5 minute read
Technology for Wellness in 2022
Technology for
Wellness in 2022
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by Jessica Husselstein CMEA Music Education Technology Representative
If I may….I would like to proclaim the year 2022 to be one of efficiency and comfort. We’ve certainly paid our dues over the last two years, so let’s apply what we’ve learned about using technology in our classrooms to deliver learning experiences in a way that leaves us energy for the other areas of our lives.
Looking at where we have been spending our energy, both physical and emotional, during the school day, I’d like to share a few of the ways our colleagues are making the delivery of high quality music instruction a little easier on themselves. With the introduction of a few new tools, we can increase the efficiency and comfort of our work day without cutting corners, and in many ways, improving the learning experience for our students.
Teaching through a mask is less than ideal. The perceived need to ‘over project’ our voice and the effort to enunciate through layers of fabric takes a toll on an educator’s vocal cords.
Remedy:
A self-contained speaker/receiver system with a wireless lavalier microphone. Components of a good system for a music education setting would include portability (consider built-in wheels, handles, and overall weight) and an internal, rechargeable power source. A wireless, hands-free microphone system that connects easily, and a Bluetooth connection that allows both the streaming audio and the amplified voice to be heard at the same time without interference, is the icing on the cake. Slipping a lavalier under a mask allows the speaker to use minimal projection, and the amplification allows students to hear instruction clearly regardless of where they are seated. This is a must-have, especially if you have to take your rehearsals outdoors or into a cafeteria or gym. It also includes the bonus feature of being able to easily imitate Darth Vader…but I digress.
Communication with Parents:
Writing, printing, copying, distributing and collecting communiques can take hours. Precious time where we could be indulging in self-care…or taking a nap!
Remedy:
Whether it’s your quarterly newsletter, or progress reports, or just a “you have class tomorrow, remember to bring your instrument,” reminder, your district is likely using some kind of digital communication system to keep parents and families up to date. Your LMS, School communication system (like ParentSquare), or a classroom-based application like Class Dojo or Remind can be a tool that saves you so much time.
Like all digital platforms, there is always a learning curve. Now that we are past the intensity of our fully online teaching experience, take a few hours to get familiar with some of its more advanced features. You may find there are ways to automate some of the tasks you find most draining. Many of these platforms will automate grade entry, handle language translation, and allow for scheduled releases of information.
Lesson Planning:
Without a plan and specific learning objective, we are not providing our students with the best possible structure for our learning time. More and more, administrators are asking to see lesson plans, and writing them out is a chore.
Remedy: Slideshows and Templates
Having a reusable template to update each lesson with is an enormous benefit. Using the copy/paste feature and updating only the date, objective and lesson particulars for each day saves the educator both time and energy. It also provides a digital record of what your students have worked on throughout the year.
Anthony Yi, a Southwestern Section member who teaches for the Santa Maria Bonita school district, suggests Google Slides. “I’m able to create visual and audio slides that help engage the students so much more than in the past. It also helps with pacing the lessons.”
If all the world’s a stage, and our classrooms are our own little worlds, teachers are the consummate actors, directors and playwrights. With the goal of keeping our students engaged, we often feel that our lessons and delivery need to be Oscar worthy. At the end of a long day, we are often exhausted from the effort.
Remedy:
Don’t do it all on your own!
With the use of video conferencing, the entire world can come into our classrooms. Bring in guest artists, industry experts, composers, museum tours...the possibilities are endless. When the teacher can share the focus of the lesson, the energy required to get through the day is much more manageable.
Amy Lui, a Southwestern Section member in LA Unified, coodinated opportunities for her students to interact with music industry leaders. She says it was an “...incredible eye-opening event…I heard how enthusiastic students were to learn about the music industry, from songwriting and production, to making a meaningful career out of being involved with a culture that they consume and are a part of. I realize that all of my training as a music educator did not provide me with the…knowledge to help my students view all the possibilities in the world of music.” By reaching out to the community, “We (had) guest speakers like Rudy Chung (Music Executive of Netflix), Caroline Yim (Co-Head of Hip Hop and William Morris Endeavor), JLBs (Grammy winning producer at Roc Nation), and other music industry professionals" (provide student feedback by Zooming into our classes).
Anthony Yi is also using online resources to enhance his students' music experience in a way that makes class more engaging. In an effort to develop a stronger awareness of the pulse of the music, “I’ve recently tasked my students to create their own songs through the Chrome Music Lab. We will use their compositions to play along with in our Band class to help engrain that sense of beat.” He also employs background tracks of drum beats, instrumentals, and metronomes to play along with. Again, all of this ties back into having access to a good speaker system.
