Caitlin Atwood EDU Blog

 For parent communication, I let my cooperating teacher handle that. Each week a newsletter is sent out to all band students, parents, and families to keep them in the loop. For each week's newsletter, they have done a "staff spotlight" to feature a member of the marching band staff. I have gotten to make connections with some of the parents that help out with our band events. Quite a few of our band parents help out with a lot of the behind the scenes details of marching band, which we are so grateful for. For example, the parents took care of doing uniform fittings/alterations, making snack bags for the students on competition days, and they help chaperone on buses to and from competitions.  One connection that I got to make a few weeks ago was during our "Family and Friends" day, where we rehearsed and students got to bring a family member or friend out to the field to teach them how to march. I had a mom come up to me and ask if I could march with her son, a...

 What specific feedback have I asked my CT for in my teaching? I have asked both my CT and the school's other band director, Mr. Nagel, about what I can do to make their jobs easier while I am here. So far, I have helped with loading and unloading equipment for the marching band, organized the band library, sorted our new uniform tops, and I've helped keep a spreadsheet of the NEIBA (Northeastern Iowa Bandmaster's Association) pieces that are for sale, as my CT is in charge of storing that library and keeping track of what is sold and what we still have. I am also going to be helping my CT with labeling folders for the NEIBA honor band that happens in December. Students get selected for this honor band shortly after marching band season wraps up, so I will also have to stuff music in folders and make sure these have what they need in them. I think students who are selected will be confirmed after I am done at Washington, but I am just glad I can do something to help out my ...

  What have you noticed about your students you are working with each day? I have noticed that I have so many different personalities in the band. There are definitely students who are more outgoing than others. I have some students who will spend a lot of their open blocks in my office hanging out with me, but there are some that I have not had a conversation with yet. I know some students are still getting used to me being at their rehearsals all the time, which I expected during my time here. I have gotten to make some great connections with students so far. One I have connected with the most is a baritone player in the marching band and she spends a majority of her time down in the music wing. Almost every day I expect her to pop into my office at least sometime because of how much she has done it. She only does this during her open blocks and during music workshop though, so it's not like she's skipping class or anything. She reminds me of a younger version of me, which I ...

  Where are you naturally drawn in your placement? I am naturally drawn to some of the students who are more outgoing in my placement, as they kind of balance out the fact that I am somewhat introverted. During some prep times or when I am working on stuff in my office (Yes, I get an office!), some students will come in and talk to me. I really do love when they come in because it helps me get to know students better. I am also more drawn to the woodwind sections while assisting with rehearsals because that is what I know more about. I know exactly what to do when a student is having problems with something on their instrument. Where will you need to be more purposeful? I feel like I need to be more purposeful with my sections that I know the least about, which would be color guard and percussion. One thing I am doing to help learn more about them is spending time with the instructors of the respective sections. During our evening rehearsals, I will "float" around to make sur...