Choir-Our Strong Connection

As I reflect on my school year, it was a rough one.  One of the hardest years I have had in the 19 years I've been teaching.  13 classes a day, no planning time, some tough cookies, but there was a bright spot for me. Choir.  I was able to start a 4th and 5th grade Bobcat Choir with the support of my wonderful Principal, and amazing classroom teachers. It not only helped the 'no planning time' part, it gave me a different perspective on what 4th and 5th graders are made of. I really have to take into account the writing of my students. I had them share their thoughts about what they felt they had learned in music this year via an evaluation of their musical performance. Wow.  I was blown away by their thoughtfulness, their willingness to share, and the impact music had made in their lives. Some of my favorites were these:

    "I didn't know singing could mean so much to me!"

    "I learned patience and self-control."  (wanted to hear more from this student)

    "I didn't know music was this hard, until choir practices. "

    "I will share my gifts-even if the butterflies keep coming!"

    "Music is my life."

    "I LOVE MY VOICE!"

    "Can we have Choir everyday?"

    "I didn't give my best."  (Someone is learning how our Choir Motto fits into their own life.  "Good, Better, Best, Never let it rest, til your Good is Better and Your Better is Best!"-Thanks Gretchen)

    "Listening is really tough-not just with my ears, but with everything."

    "I loved watching YouTube videos and then sharing what we thought with others."

    "I learned how to read music-the 2-part thing was confusing at first, not now!"

    "To show expression on my face and 'tell the story' of the song."

    "Making music with a group is really cool."

    "Repeating songs over and over was killing me!"

    "Vowels are important."

    "I love being a conductor like you, Mrs. Stelling."

    "I loved it when we sang and people at the mall cried."

While there were a few negatives in their writing, I focused on the positive.  Music is the most powerful tool I know, to touch a young life.  Any life. It touches the heart and the brain and connects them in the most beautiful way humanly possible. We ended the year by watching our last YouTube video together and most of us ended up in tears or thoughtful reflection.  Music touched us all.

I am looking forward to another year with kids, singing together and learning more than they thought they could. 

Note to self: Blogging is harder than I thought.  I really thought that once a month, I could do this.  I could sit down and reflect on my teaching, my students, our future.  I have failed miserably and will probably beat myself up for a while.  I WILL do better.

  
  

    

Digital Learning Day! 2012

Today I have been asked by our Tech dept. to reflect on how my tech usage has changed in the past 18 months and then share with colleagues.  So, I'm reflecting and sharing in my posterous space and blog.
Presently, I am teaching a Broadway show and I am missing the fact that tech isn't being used much by students, but by me.  While I enjoy the ipod and computer making my life easier, I am feeling that I really need to post some questions for homework on my webpage so kids are still interacting with me from home during this 8 week period of learning program music. Wall wisher has been a great avenue for this, as well as Edmodo!  Getting tech in the hands of students to promote more creativity and overall learning has always been my goal.  Google docs will be in my students' future-can't wait to try it-Fall '12 is the goal!
I have learned so much from others on Twitter and I believe I have become a junkie.  I am addicted to learning more and I can't seem to stop myself from sending tweets to myself that I want to pursue later on, to my dropbox.  Hopefully, I will make the time to get to them before the school year is out.
I am currently exploring how QR codes could be used in my music program bulletin.  There are a few of my students who have actually seen a Broadway Show in New York City!  I would love for them to share their experiences in their writing, and possibly promote the QR code usage to parents if I would introduce the students whose writings are featured within the program notes accessed by the QR code. Thanks to @jguarr on twitter for sharing what he does with his middle schoolers.
I am also pursuing a seat on the NETA board for the next couple of years.  I would love to learn more about how others use technology throughout our state and how to best serve our students K-12.  I also think I could bring a fresh perspective on the board, as the majority of the Directors are classroom teachers or tech ingration specialists. 
Our high school has just adopted a BYOD plan in January-I would love to hear how kids are using their devices and how this is going for teachers and students.  My soon to be 9th grader can't wait! :)
This is all I have time for at the moment, but I will continue to reflect on the tech practices that I use that work and maybe some that don't work so well. Deep reflection has to come at a less busy time.
-Mrs. Stelling

What I learned from my students this week.

Thank you to Northeast 4th and 5th graders for teaching me this week.  As a music geek at heart, I would like to thank you for your valuable contribution to our community by sharing your musical gifts.  Never did I imagine a few weeks ago, how beautiful you would sound together.  I just want to share what I learned this week, from YOU.

• Young students can create "musical magic" when their heart is in it.
• When given 10 rehearsals, students can emote the most emotional and inspirational thoughts through music, because they feel strongly about it.
• When students are provided a caring, compassionate and passionate staff of teachers, paras, support staff and a supportive Principal, (Thanks Northeast team), they will engage and produce magnificence.
• When parents, grandparents and friends support the children they love in every endeavor, those children are forever changed for the better.
• When a music director can trust a large group of 10-11 year old students to represent our school with pride and dignity, she feels proud to call you her students!  You have inspired me to dream bigger and for that, I thank you.

Mrs. Stelling

P.S.  I'm sharing this with a few of my FB and twitter friends.

Tech in the House!

This week has been an exciting tech week @ my house. My girls have been working diligently all summer to earn money for technology. My youngest received her ipod touch in the mail earlier in the week and is engaged in gaming at this very moment. For this first week, gaming is ok. Next week? It will be more geared toward starting school-math games and reading. Yeah, I know, you're thinking 'yeah right!'. Technology has to have meaning in order for it to have value. Truly, in my house, there has to be quality time with tech for everyone. Yes, me included.

My oldest daughter received her ipad2 this morning! Can you say "jealous"? I think they are amazing tools and I can't wait to get my hands on it while she's sleeping! (SHHHH!:o)) I'm thinking an early bed time tonight . . . We are having fun face-timing and downloading apps!

What an amazing journey my girls have in front of them! Being digital natives, they will have never understand what a party line is or that black and white television even existed among a plethora of other things. Some of the best quotes in music class have been "Whoa, check out that HUGE CD!" when showing them a record. Or "Mrs. Stelling, can't you add color to that movie?" when showing clips of classic TV such as The Lone Ranger.

Technology is a great way for us to learn and share together! It will never replace a teacher, but is valuable as long as it is meaningful.

Philly in Photos

Click here to view this photo book larger

ISTE was Amazing!

The video above says it all-technology can really be utilized to connect me to my students and my students to the world!  ISTE 11@Philly was a great adventure with so many good things to see and do, I was only disappointed that I couldn't experience it all.  I did, however, manage to compile some links that I hope will be helpful in organizing my life and my sessions @ISTE 11.  I discovered LiveBinders and created my own Mrs. Stelling's Music Lab.  It is far from finished, but a good start to what I hope will become an organized version of my digital life. 

Here are some of my pictures that I LOVE!

 This is the famous LOVE statue

 St. Peter's Bascilica

 Art work to cover up construction @ City Hall

 No caption needed

 George Washington's Chair

 PHILLIES!

 Mobi & Me trying to take a shot with my iPhone!

 Philly Cheesteak!

 Ron Clark presenting-HE ROCKS!

 Independance Hall

 Benjamin Franklin's Grave

 Constitution Hall

 Inside Constitution Hall

 George & I

 Tomb of the Unknown Soldier-Philadelphia

Outside my balcony

#ISTE11 Here I come!

As I am preparing for Philadelphia, I can't help but be excited to meet new people, learn more about what tech is best suited to my music students, and add a check to the bucket list.  Yes, one thing on my bucket list was to be in a flashmob and  I will be joining a flashmob at ISTE and hopefully will have some video for future reference!YEAH!!!!  So pumped and ready to rock it!