Feels like forever since I have really posted anything about Quaver Music on my own blog! They have come out with so many tools in the past few months my head is spinning with the ways to use everything. At one point my desk was plastered with post it notes about how to use each new thing (I have a weird thought process). Undoubtably the best tool that they have introduced is amazing, especially for a still fairly new teacher who is always looking for new songs to teach and play with her class.

ClassPlay itself is only out as a preview right now for everyone with current scheduled release around mid-August that will then require purchase.

Right now, ten out of the eighty or more promised songs for ClassPlay are available for all to preview and play with. I have gotta say, those 10 totally ROCK.

ClassPlay is a tool to help teach students simple songs developed by the Quaver company and also, songs that are in the public domain. It goes through the song step by step, starting out with learning the melody by solfedge, then the lyrics, and so on. Each step provides a stunning visual for the students to follow along with and use as they are learning the piece. It also provides activities and virtual instruments for the teacher to use along the way so students can develop a full understanding of the song they are singing. ClassPlay pretty much turns what would be about a 10-15 minute song learning activity into a full lesson reaching all standards and learning styles in the process.

We are seeing more and more digital natives arriving at our schools, here at the k-5 level I have Kindergartners able to use an iPad without assistance. That is the way our culture is beginning to lean towards. With more digital natives arriving, they require more visuals because of their longer amount of daily screen time. ClassPlay provides those bright and simple visuals for those visual learners to follow along with. They are simple and great for teaching the younger ones how to track along with the music as well. The background tracks that are provided with each screen teach and model correct vocals and lyrics for the auditory and verbal learners and allow the whole class to sing along correctly with what ever step of the song they are on. Of course the tough bit to every song is trying to provide movement that will help them learn it and not hinder their focus that takes away from the melody and/or words. ClassPlay caters to those physical learners by providing movement to most of the songs whether it is keeping the beat to acting like goofy animals. After they have learned the song and have gone through the performance, ClassPlay takes it one step further providing those logical learners with activitys and thought provoking questions relating to the song and its lyrics or history.

Taking a look a step further into ClassPlay, one can actually relate this technology tool to some of the NETS (National Educational Technology Standards) that can be found at ISTE Website. These are standards used for students to help them become more technology savy for the digital real world that is developing around us. The Quaver Music site itself connects with just about all of these standards. ClassPlay itself fulfills the first two:

1. Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

     With the activities and questions that go along with each song, ClassPlay fully shows it can provoke thought and inspire creativity through each song giving the students a deeper experience with the tunes.

2. Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

  ClassPlay is found in the teacher bulletin board and is suppose to be used as a whole class. It requires the students to work together to perform the songs and finish the activities provided again using technology. It might not allow us to collaborate with other students at a long distance (THAT WOULD BE COOL! SKYPE WITH ANOTHER QUAVER CLASS AND PERFORM THE SONGS!!) but the collaboration in class using technology creates the ultimate experience.