Last Program is Over!

Yup, the last program is done. WooHoo!!!

The kids did very well both during the daytime and nighttime programs. There are so many things to tell but I'll try to keep it kind of short.

"My Planet, Your Planet" was a success. I'll have to email the composer and arranger of this Musick8 Musical and thank them . The kids wore their earth colored shirts today although one girl showed up with a "Hot Pink" shirt in the morning. But I guess she called home because this afternoon she was in a light green shirt. The message was well received by all and the kids sang so good today! I left three kids off the program but I already made them their own personal copies and will give them to them tomorow. I also made chorus certificates tonight.

Now since I have been so negative about a certain someone at my school she surprised me with the comment his afternoon, she said, "When would you like a break tomorrow?" I actually had her repeat it. Bad me!

I said, "I'd have to think about when?" How about the 6th grade block! What I have planned is really a lot of fun for the next few days. It is silly but fun music stuff that doesn't take any brains to do.... so why do I need a break? She also came over and helped me pass out the certificates. I really was grateful for her helping hands at that time.

What I really need now is for someone to help me straighten up my classroom.... Too many programs with too much stuff out of place, if you know me, I can get a bit messy but I do know where everything is!

When I get the copies of the pictures taken from the program I'll post some. A sweet mom said she would take pictures for me. I really like her, she has helped in years past with backdrops that I didn't really need to bother with this year because the stage had filing lineup along the back wall. Those will be gone next year though!

Now all that is left is to teach for 4 days, but in that time frame I need to make out grades for all the students, I'll try to finish that this weekend. Help with a powerhouse tomorrow morning and talent show Tuesday afternoon. And then on half day clean up and get ready to leave for the summer.

AND

RELAX!!! Maybe swim ?? Loose weight, eat right and sleep!

GO back on July 31??? What's up with that?

Teacher Follies

So at my school we have a very enthusiastic male 2nd grade teacher (Sean) who decided to put on a production with the faculty of our school in conjunction with the Student Council of who he is the sponsor. They wanted to use this event for a fund raiser and charge our school neighborhood families a donation fee for entrance to this production. Well, his personality and enthusiasm is catching and he seemed to get almost all teachers and staff involved in putting on the production of "I Need a Vacation." He didn't realize it was a musical but went forward with it anyway. I told him the only way I would help him is with the sound system, because for many reasons I don't want to go on the stage and act. I am always worried about falling down and breaking something and I sure didn't want to trip on stage by any means. There were 5 groups who practiced their parts as groups on their own time learning the songs and acting and saying the words. This afternoon at 3:30 we got together and rehearsed with the sound system and on stage. We even were treated by the student council with pizza. The program started at 6:30 and all went OK until after one scene, I saw that someone had left a microphone a few feet from me on the floor and it was causing re verb sounds that I couldn't get rid of, so I decided I wanted to turn off the microphone. As I was reaching down it was further away than I thought and as I was reaching forward and sideways to my left, my rolling chair was inconveniently sliding away from under me ... It seemed like I was suspended in time, but there, with all my grace, I WENT DOWN! Embarrassed! You Bet! But I didn't have to think long because Sean appeared from nowhere and was right behind me on the floor whispering to see if I was OK? I, of course

say my standard, "I am OK", but then I added, "Just help me get back up." He wanted to help me get up in the most awkward way but I told him to hang onto the rolling table in front of me so it wouldn't move and I would help pull myself up and he also needed to retreave the excaped chair. And then i asked him to roll it under my behind I'm sure that took place in less than one minute, but at first I thought I would never be able to get up. But we did it. Lucky for me not everyone had a view because between the audience and me was a huge cardboard box painted like a van that held 9 people in one scene.

So you see I don't even have to be on stage to be a Klutz!!!!

Several people came up after the show to see if I was OK..... I said a few Tylenol will do the trick. OK.... I am so sore tonight. I am not too sure everything that will hurt tomorrow, but this too shall pass!

