It's going to be a fantastic year!

Ms. Donathen's 2nd and 3rd grade music students:

I am thrilled to be back at RCE as an afternoon music teacher this year and look forward to working with you and your parents on our programs and class projects.  The first thing I'd like to know is what you are interested in learning about in our music class this year.  I'd love to have your input and "bright ideas" so I can begin planning our great adventure into the wonderful world of music!

Please post your ideas.  I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts.
Thanks!
Ms. Donathen

Tool 11

1. What are your favorite tools you now have in your personal technology toolbox? Briefly describe a particular activity that you will plan for your students using at least one of these new tools.

The blog has been a lot of fun.  I've been involved in GT book studies the past two summers utilizing blogs.  It's a fun and fast way to communicate, share ideas, and gather new ones for my classes.  Blogging would be a great way to eliminate unnecessary face-to-face meetings outside of the building!

My 4th grade music research project can involve a plethera of these new tools.  The kids will love it!  I also want to Skype with another music class in the district or area who has a piano/keyboard lab.  The kids can share a live recital between classrooms.

2. How have you transformed your thinking about the learning that will take place in your classroom? How has your vision for your classroom changed? Are you going to need to make any changes to your classroom to accommodate the 21st Century learner?

I am a very non-traditional music teacher and have been open to new ideas throughout my career.  This simply adds more fuel to my fire!   I welcome flat walls and new educational opportunities through technology.  In some aspects through these tools education becomes like a large one-room schoolhouse.

3. Were there any unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?

 

Even though I'm an "outside of the box" thinker, I am a bit hesitant when new things are flung our way.  I have to delve in and discover it's not nearly as difficult as I first thought and then keep trudging ahead.  It helps to have an innovative administration, faculty, and librarian!!

Tool 10

1. Discuss at least three things you would want to make sure your students understand about being good digital citizens.

This is an area where I'll be reiterating what the kids have heard from their teachers and school librarian.  Human beings tend to "get it" when we hear the same thing from different sources.  I'll be sure to emphasize:

. just because it's on the internet doesn't make it true (my rule of thumb has been - find three sources to back it up)

. just as in other parts of your life, use integrity whey you're on line

. one suggestion from my soon to be freshman son: don't click on adds that go to your school account email - use common sense

2. Share at least one of the resources mentioned above or on the Ed Tech website that you plan to use instructionally.

Wes Fryer's Moving at the Speed of Creativity blog
Digital Dossier

3. Explain briefly how you would "teach" the idea of digital citizenship to your students.

 

I can create a "digital citizenship" rap, in conjunction with what the homeroom teachers are emphasizing in their classrooms, to use in my classes.  The kids can help me compose the rap and we'll record it.

 

4. Explain briefly how you plan to share the idea of digital citizenship with your parents.

Once my students write, rehearse, and record the "digital citizenship" rap we'll email it to all of their parents.

Tool Nine

1. Why do you think it is important to tie the technology to the objective?

Congruency and accountability are the first reasons that come to mind.  If we're using technology during a lesson, it has to directly tie in to what we're teaching or there is no validity to using it.

2. Why should we hold students accountable for the stations/centers?

Once again, if we do not hold the student accountable for stations/centers - then what's the point of using them at all?

3. Visit 2 of the applicable links to interactive websites for your content/grade level. Which sites did you like. How could you use them as stations? How can you hold the students accountable for their time in these stations?

Unless I totally missed out on something, the only site I found that offered anything for the music class was Learning Games for Kids.  There are quite a few activities there that are applicable to teaching instrumental families.  I think students would enjoy a station where they could play the various music games available in order to learn and review the members of the instrumental families.  A check off sheet matching instruments to their families would provide accountability.

4.List two to three apps you found for the iPod Touch/iPad that you can use in your classroom. What do you see that station looking like? How can you hold the students accountable for their time in these stations?

This is not a relevant question for me since music classes will be receiving Macbooks rather than iPod Touches or iPads.  The Macbooks can be used in similar manners to the Notebooks to locate music videos; research particular music genres and performers; and locate appropriate composition sites and music game sites etc.  Accountability can be shown through the use of a finished product or rubric.

5. What about other ways to use the iPod Touch/iPad? Share another way you can see your students using the device as a station.

