I would like to share my efforts with those interested and welcome comments or questions as I set forth on this journey to re-design my curricular units into ones that provide opportunities for deeper levels of learning and understanding for my students. Feel free to download any of the units below and modify or adapt for your situation. Enjoy!

• Understanding_By_Design_SteadyBeat_Unit_K
• Understanding_By_Design_Listening-VoiceTypes_Unit_K
• Understanding_By_Design_Musical_Opposites Unit-_SameandDifferent_K/1
• Understanding_By_Design_Rhythm_Building_Blocks_Unit_2
• Understanding_By_Design_Q&A_Improvisation Unit_5
• Understanding_By_Design_HOWTOBLUES Unit_5

Anyway, Smartboardmusic.org has created some fun Interactive games that cam be played with an IAW or online with Adobe Flash. I will plan to use both in my classroom asap!

The Spanish version of the site is http://www.pdimusica.com/.

And here is a cute video of the games in action!

First is Beth Lewis’ article at about.com about Avoiding teacher burnout. I especially like the part where she recommends not “playing teacher” at home. I find myself often giving the “teacher look” of disapproval to my kids and husband and micro-managing around the house. Need to stop that…ok.

Second, Adam Waxler’s article reminded me to SAY NO. I know, I know, it’s so cliche. But really, it as one of my New Year’s Resolutions and I’m not doing so good at it. (Case in Point- this blog and the 5 other websites I have going on now). Saying no means a lot for me because it often means saying no to a ministry opportunity, or to my kids. Saying no makes me feel like I’m turning my back on God or my kids, but since having shingles, I realize that I am worthless if I am not taking care of myself. Resting is the hardest thing for me to do right now. I feel like if there could just be 2-3 more hours in a day, then I could save that every day for a resting time, but would I really?

Joel, over at So You Want To Teach, always has great tips for reducing stress and I went back to read a couple of posts about stress reduction. His ideas are classic and timeless. He writes some truthful realizations:

There will never be enough time to do everything I want to do

There will never be enough money to do everything I want to do

There will never be enough people to do everything I want to do

The music will never sound good enough

Kids will continue to fail their classes, no matter how important I tell them that passing is

Parents will never be happy enough with everything I do in the classroom

I will never be caught up on paperwork

And I will add to the mantras-
There will NEVER be enough time to do everything I want to do. (good enough to repeat)
There will ALWAYS be drama at my job.
I DO NOT have to participate in the drama.
My house will NEVER be clean enough.
My kids ARE NOT an extension of me.
My students ARE NOT an extension of me.
GOD IS the one in control!
This morning, my mom called and said that my dad had a minor stroke and couldn’t remember who he worked for or where he was for a brief moment. It was heart-related and he got better quickly after taking aspirin, but it startled me and got me thinking. I am not that old. My dad is not that old. I can’t go on running my life all around on auto-pilot and letting things pile up inside me ready to sneak out at inefficient times. Someday, in an instant, it could all be gone. Someday, it will be gone, and what legacy have I left for my kids, my students, everyone. I don’t want to be modeling this kind of hectic, no-time-for-anything attitude to my family. I want so much to model a life of joy and peace. I want to wear the skin of Jesus in my personal and professional life- not my own skin festering with shingles due to over-activity and stress.
So dear readers, I’m not shutting down the blog or anything like that. But I am taking a different turn. A “turning of the page” so to speak. I enjoy posting about what interests me, and lately I’ve been so caught up in school that I haven’t had time to really get into what interests ME. I’ve been too busy gossiping in the lounge, worrying about grades, curriculum, and my ever-filthy living conditions, and piling on project after project trying to distract myself from the reality that I may be over-doing it and the guilt that comes with taking time for myself. I need to blog about it and get the words out. I need to SCHEDULE time for it and stick to it. It was fun this summer when I had the time to sit down and write. I need to make the time. I also will be scrapbooking more and probably taking out a portion of my new bonus at work to get a massage monthly.
Hopefully, the shingles will go away soon. I hate feeling like the town leper and feel hurt every time I’m around little babies and can’t hold them or be near them. I hate the looks I get when I tell people I got the shingles. But most of all, I know God is still with me and taking care of me, even when I brought this on myself. I’ve made the time to pray before school  each day this week in the parking lot after I turn the engine off. It’s been such a nice, peaceful time to sit there before God and ask for wisdom before I head into whatever tough urban teaching situation He leads me. He is teaching me and guiding me through this trial and I praise him through this hard time. Here is a verse that particularly spoke to me this week:

So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. 1Peter 4:19

God bless and speak to you again soon.

Sarah

So things at this blog have taken a back seat. I did get to go to a special session of the new DPS School Board candidates this week and have a draft of a post on advocacy waiting in the wings. I am excited that most of the candidates are bold supporters of the arts. We’ll just have to see if they can get creative with the lack of funding given to the state for such purposes. I attended a workshop by Grant Wiggins, author of Understanding By Design, drank the kool-aid, and am now in the process of overhauling much of my activities-based curriculum into a much deeper Quest for Understanding. Two units have been successfully written, but they are units I’ve already taught, so I’m just a little behind. Luckily I have 5 more weeks until the new cycle begins again and I will need 7 fresh units ready. I’ll see if I can scan them to share in the docs section. Procrastination will be my enemy at this point.

This week I will have an early release day on Friday which may allow me to get something else posted, but for now, please keep in touch and I promise I won’t let the blog get too stale over the course of the year. After all, I did warn you.

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

And, the following Quote of the Week:

The way to achieve happiness is to have a high standard for yourself and a medium one for everyone else. ~Marcelene Cox, U.S. author