Wow! It’s hard to believe that we have already completed the first nine weeks of the school year. On October 9, 2015, I began the day with attending professional development at Woodlake Elementary School. This was led by two of our third grade teachers, Ms. Whittington and Ms. Wainscott. The main focus was on assessment and developing test questions that better measure students’ learning.
The art, music, and physical education teachers continued their professional development at Tchefuncte Middle School in the afternoon. We first met in the gym where I was asked to speak with all of the teachers. The main emphasis of my speech was on lesson planning, classroom routines, assessments, and strategies for questioning. I also answered questions about the process for selecting the Teacher of the Year and my experiences as the State Teacher of the Year.
Next, the music teachers adjourned to the music room where a representative from the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra spoke about their educational programs. Following her presentation, I shared with the music teachers several music lessons that develop creativity while allowing for opportunities for collaboration. Throughout the afternoon, I was asked questions regarding resources, meeting different learning styles, and curriculum development.
After the workshop, many of the music teachers lingered in the music room. As the room was filled with discussions about musical resources and favorite lessons, I thought of George Gershwin’s song, “I Got Rhythm”. Yes, “I got rhythm. I got music… Who can ask for anything more?”
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