Death by PowerPoint
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Thursday, July 14, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Cool Cat Teacher Blog: 7 Steps to Get a Big Picture Plan for Your School ...
Cool Cat Teacher Blog: 7 Steps to Get a Big Picture Plan for Your School ...:
"'I will lay me down to bleed a while and then rise to fight again.' Warrior's Creed
So, where was all of this advice before now... I'm 4.5 weeks out from school with about 2 years of work to accomplish. But, enough about my woes, they are my own doing. And, as with my previous post, it's all about the principle (in some situations, the principal, but not here). Vicki Davis, apparently an avid blogger and one to follow for all teachers, lays down those big, important questions we should ask ourselves upon reflecting the past year and looking to the next.
It shouldn't need to be said, but we assess our students like crazy (especially in standardized ways... another sermon for another day...), so we must remember to assess ourselves. But not like crazy, self-assessment should be focused in the right direction or we'll go more postal and get more wound-up than usual.
Here are her 7 Steps and main points:
1 - Brainstorm New Ideas - If you can't see it you can't do it.
2 - Strike What Didn't Work - Tackle the things that are weaknesses.
3 - Map out your projects - Plan projects, do your research, put them on your calendar.
4 - Get out your calendar - Map out your plan by month in pencil because you will need to erase as you work on things.
5 - Go back and integrate - Go back and take a good look at the things you can put together.
6 - Plan the tools and parent permissions - Then, once you see what you want to do, take a look at the tools and parental permissions you'll need.
7 - Communicate, Communicate, Communicate - spend some time NOW talking to your curriculum director or principal.
I haven't studied it yet, but David Allen's "Getting Things Done" methodology seems to be closely linked to the basic tenant of having a master plan of planning and processing information proficiently.
Or you could be like me, an oligarchic monkey who darts from one task to another... what can I say? I'm distracted by shiny objects.
Don't be that teacher! Check out Vicki's ideas here or here, take a few notes, and peruse her other posts (neatly filed away on the right).
It shouldn't need to be said, but we assess our students like crazy (especially in standardized ways... another sermon for another day...), so we must remember to assess ourselves. But not like crazy, self-assessment should be focused in the right direction or we'll go more postal and get more wound-up than usual.
Here are her 7 Steps and main points:
1 - Brainstorm New Ideas - If you can't see it you can't do it.
2 - Strike What Didn't Work - Tackle the things that are weaknesses.
3 - Map out your projects - Plan projects, do your research, put them on your calendar.
4 - Get out your calendar - Map out your plan by month in pencil because you will need to erase as you work on things.
5 - Go back and integrate - Go back and take a good look at the things you can put together.
6 - Plan the tools and parent permissions - Then, once you see what you want to do, take a look at the tools and parental permissions you'll need.
7 - Communicate, Communicate, Communicate - spend some time NOW talking to your curriculum director or principal.
I haven't studied it yet, but David Allen's "Getting Things Done" methodology seems to be closely linked to the basic tenant of having a master plan of planning and processing information proficiently.
Or you could be like me, an oligarchic monkey who darts from one task to another... what can I say? I'm distracted by shiny objects.
Don't be that teacher! Check out Vicki's ideas here or here, take a few notes, and peruse her other posts (neatly filed away on the right).
The 3 I's in a Choral Rehearsal
What a treasure trove of ideas and insights for the choral educator! Rick Bjella gives a list of ideas pertaining to three important focuses (foci?) for directors:
The Three I's that don't include me
The three I's that don't include me: involvement, investment, (through inside-out rehearsing), independence...leading to integrity
As a 1st/2nd year teacher with little established, it's a little intimidating to read through this list. It's easy to be inspired to do the amazing thing we get to do - teach (music!); or at the same time, feel insignificant under the pressure that is the awesome responsibility of teaching music. After all, Uncle Ben said it best, "remember, with great power, comes great responsibility."
