NoteFlight Experiment #1

Woo! 10 minutes of trying to figure this out, I did it!

Great Flute Repair Tip

I just found this really great site for music educators, particularly for those of us that are instrumental educators.  Thomas J. West's website is neat site with lots of great information for music educators.  There is are webcam lessons, practice tips, great performances, free original compositions, videos, photos, podcasts, teacher tips, technology tidbits and much more.  Below I have added two links for his recent posts. 

Enjoy!

Flute Repair Tips

A Demonstration of the Value of Performing Music

Teaching Large Groups to Improvise

Here is an article presented by ICAAP about a "Radical Concept" of teaching large ensembles how to improvise.  It is not really a new idea, but I like the methodology behind it.  I know that improvising is not one of my strong points and I would personally like to attempt this in my own classroom.

Large Group Improvisation

Music Education is Vital in our 21st Century World

I received this link from both mustech.net and from a fellow classmates blog.  This is a brief article that confirms the necessity of music education and technology for our 21st Century students.  Both are vital and both help them become more rounded citizens.  In a world where music is being cut from our schools, this might be good to share with your principals and board members!

Music Education: The Indispensable Core Subject Needed in the “21st Century”

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Being of Irish descent and being engaged to a handsome Irishman that plays in Arizona's premier Irish Rock Group (They're opening for Flogging Molly tonight!), I am a little proud of my heritage.  I work in inner city Phoenix and love to expose my students to other cultures.  Therefore, today I did an eartraining lesson along with a brief history of St. Patrick for all grades 4-8 band and orchestra.  For my littler ones, we took the song "My Pretty Irish Girl" from Darby O'Gill and the Little People (my go to St. Patty's movie) and we learned the lyrics and figured out how to play it by ear.  Here is an article on the movie (featuring Sean Connery, then known as Sean O'Conner, in his first American feature).  Happy St.Patty's Day!  Enjoy!

Darby O'Gill and the Little People

Obama Makes Education a Priority in America

Obama will be making some changes to NCLB that will be implemented as early as next year.  He will be "revamping the education law" so that students know that their education is top priority to his administration. 

Obama and Education

Article #2

The U.S. is Urged to Raise the Status of Teachers!

In a speech made by President Obama on Monday, he discussed the need to improve education in this country.  He believes that in order to do so, we need to upgrade the status of educators in America.  He is quoted to say, “In South Korea, teachers are known as ‘nation builders,’ and I think it’s time we treated our teachers with the same level of respect.”  Let's see if we can work towards that common goal so we can improve our students' education!

Click Here for NY Times article

Let the Kids Rule the School!

Here's an interesting story from the New York Times.  It about a school system in western Massachusetts where the students were allowed to create their own curriculum for the year.  You would expect that chaos woul ensue, but kids want to learn.  When given the chance, they might surprise us!

Kids Rule the School!

PLN Find #2, Week 1

What an inspiring story!  Through the Music Matters Blog, here are two video clips of 106-year-old Holocaust Survivor, Alice Sommer Herz, talking about and playing Bach.  This would be a really great video to show our students when we are having a hard time getting them to practice on a regular basis.  Enjoy!

Playing Bach at 106 (years, not bpm!)

PLN Find #1 for Week 1

Here is a great story from NPR.com that you can read or listen to.  Here is a school in Miami that went from a failing school to an acheiving school.  President Obama visited this school to mark their success.

Miama Success Story on NPR.com

Welcome to my Blog!

Hello everyone!

I'm very excited to begin a journey to further my technological knowledge.  According to the terms used in the Bauer article we read this week titled A Conceptual Framework for Technology-Assisted Music Learning, I would have to label myself as a "Digital Immigrant."  Granted I grew up with technology in the classroom and in my home, I feel that I am not a "techie."  I would love to learn more!

Musically Yours,
Mandi