Music Education Talk

  • Learning activity 8-2

    Genius Hour can be an enriching experience to add to a curriculum.  Genius hour can be a time set aside for projects that are student centered and open ended.  These projects encourage students to design meaningful and authentic work.  For the classroom with an abundance of technology, a project  can be tech oriented.  However a Genius Hour project can also be designed for the tech limited classroom.  This demonstrates the flexibility of a Genius Hour project.  These projects also afford students the opportunity to navigate unfiltered and non academic content with the focus being on inquiry and research.  Genius Hour is also a time where students can deviate from the typical part of the school day to do something they are invested in with a group of peers.  

    After researching Genius Hour, I feel that the main hurdle would be to convince the administration that this is a good use of time.  Generally, a school administration does not like to have a curriculum altered as they tend to be rigid and fixed to the time available.  I would approach the administration and parents with a detailed description of the benefits that can be gained by incorporating these projects into the school’s curriculum.  I would showcase various interesting projects that are available online and the data showing how the experience enriched the curriculum that is already in place.  Another hurdle could be that the students themselves might not be used to this style of learning and develop anxiety and view the project as yet another assignment that needs their attention in an already overpacked schedule.  The teacher would have to spend time to ensure that the groups are working on a project that is truly in their best interest and something they want to do.  Perhaps the grading could be more effort based and focus on the participation of the project to ease any concerns from the students.           

  • Learning activity 7-5

    Since the Spring of 2020 I have had to use Google Meet for a variety of teaching scenarios.  Overall I find it to be a valuable tool for educational purposes.  Google Meet allows you to hold virtual meetings with up to 100 people simultaneously for as long as necessary.  The most students I have ever had in one Google Meet was about 25.  While it can get very confusing and chaotic, much like a classroom, enforcing clearly understood rules and holding the students to a high standard of expectations will make the experience better for all involved.  Being able to mute students is a very handy feature.  Google Meet allows screen sharing at the touch of a button.  You can also record videos which is a great tool for asynchronous learning environments.  I currently create a few videos each month when I want to illustrate a specific point.  I have done this most with my instrumental music students.  I like knowing that the students can view the content whenever they have the time.  Google Meet also integrates Google Calendar and Google Contacts helping to organize events and meetings.  For the Gmail user, they can access this video conferencing service from the inbox by clicking the Google Meet button at the bottom. It is also accessible through other platforms such as Google Chats, Slides, and Classroom.  Another extremely useful feature of Google Meet are breakout rooms.  These can be preassigned at the beginning of class, manually assigned or chosen by the students themselves. 

    I have noticed that there is often time wasted on technical issues.  It is common for students to have problems with audio and/or video.  Sometimes a student does not have proper internet speed and can be a distraction to the rest of the group.  This is generally not a major problem but is more common than I would like.  Having students lower the video resolution or simply participate with audio can be a temporary fix.  I have also had several instances where the browser froze when attempting to show students various web content.  I have learned to download the information ahead of time whenever possible.  I currently allow students to schedule meetings or music lessons through Google Meet when it is not possible to meet during the school day.  Again, I don’t feel the quality of the instruction is as high when virtual compared with in person.  However, it is much better than not meeting at all.         

     In  my opinion, there is no substitute for in person learning at the primary or secondary level.  However when used as a supplement to regular education, Google Meet is a valuable tool.

  • Learning activity 7-2

    Twitter is a powerful social media tool that can be used as an effective professional learning network.  Both teachers and students can tweet questions, comments and details regarding homework assignments, projects or upcoming assessments.  Notifications regarding important dates can be tweeted out so that everyone in the network is made aware.  “Twitter for Teachers” is a resource that allows instant access to hundreds of educational links allowing teachers to share new instructional ideas with each other.  Twitter is a great method for students to use when collaborating.  Teachers can also intervene with a suggestion or a helpful link.  Teachers and students can decide which accounts to follow allowing a steady stream of new and relevant news items.  Twitter also allows its users to sync with blogs resulting in tweets when new content has been posted.  

    There are also a few negatives to using Twitter.  There is a 280 character limit to each tweet.  This can be frustrating when a message requires further explanation.  When following several accounts, updates can be voluminous.  Spam and advertisements can also be a nuisance to sort through.  Another problem with twitter are the prevalence of fake accounts.  Information obtained from Twitter should not be considered as a primary source.  As with all social networking applications, students can get exposed to inappropriate material.  They can also get involved with cyber bullying if the accounts are not monitored properly.   

    Twitter can be used as a resource for professional growth.  Twitter allows a person to connect with a vast number of professional groups and gain access to knowledge through links, discussions, blogs, etc.  Twitter is an easy and fast way to network with other professionals in a field of study.       

