Where in the World Isn't Bob Saget?

SteveBrickNJ

Well-Known Member
Have you ever heard of Acapop kids? I just discovered them yesterday and they are amazing! I don't know if they've done any of the songs on your list, but it's a group of kids singing a capella, which is very challenging... It might be cool for your kids to see other kids doing something like that. The youngest girl I saw started in the group when she was only 9! They are all seriously talented!
Probably this video is the group you had in mind @Songbird76 ?
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Songbird76

Well-Known Member
Probably this video is the group you had in mind @Songbird76 ?
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Yep, this is them. I hadn't seen this one yet. I saw their first TV performance on the Kelly Clarkson show... Someone posted it on Facebook, and I watched because I love seeing talented young singers. It's incredibly difficult to sing a capella. You really have to know your part and have a good ear, etc so they are super impressive.

Do you also teach vocal music? Or have experience with vocals?
 

SteveBrickNJ

Well-Known Member
Yep, this is them. I hadn't seen this one yet. I saw their first TV performance on the Kelly Clarkson show... Someone posted it on Facebook, and I watched because I love seeing talented young singers. It's incredibly difficult to sing a capella. You really have to know your part and have a good ear, etc so they are super impressive.

Do you also teach vocal music? Or have experience with vocals?
I am only contracted to teach instrumental music....BUT at almost every band concert I like to have one vocal soloist. Often there is a song my band will play and that song has lyrics....so I'll have tryouts....select my best singer and that child will sing the song at the concert prior to the band playing it.
Re. me outside of the school setting:
1) Pre Covid I was on a Royal Caribbean Cruise and I tied for first place in a karaoke singing contest.
2) I am a member of my church choir and at times also a vocal soloist there as well.
Re. acapella, @Songbird76
You might enjoy this... ( at minute mark 2 minutes and 36 seconds it gets really good ;) )
 
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PUSH

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I'm officially done with year 6 of teaching. Overall, I'm ready to be done with this group of kids. They are by far the worst group of behaviors I've ever had.

However, there are a couple I'm going to miss. One I'm super sad to see go. I got a couple heartfelt letters from those students this morning, and I was on the verge of tears. One of the student's old kindergarten teacher walked by, so I showed her the letter. She started crying about the two I had (which she had last year), and that got me all emotional, too.
 

SteveBrickNJ

Well-Known Member
I'm officially done with year 6 of teaching. Overall, I'm ready to be done with this group of kids. They are by far the worst group of behaviors I've ever had.

However, there are a couple I'm going to miss. One I'm super sad to see go. I got a couple heartfelt letters from those students this morning, and I was on the verge of tears. One of the student's old kindergarten teacher walked by, so I showed her the letter. She started crying about the two I had (which she had last year), and that got me all emotional, too.
Nice story. Thanks for sharing that. My last day is not until June 20th😲 Since I have 67 band students , I naturally have more "favorites" that I will miss as well.
 

PUSH

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Nice story. Thanks for sharing that. My last day is not until June 20th😲 Since I have 67 band students , I naturally have more "favorites" that I will miss as well.
June 20th is a long time yet. My students have been checked out for the past couple weeks. At the end of the year I do "theme" days, rather than normal academics. Partly because not much learning is going to happen anyway. We had a field trip, beach day, nature day, Disney day, spirit day, splash day, etc. We work so hard during the year, and it's nice to celebrate all of our hard work with some fun.

As far as "favorites" (which teachers totally don't have ;)), there is one boy who I had such a great relationship with. Not that teachers have favorites, but he's definitely one of my top 3. Maybe even #1. He kept me sane in an otherwise very challenging year. I looked to him to make me smile when I was at the end of my rope (which was daily with this group).
 

SteveBrickNJ

Well-Known Member
June 20th is a long time yet. My students have been checked out for the past couple weeks. At the end of the year I do "theme" days, rather than normal academics. Partly because not much learning is going to happen anyway. We had a field trip, beach day, nature day, Disney day, spirit day, splash day, etc. We work so hard during the year, and it's nice to celebrate all of our hard work with some fun.

