Final post

As I reflect on my internship this semester, I only have positive thoughts, and inspirational ideas for future endevours. I am so grateful for the things that I have learned, and the ways that I have been able to serve not only my mentor, but the students at McCarter, as well as my own children. I have learned so much about how important it is to treat each child respectfully. I have also learned the importance of strict adhearance to discipline. When the students know what to expect from the teacher, they try to get away with less, and that allows for more teaching time.

I loved seeing the interaction between the faculty. McCarter gave me a great reference to how close a faculty can be, and how when a faculty works as one, and helps each other, the whole school succeeds. At McCarter, the teachers help the music/art/PE teacher, the administration help the teachers, and the teachers help the Para's. Even though this school is in a struggling school district, there are obvious reasons for the achievement that they have seen, and continue to see.

I have loved my interniship, and I am actually sad that it is almost over. I will probably go back next semester to see if I can help out!

Possible changes

Working at a school district that is struggling has been very interesting. Many people have negative attitudes towards schools in our district, so I went into this school not knowing what to expect. Needless to say, I was very impressed and have noticed the efforts for positive change going on, and commend them for their success. I have talked to my mentor about what she thinks could be improved, and I agree with her on many issues.

Since this is one of the best schools, people around the town have transferred to McCarter, so there are now a LOT of students and not enough space for learning to be the best it can be. If the school could get another multipurpose room, for gym or other engagements, it could help quite a bit. As it is now, no PE can be taught during lunch or breakfast hours, so the kids are limited for PE time. My mentor sees 2/3 of the whole student body in one day, with no break in between classes, so she would highly benefit from another part time music teacher as well.

The one major thing that needs to be changed is that the kids do not have enough time to eat their lunches. I propose that another multi-purpose room be built so that the last block of PE classes can go into that room, that way kids can start lunch earlier, and the rotations can each have an extra 5 min. tacked on to their lunch.

I realize that having ideas for public schools, and having the funds the carry them out are two different things, but these are my ideas:)

Interview

I was able to interview my mentor today, a week late, since last week she was crazy busy with a 5th grade program (that actually took place this Tues.) I didnt even try to take any of her time, since I knew how busy she was. She is a music teacher of an elementary school with 436 students. She teaches every single one of them.

My first question was "What are your responsibilities?"
Her first response was:"To take the kids off the teachers hands for an hour, so they can have a break away from these naughty kids!" Then, after a laugh she said, "my responsibility is to give the kids a taste of what music can do for them. Some enjoy it, some don't, but ideally I want them to all feel safe and have a little break away from normal classroom setting."

Me: "What are the hardest parts of your job?"
Her: "Dealing with students who refuse to do what I ask them to do, so they take away from others enjoyment." The schedule is also very hard for her. She sees 2/3's of the 436 students every day. She doesnt have ANY breaks between classes (except for one 5 min. break), and barely has enough time with them to get anything done. Also, since there is no time between classes, she cant write down what she has done, or prepare for the next class. I have watched this madness, and I know how crazy it is for her to play 4-5 lesson plans in one day. I could never do it without help. It's a good thing she has been doing this for so long, and has all the stuff for it.

Me: "What are the best parts of your job?"
Her: "I have such great students, except for maybe 2 or 3. I really do enjoy them." "I also have a cooperative administrator and I am grateful for that, because I know they arent always cooperative with the music departments anymore. The collegue assosiation is great. I love the atmosphere at the school. Of course the best part is making a difference in the lives of the kids. Thats at least what I hope is being done."

Last of all I asked her if she had any suggestions for me. She said that she would tell me to start early and keep good records. She said "when you save it, know where it is saved! This will save you hours of work, if you do it correctly." She also suggested that anyone in a school setting become best friends with the janitor and the secretary staff.

All in all I learned a lot from this interview and I was glad to get to know her even better than I already did!

