tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63100010592333809432024-03-05T02:05:55.795-05:00cello wirelessTech-savvy orchestra director looking at ways to incorporate his digital toolbox into his instructional time.rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-60584000374572242572009-01-14T21:57:00.000-05:002009-01-14T22:23:18.376-05:00Don't stop learning.This is a lesson not only to students ("kids"), but adults, parents, and especially, teachers. <b>Never, ever, ever</b>...stop learning. Over the past few months, I've learned more while being away from the public school system, than I ever did in college or while teaching. Here's a quick list to some of the new things I've discovered, that we never learned <i>in a class</i>.<br />
<ol><li><i>coworking</i> - "Coworking is cafe-like community/collaboration space for developers, writers and independents. Or, it’s like this: start with a shared office and add cafe culture. Which is the opposite of most modern cafes." - <a href="http://indyhall.com/">Independents Hall</a> When I started attending events in Philadelphia, I fell in love with the idea of coworking and collaboration. We learn "group work" in school, but it was never this cool!</li>
<li><i>social-networking (or social media)</i> - Stuff like <a href="http://twitter.com/">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://blogger.com/">blogging</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/">Flickr</a>, etc are all types of social media. If you know how to play, social media can teach you anything, and you get to share back! If you're reading this, and not connected to me via the hundreds of other tendrils of my "<i>personal learning network</i>"...why not?</li>
<li><i>charity</i> - After attending Philly's BarCamp, a group of friends (who are a part of my network, btw!) came up with <a href="http://www.geekswhogive.org/">GeeksWhoGive</a>. On our first event, we donated over 1200lbs of food to Philabundance, and had a great time doing it! No matter how good you think your life is, if you're able to read this blog, there's someone that needs your help. </li>
</ol> And more...<br />
Point is, ever since leaving teaching, and beginning my job at Staples designing, copying, and printing all those teachers' tests and assignments, I've learned so much. It just proves that there's so much out there, and we get tunnel vision sometimes, especially when we've only ever done one type of work. Reach outside your realm of "expertise" (because you're not an expert until you've done it for 10,000 hours), and learn something new!<br />
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</script>rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-14823239767033698882008-10-17T18:47:00.004-04:002008-10-18T15:42:11.375-04:00Acoustic Smog, Headphones, and Your Ears<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/31/56208761_7c72328c3e_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/31/56208761_7c72328c3e_d.jpg" width="142" /></a></div>Maybe you just left the amphitheater from an amazing concert. Maybe you were mowing the lawn, working near a construction site, or at a Nascar race. <br />
Or...you were listening to your iPod (or any music player) for an extended period of time.<br />
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<i>Are your ears ringing?</i> <br />
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As a musician, especially one with rock band experience, I know. If your ears are ringing, they're hurtin' and being permanently damaged. A recent study written about in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/technology/13noise.html?_r=1&oref=slogin">New York Times </a>showed that many people are listening to music at a higher concentrated volume than even the loudest workplace or factory. Even the iPod (which has an upper volume limit, should you choose to enable it), can put out more decibels than your ears can safely handle. <b>Length of listening</b> increases the chances that you're doing damage.<br />
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Sound is even affecting our wildlife, most notably whales, who are suffering because of <i>acoustic smog</i> coming from cruise ships, oil tankers, etc. Whales, like humans, communicate through sound. If they can't communicate, they have trouble finding mates, fellow pods, and raising offspring. TreeHugger has a great <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/acoustic-smog-killing-whales.php">post</a> about it.<br />
