Thoughts of Week 1
The first week of Continuous Education (ConEd cause thats easier to type) has concluded. From my perspective as a Music Teacher, my week went pretty smoothly.
During the ConEd Planning Week, I was told by administration at the PSDistrict Level that Math and Reading were the most important part of ConEd for the rest of the school year. I am SUPPOSED to be all indignant about that because “MUSIC-IS-CURRICULAR-AND-HOW-DARE-THEY-WE-ARE-JUST-AS-IMPORTANT-AS- MATH!! Angry emoji, rude hand gesture”
But I’m not.
I would be all up in arms if this was normal school..but it’s not. NOTHING. IS. NORMAL right now. It’s not our “new normal” it is “normal at this moment” so with that in mind, I am being pragmatic about my content. For parents (who are either dangerously working OR working from home) keeping kids on track with assigned work, no sports to go play, no friend interactions, no normal structure, cabin fever, the LAST thing I as a music teacher wants to do is burden kids with more work!
So I’m keeping it simple for family’s. The amount of work I put in for a pretty video that students can watch on an unlisted Youtube Channel is a lot, but easy for the family to enjoy. My ENTIRE Spring Curriculum (3 Spring Concerts) was thrown out the window so I am starting from scratch with ideas!
So let me breakdown the two school entities under my Music Teacher Job Description preparedness for crisis....reminder to my readers: I’m employed by PSDistrict and assigned to two schools PS and CathSc
PSDistrict: 2 online learning platforms already up and going for years. K-3 SeeSaw, 4-12 Canvas. 1-1 iPads K-12. Master Controller of all iPads and staff MacBooks from Tech Department’s Command Central. Every student, teacher, para gets issued an username/password the minutes they are enrolled/hired by the district...it is the LAW! iPads and chargers were sent home with all of their school supplies the last day of what was Spring Break. Was it weird, yes, was it stressful, sure, the K-3 Music/PE teachers were not prepared as they were not on SeeSaw in in form, but was the prior preparation a godsend? YES!
CatholicSchool: Oh Lordy, you’d thought the sky was falling!! So many emotions! No online learning platforms, not enough devices for students, no continuity of control with devices they do have, no ONE tech person who says these are the rules, eat shit if you don’t like them. There are family’s who have NO devices for their kids personally, just the adult’s phones. The school had to get grants to get devices, (Kinder still don’t have devices as they won't be in until mid April) they had to find funds with the Home and School organization to get SeeSaw up and running, they were caught with their pants down, underwear down, ass to the sky in winter unprepared. This does not sit well with the Principal who cannot adapt to chaos well. She hates making decisions, laying down the law, she’d rather roll with it and come what may...
well....you can’t tho right now...so....yeah...her life has been chaos!
Lord almighty, the CathSc Zoom Meetings were JUST like a regular UNORGANIZED staff meeting only I was sitting in my house, with my cat, stress eating chips, texting the school secretary while at the “meeting”
Also let me say this: Parents/Family’s have been so understanding and gracious! They know that this whole time in our world isn't something that ANYONE can control, so they are not blaming the teachers, PSDistrict, County Health Dept, etc...they are just rolling with it as best as they can!
For the Record
1. I don’t plan on giving assigned/graded homework EVER. Grades are A/P/F. I wouldn’t give graded homework if it was normal school IN THE FIRST PLACE! We would be doing Concert Prep..Sing, props, choreography when I ask, stand still, don’t touch people, will you, for the love of music, open your mouths and SING, Dang it, Go America (Theme)...NOT WORKSHEETS!
2. I’m not putting out content every damn day. I see PS students 2-3 days/week. Cath 5 days/week, but the PSDistrict (who gives me my marching orders) has not told the music teachers how much output we are required. The PSPrincipal has asked, but not said “Thats not enough!” or “Do less” or whatever. So screw it!
3. Zoom Meetings with students? Nope! I’m not willing to ADD TO the screen time.
4. Creativity in my own house? HECK YES!! I have had so much fun creating content that is so different than what I WOULD be doing right now. How many different ways can I build rhythms using stuff around my house?!? Read along/Sing along? Sure!! Video on Jazz? You Bet!
is there more to say? Yeah...there will be..a lot more..but for now,
A brief description at the end of the First Week.
I miss my students