Music of Andrew F. Poor

"Battle for another day!" Thoughts on the Middle School Music Rehearsal When I was an undergrad, I was first introduced to Bruner's Spiral Learning Theory . At the time, the concept was presented as an abstract ideal with little to no direct application. The idea of learning concepts and continually revisiting those concepts and layering new learning onto the previous concepts which eventually led to mastery seemed to be common sense. Yet, when faced with the cold reality of developing my own curriculum and teaching in a room filled with young energetic minds the theory was quickly forgotten. I was chasing the next concert or administering playing tests. The educational equivalent of walking barefoot in a dark room filled with lego pieces and sharp furniture. A lot of painful mistakes. I wanted it perfect now and I expected my students to get it "Right now!" and this was my way of setting high standards. The reality was this approach led to terrible i...

About to March Drum Corps?   Some thoughts as you get ready for the summer.  1)  Accept the fact that 95% of your daily existence is out of your control and “Embrace the Suck! ”   Things will be tough; that is what you signed up for. You will be pushed extremely hard; again, what you signed up for. It will be hot; it is summer. You will take cold showers; again, it is part of the deal. There will be crappy fields, crazy schedules, long bus rides, short EPL, frantic show warm- ups etc…Complaining about any of these things helps NO ONE! So, DON’T! EVER!!!! I mean it!  2)  You grow the most when you are out of your comfort zone . You are going to be uncomfortable and feel overwhelmed. Great! That is what makes drum corps fun, and why only a select type of person can do this crazy activity. You will, most definitely, grow this summer. 3)  Your attitude and your performance are your greatest commodities  to the drum c...

I was recently speaking with a young teacher who was frustrated with an older teacher who he thought was "lazy".  After talking a little longer, I realized this was not a lazy teacher, but one who was dealing with burnout. The net result is the same--loss of effectiveness and productivity--but the solutions are quite different. Most people enter into the teaching profession filled with idealism and a strong sense of optimism--I know I did! This is often fueled by a passion for service and a desire to make a difference in the lives of others--still does for me. There may also be a strong love of your subject matter we also want to share with others. The problem occurs when the cold bucket of reality clashes with the burning flames of idealism--I clearly remember those early years all too well. The jarring result can often be both intense and, occasionally, devastating for the teacher. How do you keep that fire burning? The State of Georgia Department of Education r...

"Mr. Poor, It's your red wagon! You have to pull it!"   Mr. Hank Ramsey (My Osceola High School Math Teacher)  You never know when a moment may happen that could radically change the way you view life. These "Revelations of Life" rarely pronounce their arrival, nor are these moments forewarned. Instead, these moments are presented to you in the most unexpected ways and can easily go unnoticed due to the turmoil of daily life. It is up to you to recognize the power of the message, which might be difficult and uncomfortable to acknowledge. Mr. Ramsey (my high school math teacher) tried to instill this message into into all of his students. It wasn't until later in life that I fully understood the power of his message. Concern versus Influence As a teacher, there are many factors that are often outside of our control and fall into our "Circle of Concern", such as: facilities, classroom supplies, colleagues, students' preparedness, par...