PLN: Quizlet

One way to have interdisciplinary could be to have students use an online quiz to learn information.  The website quizlet.com can be a very helpful source to do just this.  On this site, teachers can create flashcards for students and students can find other people's flashcards.  To study these flashcards, the website has games to help.  This is a fun, free way to have students learn some information about other subjects while not being bored by sitting in a class.  On their own time and on a computer, students can easily access information about any subject that he or she wants.  If teachers have students link through a google count, they will be able to see the things that students do on the website.  Quizlet is a great way to have students learn about other subjects.

PLN: Wikispaces

My PLN this week is Wikispaces. This is a great tool to use to have students respond to music.  While I was in high school, I had to do listenings to songs; this included writing about the styles used in the songs and any musical techniques that we could hear.  I enjoyed doing this very much.  It allowed for me to really listen to music and think about what was happening in particular songs.  However, I had no way to know how other people felt about the songs that they had listened to.  Having a Wikispace for our class would have been very helpful for situations such as this.  We could have shared our thoughts about music with each other and have our teacher's feedback.  Responding to music is very important, but it is also important that students share their responses to music with others.

PLN: Youtube

The PLN that I will use to enhance my performing of music is youtube.  Youtube is a great way to hear other people performing any songs.  For my personal use, or for my students, youtube is a valid way to hear other singers.  In a classroom setting, I can give my students specific recordings to listen to: good and bad recordings.  This will allow them to know the good and bad aspects of performing certain songs.  Another helpful way that youtube enhances performances is by providing a backtrack.  For almost any song, there will be a karaoke version of it on youtube.  Students can sing along to the song in order to make sure they know it.  Even though youtube is mainly used for fun, it can also be used in order to perform.

My Warm-UP

Please enjoy!


My Warm-Up

PLN: Garage Band

Using Garage Band for a project was very helpful.  Pre-recording the accompaniment helped a lot when I had to record all of the vocal parts.  This could be a really helpful technique in the classroom.  I could record the piano part of a song and give it to students to use in Garage Band.  This way, they can practice songs at home and also give me a copy of them singing it at their best.  They can also practice with each other and compare their singing.  Students could also learn and practice harmonies with themselves and other people.  I could also record certain parts for students and give them the individual parts to practice with.  Overall, there are many great teaching techniques that can be used through Garage Band.

PLN: Twitter

I believe that Twitter is a great way to network.  If I were to go through one of my friends' lists and added people, I would be able to hear from so many different people.  All of these people would tweet ideas, and I would be able to get more ideas from them.  This would also be good if there is a job opportunity somewhere in the area.  In just 2 seconds, someone could tweet a post that can be so helpful and informal to everyone.  Twitter could be helpful not only to teachers, but also to students.  Since students are also checking twitter, a teacher can easily tweet the students information.  This could also be a good way to remind students of homework or events that are coming up.  Overall, twitter can be very helpful to everyone who chooses to use it.

Backward Learning

This week's reading for Foundations of Music Education on backward learning really inspired me.  I had never thought about a lesson starting from the end.  By setting a goal first, I will be able to successfully teach things that I want to with a purpose.  After the goal, I will make my assessments.  I really like this idea of forming the assessment before the lesson.  It seems like it will be easier to teach when I know what I will be assessing.  Now, after having done the reading, I cannot imagine any teacher not planning the assessments beforehand.  It seems nearly impossible to teach something when you have no idea as to where you are going.  Using the backward learning system will help all teachers, as well as the students, to stay focused and on task.  Having all of this in mind, it will be so much easier to create lessons using technology.  If I start my lesson plan from the end, I will successfully teach students or give them a project using technology the proper way.