And now it's time to talk about what we've learned today.

Just a few thoughts on things we've learned and how I plan to apply them to my teaching.

Blogging
Far and away, the best idea I've gotten from this class so far. I already knew about blogging and have been keeping a blog as a way to stay in contact with friends for several years. However, I never would have thought of using a blog as a teaching tool. By the end of the summer, I want to establish 2 blogs, one for each building I teach at. The blogs will be used as a means to communicate with choir students and parents and to keep everybody informed as to upcoming events, homework, last minute changes, etc.

YouTube
Ok, I know this hasn't really been a topic in class, but there are so many videos on YouTube that I would love to show to my general music classes. I've been perusing the collection and saving videos to my account that I think would illustrate ideas/topics that I'll be covering throughout the year. I've also saved some that I think are just fun and the kids would enjoy. For example, I found several videos of recorder consort performances. I think these videos will help in my personal mission to teach the kids that the recorder is a legitimate instrument, it's not just a toy that we play with in music class.

Wikis
I'm not sure I'll be able to apply this to my current teaching situation, but I could see myself using it in the future. If I taught a middle school or high school level general music or music appreciation class, I would use the wiki as a way to keep track of what the kids are learning, as well as to help them keep track of topics covered in class.

Band-in-a-box
As I mentioned in my previous blog entry, I would like to start using this program to create practice cd's for the kids. In the past, I've sat down with a cd recorder and recorded myself singing and plunking out each individual part. While this is very helpful to my weaker singers, it doesn't challenge my more advanced singers. I think that by creating practice cd's with a basic chordal accompaniment, their home practice will become much more meaningful. They will have to rely on their own ears and pitch memories as they practice, and that in turn will help them develop into better singers and musicians.

That's all for now!

Band-in-a-box Newbie

When it comes to music software, I must admit I'm not very knowledgeable. Before Tuesday, I had never really tried out Band-in-a-box to see if it could be applied to my teaching. Frankly, I thought it was a strictly band program, and that it wouldn't have any applicable use for my classroom. Now, after having messed around with it for just a little bit and after some discussions that have taken place in Secondary Choral Methods, I have a great use for it! Practice cd's! In the past, I've recorded practice cd's by sitting down and plunking out the individual parts and playing them. How is that teaching my students to be musical? It's not. It's teaching them to be lemmings. If I were to give them practice cd's with just the chords of the song, it would force them to rely on their own pitch memory, and to listen to how their part fits into the chord structure. Not only that, but they might even try improvising a new part over the chords, which I would be thrilled with. I'm sure there might be other ways to implement it into a choral and/or general music setting, but that's all I've got for now. Any ideas out there?

Introductions, if you please

Greetings and salutations! I'm Breanna and I'm a 2nd year grad student at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. I just completed my 4th year teaching 3rd, 4th and 5th grade general music and choir at Liberty School in Orland Park, IL. This year, however, I also took on the 6th-8th grade choir at Jerling Junior High next door.

This blog has been established in order to share my thoughts on technology and things that I'm learning in my Instructional Design class. I'm looking forward to learning some ways that I can easily and effectively incorporate technology into my general music classes in ways that will be meaningful to my students. I have to say that so far, two days into the class, my expectations of what this class will be like have completely changed. I was expecting to learn about different software programs that are available that my district could possibly purchase for students to use. I think there will be a little of that, but it will far and away be based on things the kids can do online. I'm excited about what I will learn, because I think the nature of it will allow me to use it right away, without having to convince my district to spend money. So, here's to the prospect of learning new things!