There's the my emotional side for you, the idealistic college kid responding to this blog post. Now for the emerging adult (though may the child in me ever reign, Amen):
Many times when reading others work or insights, there is a large portion that can be ascribed specifically to the authors situation. For example, "that would be better suited for this age group and not mine" or "my kids are insert adjective, if I tried that, I'd get anarchy." The majority of the ideas might be more directly applicable to a secondary situation. However, it seems that Mr. Bjella has a good mind for techniques that get to the principal of the matter: student involvement, student investment, and student independence. For why else do we teach, but to grow little humans into people - real people. Oh, we do it through music, glorious music [and, especially for the boys (and teenage girls when boys aren't around) food, glorious food!] But if our aim is for little humanoids to become real boys and girls, the principal of the matter is the ontological objective. And here can be found great tools and ideas to get there! Enjoy!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Who I'm Following...
1. ALSymphony Alabama Symphony - The mission of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra is simple – the ASO changes lives through music.
2. tpbanks Timothy Banks - Musician, singer, conductor, composer/arranger, educator, producer ... and more!
3. CSLewisDaily C. S. Lewis - C. S. Lewis Quotes Everyday
4. themusicwoman Michelle Workman - music & techie geek (secondary music director & pursuing Masters in Ed. Tech), single mommy of 5 year old, irreverent & ready to take on the world!
5. googlecalendar Google Calendar - The official Twitter home of Google Calendar
6. ACDANational ACDA - American Choral Directors Association (ACDA)
7. techmusiced TI:ME - Assist music educators in applying technology to improve teaching and learning in music.
8. MusicEdTech Barbara Freedman - Teach music. The technology will follow. music technology educator, author, consultant, musician
9. tedtalks TEDTalks Updates - The official feed for daily TEDTalks. Only new TEDTalks are posted on this feed. For all TED news, follow @TEDNews too!
11. MENC MENC - Official Twitter account for MENC: The National Association for Music Education. Learn more at menc.org.
13. SUMusicWorship SU Music and Worship - Music and worship at Samford University. Come join lively conversations about worship in the church.
16. kbchoir Konakovo Boys Choir - The Konakovo Boys and Youth Choral School it's one of the best choral schools in RUSSIA. It caters to over 500 boys aged from 3 to 18 years.
20. BoysChoirKenya Boys Choir of Kenya - The Kenyan Boys Choir is a group of youth drawn from different high schools, colleges and universities within Kenya.
21. NatBoysChoirAus National Boys Choir - NBCA is not for profit and committed to providing choristers with an excellent choral education, a love of singing, and varied performance opportunities.
22. kampenboyschoir Kampen Boys Choir - The Kampen Boys Choir is based on a English Cathedral Choir tradition and is founded in 2000. Stay up-to-date via Twitter
23. RVABoysChoir Richmond Boys Choir - We are Richmond's Ambassadors of song!
24. CleveBoyChoir Cleveland BoyChoir - A premier choir for Cleveland youth which offers a positive life-changing opportunity through choral music.
25. BhamBoysChoir BirminghamBoysChoir - It's more than music, it's training for life.
27. kenyanboyschoir Kenyan Boys Choir - The Kenyan Boys Choir are a group of 25 school boys from various backgrounds and tribes who have been given the chance of a better life through their music.
28. concordiachoir Concordia Choir - The 72-voice Concordia Choir of Moorhead, Minnesota is conducted by René Clausen.
29. wcchoir Westmin Cath Choir - Westminster Cathedral Choir is acclaimed as one of the world's great choirs. It is the only Catholic Cathedral choir in the world to sing daily Mass and Vespers
30. HuddsChoral Huddersfield Choral - Founded 1836, Huddersfield Choral Society has an international reputation as the UK's leading choral society. Our tweeter is Sarah (1st sop).
31. ClareChoir Clare Choir - Thrillingly fresh and feisty singing... - The Times. Follow latest news and developments from the world-renowned Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, here.
32. TheSixteen The Sixteen - [Tweets by Lottie.] After 31 years of world-wide performance and recording, The Sixteen is recognised as one of the world’s greatest ensembles.
33. schola_cantorum Schola Cantorum - News from Schola Cantorum, the renowned boys' choir of the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School and other related choirs and events.
