Also this week was the elementary music festival. Events like this have to be set up a little bit differently than anywhere else, as schools in the district are far apart and slim resources do not allow buses to return children home. It is up to the music teacher to make sure everybody gets home and has all the proper permission slips from parents beforehand spelling things out and allowing the teacher or others to transport. And there were a couple of glitches with a sick child just before dinner and a parent who was able to come but didn't tell me I would not need to transport her home.
Not having a choral time also presented problems. The classroom teachers involved were wonderful; they recognized the importance of this learning experience and gave me time the morning of festival to have our one and only group rehearsal. For most, actually for all, it was the first time they had done anything like this. I was really worried they would choose not to go at the last minute (and two did). I knew if I could get them there, they would have a great time and needn't have worried about anything.
We took the bus which was so noisy I could not use that time to prepare them for the day and had to turn around when a child forgot not only her dinner. but concert clothes too. Once at the school there was organized confusion with schools from all over the district participating. That was the end of my personal time with my group as they all climbed onto the risers to rehearse under the very proficient conductor.
These events are always wonderful learning experiences for me too, as well as a chance to see fellow music teachers in our district. I often feel a bit isolated at our school and would appreciate a little more interaction with other fellow music teachers and we are all way too busy to keep up regular email. I always pick up a lot of tips, especially managing students especially. I was able to sit in on the concert band rehearsal for a short time, guest-conducted by an educator now at a city high school who used to teach at my school.
The program itself was great and very short actually. The Irish lad would have been half an hour late if I had not called him in momentary panic to see if he could bring the sick child home when we couldn't reach her mother. The repertoire included difficult concert band pieces with especially hard rhythms March of the Aliens (Barry Gott); Uskudar (arr by Michael Story and Robert W. Smith); Colonel John (Fred Weber and Frank Erickson); and Smoke on the Water (Deep Purple, arr. by Paul Murtha). The chorus had English and Spanish music with catchy rhythms and a very challenging Shenandoah (which I had practiced faster). That was in three parts and the kids pulled it off beautifully. The other pieces were Somos el Barro (Lorre Wyatt, arr. Estaire Godinez); Catch a Falling Star (Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss); Like an Eagle (Carl Strommen); What Can One Little Person Do? (Sally Rogers); and Turn the Beat Around (P. Jackson, G. Jackson). Beautifully put together.
Next year I will have a volunteer come with me to pass out communal snacks; give a sick child a ride home; help account for everybody before, during, and afterwards; and whatever else unexpected comes up. Also I want them to ride the bus so I can drive my car and have it available the whole time if needed, so the Irish lad doesn't have to go if he doesn't want to. A good learning experience for all. Really, the music was absolutely fantastic; it was just all the other unexpected things happening that made it difficult and I was awake for two hours in the night thinking about the child I didn't see afterwards even though others did see her and her dad. None of the numbers I had on my emergency contact lists worked either. I am told this is an ongoing problem in general.
I was really proud of the students who after all were only in 5th and 6th grade for choosing to participate in this new and scary experience. Our school is isolated and while that can be comforting it also makes students more afraid to step out of that comfort zone and try anything new.
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