Student Teaching
Today was my first day of teaching, at a school which shall remain nameless for the sake of privacy. Just know that it's a pretty big school somewhere in the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
I've looked forward to this moment for quite some time now, with varying degrees of excitement and trepidation. I wasn't too nervous...and even that turned out to be for nothing. I really did almost nothing today. I got to do some warm-ups, but only one choir actually sang. I took roll in a few others, and then sat at the desk listening to the explanation of the handbook over and over, doodling a new choir poster at the desk.
I was so underwhelmed by my activities today that I am now eagerly looking forward to getting to teach actual things tomorrow instead of being terrified. I guess that worked out well.
It's weird to look at my little photo id card and see "Faculty" instead of "Student." It's weird to eat lunch in the fine arts office with all the staff. In a kind of anti-stereotypical moment, I was the only woman in the room for quite some time. I realize that's often the case in music, but in education in general it's the polar opposite. There's been a recent influx of student teachers into my church, almost all female, so it was weird to look around and realize I was alone. Later, two other women joined us and I felt slightly restored to balance.
There are currently NINETY-TWO freshmen girls in one of my choirs. We're hoping to lower that number by letting many of them audition for the next level of choir, but....NINETY-TWO!!!
It was a long day, and I didn't even have to go to work after classes. I came home, went grocery shopping, worked on my songs for tomorrow (I get to teach a song in Finnish and in Swahili. Whee!), and went to play some water volleyball at the park, though I ended up just sitting around talking and making friends, which is more fun anyway. I was humming almost the whole time, but the wrong Swahili song was stuck in my head. (how often do you get to say that?!) When I got home, the AEPA results were in - and I passed both tests! I don't think that means anything super awesomely official just yet, but it's a step towards being a licensed teacher, which is exciting.
So yes. A new era has dawned, and graduation is just 19 short weeks away.
The countdown has begun.
I've looked forward to this moment for quite some time now, with varying degrees of excitement and trepidation. I wasn't too nervous...and even that turned out to be for nothing. I really did almost nothing today. I got to do some warm-ups, but only one choir actually sang. I took roll in a few others, and then sat at the desk listening to the explanation of the handbook over and over, doodling a new choir poster at the desk.
I was so underwhelmed by my activities today that I am now eagerly looking forward to getting to teach actual things tomorrow instead of being terrified. I guess that worked out well.
It's weird to look at my little photo id card and see "Faculty" instead of "Student." It's weird to eat lunch in the fine arts office with all the staff. In a kind of anti-stereotypical moment, I was the only woman in the room for quite some time. I realize that's often the case in music, but in education in general it's the polar opposite. There's been a recent influx of student teachers into my church, almost all female, so it was weird to look around and realize I was alone. Later, two other women joined us and I felt slightly restored to balance.
There are currently NINETY-TWO freshmen girls in one of my choirs. We're hoping to lower that number by letting many of them audition for the next level of choir, but....NINETY-TWO!!!
It was a long day, and I didn't even have to go to work after classes. I came home, went grocery shopping, worked on my songs for tomorrow (I get to teach a song in Finnish and in Swahili. Whee!), and went to play some water volleyball at the park, though I ended up just sitting around talking and making friends, which is more fun anyway. I was humming almost the whole time, but the wrong Swahili song was stuck in my head. (how often do you get to say that?!) When I got home, the AEPA results were in - and I passed both tests! I don't think that means anything super awesomely official just yet, but it's a step towards being a licensed teacher, which is exciting.
So yes. A new era has dawned, and graduation is just 19 short weeks away.
The countdown has begun.
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