Beethoven

I am currently taking a ten-week continuing education class at Northwestern University on Ludwig van Beethoven. The instructor is Dr. Drew Davies, a professor at the Beinen School of Music at Northwestern University. Undeniably, he is considered the most celebrated composer of all time. It only makes sense that we infuse Beethoven’s concepts in compositions within the 21st century.

Beethoven listened to his own voice and “marched to a different drummer.” Before Beethoven, musicians were employed by benefactors such as the church or royalty, he was self-employed. Music was published through these institutions with single parts only. Beethoven published outside the main stream through publishing houses and sometime published the same piece at a variety of houses, making more money for himself. He published full scores.

21st century – Publish your own works, set up your own publishing company. Have a full and individual parts available. 

He expanded the orchestra, but had a balance of old styles using new techniques. He was comfortable in his own world and created his own rules, but kept a skeleton of musical composition rules as to not to upset the mainstream community. Accessibility of musical instruments though the use of massed produced instruments made it so the masses could now own musical instruments. Performances moved from small venues of chamber music to the huge concert halls for all people to participate. The piano was the new instrument of era. Beethoven composed chamber music, symphonies, and piano concertos, using old instruments as well as new. He composed for the masses to hear his pieces.

21st century – Use new instruments on the iPad or create your own instruments. Instead of huge performing groups, compose for small groups of instruments that create a different sound. Compose using instruments that are not normally used together. Set up a soundcloud account or youtube channel so others can view and hear your compositions.

21st century – Technology has allowed anyone to compose and have playback without hiring musicians to play the compositions. Composition has moved mainstream.

He was famous during his lifetime. However, not a child prodigy. He was what we call a “slow processor” or “late bloomer.” His personal life of hearing loss and unrequited love affairs place his as a tragic figure. He overcame many struggles and is seen as an “emotional” artist.

21st century – anyone can be a composer with access to a computer and free online tools. 

Now, move into the 21st century, taking Beethoven’s life, philosophy and innovations. Many music educators teach composition like they are teaching in Beethoven’s era, not composing how Beethoven created. They demand that students compose for the symphony using forms that are so old that even Beethoven changed them in his time. Let’s compose like Beethoven would if he was in the 21st century using innovative and creative ideas.

I am presenting “Composing Online Is Not Just Notation” at the TI:ME conference in Louisville. What I to intend to expand upon is letting people experiment with different instruments and notation. Click here for the entire presentation.

1. Create your own presentation, don’t depend upon others to create one for you. It is a kin to having someone else do your homework. If you don’t know how – ask. Take ownership. Media presentations are skills that EVERYONE, even administrators, should master.
2. View presentations as a performance. You have to practice, practice, practice. Also practice with all the equipment you are going to use. Practice with the clicker, practice with the sound, practice with the computer or iPad. If others are presenting with you, give them time to practice.
3. Run the “show” before you present with the projector you are going to use. You can see if the colors work and if there are preset settings that don’t work.
4. If you run a slide show, have music with it. It is a very boring presentation if you are silently having pictures and words.
5. If you do have a problem with the settings, stop the show and reset them. Don’t have the presentation continue with problems with slide advancement or sound issues.
6. The presentation is 50% show and 50% content. If your show has problems, the audience will remember the issues first, not the content. If the show is embedded within your presentation, the audience will remember the content.
7. Make the presentation available to your audience either in google docs or slideshare. Attendees can view all the data at a later time and have time to process and understand what you have presented. DON’T print out slides to hand out, very 20th century.

The most important rule is practice, practice makes perfect.

KIS: Keep it Simple

1. Little-by-little. If you come down with a long list of do’s and don’ts the students simply will not remember. Limit your rules to only ten.
2. Posted rules. This is only for the rules of classroom and specific rules that you need to physically show the students on a daily basis. Post at least six copies of rules around the classroom. so wherever the students look they see the rules.
3. Implied rules. These are underlying rules as you go. In the beginning of the year, have a new rule a day as you interact with the students.
4. Establish a Culture of “Circle of Trust.” This used to be called “tech helpers.” These are the students that are also passionate about your subject and technology. They USE all the equipment and want the equipment when they want it. They are focused on making sure all the equipment is put back and in working order at all times.
5. Check out sheet. Make sure all equipment is checked out. I have a sheet, with name, class, and equipment. It makes everyone accountable.

