Great New Resource

Leading Notes is a brand new music education online magazine that is organized and run by friend of the blog Nick Jaworski. There are many great contributors for the magazine's maiden voyage, so check it out!

moving forward with music

In case we forgot to mention, a colleague and friend of ours, Nick Jaworski, has a great blog he has put together for music educators. His blog, moving forward with music, focuses on creating a 21st century music classroom that can excite and interest students in a new way. He has lesson plans and more just waiting for you - so go check it out!

Student Ownership

A nice article I recommend reading on giving students a little more ownership of the band and giving them an opportunity to help you out more: http://www.keynotesmagazine.com/article/?uid=297

Preparations

It seems like Glenn, Mary, and I are all starting to prepare things for the new year (our first year!). Mary is working hard on curriculum and packing, Glenn is getting a lot of information from his predecessor and getting things organized, and I am teaching 6th grade lessons and reading material on teaching methods like nobody's business. (I seem to be doing the least work right now....reading isn't actually planning yet i guess...oops)

Anyway, it's that time of summer where we have to start focusing ourselves and getting in the teacher mindset. I've been telling my students this week during lessons that if they haven't yet practiced this summer now is the time to start getting back into the swing of things to prepare for school in the fall. And "Back to School" ads are coming out right and left!

It can be really overwhelming to prepare for something you've never done before and for something new and exciting but quite challenging. I've been trying to combat stress over all of these preparations by reading inspiring and useful texts such as "First Days of School" by Harry Wong. I heard it was a great book to use to prepare for...well, the first days of school! I just started it but I love it already. It emphasizes that the first days of school are THE MOST IMPORTANT days of the whole year by far... but the book doesn't leave you hanging there. It helps the reader know how to actually make the best of these important days and start the year off right with practical tips and suggestions.

That's what we all want anyway - to start the year off right. It's clear that the first year is not going to be easy. But it will help if we can at least start the year off on the right foot and prepare as much as we can for it.