SuperWalt's Xanga

It made me lol...out loud

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:08:10 GMT

Two things made me laugh out loud today at school:

1) I had a 5th grade flute lesson consisting of three very talented flautists(?). They had packed up their cases and closed their band folders, and were in the process of walking to the exit when someone saw a flute on a chair and said, "Who's flute is that?" Another replied, "It's Mr. Lindberg's". Holding my flute in my hand, I pointed out, "No...my flute is right here. Um...does anyone's case feel unusually light?" After looking around at each other, one of the girls said, "Oh. Wait a minute." She sat down, opened her case, and was faced with the bitter reality that she had in fact closed her case without putting her flute in it.

2) I took a stroll through the cafeteria on my way to the stage. The kindergarteners were eating lunch and I noticed a little girl who seemed particularly well-pleased with her lunch. All the other kids were munching on their pb&j-on-white bread sandwiches and eating their fruit and pudding snack packs. Not our little foodie, no, no. She was daintily eating a bowl of pasta salad -- fancy stuff, too: farfalle, olives, pepperoni, cheese, etc. It just made me laugh. What a sophisticated 5-year old.

Waking up is hard to do...

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 19:18:27 GMT

As I crawled out of bed yesterday morning (around 5:50 a.m.), Amy asked me, from the warm comfort under the covers, "How do you do it?" "Do what?" I grumbled. "Just hop out of bed every day like that." I responded in my most crackly and weepy voice (which wasn't too difficult at that time of day), "Because, Amy...the children have to learn. Someone needs to teach the children!" I seem to remember that she chuckled (which was the desired effect) and rolled back over and pulled the blankets further over her head.

I then began to think a little as I prepared for the day. How do I get up every morning like that? Then, other questions, like Why do I teach? popped up.

Lots of people enter the field of education because they "love working with kids". I've had people say things to me like, "the kids make everything 'worth it', don't they". Um...I guess so...maybe...sometimes...when they're not being punks. I'm not saying that I don't love working with kids, and that there aren't rewarding times when they are successful or brighten my day or other warm, fuzzy stuff like that, but I don't think that's why I teach.

I remember reading an article in a teacher magazine (something like NEA Today, Teaching Music, etc.) a few years ago about male teachers. It was largely demographic, but also dealt with motivating factors. I don't remember any of the specific numbers, but here are some of the findings: The vast majority of male teachers teach at the secondary level (middle and high school). Here, I am an oddball: I teach in elementary schools. Also, when asked why they teach, most men responded that it was from a deep interest in their subject. I guess I would fall more into this camp than the "I love kids" group. (At this point, I should note that NO ONE enters the teaching profession because of the money.)

My high school band director, Mr. Dale Orris, was extraordinarily influential in my choice of profession. Described by some as a real-life Mr. Holland, Mr. Orris is an exceptionally talented trumpet player (he played with the Glenn Miller and Buddy Rich orchestras, among others, in the 1970s -- the quintessential Mr. Orris moment occurred on a jazz band adjudication trip. After our performance, the clinician asked why we played a certain note the way we did. Mr. Orris' response: "Because when I played with the Basie band, that's the way we did it."). He was also a great teacher, with an engaging personality and a supportive manner with young musicians.

As I think more about it, though, I still can't pinpoint exactly why I do what I do. There are too many factors. Yes, I enjoy working with kids. Yes, I have a profound interest in my subject. Yes, I was inspired by my own teachers. I think the answer is a combination of these things, plus a little more. I think music is downright fun. There's a part of us as humans that responds to music in a unique way. There just seems to be something good in playing instruments and singing and listening and dancing. Who knows. I definitely don't do it for the money!

Yay for good intentions!

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 18:41:42 GMT

I always have such wonderful plans for myself. I want to do x, y and z, and I often get very excited about doing those things. For some reason, though, those things tend to get pushed aside. Here are some examples:

I enjoy calligraphy. I own a fair amount of calligraphy supplies, and when I am (as Bertie Wooster would say) in mid-season form, my work, while simple, is quite nice. I would love to devote some time to this hobby, but, alas, I never have the gumption to drag everything out, find a project and get writing. The thing that usually gets in the way is laziness, and I'm tired of it. Will I stop being lazy in regard to calligraphy? Who knows. I hope so, but the schedule keeps filling up, and I keep coming up with more excuses to waste time.

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There are about a dozen books I would like to read, but haven't started, OR, have read the first chapter and ten put aside. Kind of annoying. Nothing is really jumping out at me, though. The real culprit is, of course, laziness. I'm just too darn lazy to put in the effort I need to start and finish a good book.

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I could list any number of school projects...so, paying homage to Laziness (one of the lesser of the Olympians, I believe), I shall not.

I could go on, but I won't. The point is this: how do I stop being lazy? There are things around the house, professional and personal projects and other aspects of my life that are getting swallowed up by the great sloth monster (not an actual sloth; a metaphorical one -- an actual sloth might be kind of entertaining). Any advice for me?

I'm not usually so conflicted

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 23:00:24 GMT

I have two concerts next week. I had one a week ago that went without a hitch. I'm expecting quite a few hitches from the next two.

I feel really conflicted this year. On one hand, the goal of what I do is performance. Music exists in performance, and music students need to perform. On the other hand, there is so much extra junk that goes into a performance that at times I want to scrap the whole thing. I guess I feel this way mostly because of all the chairs I have to set up and take down and set up and take down and set up and...due to my schools' lack of adequate performance space. Also, I don't know if having beginning students perform this early in their "career" is a pedagogically sound idea. Actually, I know it's not, but that's what we're dealing with here.

Okay, that's all I guess. I'm sure I'll be at peace with this issue as soon as the concerts are over.

Why is my first post in months about this?

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 21:18:30 GMT

DISCLAIMER: ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED HEREIN ARE STRICTLY OPINIONS AND ARE NOT MEANT TO ENDORSE OR DENOUNCE ANY SPECIFIC PRODUCT. ALSO, THE WRITER IS MAKING NO COMMENT, EITHER LAUDITORY OR DEROGATORY, ON THE PURCHASER OF THE PRODUCTS LISTED BELOW.

At her most recent grocery store trip, Amy bought a bottle of Scope mouthwash. I have been a Listerine user all of my adult life, but it was no big deal.

While I am sure both products are effective in promoting dental health, I get a much different sensation from the Scope. When I use Listerine, I sense that the germs in my mouth are dying a painful, agonizing death. When I use Scope, however, I think the germs say to each other, "Ooooo...minty fresh!" Which is worse: Dead germs or germs bathed in minty freshness?

The Unavoidable Conclusion

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 23:50:49 GMT

The last day before kids return to school! Scary!

That's all.

The end is nigh!

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 23:36:28 GMT

I will be officially back at school one week from today. Scary stuff. This has been the first "carefree" summer of my career. By that, I mean I haven't been looking for a job this summer...for the first time ever! What fun. And, while I admit that I have gotten a little bored at times this summer, and I am excited to get some new things accomplished this year, going back to school is never really fun.

Aside: I make no apologies for having my summers off. To people who camplain (stupidly, in my opinion) that teachers have it easy, I say, "it's your fault for not choosing a better profession". Suckers.

Anyway...I did take a class at LVC this summer --string pedagogy; tons of fun, actually. I bumped into a lot of people I know, even some old MU folks: Sue Geesey and Durelle Leaman. If anyone reading this, besides Amy, recognizes those names, they get two thumbs up, a gold star, and two (count 'em, two!) Zagnut bars! I also took the class with one of my cooperating teachers (from student teaching). That was fun, especially since we hadn't seen each other for about 4 years. I learned a lot from him, and really respect his teaching ability, so it was great to see someone like him endeavoring in earnest to improve his teaching. The teaching industry is often crowded with cynicism and laziness. Not that Rob isn't a little hardened by the world, but he is still a great teacher that still has a ton of passion.

Okay. I guess that's all for today...or this month. We'll see.

A Fine Line, Indeed

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:07:45 GMT

One of the topics Amy and I frequently discuss is the fine line between genius and insanity. Some notable examples:

Beethoven -- definitely on the crazy side of genius
Shakespeare -- pretty sane, and pretty much a genius
Bach -- wow...now there's a straight-shooter for you; completely sane in his geniusness
Van Gogh -- we all know he was off his rocker
Mendelssohn -- Walt's favorite musical genius. I believe he could have been one of THE greatest composers EVER, but, among other things, he seems to have shied away from insanity, maybe inhibiting his genius.
Einstein -- yeah...just look at the hair

Can anyone think of other geniuses that maybe strayed a little too close to the insanity line? Any that kept their distance? How about some that danced all over it?

Where's Professor Lewis when you need him?

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 22:46:44 GMT

Last night I was flipping through the channels waiting for a show to come on when I stumbled across the evening's episode of "Hardball with Chris Matthews". They were holding some sort of debate between writer/atheist/Bush-policy supporter/Bush-hater/journalist/intellectual/political wacko Christopher Hitchens and none other than Rev. Al Sharpton. <Upon seeing the set-up, Walt smacks forehead in dumbfounded frustration> (I didn't get to watch very much of it, but, to be honest, Sharpton had some good things to say now and then, and Hitchens wasn't really addressing the issue all of the time.)

The discussion involved Hitchens' latest book, "God is not Great". What struck me as interesting, though, was that this is the second debate about God/religion/Christianity that I have heard of or seen recently in a national audience that involved intelligent non-believers and Hollywood-icon believers. That's right...back in May, Kirk Cameron battled a couple of athiests on Nightline. (I can't bring myself to watch it -- reports were not very encouraging.)

The results of these debates is not really important to my discussion. What IS important is how the Christian faith/believers are being represented here. I mean, really, people, if we are going to engage the popular culture on issues of the existence of God, Chrisitan morality, Biblical truth, etc., we've got to have better spokespeople than a former teen actor and a minister know one really takes seriously. I am in no way questioning Cameron's or Sharpton's faith, interpretation of scripture or their salvation in any way. I'm just saying that these guys AREN'T real intellectuals! As if Christians didn't have enough to worry about with Pat Robertson giving us a black eye every time he opens his mouth, we now have to send unqualified debaters up to the plate infront of a national audience.

As I write this, I feel kind of like a jerk...again, I don't want to demean Cameron and Sharpton. But, when you are trying to win the game, you put together the best lineup you can. I guess there just aren't enough heavy-hitting Christian thinkers in the public realm. Why can't Gary Habermas go on Nightline to discuss the Bible? Why can't we get Ravi Zacharias to be on Hardball to talk about religion in culture?

Maybe those guys have more important things to do. They probably do. Of course, when you think about it, Jesus doesn't need anyone to defend Him.

Summer in the city(?) suburbs(?)

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 22:10:18 GMT

This is the first summer of my career in which I'm not looking for a new job. Fantastic! What a great answer to a few years of prayer. Seriously, it feels very nice to be able to relax without the grim spectre of unemployment looming over my head.

We teachers are funny about the summer, though. We spend all school year looking forward to it, and when it gets here, we can only find things to occupy ourselves for about 2 weeks. Interesting. And, of course, the vast majority of the plans we make for the summer just never happen. We somehow manage to put things off all summer. Does anyone else ever feel this way? Well...ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to change that this year. That's right, I'm going to make a concerted effort to be productive and exciting this summer. No more moping around complaining that school districts haven't called me back, no sir, I'm free of that burden. Now I can do some things.

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Weeds -- everywhere! A few months ago I posted about our garden. It hasn't quite shaped into the robust explosion of flora I had imagined, but we're trying to get back in the swing of things. Number 1 priority: weed. We bought a great little hand-held hoe, and it has made the job (and it's a surprisingly big one) much easier and more effective. Unfortunately, some of our favorite lilies haven't bloomed yet, and probably won't this year. They were transplanted from PA, so maybe they'll take some time to get used to the new environment.

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The Cubs...We now get WGN, the Chicago station, and they show about 2-3 Cubs games each week. It's great to watch again and feel involved in the team, which I haven't for a few years. It's also fun that Amy is getting into it with me. She's become fairly knowledgeable with regard to the National Pastime, and is great company for a ballgame.