My career starts

August 2002

I have been hired out of college to teach in a little town in the midwest. I am a trombone player at heart and now a music teacher by trade.

This past Monday the new teachers had district orientation. I was so excited to begin my job. I hadn’t heard anything from my fine arts coordinator, Doug, about when I could get keys to my classroom and start preparing it for school. I thought that the people running our orientation would probably issue our keys and let us spend some time in the classroom. The hardest part about going to our orientation was figuring out what to wear. Do I dress up for the first day on the job? Is the superintendent going to be there? Technically it was still summer and I thought we might get away with shorts and a t-shirt. I decided to go with the safe outfit: the band director special. I wore a polo shirt and khaki pants. Slightly more than summer attire and less than a suit. I figured, hey, I already signed the contract and they can’t fire me during orientation, right?

I arrived at the district building early for my first meeting. There were around thirty other new teachers to the district and they had all opted for the polo shirt and khaki dress. I had to laugh at this. We were all to scared to wear shorts! I was among my new colleagues and it felt good. We sat through the meetings about the school district’s mission statement and goals. We had meetings about stipends and benefits, taxes and dental plans and lastly, the borne pathogen video. For those of you who have had to go through the borne pathogen training know what kind of special it is. It looks like a video from the 70’s where we’re told over and over again not to touch . Don’t touch from a student. Don’t touch on the ground. Don’t touch on bandaids or needles. It’s ridiculous. All you need to know is: 1. Don’t touch , wear gloves and 2. call someone to clean it up. It's just that easy.

After three days of meetings and filling out forms, I met the new choir director who would be teaching with me at Lincoln Middle School. She was just out of college as well and all I can remember about our first meeting was that she was really tall and had long arms. Jannie was out to change the world with her teaching. I admired that about new teachers, but I also knew it was unrealistic. My student teaching experience had prepared me for "real" teaching. Jannie’s sister, another Jennifer, had already taught elementary music in the same district for two years. Jennifer was not tall and had a reasonable length to her arms.

I spent some time talking with my new colleague, the person I knew I would work closely with in my new position. Jannie was all a twitter about how good the organization was going in her classroom. CLASSROOM!?!??! How did she get into her classroom???? I didn’t even have keys. I was so behind. There were only five days until school started and I hadn’t even taken over the band room. At our lunch break I whipped out my cell phone and called Doug. Doug said he had forgotten to write my phone number down and had my keys ready for me about a week ago. I smacked my hand on my forehead. This was not the idealistic way to start a new teaching job.

After our last “new teacher” orientation day I hopped in my shiny, new, silver Chevy Impala my parents had bought me for graduation and drove half an hour to one of the larger cities neighboring mine. I had student taught in the area and I was thankful to know where the good teacher supply store was. The Chalkboard was a store filled with teacher goodies: posters, stickers, plastic clocks, paper money…a wonderland of fun. I had seen my new band room once when I interviewed for the job. It was painted pale yellow probably 30 years go and most of the paint had flaked off. I was desperate to cheer up the room and make it kid friendly. I bought the LARGEST posters I could find. One of them said “TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More” another said “Smile if you brought your brain” (a personal favorite). I even bought a huge music inspiration poster to put up in the room. The next day I would plaster all of these witty educational gems throughout my dull, dreary band room and liven them up! I wanted my kids to know a FUN teacher had arrived in the building and for them to look forward to a new year in that room. First impressions and all of that you know.

Thursday we had teacher institute which is a fancy, education-ese way of saying “lots of meetings with all of the district teachers”. All teachers from kindergarten through high school met together to hear the superintendent give the keynote speech. To be honest, I never remember what they talk about. I think it was something about our students being stars that we will polish and send off into the night sky. When they start talking all metaphorically like that, my mind can’t help but wander. I bet I spent the next half an hour thinking about the musical, Carousel, and how the main character had to polish stars in heaven after his …and was that ending really the best way to end a big musical? I had and still have a hard time taking motivational speeches from administrators who haven’t been in a classroom in 20+ years.

This institute was a little different though. Instead of just sitting in the balcony with my fellow balcony sitters, Doug, the fine arts director, had called me the night before and asked me to join in and play in the faculty Dixieland band. My first response was, “We have a faculty Dixieland band?” He said all of the band directors were getting together to play as the teachers entered the meeting. It ended up being fun. I’m a trombone player by heart, but since I left the college life and entered teaching, I have to say that my Dixieland chops are NOT what they used to be!