Student input would be a fabulous way to develop a station/center in my music classroom.  They are the technological experts in my room and I love the ideas they come up with.

Tool 8

1. After watching the videos/tutorials, list two to three things you learned about the device(s) that will be in your classroom this fall.

I've had a lot of fun working with the iPod since I've never used one before.  (I've learned more about technology in the one short year I was at RCE part-time than anywhere else!)  Since it was all new to me, I had a ball just experimenting.

Karen H. taught me how to use the Netbooks last spring when I did the 4th grade music project for the first time.  I really learned more from the kids than they learned from me - I was simply the facilitator.

Music teachers will be getting a Macbook so I look forward to delving into that in depth once it's in my hands.

2. How do you plan to manage the device(s) in your classroom? Do you have ideas/suggestions that others may find useful?

Assigning students to help oversee management of the devices comes directly to mind.  I always have better luck having responsible kids take charge of such things than me trying to be in charge.

Tool 7

The possibilities for a collaborative project are immense and so exciting!  I'd love to be involved in a music project across the world such as "Peace Through Music" that I found on media.learn.  I think I'll begin on a smaller scale and search out another music teacher in the district who will be teaching keyboarding.
(i.e. piano)

Content objective: 
Perform a piano piece in front of an audience.

When you plan to implement:

4th grading period

What tool(s) you plan to use:

iMac

iPod
Netbook

flip cameras

Skype

A brief description of the project:

.share a keyboard (piano) recital with another, same grade level, music class in the district

.2-3 peer selected students will perform

. offer a cultural awareness blend by inviting Woodview Elementary to participate

Is it possible to have the kids perform for their parents via Skype?  My mind is beginning to take off!

Sixth Tool

It's been great fun experimenting with everything in this tool.  I'll have to do some thinking on how to implement this into my music class with such time constraints.  Kids could easily use it outside of the classroom - especially at RCE where they have easy access to the technology in and outside of school.  I would have loved this stuff when I was in school because I was a hesitant participant in class from middle school on.  This is all second nature with our kids.  I, like others, can see real value in using the polls.  I'm now on Twitter.  The only value I see in that is if I were teaching at the secondary level.


http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/qTpVaY56dm

Fifth Tool

http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/?comix_id=82728246C498563

I feel really comfortable experimenting with these tools!  I can easily use Wordles to introduce a particular topic in my music class or a new song or composer.....the uses are endless.

The kids can incorporate them into their 4th grade contemporary music projects.

I had a lot of fun with "Make Beliefs Comix."  Once again, my 4th grade students can use it for their projects.
Differentiation...differentiation...differentiation!!!

Fourth Tool

This one took me a while to comprehend because it's all unchartered territory for me.  Whooooo!

1- I can see using the document format in Google Apps with my team so we're able to communicate better regarding things that are discussed in our team meetings.  The possibilities are actually limitless - it just takes time and cooperation to implement something new.

2- Once again, I see limitless possibilities using Google Apps with my students - especially as pre-assessment tools, answering student questions, and assessment tools before, during, and after projects.

3- I'll start out using the forms for pre-assessment.

I need much more time to play around with this tool!!

Third Tool

1- The most beneficial site for me to use for music classes is You Tube.  There's not much out there for me in the other sites.  It was fun playing around in Blinkx.

2- The videos I have embedded are:
a- David Childs - a fantastic young euphonium player
b-Sweet Honey in the Rock - one of my most favorite groups singing there version of "Let There be Peace"
c-Don't Laugh at Me  - a fantastic anti-bullying piece by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary

3-I understand that as long as I'm using a legal copy or a reproduction of a legal copy in a "face to face" situation then it's OK to use a portion of a song in my classroom.

4- I'm not convinced there's a real value for me to use the Picaso Web Album.  I'm sure Karen H. can change my mind!

Baby Steps

This is so cool!  I really enjoyed reading blogs of fellow teachers.  Personalities really shine through in how we set up our individual blogs, don't you think?  I've always felt very vulnerable expressing my ideas in a blog - must be my age!  I'm willing to try anything and venture into new territory.  I  joined the Educators PLN.  Found some cool videos there.  More to learn tomorrow....

It's a Miracle!!!!

Help! I'm lost!!

It's a Miracle!!!!

I did it!!!