34. phoenixchorale Phoenix Chorale - Arizona's Grammy Award-winning choir and one of the finest professional choral ensembles in America, under the direction of Artistic Director Charles Bruffy.
36. RealKevin_James Kevin James - Real Kevin James Of Twitter Actor In Mall Cop , Grown Ups , Kings Of Queens , Dilemma , Zoo Keeper
37. BillCosby Bill Cosby - Comedy/Education
39. newdublinvoices New Dublin Voices - One of Ireland's leading Chamber Choirs. http://www.facebook.com/newdublinvoices
40. HalLeonardCorp Hal Leonard Corp. - Hal Leonard Corporation is the world's largest print music publisher.
41. ChanticleerSF Chanticleer - An Orchestra of Voices
42. ChoralMag Choral Music Mag - Choral Music Magazine is a premiere eZine for quality articles, notices, and reviews about the choral community, written for and by choral singers, conductors.
44. scbcmusic Terry Dale Taylor - The Shades Crest School of the Arts offers innovative and affordable arts instruction in Birmingham, AL! 205.822.1360 or chuie@ShadesCrestArts.org
45. TerreJ Terre Johnson - National Chair for Music in Worship, American Choral Directors Association
46. TimothySharp Tim Sharp - Executive Director-American Choral Directors Association (ACDA)
47. johnmrutter John Rutter - Choral composer and conductor
49. philipco philip copeland - Passionate about family, choral music, and technology.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
My subscribtions
Research Journals
Music and Technology
Multimedia/Technology
Choral Music, Publishers, Composers
Choirs
Feed Me
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Music is medicine. It changes us. Not necessarily from a poor state to a better one, from all states to a higher one. Through it and our creative lens, we can express our core emotions. We connect to those expressions because we share them. It's when we share an exalted experience that most unites us, more so than simply sharing a common thought, idea, or emotion. When we shape our emotion and others engage it through art, a fraternal bond is formed that cannot be formed another way.
This is why we do music. It feeds us as individuals, allows us to express ourselves, and unites us as a group - as friends, as family, as cultures, as country's, and in any relationship.
That's a big commitment. It's no surprise too many shy away from being so vulnerable. Hopefully more will realize how beneficial it is to pop 800 mg of music every day.
Before this clip:
What do I teach? music
To whom do I teach it? middle school kids
How do I teach it? learned from old paradigms, learning the new ones
With what do I teach it? an attempt at the big picture of the heart of the matter
During this clip:
Why do I teach music? It's what I was created to do.
Why do I teach classical music? It's one culture's attempt to uncover a way God has organized human expression. And it's proven itself to do just that - express all human existence.
After this clip:
What do I teach? people
With what do I teach? music
How do I teach it? with a plan. understanding. a solid mind. and a full, fluid aortic pump.Why do I teach? to make people's eyes' shine.
The 21st Century skills are ones that look towards a future in which life for most on this planet is different than from the 20th Century. The 1900's can be categorized as a century of great ingenuity and creation in mechanical arts (sure, they're a type of arts). Over time society became relatively based on the life-skills necessary for a mechanical work. We did not perfect the mechanical arts, but we have begun a new century and a new era that uses mechanics, but focuses on higher order thinking skills. The ability to create, collaborate, communicate, and critique is becoming more important.
These skills are being recognized as important, but the systems that use and manage them are slow to change. Old systems punish the bad and reward the good (after the job is done in the box designed for the job and only in that box - of course, you can deviate a little, but at the peril of rocking the boat and losing that job...). The rewards here are mostly extrinsic - the rewards offered by employers were deemed worthy of high quality work, thus extrinsic rewards became intrinsic.
However, that won't work anymore.
Students question why they're told to do things and with information at their fingertips, they feel that they have ground to make the question. It's the teacher's job to facilitate the chance for students to create their own intrinsic motivation to do things. It's a kind of post-post-modern world that's growing - "order is ok, I'm just going to question it and want to do things my way." If people learn creative, collaborate, communicate, and critique properly, they find the reason and motivation to accomplish a task. And measurable scientific fact tells us that intrinsic motivation increases all those "C" skills.
A relatively simple concept... but are we ready to make the change?
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