Settling into the Routine Again

 I'm finding it hard to believe that it's only the second week of the new semester at Wayland. I hit the ground running this term and there's been no looking back! I think I'm finally getting settled into the routine again.

I think part of the reason things are feeling so frantic at the moment is that my semester seems to be front-loaded. I will play 2 faculty recitals in the next 3 weeks....just before traveling to San Antonio for the TMEA conference. I've already submitted a short article for publication and given a final (closing out last term's grades, at last). To say that my plate is just a little full at the moment is an understatement.

Thankfully, I learned some things last semester. Experience is the best teacher sometimes. So I'm taking steps now to avoid pitfalls later in the term. There's lots of practicing, planning, and organizing going on in my little corner of the world right now. I'm hoping to get much of the lesson planning settled in the next few days so things don't go crazy once I start attending student voice lessons next week.

Despite the fact that I'm struggling to hit my stride at the moment, I'm having a blast....and wouldn't have it any other way! The break was nice for a few weeks, but I'm really ready to get back to the process of making music and learning a little more along the way.

Learning Some New Things

I've always enjoyed learning new things. I suppose that's part of the reason I am pursuing a career in higher education. Opening my mind to new concepts on a regular basis keeps me sharp and entertained. I love to teach, but I also enjoy sitting in classes when they are carefully prepared and introduce me to new material that is interesting to me.

There's a lot of learning going on right now in my life. Some of it is entirely on my own. This term, I am teaching a section of music appreciation as a hybrid course -- half the material is presented in a traditional classroom setting while the remaining information is presented online. It's been an interesting process to rethink a course that I am so comfortable teaching. I'm developing podcasts and creating worksheets to allow for maximum understanding of material. I'm scouring the web for interesting articles and videos that further explain concepts. I know future sections of the course will be much easier, but right now I'm finding that it takes a lot of time and commitment to create an effective learning environment online.

Because I don't want to allow my spiritual man to lie dormant, I am working through Beth Moore's Bible study on the Patriarchs. I love Beth's teaching (even if it is intended primarily for women) and have always enjoyed the book of Genesis. As I've revisited these familiar stories, I have found my eyes opened to new truths that are changing my entire understanding of the Book of Beginnings. Since I'm not involved in a small group at the moment, the self-paced Bible study is providing some accountability for me.

I have always wanted to increase my understanding and awareness of jazz, but never seemed to have the time to really take a class. My hand was forced a little bit since I have a blind student enrolled in my traditional music appreciation course this term. Because of his disability, my unit on musical theater will not work. That means I need to develop a new unit. This realization combined with the discovery of a free online jazz appreciation class from the University of Texas at Austin created the perfect storm for me. I'm really enjoying listening to new sounds while being reminded of the struggles my students face as they begin their journey of understanding the unfamiliar. The jazz class has just started; I'll finish up the material a few weeks before I present my new unit on the subject. In a busy semester, it's a deadline I wish I didn't have looming, but I tend to work well under pressure.

I suppose I should get back to the books now and continue my personal learning again.