Frank Oteri has had enough of people referring to all music as songs. How many times have you heard your students referring to any music they are listening to, talking about or working on as a song, regardless of whether or not it has text or is being sung? How many times have you (gasp) referred to something as a song later thinking “oops?” How do you handle this situation in your classrooms? Is it even an issue? Should we… Read More »Is it a song?
The American Idol and music education story didn’t make it on air tonight but did make it online. You can see some of my students responding to questions about the contestents performances and what the judges were saying. You can also see how 2nd graders in a school in PA use American Idol in the classroom by judging each other. The story also shows how music programs are loosing funding due to No Child Left Behind shifting focus in schools… Read More »My classes on ABC world weekend news online
This past week a crew from ABC weekend world news report visited my classroom to interview me and observe how I infuse the show American Idol in the classroom. It will probably air on ABC around May 21st or 22nd – I’ll post the details when I know them. I posted my response to the National Association of Music Education inquiry about the use of American Idol in the classroom a few months back. It was a great experience to… Read More »ABC Weekend World News Interview – American Idol and the Music Classroom
The discussion of people creating music with computers and software is taking place among music educators, in internationally read newspapers, and in various online forums. With tools to create music becoming more and more accessible to almost anyone with computer access regardless of their music education, the question of who can and should be composing music seems to be a reoccurring one. Our field is probably at a point where the majority of music teachers recognize how composing is becoming… Read More »Students composing and sharing original music…
Track 1– Thanks to Jonathan Savage for his comment referencing some very exciting music education research on Ted’s post about Lucy Green and informal music education settings in the classroom. Track 2 – Looking for a prompt for getting your students composing? How about this idea.. Track 3 – If you are going to be working on sampling, rap music or electronic composition in your classroom, consider this interesting perspective on an important musical moment and its transformation over time.… Read More »Catalysts & Connections – A Music Education Mixtape V4