Things To Come

3 Questions

2020-05-26T13:48:00.002-07:00

COVID Office

2020-05-04T08:01:00.001-07:00

For no particular reason I thought it might be good to showcase my offices during the quarantine.

The top photo is where the girls are self isolating when it is warm. I haven't been out there yet.

The next photo is the studio I have done most of my work from. I think this will remain so because of all the equipment.

Next is outside on deck. We have had I think three total days where it is nice to work out here.

Finally is on the porch. I have done A LOT of work here today.

What are you listening to?

2020-04-17T15:55:00.002-07:00

Acapella App

2020-04-02T15:43:00.001-07:00

I have been trying to push out some content. I made a (pretty bad) recording using Acapella App. I didn't edit anything, but wanted to get it out so maybe a student would try.

I also posted a new podcast where I talk about the week and remember Joe Borst.

Podcast Episode: Distance Learning

2020-03-27T15:47:00.001-07:00

Episode Two of Things to Come: Distance Learning

Podcast

2020-03-25T14:45:00.003-07:00

I think it may be time to start a podcast. Maybe to collect all the ideas we are seeing, maybe to reduce the isolation. I have given the Anchor system a try. The first attempt went pretty well. There is not much audio editing at all, but the process is pretty intuitive.

You can hear the podcast here. This was just a test.

Day 3 - COVID-19

2020-03-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

Here is an update:

1. Each of my classes meets for 30 minutes (basically a 1/2 day schedule). Each kid must "check-in" using a one question task on Google Classroom.
2. I just launched Smartmusic and will push much of our work there.
3. I expect to "rehearse" two days per week and "practice" three days per week. When we rehearse we will use Google Meet. I will lead/conduct and students will play with their microphones off. I may ask questions and ask some students to perform. It will also be a time for students to ask questions and chat by video.
4. I created a Spotify playlist for listening/studying

Thoughts:
1. This is exhausting. I am used to moving around. Too much staring at screens.
2. How long can we keep this up?

Day 2 - COVID-19

2020-03-17T11:23:00.001-07:00

Today was a day of work (like report to duty, get paid, etc...) but at home. I have moved into a bedroom where I hope to work from 9am-1pm every day. Students are expected to check in according to a schedule (A Block, B Block, etc...).

I am working out issues with Smartmusic and at the moment think this will be my main platform if I can get over the hurdle of getting accounts created. I also think Soundtrap and Google Meet will get use. Our LMS is Google Classroom which is an awkward system but much better than a few years ago. Yes, I wish I had gotten these platforms out when I was in school.

I will make an effort to make much of our learning the first few days to be asynchronous then move more to a schedule (percussion lessons on Monday, etc...). I hope to have full rehearsals for choir and band at least twice a week and I am working on how to make that happen. With every band and chorus director in the country out of school there is lots of experimenting.

Day 1: COVID-19

2020-03-16T13:50:00.001-07:00

This is Day 1 of the COVID-19 "break". We did report to work today, just teachers, although I am not sure if it counts as a day of work. We picked up chromebooks and cleared our belongings from school. I don't know if the chromebook pick-up is an attempt to meet digital learning requirements.

This break is looking more and more like "the end" of the school year. However, I believe most are still working on the two weeks assumption. I believe tomorrow we will be tasked with creating digital school and basically reporting to work at home each day.

So far I have read Isaac's Storm and have started The British Are Coming. Isaac's Storm is about the great hurricane in Galveston in 1900 and definitely had echos of what is happening today (lack of technology, poor forecasting, bickering leadership, etc...).

At home today our schedule was:
11:00: Chores
12:30-1:30: Family Reading
2pm: Art Class
4pm: Workout (girls ran 2 miles--I walked).
730pm: Met Opera

I do not what the teaching will bring. It is a much different task to create activities to return on April 1 than to return on June 1 (or Sept 1). For example, do we work on current band music? Do we switch to more of a music theory or music listening class? If students do not tune in who is my audience?

I do expect to be doing some track coaching (if we can leave the house, staying 6 feet apart) and posting lots of videos with the girls (ukulele, piano, etc...). I also hope to eat right, exercise, and read a ton.

Everything has been changing rapidly. For the moment everyone I know is healthy so I think nothing else really matters.

Chorale Repertoire

2019-02-08T08:00:00.002-08:00

I am currently at the local elementary school but I was able to hold on to the after school stipend for Chorale. I love this group. We are not performing nearly as much but we have a real solid program we are preparing for April 4. There are 12 girls and 5 boys in the group. We meet once per week.

Mainly since our seniors lost a bit when I got transferred I wanted to have a senior showcase. So our program will be in two acts.

Ensemble Songs:

1. Fly to Paradise by Eric Whitacre. This piece is challenging. It has a soprano solo and lots of split parts. It is sung to a tape. It is not quite as dissonant as most of the Whitacre we have sung.