During the opening ceremony of the teacher institute, our superintendent of human resources introduced the new faculty to the returning faculty. It was a “stand up and let’s clap for you” kind of thing. Since I had played in the Dixieland band, I had to stand on tippy-toe in the orchestra pit for anyone to see me. Once I looked out of the pit I could see all of the teachers, from Kindergarten through high school. There were a lot of teachers in this district and these were my new colleagues. I remember it being a sobering moment, even if I had just played somewhat lighthearted jazz.

After the keynote speaker, I went to Lincoln Middle School and worked in my room some more. I was running out of ideas on how to spruce up my dull and bland room. The posters hadn’t held up their end of the bargain. While I was working on cleaning and organizing my room, I had four visitors. The music representatives from all of the local music stores came to meet me and to “schmooze”. It’s really the only schmoozing we have in the band world because instrument rentals can be good money. These guys needed to work on their schmoozing. Only one offered to take me out to eat. *sigh* Last year I got taken out to Famous Dave’s bbq as a student teacher, I was delusional to think that it would be better once I started to teach. Then again, I guess you have to have a great program in order to have food offers from multiple people. The man I student taught under was a world renowned band conductor and composer and of course he got better schmoozing. I made a mental note to work on that in the future.

Next, I got cornered by the Industrial Technology teacher who was my neighbor down the hall, named Randall. He gave me the office supplies that my predecessor had ordered the year before. TWELVE REAMS OF PAPER!!!! THAT'S IT!!! No print cartridges, no paperclips, and no envelopes...PAPER! How could someone in teaching not order anything other than paper!?!?! AHHH!! I've got colored paper coming out my ears! At least my music programs would be colorful and plenty.

In the afternoon, I had my first Lincoln Middle School faculty meeting. Boring. More of the same start of school optimism. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not a complete pessimist, but I’d rather be working in my room and getting ready for my kids than sitting in meetings hearing my administrators talk about the kids. After the meeting concluded, I headed off to the other Middle School in town, Washington Middle School, to introduce myself to the administration there. I figured since I taught one class a day there, I should be professional and introduce myself. When I got to the offices at Washington Middle School, there was a huge mix up over there. They thought the new assistant director at the high school, Mr. Eric Lundeen, was to teach 8th grade band at Washington. All of the student's schedules, my mailbox, and the administration calendars had his name on it. I spent a half an hour trying to convince them that I WAS NOT Eric Lundeen! (You would think the radiating femininity would've worked...hmmm...) It took an entire year for them to change my mailbox from Eric Lundeen to “8^th grade band director”.

My colleague and co-teacher at Washington Middle School was going to be Mr. Don Erickson. He had been in his position for at least 13 years and he was the 6^th & 7^th grade band director there. He also assisted the high school marching band. I had met Don previously when Doug, the fine arts director, was showing me around the district, but this was the first time I had talked to him as a newly hired employee. I had asked Don to help me set up room boundary lines (which lockers do my 8^th graders get, and where are their folder slots…) and he was also filling me in on what I had missed at the Washington faculty meeting. While Don was talking, in came a student in a crazy hurry and she was YELLING. Her friend, who was still outside by the track, had GASHED her leg open from falling off a bleacher. Don and I ran outside and sure enough, EVERYWHERE. Her leg wasn't just cut, it was cut OPEN. She was going to need some stitches. I helped this into the locker room and Don ran for the nurse. I got out my GLOVES and start to put pressure on the wound. (WOW! The borne pathogen video DID come in handy! Who knew it would be so soon!!?!?!) The nurse arrived, continued to put pressure on her gash and performed first aid to this student. I waited around until the ’s family showed up to take her to the hospital. What a busy day, and I had to think: THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL HASN"T EVEN STARTED!!!! I thought the chaos would at least wait until school started.

Today was Friday and I spent the day setting up more things in my room and prepping for the first day of school which is on Monday. Ready or not, here it comes!

My first year of teaching. I feel like such an adult !

Not the merriest of Christmases

It's Christmas Day 2009. My nephew has come down with what appears to be the stomach flu, which cancels our original plans of going into the city to spend the entire day with our friends and family.


So currently my husband is playing lego star wars on our outdated PS2 and I'm commiserating on the computer.


I just received an email from an acquaintance sent today (ie...remember, it's Christmas) that informed me that the last hope husband and I had for him to get this really cool job is no more. Who sends out a rejection email on Christmas? If I can't go to Meijer to buy eggs, people shouldn't be able to send rejections.


So this Christmas is just me, my still unemployed and terribly talented husband, our pets and star wars legos. I thought this was as good time as any to start a blog. I realize that so far it's pretty miserable, but I promise, it shall improve. Since I have the time, I can begin a blog.


I am a band director. I teach little kiddos to play music on instruments. Yes, I have hearing loss; I figure it's the only way I can continue to do what I do. :) I do love teaching, most days. I've been a teacher for over 8 years. I heard somewhere that the burn out for new teachers is 4-5 years. So, I've clearly past that mark and I'm looking toward a lifetime of teaching and inspiring new generations to embrace Hot Cross Buns, Spit Valves and John Philip Sousa.


I've been combing through my archives and I came across saved emails that I had sent during my first two years of teaching. It's nice to be able to look back and laugh at your mistakes and at the things that once drove me nuts. Some of the stories are downright funny! I've decided to share some of these with you, my imaginary readers.


I student taught fall of 2001. I endured a sexual harassment issue on day one of my student teaching career (a French horn student making references about flutes TO the flute section regarding "that one time at band camp"), two students committing suicide by throwing themselves under trains in one semester and the counseling and grieving that follows in a school, and the entire range of emotions and coping from September 11, 2001. Student teaching threw me some wicked curve balls, and I thought that going through these events had prepared me for teaching on my own.


I was so wrong.



I had no idea what was about to hit me. Those of you who have been teachers can probably tell many of your war stories, and I hope you share some with me. Even though I have no idea how life works in other career paths, I'm also guessing that everyone has their stories from when they first started. Their "genesis". Hopefully we can all look back and laugh together.


Here is a tidbit, something out of order to keep you wanting more. This was part of an email I had sent out to beloved family and friends my last day of teaching before Thanksgiving break 2002.

November 2002
The story of the week:
I have a 6th grade student, male oboe player, who is a seriously messed up
kid. We'll call him "Joe".  He's the one who has been arrested 5 times for
EVERYTHING.  Drugs, theft, you name it.  Well, I rarely see Joe because of
his suspensions and whatnot, but in he comes yesterday to class. His oboe is
here at school although he broke it over 2 weeks ago.  I do not have an extra oboe around,
and here he sits in class with nothing to do.  My new rule for my students is that if they don't have
a reed, their instrument or they can't handle rehearsing with the large
ensemble, they take staff paper and copy their music down by hand.  Let me
say that it has been a big help in getting kids to remember their reeds!

But I digress. So I have 2 other students without instruments and/or reeds
copying their music, and I tell Joe what to do as well.  He throws a HUGE
fit and blows up in my face.  I tell him calmly what is expected of him, why
he has to sit and do this assignment, and what he can do to remedy this in
the future.  He refuses to work.  So, I tell him that he has to make his own
decisions and I calmly turn around to go rehearse the rest of the 6th grade band.  I look over at him
later, and he is playing with one of those little finger skateboards. (I
HATE THEM.)  And yet another rule in my class is NO TOYS or they become mine until
the next day.  So I walk over and (calmly again) ask Joe for the skateboard.  He refuses
and then creates a HUGE scene for the rest of the class. At this point, I
could take no more.  I could not balance him and try to keep order with the
other squirrely 6th graders.  So, I sent Joe to the office.  Class ends, the day continues.

The last bell of the day rings.
After school I have ANOTHER troublemaker of mine, we'll call him Wayne, comes in to tell me that he
"ratted Joe out" and "turned him over to the Po-Po".  For those of you in the suburbs or on the
farm, the "po-po" are the police.  I asked what happened.
Wayne continues to tell me that he was in the hallway to get a
drink from the water fountain, and happens to see Joe run down the hall, find an open locker, unzip
his pants and start peeing all over the inside and outside of the locker.

I've decided to refer to Joe as "the pisser" from now on.

I don't think Joe will be in my class for the next few days.

****Merry Christmas, y'all!************