The fighting spirit, something all hard working people have. We can be kicked while we’re down and still be able to come back swinging no matter what happens. We have problems arising right and left fires that need can only be put out with our skill and quick critical thinking. The way we fight for what we want can sometimes be our saving grace making life worth living and filled with adventure and great rewards. Music education only takes those willing to go down swinging, if the pressure, stress, and criticism doesn’t kill us..it only makes us stronger. We are given the task to provide our students with opportunities to arise above the rest, become great at what ever form of music they choose, and dream big. With all of the obstacles we face as music educators everyday we have to put on the boxing gloves, refill the coffee mug and plaster that confidence in what we do all over our face then walk in the doors of our learning establishment ready to face the day no matter what is chucked at our heads.
We can burn out from everything we do, we can slink back into that dark corner where nothing we do seems right and everything seems wrong. Relax, refresh, and remember to stick by what you do even if it seems wrong it can be oh so right. Strive for the things that you look forward to every week whether it is a hug from a student or that friday night margarita. The small victories are what keeps us from going under into that dark corner. Our perseverance, our drive, and our fire inspire others around us. We work hard to see the explosive positive results, we play hard use the enjoyment from every second.
Remember to use your resources, remember to talk about it, remember to smile with your head held high, and remember that fighting spirit.

Our #musedchat discussion on twitter tonight ended up in making a list of recommended apps for music educators. Here is that list:

History of Jazz Tenuto
Tempo
Audio Tool
iReal b
r-Tap anything
Read Rhythm
A.P.S. MusicMaster Pro
MuseScore viewer
LineSpace
Symphony Pro
Ibooks
Evernote
Garageband
Praisehymn
My Classical music
Beatwave
Virtuoso
Sound drop
Korg IElectribe
Soundhound
Thumbjam
Shiny Drum
Jampad
Wavepad
Magic Fiddle
Percussion Free
Madpad
Drop box
iKaossilator
ChordBank
Beginning Guitar
Tenuto
Glass Piano
Music Theory
Falling Stars
Ludwig Metronome
Padrucci
Splashtop

Ok, I was never labeled a chorus teacher, never a natural singer, BUT I expect a lot out of my students and try to be the best educator I can be for them. This year I had a mission that was driven by students prodding me last year to start one, and that was a chorus. The programs at the schools I work at had died out due to over scheduling and the retirement of the previous teacher. I had missed directing ensembles so much that when students came to ask me about one I readily agreed to fight tooth and nail for it this year. Luckily my administrators as very supportive of the arts agreeing quickly to the start of the programs. One just started this week and runs during the recess and the other has been going for 6 weeks after school. None of the 100 total students I have now have ever been in chorus until I arrived, now my after school chorus is beginning to read chorus music, run rehearsals like clockwork and sounding wicked awesome and my recess chorus after their first rehearsal is excited and ready to work hard. Didn’t think a few years ago I’d be brave enough to do this but seeing the progress made, the dedication my students have to these groups, and the genuine smiles on their face I can’t help but well up with pride. With the help of my supportive school community these students have a new opportunity to experience the wonders of music outside of the general music classroom. I’m not looking for them to be perfect, they’re only in elementary school! All I ask is they practice, try their best, and have a good time…holey heck..I’ve got a chorus!

You never know what students can be proficient in and what they are not proficient in when they enter the music classroom. Most of the time you can figure out what they need work on musically but tech is a whole other story. Myself, I love integrating tech into my music classroom. For me it’s a way to really push visual aids to the students about subjects. Unfortunately students come to me once in a while lacking the ability to do basics on the net books I am able to sign out of our library. It’s no ones fault really but when I spend a few extra minutes teaching them the skills required to do the assignment it is still teaching which is what I’m really here to do even if it’s not music. Maybe they were absent the day it was taught or the teacher just hasn’t reached that skill yet. I feel it’s important to teach these skills and not by pass them in my class leaving it to the teacher. I’m there to not only teach music skills but I’m here for academic and tech integration too! Specialists shouldn’t be afraid to teach tech skills to students, it helps give the students extra practice and might persuade teachers who are afraid to integrate tech into their classrooms an extra push since their students might already know the procedures and skills for the computers. Don’t be afraid to be tech forward thinking, it helps out everyone and is a big help to your school community even if it doesn’t seem like it.

