Random Thoughts

We have a form in which points are assigned to make the yearly evaluation appear more objective. 70-80?

I was just talking to one of my cousins. She was telling me about another cousin who teaches art in a public school in GA. She is scared $hitle$$ that she is going to lose her job due to cutbacks in the arts. So I hear where you are coming from. I have tenure in my profession, so I'm cool unless the college shuts down or I commit a crime. But if it gets so bad here that the public schools stop music, I could volunteer my extra time to teach violin lessons. I'm not gonna lie -- I pretty much stink as a musician, but if I am good enough to play in the church strings group, I am good enough to teach children the basics.

A few years back, someone asked me to give private flute lessons. I thought it was hilarious, but they couldn't find anyone else north of Atlanta so I agreed. I ran into my old band director shortly thereafter and told him how odd it seemed that I would give someone private lessons.

He didn't bat an eyelash. He said, "Just remember that on any given day you know a lot more about it than your 13-year-old student."d

Hope the powers that be understand the value of the fine and performing arts in education and in stimulating the entire brain and, as a result, that they do not do any more cutbacks in the arts. I will keep my fingers crossed for you, my cousin, and all who teach in the fine and performing arts with no tenure.

I'm in a private school, so I don't even think we have any such thing as tenure.

Performing arts are part of the fine arts, so they fall under the same umbrella. No SACS-accredited school can completely eliminate them because students must have fine arts credits to graduate from high school. However, to keep the accreditation they can cut it down to one type of art--it can be a drawing/painting class or chorus or music appreciation or whatever. My school has toyed with the notion of just keeping the visual arts, but the resistance so far has been too great (thank GAWD.) The chorus program was killed 5 years ago, but I had 15 boys who sang at Christmas--11 in my class and 4 volunteers.

Luckily men's sports never seem to be hurt in a budget crunch.

Ummm...the paintball program at my school has a $7,000/year budget. There is no money allocated for chorus or drama, and I'm putting on a play in a couple of months.

Performing arts are part of the fine arts, so they fall under the same umbrella. No SACS-accredited school can completely eliminate them because students must have fine arts credits to graduate from high school. However, to keep the accreditation they can cut it down to one type of art.

I didn't know that. The small private school where daughter went had chorus, drawing/painting, and a strings program. They cut out the strings program when she was in the sixth grade. The drama program consists of a teacher who does it for free with no budget because she loves doing it. The main focus at that school is sports. For example, classes would be cancelled on days when they had out-of-town sporting events to attend.

7 grand a year for paintball? Yeah, those folks really have their priorities in order. :roll:

7 grand a year for paintball? Yeah, those folks really have their priorities in order. :roll:

They said that it attracts new cadets. I told my drama class about that (I didn't tell them that it was the paintball program--just an "after school" program) and they thought it was atrocious. It was great motivation for them, though--they know that if they do well and validate their program, others will join and our budget will reappear.

I had a kid leave the paintball program and join my class this semester.

They said that it attracts new cadets. I told my drama class about that (I didn't tell them that it was the paintball program--just an "after school" program) and they thought it was atrocious. It was great motivation for them, though--they know that if they do well and validate their program, others will join and our budget will reappear.

I had a kid leave the paintball program and join my class this semester.

I can understand where a military school might not be using it's drama classes to attract new cadets.

I can understand where a military school might not be using it's drama classes to attract new cadets.

(*snort*)

New brochure: Your son can sing! He can dance! He can ACT.

yep---it's not our target demographic.

(*snort*)

New brochure: Your son can sing! He can dance! He can ACT.

yep---it's not our target demographic.

Don't ask about our drama department and we won't tell you anything. :funn:

thought bubbles.

i loved this idea.
http://colormekatie.blogspot.com/2008/12/thursday_18.html

A few years back, someone asked me to give private flute lessons. I thought it was hilarious, but they couldn't find anyone else north of Atlanta so I agreed.

There was this one time...
at band camp...

i loved this idea.
http://colormekatie.blogspot.com/2008/12/thursday_18.html

That could be funn.

I jsut realized that this is the first time the POTUS is YOUNGER than me.

I jsut realized that this is the first time the POTUS is YOUNGER than me.

You still have 14 days.


Cheezits are really good, by the way.

You still have 14 days.


Cheezits are really good, by the way.

True. Did you hear? Bush got a gate.

True. Did you hear? Bush got a gate.

Probably to keep his OU neighbors from trashing his lawn like they did at my sister's house with the Gator lights in his 'hood.

There should be some anti-Yale passion in Preston Hollow, right?

True. Did you hear? Bush got a gate.

So what, it's not much security if the code is written on the side of the box. That and I'm sure it would be something hard to crack like 1-2-3-4.