Let’s Get Started

Classroom Rules

Go over your TOP TEN rules in the classroom. Many teachers have two rooms in one like a  music room and a tech room. The first day of school or class, we practice moving chairs. I do this once, I never have to reteach.Seating chart of Promethean or Smart Board, easier to move students around, plus use a screen shot for substitute teachers.

“Left-brain” day  versus “Right-brain” day

When teaching new technologies or program establish what I call “right-brain” or “left-brain” day. Left-brain day is where students follow along, step-by-step and EVERYONE in the class has to be on the SAME screen. This creates an environment of helping each other. Again, do not move along until everyone is on screen. Do not go around and help, make the students help each other. Have numbers on each station or create stations, so you are not calling out names, just numbers.

The gifted and talented student will totally buy into this, since you tell the class that the goal is the “right brain” day, where students can click where and whenever they want. We all have “swiss cheese,” in regards to any program or technology toy, when the teacher goes step-by-step, everyone is on the same page. The swiss cheese is eliminated. Use “left-brain” day quite sparingly, only ten to thirteen minutes in a class period. Don’t use it everyday, only when you are introducing a new program or project.

Implied Rules

These can be as simple as the bathroom pass to the way ones passes out the iPod Touche devices. Everyday a new implied rule, only one a day.

Simple Tips

1. Purchase equipment that all uses the same batteries or sans disc cards. If you have a classroom with a variety of different batteries and cards it will drive you nuts.
2. Download all files the day they are filmed or shot. If you don’t follow this rule, it also will drive you nuts.
3. Have an external drive of 500GB and at least two jump drives. You will need this in case you have to dump the video for later use or move files from computer to computer.
4. Scout day before using any camera. Have the students “scout” for their pictures or video before you hand them a camera.This will eliminate the students leaving for twenty -five minutes with the one camera everyone is waiting for to use.
5. Tech Day. Have a day where all the files are either dropped or saved to an external hard drive. Test out the files before you show them to the class,this way any tech issues are fixed before the big presentation day.
6. Never have your presentation day be the last class. Here is where time management for the teacher comes to be so important. It also allows those students who need the extra time to work on their project. Try to end the class two days early. The last days of the class will be for evaluations and the google 20% (working on something they have never had the time to work on in class.)

Finally, we can have all those toys and tools, but classroom management really plays an important role in how these toys and tools can be controlled and implemented within the classroom environment. These have seemed to work well, I am interested in any other ideas teachers have, please contact me.

Skype

• Throughout the entire summer I skyped with two of my students concerning their musical compositions. Having the time to compose and create really put these two students into HIGH gear. I really don’t think they realize how much I enjoy and NEED the time to see these wonderful compositions. They are clearly ahead of me and push my musicianship to another level. Thanks Jack and Clay!

