she'd like me to take with her son. Full approval.
It's good to have parents on my side.
Especially when I hand out grades that are a depressing wake-up call. The answers aren't being handed out anymore kids. You have to learn to do it on your own. And in order to learn, it's a good idea to be in class. Don't complain that you didn't get the chance to study when you haven't been here in a week. Knowing that those parents approve of what they saw will keep me going until some more students start picking things up.
The best part though was feeling like every conversation went well. That parents left with confidence in me. Whether I bragged on their student, honestly said the student wasn't working, or some mixture of the two, everyone was positive.
They weren't all easy conversations. When my first mother told me who her daughter was the first thought flashing through my head was "I couldn't start with an easy one, could I?" But I was able to pull out yesterday's assignment and say "We took 50 minutes to work on this. You can see what she didn't get done." (Anything.) "I would come ask her if she needed any, and she'd just smile at me and say no, covering her paper all the time." Mom's going to be in class on Tuesday.
There was one family that I'd been warned about because they love to argue. The student loves to debate a point and makes careless errors right and left. I feel like he's one that doesn't try nearly as much as he could. So when his mom asked if I was using a book, I explained that the book's provided for the material I'm teaching right now are trash and that the students are not at the level for the book that's supposed to go with their class.
"Well I was just wondering where you got your questions."
"I have teachers editions at home and use the internet a lot."
Apparently the real issue was a question in the homework. So I worked it on the board. I think it was a good thing that I made the same mistake she'd made. (So nice to have a parent who KNOWS math.) I couldn't see my error immediately, so I reworked it a different way. Finally, I had the lightbulb, "Oh, there's the mistake. I forgot that negative sign. That's the same type of mistake your son makes. I make the careless errors too, so I know how important it is to look for them and be careful." I think she was just as happy to find out what her mistake was as she was to know that I could solve the problem and do the math.
From there did the last homework problem with her son. Which was an amazing chance to show her how I work with him in class. I had him work it on the board and asked the same type of questions that I do when she's not there. "What's first in your order of operations?" "If you add two what does that do? Is that really helping you?" He didn't get it immediately, but did eventually. As they were leaving, I asked if that method seemed appropriate for him or if she had some other approach that she'd like me to take with her son. Full approval.
It's good to have parents on my side.
Especially when I hand out grades that are a depressing wake-up call. The answers aren't being handed out anymore kids. You have to learn to do it on your own. And in order to learn, it's a good idea to be in class. Don't complain that you didn't get the chance to study when you haven't been here in a week. Knowing that those parents approve of what they saw will keep me going until some more students start picking things up.
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