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.
Category: Orchestra
The Power of Even a Drop of Critical Pedagogy
Ever since learning about Critical Pedagogy, I have done everything I could do put it into practice. Let me tell you… The results have been out of this world…
My Best Concert Ever!!! A Positive Shift in Culture
And it’s not really that we have perfected all of the notes and rhythms… Because there are definitely still some rough passages… But, there has been a culture shift in my program and it is really coming to light as we prepare for our concert.
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…
Snow Day Strategies for Developing Musical Identities!
Posting on social media is so easy. And somehow, it seems to engage some of the students who are just sitting around on their computers. Even if they don’t touch their instruments, at least they are seeing the posts. Perhaps these posts will spark a “rabbit hole” effect in which they search for additional musical cartoons, stories, and pieces of randomness.
Hall Duty Horrors: Take a New Spin on Hall Duty and Improve Your Program!
Bellies and buttcracks and wayyyyy too much skin pouring over jeans…. I had NO idea…. Now I do… Now I realize why my students think it’s ridiculous when I ask them to wear longer shorts… I understand that cursing is the norm rather than the exception within my school… And that my students are kind of angelic in comparison! This gives me so much insight into what my own students deal with every day and how drastically things have changed
My 2015 Role Model – Julia Ettie Crane
Recognizing the need for an authentic classroom setting, Crane created a model classroom in which all of her students practiced music teaching.[7] This classroom gave students the balance between musicianship and educational pedagogy which she sought. Crane’s beliefs on Music Education are still prevalent today.
Carrots & Cupcakes & Concerts, Oh My!
anyone was welcome to sit anywhere from the floor, to the monument, to the steps leading down to the monument. So there were people EVERYWHERE! Children dancing, people walking past taking photos as they headed home from work, and the best part was seeing people unplug for a minute or so as they listened to the live music on their way home from work. I LOVE this aspect of this concert & the audience did too.
The Big Fish Little Pond Effect
I had a student once who was an enormous fish in this teeny tiny pond of little musicians who all looked up to him as if he were Heaven-sent to play cello with them. He was beloved in my program and really was a good cellist with great potential. But his arrogance was a huge issue for him as he began to compete for chairs in All-State and eventual college acceptance as a cello performance major. I remember thinking “Such a big fish may struggle in a sea of sharks once he gets to college”
Musicking for Community Resilience
I know that education is one of the best ways to change the world, and I was thinking what role I might be able to play as a music teacher. I realize that my influence can be great in spite of the role of “elective” teacher, students are emotionally invested when they are in my classroom, and I think this is key to making powerful change.
MusicEdLove 