Week 4

Week Four brings us to an interesting discussion about the use of technology in the classroom, as well as to a project using Audacity.  In reading the text for this week as well as going through the discussions on the readings, I am quite pleased with the level of technology I employ in my classroom, but it’s also apparent that there is more that I could be doing.  I think this is a very positive situation, as it affirms that I am working to incorporate 21^st Century technologies, but I am also not stagnant in implementing them.  I have work ahead of me, but it’s not overwhelming work.  Were I to read this week’s readings and discussion and discover that I was doing none of these things, I would be quite worried.  Conversely, were I to be doing more, I would be worried about having nowhere to grow.  Middle of the road does my students a service and me as well. 

What am I using?  I often incorporate recordings into rehearsal, both representative ones of the literature being prepared as well as connected repertoire as the kids enter the room.  I think having music playing at the start of rehearsal helps set a positive tone, and I hope that as our school implements the Danielson Framework that the respective Domain on Classroom Procedures will affirm that belief.  I am very familiar with ways to incorporate my own iPad into the rehearsals, and I need to do some work on how to maximize its relevance to students.  An Air Play system to my SmartBoard will be crucial to this inclusion, and that is a way, either by slaving the SmartBoard’s computer to my iPad (help?) or hooking in an AppleTV, that I can improve. 

The age of recording rehearsals still exists, although I am not currently using programs for instant feedback.  Generally, I record and simply playback.  Another improvement is finding ways to give instant visual feedback in this area.  Likewise, I know how to use and deploy SmartMusic, but have not done so.  This needs to be another technological goal, especially when it folds nicely into the age of assessment. 

Audacity is a program that I have been familiar with for eight years.  This week’s assignment was rather easy to complete.  I was using Audacity back when we still used a CD recorder to record concerts so that I could master our holiday concerts to give to the local radio station for their “local school spotlight” right before Christmas.  Most recently (well last fall,), I spent an evening mastering the East Wind Ensemble’s 2013 March Concert for submission to the National Band Association-Wisconsin Chapter for application to perform at their January 2014 convention.  Needless to say, we must have done something right, either with the performance, the mastering, or both, because the recording of our convention performance just arrived.