Shadow for a day

Actually, I pretty much shadow my mentor, who is a music teacher, every day. Her responsibilities consist of teaching every student in the school throughout the course of two days, and then it starts over again. She starts the morning out with 5th grade. Right now she is working on the 5th grade program coming up in one week, so I have helped out with accompaniment and set design. She has taught them the chorepgraphy and and words and will tie it all together on the stage next week. She has two 5 grade classes that come in one at a time for 25 min. each. Then two fourth grade classes, and two 3rd grade classes. She usaully has 3 different plans for each grade, although the 3rd and 4th are usually pretty similar. Then she has lunch. After lunch it is the same madness, with two 2nd grade classes being first, and then Kindergarten and then finally 1st grade. She also has to adjust her plans to fit their development, and I can easily say that she is over worked and under paid! Since she has been teaching forever, she has tons of materials and plans, which I think makes it a bit easier, however, she is always coming up with new ideas for programs and class. She has been an excellent mentor and I have learned more than I ever expected to this semester.

Showcase

Michelle Johnston
1153 SW Glendale, Apt. D 785-250-8249
Topeka, KS 66604 michelle.m.johnston@gmail.com

EDUCATION


Arizona State University May 2009
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies GPA: 3.70
Concentrations in Music and Child Development

WORK EXPERIENCE

McCarter Elementary School, Topeka KS Fall 2008
Intern
Plan and present material outlined in the curriculum
Accompany on the piano
Create visual aids, games and worksheets for class
Support the teacher in teaching songs and concepts
Help with discipline
Brainstorm ideas to ensure quality instruction

Piano Teacher, Mesa AZ and Topeka, KS Sept 2002- Present
Teach and manage 7 students
Create incentive plans for encouraging practice and involvement
Host bi-annual recitals
Foster healthy student/teacher relationships

LDS Family Services Jan 2001 – Nov 2001
Secretary
Scheduled appointments
Managed and created files for clients
Input date for clients
Accounting- totaled money brought in for the day
Transcribed adoption home studies into templates for adoptive couples to become adoption certified
Organized workroom and secretarial workspace

Black Barts Steak House Sept 1999-Jan 2000
Accompanied singers and dancers
Performed nightly musical songs, at least 5 throughout the night
Hosted
Performed nightly musical songs, at least 5 throughout the night

ADDITIONAL AWARDS AND EXPERIENCE
Music Scholarship to Northern Arizona University 1999
Miss Arizona Scholarship Pageant Governors Award 1999

Week 7

his week I would like for you to think about your own career and how your applied study experience relates. Is this something that you could see yourself doing in the future? How does your experience relate to your future career goals? Is your site somewhere where you would like to work in the future? Is there anything about your site/ position that you dislike? What skills are you learning through your experience and how might those skills help you in your future career? In the future would you consider working in an educational setting?

During the first month or so of my internship, I have thought many times over that after I am done with this degree, I need to go back and get a post bacc. education degree. However, my kids are still young, and I think I will wait until they are all in school to go back full time. As far as my career right now goes, I feel like my internship has helped me have a different perspective with teaching music. My mentor is big on teaching the joy of music, and the kids learn so much from her. I want to impliment these skills into how I teach my piano students, and try to help them to enjoy it.

There is not really anything about my site that I dont like. In fact, I want to continue to spend time there, even after this semester, since my children both go to that school.

I kindof already answered this question, but I just wanted to reiterate that I would definately like to work in education in the future, more likely in music than anything else, but I even think I might enjoy being a 1st or 2nd grade teacher. I might even think about doing my own preschool, where I could impliment a LOT of my music and child development skills that I have learned in my classes, as well as my learning site.

I am really happy with the learning site that I have chosen. It couldnt have worked out better for me. Hopefully I'll be as much of a help to them as they have been to me.

Week 5

The first concept I am going to talk about is from child development. It is called scaffolding. Its the idea that children learn best from other kids who are older, or know more than they do. In our music class there are kids from all different levels, since some of them take band or orchestra, or private piano lessons, and others do not. My mentor does a good job of involving all the kids, and having the kid who know more help to teach the ones who do not quite understand.

There is also a theory out there that learning music helps children to be more apt to understand other subjects in school. As I look around at the kids who are activily engaged in music, I notice that generally they are the ones who are bright and eager to be interactive with whatever we are presenting. I havent dont any specific research or anything, but to me it does seem like music makes a difference in the lives of these middle aged kids.