I was thinking about randomness today...and this came in my email from my friend Alan Cohen, the writer and teacher. I thought I would share on the Random Thoughts Thread:



Greatness in Your Midst

As thousands of commuters rushed through a metro station in Washington, D.C. on a cold January morning, a musician stood next to a wall playing his violin, the case at his feet open for tips. He played six Bach pieces for 45 minutes. A few people stopped and listened for a moment, then hurried on their way. A few threw some change or a dollar into the case.

The most attentive listener was a three-year-old boy holding his mother's hand. He wanted to stay and listen, but his mother tugged him along. A few other kids tried to stop, but their parents, too, hustled them.

After 45 minutes, only half a dozen people stopped, and the violinist collected $32. He put his violin away, closed the case, and disappeared into the crowd. No one applauded or thanked him.

Neither did anyone realize the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the world's greatest violin virtuosos. The piece he played was incredibly demanding, and his violin was worth 3.5 million dollars. Days earlier Bell had played to a sold-out crowd in Boston for tickets at $100.

The unlikely concert was sponsored by the Washington Post as a social experiment. Would listeners recognize and appreciate talent and beauty in an unexpected setting? Would they stop from their busyness to feed their spirit? Would their expectations of meager talent override their grasp of greatness?

Blessed are those who have their antennae up for quality and greatness. There is talent, beauty, wonder, and inspiration in your midst right now. To pass it by is to miss the gift. To stop and breathe it in is to be the recipient of a miracle.






Alan




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Half of your power lives

in your sameness with others.

The other half lives in your uniqueness.

All of your power lives in your realness.




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will the rain ever stop???

will the rain ever stop???

Is it freezing rain?

no, just rain rain. It has been raining pretty much for 4 days straight. not hard just steady....he he

no, just rain rain. It has been raining pretty much for 4 days straight. not hard just steady....he he

36 days to go.

36 days to go.

it is sunny skies today... I guess I will have to put up the ark plans for now.

True. Did you hear? Bush got a gate.

Is that to keep him in?

I was thinking about randomness today...and this came in my email from my friend Alan Cohen, the writer and teacher. I thought I would share on the Random Thoughts Thread:



Greatness in Your Midst

As thousands of commuters rushed through a metro station in Washington, D.C. on a cold January morning, a musician stood next to a wall playing his violin, the case at his feet open for tips. He played six Bach pieces for 45 minutes. A few people stopped and listened for a moment, then hurried on their way. A few threw some change or a dollar into the case.

The most attentive listener was a three-year-old boy holding his mother's hand. He wanted to stay and listen, but his mother tugged him along. A few other kids tried to stop, but their parents, too, hustled them.

After 45 minutes, only half a dozen people stopped, and the violinist collected $32. He put his violin away, closed the case, and disappeared into the crowd. No one applauded or thanked him.

Neither did anyone realize the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the world's greatest violin virtuosos. The piece he played was incredibly demanding, and his violin was worth 3.5 million dollars. Days earlier Bell had played to a sold-out crowd in Boston for tickets at $100.

The unlikely concert was sponsored by the Washington Post as a social experiment. Would listeners recognize and appreciate talent and beauty in an unexpected setting? Would they stop from their busyness to feed their spirit? Would their expectations of meager talent override their grasp of greatness?

Blessed are those who have their antennae up for quality and greatness. There is talent, beauty, wonder, and inspiration in your midst right now. To pass it by is to miss the gift. To stop and breathe it in is to be the recipient of a miracle.






Alan

I love that story. It was written by humorist Gene Weingarten and won the Pulitzer Prize last year. What's interesting is that I read a column by Weingarten in which he recounts being notified by a reader about an amazingly similar experiment and article that was done in the early 20th century and was found while someone was reading through microfilm -- maybe from the 1920s or 30s, I can't remember. (it was so random that I don't think there is any way Weingarten could have stolen the idea.) The more things change, the more they stay the same...

Edit: I found Weingarten's column about this.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/24/AR2008062401153.html

Says something about human nature, does it not?

Is that to keep him in?



I love that story. It was written by humorist Gene Weingarten and won the Pulitzer Prize last year. What's interesting is that I read a column by Weingarten in which he recounts being notified by a reader about an amazingly similar experiment and article that was done in the early 20th century and was found while someone was reading through microfilm -- maybe from the 1920s or 30s, I can't remember. (it was so random that I don't think there is any way Weingarten could have stolen the idea.) The more things change, the more they stay the same...

Edit: I found Weingarten's column about this.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/24/AR2008062401153.html

Says something about human nature, does it not?

What a story! Thanks. Alan probably knows about it, but just in case I will send it on to him. Just adds to the "randomness of life" doesn't it?

True. Did you hear? Bush got a gate.

You know, one thing I've noticed about the nicer areas in Dallas is that most of the houses have walls and gates. You don't see so much of that in Buckhead (Atlanta).

You know, one thing I've noticed about the nicer areas in Dallas is that most of the houses have walls and gates. You don't see so much of that in Buckhead (Atlanta).

Not true for Dallas proper. Maybe true in the outer suburbs. We don't got no gate.