website: kennedy center Art'sEdge (PLN Wk7.5)

While working on my WebQuest this past week, I came across some great resources on the Kennedy Center's Art'sEdge Website.  There are some great resources that I bookmarked below but some great resources for the music classroom and students.

Educator's Page
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators.aspx

Article: Surviving School Chorus
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/students/features/surviving-chorus.aspx#Overview

Student Section: The Story Behind the Song
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/students/features/series/story-behind-the-song.aspx

Beethoven:
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/multimedia/Interactives/beethoven-rocks/meet-mr-big.aspx

an article on what kids say about technology in schools (PLN Wk 7.4)

We've been talking about what teachers think about technology in the classroom. Here is an article about was students also think about this technology.

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/what_do_kids_say_is_the_biggest_obstacle_to_techno.php

a blog about just asking (PLN Wk7.3)

Fortunately (and unfortunately, too) this blog hit home with me.  Sometimes, we don't bother asking the student was is going on. It's so easy to get upset with the student, think the student is just lazy or something else.  It's amazing what talking to the student actually does. What a nice reminder for me.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/the-no-homework-kid-holden-clemens

a blog about teaching fundamentals (PLN Wk7.2)

This is a blog post about teaching music fundamentals.  I found some interesting statistics and facts in this article.  If you haven't already, you should sign for this blog.  I wish I didn't find it so late in this class.  Definitely some interesting articles.

http://www.thomasjwestmusic.com/apps/blog/show/6812291

a blog about attribution (PLN Wk7.1)

This is a great lesson for students but also for educators about taking credit for someone else's work.  I think this would be a great lesson for any classroom.

http://teachingtechie.typepad.com/learning/

a site about creative rights (PLN Wk6.4)

This site is called MyBytes.  It is powered by Microsoft and talks about rights associated with creative content. 

http://www.mybytes.com/index.html

a site called sound junction (PLN Wk6.3)

This site is called Sound Junction.  It has many links to explore including instruments, composing, how music works and much more.  I haven't had a chance to completely explore this site yet but it looks to have some great resources for students and teachers.

http://www.soundjunction.org/default.aspa

a kennedy center artsedge game (PLN Wk 6.2)

What a great game!  This is an informative way to teach about the instruments in the orchestra.

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/interactives/perfectpitch/index.html

a blog on sharing ideas (PLN Wk6.1)

The following blog post is about sharing ideas.  I believe that I have become a better educator by "borrowing" people's ideas that I have read about either through my google reader or through the our class discussion boards.

http://ladonasmusicstudio.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/the-spirit-of-sharing/

a blog on sharing stories (PLN Wk 5.2)

This blog entry is about sharing stories to connect with your middle school students.  I have found storytelling to be influential for many reasons.  As the blog says, it allows students to connect on a different level.  It also allows students to build that relationship with you.  Not only do I tell my students "don't lock your knees when you are singing" and how's it's easy to do in a concert because you are nervous, I tell them about the time that I passed out in a concert because I locked my knees.  They seem to remember that story about me and we laugh when we talk about not locking knees.

Also, check out the "Sites I Recommend" on her page.  There are links to many blogs about education.


http://tweenteacher.com/2011/03/27/teachers-are-the-supplemental-material-storytelling-to-teach-deeper-thinking/

a blog about anonymity and blogging (PLN Wk5.1)

I have enjoyed keeping this blog that we have been working on, I don't know about anyone else.  I have considered putting questions or stories on here an continuing after this class concludes.  I found this blog interesting about blogging and it's place in an educator's life.

http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/should-i-blog-keep-my-edublog-anonymous/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SoYouWantToTeach+%28So+You+Want+To+Teach%3F%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

an amusing video (PLN Wk 4.2)

Here is an amusing piece of music - what a symphony performance would sound like if it were a sporting event.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0vHpeUO5mw&feature=player_embedded#at=127

a blog about speaking to the audience (PLN Wk 4.1)

I don't like to speak about what my students are about to perform.  Usually, I have my students give a quick introduction to a piece that, I will admit, doesn't really give too much to the audience.  I always find it much more worthwhile when I explain for the audience certain aspects of the music for which to listen.  We don't always have the best audience members (talking, texting, etc.) but when they have a focus and pointed interest towards the music, they are actively listening to the music.  This blog reinforces and talks about introductions to a performance.

http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/why-talking-to-audiences-is-essential-when-playing-classical-music/

eric whitacre's virtual choir (PLN Wk3.3)

Here is a link to the introduction of Eric Whitacre's virtual choir.  You may have seen last year's project and the current project will be released on April 7.  It's an interesting concept of how technology can involve people around the world in a music project.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyLX2cke-Lw&feature=player_embedded

Here is the link to his blog:
http://ericwhitacre.com/blog/the-virtual-choir/virtual-choir-2-0-premiere-one-week-from-tonight

And here is a link to last year's virtual choir:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7o7BrlbaDs#t=0m20s

"Bicycle" Noteflight Assignment

http://www.noteflight.com/scores/view/d68b30fe498db73ad45c060aeeb2dc10f132389d

I think that Noteflight could be a useful tool in the music education classroom.  This can be used for both teachers and students.  Although I could not use my MIDI keyboard to input the notation as I was working on it, the program worked pretty well. 

Educators can use this program to notate parts and then allow them to be viewed by others.  The students can then access the files that the instructor has created for various purposes - for study, creation, editing, or other assignments.   It seems to have an easy way to access these files.

Students can use this program to create music and notate music.  It was simple to begin the project and the students will not need a lot of instruction on opening a file, setting the staff, and beginning to notate.  I like the idea of a class composition that was done as "Pieces of Eight".  I think this would be a great assignment for the music class to make a combined composition.

a site called JamStudio (PLN Wk3.2)

This website is called JamStudio and it looks like a great resource for any classroom - music or non-music.  I have shared it with some of the high school teachers in my building.  It allows you to make the accompaniment for a song.  It can be used to create the accompaniment and have students improvise a melody, or it can be used to help teach chord progressions.  We plan to use it when teaching blues - the students will have to learn the proper progression, input the proper progression, then make up their own blues song.  I also think any classroom could use it and have students create songs about different subjects.

http://www.jamstudio.com/Studio/index.htm

a list of music websites (PLN Wk3.1)

I found all of these websites on a website that were activities for music.  I know some of them have been posted but here are a few more links.

http://www.playmusic.org/

http://www.classicsforkids.com/

http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/explore_and_learn/art_online_resources_listening_adventures.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/learn/

http://www.sfskids.org/templates/splash.asp

http://www.dsokids.com/

a blog about youtube and the music classroom (PLN Wk2.4)

I saw this posting and thought the book that is mentioned (YouTube in Music Education) could be very useful.  I plan to investigate this book more and see if I can put it to use in my classroom.  I know there are so many things out there.  The challenge for my class (as I am sure with many of you) – youtube is blocked at my school.  I know there are ways around this but sometimes it seems like so much prep work.  Plus, showing a youtube video to a large choral ensemble is difficult due to the number of students trying to watch.

http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/make-youtube-yourtube/

a good reminder (PLN Wk2.3)

This was a good reminder for me – to say yes and take the extra time.

It's a blog posting based off of a Mister Rogers quote:

I hope you’re proud of yourself for the times you’ve said “yes,” when all it meant was extra work for you and was seemingly helpful only to somebody else.

-Fred Rogers

http://involvememusic.com/2011/03/inspiration-from-a-childhood-friend/

a blog posting on technology integration in the classroom (PLN Wk2.2)

I thought this was a good blog to post since we are learning about integrating technology into our classrooms and lessons.  I like how it talks about how using technology for the sake of using technology isn't really integration, and how a student doesn't benefit from technology just because technology is being used.  The students really benefit when they are familiar enough with the technological tools used – they are no longer trying to question how to use the tools but are using them to enhance their learning.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/meaning-tech-integration-elementary-mary-beth-hertz?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

a blog about rhythm simplification (PLN Wk2.1)

This blog is set up for a discussion on the simplification of rhythms when teaching students familiar tunes.  I know that with my piano students and my choral students, when they are learning a piece they know, it is very difficult to read the rhythms as they are written -- my students want to do a lot of it by ear.

http://colorinmypiano.com/2011/03/15/qa-forum-rhythmic-simplification-in-arrangements-of-familiar-tunes/

a blog about program notes (PLN Wk1.2)

This is a post about program notes and having students write them.  It is written for piano teachers for their students, but I will use this in my choral classroom.  I have always wanted to have my students write the program notes for our concerts and I haven't done it yet.  There are some good pointers to get them started.

http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/writing-effective-program-notes/

A blog that could be helpful (PLN Wk1.1)

As I was adding to my google reader I found this blog.  It has some very basic music worksheet pdf's that may be helpful for review or evaluation in the music classroom.

http://musicworksheets.net/

A little about me ...

Just to share a little about who I am. . . My name is Kristen and I live in Toledo, Ohio.  I teach vocal music for grades 6-12 in a rural district west of Toledo.   I have great students who I enjoy working with and I love making music with them.  It's one of my favorite things to see it in their faces when they know they are making great music!