I just can't figure it out

Why is it that when I ask a class to do rhythm movements, such as clapping or tapping their hands on themselves or an instrument- no matter what grade it is- all the guys do so as hard as they possibly can?

With the 2nd grade today, one of our songs involved patting the steady beat on different places of the body, firstly the head. (this song is also mentioned in the other blog) (Is firstly even a word? If not then it should be!). Just as I predicted, the boys started smacking the crap out of their heads.

Why?

Same goes if they are clapping their hands or if I hand out percussion instruments. It's never the girls. Even when I say before hand that they need to make sure they do it softly and/or quietly, it doesn't make a difference. It's like males cannot help it - they've got to get violent!

I wish I could figure it out.

Any clues?

Songs I need to download on my iPod

Sorry, guys. This probably won't be very interesting. It's more of me making a list where I can find it again. But if you're bored, you should find a few and listen to them yourself. You never know what you might like!

Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet

Khachaturian - Masquerada Suite

Howard Hanson - Symphony No. 2

Samuel Barber - String Quartet in b Major

Bach - Suite for Cello No. 1 in G

Joaquin Rodrigo - Concierto De Aranjuez for Guitar

I'm sure that the list will grow, but that's what I've got for now. Great music. Love.

Puppy cam!

If you are like me and love everything about puppies...

And you don't think that stalking puppies is wrong (like me!)

Then check out the puppy cam!

http://www.ustream.tv/SFShiba

You won't be able to look away!

From the mouths of my students

It's definitely been an interesting day here at school.

My 8th graders were singing our theme song this afternoon - very poorly. I'm not talking about the genuine I can't sing well. They were shouting and singing off pitch on purpose.

"If I were to go get the principal, ask him to come and hear what we're singing and you were to sing like that, do you think that he would be pleased?"

"Well if he were in here, we would sing it right."


On a lighter note, I was reviewing our Martin Luther King song with my 3rd graders since they had a sub last week when they learned it for the first time. They were singing it through and appeared to be having a good time.

I asked them what style of music the song was.

::crickets::

I explained that the song was in the gospel style.

A hand in the front row raises.

"Mrs. R, I didn't know that Martin Luther King was in the gospel."

It took everything I had not to laugh!

Puff the Magic Dragon

Today I was doing some review with my 2nd grade music class. We were going through some of the songs that they learned earlier in the school year, before we started working on the Christmas program.

They all got so excited when we got to the pages with the song Puff the Magic Dragon.

"I love this song!"

"This one is my favorite!"

"Yes!"

Now, it was very cute hearing them get so excited over a song. And they were darling singing it.
The thing is though, this song depresses me.

Puff and Jackie Paper are great friends, and they do everything together. They go out on all kinds of adventures and everyone knows who they are.

Then Jackie grows up. He stops going to see Puff.

Puff doesn't have his best friend anymore and he's all alone.

"Without his lifelong friend, Puff could not be brave. So Puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave."

This line of the song alone makes me want to cry! I get into a funk every time we do this song in class.

We've read the story out loud, and I've explained it to the kids. But they aren't phased by it one bit. Even the sad parts they sing with smiles on their faces.

Now I'm know that I am pregnant and over-emotional, but I remember this song bothering me last year as well. So why do I see it as a downer while the kids favor it?

All I can think is poor Puff! I'll come hang out with your in your cave. Or you can come over to my house. I'll make spaghetti. Then we can watch Law and Order reruns on tv. You've probably never seen them before, so it'll be like watching new episodes! Then maybe we can all go out and I'll take you to my favorite restaurant. Do you like sushi, Puff? You should try it!

This problem that I'm having here probably is connected to the fact that I still purchase stuffed animals for myself.

Happy MLK Day!

This might piss some people off. Just sayin.

First of all, I think that Martin Luther King Jr. was a great man and an important figure in our nation's history. I commend the man and have nothing but respect for him. His life and accomplishments should be celebrated and I have no problem with the fact that he has his own day.

Now, we had a teacher inservice today. The kids had off, but we all had to come in for the whole day. But it's MKL Day. This is where I get offensive. I work in an environment that is not what you could call diverse. What am I trying to say? Every single last one of us is white.

My MIL works in a public school a couple miles away. They did not have school today. They are having their inservice tomorrow. Wanna take a guess as to why? Could it have anything to do with the fact that not only the faculty, but the student population as well is more "diverse"?

Here's what I'm really trying to get at:

If we had one single African American teacher at my school, we would not have had to come in to work today.

There, I said it.

If every single kid in the school was Chinese, would we still have Christmas break? No, we would have our 2 week break during the Chinese New Year.

Did I make a point? Did I even have a point to begin with? Happy birthday, Martin. You were so much more than a swell guy.

I'm going to be honest here - this post is really just acknowledging the fact that I haven't written anything here in a long time. Yes, I am aware. But every time I sit down to write, it all ends up being baby/pregnancy related, and that goes on the other blog. That has literally consumed our lives.

So I don't really have anything funny or witty to talk about.

I would like to give a book review on the Sookie Stackhouse series, but I am as of now only partway through the first book.

I would like to talk about my new nook, but I haven't really used it enough yet to know what all to say.

I could talk about the baby...

Damnit! See, I told you it's all we freaking think about!

Even my rambles about work tend to get tied up into being pregnant.

I promise I'll be back at some point. Don't lose hope in me!