-
A Typical Day in Music Class & A Christmas Song (A Long Overdue New Music Monday, Plus Video)
In addition to being my first full year teaching science, this is also my first full year teaching music. I teach music at every level, from the first grade students all the way up to the high school juniors. I enjoy teaching both music and science, but I feel the most passionate about teaching music. Music is beautiful. Music is fun. And music tells us stories. Our Music Class Routine In music class, we follow the same basic routine each class period. First, we listen to a piece of music and then we discuss what we heard. I like to ask the students three questions about each piece: 1. What…
-
Taking Different Paths Through the Woods and Following God’s Will
“Mom, follow me,” Samuel said, as he ducked below a tangle of branches too low for me to crawl underneath. Gray autumn clouds covered the sky like a sheet and the steady drip of branches filled the woods like music. The air around me felt damp, heavy with moisture, and I could feel the frizz from my hair sticking to my neck. I was starting to get sweaty. “Samuel, I don’t think I can follow you under there,” I replied. I elected to walk through a small grove of fir trees with mangy branches that stuck out like wheel spokes. I gently moved them to the side and hoped a…
-
The Cosmos and the Bees
Tall, tall, tallCosmos in the breezeSmall, small, smallAnd delicate their leaves Grow, grow, growBefore the first frost fallsBlow, blow, blowBefore the winter calls Bloom, bloom, bloomMake stars in summer’s nightZoom, zoom, zoomMake honey while it’s light UpAnd downAnd inAnd outHold on tightAs you’re blown about FarAnd nearPlease blooms,Stay hereHang onTill winter comes Tall and smallI like you allGrow and blowBefore the snowBloom and zoomStore up your food Then waitTill summer comes