As anyone who has ever lived in a climate of seasonal change knows, February is the worst. Dull, cold, snowy/slushy, and no festive street decorations or holiday cheer to break up the monotony. That is precisely why I believe NYC schools are genius in establishing this "midwinter recess" for the third week in February... This is time off so greatly needed by teachers and students alike, and I think it'll make March much more productive than it often tends to be. The chance to step away from the "trenches" for a week allows for some perspective not easily attained amidst the bustle of Christmas break.
That said, I haven't really accomplished much of what I had mentally designated for this break... No concert rep selection, no in-depth unit planning for the remainder of the year... I'm not even done with lesson plans for next week yet! I suppose I still have the weekend. =)
But the break has not been totally wasted. I've been able to catch up with a lot of friends and remind myself that there is, in fact, a lot of city that exists beyond the route of my school commute.
Highlights:
Night Out with Meghan & Friends
Brewery tour, free pizza, quality time at a favorite West Village piano bar.
Lots of Babysitting
Extra cash and the opportunity to hang out in types of apartments I'll never be able to afford...
First (and likely Last) Cabaret Experience
At least I got to see my friend Tim perform two songs for the price of a cover and two ridiculously expensive drinks. Emcee was tragically untalented, staff was rude, and Tim even had to pay to participate. A lesson learned for all involved. =P
Teacher Talk
It's both comforting and slightly stressful to chat with other music teachers... Though students and environments differ vastly between schools, I can't help but compare my program to others'--for better or worse. In some areas I'm very confident in my curriculum and methods, some I'm not and panic that I'm letting my students and school and organization down. I'm really looking forward to a whole summer off where I can really revamp my whole-year plan and organize units and strategies into a unified blueprint. Despite week-long breaks and the gradual amassing of resources and ideas, I feel like I'm struggling to meet my own expectations/standards for my teaching this year for every grade. But then I realize I essentially plan nine lessons a week. Nine distinct trajectories of content and objectives spread out across seven grades. I need to find a way to consolidate units to apply to 2-3 grade levels while still teaching unique lessons to each grade. That's the summer plan. I hope.
Field Trip!
Yesterday I spent the afternoon at Meghan's agency in East Harlem. For those of you who don't have her blog on your reading list, her organization basically provides any family-related service you could possibly imagine for a set of zip codes in East Harlem. Since she works in nearly every department for at least a few hours a week, I was able to talk with a wide array of knowledgeable individuals about the various programs Little Sisters of the Assumption provides for the neighborhood, including (but not limited to) a food pantry, environmental (molds/pests/etc.) home visits, tutoring, nursing, language classes, immigration aid, child advocacy, family advocacy... It's amazing to see such a thorough and comprehensive approach toward serving and empowering a community, especially as the East Harlem neighborhood it serves resembles closely my school's surrounding area in terms of population and socioeconomic status. I'll definitely be looking into similar organizations (supposedly the Dominican Sisters have something running) that serve my students.
Outside Time
Between a snowy wonderland up in the Cloisters (pictures to come) on Tuesday and a springlike air (40s!) today, I've appreciated a number of simple and relaxing walks through the version of nature that presents itself around these parts. I miss the ability to simply enjoy the outdoors in this beautiful city. Spring and summer cannot come soon enough.
I suppose I should put an end to work-related procrastination and just deal with the reality of a return to the ol' routine on Monday. Once again (and this will be a regular reminder in this blog for the next few posts), I WILL BE IN WAVERLY MARCH 27-30!!!! Please be there? =)
KP
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