Zůstat plovoucí.

Zůstat plovoucí.
Stay afloat.

It's that time of year again. The semester is coming to a close, projects are mounting, caffeine is pumping through my veins, and a good night sleep is becoming a luxury. There are days I feel like my brain has the consistency of strained squash and it may be in danger of leaking out my ear. I feel skittish and totally unmotivated at the same time.

Several of my student teaching peers have expressed similar feelings. Molly and I were talking about these weird sensations- simultaneous anxiousness and sloth. We have always survived the end of the semester push. It just feels particularly steep this year. I wonder what it affecting so many of us in such an unusual way. Thoughts?

Anyway, I have been trying my best to focus my energy and be a busy, busy bee. This is what I have been up to:

It is t-minus ten days until my student teaching portfolio is due. I have completed 6 out of the 10 artifacts and accompanying essays. Two are currently in some stage of progress, while the other two are on tap for early this week. I have been typing, editing, scanning, video taping, and re-editing like a mad woman.

Check out these examples of student work I am using in my portfolio. It is from the third grade theme and variations unit. The students picked a simple shape as their theme and made three variations on that shape. Like music composition, the students had total freedom of how they chose to vary the shape. The only guideline was the theme needed to recognizable within the variation. The students were so creative- I had a hard time picking which examples to use!

Love the fish!

Circles were a popular theme. I thought this one was particularly well done.

That jack-o-lantern is the best!

Score study, rehearsal plans, more score study, lesson plans, and more score study. I can sing Holst in my sleep. It's not a bad thing.

Attended the American Orff Schulwerk Association conference. It was a phenomenal learning experience. I meet a lot of interesting people, attended some very creative sessions, and picked up some great books. I heart books.

The high school marching band gave a great performance at the holiday parade downtown last week. The late evening rehearsals really paid off. The band sounded fantastic!

Student teaching observation by my university supervisor this week. Need I say more?

The holiday craft fair and breakfast is this coming weekend. The students plan, organize, and run the whole production. It is going to be a very busy, albeit fun, week!

What projects have you been investing your energy in?
Here's to keeping afloat!
Merry Writing!