Choosing Network Marketing

In my blog I have frequently spoken of my adventures as a teacher, but less often of my adventures as an entrepreneur.  In addition to teaching public school and a few private clarinet lessons each week, I own a network marketing business.

In network marketing, when we talk to each other and train, we speak a great deal about our "whys" and our stories.  While I frequently speak about my experiences with the products I market, I have rarely spoken about why I chose to go into business rather than just become a customer.  Perhaps that is because choosing network marketing was a more complicated decision, with several threads of thought and life experiences coming into play.  

Nearly three years ago I transferred from teaching middle school band for my district, to teaching elementary music.  In doing so, I took a pay cut (but also a huge cut in my responsibilities and time away from home).  At that same time, my husband was laid off from a job he'd held for 5 years, when they sold his division to another company...who decided that they would not offer him a position.  He had regularly made performance bonuses, all of his stats were consistently excellent, and he works in a normally very stable industry.  And yet unemployment still struck, for no better reason than the uncertainty of corporate politics.

Flashback three years before that.  I had just moved to San Antonio, and I had only one year of teaching band under my belt.  I only knew a small handful of people in my field in this area of the state, and none of them with the direct power to hire me for what I had trained to do (although those contacts were instrumental in helping me get my foot in the door and properly networked around here!).  The summer of 2007 found me unable to find full time work as a band director.  So I took the entrepreneurial route and began teaching private clarinet lessons.  It turned out that there was plenty of work available for a clarinet teacher willing to travel all over town...so I did.  I ended up working and commuting full time...for what ended up being a part time paycheck.  That year gas prices hit over $4.00/gallon, and even in a fuel efficient car, I saw my profits eaten through my gas tank.  When you tell people that you make an average of $25/hour, they assume that you're rolling in money.  But that's $25/hour before accounting for gas money, car maintenance, car insurance, instrument maintenance and reeds...and doesn't include any benefits at all.  No paid time off, no retirement, no health or dental insurance.  Welcome to the world of traditional entrepreneurs from all types of businesses.  It's tough.  I diligently networked the entire year, meeting tons of local band directors by teaching their clarinet players.  I gained a very good reputation, and I soon had more offers for work in this field than I had available hours - and I was still broke.  The next year I did a variety of things to make ends meet, and in August of 2009, I took a position as a middle school band director.  A year and a half of intense work and stress later...I transferred to teaching elementary music, and my life changed forever...which brings me back to where I began my Network Marketing story, three years ago...

I met my future sponsor at one of my elementary campuses (I work at 2). She was a fellow teacher who I visited with during our lunch breaks.  After several conversations, reading through all the literature she provided me, and a lot of thought...I agreed to go see a full presentation of the business, where I would meet several other people involved in the business.

My future sponsor had provided me with plenty of samples of various products, and I knew the products to be of excellent quality...but that wasn't reason enough to join the company as an Associate.  There are tons of products in the world that I enjoy using, and I don't sell most of them, I just buy them.  So it begs the question...why Network Marketing?  Why THIS company?

1.  Compared to most businesses, network marketing (regardless of which company you might choose) has a low start up cost and low overhead.  Easy to start, easy to maintain. Even if you're spending a few hundred a month to maintain your business - it is still far less than what you would spend to purchase and maintain a brick and mortar store.

2.  Tax Advantages.  As a network marketing professional, your business is home-based.  Certain expenses become tax deductible...such as your phone, internet connection, purchases from your company, and even some of your entertainment (as long as you discuss business while you are out, and keep good records and receipts!).  That's just a small sampling of the deductions you can be eligible for by running a home based business.  It does complicate your taxes, but it is worth it.  I use an online program that walks me through the whole process each year with ease.  Also, the company I work with has excellent software available to Associates through our online portals, where we can track our deductible expenses as we go through the year, making tax season a breeze.

3.  Reliability.  My husband getting laid off three years ago, and my own difficulty getting my career back on track after moving across the state, highlighted for me the necessity of having a stream of income that did not rely so strongly on the whims of the corporate marketplace and demands for labor.  Owning a network marketing business is a smart move - even if you love your day job and have no intentions of leaving it.  When you own a business, you aren't worried about getting laid off or fired.  Of course, as with any business, you get out of it what you're willing to put into it!  Putting in the time and effort to be successful is crucial.  Perseverance is crucial too.  What about companies that are here today and gone tomorrow?  To that, I can only say that if you look to join this industry, then it is important to complete your due diligence before you sign any agreements.  Look for a company that has staying power.  Maybe you want to get in on the ground floor of a new company, and that's your thing...but really do your homework to see if their business plan has the power to take off and stay put.  Personally, I opted for a company that has a long enough history to show stability, and is listed on the NYSE.

4.  Compensation that is not computed based on time.  I know, I just mentioned that in order to be successful you have to put in the time and effort.  But as long as your compensation is based on the amount of hours you personally put into it, there will be a definitive ceiling on how much you can earn...and it often isn't very high.  This lesson I learned the hard way when I taught private lessons full time.  I did not run out of demand for my services - I ran out of time to add more clients.  And if I was sick, or a client was sick, or if anything went wrong that caused a weekly appointment to cancel...then I lost income.  I thought I was selling my expertise, but I was wrong.  I was selling my time, and I only had so much of it available to sell.  Network marketing pays based on product volume sold, not on how long it took you (and your team) to do it.  And since you work as part of a team, you get paid on not only your efforts and time, but those of your team as well.  This is time-leveraged income, and there are no ceilings!

5.  Flexibility.  Network marketing is a business that you can conduct anywhere that you happen to be, at any hour of the day, any day of the week.  It doesn't matter if all of your available hours to work on your business are on the weekends, or at night, or the middle of the day.  If you aren't going to be around people face to face, you can conduct business online too.

6.  Direct Sales and Network Marketing are the future of sales.  Companies that operate through direct sales associates often (admittedly not always!) offer a higher quality product line, the convenience of delivery to your doorstep, and exceptional customer service both by their corporate offices and your local Associate.  Start to finish, when you deal with a reputable direct sales company, it is a more personal, higher quality experience.  You know that the person who sold you these products honestly believes in their quality, and greatly desires for you to be fully satisfied with your purchase.  Associates want you to have the best possible experience with their company, and have every reason to be motivated to do make certain of it.  They are most often your friends and family, who want you to think well of them and their enterprise.  They also want their small business to thrive with repeat orders and loyal customers.  This arrangement really can be a "win" situation for every party involved. The corporation who makes the products makes a profit by selling their wares.  The associates get paid commissions for those sales.  The consumers get personalized customer service experiences with people they trust, along with exceptional products that meet their wants and needs.  

All of those are great reasons to join the industry.  So what goes into choosing a particular company to associate with?

1.  Choose a company who creates products that you believe in, products that you truly enjoy using.  If you love it, you will find it easy to strike up conversations about it!

2.  Really study the compensation plan.  If you don't think you can make it work, you won't.  A great compensation plan is a must-have!

3.  You will almost certainly have the opportunity to meet several established associates before you decide - ask yourself whether these are people you want to be around, to be associated with professionally.  This is important, because these are the same people who should be helping you get started...who you will be going to for help, training, advice, and support.

4.  Look for a company that has staying power and integrity.  If you choose a newer company, that means really analyzing the chances that their products are going to be able to gain market share - and hold onto it.  There's a good deal of research that goes into this part, and should not be neglected.  Choosing a more established company makes your research easier, and is less risky.  But every company, and every associate, has to start somewhere...so who knows, maybe you find the next big thing early on!  So do your homework and your analysis before you take the plunge.  Then commit to your choice!

In broad strokes, that really is about all there is to it.  Mostly, it is about choosing a company that really speaks to you.  Passion is THE driving force in this industry!

Life Changes

When I last wrote, I was beginning a series of posts exploring the intersection of the Christian faith with American political policy & philosophy.  I had a whole set of topics I wanted to research, explore, and discuss...

And then my life priorities took a major shift.  A planned shift, but just how profound and how immediately it would affect me...well, that part took me by surprise just a little bit.

You see, this past year I became a Mom.  I learned that I was pregnant right around the time of my last post, and soon thereafter I encountered a fatigue unlike anything I have ever experienced before.  I began routinely going to sleep by 7:30, which left not much time for researching topics or writing about them...because what I really needed was tons of sleep.  My pregnancy was mostly symptom free aside from the need for so much sleep, I am happy to report!  I enjoyed being pregnant, at least up until the final week.  The final week I was placed on a very restrictive bed rest order to keep my blood pressure down, and I'm not terribly great at staying that still for extended periods of time.  Thankfully, my mom came into town to help out.  She did all sorts of things around the house, kept me rooted to the couch, and our conversations kept me entertained (and my mind off of all the things I was suddenly not allowed to do).

And now I have a completely adorable, very sweet, very happy baby boy.  He is almost 5 months old now.  My husband and I are totally enamored with him, of course...

So I trimmed down many of my activities this past year in order to focus on my health and my new family life, and that included a very long break from my blog.

Upon returning and reviewing my posts, I am going to wait on that series of posts exploring Christianity and political policy until later. I'm not sure when I'm going to return to those thoughts, but of a certainty, my life is not currently stretching in that direction.  But when I do turn back to that line of musings, I'd like to explore ideas on gay marriage/marriage equality, the drug war, welfare & other government poverty assistance programs, public education, and certainly not least...1st Amendment rights.  It may be a long time before I get to these topics, but someday...my thoughts will return to how I might responsibly exercise my voice as a citizen in ways that are consistent with my faith.

For now, my thoughts turn towards my family, my health, and my time-finance reality.  The New Year is a time for reflection and a renewed focus on improvements and commitments.  I am personally looking forward to the growth that I hope to achieve this upcoming year.  Last year was a pretty great year for me - I have a good feeling about this one too.

Best wishes to all for a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2014!

I'm still here...I promise!

The next topic that I really want to discuss in my series of posts on political philosophy has required more research than usual, coupled with these few weeks being among the busiest of my year at school. So I'm not abandoning this idea of exploring where philosophy meets policy...but it may be another week or so before I have time to sit down and write my findings and thoughts.  Thanks for your patience!

Pro-Life or Pro-Choice?

First, let's make one thing clear:  of all the people I know, who fall in every spectrum of this debate, not a single person I have ever spoken to thinks that abortions are a good thing.  No one really wants them to happen in the first place.  The real question isn't whether purposefully ending an unborn life is moral.  I think most people agree that it is not...it's a messy, ugly, nasty topic at best.  (I won't say that ALL people find it immoral, because there really are all types out there, but I think saying "most" people consider it immoral is safe enough.)  It can be argued that abortion is, in rare cases, the lesser of two evils.  The real question ends up being whether or not the government can make the decision for you, and if they can, to what extent and in which circumstances.

Personally, I feel like life is precious and that murder is wrong.  I am a Christian, and the Bible is pretty clear on the whole "don't kill people" thing.  On top of the Bible saying so, my conscience finds the idea really abhorrent.  I consider my conscience to be one way the Holy Spirit speaks to me, so that is practically as important to me as seeing it in scripture.  The fact that those two agree only confirms for me the truth of it.  Killing people, even the unborn, is not good.  On every level, killing people screams to me "THIS IS A TERRIBLE THING!".  I cannot see ever bringing myself to have an abortion.  I couldn't bring myself to end a feeble life that was conceived out of the love I bear for my husband, even if it were at the worst of times.  Even before we were married, I would have said the same...I could not kill a child conceived through love.  We're resilient folk, we'd find a way to make it work.  If it came down to my life or the life of my unborn child...if the child had a good chance to survive even if it killed me, I think I would choose their life over my own.  I would only regret that I'd be leaving my husband to cope with the aftermath alone.  I hope I never have to find out whether I have the guts for that choice (I am certain that my husband also fervently hopes that we never face such a terrible situation!).  In this sense, I consider myself very Pro-Life.  When it comes down to me, no matter what else is going on, abortion just isn't an option considered.  If someone were to ask me if they should have an abortion, I would certainly urge them not to do it and try to help them find another solution.  Abortions are something to be avoided if possible.  (The best way to do that, I think, is better reproductive education, encouraging and educating parents on how to provide great but realistic examples of moral and responsible adulthood for their children, and easy access to contraceptive methods without stigmatizing their use...fewer unwanted pregnancies = fewer abortions)

If I were raped...well, that may be another story.  I've never really come to a conclusion on that extreme instance, so I actively avoid situations that would increase my risk for having to face that choice in my life.  I'd rather not find out how I really feel about this.  What I do know is that as hard a time as I have even imagining making that choice in the event of rape...if I can't make that decision in my own mind and heart - then as a voter, I have zero business making that choice for the thousands of women who are faced with that choice in real life every year.  At that point...it is a matter that is between them and God that I have no place in, except to pray that God gives them wisdom that I don't have, and abundant mercy and compassion.

Which brings me to my legal view.  My personal decision is one that I made after a lot of thought and prayer - and I would resent my government telling me what to believe about this.  I celebrate the fact that my country grants me the freedom to reach that conclusion on my own, without the government forcing my actions regardless of my beliefs.  Of all the parties in this world that have a say in whether an unborn child may be born...the government just isn't on that list to me.  And there are very extreme circumstances out there, where you have to weigh the value of one life against another because you cannot always save everyone.

From a legal standpoint, Pro-Life says to me "We, the government (and a host of total strangers), know what is best for everyone in every situation".  I don't think most Americans feel that the government knows best for everyone in every situation about...well, ANYTHING.  I know that I don't feel like my government knows best about much of anything.  There are a few things they manage to get right, and from what I can tell, I am privileged enough to have a government that gets it right more often than a lot of others out there - things could be a great deal worse, I'm sure.  Anyway...Let's face it, we Americans a contentious and stubborn lot of people as a culture, and we like to have the freedoms to make our own mistakes if we must.  As a people, we're really terrible when it comes down to authorities telling us what we must do.  Most of us will end up making good choices most of the time, but we have an instinctive cultural reaction to rebel against others telling us how to think and how to act.  On the whole, I think this is a good thing.  Independent thought breeds wisdom eventually, even if it is a hard road of bad experiences along the way at times.  So it seems weird to me that this debate even got off the ground here in America - and weirder still that the political party that has taken Pro-Life as a banner issue...is the party that claims to also champion smaller government and greater personal liberties?  (I love the idea of smaller federal government and greater personal liberties - that's something I can get behind!  But how does Pro-Life fit into that platform?  I just don't understand that at all.)  Because...

Pro-Choice, legally speaking, is saying that the government cannot and should not make that call for every woman in every situation.  Pro-Choice is the legal stance that some things should be tightly regulated to minimize the harm it will cause anyway if it is made entirely illegal.  Pro-Choice is recognizing that for the evils we cannot eliminate by banning it entirely - we can minimize by providing better education, counseling, and popularizing less traumatic options whenever possible, but leaving some types of abortion legal for the circumstances that necessitate such a terrible deed.  Pro-Choice is legally respecting that some issues are best determined between a family and their faith and their relationship with God...and that we are not so wise as to know what is best for everyone all the time, that they must make their own peace if they go down that road without the interference of the law.

I don't want to stand in the seat of judgment for someone else on an issue so personal - I don't feel like I have either wisdom or the legal right to do so.  I am willing for my government to spend some of my tax money on programs that minimize the problem through preventive programs, and to minimize the myriad pains caused by the remaining abortions that could not be prevented by allowing them to be medically supervised (not paying for them, mind you, just letting it happen legally in a hospital at their own expense) and providing counseling afterwards with the hope of preventing the same mother from going through it all again and paving the way for positive mental health after the trauma.

I am Pro-Choice because I believe that legally, the associated policies and legislation protect more lives in the long run, and because I refuse to make a choice for others that I would not want others to make for me.

Thoughts, anyone?

Stretching the blog (and myself) in some new directions....

I have avoided discussion of politics and religion on here rather studiously, and very intently.  My blog is about personal growth and inner journeys...not about public policy or dogma.  However, after some reflection through the election season and a great deal of listening to all manner of comments (in personal conversations, over facebook, on the phone, a bit of TV, reading articles online), I have reached the conclusion that as an American citizen, political views certainly fall under the realm of personal growth.  Our political views are a reflection of ourselves.  What do we value?  What do we want?  Which values are most important, and which ones must take a backseat sometimes to a greater ideal?  These are not questions for the faint of heart.  When we speak of values and ideals, it is hard to separate one's spiritual life from their political ideas.  After all, so many of our values spring from our spiritual beliefs about the nature of the universe - and the nature of people.  Yet we have a system of laws that respects spiritual beliefs without being subject to any one person's interpretation of spiritual matters.  It is a fascinating interplay, and a tricky one to navigate.

You would think, that with the election season over, that this would be an inauspicious time to start all that now.

I beg to differ.  You see, now that we know who we have to work with at each level of our government, now is an excellent time to reflect on what we truly want to accomplish as a people - because who is in office really should not be that important, if they are truly doing their job of representing their constituents.  However, most people take their duties as a citizen seriously only once every two to four years, and think that by voting for the person that most closely resembles their current ideas, that they have given their opinion sufficiently.  The truth is that the reason we have such a disjunct between what our government does and what the constituents really want is a severe lack of communication coming from the constituents.  Once our representatives reach their state and national legislative offices, mostly they hear from special interest groups and lobbyists.  They are left to their own conjecture on what their people really want, and left listening to corporate and special interests lobbyists for years at a time before be conclusively give them our opinion on how they have done.  They do not know us, and we do not usually (really) know them either.  How can they represent people who they never hear from except on election day?  The answer is simple:  they don't.

Most often we do not trouble ourselves over our representatives when it isn't election season unless we hear about something that really angers us...then we send our representatives some form of angry letter telling them not to vote for something (or just venting at how angry we are at them for voting for something already that we don't like).

I suggest that we all take it upon ourselves to write positive, encouraging letters of introduction to our representatives.  In a polite, positive manner, write a letter informing your representative of your stance on the top three to five issues that most matter to you.  Explain and justify your position on each of those issues in your letter - why you support or oppose something matters.  After all, there are a lot of grey matters in the law, and those underlying reasons can help them navigate difficult decisions when they arise.  Some issues are just not as simple as "I don't support __________ under any circumstances".  Most issues, in fact, are not that simple.  So write a positive note and introduce yourself.  Give them your contact information and invite them to respond in case they seek clarification on your opinions - because sometimes they will.  Maybe if we, the citizens, open the lines of communication, then our government can begin to truly belong to us.  Then we can perhaps live up to being a nation "by the people, for the people".  Our representatives first duty is not to their party affiliation, but to their constituents.  We should gently remind them that they represent all of us, whether we voted for them or not, no matter what party they associate with.  They work for us, and we have a duty to inform them of what we'd like them to do on our behalf.  Regardless of where you fall on each issue, establishing clear, positive, and consistent communication with our elected officials is something we can all I agree on (I think).  I think we would all rather have them hearing more from their constituents rather than corporate lobbyists all day long.

You cannot get what you do not ask for.  Silence does not help them.

And if you are the praying type (regardless of religion), sending prayers for them to have wisdom in their decisions is helpful too.

In the coming days, I will be addressing - and challenging - my own political ideas.  The point is that none of our views should go unexamined, and that we should begin that examination within ourselves.  I am choosing to examine mine on a public forum, and that invites discussion.  It is my hope that through questioning, explaining, and justifying my own views, that you may look inward and begin that journey as well.  It is a voyage of self-discovery, of finding the deeper truths of what we value and why.  At the end of this little series within my blog, I will write my own letter to my representatives, in the hope that they will listen and respond.  You may agree with some of what I say, you may adamantly disagree to your last breath with all of it.  I will at times reference my spiritual beliefs where they intersect with my political ideas, as will be necessary to explain why I think or feel a particular way on certain issues.  But please, since my blog centers on the idea of personal growth, be respectful in how you write your comments.

Thanks for reading - and comments welcome!

Commitments, Integrity, Balance

The very first of the qualities that Brian Klemmer discusses in his book "The Compassionate Samurai" is Commitment.  He says that without it, one cannot be a samurai.  He also mentions that commitment, properly applied, makes all goals possible.  We can do anything we dare to dream - if we are truly committed to that dream.

I've been contemplating the nature of commitment this week in part because I am beginning to honestly believe that I don't know when to say "no" and back off.  To those who have known me for many years, I'm sure this comes as no surprise.  Y'all have been trying to tell me this for a long time.  This past week was a prime example of me not knowing when or how to back off.  On a week when I had a weeknight concert (and therefore also an extra rehearsal), I did not reschedule or cancel the private lessons I normally teach, instead I added two extra sessions because it was the week my high school clarinet students were going to their District level auditions in the All State process.  I also volunteered to roast two turkeys for a faculty luncheon at one of my schools.  I practically collapsed by the time I got home on Thursday, and proceeded to wake up (after nightmares) so miserable and ill feeling that I called in for a substitute for Friday.  Even though I only needed to make it one more day until a week vacation for Thanksgiving...I couldn't do it.  I was spent, and had nothing left.  I had worked 12+ hour days and barely slept for a week, all after being really sick with a cold the weekend before.  I didn't know when to quit until I quite literally collapsed from exhaustion.

Which brings me to commitment.  I don't know whether to say that I have a lack of it, or an overabundance of it.  Or perhaps I have just enough, but I fail to allocate it in a healthy way.  For now, I'm going with option number three - I have failed to allocate my time and commitments in a healthy way.

That being said, I honestly don't think I would go back and do this week any other way.  As exhausting as it was, each of those things was completely fulfilling to me.  The concert was fabulous and I enjoyed playing in it immensely.  My clarinet students were up against a deadline and I helped them polish their preparations (they did well, by the way!), which I also enjoyed.  No one else volunteered to cook the turkeys for our faculty luncheon, so I did - they turned out delicious - and I am glad that I did that too.  I do wish that I had had enough energy and stamina to endure until Friday afternoon, but apparently that was the cost of me accomplishing everything else before that.

What bothers me about that cost is that it cut into two different commitments I have made - to the students I see during the school day, and to my personal health.  Which tells me that this week I really was overcommitted.  I spread myself too thin and was unable to keep all of my commitments, and in the end, doing that over and over again weakens my integrity.

You might think I am being too hard on myself, after all, I did help out a lot of people this week.  But it comes down to integrity and sustainability.  What I did this week is not sustainable for more than a few days, at best.  My actions came at a high cost to two of my higher, longer term commitments.  Ultimately, if I can't keep my word, at any level, then I have caused myself a problem in terms of integrity.  I want people to be able to count on me when I say that I can do something for them.  In order to do that, I need to know my own limits better.

Sadly, knowing my own limits has never been a strong suit.  I tend to assume that I am Superwoman, and capable of anything at nearly any time.  As weaknesses go, it's a nice one to struggle with, honestly.  Since I push the boundaries of my capabilities, they tend to expand to meet my needs (eventually).  So we finally come to the crux of the matter:  Balance.

My dad has been telling me since I was a child that the key to everything in life is balance.  "Balance is a good thing" is something of a motto for him.  He usually followed that sentence with a terrible joke about balance being a salty snack in one hand and a sweet snack in the other...but there was always an element of seriousness in that statement too.  I need find the balance of commitments that stretches my current capabilities without causing me to break some of them along the way.  It won't be easy, but as an old teacher of mine would chide me, "If it were easy, we'd have kindergartners doing it!"

Finally, this week (and the fact that I really wouldn't go back and change it) tells me where my true values and personal commitments lie.  Apparently I am very committed to helping motivated students reach their goals, to contributing to the success of the band I perform with, and to volunteering for tasks that others won't step up to accomplish - and not very committed to my physical (or mental) well being. I am also not as committed to my day job as I probably should be, even though I do enjoy it.  Those last two can be hard truths to hear, even from myself.

Running Reflections

Summer is traditionally the season of the year that I am serious about my physical fitness.  Growing up, summer was the season of Swim Team.  My hometown didn't have a natatorium, so we only practiced and competed for 6-8 weeks of the year.  

I would start the season a bit flabby and end it really fit.  I'd be able to swim a mile continuously, and practice sessions by the end of the season were frequently close to 2 miles if you tallied all the laps and exercises together from a single session.  I loved it.  Which was important, as I had very few other athletic inclinations.  I liked to ride my bike, and when I reached high school, I adored marching band as well.  Since leaving my hometown, being on a swim team again has not been feasible (in fact, finding one that even accepts anyone over the age of 18 seems to be a challenge in SA).  In college I was a swim instructor and lifeguard for awhile.  My favorite part of that job was the weekly inservice workout required by state law.  I got paid to swim laps - what wasn't there for me to love about that?  After I stopped lifeguarding, I once again fell into a slump of not exercising enough.  I did yoga for a bit.  I still love yoga, and it does wonders for my flexibility and balance and sense of peaceful well-being...but it isn't enough to keep me trim and fit.  Maybe I just haven't been doing the right kind for that.  Not all that long ago I found hooping (or hoopdance), and I love that too.  

But lately I've just gotten in a rut, and as a result I stopped doing it as much.  My fitness goals stalled when I stopped hooping enough.  Maybe I just needed to learn some new tricks to mix things up, but I needed a break from that, I think.

So running.  In my life, I've had a bit of a bumpy relationship with running.  As a child, I hated it, but I had a good reason.  In elementary school my toes turned in just enough to trip me when I ran, so I equated running with falling on my face, scraping my nose, scraping my palms, and scraping my knees.  So I developed this terrible fear and loathing of running.  Between these feelings about running, and my lack of ability to consistently catch, kick, or throw a ball of any sort well...you can see why Swim Team was so important to me.  Pretty much every other sport was right out, and they didn't interest me that much anyway.

Fast forward to me at 18 years old.  I met my ex that year, and one of his passions was running cross country.  To his credit, he was very positive, patient, and encouraging when trying to get me to try running.  After all, my toes didn't point inward anymore, so there was really no reason why I couldn't do it except for my irrational fear.  I went to visit his family in WV that summer before starting college, and it turns out that he's not the only one in his family with a passion for running up and down country roads for great distances.  Both of his sisters are into it also.  They went on daily runs together.  It comes out that I somehow managed to escape running a mile consecutively for any sort of gym class for my entire life.  I could swim a mile consecutively, but had never run one.  I had already been invited to run with them, and now they kindly insisted that I accompany them at least part of the way.  And really, I could not have asked for kinder, better coaches for that experience.  After my week in WV with them, I returned to my hometown for the rest of summer and I kept running.  I had gained enough progress that I didn't want to lose it, and at the time I was also trying to understand a family I wanted to be close to.  By the end of that summer, I could run over a mile consecutively...if I remember correctly I actually got closer to 2 miles.  When I arrived at college, I did not keep up with it.  I had accomplished my goals, which were to stop hating running on principle and to be able to run over a mile without stopping or slowing to a walk.  I turned my attention to other endeavors.  My ex and I did run together a bit while I was in college, but it was an off and on thing.

For most of the last decade, my attitude towards running has been indifferent.  I no longer hate it, but running has definitely not been my first choice for exercise and fitness either.

To the present...

Even though I haven't been on a swim team in 10 years, I still choose summer as my time to get in shape.  Last year I did yoga every single day of summer vacation.  One year when I had a gym membership I did swim laps regularly.  Another year it was racquetball.  Last week I finally reached the conclusion that running was the way to go for this summer.  I'm feeling a bit burned out on yoga and hooping, which are my favorites still, and my other favorite options all require a gym membership to have access to special facilities like lap pools and racquetball courts.  I don't want to pay money to get in shape, and I don't like having to drive somewhere to get exercise.  I like being at the gym once I'm there, but my motivational trouble with gyms is actually driving to the gym.  Sometimes when I feel like getting exercise, I want to be able to do so at the spur of the moment...before I have time for that motivation to wane.  If I have to drive, then I might end up at a bakery instead because that fleeting moment of motivation flittered off on my way there.  There are miles of trails in a mostly undeveloped park right behind my house.  I can throw on a sports bra, a t-shirt, some yoga capris, socks, my trusty yellow Chuck Taylors (an old gift from my ex's little sister, interestingly enough), and a pedometer...and go.  No further equipment, no further expense.  So running.

I started on Monday.  So far it's more walking than running, but I'll get better.

Summer Begins...for real this time.

Technically, my summer vacation began on June 8.

Except that it didn't.  Not really.

As soon as I finished checking out of both campuses I went straight to work on homework for my Kodaly Level 1 Certification course, because the very next morning I would be sitting in class as a student.  There were 5 class days to go, and a great deal of work to be completed before we were through.  But on June 13, we finally finished and my classmates and I were awarded our certifications.  Hooray!  So summer really started on June 14, right?

Not exactly.  Yes and no.  You see, in the whirlwind of May and the first half of June, my house became a disaster area, and my husband and I were leaving town for 5 days last week.  I had 2 days to clean my house to an acceptable level to allow my mother-in-law (who is awesome) to check in on our cats.  And make fathers day cards and buy presents for the fathers in our families.  Thankfully, making the cards didn't take long, and neither did the shopping.  It still didn't feel like vacation.