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I won't bore you with the science of hearing loss. In fact, I shouldn't have to. The simplest solution to preserving your hearing, is to follow my 3 rules:<br />
<ol><li>Listen through headphones at the lowest possible volume. If you need to "drown out" outside noise, consider getting noise-cancelling headphones instead of blasting the volume.</li>
<li>Protect your ears, anything that sounds "loud" to you, probably is. Use ear plugs (or noise-cancelling headphones) while mowing, at rock concerts, car races, or in any job that deals with heavy machinery.</li>
<li>Give your ears a break! After an hour of headphones listening, give your ears a chance to heal (and they will, provided you didn't do permanent damage, i.e. ringing or short-term hearing loss). </li>
</ol>Please...take care of yourselves :)<br />
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<i>photo credit: <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/emagic/">e-magic</a></i>rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-4644488087625561272008-10-06T20:15:00.001-04:002008-10-06T21:11:05.022-04:00Creepy Trees, or Networking Tools?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/516796883_a870ea2e79_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/516796883_a870ea2e79_d.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><i>In full disclosure of my views, I <b>am</b> networked on MySpace, Facebook, and many other social networks, in some cases, with students. At the end of the article, I'll share some of my tips for avoiding "awkward situations". </i><br />
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According to an <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/100508dnmetcreepytreehouse.115c3b6.html">article</a> in the Dallas Morning News, written today, students are upset at the thoughts of teachers and other adults using popular social-networking sites like <a href="http://myspace.com/">MySpace</a> and <a href="http://facebook.com/">Facebook</a> because it interferes with their privacy and personal lives. Students have created the slang term, "<i>creepy treehouse</i>" to refer to, well, creepy interactions between students and professionals. <br />
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Students believe the sites were designed and created for them (and originally, they <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook">were</a>!) and that adults don't belong. With teachers as "friends" (<i>Alright, folks...let's call them "contacts", okay?</i>), students can't possibly post pictures of their parties, relationships, burning class notebooks at end-of-term, etc. If you're a teacher with students as contacts, how can you possibly post those bar shots, or pictures from your friend's bachelor's party, or a status update that you're moonlighting as a stripper to make ends meet! KIDDING!<br />
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Okay, so I'm all for social networking, with or without students. I've used Facebook groups to share worthy, educational <a href="http://youtube.com/">YouTube</a> videos, links to orchestral sites and events, practice tips, and so on. I've gotten and shared gigs via MySpace. AND...I've done it all without changing my personal life. My take on social media sites, is that while they may have been created for students or "kids", adults need to be aware of them, and maybe even know how to use them. Students should be worrying about <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-facebook-college-20-sep20,0,2460681.story">colleges and employers</a> researching their online profiles. (<i>How's <b>that</b> for "creepy treehouses"?</i>).<br />
<br />
My tips: (<i>as a teacher who's had successful network experiences with family, friends, colleagues, and yes, students)</i><br />
<ol><li><b>Don't</b> initiate a friend request. If students feel comfortable "friending you", let them. Then you have the power to accept, or deny, as you choose.</li>
<li><b>Be smart</b> with what you post. While I was joking about the bachelor party pictures, or posting about your *coughs* second job, some adults aren't smart, and post those things anyway. Model good online behavior, and your connected students will hopefully learn what's appropriate to post online. </li>
