Fashion Friday: Olive You

Happy Friday!  Today is an at home grading and planning day for me, which is one of the best things that my school district has to offer.  I'm glad to say that I'm already done with my grades!  4th Quarter here I come!  Lots of things to look forward to this quarter with spring concerts, cluster concerts, Six Flags Trip, Solo and Ensemble Festival, Instrument Circus!  I'm very excited and energized to go into it!  Here's a fun "Is it spring yet?" outfit?

 Boots: DSW

Skirt: Target

Sparkly Belt: Target

Olive Top: Target

Tan Cardigan: J. Crew

Necklace: Forever 21

Watch: Fossil

Hope you all have a great weekend!  I don't have too much planned for this weekend, which is a welcome change.  Anyone else excited to start wrapping up the school year?

Fashion Friday: Southern Sparkle

Finally it’s Friday.  I don’t know about you but this week seemed to be so long even with a snow day on Monday.  I’m really starting to get excited about some of the music I’m playing with my students!  Progress, finally!  This week I moved three of my beginners to my advanced band at one of my schools and the difference it’s making has been really wonderful!  I’m happy to see how the change for students who were just miles ahead of their peers has motivated them to play more challenging music.  It’s also putting some pressure on my older students who haven’t been practicing or playing well to step up their game.  

My goal is to have three different level groups at all of my schools but right now I have 3 levels at one school and 2 at the other.  Just for reference I teach 4th - 6th grade.  Though next year some of my schools will lose their 6th grade so I’m not really sure how that will effect me yet.  

Well, onto fashion friday!  Here’s an outfit I wore to see Green River Ordinance.  They are a great band and have a country / rock sound.  I obviously love to break out the cowboy boots for concerts :-) 

 Boots: Country Store in PA

Jeans: American Eagle

Sequin Shirt: J.Crew

Cardigan: Target

Necklace: Nordstrom Rack

Watch: Fossil

Hair Tie: CVS ;-) 

Have a great weekend!  I’m hoping to start an orchestra (both my advanced band and orchestras will perform together) arrangement of “Happy” if I can find the motivation.  In other news I am learning to play the ukulele to use with my summer camp program!  It’s going pretty well so far.  Over the summer I do general music type activities with children ages 3 - 13 in Alexandria, VA.  It’s a blast.  I’ll definitely be posting about some of what I have planned for that.

Teaching Portfolio: Update

After getting so much views on my Teaching Portfolio post I decided to add another post about some of the other materials I’ve added since.

The first page I added to my portfolio section is a list of Method books that I have studied or used.  In the interview for my current position I was asked to go into detail about which method books I used in college and in my instrument methods courses, which I had no recollection.  So I went back into my college notebooks and attempted to find the syllabi for those courses and see which methods I used.  I also included books that I use with my band and orchestra as well as any other literature that I’ve studied personally.

The next page I added in addition to my resume, cover letter and list of references.  It’s a list of repertoire that I have performed.  I had to make this for my grad school application and decided that it could be useful to have in my portfolio as well.

 I also included two scores of songs I have arranged for my students, “Drummer Boy Samba” for band and “The James Bond Theme” for strings.

Hopefully this will help anyone as this part could be useful as a graduate school admission portfolios as well.  Feel free to leave a comment on anything you think could be used as well!  

Thanks for reading,

Fashion Friday: In like a lion and out like a lamb

Happy Friday!  Here’s a quick fashion friday post for you all before I start the weekend!  This week was pretty uneventful due to state testing.  Very glad to have that behind us now.  I had an observation today by my vice principal, which I think went really well.  She was even trying to help my bass player out.  Good thing that kid has it together and didn’t need much help.  I’m also really glad that all of my students had their instrument and my one student who has a cast on her arm (and plays violin) was able to figure out the metallophone I gave her to use instead.  

I’m looking forward to next week when (hopefully) my students won’t be so confused about the testing schedule.  Anyone else in a similar boat?  

Boots - DSW

Black Jeans - Urban Outfitters

Plaid Shirt - Old Navy

Green Vest - Old Navy

Jean Jacket - Gap

Scarf - Flee Markey

Bag - Michael Kohrs (via Marshalls)

Have a great weekend everyone!  

