Teacher Absences Affect Student Learning, Too

As teachers, we all know the frustrations of having students that are absent: the lost planning time, the extra time spent helping the student catch up, the extra stress on each end, etc... Yet, studies are showing that a teacher's absence can be just as bad on classroom success and stability. It's not just student performance and consistency at stake... it can be the very safety of our students. For more information, read this article.

Good Theory/Aural Skills Drill Program

For those of you who are teaching theory/aural skills to your students, consider checking out this program. Aquallegro seems to me like an excellent drill and practice program to enhance or provide remediation on skills or concepts discussed in class. The teacher or student can preset what types of questions are contained within each of eleven modules, and keep track of their progress along the way, making the program fully customizable to the individual's needs. And best of all, it's FREE... The program can be downloaded from the link above.

Ways to Encourage Students toward "Obscure" Instruments

Chances are, when you ask a young student interested in playing an instrument which one they want to play, the answer will not be the bassoon. Looking back on my interest in playing in the band while I was in the third grade, I didn't even know what a bassoon was, let alone what it sounded like. Yet, if I could go back in time, I would have chosen the bassoon over the flute. The bassoon is such a unique and versatile instrument, almost like the "cello of the woodwinds".

To inspire some of the younger players to fill some of these "obscure" parts within a band, I think it is important to show them exactly how versatile and interesting these instruments can be... and what better instrument than the bassoon!?

Several of my classmates have posted videos from Eastman School of Music's Bassoon Ensemble, The Breaking Winds (very clever), in their blogs this week. I think some of these videos could be great at building interest in the bassoon... it might even create "too much" interest, if there is such a thing. It would be a great problem for a band teacher to have too much interest in a variety of instruments than to have instruments completely neglected, sitting on the shelves to collect dust. As a firm believer that students being exposed to any kind of music enriches their creativity, using contemporary songs in order to bring a heightened level of interest is paramount at getting the students to internalize certain concepts. I have embedded one of this group's YouTube videos below, and it is a collage of songs from Lady Gaga.

You can also access the group's page on YouTube here.

No more LIFO in Georgia

Georgia has become the latest state to end LIFO, bringing the total number to six. StudentsFirst is really helping to make a difference and start this education reform. Bravo to Georgia policy makers, and hopefully the trend continues in other states. You can read more here.

Arts Advocacy 2011: Kevin Spacey

Actor Kevin Spacey comments at Arts Advocacy 2011 on the importance of arts education. In his speech, he also challenges US policy makers to restore funding to the National Endowment for the Arts. Using his words, "we need to send the elevator back down" to ensure that today's youth can act upon their own inspirations and creativity and enrich their lives through our arts programs.

RCSD Budget Deeply Cuts Art, Music, Foreign Language

The Superintendent of the Rochester City Schools, Jean Claude Brizard, has released his proposed budget for the Rochester City School District for next year. In his 300-page proposal, he outlines 908 job cuts, which include 46% of the district's music teachers, 42% of their art teachers, 35% of their foreign language teachers, and 19% of their physical education teachers. The evening news is reporting tonight that 88 out of 150 of the district's special education teachers are going to be cut with the proposed budget. The Board of Education votes on the proposed budget in two weeks. You can read more about the proposed cuts here.

As a person who has grown up in the suburbs of Rochester, and continues to reside in the area, this community has always valued the arts. The Eastman School of Music is a major icon for Rochester, and is at the center of the city's musical life. The city sponsors several music festivals throughout the year. I just don't understand how we can claim that we are educating the whole child when we deny them the right to music, art, languages, and physical education. And New York State wonders why people are flocking out of this state... It angers me to no end.

Brizard is not popular among the teachers in the area. In fact, the teachers had an overwhelming no contest vote for Brizard, yet the School Board denies their accusations and refuses to remove him from the position. In the meantime, as the schools continue to fail, and more and more of the city's schools are forced to close, Brizard is pulling in a paycheck of over $220,000. This is sick. The dead weight needs to go. It's time to show that NY cares for its students... yet until we oust the administration that seems hell bent on running the state's education system into the ground, things like this are going to continue and increase in frequency. The same mismanagement is happening with the SUNY/CUNY system. I think it's clear time to say that considering finding employment in Rochester anytime soon is not going to happen... let alone anywhere in New York State.

The One-Armed Pianist's Quest for Success

This article is quite an interesting one that tells of one pianist's quest to overcome physical limitations and continue performing. Paul Wittgenstein, who lost his right arm in a tragic accident, commissioned several works throughout his life, and had an extensive collection of piano repertoire written for the left hand. Completed in 1957 (four years before his death), Wittgenstein's School for the Left Hand consists of 3 volumes, and includes music from the likes of Bach, Brahms, Chopin, Mendelssohn, and Wagner, among others. The article also gives links to audio clips from Wittgenstein performances, and compares them to contemporary performances, and also lists a few other reading sources.