I mentioned that we left town for 5 days.  We went to Ft. Worth to visit my amazing sister and her family, and to help watch her two lovely daughters in the afternoons while my sister went to teach a summer camp course at the local community college.  My sister is mostly a stay at home mom, but she takes various gigs to her interests whenever she gets the chance.  Except that means getting someone to watch the girls, and can possibly nullify any monetary gains if they actually hire someone to do it.  Enter the family.  :-)  We don't charge to hang around and care for children...that are relatives. ;-)  Also, my sister is an amazing cook, so I'd babysit just for the food, really...  So on Father's Day we drove up to Ft. Worth, visited some old friends of mine on the way, and arrived at my sister's home.  The nice thing about our little babysitting stint was that our responsibilities were limited to roughly the hours between noon-6pm.  And our nieces are super awesome most of the time.  I might be a bit biased on that front.  I say most of the time because they are 3.5 years old (we'll just call her M) and 8 months old (we'll call her B).  I learned that 3.5 year olds never admit to being sleepy, even when they are about to fall over, and that teething babies can be a bit fussy sometimes.  Even with those minor drawbacks, I'd rate them as awesome 96% of the time.  :-D  For the remaining 4%, I am glad that my husband was with me and helped out when I couldn't be in two places at once.  He wasn't totally hands-on all the time, but when I really needed that extra set of eyes or a distraction for a toddler, or someone to hold M's parasol on our walk, or when M needed a piggy back ride part of the way back from our walk one day...he was on it, and I am thankful.  We had a truly wonderful time, and really enjoyed the time with our nieces, and in the evenings the time with my sister and brother-in-law, and our one evening we spent with my best friends from college who live in the area.

Did it feel like summer vacation?  Yes and No.  It did not feel like the summer vacations I am used to, but I think it probably did feel a bit like what summer vacation feels like to many parents.  When I think of summer, right now I think about long days spent recharging myself in every way...getting rest, getting exercise, playing video games, getting projects done around the house or for the following school year, reading, being the domestic housewife that I am so NOT during the school year...  Most importantly, being on my own schedule with very few appointments to keep.

But today, I finally feel it.  My true summer days have arrived.  Today is June 25.

I have one appointment today, for a clarinet lesson, and it isn't until 6:30pm.  I am relieved. :-D

Musings on Time

Today is more of a philosophical kind of day, and less of the practical and professional which I often discuss here.

You can always tell when things in your life are changing...because Time itself seems to bend in weird ways in your perception.  One day it seems like there is all the time in the world for a task, and the next you feel hurried about it.  It's the feeling of deadlines.  With every deadline, we hit a turning point, where time goes from slow to fast in our own minds.  If you slow down enough to breathe and notice - you can actually pinpoint it happening as it happens.  At the exact moment when suddenly time leaps forward, you know that change is both inevitable and swiftly approaching.  A good example that comes to mind is how I (and most teachers) feel about the end of the school year.  One day it seems like summer will never come, and the next day you worry how you'll ever finish everything in the small amount of time left.

Does this alteration of time perception only happen with deadlines and tasks though?  or can one feel change coming in a larger sense too?  I think we can.  Consider also the moments when the world seems to stand still.  We know that the world and time are never still - but it is a feeling.  Moments of rest...in music those moments are called cadences.  I've always liked the term.  Cadence literally means "to fall", but refer to where the music comes to a pleasing place to pause or stop entirely.  There's more to it, of course, but that's the basic idea.  The idea that you come to a place of rest on your (musical) journey by first going through periods of turbulence and unrest and "falling" into a comfortable place...I've always thought it spoke well for a larger truth in life too.

At any given moment, our perception of time alters.  When considering the state of my life as a whole, I feel this slowness of time.  Deep inside, I know that I'm being swept along in the current, that nothing is still - but I'm enjoying the temporary lack of obvious turbulence.  However, the illusion of stillness sends off a little chime in my mind, letting me know that change is coming ahead.  When considering the specifics of my life, nothing feels still at all.  I feel like I'm navigating rapids.  On any given day there are endless tasks to be cared for, and a thousand tiny deadlines screaming for my attention.  I think, that if I have a goal right now, it would be to bring that "slow" feeling into my day to day routine, and feel the leisure to enjoy every hour of the day, rather than rushing through them.

I generally start getting these thoughts when at the beach too.  When watching the waves, I am reminded that nothing remains the same from moment to moment.  That change is the truest constant, and that waiting for everything to settle down is an exercise in futility.  The time for action is now - the question is not "should I act now?" but "WHICH action should I take now?" because there are no guarantees that the future will bestow any perfect opportunities right in your lap.

Here I should mention that action doesn't mean constant busyness.  I am constantly having to relearn this lesson.  Focused intent and action does not mean remaining busy all the time.  Overcommitment is often a major problem for me, and I know that I am not alone.  We are all bound by one constraint:  Time.  No matter how we try, there are only 24 hours in the day.  We can cram all sorts of things into it, but there are still only 24 hours in each day.  So often we fail to ask if we SHOULD cram all sorts of things into a single day.  With every passing year, I come to believe ever stronger that as a society (and definitely me personally) - that we are sacrificing quality experiences for a quantity of experiences.

There really is enough time, but in order to harness it we are going to have to slow down.  We're going to need to work fewer hours and spend more time on whatever you really find inspiring.  The things that inspire you the most are the most important.  It's a compass that doesn't point you down the wrong path.  Forget what anyone else thinks is important.  If it isn't something that inspires you, then it isn't nearly as important...and for the things that are necessary but not inspiring, find a creative way around them if you can.  I personally don't find laundry inspiring, but my husband is okay with doing the laundry if I take over other things that he can't stand.  And while laundry doesn't directly inspire him either, it DOES give him time to write his book and still help around the house.  Meanwhile, I manage to find some philosophical and psychological inspiration in organizing and cleaning other areas of the house, even if it isn't a lot, and even if I don't do those things nearly as often as I should.

It's easy to say that we need to work fewer hours in order to devote more time to the truly important things, it's much harder to put it into practice.  More on that later...

Arcade Inspiration for Motivation!

As the school year races to a close (about 6 weeks left!), I always try to have some sort of contest going to keep my students motivated to work in music class.  Last year I had a list of songs I challenged them to learn (memorized!) before the end of the year.  This year is a bit more complicated, and I have different classes doing many different things, so I came up with something else...and I must say, I really love this year's idea so much that I may keep it for several years.

Music class has taken a cue from the old school arcade:  each student, and the class as a whole, can earn points towards rewards that will be given during the final music lesson for each class.  Anyone that's every played Skee-ball (or any other ticket bestowing arcade game) for hours in pursuit of tickets to spend at a prize booth will understand the basis of how this works.

Earning Points
Each activity in the lesson is worth a set number of points.  If the class completes it successfully (excellent participation, no whining, etc), then they get the points for that activity.  Most activities are worth about 10 points, but more complicated or time consuming tasks are sometimes worth more (15-20), and activities that are completely a review are sometimes worth only 5 points.  I love the versatility of this - each class can participate in the contest and be doing totally different things suited to their grade level.

Every solo sung correctly is worth 5 points.  The students really love this one because the solos are often short.  We use echo songs, and a student has to lead the song instead of me.  This is a total win, because I get to hear (and easily keep track of) each student who leads the class and determine where they really are with their singing level, and they often earn a ridiculously high number of points for the day.  I do have a set number of volunteers I take for the day though - otherwise they would do this for the whole lesson.  Since I have it noted down who sang solos the week before (and the week before that, etc), it isn't too hard for me to get to students I would rarely hear otherwise.  So far I've only taken volunteers, and I've had students volunteer to sing solos who have never asked to do this before.  But you really do have to be particular about only awarding points for solos sung EXACTLY right.  If the solo part is supposed to be on the pitches "So-Mi-Mi-So-Mi" and the student sings the right words but on the pitches "So-Mi-La-So-Mi"...then it isn't right, even if they sing in the right key and with a lovely vocal quality.  It pays to be picky though.

Questions answered correctly are worth 1 point each, if done using the correct procedure.  For example, if I ask for them to raise hands and wait to be called on...then a shouted out answer earns nothing.  But if we are using the whiteboards and they hold it up when they have the answer, then that is following the procedure for using whiteboards to answer questions...and the answer is worth a point.

Each student may earn 1 point for the day for Excellent Behavior.  If every student in the class earns their point, I add a 20% bonus to the total of Behavior Points.  Excellent Behavior is defined very specifically to mean: following directions the 1st time, no outbursts or interruptions, full participation in all activities without whining, keeping hands/feet/objects to yourself, sitting criss-cross when we are on the rug, raising hand and waiting to be called on to speak...and all without reminders in the middle of class.  It's that last clause that really gets them, but is saving my sanity.  I do give one class reminder about this definition at the beginning of each class period as a freebie, but after that, any reminders given to an individual count against them.  Also, if I catch them out at not following any of those expected behaviors, I do not have to remind them in order to withhold the point.  At the end of class, we go down the roster quickly and I let them know if they met my requirements.  I also remind them that failing to get a point doesn't mean I am angry with them, and does not mean they were "bad"...but that there is a difference between good and excellent...and I only reward excellent behavior.  Good isn't enough...good means you still have some small details to work on and polish up.  Anyway, it's saving my sanity because I'd just about had it with having to constantly remind students with inane but important details like how to sit on the rug.  The amount of time I spend in any given class giving simple redirections has been cut drastically in the last two weeks.  I am pleased.  It's rare for a class to earn the bonus, but it has happened a few times.

Point Deductions
For truly disruptive behavior or terrible attitude, I actually deduct 5 points from a student for the day...and it's a guaranteed deduction if I have to send anyone to an administrator.  I also reserve the right to deduct at least 5 points (or more) for misbehavior while lining up and leaving my class after the day's point totals have been tallied and announced.  That part about lining up and leaving my class in a civilized and quiet way or else I zap the points just earned?  Solved my end of transition problems at my more challenging campus practically overnight.  All but 2 classes got the message immediately, one class took getting nailed for the violation once...and I have one class that still doesn't understand at all, and probably won't reach their end of year goal now because of it.

The Prizes
All of my prizes are activity choices for their final music lesson of the year.  As such, I can back up all of them with TEKS - no one can try to tell me that I'm wasting my instructional time, as each lesson has legitimate backing, even if they are a bit out of the norm...and not lessons even I would use on a weekly basis.