<li>You <b>can't</b> require students to sign up for social networking sites for assignments, <b>can't</b>, <b>can't</b>, <b>can't</b>. Some students (and more importantly, parents) choose not to use the internet for privacy reasons, previous bullying issues, and more. Refer to #1...</li>
<li><b>Appearance</b> is everything. If all your contacts are students, it looks scary! If you're going to learn and use Facebook, get some friends on it with you, or even better, fellow colleagues! (likewise, if you have one student, it'll look creepy as well.)</li>
<li>Finally, <b>talk to the student</b> if they request friendship. What is their reason? If it's to get help on assignments outside of school, awesome! If it's to share great educational links/news with you, awesome again! If a student can't give you a valid reason, maybe it's best to decline the request. </li>
</ol>What'd I miss? Think the article is right-on, or way-off?<br />
<i>photo credit: <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/wards/">Ward</a></i>rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-55020462146597467462008-09-19T14:11:00.000-04:002008-09-19T14:36:29.700-04:00Aural Theory & Dictation [Yes, you need to know this!]As a music major in college, I had 8am ear-training lab (we called it "<i>Guido</i>" because of the software we used). It came naturally to me, but that's because I was a bass-player in a garage band, and before that (think middle school), I was a smartass kid taking bets that I couldn't figure out some show's theme song on my clarinet.<br />
It's sad to me, as an educator, that ear-training, sight-singing, and rhythmic/melodic/harmonic dictation isn't taught more, especially at the high school levels. A favorite professor of mine always said,<br />
<br />
"<i>If you can't clap or sing it, you can't play it.</i>"<br />
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If your district doesn't offer aural theory, here are some things you can do on your own:<br />
<ol><a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/187/442666415_1a08aa3187_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/187/442666415_1a08aa3187_d.jpg" width="150" /></a>
<li>Learn <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solfege">solfege</a> and apply it to simple melodies, before tackling that district solo you're working on. </li>
<li>Got a song stuck in your head (known as an ear-worm)? Instead of trying to get rid of it, try notating it on staff paper. (use something like <a href="http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/">Finale Notepad</a> to check your work!)<br />
</li>
<li>Another fun experiment: play an "A" (440Hz) on a piano, tuner, or other instrument (see my iPod Touch <a href="http://cellowireless.blogspot.com/2008/08/ipod-touch-for-musician.html">post</a> for another option). Then, go about your day. At lunch, hum the pitch. Are you close? If not, figure out how far off you were. Do this for a few weeks, and you'll have as close to perfect pitch as you can get. :)</li>
</ol>Ear-training and dictation is a must-have for anyone claiming to be a musician. End-of-story. Want help getting started; need pointers? Email me or leave 'em in the comments.<br />
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<i>photo credit: <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/wrestlingentropy/">wrestlingentropy</a></i>rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-14153967711743319862008-09-12T14:54:00.003-04:002008-09-12T16:32:15.156-04:00Creative Commons is Cooler than Copyright<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPTbcDc-yB8Z9M2OF1VC5sDgFLJPUqGx53_UR_W6JQpebMttU7iz5gG73TT7nAVcM_TdmVyrr4DOX-cOpVs29b_nJ5ct9Js3aMNyuzONmWJY6eqeecL3yY9rBNi-AkvWYxSdG0XHXXmco/s1600-r/cc.large.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPTbcDc-yB8Z9M2OF1VC5sDgFLJPUqGx53_UR_W6JQpebMttU7iz5gG73TT7nAVcM_TdmVyrr4DOX-cOpVs29b_nJ5ct9Js3aMNyuzONmWJY6eqeecL3yY9rBNi-AkvWYxSdG0XHXXmco/s200-r/cc.large.png" border="0" width="98" height="98" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >The only thing cooler than my alliterative title, is the <a href="http://creativecommons.org/">Creative Commons</a> licensing, and the philosophy behind it. Everyone knows what <i>Copyright</i> is, ya know, the little "c" in a circle thing <span style="">(</span><span style="">©), and how it essentially means that the author has <i>"all rights reserved"</i> on his/her intellectual property. <i> </i> </span></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">Creative Commons is cooler than Copyright, because it allows and even <b>promotes</b> sharing, adapting, and resharing creative works. This is incredibly important, so much so, that any educator who isn't aware of Creative Commons licensing should not be teaching, period. A creator chooses who can use it (commercially or not?), whether it can be adapted (and if you have to share it similarly once you do), and how the creator should be attributed to the original work. </span></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">While I was teaching, my students loved asking me about legality (remember, this is the digital generation where downloading music and watching videos online is quite common). When I shared Creative Commons with them (by performing one of my compositions, then inviting them to remix it as they pleased), they understood, and fell in love with it. </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-size:small;"><span style=";font-family:Times,";" ><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Again, why an educator wouldn't know and use a license where their property (including lessons plans, worksheets, presentations, podcasts, images, etc!) can be shared and adapted, befuddles me to no end. I learned early that good teachers create, but master teachers borrow, steal, and remix. Doing it legally, by using Creative Commons, everybody wins!</span><br /></span></span>rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-57264898255776505432008-09-04T21:17:00.001-04:002008-09-05T00:06:50.704-04:00Web2.0 for MusiciansThis is a rather long post, so I plan on dividing it into two parts: 1) Studying Music, and 2) Music for Studying (<i>sorta</i>). I'll be highlighting 4 websites that fall under the "web2.0" moniker, how I use them as a professional musician and educator, and their pros/cons. So, with that, on to part 1!<br /><br /><b>1) Studying Music</b><br />I remember sitting in a "listening room" in the library with a pile of CDs, my textbook, anthology, and my personal class notes. While I haven't had a music history class for about 7 years now, I still listen <i>daily</i>, as I believe it's the most important thing a musician can do. Now, though, I'm using better tools for the task.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURL3iKp_R9rH5o860fwYJFTHkpmOihd5htbw7x7wFXEUWzK8HelTUAgcEhIysA-Kz9P4GmjBZPwur62OA3IukLyXY3y8DuJWOo8Cc1zy-7fgA6Y_6qJP_KP74O8O2Hz6VRI5eEMsC38bJ/s1600-h/Lastfm_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBnjub-FOvNDv5WrbK3r854hyphenhyphen7NCE6e0dU_dySMCfnuXnfexvkOUsd43GKP8xzbebsulUMCpQPqyU8M3iYRYIRLTS1PpSOSDsjjJ2pNaN_Qpaqz08PJTThtiZXlSo-8O5CbQJLrQ3pb3X/s320-r/Lastfm_logo.png" border="0" /></a><a href="http://last.fm/"><b> </b>Last.fm</a> is one of my new favorite sites. When I'm studying an artist, or style of music, Last.fm is the first place I turn. You log in, do a quick search (<i>"Yo-Yo Ma" </i>for example), and it returns tracks and videos relating to him as an artist. You can also stumble through music of a specific genre, looking for new jazz music, for instance. Last.fm keeps track of what you listen to on your iPod (via "<i>scrobbling</i>"), and will suggest similar music as well.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlsHRrRHym4cOL-dYg7DTvFN9gyJ5FKbL9Uztiz5K8LYHxKMSgqhkzn6QhosUPOqMdTujyYjvZwWAGFy6ifWF5vkKdGGnkZgglCezIJpkcS6jQxyCZdvSyuxiEFLiBQsmaTCUy_G5I9Tw/s1600-h/blipfm_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEt5ZXdGIDgTL1WVGqxATsXwSr_xq6OCKdLC5FJJs0gNv-Kb89H2vzfzhR28kPp0xHMSktWYBShl8Y9MirHkjp5VOwG-022YHVZdaJLjHS1NdAFqso0JitDqQEb5OTLGNpYQ4DYobvT53R/s320-r/blipfm_logo.png" border="0" /></a><a href="http://blip.fm/">Blip.fm</a> is a relatively new site for me. It seems like a <a href="http://twitter.com/">Twitter</a>-like company, with a DJ spin on things. You can search for an artist or song, and "<i>blip</i>" it, allowing you to play it immediately (or later if you wish). While the <a href="http://blog.blip.fm/faq">faq</a> is still pretty confusing to me, I can envision uses for blip.fm (a music professor creating a timeline of pieces to listen to, for example, or members of a cover band sharing ideas to each-other for future covers. The possibilities are endless!