Each Monday evening at 8PM EST, music teachers get together and share ideas about important topics within music education. It’s a great chance to interact directly with educators from all over the world and to get new tips and tricks to help you succeed in the classroom. The entire #musedchat discussion is organized and moderated by Joe Guarr.
#musedchat A1 If a conf/PD gives me new information that I can use right away. I also like something that can extend into units and not just one lesson.
A1 Sessions that get participants actually participating instead of sitting. GM students sing, say, dance and play and PD should reflect that! I love sessions with new dances, orff arrangements, connections to literature, and solfege practice. #musedchat
A1: a conference is worthwhile to me if the topic or sessions relate to what I teach or what I am interested in. Ideally, I like to find conferences that will push my thinking #musedchat
I loved that the orff conference this year had 30 min between sessions. It was great to have time to discuss and digest before jumping in to another topic. #musedchat
i have been to great (for me) PD like that, and tho it was more set up for folks in the Orff/Dalcroze/Kodaly wheelhouses i still feel like it presents an end point/goal for structuring lessons but not showing the process in planning to get there. #musedchat
A2: folk dancing and learning in combination with movement. Especially for older students. I feel very comfortable with littles, but older kids and moving tends to be "boring" for them. #musedchat
...and that sounds very “it sounds like more work or scary so i’ll hate on it and avoid trying” but it is more they’re teaching a lesson for 2nd lets say but how are they getting built up towards this awesome experience? (and the presenters def know how to teach it) #musedchat
A1: applicable sessions, valuable resources. I’m not in it so much for inspirational speeches as I am for finding things I can take back to my classrooms and use #musedchat
A2: I would love to see more lab rehearsals, especially from groups who are trying different things (maybe more student centered?) I feel like these are common at Midwest, but not so much at the state level. #musedchat
A2. Marching technique, ensemble work. How to record your ensemble in your classroom especially for ensemble work. Student leadership ideas etc.
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A2: I’d love to see some different things. Things to stretch my teaching. Things out of the box. Not just a new version of the same one. Centers workshop last year wasn’t received well by my local but challenged me to do something new #MusEdChat
A2: I would love a more intensive repair clinic at a conference - hand on/bring your own horns and learn how to fix. I’d like to take a course in this, but scheduling is tough. #musedchat
I want to see and hear people doing what I’m doing in different ways and facing the same “challenges.” Lots of ways to skin a cat so to speak #musedchat
A2 I would love more sessions on the HOW- not just the final product. How do you write an awesome orff arrangement? How do you scaffold moment lessons to get kids to feel confident comfortable? How do you use musical transitions in your lessons? Etc. #musedchat
A3 I am looking forward to all the things at the OAKE conference in March, but specifically the common singing and sessions that I know will challenge me as a teacher as musician but also that can be scaffolded to apply ideas and concepts to many grade levels #musedchat
I hear you. I didn't do a great job with my 1st ST. Luckily that session popped up right before the 2nd one arrived. The semester was much better. #musedchat
A3: Actually looking more forward to some performances than lecture style sessions this year. I usually walk away with new ideas for literature #musedchat
A3 I went to mine this year. It's crazy expensive. Close to $400, our board and union cover 1/3 each. I'm finding that I learn much more here and listening to @AMusEdCast and @aftersectionals help a ton. #musedchat
A3: I don't often get to go to our state conference. Never regional or national conferences. I wish that I had more opportunities to go to PD specifically for music. #musedchat
A3. Simple technology and composition lessons for younger grades. Hate always seeing gym lessons for 5-6 just cuz they’re fancy. Little people matter too! #MusEdChat
A3: #VMEA was in Nov. & I'll be presenting at MMEA (Maryland) in a few weeks, haven't looked at the session schedule yet! I would 🧡 to attend the #personalizedlearning conference in March though for sessions about student reflection and goal setting! #musedchat
Im lucky we have a bunch of local opportunities for pd. National and state conferences can be sooooo expensive especially with hotel and travel. #MusEdChat
There is a session at TMEA about moving from rote to literacy. I’m intrigued. Musical Theatre rehearsal techniques, and all the sessions about making music with our SPED students #musedchat
A4: I learn a lot from the meetings/pd about reading skills. Fluency, decoding, differentiating all apply. Just have to make it work for music. #MusEdChat
A4: one year I attended a session where a music teacher, librarian, PE teacher & art teacher presented on a huge collaborative unit they did with all of their students in one grade level. They did demos and gave out resources. Was great to see ppl working together! #musedchat
A4: Usually, I find the most value at PD sessions speaking with Ts about what works in the classroom and about the needs of specific Ss. It is hard to find time for these chats on a regular basis given that I'm not on a "team" in my building. Every conversation helps! #musedchat
A4our @KISDFineArts dept is extremely intentional about planning PD for us. Not only do they bring in experts from all our different strands, but they also spoil, encourage, & love us. Sometimes hearing your FA director say that you’re valued is just what you need #musedchat
A4 my most meaningful building PD was tic-tac-toe where we were given coverage to observe other Ts and had to look for specific things on the board (pbl, tech, etc). And of course- when music Ts can get together to share joys and struggles and learn from each other #musedchat
A4: the most meaningful district PDs I have attended were the ones where it was relevant to all of us in attendance and a topic we were committed (as a group) to learning. The group mentality really does make a difference sometimes #musedchat
#musedchat A4 hard to answer since I've been the one providing PD for so long I'm not often on the receiving end, but it's good to hear the answers for fresh ideas to use!
A4 I can't answer that bc it's been a while since a pd session inspired me but I just gave listened to @AMusEdCast on chorale music in your program and recently @aftersectionals with non-varsity band culture and easy tips for literacy.
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A4: I tend to get the most out of technology sessions or sessions about differentiation. I went to an amazing session that helped us to experience what it was like to be a hearing impaired student & gave us strategies to use for those students. #musedchat
that's awesome! Be sure to check out the OK Go Sandbox for some ideas - https://t.co/XhhRDSQAOi. It has some pre-made STEAM lessons that accompany their music videos! #musedchat
