The Meetings...

...how is it that i feel like i have a meeting everyday, or at least every time i turn around. i know that's not the case, but wow!

here's an interesting bit about the time that i spend doing what i do:

when i take a look at the past three weeks (and when i say three weeks, i'm including the next two days, even though they haven't happened yet, but they should be normal days) i have only seen my classes 10 times in three weeks. that's a third of the time i should have. why?

the first week back from break i had FMEA conference/clinic - fun, rewarding, somewhat rejuvenating. the next week we had exams which usually two normal days (mon./tues.) an then two half days, and then teacher work day on friday. then i had this week. normal except for today which is when i had all-county rehearsal all day (i had to be there to chaperon) with an FBA meeting thrown in there, and i couldn't go to the performance tonight because i had a booster board budget meeting. (say that 5 times fasts!)

why am i writing about this...

this all goes back to "the hours" and the time that is put into the job and what the job really is. you think...'band director' which is a teacher or an educator. right?

i wish. i wish that more of my job was teaching. maybe more of it is teaching than i realize, but the truth is...the amount of time i actually spend teaching is quite minimal and i'm looking to balance that as well. for 30 minutes before school i'm emailing or doing paperwork. then i get my "planning" period during 4th block which is 90 minutes plus lunch before that, so make it 2 hours in there for paperwork. monday i have leadership after school for two hours, then i stay till about 6 for paperwork. wednesday and friday i stay till about 5 (on a good day) so that i can go to the gym and actually be active. maybe go home and make dinner and have some normality to my life. so that's another 2 and a half hours on those days. tuesday, is the after school rehearsal which usually is preceded by 30 minutes of paperwork or talking to students, putting out fires, or fixing issues from 2:30 to 3:00. then when rehearsal ends, i usually stay till about 9 (which is when the guard finishes) so that i can catch up on paperwork and emails or other corresponding. thursday i have rehearsal starting at 5:30 so that would be 3 hours of work time (weeeeeeee!) that i have to get stuff done.

so, in a "normal" week i have three 90 minute classes each day that i teach for 5 days a week, which is about 22.5 hours a week. after adding up the time i spend doing paperwork i come to about 28.5 hours (on average) per week.

then we have two meetings per month (normally) for about 2 hours each. then i have saturday guard shows in the winter (which we are starting this weekend) which is about 11am to 11pm each saturday (for me). another 12 hours. :-)

then you have FBA meetings, and parent meetings, and sit downs with the students from time to time. then you have design meetings. then you have parents before and after rehearsal needing information. then you have phone calls and talks/meetings with administration or guidance. then you have the extra band rehearsal (teaching time) and band performances. then there is music/score study.

let's just look at today...

up at 6, at school by 6:45 to get the sub work set for each class, out of there by 7:30, up to all-county rehearsal by 8:15. i sat and study scores for about an hour and a half, then talked with some directors, then started putting together some ideas and thoughts for my leadership "classes" that i teach after school. then we had an FBA meeting lunch at 12:30 and then meeting at 1 till about 3. then i went to approve a composite at the photo store, went home to change and then workout, and then i got dressed and went to school for a meeting from 6:30 till 9:30. that's a 15 and half hour day and i didn't even teach a note. SHIT!!!!!!

meanwhile, my buddy was there and all we talked about what surfing/kiting and his hot girlfriend. that stuff would fall under hobby and relationships. i have neither!!!

okay, well, speaking of time...i'm running in to my beauty sleep. i got's to go!

...oh my life as a band director.