Wednesday: Difficulty Getting Going

It is Wednesday, my busiest group day of the week.

I have not been sleeping well lately, for unknown reasons, so I am starting my day in a headachey, somewhat crabby state. This does not bode well for the six groups, team meeting, and choir practice that has to happen before this day is finished.

We are doing jazz band exploration this week. We talk a little about the origin of jazz and more about the instruments that we find in jazz ensembles. We also spend time playing some of the instruments. Some of my students take turns playing instruments. Some of my students learn a bit more about the ensemble itself. Others get to play the big instruments that they do not get to play often, like the bass, the drum set, and the keyboard. It is a noisy week, to be sure, but one that my students seem to enjoy.

I try to highlight an instrument or an ensemble every month, but I've been off with my topic rotation lately due to interns, scheduling, inclement weather days, etc. Fortunately, I do not do lesson plans or session plans, so I am not behind on anything at all, but I do like getting all of my topics in during the month. Perhaps I should strive for three topics per month rather than the four that I usually try to get done - well, maybe that would be a good strategy for these winter months. The problem with topics during the winter months is that some of my students will miss bits of them because of the inclement weather days that happen. I can't do any sort of spiral curricular planning because I have only seen my Tuesday groups once this month. Today, I will see my Wednesday groups for the second time this month. The Thursday and Friday groups have been with me more than any other groups. I've seen the Monday groups once this month as well. So, some groups have done bits of the jazz experience now, and others have had no exposure at all.

I do not view my topics as any sort of curriculum. If I did, I would have to catch the other kids up before the rest of us could move on. So, the Monday students will not have the jazz information. The Tuesday students have a bit of the information. The Wednesday students have a little bit more, and the Thursday/Friday students will have the most information of them all. Next month, I will try again. I think we will talk about woodwinds next month, but I have to check my topic calendar to see. 

I do try to have some sort of structure to things that we talk about, but I always focus on the needs of my students as groups more than what my structure dictates. If my students need less information and more of something else, then I am going to give them the opportunity to do something else.

I will take my shower, go get gas for my car, head to work, and do my jobs. I will enjoy the clients who come to my music therapy room to experience jazz music and the three instruments that form the basis of most jazz ensembles. I will do little else today, other than groups. I have two 30 minutes times during my schedule where I will reset the room. After work, I will go home for a bit, take out the trash, and then head out to my part-time job. After choir practice, I will come home, take my medications, and then call my family members. I will sleep in a bit tomorrow and go to work a bit later than usual because of the late dose of my medication. I cannot drive when I take the meds, so I have to delay the dose for three hours. That makes it a bit more difficult to drive in the morning if I leave at my usual time, so I go later.

Anyway, it is time to get going. I am going to strive for arriving at the time I am supposed to arrive at work rather than really early. Since this day finishes with a meeting that will go until the end of my contracted hours, there is no benefit to arriving early. I am going to grab some crackers and peanut butter for my lunch. I already have water at work, so I will be set. I might also take a couple of cans of ginger ale to help my stomach settle after the peanut butter. Just another thing that happens when I ingest certain things. Time to go. See you tomorrow, maybe. I tend to skip on Thursdays when I am tired...