Teaching Portfolio

*Update - I’ve added another post on some additions to my portfolio!  Check it out HERE*

I've recently found some wonderful pins about professional portfolios and decided that it was time for me to revamp my own.  Hopefully this will be able to help any soon to be college graduates when planning their own!  It's definitely been helpful to have so many pictures to use since I've started the blog.  I recommend taking lots of pictures of your classroom for this reason!

This will be a great way to showcase the work I've done and give evidence to administrators when I'm being observed of the things I do in my class they might not see that day.  It will also be helpful for any future interviews or meetings with principals to have the ability to quickly find photos and documents.

Here is the cover of my portfolio:

I found it at Target and thought it was a fun, inviting pattern.

Inside I designed a cover page that has my phone number, email and includes a photo of myself and students who performed at the solo and ensemble festival last April.

 Next, I included a cover page which is a combination of my cover letter and my teaching philosophy.  It summarizes what I have included in the portfolio and has another photo of myself.

My next section is a snapshot of my classroom management and set-up.  It tells about the different things I am doing in my classrooms to help with behavior and positive reinforcement.

 Following that is a section on differentiation.  I included many ways that I differentiate such as the learning process and class structure, stand partners, my positioning, student interest, visuals, pre and post testing, student ownership and choices, procedure, group making, and karate belts.

 I included a section on recruitment and retention that describes my recruiting process and successes with retention.  I talk about retention both in elementary school but also through to middle and high school.

 The last page of my "classroom" section is on parent communication which talks about my newsletter and information I send home with students.

 Following this section I've included professional certificates, my resume and references, transcripts, praxis scores, lesson plans, evaluations, observations, example of curriculum I've written, awards and programs.  As you can see it's quite full.

 I would still like to include method books that I have both studied and used as well as a repertoire list of pieces that I have performed with my students and performed professionally.  I will also include a score of a piece I arranged.

I also made smaller portfolios in case I need to leave information with anyone or school.  It includes my resume, references, teaching certificate, transcripts, praxis scores and a teaching brochure which summarizes my classroom section, philosophy and cover letter.  It also includes a photo to help put a face to the portfolio.

 I made a few of them…

Hope this helps someone!  What do you do with your professional portfolio?  Is there something I don't include that you do?  I'd love any feedback so feel free to share or leave a comment!

Fashion Friday: Black, Blue and Red all over

Happy Friday dear readers!  I have a quick post for you today as I’m getting ready to go teach a couple piano lessons before going to see Green River Ordinance tonight!  If you haven’t heard their music it’s great!  Then we’re going to karaoke to test out our own vocals :-)  I should start thinking of some good tunes to do.  

So here’s my outfit (though not what I’m wearing tonight, I’ll post that another time).  I wore this to church a few weeks ago.  It’s not something I would wear to work, the skirt is a little too short, but it was a different style I don’t usually try out.  Definitely my first time rockin’ the socks on top of the boots look.  Thoughts?  

Shoes: Indigo by Clarks

Tights: Urban Outfitters FLEECE LINED

Dress: Forever 21

Necklace: Target

Cardigan: Abercrombie 

Belt: Target

Hope you have a great weekend!

Music in our Schools Month: Bulletin Board

Finally back at school today after 2 days off because of snow which means I finally had time to put up the music in our schools bulletin board with the help of another music teacher!  Prior to putting up our board we polled the school staff to see who was involved in music growing up or currently.  This gave us our information to make the board!  Here it is in all it’s glory!

We have an orchestra side and a choir side.  They each have all the instruments of the orchestra and the different vocal parts of the choir.

 In the center are cards with different teacher’s names on them with yarn that attaches their name to what they played or sang.  It gets pretty crazy but I’ve noticed the students commenting on the different instruments and using their finger to find out who plays what.

I love hearing the students who can show their friends what instrument they play.  It’s really quite a conversation piece with the students :-)

What are some things that you are doing for Music in our Schools Month?  I may also be making some special presentations on the morning show later this month after the MSA tests have been completed.  I’d love to hear what you have going on in your schools!  Have a great (short) week!