So goes the saga of the teacher follies... now the chorus concert on Thursday, power house on Friday and talent show next Tuesday where I take care of the sound system. BUT ;-/ I will use a regualr student chair with no wheels.

(5 days left to teach and 3 days w/o kids, I'm not really counting?!?!?!?!?)

Mother's Day

My 3rd Attempt..... Ok here it is...learning how to send pictures!

Beautiful flowers, cards, cinnamon rolls, hugs, pictures, help with my computer, a delicious dinner, a sweet movie and being honored on a blog are all things given and shared with me on this special Mother's Day.
But, the best thing was to have all my children talk to me on this special day. All of my five children took the time to talk to me. I am so blessed to have wonderful children. I am grateful for each of their strengths, goodnesses and love. Each are all so different with their individual talents. We got a decent picture of the whole family that we got during the last week of April. With Leslie cropping in a picture of Lucy from Thanksgiving and now I actually have a picture with the whole Hooper gang that I will take to school for the next two weeks to show off.
I am so proud of this family. All the struggles we are going through at this time will make us all stronger.
Thank you for making this day special.
I LOVE ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!
Mom

Teacher Appreciation Week

I normally get passed over on Teacher Appreciation Week because I am a "Special Area Teacher" and not the students' classroom or homeroom teacher. But this year I had a few surprises. I got some flowers, some cards from students as well as parents, some brownies, a bag of the most delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies that I should have never gotten into. I ate them at the end of one school day and got a sugar high. gees I had to go home and took an afternoon nap! at home of course... oops!) I got a few gift cards to eat lunch.

But today I got a really special surprise from a very sweet, shy, quiet 4th grade girl. She come into my classroom this morning with a big white gift bag topped with white tissue paper. With an very excited and anxious look softly said, "Open it!"

I took of the top layers of white tissue paper and found laying on a bed of more white tissue paper, a pretty good sized angel. The angel was holding a mandolin. I carefully lifted it out of the bag and said how beautiul it was. The little girl got close to my ear and whispered, "Read what it says on the wings."

So I with a slow deliberate voice I read the inscription...

"To the world you may be one person."
"To one person you may be the world."

And on her little homemade card it said I was the best Music Teacher ever!

Oh, how I am blessed! One never knows who we touch. Every person is someone special!

Yes I want this school year to end for a little while, but I am thankful to be a teacher!

THREE DOWN AND ONE TO GO

Three programs down and one to go. Tonight was the 2nd grade music program. We went on an Asian Journey. Still in my mind I can see the title I wanted to use... "Oriental Express" but on our official school programs that we passed out the title was "An Asian Journey." it is OK....
We started the program with a song called "Hello" written by Lazslo Slomovitz. His music is in the 2nd grade music book. Do you know that I actually met Lazslo at a MENC convention when it was in Phoenix. He and his brother immigrated from Russia years ago and are deeply involved in American Music Education. They love playing instruments and making up songs. I wish they could come to our school, (of course that is not possible,) but I do show a video of them singing fun kid songs.
There are 4, 2nd grade classes and I featured each class on stage. The first song Class #1 did was a Korean song and they were depicting a school scene where they pretended to great the teacher at school and went into class ready to work and learn in school. They then acted out music called "Hide the Scarf" in a Chinese version of Duck, Duck, Goose. And their final segment was a circle dance to a Japanese song Called "Star Festival."

Class #2 played Orff instruments to a song called the Chinese New Year. They did very well. This class is one of the most musical and could polled this song off. They even had it memorized.

Class #3 did a Chinese Dragon Dance. In the afternoon program the kids dressed like dragons went around in circles on the stage and it just seemed to just drag... on and on ... get it???? So in the evening I got the idea of the students walking out around the audience. This turned out so much better. The kids were either in a small "noisy" band, or holding paper lanterns or they were in one of two dragon costumes. I bought red and bright blue material and then the sweet 2nd grade teacher finished making the heads of the dragon with the patterns and ideas I gave her. They turned out really colorful and good looking. We are saving them.

Class #4 told the story of the "Year Naming Race." Their teacher put quite a little effort into the project this past week. In the afternoon the story went great, but this evening 8 kids from his class were missing, but you know what? it turned out OK!!! The kids were on stage, that is what really counts!
They then got out the boom whackers and played Taiko Boom with traditional Taiko drums in the background,

All the kids sang the closing song .....

An then in the evening I wanted an encore number so....
I had the students go get one of their parents out of the audience. We also had a few extra parents come up because so many of the kids were not there at the program. I gave a mini lesson on to play the boomwhackers and read the letters and how to strike the wacker on the floor or wherever like on their hand leg, or head.. NOT!!!!! then they all played "Taiko Boom." They did pretty good because I left the students seated there among them. Well, actually adults have a fun time playing those boomwhackers!

I must say.....What a fun program!!!!!!!!........
Again parents thanked me for a delightful program and many came up and said they were "glad I was back to do such fantastic things with their kids" .... mind you these were some of the real words they actually used.

I am tired and sore but so very relieved!!!

The Carnival tomorrow night.
I am running the sound system for the teacher Follies May 13th and on the 15th the Chorus will sing, My Planet, Your Planet."
I already picked solos and asked the 6th grade girls to come up with a routine for the last number which is a take off of High School Musical music.

And the best part for me as a teacher is that there are only 14 days left of teaching this year.
I know many moms just don't like summer, but if you're creative enough you can find projects for the kids. There is also swimming, reading a good book and for me I'll do some genealogy!!!!!!

But next on the agenda in May is Nathan's birthday party and then Layna's baptism. Concerts with Jon and some of my students in Junior and High School.
Busy, busy, busy!!!!

Sorry, I don't have pictures in my blog. I don't even know how to do that!

IT IS MAY DAY today!!!

Hope it was happy for all.

Two down, two to go

Well, tonight I have finished the first grade musical which I think went rather well.
I woke up extremely tired today and really just wanted to stay in the comfort of my bed.
I then remembered the opening words of the first grades' song ...
"I woke up in the morning and I jumped out of bed,

"I rolled my shoulders and I rolled my head,

I had to move my feet.... I had to move my feet..."

yep...right to the bathroom...
Got ready for school and still felt so tired. I got to school in time to do chorus but I was still tired. Before the the first class came in I said to myself JUST SMILE!!!!!! Be Kind! AND SMILE! Things will get better today.
I then taught 6 classes and went out to lunch for a breakfast jack at Jack in the Box, something that is not heavy or full of sugar. I started to wake up by then. The staging and equipment wasn't in the right places, the Power Point wasn't working on the school equipment, as usual, But I SMILED! and said this is OK!!!
The rehearsal was great. The performance was great too. The kids were cute playing their instruments and singing . The kids just followed some sign language for It's a Wonderful World which actually looked very professional.
I went home and got my PC where I had the original power point. Got to school hooked it up but realized that I need my mouse to make it work. OOps it was close to 6 by now and Brother Barton was there on the first row and said he'd run home and get his (He has a PC too)
I'm still Smiling! We can always do the sign language thing. He got back it was working like a charm by 6:15.
Janelle Sommers was helping me today. She is a teaching assistant and very fun to have in class. She has always been fun to work with and she helps with the special needs kids.

The Program "Making Music in Our School" went on without a hitch!!! It was great!
Just remember if you smile everything will work out Alright! OK!
The program was similar to Landon's 3rd grade program but I used some easier music and the instrumental part were easier. The kids played Maracas, Cowbells, Claves, Tambourines, Boomwhackers, Hand Drums and Kazoos and did a lot of hand motions.
Now next week I'm doing doing a 2nd grade play that I wanted to Name "Oriental Express" but since "I am not politically correct" according to two picky teachers, the title has been changed to and "An Asian Journey" that just doesn't have the pizazz does it. Oh well, We will play more complicated music, do movement and dance and tell a story on stage, all with the Asian flare of China, Japan and Korea. This one is harder because we are using so many props and instruments. And then in 3 weeks on the 15 of May the Chorus is doing their program called, "My Planet, Your Planet" all about looking out for our environment.

