11 November 2005
My Week
I started my last new school yesterday, bringing to a conclusion the most exhausting portion of the school year. My schedule is set and everyone's met me, so I can relax a little. My week:
Monday - Recorder classes with 130 5th and 6th Graders at a K-6 school in Bedford Park, the Bronx, near Lehman College. I'm also squeezing in general music classes with 50 Kindergarteners at a K-8 school in Woodlawn, the Bronx, through December.
Tuesday - More recorder, this time with 110 3rd and 4th graders and a class of nine Special Ed 5th graders, at a K-8 school in the East Tremont section of the Bronx. Eventually, this will be followed by a 7th and 8th grade chorus at the same school. I also teach general music at an afterschool program in Morris Heights, the Bronx, which serves about 40 2nd graders and will eventually grow to 60.
Wednesday - I return to my Bedford Park school to teach general music to 200 Kindergarteners.
Thursday - I sneak in general music classes with 50 first graders at my Woodlawn school (once again, only through December), and then return to my East Tremont school for recorder and chorus.
Friday - I escape the Bronx for one day during the school week, and teach general music classes to 120 Pre-K'ers and Kindergarteners at a K-5 school in Lefferts Gardens, in Brooklyn.
Saturday - I lead five classes at an arts center on the Lower East Side: a sort of "Mommy & Me" music class for toddlers; a songs, stories and games class for three- and four-year-olds; a "music theory" class for ages five and six; and two choruses for ages four and five and six through eight, respectively. Right now I see about 20 kids in all these classes put together.
People gasp when I lay this out for them. Actually, it's no different numbers-wise than the workload of a Dept. of Ed music teacher working for a single school. What makes it arduous is the relentless commuting and lack of benefits.
¶ 9:58 AM
I started my last new school yesterday, bringing to a conclusion the most exhausting portion of the school year. My schedule is set and everyone's met me, so I can relax a little. My week:
Monday - Recorder classes with 130 5th and 6th Graders at a K-6 school in Bedford Park, the Bronx, near Lehman College. I'm also squeezing in general music classes with 50 Kindergarteners at a K-8 school in Woodlawn, the Bronx, through December.
Tuesday - More recorder, this time with 110 3rd and 4th graders and a class of nine Special Ed 5th graders, at a K-8 school in the East Tremont section of the Bronx. Eventually, this will be followed by a 7th and 8th grade chorus at the same school. I also teach general music at an afterschool program in Morris Heights, the Bronx, which serves about 40 2nd graders and will eventually grow to 60.
Wednesday - I return to my Bedford Park school to teach general music to 200 Kindergarteners.
Thursday - I sneak in general music classes with 50 first graders at my Woodlawn school (once again, only through December), and then return to my East Tremont school for recorder and chorus.
Friday - I escape the Bronx for one day during the school week, and teach general music classes to 120 Pre-K'ers and Kindergarteners at a K-5 school in Lefferts Gardens, in Brooklyn.
Saturday - I lead five classes at an arts center on the Lower East Side: a sort of "Mommy & Me" music class for toddlers; a songs, stories and games class for three- and four-year-olds; a "music theory" class for ages five and six; and two choruses for ages four and five and six through eight, respectively. Right now I see about 20 kids in all these classes put together.
People gasp when I lay this out for them. Actually, it's no different numbers-wise than the workload of a Dept. of Ed music teacher working for a single school. What makes it arduous is the relentless commuting and lack of benefits.
¶ 9:58 AM
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this paticular school only had funds for 12 weeks for their k-3rd grades. these kids also get art and other stuff, and other grades do other things with the arts as well. so i am seeing the k's and 1's through december, and then see the 2's and 3's in the spring. this is in addition to the other schools which go all year.
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