Storytime Training day

I have now had all my training for the 'storytime' project starting on 21st April. It was so much fun, I can't wait to see how the children will take to it. Lots of singing, story telling and creating sound effects using a sampler and keyboard. Can't wait !!!

Drake Music-Bluewater Studios

I meet up with Shirley from Drake Music at Bluewater studios, Ollerton, Notts. She has offered some more work to me, which starts within the next month or so. It will be working with Special Needs in the studio, doing lots of composing and recording. Woohoo! Can't wait. She has also put my name forward for a trainee position on another project. So things are happening...so quickly!

Observation day at school

Observation day at Beauchamp college was fab! I learnt so much and what it really is like to be a teacher...tough! but rewarding! No day is ever the same. My plan is now to get lots more experience and boost my subject knowledge. I think I will apply for a PGCE in the hope they refer me to a SKE course. Giving me hopefully another year to gain the confidence I need and explore other options...being a Music Leader!

Teacher Taster Course

Yesterday I went on 1 of 3 days of the teacher taster course at Beauchamp college. It was really good! It gave a real reflection of what teaching is all about. I meet lots of different people, believe it or not, the majority where people older than me(26). It goes to show you, you can change your career path at any age. The general consensus was that they wanted a job that was rewarding and enjoyable! Just like me. I am in the classroom tomorrow observing all day. I am anxious, excited and nervous. I hope iot goes well for me, and it helps me make a final decision on the route I will take.

Another job opportunity!

Well, to my surprise I have been put forward for another project. This time its working with Drake Music. It will be working with Special Needs and the technologies they use to create wonderful music. How cool is that? It is summertime based and not bad pay. I am just hoping I can fit it all in, if I get it.

Volunteering

I had a great time volunteering yesterday, it was with an after school club with about 20 children. We played a giant snakes and ladders game, and my team won!!! well, what can I say? I wanted to stay and play lots more, felt like a big kid. Hopefully, they will ask us back soon. I need as much experience as I can get, and believe it or not its good for de-stressing.

Interview with the Music Leader

I had an informal interview with the music leader, who offered me the contract to work as his trainee facilitator on the storytime project. It went really well, seen a dvd of the work we will be doing! It is very exciting. I have to draw up my first invoice for my fuel expenses as well. I feel I will be asking my friend who is a 'soontobeVA' for a helping hand. Thanks to her creativity and expertise I am blogging and tweeting in style. Tomorrow will be good as I am volunteering on the Enigma project at DMU.

Success!

The music leader emailed with great interest in working with me...yippee!!! I meet up with him tomorrow, so I am really looking forward to it. I have also been contacted by Drake Music to arrange a meeting. Along side all this, I am trying to prepare some piano sessions with a twist, I have a couple of students lined up...all being well it will go to plan. I also have after school volunteering at a primary school. Don't know how I am fitting it all in!

Day of Song and Movement

Through Music Leader, I attended a 1 day course on 'Day of Song and Movement' (beginners guide to music with the under fives). It was a practical workshop with lots of singing, rhymes, movement games, which help develop children's musical skills in the early year's settings. Throughout the day we covered: musical concepts, development of speech and vocabulary, communication and much more. I gained so much from it, and was a great opportunity to network.

Job opportunity!

Ok, so a couple of days have passed, and I finally got an email from Steve wanting to meet up at the LCB Depot. In the meantime I updated my CV and so on in preparation for this, and so happened to be strolling through the jobsboard on Music Leader, and spotted a great job opportunity for a Trainee Facilitator!!! The project is called 'Storytime' and is based at different children centres in Nottingham. It involves working with 3 to 5 year olds and delivering music technology based sessions. Too good to be true I thought!!!!! So I spoke with the Music Leader to see if I could negiotiate certain sessions, as they would interfere with my current job. He said this could be possible, so I filled out an application and awaited for a reply. In the meantime I met up with Steve and had a good talk about where I was and where I wanted to be! He sent me a list of contacts, which I am still ploughing through. I have made a start...but one step at a time.

Where do I start?

Well, I have decided now I want to further my career as a musician either through teaching or just more education. I found a great website called MusicLeader who offer lots of opportunities for amateurs like myself to get training and network! They offer 1-2-1 DNA sessions, to try and establish what you want and where to start! Its brilliant! So, I complied a lengthy email to Steve Wenham the East Midlands contact to discuss my options, that was a few weeks ago now. Whilst I was waiting for a reply, I got in contact with volunteer groups within the university, so I could get some experience with working with children. Things where starting to take shape! I also started back practicing the piano to prepare for grade 6...ah but I need a piano teacher to coach me,and how do I fund all this??????