Like I said two down and two to go.
SMILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One down three to go

Well, last night, April 3rd, I led about 150 Kindergarten kids in their performance of "Gettin' Down with Mama Goose". The kids were so cute. Most of them had on their SSE red T-shirts and the rest of the kids wore regular red t-shirts except for a few. So here they are on the stage and on one riser just off each side of the stage and I am leading them in the cutest Nursery Rhyme songs complete with actions and movement that I choreographed. Most of the movement has to be in one spot, so there is a lot of movement with hands that go along with the words of the songs. I did have them bounce with their knees, not jump and march and even had the boys and girls alternate taking turns bending forward grabbing their knees while the other song their parts to a couple of songs. The kids this age are so cooperative and sweet and soooo cute. Just imagine 150 kids doing the same actions, rockin' to a rock and roll beat, doing the "Rocky" stomp, stomp, clap thing, making fan hands, mitten hands, hands high above the head, bouncing to the beat and not jumping, singing with their best loud voices, smiling from ear to ear and having a blast knowing they are on stage like the big kids.

Can you just hear their parents cheering as if there little sweethearts were on American Idol? Well, I felt that way. (Some of the parents though were a little too noisy talking while the kids were singing. They weren't saying anything bad, they were actually talking about.... "that kid" and "look at him," and "isn't that a cute little girl on the front row with the hip action just adorable".... but it was distracting to me and possibly others. You should have seen the picture taking experience though. We told the parents after their last number they could come up and take pictures as they kids stood on the risers for them. Even the principal couldn't stop talking about how many parents came to the front like a paparazzi crowd of photographers. She also couldn't believe the crowd that came and the K teachers said they never had that big of a crowd before... Well this was the First Night concert! They always had the concerts in the day when many people could not get off work and they were there last night and they all wanted to take those precious pictures.

The week after Spring break the K teachers were so doubtful that I could put on this show because I had been gone so long and they felt the kids didn't know the songs. I told them to trust me, because I knew the kids could do it and sure enough they did! I feel I surprised many people with what kindergartners can do. They are just small little people and they can about do anything. Had we had a few more days we would ave done all the songs with just the accompaniment tracks. We used 2 out of 12 songs with the words. It was actually better for me to have these two songs with words because I have a case of laryngitis and a very froggy voice.

I made a cute program and had their names on the back, unfortunately I got the names off of the school snapgrade sight and their was one child whose father asked if his son was not supposed to sing because his name was not on the program. I said of course we want him to sing that is was just a computer error (NOT MINE) and I'd love to make him his own program with his name. It was kind of ironic that his name is not on snap grades and that his own teacher didn't know he was not on the list. I guess K teachers don't use snapgrades like the rest of us have to.

Oh well, in three weeks April 24th, will be the First Grade Musical all about going to school and doing Music and learning. One week later the Second Grade Musical, Oriental Express with songs from China, Japan and Korea. This Musical will have lots of instruments and actions on stage. Then two weeks later will be the Chorus Concert all about Earth Day, taking care of our earth and being helpful and conscientious about our environment. Four programs within 6 weeks is insane but it will be done........ and I am making these programs a lot of fun for the kids.

I just come home every night from school ready to go to bed, but I can't, I have to plan stuff and work out details and still live a life with my family. I even want to try to go to their ball games but so far I have only gone to one.

This weekend is General Conference, where I can stay home and not have to dress up for church. I am looking forward to a spiritual lift and maybe in between sessions I can get a lot accomplished in my home and family and for school.