2. Selene's Boat by Don MacDonald. The kids seem to love this song. Great vowel exercise. Opportunity for two solos as well.

3. I'm Gonna Sing 'Til the Spirit Moves in My Heart by Moses Hogan. This is hard for many reasons. First--split parts. Super high, super low. FAST. The middle section of sixteenth notes is a bear to do correctly.

4. Cheap Thrills arranged by Deke Sharon. We will do three pop numbers and this is probably the hardest one of the bunch.

In addition we will do Bring Me Little Water and some arrangements of Happy Together and Count on Me. We will end with our theme song: Parting Glass.

Elementary School....

2018-11-13T05:18:00.001-08:00

I am about 1/3 of the way into my first year as an elementary music-chorus-band teacher and I thought it would be a good time to get some thoughts down on paper.

1. So far the time commitment is significantly less than my old job at the high school. I have not adjusted to this yet. There are virtually no evenings and no weekends required. This is a big shift.

2. I have not adjusted to the later starting time. I usually get here at 7am for an 8:40am start. Twice a week I have morning band at 745am (band is not scheduled in school day). Even today I came in "late" but I am still an hour early. On the flip side I never have to stay after the bell. I am trying hard to run/exercise in the morning now that it is dark when I get home.

3. The school day is challenging. I usually get 2 minutes between classes and this can be challenging for my brain. My schedule is generally Prep until 10:05, 5th grade, lunch, then classes straight through from 11:30am to 3:30pm.

4. I do the same listening and reading segment for K-5. You can see my listening playlist on youTube. I then generally have a lesson for K-2 and a 4-5 lesson. 3rd grade is in the gap. 4th-5th are focussing on ukulele and K-2 are focussing on First Steps (at least portions of it).

5. I see Chorus very infrequently. 3rd grade is once per month and 4th/5th grade twice per month. I see everyone in 3rd/4th and 5th is select. All choruses are working on following large group rules. I do have to bleed some "chorus" time into general music.

6. I am realizing as well that students do not do Google Classroom work unless they are in front of you. Since I only see them about 120 minutes per month this is challenging to get any sort of listening or writing done. I have to figure out how to leverage that.

7. I am realizing that learning names may be a lost cause.

Always on My Mind

2018-08-05T09:07:00.000-07:00

I am not trying to post things that are perfect. I recognize that I am in the beginning stages. This recording has a few slip ups in it. I wanted to post a song that had more than 3-4 chord changes. I struggled with the D chord and the strumming pattern--I am trying to do triplets.

Pretty shocking that I am three weeks away from an elementary school gig. I really still have little to no idea what to do. I imagine I know more than I think but I also feel I really need to teach a few classes to see how the pacing goes. I need to get a ton of tiny activities ready for the little ones.

Learning Journey

2018-07-20T12:41:00.001-07:00

I am trying to hard to write (sometimes I forget) and to document my learning journey and the ukulele. The recent addition of the concert uke has helped and I have been playing about an hour per day.

I am working on my strumming. I still struggle with learning tunes. I don't know if that is part of my stroke deficit or if I just can't do it. I could never memorize choir songs either. I still don't think I could confidently sing the National Anthem without the words in front of me. Verbal recall definitely a problem.

Kala KS-15 Concert

2018-07-18T13:37:00.001-07:00

I bought a new Kala Concert KS-15. It is basically the same as the KS-15S that I bought for school but much easier to play with the bigger size. I don't yet feel comfortable buying a more expensive version of the instrument. The Kala discounts for educators are very cool by the way.

I have gotten pretty comfortable with the "basic" playing on the ukulele. I still struggle with the "exotic" chords but I can do the pretty basic ones. My strumming is getting a little more natural. I have been working a lot from Doctor Uke which has a TON of songs, almost all with audio attached and the Uke Tenor youtube page

Over the Rainbow

2018-06-19T05:00:00.002-07:00

In Over the Rainbow I added an Em chord and I am trying to get the upbeat feel on the strumming. This is clearly a work in progress. I almost get it some of the time...

Yesterday I visited by colleague at the other elementary school in town and she has promised to share resources with me. That will be a huge help. The most important thing I need is some organization and she will share her scope and sequence. Then I can start learning tunes, methods, games, etc...

Lots to do!!

Comments welcome.

You are My Sunshine

2018-06-18T06:13:00.001-07:00

So I took Friday-Sunday off as I visited my mom and went to Molly's soccer tournament. Yes, they allow ukuleles in Pennsylvania, I just did not bring one...

So I am trying to get my right hand moving a bit and learn some more songs. I choose You are My Sunshine which seems to be a song students learn how to sing, and maybe we can get them to sing and play.

Its not in this song but I am trying to change my G fingering to the "proper" way. I think that is why my G7 is now getting confused.

I tried a few patterns on the right hand. I definitely struggle with the offbeat feel. I can do it without singing, but the singing throws me off a bit. Will improve with practice.

I hope to continue to post my progress (or lack of...) and welcome comments and ideas.

Let it Be

2018-06-14T07:18:00.000-07:00

I got some advice from Chris Russell to use my index finger to strum and to hold my right hand farther up the neck. I struggle with the G chord (3 fingers...) and I see different fingerings out there for that chord.

I have been using the Roadie Tuner which was expensive but is pretty cool. I hope it lasts!

I am transitioning slowly out of the high school. I have had my last class and I am packing up. Not easy!

Here is Day 2 of Let it Be. Advice welcome.

Ukulele Day 2

2018-06-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

We received 60 Kala 15-S. I think they are set-up pretty good, but I am pretty ignorant. I have been benefitting from my friend Chris Russell who I wish lived closer. I need to find Abe Deshotel or someone to get me a lesson.

I have been trying to practice each day and "learn" a new song. I had a stroke in 2010 and I am finding the Ukulele might be good for my right hand (which struggles on piano). But, also my brain malfunctions a bit. I find a play much better at home (no distractions) than at school. You will notice I have minor pauses in the video.

I also have to start to figure out how to find my initial pitch. I settled in, but I need to play my starting pitch before I start, which I naturally do on piano.

Anyway, I'm trying to wrap my head around elementary school. This was my last day of class (still have exams) after 26 years at high school. I hope to learn a lot on this journey and be able to share it.

Let it Be has four chords. I still struggle a bit with G. I keep wanting to play G7 (which is a bit easier to finger). I also get confused between Am and F which are very similar.

Be nice (I'm trying)....

Choir Olympics

2018-06-12T06:35:00.002-07:00

Today we did Choir Olympics and it was super fun. It is a great end of year activity. I think the class loves it. We don't do a lot of this, so its more special when we do it. Here are some favorite events:

1. Fastest singer. We do "super bubble gum" warm-up.
2. Highest
3. Lowest
4. Make Mr. Schneider laugh.
5. Stand stacking. I loosen a metal stand so it is very flimsy. Event is stacking as many music books on stand without falling over.
6. Chair spinning. How many revolutions can you do in the piano chair without putting your feet down?
7. Chair stacking. How fast can you unstack five chairs into a row and then stack them back up again?
8. Mystery karaoke. Duet faces away from screen. A senior chooses song for them to sing.

Lots of laughs.

Uke Day 1

2018-06-11T16:13:00.001-07:00

I was transferred to the elementary school in my district. There has been an emotional month as our high school program goes through many changes. Obviously there is not much I can say here, but I think everyone can agree on there has been a lot of trauma and crying. We just won Best Play this year and there is a lot of uncertainty about next year.

I need to learn how to teach elementary school. We had been planning on spending some of our fundraiser money on the elementary school and we decided to buy 60 ukuleles. One set for each school.

I do not yet know what I will teach, how I will teach, or why I will teach but I will use ukuleles. Chris Russell has been a great friend and resource in getting me started.

I bought 60 Kala KA-15S Sopranos for $30 each (a deep discount). I am hoping this can bridge my ensemble background to the general music world. I am going to commit to practicing and I hope to chronicle some of that journey here.

Here is day 1

Transfer

2018-05-14T07:14:00.003-07:00

I recently learned I will be transferred from my HS position to the open elementary position in the district. This will be a challenge!!

A few things I am worried about (besides the transition and uncertainty here at the HS).

1. HOW DO I TEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS? I have a lot of work to do.
2. See #1.

Stay tuned.

AP Music

2017-06-14T07:59:00.001-07:00

I have tried (and failed) for the last six years to get an AP Music theory class approved. Many students have asked for the class. Finally, I decided I would run an AP "study group". We would buy the book, purchase Musition/Auralia, meet occasionally and hope for the best. I told the students we would run most assignments through their participation in band and choir.

I was pleasantly surprised that 11 (maybe 12?) students agreed to start the process. I have done a lot of ARE YOU SURE??? but they haven't bailed yet. I'm excited that so many students have decided to try.

Here is my Day 1 assignment:

Day 1 Assignment:

Have binder set -up.

Notes
Chapter Outlines
Handouts
Dictation
Sight-singing
Scores/Music

Have pencils and highlighter. Have a great eraser--you will erase A LOT.
Order book.
Attend session during exam.
Complete pre-assessments in Musition and Aurelia
Create outline for Chapter 1 in textbook.

This is for study purposes. You will do for each chapter.
Complete assessment at end of chapter.

Do first without checking book/answers.

Subscribe to AP Music Listening and AP Theory Videos on youtube
Practice sight singing on SRF.

Please log in and practice.
Minimum level: Be able to sing 8 measure exercise at Level 1

Bookmark our site (not sure how I will use this yet).
Basic piano practice sheet.

All 12 major scales (do-sol-do), arpeggio, chord
All 12 minor scales (do-sol-do), arpeggio, chord
Easy songs handout

When you are confident in this assignment OR you have a question/difficulty please fill out this form.

What is band?

2017-02-16T12:57:00.000-08:00

I teach a graduate class at the University of Bridgeport in Secondary Music Methods. These students are generally musicians who have decided to get their education certification. Some students are current teachers working toward their masters.

We have had many discussions trying to define what band is. We have spent many hours discussing Peter Boonshaft's books, discussing shortcomings of a traditional band program, and what a program should look like.

I posed this question: should a HS band student be able to play out of a Level 1 piano book?

Now--many of these students remembered the frustration of keyboard exams in music school and also lament that the piano has become a much less important instrument (everyone has been asked "do you want my Aunt's piano?").

The question, I think, gets to the heart of "What does it mean to be a good musician?". What do you think? What should band look like?

Choir Honors Performance Repertoire

2017-01-11T11:30:00.002-08:00

Last fall I applied to have the SHS Chorale perform as an Honors Ensemble at the 2017 CT Music Educators Conference. We submitted three recordings which I am told are heard blind (no names) and we were selected!

I have had this honor a few times before. It is a challenge to choose repertoire for this occasion. You want to sound good, provide a great experience for the students, and show some knowledge of repertoire.

Knowing, above all, that I have no idea what I am doing I asked my local university friends (all of whom have visited our group) for ideas. I also polled the students. I think we have a plan. It is a mix of songs we have done in the last 9 months and a few new ones. I don't think I am breaking any new ground--but it is a challenging program.

The Chorale is 13 girls.

1. Ave Maria (Guy Forbes). The students picked this up quicker than I thought they would, but its still kicking our butts. Concert on this tomorrow. Requires us to SING in 4 pretty independent parts.

2. Lineage (Andrea Ramsey). Fairly easy tune that we did at WCSU this year. We pulled this out last week and nailed it--which convinced us to do it. Allows us to bring a few percussionists.

3. Parting Glass (arr. Jenny's). I love this tune. Totally traditional setting and the Jenny's set it in perfect voicing. Very easy to sing this slightly out of tune...

4. Ergen Deda. Thank you to Dr. Douma of Yale for this idea. I remember seeing this group in concert at Oberlin. Jaw dropping. My students have gotten very good at close harmony stuff so this should be fun. We did Niska Banja a few years back.

5. Will The Circle Be Unbroken. CMEA Southern Regional is doing this (in 100 voice choir) and I thought it would be good to match the "folk/traditional" theme we were developing. Allows some solos and up tempi work. Dr. Ganschow of WCSU convinced me to keep this one.

6. Voice Dance. I KNOW I did this before, but I can't remember when. Anyone?? The song really swings.

We might add Sweet Dreams (Deke Sharon), Scarborough Fair or Old Joe Clark (Goetze).

Ideas welcome!

Grades

2016-09-25T17:05:00.000-07:00

I always struggle with grades. I also struggle with the sheer load. I carry (depending on how you count it) almost 170 students per semester. If I give one minute per week to each student I am hitting 3 hours just on grading. Thats not sustainable (both the 1 minute--and the 3 hours).

We also know that Level 4 of the all important Danielson Rubric requires Student Assessment, Student Rubrics, and Student Designed Learning.

In a music class which is very teacher centered by nature I am making a big leap to give students control of their grade this year.

I will establish five assignments in my gradebook:

Performing/Responding (40%). This is all the instrument specific stuff and the listening/writing/responding.
Sight-reading (20%). Sight-reading tests, ear training, and dictation.
Music Theory (10%). Vocabulary, chords, scales, harmony, etc...
Concerts (20%)
Participation (10%). I felt strongly I needed a column for professional responsibilities which might include having your instrument, designing a practice plan, supporting classmates, etc..

Now here is where things will get crazy:

Every two weeks the student will summarize their learning in each category. They will review teacher based assessments, student designed goals, and assign a grade. I will review and conference with student if needed.
This grade will be put into the gradebook. The gradebook will reset each marking period.
So...the assignments will be static--but I will edit the grades bi-monthly with the student assigned grade.
There will be a ton of assessments archived in MusicFirst, Google, etc... We will assess constantly--but grade only every two weeks.

Some things I hope:

That students begin to create their own assessments and learning. If I was a player in a great band the band director would lead rehearsal--but I would lead the learning. I would figure out what to do be ready for next rehearsal.
That students and parents have a much better understanding of what they are doing in class.
That we do not let school "run us over". That students realize they can control so much.

This is a grand experiment. I am sure I will screw up something. But at least we are trying!