(no subject)
Help!
I am a first-year music teacher, currently teaching in an inner-city, alternative education middle school. The kids I teach are the ones that got sent to this school as part of their home school's zero-tolerance policy (in other words, these are the "bad" kids, oftentimes dealing with drugs, gangs, violence, etc. in their daily lives). They are 7th graders-- one class has four students, the other has seven.
The problem is, these kids are so unmotivated. They don't care about grades, playing instruments, or listening to music. They refuse to do anything. When I asked them what they would like to do as part of a music class, they said they wanted to "hang out and listen to [their] music". Obviously, I refuse to let this turn into a useless period.
None of the kids have any experience with music whatsoever. So far, we have covered rhythms (they enjoyed certain rhythm games, but we are unable to play competitive games very often because it causes fights) and reading notes on a staff, transitioned into playing simple right-hand songs on the keyboard, and are now working on composing melodies (I discussed aleatoric music and had them play the dice game-- they complained the whole time).
I see the same group of kids every other day for 45 minutes, but I am often gaining or losing students, as they are sent away from or accepted back into their home schools. I have one computer with Internet access (no access to a computer lab). I have two working keyboards and can probably get one or two guitars. There are no other instruments, books, CDs, or even music software. As I am technically an academic itinerant, I don't even have my own room (I use the science room, and oftentimes the science teacher and her TA are in the room while I am teaching). The administration is not able or willing to spend much money, if any (as a matter of fact, when I was hired, the administration told me in so many words they didn't care what I taught as long as the kids got a music credit).
I am beyond frustrated with the situation, and I want to motivate these kids but don't know how. Does anyone have ideas for short units that would interest them and hold their attention? I thought about having the kids work on individual projects that interest them, but with such limited resources, I don't even know what options to give them for projects.
Thanks in advance for any help.
I am a first-year music teacher, currently teaching in an inner-city, alternative education middle school. The kids I teach are the ones that got sent to this school as part of their home school's zero-tolerance policy (in other words, these are the "bad" kids, oftentimes dealing with drugs, gangs, violence, etc. in their daily lives). They are 7th graders-- one class has four students, the other has seven.
The problem is, these kids are so unmotivated. They don't care about grades, playing instruments, or listening to music. They refuse to do anything. When I asked them what they would like to do as part of a music class, they said they wanted to "hang out and listen to [their] music". Obviously, I refuse to let this turn into a useless period.
None of the kids have any experience with music whatsoever. So far, we have covered rhythms (they enjoyed certain rhythm games, but we are unable to play competitive games very often because it causes fights) and reading notes on a staff, transitioned into playing simple right-hand songs on the keyboard, and are now working on composing melodies (I discussed aleatoric music and had them play the dice game-- they complained the whole time).
I see the same group of kids every other day for 45 minutes, but I am often gaining or losing students, as they are sent away from or accepted back into their home schools. I have one computer with Internet access (no access to a computer lab). I have two working keyboards and can probably get one or two guitars. There are no other instruments, books, CDs, or even music software. As I am technically an academic itinerant, I don't even have my own room (I use the science room, and oftentimes the science teacher and her TA are in the room while I am teaching). The administration is not able or willing to spend much money, if any (as a matter of fact, when I was hired, the administration told me in so many words they didn't care what I taught as long as the kids got a music credit).
I am beyond frustrated with the situation, and I want to motivate these kids but don't know how. Does anyone have ideas for short units that would interest them and hold their attention? I thought about having the kids work on individual projects that interest them, but with such limited resources, I don't even know what options to give them for projects.
Thanks in advance for any help.