Golden Apple

• I started out the summer with the Golden Apple Scholars at DePaul University. I had an incredible group of fourteen scholars who quickly bonded and called themselves the “Dream Team.” As our first group activity, we created t-shirts with our names using wordle, (www.wordle.net) This is a wonderful website that creates word clouds. They created a wordle for me, emailed me the file, then I ironed on a t-shirt  and wore on the last day.
• I got to observe these incredible young educators at their respective schools. Castellanos Middle School and Columbia Explorers, which are both part of Chicago Public Schools. The administration and teachers welcomed the scholars and the cooperating teachers were outstanding. The scholars have such a drive to learn, teach, and empower others. I don’t think they realize how much their inspiration overflows to me. Thanks to “Mama C”  Carolyn Cyriaque and Jim Sorensen for impacting so many future teachers and allowing me to be a part of this program.
• I presented “Google ME!” at IMSA (Illinois Math and Science Academy) with the Golden Apple Scholars. It was a hands-on presentation using Google Documents and other Google products such as maps, alerts, calendars, and much more. The excitement was in the air concerning all the possibilities. My favorite comment was “I wish I had known about this six months ago in college. It would have made my life so much easier.”  The intimate setting with these students and personal touch Linda Newman gives, has created a wonderful experience with these scholars.
• The Golden Apple “Dream Team,” performed at the final evening celebration of the scholars. We chose to dance and involve the rest of the scholars, to a great success. The two-hour program was highlighted by the “Investing in Communities,” where the scholars chose organizations to give $5000. I created a social website that allowed everyone to connect and others to use http://grou.ps/goldenapple
• Representatives from the various non-for-profits attended, along with students that will have new books, materials, or programs because of the wonderful organization that donated the seed money.
• I ended the summer with presenting at CORE, a Golden Apple four-day conference at St Xavier for Golden Apple Scholars. It is for scholars that are now working in schools of need. I presented my top ten websites such as Glogster, VoiceThread, Diigo, Delicious, Doodle, Wallwisher, Prezi, and of course the famous Google Docs. Sister Raeleen Sweeney has the conference completely online and paperless. It was a resounding success, thanks to all the work of the “working” scholars and Sister Raeleen.
• All of my presentations and Golden Apple presentations are available online. You can follow me on twitter or plurk, my nickname is “musictechie.”

ISTE

• In between reflective meetings, I traveled to Denver for ISTE (formerly NECC, International Society of Technology Educators.) Saturday, June 26, I attended the Edubloggercon. a pre-conference activity with a face to face (f2f) meeting with people who blog led by Steve Hargadon. http://www.stevehargadon.com/  If you are not aware of who he is, google his name and EVERYTHING he does, sign up! He is a model of what teachers should be doing and connected me with so many web 2.0 material, my head sometimes spins. Meeting people face to face that I have either followed on twitter or subscribed to their blog, was a amazing experience. Sunday,  June 27, I attended the “Constructivist Celebration” with Dr. Gary Stager. http://stager.org/ He is a progressive, innovative, and creative educator who presents all over the world, to be able to be in the same room and learn from him and other educators of like minds was a rush. Finally, at ISTE over 17,000 people attended, so it was quite an honor that I was invited to be on a panel discussion with six other Google Certified educators. Our topic was ‘Dissecting the 21st Century Teacher.” Here again, I know these people via twitter and met most of them for the first time twenty minutes before the presentation.

People on the panel were:
Selena Ward, Middle School technology teacher from Maryland
http://thetechtiger.blogspot.com/
Gwyneth Anne Jones, ISTE K-12 and Middle School Librarian
http://www.thedaringlibrarian.com/
Andy Losik, Elementary Technology teacher from Michigan
http://mrlosik.info/MrLosik.info/Welcome.html
Kenneth Shelton, Middle School technology teacher from Los Angeles, CA
http://techedanddev.blogspot.com/
Paula White, Middle School Technology Teacher from Maine
http://tzstchr.edublogs.org/

• These I felt we all knew each other for years, because social networking has that effect, if done professionally and productively. Ken was able to get clickers from Quizdom which enhanced our presentations and gave us immediate feedback.
• I attended many sessions and hung out at the Blogger Cafe, where most of my “tribe,” was hanging out.

ADE Camp

• My highlight professionally was my five days in Orlando with the “Apple Distinguished Educators” at Full Sail University. One hundred educators across the world are invited by Apple Computers to attend this technology conference. We placed ourselves in groups of six to eight educators and through “Challenged Basic Learning Model” created websites, movies, and presentations all revolving around our interests. I choose Professional Development. My group created a website and videos for ADE’s to use within their districts. Apple computer is launching many of our projects in iTunes University later this year, which is a clearing house of podcasts, websites, and other material for educators. When you open up iTunes, look for the tab “iTunes University.”  I have a conference call later this month concerning our piece of the project. Thanks to Karen Thompson, Anthony Armstrong, Lee Simpson, Kevin Kneisley, Gayle Berthiaume, and Travis Harder.