As far as "favorites" (which teachers totally don't have ;)), there is one boy who I had such a great relationship with. Not that teachers have favorites, but he's definitely one of my top 3. Maybe even #1. He kept me sane in an otherwise very challenging year. I looked to him to make me smile when I was at the end of my rope (which was daily with this group).
One aspect of your position that is superior to mine is.....you CAN see your favorites next year. You'll pass them in the hall or wherever.
Your situation is just like the kindergarten teacher who could relate to her former student(s) in your room.
My job is to work with the 5th graders who are the oldest-top grade in the building.
When I say goodbye...it's really goodbye. They are in the Middle School next school year.
 

PUSH

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
One aspect of your position that is superior to mine is.....you CAN see your favorites next year. You'll pass them in the hall or wherever.
Your situation is just like the kindergarten teacher who could relate to her former student(s) in your room.
My job is to work with the 5th graders who are the oldest-top grade in the building.
When I say goodbye...it's really goodbye. They are in the Middle School next school year.
I've thought about that before. I do enjoy seeing the kids grow up throughout the years. They have three more years in our building after me (we go up to 4th grade). I wouldn't like seeing my kids go off to a new school and never seeing them again.
 

ajrwdwgirl

Premium Member
I'm officially done with year 6 of teaching. Overall, I'm ready to be done with this group of kids. They are by far the worst group of behaviors I've ever had.

However, there are a couple I'm going to miss. One I'm super sad to see go. I got a couple heartfelt letters from those students this morning, and I was on the verge of tears. One of the student's old kindergarten teacher walked by, so I showed her the letter. She started crying about the two I had (which she had last year), and that got me all emotional, too.

Congrats on the end of another school year! I had a tough group too, well at least my 7th grade group. I’m 23 years in and 17 years in my current room which I had to move out of today. When I was leaving the room I got a little emotional but then I had to get home for my end of the school year tiki party. 🙂
 

PUSH

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Congrats on the end of another school year! I had a tough group too, well at least my 7th grade group. I’m 23 years in and 17 years in my current room which I had to move out of today. When I was leaving the room I got a little emotional but then I had to get home for my end of the school year tiki party. 🙂
I spent my first three years in one room, which I loved. My past three years have been in a different room, which is still nice. It's bigger than a lot of rooms, but it's right in the main corridor and always busy. But it's also nice to be near everything. I'm staying put next year, so it will officially be the longest I've been in one room. I'll post a picture of how I left my room today.
 

ajrwdwgirl

Premium Member
I spent my first three years in one room, which I loved. My past three years have been in a different room, which is still nice. It's bigger than a lot of rooms, but it's right in the main corridor and always busy. But it's also nice to be near everything. I'm staying put next year, so it will officially be the longest I've been in one room. I'll post a picture of how I left my room today.

I should have taken a picture of my empty classroom. I guess I could still go back I have my keys and live close. I’m not looking forward to unpacking in the new room which the teacher is still occupying that space.
 

PUSH

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
That is a nice big room. So clean too!
It was taken with the wide angle lens, so it's a little deceiving. Still bigger than many rooms, but not the biggest in our building. I'd say it's a medium size. Maybe slightly above average. The little cubby area by the windows is nice. I moved my desk area back there in my second year in the room, and it opened things up so much. It gave the students a lot more space, and me too. So it was a win-win.

My biggest complaint is the lack of natural light. The natural light only goes into my cubby area. And even that is slim because the window goes out to a small courtyard, so a lot of the sunlight is blocked by walls.

Also, the picture makes it look a lot cleaner than it is. There is so much dust in the room. I figured why dust now, when I'll just have to do it at the start of the year anyway? It also looks cleaner because I have all my bins and baskets put away, so the shelves and tables are empty.

The biggest classroom "pack up" hack I've ever discovered was to put plastic table cloths over the whiteboards with magnets. I have a large sound wall and my calendar area on the boards. It took me hours upon hours to figure out the spacing and get it all right. So last year I had to idea to not take it down and just cover it with the table clothes. Game changer.

But I honestly enjoy classroom setup so much. I watch so many vlogs over the summer of teachers setting up their rooms. Usually by July I'm getting the itch to start setting it up. I could spend the entire month of August setting up my classroom, and I'd love it.
 

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
I'm officially done with year 6 of teaching. Overall, I'm ready to be done with this group of kids. They are by far the worst group of behaviors I've ever had.

However, there are a couple I'm going to miss. One I'm super sad to see go. I got a couple heartfelt letters from those students this morning, and I was on the verge of tears. One of the student's old kindergarten teacher walked by, so I showed her the letter. She started crying about the two I had (which she had last year), and that got me all emotional, too.
Did they maybe give you more tough kids this year now that you have been there for a while and have a little experience? When I was teaching music, I had one class that I DREADED getting. It was a 6th grade class, and it was like they took every kid with behavioral problems and shoved them ALL into one class. I don't know how that teacher dealt with them on a daily basis all day. One kid in particular was so incredibly disruptive that I couldn't get through a class without sending him out. I called his parents once because I was concerned and he was really just being awful. His stepdad answered the phone and sounded like he may be under the influence of some controlled substance. And his words to me, kid you not, were "Well I thought he was doin' alright! He has straight D's in everything!" And THAT is doing alright? It was elementary school!! So no support from home, which was probably WHY, but man that was a rough class. He was the worst one, and of course I was straight out of college and had no experience and classroom management was NOT my forte, but that whole class was full of kids who weren't motivated, who had no respect for me, and who were loud and obnoxious. There was a 5th grade class that wasn't a whole lot better, and I'm guessing that the teacher who had the 6th grade class was destined to get all those kids the next year. I left after that one year and decided teaching wasn't for me. If I could have just had the 1st through 3 grades, it would have been a dream, but 4th through 6 graders require a special kind of person, and that is NOT me.
 

PUSH

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Did they maybe give you more tough kids this year now that you have been there for a while and have a little experience? When I was teaching music, I had one class that I DREADED getting. It was a 6th grade class, and it was like they took every kid with behavioral problems and shoved them ALL into one class. I don't know how that teacher dealt with them on a daily basis all day. One kid in particular was so incredibly disruptive that I couldn't get through a class without sending him out. I called his parents once because I was concerned and he was really just being awful. His stepdad answered the phone and sounded like he may be under the influence of some controlled substance. And his words to me, kid you not, were "Well I thought he was doin' alright! He has straight D's in everything!" And THAT is doing alright? It was elementary school!! So no support from home, which was probably WHY, but man that was a rough class. He was the worst one, and of course I was straight out of college and had no experience and classroom management was NOT my forte, but that whole class was full of kids who weren't motivated, who had no respect for me, and who were loud and obnoxious. There was a 5th grade class that wasn't a whole lot better, and I'm guessing that the teacher who had the 6th grade class was destined to get all those kids the next year. I left after that one year and decided teaching wasn't for me. If I could have just had the 1st through 3 grades, it would have been a dream, but 4th through 6 graders require a special kind of person, and that is NOT me.
No, our entire grade level was packed with behaviors this year. Every class had a few major behaviors. And the rest were all medium-sized behaviors. Only a few you never really had to get on at all. The grade is so bad they're adding an extra section next year to split them up a little bit more.
 

ajrwdwgirl

Premium Member
No, our entire grade level was packed with behaviors this year. Every class had a few major behaviors. And the rest were all medium-sized behaviors. Only a few you never really had to get on at all. The grade is so bad they're adding an extra section next year to split them up a little bit more.

Sounds like our 7th grade class this year, which I get again next year. 😏. I have the summer to recover. 😉😜
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
No, our entire grade level was packed with behaviors this year. Every class had a few major behaviors. And the rest were all medium-sized behaviors. Only a few you never really had to get on at all. The grade is so bad they're adding an extra section next year to split them up a little bit more.
Just a personal thought on that, in my 75 years on this planet I have never seen the degree of general frustration and upset that this country is currently experiencing. I suspect that the general air of anger and upset is showing itself at home and therefore you are getting some acting out on the part of the kids where they feel it is a safe space for them to do so or maybe even not a safe place. Schools, as of late are not seeming to be the place to be physically safe. Most of our acts and reactions are connected a lot closer then we imagine. Everyone is starting to completely lose patience and it is starting to be hard to subdue and worse it is keeping our children on edge as well. In my own childhood, with the cold war and constant threat of nuclear annihilation wasn't exactly the happiest time of our lives.
 
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