I Will Play That Double A No Matter How Bad It Sounds!

            Hello! My name is Thomas Gray, a sophomore in high school, and this is my Honors History 10 blog. This blog is by no means an official source for a reliable account on history, but I will do my best to provide accurate accounts and unique opinions on what I will be learning. It is an absolute necessity that all of the information posted on this blog is one hundred percent accurate. This means that I must be taught very effectively, and there are several things that can help a teacher to do this.

Primarily, and most importantly, the teacher must be very knowledgeable about their subject and any subjects related to it. For example, a physics teacher should know a lot about math, and an English teacher should know a lot about history because those two subjects intertwine in many ways. This way it is easier to make connections and therefore know more about the topic. Teachers can also break down some formal boundaries in order to understand their students better and to get a feel for their learning style. This doesn’t mean getting together outside of school with students, but it could mean treating students like family, making us want to come to school. Another thing that makes a teacher great is diversity; have diverse classroom activities that won’t let the students’ minds wander away from history. Create a stimulating environment that will let students potentially have fun, but be learning at the same time. Next, great teachers utilize all the tools available to them in order to teach effectively. Why should we use a heavy, outdated textbook when we have a world of knowledge known as the internet just inside our pockets? One last thing that can make a teacher great is open mindedness. If a student has an abstract idea or opinion, don’t just brush it off and continue the lesson. Allow them to express their opinion, and respond in an appropriate manner. I have experienced this quality (and most of the other qualities I mentioned) in a few of my previous teachers. However, there are still two qualities that teachers have had in my past that have benefitted me. One of these two qualities is amiability. It is important to be friendly as a teacher because you need to make your students want to come to your class and learn, not resent it. Being easy to relate to is also important because students will view you as more than just a teacher and they will be more comfortable around you. That being said, good qualities aren’t going to boost grades (although they will definitely help). Something that can be done to support me and my grades this year is being specific with directions and maintaining a structured class because I do best in that type of environment.

            One of many reasons as to why I am excited for this school year is because of a YouTube video in which John Green, the author of The Fault in Our Stars, describes many ways in which kids should be excited to go back to school, and not dread it. This video got me thinking in a completely different way, and made me excited to learn how to improve our world.  One thing Green said in that video has stuck with me ever since. He said that students everywhere have a duty to use our education to do great things. I completely agree with this statement, and want to help develop a world that will thrive. However, this can only be accomplished if I set goals for myself. One of these goals is to get nothing below an eighty percent on everything assigned for school. This will be incredibly difficult for me, but with enough hard work and studying I’ll be able to do it. A musical goal for this year is to be able to play a double A above the staff on the trumpet. This will require many hours of practice and range extension exercises, but I know I can do it. Thinking into my future, I would ideally be a professional trumpet player or music composer/arranger, but very hard work is required right now so that I can get to one of these positions later in life. I have a feeling that this will be a good school year, and want to get as much out of it as possible. I am prepared to work as hard as possible to make this year my best one yet.

 

 

The ninth note in the picture below is what I want to be able to play by the end of the year:

 

"Above Treble Staff Notes"
 Website URL: http://www.learn-guitar-asap.com/ 

 

 

 

 

Watch John Green's video about returning to school: