IMEA Day 3 Clinic 2

No Child Left Behind: Implications of the Research for Music Education - Clinician: Dr. Timothy Gerber
We are trying to convince people today that we're important. We must be advocates and at the grassroots level. This NCLB is actually a reauthorization of an education act from 1965. We need to be advocating with people who can change things(principals, boards, parents)
"I understand the need for stem disciplines, but we should be a school that focuses on "steam" disciplines. This creates well-rounded students." Now we're talking about "stem" disciplines Science, Tech, Engineering, Math. "Let's go from "stem" to "steam" Science, Tech, Engineering, Arts, Math. If a school doesn't make AYP it "reconstitutes" the school. Fire everyone and start over. It says that low scores are caused by teachers. Not entirely true.
Parents could help with test scores by:
1. turning off tv
2. go to bed earlier
3. help with homework
4. get a good breakfast

If a school is judged solely on these tests. It must take time from the non-tested subject. The reputation is on the line! "We test what we value and we value what we test" If we test music education will it help? If you do test, what do you test? Study shows only 50% of 8th graders couldn't aurally identify what instrument begins Rhapsody in Blue. Is this what we should be testing? Is this an achievement? ''

How can we help while maintaining the integrity of our discipline? Music should stand on its own. However we can assist our colleagues in math/reading. We need to start spending energy on elementary music to improve feeders all the way up.
What this is really making me think is that I want to do a cross-cirricular unit on the "Great Locomotive Chase or "Stonehenge". I plan to talk to the SIMS teachers about this next week. I hope it's something they want to get involved in with me. Maybe Mrs. Owrig is doing a unit I can tie in with too!
What is music's impact on the economy?

Look up these Charles Fowler guy "Strong Arts, Strong Schools"

The role of the arts encouraging college aspirations.

I know this was kind of disjunct, but I think it'll help me remember to do some of these things. How are we making sure we're part of a well-balanced education?

2010 IMEA Presentation Clinic Feedback Form

The Virtual Podium Presentation 2010 - Feedback Survey

Please click above to take a short survey about the presentation! I can't wait to here from more music educators who are using technology. You can find me on Twitter(KFreesen) and email me anytime at K.Freesen@gmail.com

Thanks and have a great rest of the conference.

IMEA Conference Day 2 Clinic 4

Yes, I know I skipped 3. My computer went dead and the room was so full that I couldn't get to an outlet. On the upside it was on advocacy and Jes came with me. It was nice to sit with her since we go to completely different clinics the whole conference. Pretty nice handout, but I don't know how much of it applicable this juncture in my career.

"Composition 101" Clinician: Robin Giebelhausen, Libertyville (HMS)
 Robin is discussing how we can't be scared of composing. It's not Bach and Beethoven. Use the instruments they play! We can't scare students either, feedback...teach them positvely and give them easy conventions(ex end on do) I'm hoping I can use some of these things to possibly teach a Knox College for Kids class on Composition.

Use composition for sightreading. Use just 1 3 5. The kids might actually like sightreading because of it. I think makes more sense for choral settings. This seems to be very geared towards general music. I was hoping get some more concrete techniques. I don't like that we're not using notation. I'm not really able to step out of my comfort zone on compositions.

Symphony project sounds cool. Each student has to do 4 movements form, slow, dance-like, and one like the first(ex credit) it's all done in garage band loops and midi input. She mentioned Audacity too. I think this is going to be the ticket if I want to do that. Usuing a wikispace will probably be the way to go. I wonder if Knox has a computer lab that I could use? The technology she's using is very similar to what Brenda talked about yesterday. That's comforting to see what's out there is being used by more people.

She says to compose a long with them. That's what I'm talking about! Kids love seeing us try too!

Now I'm taking a break until my presentation at 5. I think I'll swing back to the hotel and relax. I feel bad about skipping out on a few sessions, but hopefully it'll get me in the right frame of mind to be engaging and dynamic to anyone who comes to my session.

IMEA Conference Day 2 Clinic 2

I wish someone actually read these except for myself, but at least I'm creating a resource for myself. This section is all about being student-centered while teaching a performance based class.

Intergrating a Student-Centered Instructional Style within a Performance-Based Band Rehearsal" Clinician Dr. Joseph Manfredo and Mr. Matt Temple

This isn't about our conducting this is about our teaching. We have to intuitive and flexible. There are multiple styles. We facilitate because the class should be "student-centered" not "student-led". How do we bring effectiveness in our classrooms? Tell me...

Exploring our relationship with students in an ensemble. They are dependent on us(play that note longer), then collaborative(how can we shape this phrase), and if they're really learning independent(and in to it!)
We're watching a video of Matt Temple from New Trier HS teaching. He just had the band listen to a percussion opening facing forward, now he's making them name(catalog) what they heard. I think this would work for me. This was more student-led than we just talk at them(do this. play that.)

I like this thought, "we have four years to create musicians who can think critically, not just burn out by repeating music until it's a great performance" Matt says, it's messy and out of our comfort zone as students and teachers, but worth it. Fast is slow. Slow is fast. When we help our students to understand it takes time at first, but as we move to the next concert it's faster because the learning curve is faster. They don't need us as much. That's the mark of a good teacher right? That the student no longer needs the teacher.

So what they seem to be saying is that I need to be able control gesture, evaluate aurally, and ask question. The director is a facilitator, not a dictator. We need to create an environment that keeps people engaged. Students have all the answers, kids are kids wherever you go...tap their potential! EVERY student must make independent descisions. For me this means don't call on Kelli E or Kristin W :)

How do I create discovery-based organic, authentic learning?
- Ask them questions about why the composer wrote what they wrote? How do you think this phrase should go? Which accent do you think will be the strongest? Let's have some comments about how they phrased this.
- Rephrase your statements as questions.
- Make eye contact. Look right at people not generally, in the eyes.
- Teach be contrast. To fix the balance play with bad balance, etc...
- Be honest, but not mean. They need a gauge or a benchmark.
- Ask guided question, zigzag with the students, but have your goal in mind.
- Develop your interpretation, but don't be afraid to let students have input and ask them how did they arrive at that answer? It's important to have a unified interpretation, not always mine ideas.
- Not rights or wrongs, but justification for their ideas.
- Deflect questions to sections who aren't playing, even if you're working one group engage others.

It's interesting because I feel like I know this stuff, but I just don't implement it. Stupid Freesen, why don't we just do the right thing all the time?

Discovery based activities:
Periods of ambiguity - They have to feel like they can take risks(student and teacher)
Not fear based, let them be open and honest.
You have to balance. director leads, students lead. Seamlessly through the rehearsal.

They say these things will help our students retain. I just can't get people quiet enough to ask a lot of questions, kids are kids...but why can't I get mine quiet enough to realize the music we're doing is cool even if it's not "Crazy Train" sigh...I'm finding this one to be a little tough to swallow because I feel like I'm not doing enough. To self-evaluate I feel like part of it is that I don't relate as well to younger students. Does that make me lesser or just not quite in the right gig for me?

Primary Motto: Ask, Don't Tell.

IMEA Conference: Day 2 Clinic 1

After a long afternoon in the 408, dubbed the "tech" room. I heard the Libertyville Wind Ensemble last night it was amazing. More on all that later...

"Help for Your Young Horn Players" Clinicians: Rachel Maxwell and Meghan Fulton
It's 8AM and I'm very excited to be in my first clinic of day 2, this one is "Help for your Horn Players" by clinicians Rachel Maxwell and Meghan Fulton from Oswego. They brought their JH 6-8 horns(there's at least 16 of them) They sounded great during their warm up. This will be a good one!

Talking about right hand position, put masking tape in the bell to help them fix hand position. Great way to help them get good intonation from the start. I like that one. I have a handout on this so I won't type it word for word, but the tricks will go right here. No need to type needlessly right?

I didn't know this tip either, when playing stopped horn always play on the F side, no trigger. Want the kids to have better accuracy? Stay on them breathing through the corners. Get them mirrors and "free buzz" to make sure both lips are buzzing.  Good for all Brass players put the shank of the mouthpiece to teach the openness needed to play with a more beautiful tone. I'll be using this. To set before we play try this: Play pitch, off face, play pitch...do this ten times to create that sense of attack. "Slow motion" playing I wonder how my kids would adapt to that...is subdivision an issue with this? They also use the B.E.R.P. a lot I remember having one as trumpet player, but I didn't care for it. Might worth checking out. Another way to do that is leadpipe buzzing, I had heard of that one.

When teaching tonguing put your tongue on top teeth and try blow, you have to move it. Help them understand tonguing in that way. "Toh" to "Doh" syllables for horns. This seems to me to promote that open throat. She also uses the older kids as teachers, I mean 8th graders helping 6th graders! I love having my students work that way. When empyting spit turn to the right...

Starting kids on double horn makes sense, but if they start on a single F that's ok. Switch them to double as soon as they overblowing it and have an octave range. Note to self: Check out the packet on tuning individual slides. Where to place horn in the ensemble, that I can use! I'm always moving my horn section around. I've been validated, by this teacher(she says horns in front of saxes!!) Help them both: saxes learn to blend, horns get help hearing their pitches. You know I'd forgotten about Fansler's "Horn Shields" maybe I'll construct some for my bands.

I'm glad these ladies have their email addresses listed. Maybe I can recruit for the tech side. They must be cool they wore t-shirts to the clinic that says "French Horn Hero" with flames and such. Time to shut my computer and find out where I'm off to next!

IMEA Conference 2010: Day 1

I'm blogging live from the Illinois Educator's Music Educators Conference. Thanks to Dr. Neal Smith for pushing the higher ups to get us this access. I'm going to just update this post throughout my journey though presentations. Here's the first one!

Presentation 1: "Getting Webby" Clinician: Mrs. Brenda Muench
She showed us her classroom and now she's teaching us about using Skype. We're now talking to Zach G. who's a 2nd grader at her school. Wow, I need to start using Skype more. Especially to talk to friends and colleagues who are starting to spread out all over the country! She says she can use this to talk to experts in her classroom. Ex. Hear violins played through Skype since her school doesn't have an orchestra!

The next thing she shows my fiancee might enjoy, Listening Adventures this would be great for a elementary instrumental unit! (My favorite general music topic) New York Phil Kids is next she says older kids(3-5) go to the game room to check it out. There are a few neat games here, including some basic composition stuff.
What about composer projects? Classics for Kids includes podcasts on a lot of composers. This is from Cincinnati Public Radio. It also has printable bios, worksheets, wordsearchs, pictures..etc... Free stuff for instrumental lessons! Theory and free sheet music!

Need a Virtual Keyboard or virtual drumset? There they are! Here's a cool one called Play Auditorium cool game. Not a class activity, but I want to play with it! Free notation software? Here it is MuseScore. Free recording from your computer? Of course! Audacity layers, speed, pitch all there.

There was a bit more, but she started running out of time. So much stuff. Luckily, it's all available on her blog which is down in my "Freesen's Readin" list. Next up...

Presentation 2: "Google Me" Clinician: Carol Broos
Her Presentation it's all here because she's honest about how fast she goes! I should google Golden Apple Scholars...wow! Carol's Blog FYI. I need to check out this "prezi" thing...here I am reminding myself to Google that. I think for this one I'll just list what I want to work with in this one.
- Google Squared - a Google Labs search that will give you all the information in a table!
- Google Groups - set up for email activity and this could be useful.
- Google Maps - New tricks for an old dog! You can put in infomation and embed! Who knew!
- Google Alerts - right under my nose. Yet wasn't using it!
- Google Forms(through Docs) - I started playing with this, but I think I'm going to work on this more. Freezing columns, all the summary and data tools are great. I will be using this a lot more.

I really enjoyed Carol's presentation. I'm such a huge google fan(obviously I use blogger) Now the conference has started. I'm so excited. IMEA is really here!

