"Willing to Learn"
In the two months since classes wrapped up, I have been working out the gym 2-3 times a week. 15-20 minutes of stretching, 15 minutes of warmup cardio on the treadmill, 30-45 minutes of weights, another 15-20 minutes of cooldown stretching. I have been feeling very good about myself, since this time next week I will have made my goal of 60 days, and I feel stronger and look better. I even managed at one point to do a set of seated arm presses that had more weight than I did - I can press my own body weight! Yes! Sadly, it sems that may need to tone down the weights on that and one or two other exercises, seeing as my left rotator cuff and joint between my left femur and pelvis are getting a little aggrivated. Add this to the fact that I slept on my right arm last night (after 2+ hours of trying to fall asleep), and that result is that I have three limbs that are sore today. Le sigh.
In other news, one of things I've been thinking on is that, after spending four years getting an education to be an educator, I don't feel very ready to be a teacher. Not so much that I lack confidence in my own ability to work with and handle the students (though I'm sure that will be a news item sooner or later), but I just don't feel very knowledgable sometimes. I sometimes doubt my own knowledge of the repertoire, which I think partly stems from being away from playing in bands and orchestras for so long. The lack of cable sometimes leaves me feeling out of touch with the world sometimes. Perhaps it's just a general desire to know more - to be aware of what's going on with politics, to feel like I actually have one tenth of the musical knowledge that Dr. Richardson, Ken Fleet, Jen Moir, or a number of other music educators have - really, to feel competent as a person and a teacher.
To this end, I've been trying to keep abreast of world events (more or less) both by checking out the Globe and Mail website, and reading stuff like The Assault On Reason. Al Gore may toot his own horn more often than he should in his books, but nevertheless he makes several excellent points. Additionally, I'm reading through my CMEA magazines to try and get a better feel of the what it is I'll be up against. Finally, I've started a little project to get to know the repertoire better - Once a week, I check out a new score from the library with recordings and look through them. I feel like a huge dork and an extreme keener by doing this, but whatever. I want to be better at this and it won't happen if I take four months off.
And last but not least, reading outside on days like today feel great. Especially when you're reading something like Tom Sawyer.
And to finish, a quote: "If [Tom] had been a great and wise philosopher...he would now have comprehended that work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do." - Mark Twain
-Jeff
In other news, one of things I've been thinking on is that, after spending four years getting an education to be an educator, I don't feel very ready to be a teacher. Not so much that I lack confidence in my own ability to work with and handle the students (though I'm sure that will be a news item sooner or later), but I just don't feel very knowledgable sometimes. I sometimes doubt my own knowledge of the repertoire, which I think partly stems from being away from playing in bands and orchestras for so long. The lack of cable sometimes leaves me feeling out of touch with the world sometimes. Perhaps it's just a general desire to know more - to be aware of what's going on with politics, to feel like I actually have one tenth of the musical knowledge that Dr. Richardson, Ken Fleet, Jen Moir, or a number of other music educators have - really, to feel competent as a person and a teacher.
To this end, I've been trying to keep abreast of world events (more or less) both by checking out the Globe and Mail website, and reading stuff like The Assault On Reason. Al Gore may toot his own horn more often than he should in his books, but nevertheless he makes several excellent points. Additionally, I'm reading through my CMEA magazines to try and get a better feel of the what it is I'll be up against. Finally, I've started a little project to get to know the repertoire better - Once a week, I check out a new score from the library with recordings and look through them. I feel like a huge dork and an extreme keener by doing this, but whatever. I want to be better at this and it won't happen if I take four months off.
And last but not least, reading outside on days like today feel great. Especially when you're reading something like Tom Sawyer.
And to finish, a quote: "If [Tom] had been a great and wise philosopher...he would now have comprehended that work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do." - Mark Twain
-Jeff