From kindergartners to third graders

I have a summer job! OK, it's not really a job, because I don't get paid for it. But I do still get my stipend from AmeriCorps because my term runs through the end of July (and into August, if need be---but I hope it's not the case). I'm working at the Northfield middle school as part of the Summer Plus Program, basically a fun version of summer school for Northfielder children from grades K-8. I had my first day today, rather unexpectedly (I only thought I was arriving so I could meet with the people---turns out they registered me anyway). The kids are alright so far, I mean, as far as third graders go. I am a bit indebted to one of the kindergarten classes that I had in Cannon Falls for preparing me (they're nice kids, but also a bit crazy), so hopefully I'll be ready. I mean, I've already been thrown into the fire a bit.

A friend of mine moves away this week. I have to say I've been lucky and thankful to have been able to hang out with Kevin on multiple weekends this year, and it's gonna be a bit weird knowing he'll be gone for the next month. He might return to Minnesota, and he might not. But if he does, I might have a new roommate next year.

The night I officially became a conservative

All right, I know what some of you might be thinking: huh?? What the crap are you saying? After all, four years ago I posted a similar topic with an equally scandalous title ["http://n8daoggblog.blogspot.com/2005/04/night-i-officially-became-liberal.html"], reflecting on listening to Ann Coulter deliver her, um, "speech" at St. Olaf my freshman year.

I live with a conservative. But I also live with someone who challenges people to think for themselves, and at least verify what they believe and why. For much of the year I've been a little nervous whenever politics came up in the discussion, because previous experiences (with other people, I should point out) have been less than pleasant. But it was sometime last week, when the conversation turned to politics. And he asked me about government control, basically who should be the most in charge of spending and taking care of the people: the states, or the federal government.

The series of questions used the example of gambling. In this case, gambling has been proven to be so bad that the federal government decides to ban it across the country. Now, there's one state [it doesn't really matter which one] whose entire funding for its public school system is based off gambling revenue. The question: should this state comply with the federal government and basically suffer deficits with their school funding, or should they defy the federal government on the grounds that they need this gambling business in order to survive and provide for their schools? I replied the latter. My roommate pronounced me a conservative, solely on the grounds of which governments should be in power.

Now, this was actually not shocking for me. When I was at St. Thomas I learned all about the American government and American history (in the 1800s, anyway), and how the government was set up to be a republic of elected officials in three branches: legislative (makes the laws), executive (enforces the laws), and judiciary (interprets the laws). But back in the day, the federal government was intended to be kind of an overseer of all the state governments, and I guess it seemed to work alright.

The other part that made this not shocking, was that one of the things that bothered me about George W. Bush during his presidency was he seemed to like spending a lot. This spending was one of the big reasons I couldn't support the Iraq War, because it was quite unnecessary, and the money could have--and really should have--gone to other things that might have needed more funding (I'm thinking infrastructure, mostly).

I have to say I am a bit disappointed in Barack Obama. When he first became president, I looked to him to spark new awarenesses about people of different backgrounds and lifestyles, and champion a greater acceptance of these differences (ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion). Instead he's put his entire focus into pumping people's tax dollars to try and resuscitate a slumping economy that doesn't seem to be anywhere near rebounding. I remember when Hillary Clinton was campaigning last year, it was one of her themes, and a reason why I preferred Obama over her.

Anyway, I've spent far too much time talking about politics today. Like I'm sure I've said before, it seems to make a lot of people angry at times, and I'd rather enjoy my life than be miserable (you'll notice I have yet to post about the Cubs this year).

Career goals... Kindermusik???

I just finished up a year at Cannon Falls, serving in the kindergarten classrooms, and reading (with dialogue included) to kids that were for some reason or another, jointly decided by the teachers and I to be in need of further social and emotional development. But what you probably don't know is that, about 2/3 through the year I gradually started taking said kids to the music room to show them instruments and sing songs with them. They were pretty excited about it, to say the least. Especially when I would allow them a couple minutes to explore/improvise on whatever instrument they happened to have on that day.

I've been looking at reapplying for LEAP for next year, partly because I know the people and I don't have to find another place to live (i.e., very convenient), but also because of the above reason. I'd like to have a chance to try this music thing for a full year and see the impact on kids when they start kindergarten (and they're still socially preschoolers)... or when they're in preschool, depending on if I'm in Cannon Falls next year or if I get transferred over to a Head Start program.

This summer, in addition to simply doing service, I have plans on doing some research on this whole "music+social/emotional+young kids" thing, partially as a way to broaden myself in both music and in service. Today I stumbled on "Kindermusik," a program specifically designed for the "music+social/emotional+young kids" collaboration, and it appears to be a more professional version of what I've done with the kindergartners at Cannon Falls for parts of the last three months of school. It is an international-based program, with sites all across the US as well as in other countries.

So far, it looks pretty simple: there's an online(?) training program for it, in which I would receive a teaching license after about 8-10 weeks of coursework, and then I guess apply for positions sometime after the training is finished.

It seems to be a pretty secure type of work, with what I assume are decent wages (salaries?), as well as health benefits, etc. But it's kind of funny, because I've been looking at grad school and trying to decide what to do with it. Apparently for becoming a Kindermusik teacher, grad school is unnecessary because the training I described takes care of that. Also, it appears were I to undertake this, I can more or less sign up whenever (i.e. next month, or next year, etc.)

So, for career goals... Kindermusik? Grad school? Thoughts?

For more information about this, I'll copy and paste the link here: http://www.kindermusik.com ["http://www.kindermusik.com/"].

Feel free to explore on their page; there's lots of information.