Minnesota Orchestra

Give me your feedback on the Minnesota Orchestra concert last Thursday.

Technology

Hey Blogsters,
I recently presented at the Minnesota Middle School Association convention on technology in education. Any great ideas on things you are doing in your classroom involving technology?

2nd Floor Party

Thank you 8th graders for a fun time at the Second Floor. I hope it was a great way to start your weekend. Let me know if you have any suggestions for next time.

Fall Concert Recap

Our CMS-West Fall Concert is taking place on Tuesday, November 17 and involved our 6th, 7th and 8th grade bands. I'd love to get your feedback after the concert is over.

Guitar, Technology and Drums

I need your help everyone? This year I am teaching 6-week middle school courses in Beginning Guitar, Music Technology and World Drumming. Probably 35 kids in a class. We have a classroom set of acoustic guitars. We have about 8 Macintosh computers, many with MIDI keyboards. We have a classroom set of African drums. Any curriculum ideas for me?

09-10 School Year

Here we are in mid-July, almost smack dab in the middle of summer break and I'm thinking about the upcoming school year. There are quite a few changes facing our district this year, but my focus is going to be on the kids. The decisions that were made last school year were questionable at best but that is in the past. It's time to pick up the pieces and do the best we can for kids with what we have left to work with.

I am very pumped about the elective classes I have this year. Teaching Music Technology and Guitar during the school day has been a dream of mine for many years and now this is part of job description! The chance kids are now going to get to learn guitar and music technology is awesome. I wish I had had that opportunity in school. I am of course excited about teaching 6th and 8th grade band again too. I am very intrigued with this block period and the things I'll be able to do during this time. Many curricular ideas have crossed my mind including listening, theory, chamber ensembles, technology and music history.

The after school opportunities are always exciting as well. And although I am actually cutting back on the number of classes I'm teaching (imagine that, but with budget cuts, what can you do), I'm excited about which classes have survived--marching band (marching in the first ever Chanhassen 4th of July parade), a new aligned jazz program, the same fun Garage Band program, and then the guitar/school of rock (now with hip hop)/music tech trifecta at the beginning of the year.

Getting The Word Out

Okay, I am going to make the commitment now. Next year I am going to find a way to promote our music program at the highest level possible. I am tired of people asking me why we aren't doing anything here in Chaska with our music department. I don't know how much more I can do.

I also feel like our department would be valued more by our community if we were more visible. Anyone have some ideas on what kind of events we can do to promote our program and make our program more visible?