My "eye-popping" video

 

Hi everyone

Here is my "eye-popping" video.  Sorry for the scary eyes at the beginning, guess we don't realize some of the silly faces we make when we speak until we video tape ourselves.   Anyway, after being out of school for a week with, I guess, the flu or something I was greeted by some of my students with this adorable card and a basket full of feel-better goodies like soup and jello and oranges and granola bars.  It doesn't get any sweeter than that.  I was so moved.  I hope that you enjoy it and that it encourages some of you who have yet to experience becoming significant to these great little people.  Enjoy!

Shari

Virtual Field Trips

As you may have guessed by my posted video, I visited the Anne Frank house for my virtual field trip.  I have always been deeply moved, disturbed and intrigued by the true stories of Holocaust victims and survivors.  Whether or not you have heard of Anne Frank before or even read her story, after taking this virtual field trip she crawls into your heart to stay along with the kind and brave people that were part of her journey.  As a performing arts teacher I would naturally be drawn to some sort of dramatization of Anne Frank's story ( there is a well known play that I have seen) but not all children are comfortable with acting.  This virtual field trip could bring the lesson to life in a different way for them; still interactive and still adding a new dimension to the typical read and discuss lesson plan.  I was deeply interested in and moved by this experience.  It lead me down a road of wanting to know more and that is where I stumbled upon the beautiful musical tribute that I posted above.  It won't matter what order you show these two things in.  One thing is for certain; your students will never forget the name or experience of Anne Frank and they will inevitably want to know more.  What more could you ask from a lesson?  I highly recommend this site to all and will do so at my schools as well.

Anne Frank

Internet safety...

Just finished watching the entire "Frontline" video on internet safety.  It was definitely worth watching.  It was about an hour long but riveting and full of information.  It really gave us a glimpse into some of the thoughts and feelings of this generation that so many adults seem to be soooo out of touch with.  Much of what I saw and heard was disconcerting, even disturbing.  That being said, I realize, being an "older" graduate student I am likely on the other side of this generation gap that has been defined by the internet.  The video went so far as to say that the internet has created more of a generation gap than the birth of Rock and Roll.  I certainly wouldn't be surprised.  I only point out the generation gap issue because some reporters recognized students' comments and behavior as typically adolescent or of this generation and no cause for concern or scorn.  I saw much of  those same comments and behavior as tragically naive, emboldened and oblivious.  The irony is that they think the adults are the naive ones. Ah adolescence!  There are many benefits to the internet, even to the social networks available through it.  Lost souls find a place to "fit in".  Unknown artists find appreciative audiences. Unfortunately, like anything else that gets into the wrong hands, it can be a very dangerous and harmful thing.  The key is to educate ourselves as much as possible, stay close to our children and educate them as well.  We can't leave it up to anyone else.   Just some thoughts while it's all fresh...better save some for my paper.

Hello Everyone

Hi Everyone
Sorry for the late introductory blog.  Been having a few issues but they are now resolved thanks to some help from our professor:)  My name is  ShariLynn Pitifer-Minetti...long name, I know.  This is my last required course at St. Peter's to complete the Teacher Certification Program. I have a BFA in Theater from Ithaca College and a teaching assistance certificate from The Fingerlakes Community College in Canandaigua, NY. I have been teaching music full time for the past 8 years and part time for more than 15.   I also work steadily as a singer/songwriter.  My husband and I have a band called Panorama Music and we play all kinds of music from all American genres to Italian and Latin pop and classics in and around the tristate area.  Teaching in Catholic elementary school doesn't pay great but I do love it and I mean I really love it!  I teach in three.  They share me because they are all within the same diocese.  I teach at St. John The Evangelist in Leonia, The Academy of St. Therese in Cresskill and The Academy of St. Joseph in Bogota.  Prior to that I taught in NYC on the lower east side  under the Yip Harburg Foundation.  I worked in integrated classrooms where we integrated songwriting, playwriting, all academic subjects, computers and visual arts to students ranging in age from 3rd to 9th grade.  This was a great program called  C.A.P. (computers and the arts program).  It was so effective and successful.  It opened my eyes to many things but most importantly to the fact that music can be very useful in teaching all subjects, not just as a subject in and of itself.  I look forward to getting to know you all better through our blogs.  Thanks for reading!
Shari

I cannot comment on anyone's blogs-help :(

Hey All
Whenever I try to comment on someone else's blog and click "post comment" nothing happens.  I don't get it.  It brings me to the page and lets me type in my comment but when I click "post" it does not respond at all.  Does anyone have any idea why this is happening and what I can do to rectify it so that I can comment on blogs?  I would appreciate any input or advice you may have.
Thanks :)
Shari

Comparing High Schools

Since I did not grow up or go to school in New Jersey I chose to compare the two public highschools that my stepson had the option of attending upon graduating from a Catholic elementary school in Fort Lee.  I compared Ft. Lee High School and Cresskill High School.  I live in Cresskill and am constantly reminded of the great reputation that their school system has.  I have seen the fruits of this system in the progress of my niece and nephew and, now through my stepson's current experience.  After 9 years of Catholic elementary school with little to offer in the way of music or the arts, he is thriving in the numerous programs that are offered at Cresskill.  I'm am impressed on a daily basis by the work that he brings home and the projects that he is a part of. 
In reading the reports of these two high schools I found a few key differences and similarities.  First of all Ft. Lee's enrollment is twice the size of Cresskill's.  Both have very impressive numbers when it comes to standardized test scores and graduation rates.  Twenty percent more from Cresskill went on to 4 year colleges and Cresskill had double the number of Advanced Placement students across the board.  Both schools were above the state averarge with test scores and graduation rates and well below with suspension, expulsion and dropout rates.  Having worked and lived in both communities I know that there is a large transient population of Korean students that come and go rather frequently making for a constantly changing demographic and student population. According to the report card, Cresskill had significantly more Korean speaking students than Ft. Lee.  I found that very surprising.  The number of Korean speaking students at Cresskill was at about half the number of English speaking students.  Ft. Lee's Korean speaking population was about 10% less. 
Overall both schools had pretty impressive report cards but considering the lower number of overall students at Cresskill and the even slightly higher numbers where it counts, I believe we made the right choice. 

teaching tools I found

Hey all:
Found some more cool stuff on line.  One site is called enchanted learning and it offers many great teaching ideas and resources.  Some are free but you could also subscribe to the site for only $20/year....way less than you would spend in one trip to a teaching supply store:)... Also Teachertube which is like youtube for teachers.  Today I saw the choir from PS 22 in Staten Island doing a great acapella version of Let There Be Peace On Earth when I was looking for an alternate arrangement for it for some of my students.  They also had raps that helped teach different subjects and processes etc... very cool and definitely useful. 
Hope it helps:)
Shari

trying to blog

first blog from computer class.  seeing if it works