Re: How do I do this?

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Music Teachers Chatboard

How do I do this?

by overwhelmed

Aug 26, 2015

This year they decided to replace our second music teacher with an art teacher. This means that I alone will be responsible for 860 students, our 100 member choir, ordering 250 recorders(and all the money collecting, phone calls, reminders etc that goes along with that0, field trips etc. Oh, and planning and executing all the programs for PTA. Then they decided that the classroom teachers needed a break so they squeezed my schedule tighter, added a 7th period each day and I am supposed to plan creative and engaging projects for grades 1-5, each of which will come to me one day a week in addition to their regular music time. These"clubs" should make the kids want to come to school, not be another music class. Instead of having choir during class time (2-3 times a week as it used to be) I now have to have them before school, and have duty before school on the days I don't have choir and after school duties every day. My school has had a great choir for almost a decade (with me ...See MoreThis year they decided to replace our second music teacher with an art teacher. This means that I alone will be responsible for 860 students, our 100 member choir, ordering 250 recorders(and all the money collecting, phone calls, reminders etc that goes along with that0, field trips etc. Oh, and planning and executing all the programs for PTA. Then they decided that the classroom teachers needed a break so they squeezed my schedule tighter, added a 7th period each day and I am supposed to plan creative and engaging projects for grades 1-5, each of which will come to me one day a week in addition to their regular music time. These"clubs" should make the kids want to come to school, not be another music class. Instead of having choir during class time (2-3 times a week as it used to be) I now have to have them before school, and have duty before school on the days I don't have choir and after school duties every day. My school has had a great choir for almost a decade (with me as a wing man, not the main director) and everyone expects that to continue. But we used to have small group rehearsals before school, and on my lunch hour and after school and they filled all that up with duties. My other specials teachers have the same schedule but none of the planning, rehearsing etc that I do for choir or programs. Add to that, I got my knee replaced this summer and I have to ice, and elevate it on my lunch hour to keep my whole leg from looking like an elephant's. You know I can't go to my principal and say I just can't do this job, and I have never been a whiner, but I am afraid that I literally can't do this job! How do I have this conversation without seeming like a whiner, or worse, too old to do this job? You would think that taking away half the staff they would lighten the work load not increase it! How do I do this?>?? I got home at 8:30 last night half way through making 35 seating charts, and found a note on my door that my grass is too tall (been 10 days) and if I don't mow it tomorrow (now today) I will have a huge fine. So I guess tonight after I get home from the dentist I will be mowing the grass in the dark.

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Michele First of all, I feel your pain. Second, you need to "problem solve" with your principal. Brain storm together. One time a week means you're going to spend almost a semester just working on a program. Maybe you no longer have 5 programs. Maybe just every other grade. Maybe just small informational programs in the classrooms. Could your &q...See More

Aug 26, 2015

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Anne You are absolutely right to feel overwhelmed! There is simply not enough time in the day to get all of those things done! In your place, I would sit down, make a list of all the things that you used to do, then make another list of the things that you have to do (required by your job description, so teaching classes, etc), and one more list of thin...See MoreYou are absolutely right to feel overwhelmed! There is simply not enough time in the day to get all of those things done! In your place, I would sit down, make a list of all the things that you used to do, then make another list of the things that you have to do (required by your job description, so teaching classes, etc), and one more list of things that you want to do. See which things you can let go. It sounds like choir and recorders might have to be some of those things, if they want you to not have a breakdown in about 3 weeks. Once you have this list, go to your principal and talk about it. Let them know that the reality is you are only one person, not two! Hopefully this goes well for you. Can you get any parent help to do the recorder orders? That's not a job you need to be a trained musician for. Could you get a university student to help with the choir, if you still intend to do it?