<br /><br /><b>2) Music for Studying</b><br />There have been quite a few studies done on music and how it effects the brain, including The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozart_Effect">Mozart Effect</a>, and my favorite current book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/This-Your-Brain-Music-Obsession/dp/0452288525/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220587468&sr=8-1"><i>This is Your Brain on Music</i></a>, by Dan Levitin. In addition to actually listening to "<i>music</i>", though, the advantages of "white noise" and even "binaural beats" have been lauded as ways to focus on your work, shutdown headaches, and cure insomnia, among others. Here are my two favorite sites for focusing on my work.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RSwNHat50CZN6o8LZGIn0Ggt4JumfojfGBVMmtBRJwkQRcA-lNCn1Pa_KydmcQZIA5W0Yem6xHHhizKKT4c-gPRKEYXcBvCAwxBgsLaxwZsf9A-EuW_pS4lk4R0_9l2anKQAranfF2Gm/s1600-h/SimplyNoise_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_EsMxabCs5RWDsnhlUd-vj1_YIvXM4676xFrd2qFByJG4_5TOoDV1jgEtTbsVf38qyDrBofywGvI7RvUbIGMwasIIAsnqpSZDvDS4ngok5qk4IFepZdwtfDOaCXNVhjS3Dubt64etk5O/s200-r/SimplyNoise_logo.jpg" border="0" height="36" width="172" /></a></div><a href="http://simplynoise.com/">SimplyNoise.com</a> is simple that. The site offers an online stream of white noise, pink noise, and red/brown noise. They refer to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_noise">Wikipedia</a> to explain the differences, and the effects/benefits of using white noise. Find the desired volume, using the slider, then get to work blogging, studying, filing, or whatever you need to focus on. I can vouch for simplynoise as I've gotten into meditation and reading; two things I could never focus on before because of background noise stealing my attention.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcudp4Txhls5C4-xRW9UxBidJlYGsIPvobyy5fNQb-v5oxyu8XP7Sa8tpi2HAvyQHDHqJOe2uJPS8-VaIWlgEUkM9HauaxSoPiPj6tldAEMr4dDTn7V2LXRSsW7KsyEq4DrcW1JCj7G8LP/s1600-h/IDose_logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheiTH-pxzohKM41_MDuS66oo-Up-xB22DUddanmCOm17dZ8g8O7-E2T6QE9DiUCrRdySPeUKujlEGliwDkP6U3aDdNsXrHtOZoOckCjP4rSm-zRxm26uWe_FQjUfeJeHwhL42-MExMkxrF/s320-r/IDose_logo.gif" border="0" height="30" width="141" /></a></div><a href="http://www.i-dose.us/">I Dose</a> is probably the most interesting in part 2 of my post, but also the one with the most debate as to its effectiveness. I Dose offers streams of "<i>binaural beats</i>". Essentially, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binaural_beats">binaural beats</a> are 2 different frequency pitches played simultaneously, but coming from separate sides (they are best listened to through headphones). Your brain takes the difference of the two frequencies (in Hertz), and creates a wave at that frequency (which can then alter your mental state). If you find yourself struggling with writer's block, for example, lie down, close your eyes, and listen to <a href="http://www.i-dose.us/dose/en/3/Inspiration+and+Creativity/0/">this one</a> for 15-20 minutes and give writing another shot.<br /><br />If you try any of these out (or have previously), let me know in the comments! Am I missing any other great web2.0 music sites?rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-91853615069688482302008-08-28T11:02:00.002-04:002008-08-28T11:20:22.664-04:00Streaming Live Music<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIfLJ9aRAOSozWqvzRQrTf0P0WlcL51ykF80hLF8NXirgOGYcC0TLEi5CTBsaNCdZ9DGlinehYmZJEJELT87pQDYtRt_6JmPy06al1CukqQgf1xeJFlcefiH3NXvIIcRqbSpsld6_htKI/s1600-h/Ipenda-cello082708_001.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbIEi-uWKPZD8n0dfnpyX4P0MKJ3xeDRNckFgUtA3dG5Q5qQZvJbcuzDYl7Q-EtW1TyKd9uEoIDvgS8DEpQlYiAMB2VHepDUVsaiRB0WI0PrK_GdrenApU8hyphenhyphentX48m7-BZJbi58Mm7Fzv/s320-r/Ipenda-cello082708_001.bmp" border="0" /></a></div>Whether you are a classical musician looking for places to perform, or a guitarist/songwriter trying to promote him/herself on your own, the internet is something you should be aware of <b>AS A TOOL</b>. You can use <i>streaming</i> as a way to broadcast your music anywhere in the world! It's something that takes some finesse to setup correctly, but with the right know-how, it's incredible valuable as a means of getting your music out there, giving you motivation to practice, and who knows!