Rookie Mistakes New Teachers by Joel Wagner - September 22, 2010September 25, 20102 This year I am in the position to be able to work relatively closely with two first-year teachers and a second-year teacher. I also am working full time with a third-year teacher. One of my primary objectives this year is to be able to talk through some of their challenges and hopefully offer some suggestions for how they can better grow as teachers through the process. I see them making a lot of the mistakes that I used to make. In my discussions with some of the more experienced folks around me, I hear them refer to these as rookie mistakes. We all make mistakes in our jobs on a daily basis. Some mistakes that we make are more normal than
Less Stress: Deepen Your Relationships With Friends Stress Reduction by Joel Wagner - October 23, 2007July 5, 20100 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17 Some of the greatest stress relief I have had since moving away from my family has been with friends. Either other teachers as well as church friends or even other friends you have met through other social activities. Maybe hooking up with college or old high school buddies. Whatever it is, hanging with friends is a great stress reliever. Just sitting and talking about things unrelated to school can be great. Sitting and talking about things related to school can also be great. I learn a lot from my teacher friends. Some of my greatest learning experiences are when I am trying to help them
The Fourth Year: Entering The Special Place Personal by Joel Wagner - July 31, 2007July 5, 20100 In the Band Director world, the fourth year in a school district is a special year. When I got my first job, I remember that it was my boss' fourth year in that school district. Everything at the high school is more special during the fourth year than it has been in previous years. I think this concept also applies to most high school coaches as well as elementary elective teachers. Why? There are a number of reasons that this is a special year. The first is that I have been to every high school football game and marching competition that every student in the high school band has been involved in. This year's seniors have gone through
Rethinking The Systems Music Education by Joel Wagner - July 25, 2007July 5, 20100 I have spent much of last week and this week with one of the high school band directors thoroughly analyzing our marching fundamentals for the high school band. Though this really doesn't apply directly to what I do during the school day as a middle school band director, the process we have been through to rethink our entire marching system can be applied to a lot of things that I will do in the classroom this year. I think it can also be applied to your world as well. The Process So what exactly have we done to make these changes? Here's a basic outline. At the end, I'll show how it will apply to my routine, and see if