In child development, the social learning theories say that kids behave better with positive reinforcement and when they are treated with respect. They learn to behave by observing what consequences come from different actions. Bandura was a social learning thoerist. In my mentors classroom she has a daily positive reinforcement "star" that she gives to the kids for good behavior. If they are behaving badly, she gives them 3 strikes before she takes the star aways for the day. This seems to work really well, and the kids respond extremely fast, because she is very consistant with her reinforcement.

In music there is a concept that music teachers talk about that says that kids who learn the theory behind the music, will be able to undrestand the music they perform much easier and better. We are working on this this year, and are trying new ways of incorporating teaching music theory to the kids, in fun ways, so that they understand how to read music, and not just listen to the radio. I am just barely starting to see results from this, especially with the 5th graders, who have seemed to pick it up easier than the others. I hope to see more improvement with how they are able to read music and learn songs more quickly as the semester progresses.

Week 4

As I think of the school that I am interning at as a whole, I believe that it is very multidisciplinary. There is a PE teacher, an art teacher, a science teacher, and my mentor, a music teacher. There is also a nurse that brings her discipline into the works. The secretaries keep the school organized, and the principal is the leader of the bunch. Everyone here, even the janitor, all use their skills from very specific disciplines. However, I also see a very interdisciplinary side to education. All teachers must be aware of basic child development issues to teach effectively. They must have a knowledge of what they intend to teach, and they must have effective communication skills, therefore, there is a huge need for interdisciplinary skills.

It is a public school, so there is a principal who is the leader of the school, and technically, the boss. In this way, a school is hierarchical. All the teachers and those who work directly with the students seem to be on the same page, and work together as a team to be able to get the children where they need to be in order to pass their tests. This would be the next level of the hierarchy. Then, there are the "paras" or teachers aids. They spend less time, and I'm sure make less money than the other teachers. They also dont have to have degrees. All in all I think that the school in general is hierarchichal, but it realy doesnt feel akward, or degrading to be the lowest on the totem pole:) Its a very enjoyable school to work at, and I'm glad I get the opportunity.

Week Two

Hi there! I am Michelle Johnston. My two concentration areas are music and child development. I chose these areas kindof by default. I started out as a music education major for two years. I loved it, but when I was 20 I got married and then pregnant with my first child. Since music was very time consuming, I wanted to find something that would not require as much time at the school. So, since I was having my first child, I figured family studies would be a good area to learn about. To make a long story short, after having my 3rd child, I realized that it would be best if I combined the two areas of music and child development and do the BIS program. So, I have been working on that slowly but surely ever since. These two areas are very reflective of my identity. Child development is a HUGE part of my life right now, having 3 kids, and I have very much enjoyed all of my classes. Music is also a big part of my life. I teach piano to 6 students, and currently love to play the piano, organ, flute, guitar, and lets not forget the recorder:)

I am doing my applied learning at McCarter Elementary School in the music room. I am very excited about this, and I hope to learn more about how children learn in each development stage, and also how to use music to inspire, and uplift children. Academically, I believe it will be a huge learning experience for me to observe all of the things I have learned about in class. Also, I will be able to increase my music ability by using my skills, such as piano and singing each day in class.

So far I have been able to do things all over the spectrum of teaching. While the teacher does the teaching out of the books, I walk around and help students one on one to follow the teacher, or help them if they have questions. I have accompanied songs, helped run the cd player, pass out things, and help with discipline problems. I have also helped with classroom things, such as copying, cutting, laminating and organizing.

This last week I was able to make up a game and present to the kids. I did a music jeapordy game, and it went over really well. The teacher seemed to be impressed and the kids learned and enjoyed it. I taught 4th and 5th graders. It was fun to use a lot of the music skills I have acquired throughout my whole musical college experience.

For now, my future goals are to finish this degree, and then I hope to get a post bacc. degree in education, possibly music education. I LOVE working with the kids, and learning from my mentor, and I think this is a great educational experience for me.

More to come next week after I have some time at the school