Don't be such a n00b

This is a rather endearing series of responses provided by 6th grade students. I want to preface this entry with the statement that these students are are, without exception, new to music, and that this entry is in no way intended to degrade them (nor is it intended as a commentary on their past or current music education).

Mr. J: "Can somebody tell me what a staff is?"

D: "Staff are the people that work at Summer camp. You know, like counselors and stuff"

G: "Like a custodian?"

Mr. F: "There is actually a staff, even more than one, somewhere in this room. Can someone show me where?"

C: (points to Mr. F and Mr. J)


Continuing the lesson...

Mr. F: "This symbol, on the staff, is a type of clef. Does anyone remember what it's called?"

F: "A tremble clef!"

Mr: F: That's close...can someone help F out?"

G: "A trouble clef!"

T: "What? We're in trouble!?"

Ebonic Mnemonic: Year 2

The assignment: create your own mnemonic sentence to assist in remembering the lines of the treble clef (EGBDF for those not in the know). I was confident that no one was going to be able to top last year's winner (entry dated 9/8/07). I am happy to report that I was very wrong. This year's winner:

Every Gangsta Be Dissin' Fuzz

The journey of 180 days begins with...

I suppose I am rather fortunate that in the first week of my second year there is no particular story or event involving students that is worthy of recording here. However, my administration, as usual, has risen to the occasion and provided me with my inaugural entry of the school year. Here is a backhanded insult delivered by the administrators themselves:

"I've got good news for you. This year, we're going to treat music like a real subject."

Welcome back.

Won't you be my...

N is arguably my favorite student; a graduating senior, future doctor, decent saxophone player, and all around nice guy. In reality, the relationship we've developed this year more closely resembles one of friendship than anything else. Since I am most likely moving to a new neighborhood in the city, and N is a city native, it was only natural that I sought his opinion on the quality of certain prospective neighborhoods. This is the inside perspective:

N: "You don't want to move to my neighborhood. It's too far away and, well, not that safe."

Mr. F: "Well, what about neighborhood X?"

N: "When I was younger, like maybe 10 years ago, that was a terrible place to live. There were riots and crime and all sorts of stuff. It's not bad now, though. I mean, like in neighborhood Y, where Mr. W used to work, one time there was a dead body outside the school. But in neighborhood X, there really aren't dead bodies or anything. Okay, well, there might be, but see, people will kill someone in neighborhood Y and only bring the body to neighborhood X. So you should be fine in neighborhood X."

In the news

Some highlights from our school's latest press offering:

from "Students disagree about workload"


The teacher's perspective:
"Students aren't given that much work, to be honest. Students go home and play games for 3 or 4 hours, when it only takes 20 minutes to do homework."

The students' perspective:
D: "Teachers be giving mad homework for no reason"
T: "Ms. B be beastin' with the class and homework"

from "Punishments don't work, teens say"

J: "They just make us miserable and don't teach us anything"
J: "I'd never punish [my future children]. just yell and get over it because the punishments would just make them sneakier"
J: "Anyone who isn't my parent should just mind their business"

Hey June

During what may well have been my last seventh grade blood pressure raising, forehead wrinkling, aneurysm inducing rant, I may have discovered the crux of my problem:


Mr. F: "Congratulations! It's June! Some of you have matured a great deal, and are ready to become eighth graders. I'm so proud of you. Others, congratulations! It's only June, and you still treat me like garbage! Some of you still act the way you did on day 1 in this room. For ten whole months you've actually not grown at all! But that's okay, because some of you will get that second chance at being seventh graders. Maybe the second time you'll mature a little but. Don't worry, it's only June!"

A: "But mista, what you mean ten months? You just got here in January."

Members of Class: "No!"

Mr. F: "Thank you. At least some of you realize that since day 1...."

A: "Or February or whatever." Yeah, February."

Members of Class: "Yeah! February! That's right!"


I think it's fair to point out that in February, my frustration with these students flew off the chart. This led to a slew of seat changes, detentions, talking tos, write-ups, and suspensions. Apparently, that's what I needed to do to get noticed. I'm not worried; it's only June.

High Standards

While covering a class today, I noticed the following exam results posted as follows on the white board:


Unit 9 exam averages:
Period 6: 60%
Period 7: 57%
Period 8: 68% YAY! :)

I think it's important to point out that that the "YAY" followed by an exclamation point and happy face was written in and underlined twice with bright yellow marker.