Where is the love?

Wisconsin.

I can't help it. I've been obsessing over news and Facebook posts for the past two weeks. I can't stand it that we're not there, speaking out against this attack on teachers. TEACHERS.

Clearly, as a group, we are a bunch of greedy, self-centered, idiots that only entered the profession because we weren't smart enough to pursue loftier professions in our subject areas. I mean, why else would anyone teach, right?

Unfortunately, as a group, we are in a constant state of survival. Education systems are always struggling to make ends meet, painful and heart-wrenching budget cuts each year coming out because we live in a country that includes people who refuse to recognize and support our children. But, we go on, finding ways to keep doing what is best for kids. Why? Because we love teaching. We love kids. We believe in what we do, despite being constantly beaten down.

I don't know a single teacher that hasn't made sacrifices- time, resources, PERSONAL finances, because of this belief in the importance of the education for the children of America. Sure unions have faults. I lost my ideal job and was utterly heartbroken by the tenure system. But, bargaining rights are not just about salary and benefits. Kids can't speak for themselves. Who will if the teachers are silenced?

So while Walker gives huge tax breaks to the wealthy, creating this "budget crisis", that the teachers are WILLING to make financial sacrifices for effectively solving his "budget crisis" (but not give up their union rights that help protect quality education standards) and he STILL refuses to negotiate, meanwhile spreading anti-teacher rhetoric and using it to promote a partisan political agenda that he is the test case for an entire movement against government workers across the country, I sit here, trying my hardest to not give into utter despair and wonderment at the sheer inhumanity that is possible amongst the "haves" against the "have nots". THEY'RE OUR COUNTRY'S CHILDREN FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!!!!

But, instead of falling into those depths of the negative, I choose to look towards the hope. People are speaking out. Dialogues are happening. People from across the country (and the globe) are buying pizza for the protesters. Maybe we can even get those anti-teacher talkers to walk in our shoes.

No matter what, we'll get through this. We will keep teaching and doing what is best for kids, not for corporate America. So, every time we're beaten down by the teacher-haters, it's time to channel our inner Ghandi, think about "what would Jesus do", and look into the eyes of our students, because, that's were the love is. That's where it will be always.

Rachel

The Band Director's Wife

Reid already wrote about our great trip with the high school kids to Chennai for the music festival. But, I wanted to add a reflection on my own unique perspective.

Throughout the weekend I couldn't stop reminiscing about my own band trip days in high school. Hanging out with friends on the bus, trying to stay on top of homework, the laughter and general shenanigans that would always ensue, the pride in our playing and performing.

But I also remember how much so many of us girls enjoyed getting to know and spend time with the band director's wife. She worked at our high school, so, many of us occasionally spent time with her there as well. I remember thinking of her as not quite as formal as a teacher, nor as casual as a friend, but, as someone we looked up to. A strong female mentor to a lot of us.

And then there I was this last weekend. Spending time with the students, helping problem solve some situations, chatting with them, checking in with them. The high schoolers were great. They knew me a little from seeing me around the school or through the fact that I have their younger siblings in my own classroom. These kids were so wonderful to me, and I just beamed (in almost disbelief) each time one of them said something like "Man, you're cool Mrs. Wixson" or just got excited to see me coming to share the latest drama about homework or wardrobe issues or which boys were cute from other schools.

At first, it was a little surreal being for the first time on the other side of things. But all in all, made me appreciate my own high school trip experiences even more, and realize how valuable they still are for kids, no matter where they are in the world. And also what a gift it is to carry on the mentorship role I so greatly benefited from.Enjoying the post-concert reception with Twyla and the Dehli directors.

SAISA Music 2011

This past weekend, Rachel, Twyla and I chaperoned the ASB delegation (8 choir, 2 orchestra, and 11 band students) to the SAISA Music 2011 Festival held at the American International School of Chennai. SAISA, short for South Asian International Schools Association, is an organization that is similar to a traditional conference, a group of schools that play each other in sports and get together for a few arts weekends. The group includes schools from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, and Oman (for music only however). Each school is unique and each music director has a different philosophy, but we had a great time combining our students to create a festival band, jazz band, choir, jazz choir, and orchestra. Aside from seeing our students grow musically, it was immensely interesting to interact with music directors who face similar challenges that we do here in Bombay.

My colleague from Dhaka conducts the 1812 Overture

Conducting the festival jazz band


Rachel enjoys the artsy challenge of capturing the event in photo ...

Professionally, I had the opportunity to conduct the festival band and the festival jazz ensemble on one piece each. It was quite a rehearsal challenge to rehearse the groups for only about 45min before the performance. Trying to figure out which musical details were the most important was an interesting exercise in score study as I prepared for the festival.

One special aspect of the performance was seeing the students all dressed up in their performance outfits. Each school wears a different "local" costume to perform in and standing up on the podium seeing all the different outfits was really exciting because behind those outfits represented students from all over the world proudly representing their South Asian schools.

The coda to this festival was the first day back at band rehearsal in the ASB Band room. With the sound of the mass band still ringing in their ears, we had a great rehearsal in Concert Band. Improved tone and improved focus. Hopefully the impact of this musical experience will continue throughout the rest of the semester as we continue to tackle new and more challenging music.