F.A.M.E.

Today was the first day back teaching F.A.M.E. at my kids elementary school. F.A.M.E. stands for Fine Arts Mini Experience. The first two weeks we teach a music lesson and the last two weeks of the month we teach an art lesson. This will be my 3rd...maybe 4th year teaching it. Sometimes it's a bit stressful adapting it for students that range from Kindergarten to 6th Grade. Their attention spans and abilities are so completely different. Whatever it is we are doing though, we try to make fun...well, as fun as a lesson about "Dudes that died over 100 years ago" can be. That's what one 4th grader told me F.A.M.E. lesson's were about...it made me giggle :)

This year is the first year that I have both Ry and Ky's classes. I have taught Ry's class before but never Ky's. It was so much fun, I loved it! I love that my kids aren't shy, at all, and will laugh and joke with me in front of their classes...even though most of the time I am making fun of them ;)

At the end of last year I thought about not coming back to teach another year of F.A.M.E. Being the PTA President was a lot more work than I thought it was going to be, plus I am still working part-time, about 10-12 hours a week, for my brother who owns his own plumbing company. However, Ry played the "it's my last year there" guilt card so I didn't entertain the thought for long. After today I am really looking forward to this year with my kids. Being it's the second, and LAST, year of being PTA President I finally feel like I know what I'm doing and it's not so stressful. Now hopefully life will stay at this pace and I will actually be able to slow down long enough to enjoy it :)

~Here is what today's F.A.M.E. lesson was about~

Edward MacDowell

(1860-1908)

Edward MacDowell short biography

A distinguished American pianist and composer, Edward MacDowell enjoyed international fame. MacDowell was a student of the Paris Conservatoire and later studied at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt. There MacDowell played for Liszt and received encouragement from the great pianist and composer. Upon his return to the USA, MacDowell established himself as an important teacher, pianist and composer. MacDowell was appointed the first Professor of Music at Columbia University.

They give you a little bit more information than that, but not much. Now take that and make into a, fun and interesting, hour lesson for all students K-6...it can be challenging!