The top prize takes 500 points:  an XBox360 "party" where they can choose one of my 9 music games to play for the class time and eat snacks that I provide.  For 450 points, they can have snacks and I choose which game, or they can choose the game and they have no snacks.  For 400 points, I choose the game, and there are no snacks.

For 300 points, they can watch a movie from a set list and eat snacks.  All movies on the list are sing-along friendly.  For 250 points, I choose the movie and they eat snacks, or they choose the movie and they have no snacks.  For 200 points, I choose the movie and there are no snacks.

For 175 points, they can choose pretty much any musician or group of musicians and I will create a "Behind the Music" documentary for them on my computer and make the whole day about their life and music.  Majority rules on the voting for who the documentary is about.

For 150 points, they can vote on 3 songs from the radio that they want to learn.  All song submissions must be school appropriate and chosen in advance so I can learn them first.  Again, majority rules for voting.

For 100 points, they may have a full lesson on recorders or percussion (depending on age group).

For 75 points, they play music bingo and I provide prizes for bingo winners.  For 50, we'll still play music bingo, but without prizes to take home.

The Fine Print

Like any contest, we do have some fine print involved.  For instance, each of the XBox games has a set list of songs I have pre-approved for them to play.  Students are not allowed to choose anything off the list, period.  I also line out that they may not bring any of their own equipment for the game console, and if they bring their own equipment that I will turn their stuff into the front office.  This is also where I specify that they may not have their prize before their final class date, no matter how quickly they rack up their points, and that they do not have to choose the highest tier prize within their point level if they want something that costs fewer points instead.  It's a fairly simple introduction to the legal style jargon that goes with contests of all types...and it has saved me tons of time answering questions about "what if..." and "can I..."

"Achievement Unlocked!"

Finally, I devote one of my bulletin boards in my room to information about all this.  They can see easily on a bar graph how far along their class is, and how far along the other classes are also.  They can read about the prizes and how to earn points and the fine print to remind themselves of how things work.  Alongside the practical reasons for keeping it posted, putting it in bar graph form also helps me support math and science TEKS, as they get practice reading and interpreting the graph.  During class, everything is noted on a printed up class roster.  From there I can easily track who answered questions, who sang successful solos, who has behavior issues, who was not in class that day, etc.  There's enough blank space on it for me to jot notes about which activities they completed, how many points I awarded for it, and when.  I'm sure there's a more elegant way to track that somehow, but this is working for now.  I'll put that under the elements that I think could be improved for next year.

So far, this little experiment has met with resounding success.  I do still have a few nay-sayers, but those are the ones that are going to dig in their heels at everything for no reason at all.  You can't win them all...especially when by ALL you mean close to 700 young people.  I would say that I have fewer than 10, all told, who are that level of difficult.  It's hard for me to complain about less than 2% of my student population being truly obstinate.  The others that present difficulty are perfectly great kids who have a tendency to be forgetful or impulsive and it gets them into a tight spot every so often.  I can't judge the forgetful and impulsive ones too harshly, when I myself am often guilty of being both forgetful and impulsive also.  When I get frustrated, I do have to remember to look at the big picture!

End of Year Insanity - GO!!

So we're down to the last 9 weeks of this school year, and in case things weren't busy enough, I know without a doubt that my world will explode with activity until late June.

But it's all good, and I know this.  I've taken a step back from most of my out of school commitments for the past month, and that's been good for me.  Everything that is coming is all good stuff - remind me of that in about 5 weeks or so!

I'll be returning to my usual weekly rehearsal and concert schedule with the Heart of Texas Concert Band next week...gearing up for what will be a super amazing summer concert schedule, including a performance at the Texas Bandmasters' Association conference in late July.  I haven't seen my friends there in a little over a month, and I'm ready to go back!

After next week I will only have 2 more PTA performances for the year, and both will feature the choirs at my campuses - hallelujah!  At one of my campuses, getting students to show up for those performances is like pulling teeth...their PTA is new and so there is not a strong tradition of doing this, and I don't have a lot of support from the other teachers and parents in getting the kiddos there.  I know my fellow teachers have other things on their minds though, so I am understanding.  I wish they would lend more of a hand, but it probably won't really happen until next year.  All good things take time, and Rome wasn't built in a day, I suppose.  I'll still be happy to reach the first week of May and be done with those PTA performances until the fall.  Even a mediocre production takes a lot of work on my part, in and out of class.

That same campus where the PTA tradition is still trying to get off the ground, DOES have a strong musical performance tradition though - a full campus concert at the middle school they primarily feed into.  They do this twice a year, once in December and again in May.  Getting just under 400 children ready to sing on the same night?  Nearly drove me crazy going into Christmas, but I think I'm better prepared to tackle this after having done it once.  Time will tell.

Then there are my two private clarinet lesson kiddos - who are super low stress for me, but it still takes up some of my evening time two nights a week, when otherwise I might want to be home already.

STAAR testing still has one more week yet...we had the first round of major testing at the end of March, and the other half will be the last week of this month.  Major testing invariably disrupts my normal class schedule, even though my direct involvement is comparatively minimal to other people on campus.

Aside from testing, there are also the myriad assemblies, field days, and field trips that are taken during the last quarter of the year...and just trying to figure out exactly how many lessons each class has remaining can make my head spin sometimes, especially when I KNOW that there are things that haven't made it to the calendar yet, but are sure to affect how much teaching I can accomplish in the time we have left!

Here we GO!!

New Adventures on the Horizon

You wouldn't know it from my blog, but for most of the last three weeks (possibly longer), I've had a completely one track mind.  In the near future my husband and I are going on a big vacation.

Now, I understand that people go on vacations all the time, and that it may not be a big deal to everyone.  However, we have been together for five and a half years, and we have never taken a big vacation completely by ourselves, for ourselves.  We have always spent our vacation time visiting family or friends - which is completely joyful and very cost effective - but that also means that we've not explored any new locations, and most of the time that means spending time on someone's couch/air mattress/spare bedroom.  Nothing wrong with any of that, since we always have a great time with people we know that we love, in places we know we like...but it DOES make this trip something very different, and very special!

Not only is it our first trip by ourselves, but we've gone all out for this thing.  So what are we going to do?

Go on a week long cruise through the Southern Caribbean!!  Sun, sand, crystal clear waters, warm breezes, and a really huge boat to take us from island to island.  We booked a stateroom with a balcony, two shore excursions, and bought a gift package with a bunch of extras.

I've never been on a cruise.  I've never left the continental 48 states.  Even flying has been a relatively rare occurrence in my life, so there's a lot of new experiences in this venture for me.  By the way, I really geek out about flying.  My family always took road trips for our major vacations.  I have these fantastic memories of riding in a car all over the country as a child and teenager.  I flew once when I was two, but I don't remember it...so the first time I remember getting on a plane was the summer of 2002, and I was 18.  Since I couldn't compare the experience to pre-9/11 flying, I didn't have any of that disappointment to deal with, and I thought the whole thing was great.  I understand that going through the checkpoints and such really isn't fun, but once you are ON the plane...I love it.  I love the feeling of takeoff, I love the realization that I'm flying through the air at very high speeds to some cool new place that I've never been before, I love the busyness of the airport terminals.  It doesn't bother me if my plane sits on the tarmac for awhile, or if my luggage is the last one to show up on the carousel.  Maybe these things would bother me if I flew for business purposes, but since I've only ever flown for pleasure trips, I tend to not be in any hurry, and I savor the journey.  Vacation doesn't start when you reach the destination - vacation starts the moment you leave the house!  

This notion of traveling by ship excites me.  I have traveled extensively by car, which I enjoy (although my husband HATES extended car trips, he has no patience for sitting in a car for long periods of time). I have traveled by train, although only once, and we both thought that was great fun.  Very novel, traveling by train - but not for anyone in a hurry to get to where they are going.  I have traveled by bus, which to date is the only form of travel that I hope never to repeat, except under specific circumstances.  Traveling by bus is only acceptable when traveling by charter bus with a group of people you really enjoy spending time with, such as your marching band.  Traveling by public bus, such as Greyhound, really is not very pleasant.  I don't recommend it.  Finally, I have traveled by plane, which I have already mentioned.  To date, I have never traveled by ship - but soon I will have done that as well, and I am eager to report how that goes!  My husband has been on 3 cruises, although the most recent of those has been nearly 10 years ago at this point, and he assures me that I will love it.

I don't doubt him about this for a minute.  :-)

Anyway, I am brimming with excitement, soon to see new places, experience new foods, a new mode of travel, and lots of new people.  I can't wait!!!

As a side note, I do realize that the cruise industry has had a good bit of bad publicity in the past few months, first with that incident in Italy, and also with another in the Indian Ocean.  I will mention here that both of those cruise ships were owned by an affiliate of Carnival, who we are not sailing with.  We are sailing on a Royal Caribbean ship, and their safety record is much, much better!!

So excited!

Classroom Tetris...again

The administrator who assigned me the very tiny classroom I occupy at one of my schools came by my room yesterday.  We talked after school, and she again lamented the fact that I had no where else to go, and how crowded my classes felt.  I asked if she had any suggestions to open up more space - I'd already redone the basic layout of my room a few times so far this year.  After pondering for a moment, she asked if I actually used my desk - she'd never seen me be anywhere near it.  She's right of course - even when she's not around, I really don't use a desk.  As I write, I have my laptop in my lap (it makes sense to me!).  I'm not much for working at a desk unless I am crafting.  Even then, practically any convenient flat surface will do.  So yesterday evening my desk and a barely used bookcase were removed from my room.

I rearranged again.  The room appears considerably larger now than it did before.  I seriously need to post the before and after pics...  But I need to redo my wall decor before I take pictures.

Now if only I had a bigger carpet...<sigh> It wouldn't hurt to ask, would it? 

Before, when I said that by the time I got around to posting pictures of my redone room, that I'd have redone it again....I was right.  I'd really like to stop moving my furniture now though.

I love February!

February is one of my favorite months.  It just gets better the older I get.  First, my birthday is in February.  That alone is reason for favoritism!  But then I got into music education, and TMEA is also always in February.  It was awesome in college, but now as a full on professional teacher, I savor it just as much or more - because I see tons of people I adore, who I almost never see otherwise.  Old friends and teachers, former colleagues, etc.  Some of these people I have known since elementary school, and we eventually ended up in the same career field (3 specific individuals come to mind immediately).  Anyway, it's always good to catch up, compare notes, get new ideas, and learn some new things together.  And buy some new toys, um, I mean TOOLS for our classrooms. 

Yesterday I found a whole new reason to love February:  my newest niece.  She's adorable.  As perfectly precious as anyone could hope for.  I have three nieces, and of those, this is the only one I got to meet right away.  The other two were born in other cities, and I didn't get to meet them until they were a few months old already.  I will admit, it's a perspective altering experience, meeting someone so new to the world, and realizing exactly how small and precious a human life can be.  Mostly, how precious.  I find other forms of life precious too, of course - all life is precious, regardless of form - but yesterday's experience definitely honed in on my feelings about human life.  A great affirmation, I suppose, of the thoughts and beliefs I already held.  I hope that this sweet little girl grows up to be as amazing as my other two nieces, and as amazing as her parents.  I couldn't be happier for them, I know they will be great. :-D

May everyone be blessed to see the wonderful little things in their lives today, and every day - time for me to go back to my really hectic schedule!

The Unintentional Hiatus

I mentioned in the fall that December is a very busy time for pretty much everyone in my profession.

I really did not think that it would result in a total lack of writing for two whole months.  December delivered on its usual promise of joy and mayhem, and January really ended up feeling like a continuation of the mayhem...but less joyful.

But I will tie up a few loose ends here tonight, and I will try to write more regularly again.  Like all things worth doing, it is a discipline and a habit that must be cultivated.

First, I did not win the Weight Loss Challenge at work.  What did I learn from this experience?  I learned that money does not motivate me whatsoever to change anything about my nutritional or exercise habits.  My feelings about my health and appearance seem to have no relationship to my desire to have a bit more extra cash.  Frankly, I'm mildly surprised by this realization.  Over the course of a few months, I lost a net of 2 pounds.  At one point I was down 7 pounds, but 5 came back before we were done.  I find that I value the social experience of feasting during the holidays, and that I am willing to splurge in the name of having a great experience and memory untainted by worry over whether something is good for me.

Secondly, while I DID take pictures of my rooms to post on here in order to display their improved features, I apparently need to label the picture files more descriptively on the computer before trying to use them, because now I can't find them in order to post said pictures and show off my improved classroom arrangements.  That project is currently on the back burner, however, as I have more urgent projects going at the moment.  Probably by the time I am ready to post about that, I'll have come up with a new and more exciting set of displays and more efficient arrangements, and will end up writing about those instead.  I suppose that is okay, as long as I end up with continued improvements and better ideas!


On a final note tonight, I am glad that January is coming to a close.  While there have been some nice moments, on the whole I must say that it has been rather stressful and frustrating.  I've spent the entire month without my own school computer, since my district assigned laptop completely died back in December and neither of my classrooms contain even so much as an ancient desktop.  That situation will be remedied by the end of this week, however, as its replacement will be delivered into my hands as soon as a certain piece of paper has the proper signatures and is returned to the proper office.  You can believe that I will be eager to see that happen as soon as possible!  I've had conflicting feedback about the quality of my teaching - with some of my superiors telling me how pleased they are with my progress since switching to elementary school, and others telling me that they are very concerned about my classroom instruction and management.  I've dealt with a return of health issues I had hoped I'd seen the last of, too.  The one resolution I made - fell apart within 2 days of my return to school after New Year's.  January has been a bit of a mess, and I simply cannot allow it to be the pattern for all of 2012.  I will not allow it.

Thankfully, February is generally a wonderful time for me - but maybe I think that mostly because of my birthday.  It also helps that one of my favorite yearly events falls in February - the Texas Music Educators Association Convention.  I will have plenty more to say about that in about two weeks.  The short version is this:  Convention is pure music nerd bliss on steroids, plus I get to see a great many friends and former teachers from high school and college, and hang out on the Riverwalk, and be excused for 1-2 days of school for it.  This year it looks like I will only be out of school for it on Thursday, as most of the clinics I'm dying to see are then, and my principal really does not want me to be out for two full days.  If I were traveling out of town, then I would have to be out Friday also...but it would also be harder for me to get permission to go at all.  At least from this particular principal.  If I had more clinics on Friday that were must-have's for me, then I'd push a little harder...but this year I am lucky I guess, most of what I want to see falls on Thursday and Saturday.  If it makes it easier for me to get permission to attend, then I suppose I can be okay with that.  Besides, I really like my Friday classes.  :-)

So I am looking forward to February, there are great things to look forward to, some of which I have not detailed here.  I am really looking forward to March, but that is a story for another day...  Goodnight!

Let the Creative Juices Flow...

I'm staying at work far too late today, but it's okay.  I've had a surge of creativity in how to arrange my classroom, how to motivate my students (at least until the Holiday Break), and a way for me to deepen the lessons I've been teaching.  Yes, it's been that kind of great idea day.  I love these days.

First, the arrangement of my classrooms, yes, I have two.  One for each campus.  I rearranged one of them the week before Thanksgiving, with great success.  I'm still cleaning up some of the aftermath of that massive adjustment, but when it's all finished Wednesday (the next day I'll be at that campus) I'll take pictures and post them.  I had been mulling over what to do with the other one...it was time for a change, and I was beginning to run into some shortcomings in the arrangement I made at the beginning of the year.  As with the other campus, this process began the week before Thanksgiving, and now I'm finishing what I started.  I'll finish this campus tomorrow - pictures to come!  I'd narrate what I've done with both rooms now, but it will make FAR more sense with visuals.

Second, motivating my students until Christmas.  I stumbled upon how to do this with my W-F campus the week before Thanksgiving as I was rearranging and attempting to decorate my room for the holidays.  A prior teacher in that room left a bunch of decorations, including a tree, so I definitely wanted to take advantage of it.  Realizing that I could not possibly do all of that work myself in a reasonable amount of time, I decided to take another tactic - every time I wanted to recognize a student for behaving extremely well and having awesome classroom participation, I handed them an ornament to put on my class tree.  Most of them are plastic, thankfully, and shatterproof!  I kept an ornament in my hand (their eyes were then glued on me), and eventually handed it to a worthy student.  Keeping an ornament in my hand kept me from forgetting to award one from time to time, as well as helping to hold their attention and motivation.  So two birds with one stone - my tree was decorated heavily by the end of the week, and my students resolutely on task.  They all participate in the annual campus Christmas Program, so they have no shortage of work to accomplish these next two weeks (their program is on the 14th).  I was thrilled.  At my other campus I don't have a tree, and I didn't quite have time to make other decorations to put up...and today I didn't have time to make it to where I had an easy way for the kiddos to help me with it either.  SO...enter tactic number two.  Only my Choir has to perform a Christmas program at my M-T campus, so our lessons are not the same at both places right now.  Without having a performance deadline looming over them, and without a convenient way for them to help me decorate - I set up a friendly competition between the classes, with the Grand Prize being that the winning class gets to watch the Fantasia segment of The Nutcracker Suite during their last music lesson before the break.  Result?  The K-3rd grade classes really got into it.  4th grade didn't care for it much, but that's alright, I have to start them on their January program music next week anyway.  5th grade is working on their Recorder unit, so they're already highly motivated!

And finally, a way to deepen my lessons and make them more entertaining too!  This is actually an extension of some things I learned in my Kodaly certification classes.  My district elementary music coordinator gave me 8 signs to put in my room at the beginning of the year.  They read:  Spider Patsch Beat, Sing Text, "5 & 2", Sing Rhythm Syllables, Sing Solfege, Audiate, Form, and Conduct.  They also have cute clip art on them.  Each sign stands for a different set of instructions on activities that can be used with nearly any song.  She demonstrated with my Kodaly class how to use them, and how you can up the difficulty of a simple song by changing the directions mid-song by merely pointing to a new sign.  I used these pretty well at the beginning of the year, but I've fallen off the wagon a little bit lately, and I wanted something more too.  So today I designed three more signs which read:  Write (Dictate) Text, Write (Dictate) Rhythm Syllables, and Write (Dictate) Solfege.  My administrators keep refusing to check the box on our walkthrough evaluations that deals with "authentic literacy", in part because my students are rarely writing anything down.  This will help solve my problem with that, while I can then be teaching and assessing more MUSIC literacy.  I have a bunch of small whiteboards in this room that were given to me by a retiring teacher friend, and I have a mind to put them to good use now that I have an idea HOW.  I just need more dry erase markers.  I'm also going to turn it into a team game to review and go further into depth on songs they already know, rather than use the cards to initially teach the songs.  This way, I can have a segment in each lesson that pushes my students farther into the musical literacy of songs they know, without it getting dry and boring.  I also will need popsicle sticks with the titles of the songs we've learned written on them (and empty coffee cans or similar containers, one for each grade level), so they randomly draw the song for each lesson, and also which "event" they will compete in.  I need to finish setting up my scoreboards too.  So much work to do...but this is going to be so worth it, I think. 

I really wish my phone weren't completely dead, or else I'd post some pictures tonight.  Oh well.  Later this week, then.

Thanksgiving Reflections

I've always had a lot to be thankful for, but this year...this year I have more than usual.  And in a blog devoted to growth and happiness, I would be much remiss if I did not write something of my great thanks for the amazing things in my life right now.  While our everyday actions are the true measure of our gratitude, this is a week for reflecting and putting that gratitude into words as well.

1. I am thankful for improved health.  This time last year I was battling both physical and mental ills brought on by stress, and in the last year I have made great strides in improving my health in pretty much every way.  I've lost some weight (not everything I need to lose, but still a great improvement!), I eat healthier, I don't have any stress induced acid reflux disorders anymore, I am not constantly stressed and negative, I am no longer completely fixated on my job to the exclusion of all else.

