Introduction, Purpose, and Adventure

Upon my decision to be a teacher, I was told that I would have great stories to tell regarding the students I met and taught throughout the years. As a student teacher only 4 weeks into her first semester teaching at a high school, I can see those claims were far from unfounded. I have so many stories to tell already; some are funny, some are stupid, and others still are heartwarming. In order to preserve this experience, I've decided to document the trip I take through my semester of student teaching. This could potentially continue into the following years, where I am in complete control as a teacher rather than an assistant.

After reading that, you're probably wondering who the hell would ever want to be a teacher, and why they would write about the experience. Allow me to introduce myself! Hailing from New Orleans, I am a 22 year old music education senior that was placed in a local high school to intern for the semester. Upon going to the high school, I became promptly in charge of the school's 3 guitar classes, band class, beginning and advanced orchestra class, and music appreciation class (also known as recorder class or HELL). 

The adventures I've had in this school so far are endless. Listed below are a sampling of what you should expect to see me write about. While I will never use real names, know that these happenings are 100% true (I couldn't make some of this up if I tried to).

• Half of the school's population speaks only Spanish, no English. In one day, one of the guitar classes received 9 new students, 5 of which speak solely Spanish. As a result, I've taken to giving my instructions in both Spanish and English as a way to try to keep the class together. I'm learning from the Spanish speakers every day though; they're helping to improve my vocabulary and help me to communicate with them.
• There is a police officer that is paid to be on the high school campus. Some of the students are on probation, have been arrested, and actively do drugs on campus. Two students were caught smoking weed behind the stage, while several band students admit to doing acid.
• Students that are reprimanded by the faculty respond by cursing and antagonization. A girl once called my mentor teacher (known as MT from here on out) an asshole, to which he responded with "I know you are!". At that point, the boy that was with her began trying to antagonize MT, stating that he was going to come over to where we were and bust him up. MT stated go for it, which the kid never did.
  ~   Another called me a bitch in Spanish (puta), only to realize moments later that I completely understood what he was saying. The look of horror on his face was priceless, and he refused to talk to or look me in the eye for a week.
• The students also have an affinity for direct disobedience. They either flat out ignore instruction given, don't bring their class materials, or refuse to take tests. MT told me my first week to pick my battles carefully because some of them weren't worth wasting my time and energy on. I'm going to find a way to get them to want to participate though; I want to see them succeed.
• Severely/profoundly behavioral disordered students reside across the hall. The coach who oversees their well being told me that should I ever see him throw a desk into the hall, I should close the door immediately and without question, as one of his students is having a meltdown. Further more, I was instructed not to open the door, no matter what I might hear happening on the other side.

With all of that, I can imagine that you're staring at the computer in shock, unable to comprehend how a public high school could be in such a state of disarray. I admit, I was taken aback during my first few weeks there, because I'd never been in such an environment. Despite all of the shortcomings at this school, there have been moments that make me genuinely smile.

• A student revealing to me that when I had first taken over the class from MT, he hated me because I was making them work and pushing them to keep playing, whereas in the first semester things had been lax. As the weeks have progressed, guitar has become his favorite class.
• One of the clarinet players in the band has grown attached to me, always coming and greeting me with a hug. When I accompanied the band to a Mardi Gras ball performance, she immediately began fawning over how "pretty" I looked, asking me about my dress, my shoes, my hair, and my makeup.
• The students in the guitar classes and I share a mutual hate for Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl and The Beatles' Yellow Submarine; we have to hear it so many times a day as they work to learn it. It's become a joke among us all to forbid others from playing, singing, and listening to that song aloud at the risk of an eraser being pelted at them.
• The band class has taken up the idea that, while in the season of Mardi Gras, they should follow the King Cake tradition every day that they have class. For those that don't know, inside of the King Cake is a baby. Whomever gets the baby in their slice of King Cake must buy the next King Cake. 
• MT decided that for festival (the band's performance competition), I should conduct a piece. In his words, not many student teachers will get the chance to do this, and he wants me to get as much experience as I can for when I go out and inherit or build a program of my own. 

Well, now that I've explained the basic happenings, strap in! It's a long way until this internship is over, and there will be plenty more stories, be it from rehearsals, classes, or Mardi Gras parades! I hope you enjoy taking this journey with me, as I hopefully learn the secrets to becoming a successful educator in the face of seemingly endless challenges. 

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela