Things To Come

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Communication

This blog serves several purposes for me:

1. Reflection journal. I try to reflect on what goes well and what doesn't.
2. Memory log. What did I do? Check the blog.
3. Collaboration and communication.

I have not been doing well with #3. I need to find ways to get more comments and more conversations. Suggestions welcome.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Professional Development

I had a great professional development day at Western CT State University. I have known the professors there for some time. They are definitely people I like to work with.

I sat in three reading sessions. One for young band music, one for grades 3-5 band music and one for jazz band (level 4-5). I haven't played this much in a long time. I haven't played in a band like this for awhile either. It was a lot of fun.

I also got to sing in Kevin Isaacs choral workshop. It had about 60 teachers in the room. It was nice to sightread 4 part music and with adult voices.

Professional development should be like this. I'm wondering what other teaching discipline (K-12) does stuff like this? I know university educators need to research/publish, but I'm not sure K-12 educators demonstrate/practice their subject enough.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Blogs

Are there any blogs that I must read? Leave URL in comments. Fee free to self promote.

This is in my reader. I don't spend nearly enough time on it.

Subscriptions

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

New iPad Apps

iMotionHD: This runs very smoothly to make either stop motion or time lapse movies.

Chess.com: We started an informal chess club and we are running it through this website. Also has iOS and android apps. Syncs great.

The Wider Image: Reuters story app using images. Good journalism.

DragonBox: Super cool app to teach algebra, but without doing "algebra". My 4 year old and 6 year old love app, as does my wife.

Haiku Deck: Presentation app that sets up your images really cool. Uses CC images.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

iPad in the Music Classroom

Jim Frankel write this post about iPads.

Chris Russell wrote this response.

Amy Burns wrote this response.

All of the above are smarter than me. I have a bit of trouble writing still, so bear with me...

In general I completely agree with Jim. There is a lot of wasted technology going into iPad programs. I waste a ton of time. I haven't wasted a ton of money, but I spend a LOT of time making mistakes.

Why I hate the iPads:
1. They take forever to update, sync, maintain, count, lock-up, charge, clean.
2. In general, nobody cares. If they didn't care about music before, they still won't care when you have iPads.
3. Most people don't get it. I'm always explaining. I wish people would visit.
4. Its really, really hard to stay "innovative" and think of new projects that will get funding. Especially now that iPads are everywhere.
5. iPads/Apple do not fit in with the school or grant budget cycle. Nobody had iPad mini on their horizon 12 months ago when they were writing this years budget.

Why I like the iPads:
1. I could never, never do most of the things I do in class. I can't bring my band to the computer lab to record/compose 8 measure songs. I can't tell the sopranos "watch the youTube video" of their part while I work with the altos. I can't pass a desktop to a Downs Syndrome kid so he can create drawings of our sound while the band plays.
2. I never teach software.
3. I get to do stuff like this: