Musical Minds: Music Ed. Student Teaching Blog

 After graduating from Coe, I hope to teach elementary or middle school music. I believe that I would enjoy a small school, similar to the school I grew up in. I think that small schools often get overlooked because they don't have as many resources as the big city schools, but the students at these schools still need music education in their lives. I plan to move back to Illinois and finally get out of Iowa. Honestly, I will be applying to any position that is open, big or small school. I will have the ability to be picky after I get a few years of teaching under my belt.

For personal staff development: At Indian Creek, I participated in spirit dress up days, weekly 'this or that' polls in the teacher's lounge, making a happy birthday video for a special needs student, and more. At Taft, I have also participated in spirit dress-up days, and all of the music staff eat lunch together in the band room daily.  For professional staff development: At Indian Creek, I attended their week of professional development training before classes began. This included an active shooter training (ALICE), fire drill training, cell phone policy training, expectations for staff, and more. At Taft, I have been able to participate in bus safety drills.

 I was surprised with how much I enjoyed teaching elementary music! Going into student teaching, I was focused on middle school, but I think I may have changed my mind. I still have my middle school placement to experience middle school band, but elementary will be tough to beat.

 I do not have much of a "wellness plan". I work all day at school, come back to campus and work in the cafeteria, then I work on lesson plans until I am too tired to write something coherent. I work every day except for Sunday, when I clean up around my apartment and work on more lesson plans. If only student teaching didn't cost $30,000 :)