  • Learning Activity 6-1

    Learning Activity 6-1

    Soundimageplus. “Olympus E-P2 Four Thirds 50mm f/2 Macro lens”. Flickr, 18 October 2010, https://flic.kr/p/8LjSVA

    I was mostly unaware of Flickr before this assignment. After spending some time with it I can see how it could be a useful tool in the classroom. Using Flickr images would help when designing lesson plans. Particularly plans that are posted online. Having images that support the directions students are following helps to illustrate the points the teacher is trying to make. The images can also be used on resources such as an assessment like a quiz where students must identify what they are looking at.

    Flickr is also a great tool for student research projects. In my class I have students work collaboratively to present a project on a musical artist. Students could use Flickr for help in obtaining images. It would also be an opportunity for teachers to help students understand and apply the
    concept of intellectual property rights. Flickr enables members to apply a variety of Creative Commons licensing to the photographs they upload.

    In addition, the design of Flickr intentionally promotes the development of community. Students can become members and contribute imagery to pools of photography on various topics. Users may also provide metadata for photography, called tags, which create a user-defined
    methodology for organizing and searching for photographs.

  • Learning Activity 5-1

    While I believe that there is no complete substitute for in person learning at the K-12 level, modern web technology tools are making collaboration between students, teachers, administrators and community members much easier.  Collaboration is a skill students will need for the modern world.  In my own experience of virtual, hybrid and traditional in person education, I have seen the tremendously positive effects collaboration has on a student’s development.  A student becomes an active part of the educational process when they are able to express their thoughts and opinions freely.  I have seen students becoming invested in their own learning when they are able to exchange ideas with their fellow classmates.  This can be difficult for some students in the traditional classroom environment.  Many students are introverted and do not feel comfortable expressing themselves in front of others.  Modern web technologies such as social media applications, blogs and learning management systems allow all students to express themselves and create a dialogue that might otherwise not be possible in a traditional classroom setting.  Since the pandemic of 2020, I have utilized a “flipped” classroom maintaining a space for students to interact through Google Classroom.  I have noticed several productive class conversations that would not normally occur in our everyday in person class.  In the music education world, collaboration is common place.  I am constantly breaking students into small groups to work on playing or singing specific parts.  They are then brought back to perform with the full ensemble.  The social connections made by the collaboration in a music ensemble are one of the most important benefits of participating in a musical group.  I also implement several group activities in my general education classes.  This will include both in person and online collaboration for various research projects throughout the semester.  In order to best prepare our students for the modern world, we must develop their collaboration skills.  This requires the teacher to plan appropriate lessons, activities and projects utilizing new and traditional resources. 

  • Learning activity 4-4

    I am currently actively recruiting students to increase membership of the high school band.  As a result I have several new clarinet players in 7th grade.  This is an example of a lesson plan that I would use during the first month of a student’s development.  The resources found on this Pinterest board would benefit the student during this lesson.  The revision to this plan includes added pictorial depictions of clarinet fingerings.  Students at this stage have trouble remembering how to read the notes and which fingers to put down.      

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1smfr8rFzkrkfZFZYKmyF5ri2trc-UxDdM7Wsfcgmt3M/edit?usp=sharing

  • Learning Activity 4-1

    I have recently signed up to use “The Old Reader”. This is the RSS site I have used. After working with it for a few hours, I can already see the benefits of using such a site. It is a great way to organize the web content a person is most interested in. It helps by alerting the user when new content is made available. This will save time and be a more efficient way to use the internet. This site has already allowed me to connect with a few music teaching blogs that I was previously unaware of.

    I was able to create a google alert for “music teacher”, “high school drama teacher” and “general music teacher”. This has already provided a wealth of articles and resources that can help me in my daily job as a high school music teacher.

    Five new subscriptions I made include the following:

    “Insights from the Music Teacher Community”. This is a blog where music teachers from across the country contribute various resources that are relevant to a music teacher. This includes links to podcasts, courses and articles.

    “Confessions of a Traveling Music Teacher” is a blog written by a single music teacher. It is a very personal account of his journeys around the country to various conferences. He reflects on past teaching experiences as well.

    “Technology for Music Teachers” is a blog set up by a college student. The student reviews various technology resources that are relevant to today’s music teacher. I appreciate how succinct and to the point her posts are with information on new pieces of technology that are explained in simple language.

    “Hillary’s Highlights: Confessions of a Music Teacher” is a personal blog of a music teacher teaching at the elementary level. While I don’t currently teach at that level, I have for the previous 20 years. I have found her insights on teaching the recorder to be valuable.