Since this got long I'll probably do another post tonight. Then more tomorrow.

My IMEA Presentation Slide Show

I want people to have access to my presentation. I'm putting a link to it in my handout, but I thought it might be nice to have it here.

Plus, I get to test out an embedded slideshow! All through the magic of Google. They should cut me a check for how much I promote them.

I'm Getting Through to Them

Maybe not all of them or even most of them. However, it's enough at this point to make me pretty happy. I know I posted about how don't like when teachers get excited about the good stuff and try to discredit the bad, but here's some good as I sit here after school in an empty band room with a stack of solo/ensemble music on my desk.

Today a 7th grade flutist was outside my office. The girl next to hear said, "practice makes perfect". She responded, "No it doesn't, practice makes permanent." I leaned out and asked her where she heard that and just smiled and said, "You."

On Facebook a former student wrote on my wall about her semester abroad so far. She's been in Spain for two days now. She wrote, "Last night when walking around Madrid, there were a lot of musicians out - a small harp thing, a violin, a flute, and a saxophone in different places. That's my favorite thing about music.. it's found around the world and understood by all languages. :)" Now that I'll use next time a kid asks me why the put forte instead of "loud". I didn't have a huge impact on her musically, but I'm glad she thought enough of me to let me know that music is still in her life.

I spend a lot of time talking about drum corps. I should've marched, I really regret not doing it. My constant references to it has caused a former horn player to try out for the Glassmen. She messaged me to get some advice on slurring since that's what the told her to work on for camp. She's hoping for one of the 7 open spots and I really hope she get one. I'll be glad to cheer on the Glassman as well as the Colts this Summer.

We are working heavily on tuning in MS Band. I know they're starting to get it, but I hope I'm not creating snobs(some of the kids who can really hear the waves make some terribly scrunched faces when other don't fix it). Each day we select a random section to check on how well they have tuned through the process. They are starting to talk about their "intonation" what a great word for some middle schoolers.

Well I must get back to work. Solo and Ensemble music will not pick itself now will it?

School Resumes

Well we are back in session. I wish the new quarter would've started yesterday, but it's not for another week. Even though the kids are recharged(and kind of crazy) and the teachers rested(and slightly lethargic) we're in the last two weeks of a grading period. Odd.

On a personal note I had a great break. I don't think I said this before, but I got engaged just a few days before my last post. This means some of break was used on beginning to plan a wedding that is over a year away. I had no idea there was so much to do. We looked at venues, spent lots of time talking, got information from her parents(no word on mine yet), and had an engagement party.

The party was great we met a little Irish pub in normal with about 40 friends, mostly theater people I've met as a music director while my fiancee has been on stage. I even got to see some of my former students. It's weird to think that by the time I'm married all of my first high school band will have graduated high school. They're off doing all kinds of things and it was the highlight of my night to hear about it. One just left for Spain to study a semester abroad before coming home to be a nurse. Many of them have continued playing two as music majors, one as a minor, many in their unversity marching bands, and one is almost member of the Glassmen(good luck Kory). It just makes me so happy that they're keeping music in their lives on that level.

I did a lot of article reading over break. Your basic stuff I guess how to be a better director and more importantly how to be an educator. What can I teach my students about music through music while performing music? That's from one of my books, "Teaching Music Through Performance" and it's really great to work on that. I'm trying to get my students into reflecting on their performances, we wrote short essays after watching a tape of our concert and I'm thinking about doing that once a month with great ensembles playing the literature we're playing. I'd like to do a listening journal next year...if anyone has thoughts on that it'd be great.

I read about different methods of score study because I'm trying to find something that really works for me. I'm almost through my first score using a method I'm developing and I think it's helping me to understand the pieces with more depth. I'll outline my plan sometime on here incase it maybe benifical to someone. I wish I would've done this two years ago...but we have to keep improving or we die. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

How can I  become a better music educator, pursue my dreams of higher education, and not drive my fiancee crazy in 2010? Stay tuned.