2.  I am thankful for a better job.  This goes hand in hand with the first one.  My new job is much less stressful, and if it is still time consuming, it is not nearly AS consuming as the last one.  I have more fun, I appreciate my bosses more and they appreciate me more.  I miss some of my colleagues from my last campus, but on the whole I am very happy where I am.  I hope to stay in my current assignments for awhile.

3.  I am thankful for my husband.  He isn't perfect by any means, but he is an amazing man.  When times are really tough, I know I can always count on him to help.  When times are great, I know I can count on him to lead the way in enjoying it to the fullest.  He is full of love and devotion to his family and friends, and I have never known anyone with a greater sense of loyalty, except in a book, and that doesn't really count.  He has a heart of gold, and I couldn't have asked for anyone better to share my life with.  He drives me crazy too - but that is to be expected!

4.  I am thankful for my parents and my sister.  They are the best.  They are full of fun, creativity, and wisdom, and my only wish with them is that I wish we all got to spend more time together.  I don't know what we would do without phones!  So I guess I am thankful for cell phones too, because with them I am able to talk to my far flung family as much as our schedules allow.  My morning talks with Mom as we drive to our respective workplaces are often inspirational.  My mom may have never stood before a class of 20-35 children and taught, but she understands much about people and relationships, and at the heart of things - this is the wisdom most necessary for effective teaching.  And I'd like to think that she did a pretty good job (along with Dad and Nana) teaching me and my sister how to be good citizens and lifelong learners.  My communication and inspiration from Dad and my sister are less frequent, but equally powerful.  They are both immensely creative and brilliant problem solvers, and my sister and I have found a shared passion for fine arts education, and education in general.  We approach it through completely different channels of influence, but we work towards similar goals, and share a common philosophy.  When I have breakthroughs in my thoughts about curriculum, she is generally the first person I want to talk to.  Lately she's been pretty busy, and sadly I haven't had the chance to really bounce my latest ideas off of her.  It is one reason why I am eager for Christmas, because I know we can talk at least a little bit then.  In this section I will also mention that I am thankful for all of my extended families also, simply for being amazing and supportive people in my life.  I can always count on them for prayers and support when I need it, and generally even when I don't feel like I need it.

5.  I am thankful for my in-laws, and thankful that they live nearby.  From the very beginning they have treated me as one of their own, and they are all amazing.  I am blessed beyond imagining that not only is my husband so great for me, but that his family is so great for me too.  I have an amazing mentor in the form of my mother in law, who is my "mom away from Mom", and a retired teacher who really understands what I experience in my work in ways that no one else in either family can.  My father in law may seem a bit gruff at first glance, but he is as devoted a family man as I have ever had the privilege to meet, and has a great sense of humor if you are sharp enough to catch it.  He is also the soul of generosity if ever I have seen such a thing.  My sister in law is one of my closest friends, and an all around amazing person.  She is intelligent, fun, and funny.  She is also strong in the face of adversity and has more courage than most anyone else I know.  She holds firm to her beliefs in the world, and foremost among those a strong sense of justice - and she'll fight for the underdog pretty much every time.  Both she and her husband honestly want nothing more than to be real life superheroes, and in their own way, they are.  And the extended families are pretty awesome too.

6.  I am thankful for my husband's (new) job.  He is also happier and less stressed than before, and even has a better schedule and makes just a little more.  I am also thankful that after being laid off, that he was able to find a better job than before so quickly in this economy.  There was considerable work and skill on his part to make that happen, but also a bit of luck.  I'm glad for all of it.

7.  I am thankful for our house.  Given that we both switched job assignments less than a year after buying it and moving in, I am also thankful to still be IN our house.  It is our first house, and it's lovely, and in a nice neighborhood.  It has lots of windows on the south side that let in vast amounts of sunshine, and plenty of space.

8.  I am thankful for my nieces, both the two already here and the one on the way.  They are adorable and healthy.

9.  I am thankful for my cats.  They are soft and cuddly, and keep my and my husband amused.  They also keep me company in good times and bad.  There are few things more comforting (if you like cats, anyway) than having a cat sleep on you when you feel lousy.

10.  I am thankful for my friends.  First, that I am blessed with many of them.  Second, that they are awesome in countless individual ways.  Some of their contributions to my life are small, while others are very influential...but in them all, there is a little bit of greatness that no one else can claim.  It would take me ages to list all of those greatnesses here, so forgive my vagueness on this account.  Let's just say I'm lucky to have crossed paths with them all.  Each friend teaches me something new, and sometimes they aren't even aware of it.

11.  I am thankful for my faith.  I am not the sort that frequently yells from the mountaintops about my relationship with God...it is generally my hope that those who know me will see it in me without me having to crow about it.  If my actions are not speaking loudly enough, then obviously I ought to change my actions.  Nevertheless, as I am listing things I am thankful for, I will mention it in passing now - I am thankful for my Christian faith.  I am thankful for the better parts of myself that are cultivated by it...from my faith I find patience, endurance, grace and mercy for the shortcomings of myself and others, kindness, generosity, and love.  And while I am not perfect in any of those things, I know that those aspects of myself are greater than they would be otherwise, and I am happy for it.  And while intellectually I understand that it all could very well be a grand delusion on my part...if that is the case, then at least it is one that makes me a better, happier person.  Heaven forbid, but if the atheists (and certain other religions) are right, then at least my one existence and life will have been more joyous for having been wrong.  However, I honestly don't believe I'm wrong about God existing and having great love for me, and for all people.  I have witnessed and personally experienced too much grace in my short life to believe anything less.

12.  I am thankful for my teachers, past and present.  They are an inspiration, and have done much to help guide and shape me over the years.  From the beginning, I have had an amazing string of teachers in my life, and I continue to have amazing teachers and mentors.  A partial listing...Ms. Spacey, Ms. Joy, Mrs. McWhorter, Mrs. Duncan, Mrs. Bogle, Mrs. Coffey, Mrs. Burkes, Ms. Bailey, Mr. Parker, Mrs. Linda Williams, Mr. Clawsen, Mr. Ferrucci, Mr. Maxwell, Mr. Pogue, Mr. Polk, Mr. White, Mr. Carroll, Mr. Tramel, Mrs. Maulsby, Mrs. Shewmake, Sandi Breashears Wellman, Pam and Tom Burchill, Dr. Gillespie, Dr. John Scott, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Corporon, Andy Trachsel, Deb Fabian, Daryl Coad, Dr. Emmanuel, Dr. Taylor (both the one in the College of Music and the one in the English Department) Gary Rosenblatt, Al Sturchio, Litzie Chapa, Ann Burbridge, Janice Whitehead, Kim Ash, pretty much the entire faculty at Poe MS, the Rogers family, and MANY MANY OTHERS.  There are a few notable names I'm sure I've forgotten in that litany.  Those are just the names that spring to mind immediately.  If any of my former teachers read this blog, then you should know - I continue to learn from you, and my respect for all of you only grows with time.  We are often not given to know the impact of our actions for our students in the long term, to know how we may have shaped the course of another's life.   I am thankful to say that you have all changed my life for the better.  And by the way, most of what I learned from you in the long term wasn't whatever subject we were covering in class.  However, you'd be pleased to know that I do remember a surprising amount of the things you meant to teach me too.

Today, those are my top twelve, perhaps not in that order of importance, but in that order they came to mind.  May everyone have a wonderful week, and even if it isn't officially Thanksgiving tomorrow where you are, remember to carry a little bit of gratitude in your heart - it makes any day better, and any burden a little lighter.

An Idea - warning, long read!

I admit, my idea is incomplete.  That is why it is an idea and not a plan.  A plan would be more comprehensive and would cover more of the practical details.  Nevertheless, I have an idea about how we could morph our current educational system into a more effective and dynamic system fit for the 21st century.

The basis for my idea comes from the very old notions of apprenticeship, where a master teacher takes on only a few students at a time.  Once upon a time, the word school did not refer to a place of instruction so much as it referred to one's instructional lineage of teachers.  In some subjects this is still true.  In my own native subject of music, this is still a common way of doing things, once you reach college and the professional world, at any rate.  There are many advantages to apprenticeship, for both the teacher and the students.  The bond between teacher and student is deeper than we usually think of in our current public education system, both because the teacher is not spread nearly as thinly among their students because there are fewer of them, and also because the teacher is likely to train one student over a few years before sending them to train with another teacher.  Both come down to one thing:  the teacher and student have more quality learning time spent together.  This deeper bond between teacher and student provides the teacher with much better knowledge and wisdom on how and what the student needs to learn, and provides the student with greater trust that their teacher is going to act in the student's best interest.  One potential downside is that there are human beings in the world who would seek to abuse this sacred trust and bond.  We see it happen even in our current system where there are definitive and obvious barriers to attempt to thwart abusive teachers.  The very strength of this model for teaching and learning is also a potential weakness - closer relationships can mean amazing learning benefits, but with risk.  However, I do not think this risk is any greater than the risks we currently face with rampant bullying at every level, and I do not think we would face a rise in the rate of teachers who are abusive.

The advantages of smaller class sizes are fairly well documented, and also very intuitive.  Teaching fewer students at a time means that the teacher is better attuned to the needs of each individual student, has more time to closely supervise and guide student work and inquiries as well as provide direction towards useful resources, and is less burdened with issues of large classroom management and mountains of paperwork (from planning and grading to intervention documentation and disaggregating mass amounts of testing data).  Students get a higher quality (and quantity) of scaffolded interaction with their peers and with the teacher.  A model of instruction based on apprenticeship brings the class sizes down considerably - each teacher taking on no more than 6 students at a time, so as to provide an excellent number for group project work as well as individual studies.  So smaller class sizes are the first piece of the puzzle, and I think the most necessary part.  But to do this effectively and in a practical manner, we must then address (at least) four more things.

