Author: admin

The Chamber of Secrets Looms Nearer

I’m going to be a teacher when I grow up. It’s kind of shocking how close I am to that nose dive! But the closer I get, (not too close. Still got a mission, don’t forget) and the more I read and learn, the more nervous and uncomfortable and appalled and surprised and perplexed I become, particularly pertaining to the effects of No Child Left Behind, on both students and teachers. (See above picture.)

I read this piece written a teacher in Kansas as he discussed No Child Left Behind, and I thought it was quite interesting:

“What other profession is legally held to PERFECTION by 2014? Are police required to eliminate all crime? Are firefighters required to eliminate all fires? Are doctors required to cure all patients? Are lawyers required to win all cases? Are coaches required to win all games? Of course they aren’t.

“For no other profession do so many outsiders refuse to accept the realities of an imperfect world. Crime happens. Fire happens. Illness happens. As for lawyers and coaches, where there’s a winner there must also be a loser. People accept all these realities, until they apply to public education.

“If a poverty-stricken, drug-addled meth-cooker burns down his house, suffers third degree burns, and then goes to jail; we don’t blame the police, fire department, doctors, and defense attorneys for his predicament. But if that kid doesn’t graduate high school, it’s clearly the teacher’s fault.”

There you go. Thanks to that lovely little act in 2002, children are getting left behind, and teachers are getting thrust into a pit of despair, with no hope of escape.

Music Ed

Hey guess what? I changed my major.

I declared Elementary Music Ed in 7th grade, after an interview with Mrs. Chantry for Person Progress. Plans took a turn when I decided to go to BYU Hawaii, which doesn’t have a Music Ed program. I contented myself with just plan old Elementary Ed, but I was so pleased that Music theory gave math credit that I had to plunge into the music program. A double major!

No such thing

But I convinced them, and off I skipped in two very different directions: The CAC (our miniature HFAC) on one end of campus, and the School of Ed building all the way on the other. A full 12 minute trek! However, this

But here I find myself today, working on a potential Elementary Music Ed degree, just as I dreamed of ten years ago.

Kindermusik

This is another Mommy Blog post. (Last advertised was Alexander’s Amazing Adventures.) If I was a mom and I was writing about how amazingly intelligent and musical my children were, and how yours too could be the same, I would credit it to this great program that I’d put them through.

We’re doing method reports for my piano pedagogy class, and I’m doing mine on Kindermusik. Oh my word. Genius! I love every bit of it.

This is what they say at the top of their website: “Kindermusik® is about kids, parents, and teachers—coming together and having a great time! It’s about helping you grow closer to your child. Enriching her environment and her development. Giving him a lifelong love of music and a foundation for learning.” Sounds pretty good to me.

This is cool: Psychologists, neuroscientists, and experts in early childhood development have demonstrated that music does more for children than bring them joy; it helps their brain cells make the connections needed for virtually every kind of intelligence, including the kinds that the right hippocampus assists in. Kindermusik’s curriculum is built on that research.

That’s awesome.

Want to know more? Go here to read all about it and SIGN UP TODAY!

Then you’ll have kids just like mine. (Patient, loving, musical, of good report, praiseworthy, obedient, popular, and beautiful.)