    “Made for Music Teachers” is a blog where various music teachers contribute content. The blog includes great pictures to help illustrate the posts made. I enjoyed the first post on classroom organization.

  • Course project 1.2 (3/3)

    https://midnightmusic.com/2020/10/music-teachers-using-google-sites-6-effective-examples/

    Katherine Miller has written an article for the website Midnight Music entitled “Music Teachers Using Google Sites: 6 Effective Examples”. In this article, Miller advises music teachers on how they can get the most out of Google Sites.

    Miller begins by highlighting the upgrades that were made to Google Sites in 2021. This includes optimizing the site for use on a desktop or mobile device so content may be viewed optimally. She goes on to outline 6 music programs and how they have made use of Google Sites.

    One school uses the page as a hub for both students and parents to find pertinent information. The site has the most current information at the top to be most accessible. It is then organized into tabs with headings to find other information fast. The page includes both static and dynamic content embedded within. Having a site like this has reduced the number of phone calls and emails from parents and students and made it easier for anyone interested to get the information they need.

    One teacher in Australia has embedded a plethora of tutorials as an alternative to having students head to youtube.com. This is a more direct route and will probably prevent students from getting distracted by other suggested links found on youtube.com.

    Another musician has used the site as an advertisement for their services as a private teacher and performer. He has embedded videos and testimonials of his work.

    Miller, K. (2021, October 30). Music teachers using google sites: 6 effective examples. Midnight Music. Retrieved November 9, 2022, from https://midnightmusic.com/2020/10/music-teachers-using-google-sites-6-effective-examples/

  • Course project 1.2 (2/3)

    https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-class-google-site-improve-organization-and-engagement/

    Steve Goldman shares several strategies when using Google Sites in his Edutopia article “Using a Class Google Site to Improve Organization and Engagement”.

    Goldman explains how he uses Google Sites for both remote learning and as an extension of his in person class. Goldman would organize his class in Google Sites by including a calendar with weekly goals and assignments. He would also link daily activities and plans for each day. Goldman was able to utilize Google Sites in a hybrid learning scenario where students were learning remotely while others in the same class were in person. Goldman found that including daily goals on the website had a permanent positive effect on his teaching as he now includes these goals even when not using a website. Goldman explains how creating video lessons for the virtual students improved his teaching for the in person students as he was forced to practice.

    Goldman goes on to say that after using Google Sites during the pandemic of 2020, he now sees value in keeping a “flipped classroom” at all times. He believes that having a place for the students to check in daily has increased student engagement. He often posts interactive links for the students to experience. He will do this even when there is nothing that needs to be turned in. He has found that students have now become interested in monitoring the website to see what types of content he will post out of curiosity rather than the worry of missing an assignment.

    Goldman, S. (2021, August 18). Using a class google site to improve organization and Engagement. Edutopia. Retrieved November 9, 2022, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-class-google-site-improve-organization-and-engagement/

  • Course Project 1.2 (1/3)

    https://www.techlearning.com/resources/the-new-google-sites-top-website-platform-for-class-collaboration

    In his article “How to Use Google Sites, Tips and Tricks” from “Tech and Learning”, Luke Edwards gives a thorough overview of the many features included with Google Sites.

    Google Sites is a powerful tool that can transform a teacher’s classroom. For starters, it is an excellent way to organize a student’s resources that are provided throughout the year. Organization is always a challenge particularly when differentiating instruction. Google Sites makes it easy to keep track of a specific student’s educational plan.

    Google Sites is also a great way to post procedural plans. During evolving situations such as class trips where information must be updated frequently, Google Sites can deliver information in an efficient manner.

    Google Sites is an excellent resource to allow students to develop the skill of webpage building. This can easily be incorporated into a presentation or other creative project.

    Google Sites is available at no cost. It is known to be user friendly with many intuitive features. This allows a novice at web page building to be able to create something substantial without a great deal of training. Google Sites also has enough features and capabilities that will allow an experienced web page builder to utilize their skills.

    Google Sites is web based and can be accessed on most devices. It is preferable to use on a larger device to better utilize the layout.

    Google Sites includes a plethora of templates for quick web site construction. You can also publish the site for easy public access. There is also a feature where a custom URL address can be made.

    Finally, Google Sites is an interactive tool that can allow students to communicate with each other through the posting of comments. Students can also embed URLs to link other resources.

    Edwards, L. (2021, January 29). How to use google sites, tips and tricks. TechLearningMagazine. Retrieved November 9, 2022, from https://www.techlearning.com/resources/the-new-google-sites-top-website-platform-for-class-collaboration