First, how will students be assigned to teachers?  Personally, I would love to see a public network of databases with teacher profiles (including any specialties and prerequisites the teacher may have) and contact information that parents could access.  For example, if a student struggles with dyslexia or ADHD, then parents may want to select a teacher who has particular expertise in dealing with those types of students.  Also, some teachers may specialize in early childhood and only take students who are still learning to read, while others may have a certain reading proficiency as a prerequisite before accepting a student.  Parents could then set up interviews with their family and prospective teachers of their choosing, then select a teacher who they feel will be best for their child.  If the teacher is in agreement, then they can accept that student into their class, if not, then they can politely decline to accept a new student.  Because many families either do not have the time for an exhaustive search, or do not necessarily know what they are looking for (or feel confident about this) - I also think that the role of administrators would change... and that administrators would be responsible for knowing their group of teachers well in order to help place children appropriately.  If an administrator feels that none of the teachers in their group are suitable, then they should also be networked with other area administrators that they can refer families to when needed.  I honestly think that with the smaller class sizes, and with a family's ability to handpick a suitable teacher, administrators would be less tied down with discipline issues, and thus have more time to devote to these sorts of matters.  Under any system that uses the idea of apprenticeship, proper placement of students is of paramount importance to maintaining the quality of that system.  Both parents and teachers would need to have a vital stake and say in that process.

Second, we're going to need many, many more teachers.  Oddly enough, recruiting more quality teachers is probably the easiest of the obstacles.  Every year, the school system loses many talented teachers due to teacher frustrations with everything except the students.  Most teachers I know of who quit, quit the profession because of frustrations with how the system works...not because of the children or a lack of desire to teach.  If we eliminated many of the hassles of our current system, I think we would not have nearly the problem we currently have with recruiting and retaining quality teachers.

Third, if we are going to have so many more teachers in order to lower the student to teacher ratio, then how are we going to house this many small classes in our current schools?  The simple answer is that we don't.  Sure, teachers could choose to maintain a workspace for themselves and their students at a public school facility...but with technology as it is, there is no reason why they should be forced to.  A teacher could just as easily teach their apprentices/students in their home or anywhere else, as long as a regular morning meeting place was established and agreed upon by the teacher and the students' families.  Everyone needs a home base to begin at and return to, but it need not be at a school building when so many of our current resources are digital.  And for those resources that are not digital, there is no reason why a class could not take a field trip to a library or school campus in order to access those physical resources.  Having this sort of freedom for the community and potentially the world to be the real classroom would be amazing, but I have no illusions about the legal implications here - families would absolutely have to sign a release of liability form for each child, approve the teacher to transport the child wherever necessary for lessons and research on any given day, and permission for the teacher to seek medical care for the children when deemed necessary.  Basically, the forms we use now in order to take a child on a field trip and to ride a bus would need to be in constant, permanent effect, as leaving the "classroom" environment would happen much more frequently.  Yes, this requires more trust.  Because of the trust required to pull this off, it's one more reason why parents would need to choose their children's teachers for themselves.

Fourth, if not all of the teachers are going to be in a centralized location, how do we get the students to and from "school"?  The answer to this one is surprisingly simple.  If the locations can be decentralized, then why must the school hours be forced to remain constant also?  Why couldn't the teacher and students agree to a schedule that accommodates everyone in the group and their transportation needs?  The school buildings could have a common schedule of when they are open for teachers and students to use them in order to keep operations costs efficient, but the teachers and students themselves could certainly opt to meet somewhere else if their usual meeting place is scheduled to be closed on a day they wish to meet.  Also, if a teacher's students are all within walking distance of their house (quite possible in many cities) - then no transportation beyond the students' own feet would ever be necessary to get to class.

A few other questions and concerns do spring to mind, unrelated to the practical aspects of implementation, but related to opportunities possibly lost under such a system, and curriculum concerns.

What about sports and other larger group oriented activities and clubs?  How would students have access to those experiences?  For sports, I honestly think that a large number of opportunities exist for this outside of the school setting already, and in greater variety outside of school than in it in many locations.  For other activities, I think homeschooling networks have already provided an answer:  when they need these other clubs, they find other people in the area who also share a desire for the same activity and come together at a regularly agreed time.  One way to accomplish this would be to have an educational "craigslist" of sorts where class-groups could advertise that they were looking for others in their area to join them to create a band, choir, orchestra, theatre troupe, whatever...  I imagine that the same "craigslist" style page would be where teacher profile pages would be searchable.  Unrelated, but something else I would like to see linked to those teacher profiles, would be blogs/wikis/ and moodles that together create a virtual workspace and showcase for student work.  And yes, we would need to teach our students about how to properly license their work online.  They need to know it anyway.  Which brings me to my next topic...

How do we measure student learning in such disparate environments and schedules?  Well, for one thing standardized testing as we currently know it would be entirely useless.  I am personally of the opinion that it is already pretty useless as it does not measure what we truly want to know...but that is an argument for another article.  Suffice to say that I'm not a fan of standardized testing.  But in an educational system where teachers are in vastly different environments on vastly different schedules and calendars, perhaps teaching students who are in 6 completely different levels (and likely not on the same level from subject to subject, as is frequently already the case)...even if those teachers WERE all trying to teach the exact same curriculum to their students, they would not arrive in the same place at the same time every year.  Something that might be possible would be adaptive computerized tests given during the same window of time every year in order to see what a student does and does not know (and thus measure their personal growth in a number of subjects).  The size of the servers needed to handle that kind of traffic during that time...formidable, but certainly possible.  In addition, I believe that students benefit from showcasing their work publicly.  The wisest teacher I had in elementary school insisted that each of her students do research projects on a regular basis, and then went on to insist that we complete a public, oral, and taped presentation of our research to our class.  And then we had to watch the tapes after we were all done.  This was very forward-thinking of her, as I can now think of few skills I learned as useful as those of research, public speaking, and prepared presentations.  This is where having an online workspace and showcase, such as blogs, wikis, and moodles, would be extremely useful.  Parents and administrators could see from this ongoing portfolio of work exactly what the students are studying and learning.  And through either in person interviews or via skype-like software, administrators could speak with the students about their learning.  One of the truest and surest ways I know to determine what a person does or does not know/understand is to have a one-on-one conversation with them and to let them do most of the talking.  Interviews are wonderful tools if you have the time for them.  Regarding the curriculum...I personally do not think a mandated curriculum would be useful in this system.  It lends itself to greater individuality and creativity, not boxy strictures on what to teach and when.  What would be useful would be a checklist of sorts, listing skills in each subject that need to be mastered before attempting something farther down the list.  Most states already have something resembling this, in Texas they are called the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills).  I don't think the TEKS are really a complete listing, but they would be as good a place as any other to start from.  As for the timelines associated with the TEKS and most district curriculums...every student is different, and some will proceed swiftly and others less so.  I don't see why this truth has to be a crisis.  All students can learn all they need, even if they take more (or less) time than is average - why does this have to be an issue and a problem?  If the parent is dissatisfied with the progress of their child with a particular teacher, or if the teacher discovers a learning difficulty which is beyond their training and ability to help, then the parent and teacher can work together to find someone else who is better suited to the needs of that child and transfer the student to another teacher, either temporarily or permanently.  Perhaps the solution would be for the student to visit with another teacher's class at certain times for help in a specific subject each week.  There are so many solutions in the world, and we NEED to find a way to be more flexible.  Our current system struggles with the need for flexibility in how we deal with students because the overall model is more like a factory than anything else.  The problem is that people are not cogs - neither the teachers nor the students are interchangeable pieces that will produce the same product time and again.  One of the glories of humanity is that each of us is as unique as a snowflake, with something different to contribute to the world.  Our educational system should prepare each of us to make that contribution to the fullest of our abilities, whatever those abilities are, and not care so much about making us all the same.  So I do not think a standardized curriculum would even be that helpful.  I suppose it would not hurt to provide one for teachers that want to use it (or even want to use portions of it), but I think mandating that everyone use the same one would be detrimental to overall teacher effectiveness.

Another concern - no teacher can be an expert in everything, how will students get a more in-depth instructional experience in certain subjects once they get older (teenagers, middle/high school levels)?  First, students would not keep the same main teacher and mentor forever.  Teachers tend to gravitate towards a certain range of students anyway, and each teacher is slightly different in their preferences.  As the students get older they would need to move to new teachers that meet their current needs.  Teachers of older students may wish to remain specialists in certain fields, hosting different class-groups for lessons at scheduled times.  These specialists would need to be in addition to their main mentor, whose primary purpose would no longer be direct instruction in the traditional academic disciplines so much as an academic advisor who helps coordinate and schedule lessons with specialists as well as continue to help students refine their research and presentation abilities, guide student inquiries, edit anything written for publication (online or otherwise), and help students map and actualize their own educational path towards their career/life goals.  Also, these specialists need not be full time teachers, but could also be professionals in any field who agreed to teach a small group short lessons on a regular basis.  For specialists who are full time teachers, they may in turn take the most advanced and serious students of their subject as full time apprentices of their own in time.

My last thought for tonight is this:  I know the idea seems like it would be extremely chaotic.  In a way, I suppose it would be.  It would be very unlikely that any two people would be learning exactly the same thing at the same time in their life in the same way.  It would take away most of our standardized measuring sticks for learning norms.  In general, it takes our current idea of a cohesive school system and throws it out the window.  There are several logistical holes in the idea still.  Not the least of which is how to work the funding and pay scales.  Also, exactly how many administrators and in what capacities would be needed to efficiently oversee so many very independently functioning teachers?  There are many many more questions that need answering before this would become anything resembling a plan.  But the main goal of the idea is very simple - make the system flexible enough to acknowledge (and make best advantage of) each student and teacher's unique nature.  I intend to keep toying with the idea, until I have a better one.  I haven't discussed all of my own questions and possible answers yet, but I've rambled enough for tonight.  In the meantime, I certainly welcome any comments, questions, or ideas you may have for me - the more food for thought, the better!  Besides, someone else is bound to come up with questions and ideas that I have not discovered yet!  Goodnight all!