Recommended blog sites:
Do you have a SMART board ©? I recently “rescued” one from the Library and I got to keep it because no one wanted to use the “projector” kind. My colleagues want the wall-mounted kind. However, as a music teacher, and one who usually is last to get any technological hardware, I leapt at the chance to get my hands on a SMART board©. I have had training on it on more than one occasion. However, not having one to use, I have forgotten most of what I’ve learned.
With that thought in mind, and with the need to practice and re-learn how to use the SMART board©, this site of SMART board © resources is a great asset. It offers pre-made lesson plans in nearly every subject area on various educational levels. Teachers who created them share them on this site with those of us who need help. One may also submit lessons to share to the website. If you use your SMART board © but need a plan in a hurry, try this site, the SMART board © Resources site. !
This site, designed for music teachers, is a great place to connect with other music teachers. It is designed to provide professional development for current and pre-service music teachers. It has various forums, blogs and groups, and various events, for example there is an online summit coming up on music technology.
The FAQ section is quite comprehensive to assist in personalizing the site. There are over 24 forums available for participation and the links page offers great place to find more resources. In addition, as a member, one may submit other links that would be helpful to the community. Need some help, have questions, and need some advice, check out the Music Professional Learning Network.
If you have ever heard of “Animusic” then you’ll discover that this is the home site of the video creator, Dr. Joseph Pisano. Some excerpts of the videos have been on YouTube. It is a site for the music teacher/techno geek combination. (No offense in the techno geek term. I think they are very, very COOL! So think of it as a term of endearment.)
This site offers many resources. Here you can order the videos, including teacher guides, which are most helpful. The guides help students focus on elements of music as they watch the video. It offers links to music freeware, projects and something very interesting the #MusEdChat Daily News. It is set up like an online newspaper. However, it has video feeds, podcasts and comments sections. The really interesting part is there is a link offered for free to create your own online paper! If you are a music teacher and have the time, check out the MusTech Site, home of “Animusic.”
As a music teacher, and member of menc.org, I was compelled to include this very informative site. This site is familiar to most public school music teachers. The Music Educators National conference has been most instrumental in creating the National Standards of Music Education, and has recently assisted the organization the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (http://www.p21.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=953&Itemid=64) in creating learning standards that address the “4 C’s” of creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and communication, creating a core subject map.
At the site, there are forums for all levels, for anyone involved in music, teachers, parents, students, pre-service teachers, and on. The site offers opportunities to ask questions of veteran teacher/mentors ranging in topics from every level and music topic. There is an online store in which members may purchase books published by MENC, and other resources. Included also are the General Music Today journals, Music Educators Journal and the Music Education Research Journal. MENC.org also includes a link to access state level music education affiliates such as NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association), NJMEA (New Jersey Music Educators Association, etc.). This is a great resource as a springboard to other sites, links contacts.
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| Full Sail Ad on Music Ed Magic! |
Music Education Magic is a site that is operated by Chad Criswell. It is a wealth of resources and information especially in regards to music technology, instrumental music and other aspects of music education. Mr. Criswell offers product reviews, blog posts, teaching tips, podcasts and links to other valuable sites.
Guess what? Full Sail has an advertisement on this site! How very cool is that!
There is so much on this site. One needs to visit this site to see all of the resources. You will need time to go through the various tabs and links. It is worth the time and energy especially if you are looking for help with technology in music.
I realize that most of these are music sites. However, for the non-music teachers, I recommend the SMART board© Resources site and the site mentioned in the menc.org entry, Partnership for 21st Century Learning. I hope these sites prove useful to some of you. Enjoy your exploring!
