My life in exile

This summer I attended a band director clinic that I had wanted to go to for years. The clinic was great, but it was a bit of downer exerepiece. The whole time I was there, all I could think about was how I am not a band director anymore, and that I didn't really fit in. Of course, that's a little silly, of course I fit in just fine, I was surrouned by 100 of the biggest band geeks in the state, just like me.

So needless to say I had some anxiety about going back to work this September, particularly not knowing what was waiting for me at my new job.

Now that the year has be going for a month I can almost say I'm glad my last employer let me go. I enjoy the work with the young kids. There are different sorts of things to worry about than the middle school, but overal teaching music is teaching music whether your medium is singing or playing an instrument, its a matter of good pedagogy and knowing your content.

Its more that just what I do, though. The entire culture of HXB elementary is so different from HHOTRMS its shocking. The staff here actually get along and talk to each other. The general feeling of the school is laid back. Sometimes HHOTRMS just felt so up-tight it was shocking.

With the help of a book or two I think I have a pretty good handle on the what to teach now, and I'm enjoying learning along with the kids. Every now and then I have a lesson that bombs and I learn a lesson from it!