2015-2016 Revised Music Teacher Planner - Chapter 1 - Contacts and Communication Log

So after a year of using my planner I love it more than ever, but  now after almost a year of use I have a MUCH better idea of how I would like my planer to actually function.  With that in mind, I have decided to create a revised version for this next year.  I've cleaned up some errors, moved some things around,  added some things and taken out others. I am sharing my edits with you!

If you like the old version fine and would like to continue to use it, please feel free to do so.  You can find the first chapter for download here.

CHAPTER 1 - CONTACTS AND COMMUNICATION LOG

 

Advise about printing:  

The PDF files that are linked here include pages as I have them set up for my own planner.  Your needs may be different than mine so feel free to print more or less of any given page. You will notice that each page is either left or right of center.  This is to allow for binding or hole punching. 

For best results try to arrange your planner so that when your book is open an even numbered page is on the left and an odd numbered page is on the right.  

Please remember that all parts of this planner are intended as a gift to busy music teachers who spend hours of their own time and regularly contribute their own money to the cause of making their music classrooms a haven of learning through music.  If you choose to use any part of this planner please do not sell it.  If you choose to share any part of this planner with others, please share the link to the blog rather than downloading and then mass producing planners for others.

If you find any part of the planner useful or if you have a request or suggestion please leave a comment below.

The Collaborative To-Do list! - Google Sheets to the Rescue

I am so blessed to work with an amazing, talented, steady, organized and hard working co-teacher. We have a great time working together!

Like all successful partnerships we each bring strengths and weaknesses to the table. One of the things we have in common is that at least in our professional lives we are both morning people.  By the afternoon we are D-O-N-E done!   We are TIRED!  We are ready to go home!    When you are tired it's REALLY REALLY hard to remember what important things need to be done.  Most of the time, nothing has to be finished as much as progress needs to be made each day.  All too often, at the end of the day we would find ourselves blanked out in front of our email with no task coming to mind.  Once in a while that's fine, but ya'll know that things go much better and mistakes are avoided when you can take the time to be methodical.    

Because we are partners we sometimes have the ability to divide tasks according to our interest and ability.  That works out great unless you can't remember who is doing what, then you might end up doing the same thing twice..... At a previous school with a previous co-teacher we kept one entire whiteboard covered with an ongoing list....  The way our rooms were set up it meant that both of us could easily see our list at all times....  My current situation doesn't really have a place like that.... BUT we have googledrive!  

Within our partnership we have been relying more and more on google drive on our collaborative work, but a couple of months ago we created a shared "To Do" list using Google Sheets.   

It has worked REALLY REALLY well....  It changes all the time and there is no real formatting involved but it is a place that we can go to keep our "To Do" list together and available.  

We have room to make notes and we have created a sort of short hand.... When there is something that you are working on, you just enter your initial into the cell before the item.... that way my team mate or I can move on....  

Now when we get done with dismissal duty and our mind is blank of any idea other than the thought that we should get something (anything) done we have a place to start.

When you get ready to create your own collaborative "to do" list, all you have to do is create the spreadsheet and then share it with the people who you want to collaborate with.  It is important that everyone on the team of collaborators has the ability to edit.  It is a little strange to be working on a document and see another cursor moving around and having letters appear that I am not typing, but it is a very efficient and effective way to share the work that needs doing!  Have fun!

Class Notes: Rests: Sometimes Music is Silence

Look what I found!  This video series is really nice and well done!  - Thanks Classical MPR for such great work!  I plan on sharing these videos with my 5th graders as we gear up to review everything for so they will be ready for Jr. High!  :)

My favorite things about SPRING BREAK!

So this week is spring break and I been taking life VERY VERY easy!

1.  SLEEP - I did quite a bit of extra sleeping this week.  Sleep is such a simple and important thing..... Luxuriating in extra (needed) sleep and rest can feel quite decedent. Maybe I'll make it to May......

2.  BOOKS - I did quite a bit of reading - I started the "Fruit of the Spirit" Bible Study by Beth Moore.

3.  WORK - So I did some school work, but I only worked on things that made me happy and that could be done while wearing pajamas.  Working in pajamas and having the luxury of un-dedicated  time makes work chores seem like a nice way to spend a rainy afternoon !

4.  MOVIES - Did you know that there is a documentary about the ice capades?  Yep - I watched it....

5.  FAMILY TIME - Last Spring Break my dad was still in the hospital. Yesterday is the 6 month anniversary of his stem cell transplant.  He is doing GREAT!  Every day is precious.


6.  VOCAL REST - Vocal and Auditory Rest is blissful. Years of vocal distress have trained me to practice silence when I'm home.  I no longer have the voice issues that I once had in part because of my efforts to be quiet.  I've found that not only my voice enjoys the rest, but my ears love silence too! It's been a treat to soak up some silence.