K Unit:2 Lesson:3&4

Title:Solfedge
Standards: 1,2,4,5

Objectives:
● Students will sing on pitch using solfedge “so” and “mi”
● Students will compose their own melody as a class and sing it on pitch.
● Students will use rhythm instruments
Plan:
● Attendance will be taken
● The Hello Song
● Students will learn how to sing “So” and will sing a rhythm on the board using “So”
● Students will be evaluated on “So” from the assessment binder.
● Students will learn the song Kye Kye Kule
● Students will learn the dance moves to KyeKye Kule
● Students will break into two groups, one will dance to the song and one will play small rhythm instruments. They will then switch groups.
● If time the students will learn the Hula Bula

Day 2:
● Attendance will be taken
● The Hello Song
● Students will learn how to sing “Mi” and will write a melody only using “So” and “Mi” on the board and then sing it as a class and in smaller groups.
● Students will be evaluated on “Mi” from the assessment binder.
● Students will read “The Carnival of The Animals” book as a class and will play the game. “Which animal does it sound like?”
● If time remains the students will review the Hula Bula

Materials:
● Ipod/Ipod Dock
● CD player
● The Carnival of the Animals Book/ Game cards
● Piano
● Whiteboard/Markers

Assessment:
● Students will be observed as they participate in the “So” assessment(found in the rubric binder)
● Students will be observed as they participate in the “Mi” assessment(found in the rubric binder)

Ever wonder why we work so hard? For me it’s the smile on a students face or the “Miss Dwinal! I got it!” Sometimes it’s hard to remember but we work for especially as music educators. The finish product is our reward, the building up to it can be tiring and frustrating but you can not wipe the smile off of your face when it goes successful. We walk the fine line between utter success and utter failure. Its a high risk emotional job that somebodies gotta fill. Happy Weekend Everyone!

I’m a huge fan of NASCAR and have been for a few years. Since getting in to teaching I have been trying to figure out how to incorporate some Stock Car Racing madness into my music lessons. I’ve finally figured out how! Here is a great game I came up with that helps students review music notes and rests while racing to the finish line!

Materials:
Pictures of populars cars (I laminated mine and put magnets on the back to preserve them)
Checkered flag (I made one myself out of fabric and a wood dowel)
Whiteboard and marker
Soccerball with notes and rests written all over it. ($5 ball at walmart and sharpie can get you one of these)

Objective: Identify the most notes and rests as a team. Who ever has the most laps at the end of time wins.

How to do it:
-Divide the class into teams depending on how many cars you have made.
-Have each team choose a car. (I usually say you get what you get and you don’t get upset and choose quieter teams to choose first) Line up the cars on the board.
– Ask the students to sit in a circle on the floor and try not to sit with a team member.
– Pass the soccer ball around singing “The Wonderball song”. Tell students to pass the ball with two hands and at the same speed as everyone else or they will sit out.
-Who ever the ball lands on must lift their right hand and identify the note or rest hiding under that hand. If they get it correct then their car goes up a lap. If they get it incorrect their car goes down a lap. (You can decide whether or not you want teams to help eachother out. I usually do not) Keep track of laps on the board by writing tally marks under the car pictures.
-Change up the way the ball goes every so often and have them switch spots in the circle so new people can have a turn.
-Which ever team has the most laps at the end of time wins the race and waves the checkered flag!

*This is a great game and my students ask to play it all the time! Sometimes I play with them as my own team with my favorite car the #14 Office Depot/Mobile One. The students get a kick out of watching me play with them!

*Another way to incorporate racing into your lesson is to print pictures of little flags (Checkered,Green, Yellow) Tape them to popsicle sticks after and hand out instruments (I use Remo Kids Percussion) to each student in to class. Let the students know that if the green comes out then they can play PRESTO (fast), if the yellow comes out then they have to play LARGO (slow) to avoid the car crash up ahead! If the checkered comes out then that is the end of the race and playing must stop!

Tomorrow begins another school year, I’m setting up my room, creating my goals for the year, and stirring up the confidence to create musical passion for the younger generation. I will admit I am a bit scared to face the new year but with everything I’ve learned from last year and the new ideas I’ve collected from the summer I plan on walking through those school doors tomorrow with only 3 words plastered in my mind “BRING. IT. ON!”

Mmmm summer, time for warm weather, late nights, barbecues, and wide open roads just aching for the rumbles of car tires on long road trips. Quite a long stretch from the daily grind that most teachers and students face during the long school year. I found myself this past year really stretching myself to a breaking point trying to please others around me whether it be the students, the other teachers, or the administration. All the extra effort put in to make others happy drained my creativity and drive to do things that made me happy, things that allow me to wake up every day looking forward to something other than going back to bed. My summer has only been about 3 weeks long but already the things I’ve accomplished over those 3 weeks and the time I’ve had to slow down, reflect, and RELAX has overwhelmingly helped my brain catch up with life. Slow down, reflect, and relax..isn’t that what summer vacation is all about? To spend what ever time you have enjoying the things that you have trouble finding time for during school? Take it slow, really look at what you’re doing, reconnect, enjoy, further your knowledge and prepare yourself for September!