> This year they decided to replace our second music > teacher with an art teacher. This means that I alone > will be responsible for 860 students, our 100 member > choir, ordering 250 recorders(and all the money > collecting, phone calls, reminders etc that goes along > with that0, field trips etc. Oh, and planning and > executing all the programs for PTA. Then they decided > that the classroom teachers needed a break so they > squeezed my schedule tighter, added a 7th period each > day and I am supposed to plan creative and engaging > projects for grades 1-5, each of which will come to me > one day a week in addition to their regular music time. > These"clubs" should make the kids want to come to > school, not be another music class. Instead of having > choir during class time (2-3 times a week as it used to > be) I now have to have them before school, and have > duty before school on the days I don't have choir and > after school duties every day. > My school has had a great choir for almost a decade (with > me as a wing man, not the main director) and everyone > expects that to continue. But we used to have small > group rehearsals before school, and on my lunch hour and > after school and they filled all that up with duties. > My other specials teachers have the same schedule but > none of the planning, rehearsing etc that I do for choir > or programs. Add to that, I got my knee replaced this > summer and I have to ice, and elevate it on my lunch hour > to keep my whole leg from looking like an elephant's. > You know I can't go to my principal and say I just can't > do this job, and I have never been a whiner, but I am > afraid that I literally can't do this job! How do I > have this conversation without seeming like a whiner, or > worse, too old to do this job? You would think that > taking away half the staff they would lighten the work > load not increase it! How do I do this?>?? > I got home at 8:30 last night half way through making 35 > seating charts, and found a note on my door that my > grass is too tall (been 10 days) and if I don't mow it > tomorrow (now today) I will have a huge fine. So I > guess tonight after I get home from the dentist I will be > mowing the grass in the dark.

Aug 26, 2015

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Lis OMG! When I started reading your post, I thought "sounds like my schedule", but then all the extra stuff you've listed does not sound FAIR at all! You should at least have a teacher's assistant for a little while each day to help with the ordering, money, etc etc that eats up all the extra time. Maybe you should cut the size of the choir,...See MoreOMG! When I started reading your post, I thought "sounds like my schedule", but then all the extra stuff you've listed does not sound FAIR at all! You should at least have a teacher's assistant for a little while each day to help with the ordering, money, etc etc that eats up all the extra time. Maybe you should cut the size of the choir, too. Only take the first 50 who bring back their form. I think I would definitely have a talk with your principal. Re-write this post so that s/he can hear all the nitty gritty details. I'm exhausted just reading it!! Sometimes we have to be pro-active or nobody realizes how much we are doing and nothing ever changes. Good luck.

On 8/26/15, overwhelmed wrote: > This year they decided to replace our second music > teacher with an art teacher. This means that I alone > will be responsible for 860 students, our 100 member > choir, ordering 250 recorders(and all the money > collecting, phone calls, reminders etc that goes along > with that0, field trips etc. Oh, and planning and > executing all the programs for PTA. Then they decided > that the classroom teachers needed a break so they > squeezed my schedule tighter, added a 7th period each > day and I am supposed to plan creative and engaging > projects for grades 1-5, each of which will come to me > one day a week in addition to their regular music time. > These"clubs" should make the kids want to come to > school, not be another music class. Instead of having > choir during class time (2-3 times a week as it used to > be) I now have to have them before school, and have > duty before school on the days I don't have choir and > after school duties every day. > My school has had a great choir for almost a decade (with > me as a wing man, not the main director) and everyone > expects that to continue. But we used to have small > group rehearsals before school, and on my lunch hour and > after school and they filled all that up with duties. > My other specials teachers have the same schedule but > none of the planning, rehearsing etc that I do for choir > or programs. Add to that, I got my knee replaced this > summer and I have to ice, and elevate it on my lunch hour > to keep my whole leg from looking like an elephant's. > You know I can't go to my principal and say I just can't > do this job, and I have never been a whiner, but I am > afraid that I literally can't do this job! How do I > have this conversation without seeming like a whiner, or > worse, too old to do this job? You would think that > taking away half the staff they would lighten the work > load not increase it! How do I do this?>?? > I got home at 8:30 last night half way through making 35 > seating charts, and found a note on my door that my > grass is too tall (been 10 days) and if I don't mow it > tomorrow (now today) I will have a huge fine. So I > guess tonight after I get home from the dentist I will be > mowing the grass in the dark.

Aug 28, 2015

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