WEEK 7 PLN Games and Trivia for Gen Mus!

Here is a website I found that has some great music activities (quizzes, games, puzzles, mazes, etc) for young general music classes!  These are great for substitute days, or after holiday concerts before starting a new unit!  :) 

Enjoy!

Music Trivia

WEEK 7 PLN MENC Lesson Plans

Hello all!  I don't even know how I came to stumble upon this part of the MENC website, but here it is for you. 

Lesson Plans

...This can be an awesome resource if you're drawing a blank on how to present any topic in a lesson to your students.  You can actually type in key words, or refine your search by adding who it is for, grade level, and what national standards you want your lesson to reflect, then.... BAM!  ...lists of lesson plans!  Sometimes it is nice to have another teacher's imput, even if you just use suggestions!  Hope you find this helpful!

Week 6 PLN Improv

I found two articles on the MENC website about jazz improv and how to help your students succeed at improvisation.  These are based off of comments from teachers who use improv, whether it be singing or playing, and what techniques work for them.  This is very intriguing!  Hope you take something away from this! :)

Part 1
Part 2

Week 6 PLN Excellent Site for Young Learners!

PlayMusic

This website is an excellent site for elementary and early middle school general music students.  This website is full of fun activities.  This is an interactive website that allows students to explore music of different cultures, orchestras, videos and listening activities.  This site also includes a link for students to make their own music. :)

Week 5 PLN Classroom Management Tips

Classroom Management Tips

This is a short list of some classroom management tips.. It is always nice to review them and gain a different perspective.  I don't know if I fully agree with the "I-messages," but it is important for our students to know how we feel to a certain extent.  I think a very important one is to be a prescence in the classroom.  Many teachers that have problems with classroom management is linked to them not having a strong enough prescence in their rooms.

Week 5 PLN Top 10 Ways

Top 10 Ways to Make a Living While Making Music

This is a wonderful list!!  Of course, music teacher should be number 1, but it doesn't go in any specific order!  :)  Music librarian... now there's a job you don't think of every day!

WEEK 5 PLN Budget Cuts Leading to Music Education Crisis

I stumbled across a blog about Pennslyvania public schools going through major budget cuts and of course what is being highly affected by this.... none other than music teachers and departments all across the state..

Pennslyvania

At the end of this article the same man who posted the blog, Tom West, provided a link to another one of his blogs about what to do in this instance and gives tips on ways to help protect your music programs..

Protecting your programs

Week 4 PLN - and all that jazz!

Jazz Appreciation Month

MENC has an article dedicated to race, gender, and Jazz appreciation.  There are links at the bottom of the article for a couple of videos of the Sweethearts of Rhythm which was an all women jazz band in the 30s.

Week 4 PLN- Sing for your Pretzel!

I wish that there was a PretzelMaker around where I live!  On VH1 Save the Music website, the Pretzelmaker business announced another "Sing for your Pretzel" campaign and will give away free pretzels to whomever sings their own song about them!  They also donated $30000 to the VH1 Save the Music Foundation! 

If only..... Sing for your Pretzel

Week 4 PLN -Kevin Spacey and the Arts

A speech recently given by Kevin Spacey in support of the arts.  I wish that more important people would stick up for the arts, and I also wish that our government would listen to everyones' cries.  Instead of taking away funding they should be providing funds for our cause!

Must watch!

Noteflight- A Bicycle Built for Two

A Bicycle Built for Two


I really enjoyed using Noteflight!!!  I liked it even better than MuseScore.  I find it much easier to navigate and the shortcut keys are easier to use!  :)  This is an extremely useful tool for music education because it has many functions.  It could be used for creative composing, and students can share their compostions with one another for comments and constructive criticism.  Also, there could be a group assignment to compose a single piece together.  Not to mention, transposing and arranging for the teacher.  There are many possibilities and I really enjoy this software! 

WEEK 3 Music PLN!!

Well, look at what I've come across!!!   MusicPLN 

A website for what you ask???  A website for us!!!  Complete with forums, discussions, blank sheet music, and technology links (to name a few).  :) 

I thought it was cool that I found a website similar to what we've put together for our class!  Enjoy!!  Hope to see ya on there!

WEEK 3 Spread the word!!

Here's an article from the MENC website about a Rhode Island teacher spreading word about a need for advocancy.  She put together a packet of materials to present to the school board and some music teachers who were actually laid off received their jobs back!!  I think there should be many more presentations like this across the board.  We know how important music education is and should continue spreading the word!! :)


Need for Advocacy

WEEK 2 Beating the Odds

The NAMM Foundation posted an article about drumming and it's positive effects with children from lower income homes.  :)

Beating the Odds!

WEEK 2 Save the Music!

Here is a website I found on VH1's Save the Music blog.  This is about a superintendent who received an award for supporting music education in Buffalo schools.  We need more superintendents like Dr. James A. Williams, fighting for the arts instead of fighting against them! 

Maybe I should look for a position in Buffalo?! :)

WEEK 2 Everything Sax!

Here is a really helpful site for all things Sax!!  It is a forum that discusses everything from instrument repair, to music, and (how fitting) technology!! :)  Enjoy!!  I found this website really interesting and will make sure to return to it!

Sax on the Web

Dave Matthews Band - You & Me (GRAMMYs on CBS)

Just had to share.. One of my all time favorite bands and my wedding song... It always puts a smile on my face.. hope you enjoy it! :)

My name is Krystle, nice to meet you!

Well hellloooo to all!  I have not kept a blog in years, so I may be a little rusty, but I will try to post some interesting things.  :)  A little bit about myself.  I come from a little town in upstate New York called Amsterdam.  I have lived here almost all my life, aside from the four years that I lived in Albany while doing my undergrad work at The College of Saint Rose.  I graduated a little bit later than my class in December of 2008, but it was a wonderful accomplishment.  Since then I have been working part time at an animal hospital and I was subbing music for a while.  I have searched and searched for jobs around here, but as soon as they come available they are just as quickly filled again.  I did not graduate at a very good time for a music teaching career.  haha.. I do have faith that something will eventually open up and that it will be the perfect position for me, but I have realized that I may be widening my search area soon enough.  My husband and I are newlyweds and we were married on Aug 25, 2010.  :)  We are animal lovers and have one 5yrold Cockerspaniel, Phoebe, and four cats, Joey, Gus, Jewels and Cashew.  My mom is our landlord and we live above her in the house that my great, great grandmother built.  She also has two dogs, Nova and Frosty, and four cats, Ginger, Swami, Comet, and Biffey.  The strays I have brought home throughout the years hahaha... I love yoga, church and family.... sunshine, laughing, flowers, hiking, and being outside.... music *duh*  and many many more things.. I look forward to the next 7 weeks with you guys!!

WEEK 1 Online Music Collaboration

I think the concept of online collaborations are wonderful! It is definitely something that I would be interested in doing. ... It's too bad that it isn't one of our course requirements! It would be a new experience for me. Have any of you musically collaborated online??


Online Music Collaboration

WEEK 1 Inspiration from Great Teachers

I have had the honor of working with and learning from some amazing teachers in my life and they all held each and every single one of these qualities.  I will live to be as great as they are in my teaching!

http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/being-inspired-by-great-teachers/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SoYouWantToTeach+%28So+You+Want+To+Teach%3F%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

WEEK 1 Music in Our Schools Month

I went to college in Albany, and this is not far from where I live now. :)  I used to participate in the performances yearly with my highschool ensembles.  Ahh... it takes me back... Nice to see something positive about Music Education in NYS, instead of budget cuts!
http://www.menc.org/news/view/new-york-music-educators-see-miosm-as-a-celebration-with-purpose/