MENC

• I was contacted my MENC (National Music Education organization in Washington DC) to be on the Music Education Journal Board. This board decides what articles are published in the quarterly magazine. This is quite an honor since most of the participates are from higher education. I look forward to reading interesting material for the upcoming journals.

Art Institute

• I finished the summer taking a class at the Art Institute concerning “Exploring Green Architecture and Design.” It was a fascinating class where we toured the Lourie Garden at Millennium Park, visited the Chicago Architecture Foundation, and created our own vision of how to “green” our current school. Being around art teachers gives me such a sense of awe. For it is the one art form I am completely incompetent on. I can create and do music, I love to act, and I can dance. (Not well, but I can get by) But, art really puts the awe and takes my breathe away.

ICE

• I was contacted my ICE (Illinois Computing Educators) to help co-chair with Michelle Russell, the poster sessions at the annual conference in February. I am thrilled to be helping this organization, they have allowed the students of Sunset Ridge to present and giving back is just a small thing I can do.

Boating and Mr. Broos

• The one thing I did not mention is the time I spent on our pontoon boat. It is my “happy place.” My husband is an amazing boater and individual. He is my secret weapon and I rarely talk about him. But he knows that he is my rock and without him, none of this summer would be a reality. He allows me to just be me. I enjoy the water and it is a place to disconnect with technology. Of course, I still have my iPhone with me and I love taking pictures of the sunsets on “the chain.” It is the chain of lakes in northern Illinois. I let nature be the rhythm of the day.

Lunch and Dinner Dates

• I also want to thank all those “friends’ that had lunch with me and dined under the stars for reflection and love of life. I treasure the memories as well

Reading

• I also manage to read two books. One fiction (“Private,” by James Patterson) and Seth Godin “LInchpin”) I adored “Linchpin,” it is one book every administrator, parent and teacher should read. I talked about being indepensible in your job and career, not  a slug.

Exercise

• I also joined the social network site “Daily Mile,” and focused on exercise. Trying to two to three miles, five times a week. I post the exact route I take, so one of my former students in seeing the route, realized that he lives only two blocks away from me. He walks by my house when he walks with his nephews. His sister, whom I also taught, lives less than fifteen house away! We do live in a SMALL world.

In conclusion

• So, that’s what I did on my summer vacation. To those people who say teachers only work nine months a year, off at 3:00, have a simple life, think again. Creative teachers are never off, we all always learning, doing and think of new ways to teach. In my world, the summer is a time for learning, creating, reflecting, and connecting.
• So that’s about it. I have great excitement for the new year and meeting the incoming fourth graders. They are the first class completely born in the 21st century! Let the GAMES begin!

Links

http://goldenapple.pbworks.com is the main site for CORE and Golden Apple materials.

http://musictechie.pbworks.com Presentation wiki

http://grou.ps/goldenapple Investing in Communities site

www.carolbroos.com School website

This is one of the first music presentations that is part of this conference. We had a blast talking and participating within this incredible conference, take a look, and “Don’t Suppose….. COMPOSE!”

Here is our teaser for the presentation.

I am getting ready for ICE (Illinois Computing Educators) in St. Charles.I am presenting five times on a variety of subjects: GarageBand, Podcasting, Communication, Flash, and Classroom 2.0 (Create, Share, Post, and Comment) Then I travel to Milwaukee to present the ABC’s of GarageBand at MENC (Music Educators National Conference) I conclude the year of my dreams with a presentation at NECC (National Educators Computing Conference) in San Antonio, TX. My presentation is Music 2.0: Create, Share, Post, and Comment) NECC in conjuction with Apple Computers has decided to video podcast me as one of the twenty presentations. I am so excited about having the opportunity to showcase music within technology.  The expanding internet has networked me with so many “techheads” my mind is spinning. Can’t wait to share my knowledge and create.