OneNote Review

      OneNote is your One Stop shop when it comes to organization. There are so many features in OneNote. It's hard to choose my favorite. OneNote is a virtual lesson plan book. You can create lessons, upload videos, record notes, link webpages and worksheets, connect with parents through email, and receive homework from your students. This is the wave of the future when it comes to using technology.
    One feature I really like is the capability to store worksheets on the program. You can simply project your lesson plans for your class so they can easily follow along. You can also complete worksheets with your class for better understanding.

I find that students at the elementary level need extra guidance when completing new worksheets. This feature is another way to ensure they understand what is expected. 

I also like the fact that this program is for any device including laptops and desktops. Although smartphone and tablets have their advantages, it is not always easy and simple to upload documents or type things quickly. A program I currently use for that is similar to OneNote is not available for desktops or laptops. This program is! I especially like the "record audio" feature that allows you or the students to record audio or visuals to accompany lessons and assignments. This is another time-saving feature that is beneficial to teachers who have limited planning time or multiple classes. his 

     Overall, OneNote has many capabilities for the busy teacher who wants to stay virtually organized. I recommend this product and will try it out for myself.

Organization...The Struggle is Real

     As an elementary music teacher, I teach five grades, each consisting of 4-5 different classrooms. Each grade may learn similar concepts or they may be at completely different learning areas throughout the year. Since I began teaching, I wanted to stay organized but somehow wasn't able to always stay on top of it. This made for a messy desk, difficult classroom transitions, and even classroom management issues. As I became more experienced, my organizational skills became more experienced. However, it wasn't until I was introduced to an app called iDoceo that I truly felt organized for the first time. This app is amazing! If you teach multiple classes, multiple lessons daily, this app is for you. It is not free, but is under $10 and worth every penny. The app allows you to upload each class, create and change seating charts, keep behavior logs, input and change lesson plans, upload documents and photos, play videos, keep information on students, sync a google or apple calendar and add to an existing calendar, enter grades and pull percentage data, and it's all in one nifty place: your iPad. It wasn't until I discovered this app that I truly was able to "plan" out an entire school year before the year even started. This was a goal of mine and finally came to fruition. How much easier is it to see when the assessments take place and work backwards?! I highly recommend looking into this app for anyone looking to be more organized.
     As Bauer (2014) mentions, technology has really made learning and professional development much more available now. I'd like to touch on the online learning aspect. As a teacher and mom, time is of the essence. Knowing I'd like to someday teach college and starting my Master's has been a goal since I graduated with my Bachelor's. However, it took me over 5 years to find a credible online program to do this. My other option was to drive over an hour to attend classes. Kent State has made my goal a reality and I am very grateful for this. I do enjoy the "freedom" of online coursework. I am able to pace myself with the time I have making sure to complete the work by the deadline. However, I really miss the face-to-face interaction of being in a classroom. I am not able to ask questions and get immediate feedback. I am not able to discuss project ideas with classmates and hear their ideas for insight. Although the discussion board is available, and I have used it, it is simply not the same. This is something anyone considering online coursework needs to think about. For me, at this time in my life, online learning is essential and quite workable. However, if a younger student asked me for advice, I would advise them to enroll in an on-campus degree if possible. We, as educators, know how important SEL is to education. Just because we are adults, doesn't change this. As online learning becomes more popular, I think universities will need to address this aspect and add a virtual collaboration component. My husband works for a company that does exactly this. They bring global companies together through the use of their existing technology to meet face-to-face, share documents, and ultimately, build that social connection. This is just one example of many solutions available.

Bauer, W. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music. New York: Oxford University Press.

Hearing vs. Listening

     Music is everywhere. It's in the mall corridors, mall shopping stores, grocery stores, elevators, spas, vehicles, parks, movies, video games, tv...everywhere. Even in the middle of the woods, one can hear the birds chirping, woodpecker pecking, deer, scraping, and wind whistling. Music is such a natural part of our worlds. It makes sense why most of us only hear it. We are so used to it being around. But imagine, if we could turn every instance into listening to music. Perhaps we would recognize the pop hit in the corridor, the electronic bass loop in the video game, or the original melody of the bird. Perhaps, listening would open our brains to different thought processes or creativity.
     Listening and responding to music is such a vital part of music education. Yet, it seems to also be kind of forgotten. When I've asked students to share their favorite (school-appropriate) songs in a playlist format, they also need to explain what they like about it. I give them examples of things they may like: Lyrics, beat, melody, emotion, evokes a memory, etc. Most, however, still cannot describe exactly what it is they "like" about a particular song. Most say, "it just makes me feel good". This is such a normal reply, especially from kids. As a music teacher, them saying anything at times can be a small victory. But how can I teach them to really listen?
     Bauer states that students distinguish music in school as different than music out of school. Students prefer to listen to music in private, at home, in the genre they want. They use music to regulate emotions. It's a part of hanging out with friends. It's less structured and familiar to them. Therefore, more enjoyable than "school music" (Bauer, 2014, p. 107). One way to teach music listening is to create a safe and comfortable classroom environment that promotes listening, perhaps as if students are at home. Get them out of their normal seats, let them pick a new spot, grab a bean bag chair, etc. Another way to get students listening as opposed to hearing is to start with music that is familiar to them. Once they can identify certain aspects from their own music, they can use that vocabulary when describing new or foreign music. If allowed, let students bring in their own devices to listen and share music on. Have students start a blog to share their musical tastes, interests, and analysis' (Bauer, 2014). From there, many other technologies can aid in helping students learn to listen.
     Perhaps one day, a student will come to class and say, "Hey, Miss S, I was in the mall and they were playing the most random song..."

Bauer, W. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music. New York: Oxford University Press.

Assessment and Curriculum Design

     When I first started teaching, I didn't know anything. I mean, I knew about music, thought I knew how to teach it, and knew I could perform. After all the schooling and practice as a student teacher, nothing prepared me for those first couple of years. "Driscoll (2002) describes learning is contextual, active, social, and reflective" (Bauer, 2014, p. 147). I will testify to this definition whole-heartedly. As a novice teacher, I was not prepared to design curriculums or assessments, differentiate learning styles, or think about teaching in terms of backward design. It was only after actively teaching and reflecting did I begin to understand these principles.
     Designing curriculum and assessment today is filled with so many possibilities. Bauer points out many ways to use technology for these purposes. One aspect I would love to try in the classroom is student response systems. It's one thing to have students give a "thumbs up" or "raise your hand" to tell the answer. It's a whole different level, however, to have students be able to click an answer anonymously! This is genius. It takes so much of the pressure away from students to always be right, not feel embarrassed, and gives even the shy students a chance to participate and see first hand, what they know. Of course, this formative assessment will only work if technology logistics are feasible. Depending on the grade level, students could even use their own phones to log in and participate. Those who don't have their own phones, could use devices provided by the teacher.
     Another use of technology and assessment is Google Docs. I love the ability to "live edit" a document between teachers. This is very effective at a district level when trying to stream-line curriculum. However, I did not even think to send assessments and rubrics to students and parents so they can better prepare. Again, logistics play a strong role in this. At my school, many families do not have access to technology. This is why I give paper copies of rubrics to students.
     As the years tick by, I feel more confident in my teaching practices. It wasn't until this last year, that I truly understood how to plan out a unit. Backward design is really effective for me. My issue before this practice was having so many activities for students, then not having enough time to be sure students understood what they would be tested on. All of a sudden, the assessment had to be completed and neither the students nor I was ready. With backward design, this problem is eliminated. Because the learning outcomes are addressed first, the assessment is designed to answer the learning outcomes, and the activities and how you get there, are simply filtered in. This process has made my life much less stressful. I feel more confident in my classroom. I have seen student improvement with this method and I would advise any teacher to try it.

Bauer, W. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music. New York: Oxford University Press.

The New SmartMusic

     Technology Implementation

     SmartMusic is a music education program used by teachers and students. It is utilized through the Internet and can now be accessed from any device through the Cloud. SmartMusic has a multitude of features. It is an easy-to-navigate program that is meant to enhance and enrich music learning by connecting teachers and their students. Teachers are able to create an account for free to access thousands of accompaniments to songs, ability to send and receive assignments, hear student recordings, and access the gradebook. Teachers also have access to several practice exercises, including sight reading and scale practice.

Intuitiveness

     SmartMusic has made many improvements to make the program more intuitive. Many directions and changes such as to the tempo, hearing specific notes and passages, looping and listening to sections or the entirety of a piece are now easily just a click away. Students have more control of what they hear when practicing whether it's the volume of the accompaniment or the instruments heard in the accompaniment. Students now have the ability to hear their recordings immediately so to provide that vital feedback necessary in music performance practice.

Materials Offered
   

     One of my favorite offerings in the new SmartMusic is the gradebook. Now all assignments, rubrics, and grades can be kept in one program. No more toggling back and forth. Any rubrics created can be easily saved and labeled for future use. Assignments can be manipulated in a multitude of ways to fit students needs.

Educational Implications

     SmartMusic can be used for any performance-based classroom. It can be used by students at a variety of levels and ages. Students will find practicing more engaging because of the professional accompaniment tracks. SmartMusic can be used as a motivational tool by providing that immediate feedback on recordings, instantly alerting the student to where improvements need to be made. Students are able to tailor their practice time to suit their preferences. They can access the tuner without having to download another app.
     SmartMusic is an all-encompassing tool for teachers. It allows the teacher to monitor student
practice. Teachers can send and receive assignments, keep grades and communicate to students easily.  Many of these benefits are available for free through Teach free. The upgraded version can be used by 3 different teachers and 50 students. It provides access to method books, over 5,000 titles and solos.      
     SmartMusic is a great way to integrate technology and music performance. It is an intuitive program that teachers and students can easily navigate. It provides immediate feedback to students and ability for teachers to monitor students practice and progress. Choosing SmartMusic for a performance classroom is a very smart idea.

References

Smartmusic. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.smartmusic.com

[Smartmusic]. (2017, April 21).  New smartmusic training - unit 5:1 - gradebook [Video File].                              
     Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdxB2GrTYCE&feature=youtu.be

Music Learning Motivation

     This last year was one of great change. I went from teaching full-time elementary music to full-time mom. It was not an easy decision as I love being in the classroom teaching music all day. However, I really wanted to raise my son and I am thankful for the opportunity. Now, with another little on the way, my time in the classroom will be pushed back even more. Since I love teaching and music, I have managed to fill some of my time with piano and singing gigs and building my piano studio.

     Currently, I have three students learning piano. Two of them are in first grade and one is in fifth grade. I'd like to focus on the first graders as Bauer (2014) made me reflect on how I am teaching them. If anyone has been around first graders or little kids in general, one knows they don't have a great attention span, they are sometimes difficult to keep motivated, and they may get upset easily if they "don't get it". My first graders are polar opposites. One is gifted and talented, reading fully in kindergarten, and already possesses intrinsic motivation just because she wants to be able to do it.  My other first grader is learning challenged. She cannot read yet. She is dyslexic. She has ADHD. She gets easily frustrated. She cannot sit at the piano for more than 5-6 minutes at a time. She is not intrinsically motivated at all. 

     Bauer (2014) reminded me of some techniques to focus on when teaching my students to perform music. The biggest is modeling. Both of these students will "act" just like me if I show them a fingering or sing a passage. I need to step in more often and model things for them in a way that will be interesting. I tend to change my voice or actions and get into a character to capture and keep their attention and I need to do this more in our lessons. I have also video recorded both students playing different pieces and duets with me. I then send these recordings to their parents. This seems to motivate them because they receive positive feedback from their families. I also rely heavily on positive feedback as a motivator. 

     Both of these students seem very frustrated when there is any traditional notation learning involved. I use the Alfred piano course method, and the first part of lessons only involves a number system. It then graduates to traditional notation on the staff. My gifted student was especially thrown by this when we started learning it. In fact, she came to lessons a few weeks in a row saying she thought piano was boring and didn't really care about playing anymore. This was heartbreaking for me and I knew I had to change up my strategy to reengage her interest. I did this by writing out a song she wanted to learn (pop song) in number notation. We used the iPad to listen to the song on YouTube and find the sheet music. She was instantly re-energized and interested. I slowly went back to the book and notation. I reassured her that if she could learn this difficult pop song, simple notation was easy. It was just a pattern. She took to this line of thinking and things clicked for her. She is currently reading notes and learning her pop songs by number, which I will be transitioning to notation shortly. I also use the iPad when practicing music theory. I use iDoceo to have my students draw music signs and notes to get points. I would love to try SmartMusic with them when they are ready. Performing with accompaniment seems like a great motivator.

     Lastly, creating performance opportunities is a great way to motivate students. My slow learner first grader was asked to perform before her Christmas program. She is very excited and the only one in her class to be asked. It just so happens that we have been working on the perfect song for this. She is very motivated  by this performance and has recently started practicing on her own. My fifth grade student performs with me at one of my gigs on occasion. This always motivates him and re-energizes his passion for music. These are all important aspects for learning to perform music and how to teach it.

Bauer, W. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music. New York: Oxford University Press.

Composition to Inspire

     As a child, my family of six, did not have a lot of money. In fact, my mother just recently told me she had $40 a week to spend on groceries. How she did it, I don't know. Since money was tight, dance lessons and girl scouts were out. However, my parents did allow me to take piano lessons starting in second grade. My first teacher was Sister Romaine. She was very old, had stinky breath, and wobbly hands, but she was a great teacher. I was hooked on the piano. I still am. Piano is my therapy. I love playing and feel a sense of relief, euphoria, and happiness when I play. My love for piano led to a desire to create my own music. I remember my first composition project was in sixth grade. We were asked to compose a song, with really no parameters, and perform it for the class. I chose to use the piano and voice. I remember hearing an airline commercial with piano music in it, and modeled my song off of that music. My words were about friendship. I was very proud of my first piece. In discovering composition, I found that writing and composing music was a way for me to express my feelings, to release my emotions. This was very helpful through my childhood and into adulthood. I'm not always good at expressing myself, but I can tell you anything through a song.
     As a teacher, I was inspired to pass on my composition knowledge to my students. I tried this with the fifth grade. The project was to create a song, with lyrics, and perform/play (optional) for the class. Students did not need to notate their compositions in a traditional way. They were able to use GarageBand to record their sounds and voices. Bauer (2014) states, "There needs to be an appropriate balance between assigned constraints and freedom of choice" (p. 60). I find this point so important. One should not ever limit a person's creativity. We don't all create or think the same way. Why should our compositions sound the same? In this unit, I taught students three different ways to go about composing: write a melody first, write lyrics first, use a combination of the two. We did writing and composing exercises using these formulas. At this age level, students were very unsure of what to write about. It seemed they had never been asked to do something like this. It was very humbling to be a part of their writings as I could tell they were quite personal to many. There were some who really took to the writing part. They continued to bring me poems/lyrics throughout the year. There were others who really enjoyed creating music, the "80%". There were others who did not like this project at all.
     One take-away from this week's focus on composition is Barrett's (2006) teaching strategies for composition. Of these, providing reassurance is such an important part to helping students compose. They need to know that what they are creating isn't "wrong" or "bad". Using the compliment sandwich is such a great way to give structured feedback in a delicate way (Bauer, 2014, p. 62). Also, the composing activities highlighted are very helpful. I especially want to create a lesson plan around composing a soundtrack. The use of electronic, digital instruments, and music notation software, perhaps even Soundation, in conjunction with students showcasing their own lives and tastes through video and pictures, seems a great way to engage students interests.

Bauer, W. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music. New York: Oxford University Press.