Monday, September 19, 2011

Teaching--a new perspective

Vacation over, back to routine...or not quite for me...This past week, I began my new job teaching private piano at Christ Church Episcopal School (CCES). The previous weeks had past somehow in a blur of teacher's meetings, parent/teacher meetings, planning, digging into creativity and trying to think outside of the box. Somehow, I managed to finalize my curriculum, design my studio theme, decorate my studio and filter through the mountain of paperwork by the time lessons began...All the while, I kept thinking to myself how strange it felt preparing to be the "teacher" and not the "student." I was still making schedules--but this time I was scheduling my students instead of my own classes. I was still buying textbooks--but this time there weren't for me but for my students. It still seems strange...but I'm enjoying being on the opposite side of the desk now! ;) 

The way the program works at the school, I am required to go to each child's class and pick them up for their piano lesson. This first week proved to be very interesting as I tried to figure out where each of their classes were. I don't think I want to know the number of miles I walked this past week in search of all my students...One student proved to be especially elusive. When I walked to her classroom, both her and her class were gone. I walked to playground--but no success. One of the maintenance workers asked me if I needed help (I must have looked more lost than I thought). It was really embarrassing to have to admit that I was missing a student...oh yes, I know I'm the teacher, but somehow I've misplaced my student... ;) Eventually I found her, thankfully before the entire lesson time was gone! Later that day I was walking around outside after having dropped a different student off when I ran into the same maintenance worker...oh sigh...he laughingly asked me if I was still looking for the same student (this was three hours later). My first day was certainly not without it's comical elements! Having completed  my first week, I'm immensely thankful that with the exception of one, all of my students are in the lower school building!

I have the most adorable students, ranging from 1st grade-7th grade. Each one is so completely different from the others. My first student of the day was all seriousness--she wanted to be sure she understood everything perfectly right. One of my other 1st graders excitedly told me that he had been looking forward to his piano lesson aalllll day!!!! He was so excited the entire lesson, it was hard not to laugh--and cute! Curly, blonde hair and big, blue eyes... :) I met another one of my students on the playground when I picked her up from recess. Her first words to me were not the usual "Hi," "Hello" or "My name is..." No, she quickly informed me "I don't usually wear these glasses. I just wear them outside sometimes so I can see my friends better." I almost couldn't contain myself that time, but she was so serious that I knew I had better not laugh. :) I could go on and on about some of the things one of them said or did, but I'll forbear for now and just say that I have been blessed with some wonderful students that all seem excited to learn to play piano. What more could I ask for?!

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