“Now that our entire structure for learning has completely and suddenly changed, we need to start thinking about what we CAN create online for students instead of what we can RECREATE online of what we already do.”
Category: music education advocacy
Get Out and Observe REAL Teachers!
This episode is a reminder to everyone to do what you can to get out and observe REAL teachers with “Normal” students! It is the introductory episode… Read more “Get Out and Observe REAL Teachers!”
EXCLUDED: Missing Musicians from the Classroom
Our very existence is threatened annually, and we cry out at the inequity of the threat, and yet many continue to only value the talented ones. You may be thinking, “This isn’t true though!” but I urge you to sit down with a big group of music educators and listen. Listen carefully, because once your eyes and ears are open to the exclusionary trends within this field, you will notice more and more that what we often do is segregate our own students into the talented and supported versus the “untalented” and underrepresented, whether we do it intentionally or not, it is there.
Teaching Love, One Note at a Time
Today, in my classes, we will be playing music and sending love, as we always do. But today, we will be directing our love to the families and victims in Orlando. I urge you today to do what you can in your own lives to send love, to show your support to those who need it, and to fill the world with music, love, and pride.
Assessment: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly PART II
The third school that really struck me was the most frustrating. It was a group of students from a poor school. So many of their issues had to do with crummy instruments, an unfortunate lacking of a bass player, and just poor circumstances. This was really ugly and frustrating. And so… I decided to write about it…
Assessment: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly… Part I
I still dread Assessment and I still am not 100% sure where I stand on the entire process. But I would like to share some thoughts with you from the perspective of a student, a leader in front of an ensemble on the podium, as well as thoughts from behind the adjudication table.
Three Enrollment Issues & How to Deal with Them
With school starting, we should already be thinking about how we can keep our students interested in our program & these are a few small ways to do it. Isn’t it interesting that very little of it has anything to do with music making? When it comes to music making, just keep it enjoyable!