<br />About 3 years ago, I <a href="http://skype.com/">Skyped</a> in to an Irish fiddler and played some of the jigs and reels I had been working on on my own. He gave me some incredible pointers about style, and taught me how to string playlists together. My fellow teachers were amazed at the technology, using my laptop (no webcam at that time), a small lapel mic, and the school's wifi, I was able to collaborate with a professional musician on the other side of the globe, over my lunch break, without leaving the building!<br />So, while some people believe that <a href="http://secondlife.com/">Second Life</a> is a waste of time, and of no educational or learning value, I am getting the opportunity to perform live inworld for people I've met all over the world. They'll get to hear me live, without me leaving my small, studio apartment, using only computers and internet connections. Imagine the ability to perform <i>live</i> without all the performance anxiety, travel expenses, and moving of gear (always my favorite part).<br />If you're in SL, check out some live performances inworld! If you're in today, come to <a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/Liberty%20Central%20NE/90/190/51">Misfits Underground</a> at 3pm (slt)/6pm EST and hear not only me, but a fantastic vocalist, "PhoebeAnn Theas", followed by an open mic. It's taken me a long time to get into playing over the net, but thanks to my girlfriend, Cecily, I now have a venue, and a small set of live tunes worked up.rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-70251834604489511632008-08-20T02:31:00.000-04:002008-08-20T02:41:48.945-04:00How would *you* say goodbye to your students?I'm leaving the school district I taught in for two and a half years, suddenly. It sucks, but it's PA's Educational Law, that dictates that I had to get 24 post-graduate credits to enable me to continue teaching with my certificate. So, everything was last minute, because I was desperately trying to find a way to stay.<br />
Instead, I was forced to resign suddenly, leaving staff, and more importantly, students, wondering what happened.<br />
Because of the Facebook group for the orchestra, I have many students asking what happened, so I decided to write them a letter. I had to resign via letter, so this is my <a href="http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcswzjfp_143c4s3q2xq">Resignation Letter to the Students</a> (linked to Google Docs). I debated whether or not it was appropriate, had a few friends proofread it, and finally decided, it was necessary. Frankly, I don't care about the PA Dept of Ed, the district's administration, or how they're going to fill my vacant position. The only thing I care about, are the students, their parents, and making sure they still work regardless of who's there encouraging them to practice, learn, and love music.<br />
Keepin' it short. If you have thoughts, or questions...well, you know.rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-9586144616970454602008-08-14T17:07:00.000-04:002008-08-14T17:39:12.703-04:00Audacity (free recording and practice tool?)Throughout high school and college, anytime I was working on a piece of solo literature, I was told two things:<br />
1. "Listen to recordings and other performances of the piece."<br />
and<br />
<div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3225/2763836164_4766d1e274_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="border: 0pt none ; background-color: transparent; clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="158" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3225/2763836164_4766d1e274_d.jpg" style="border: 0pt none ;" width="200" /></a></div>2. "Record yourself so you can listen back."<br />
Today, I'm sharing a way to do the second piece of advice freely, simply, and using technology you probably already have! If you can operate a CD player or VCR (I'm not talking about programming it, either!), you can run <a href="http://audacity.sourceforge.net/">Audacity</a> on all three of the major operating systems (Mac OSX, Windows, and Linux). Other equipment: a microphone, headphones (not required, but recommended for doing multitrack recording), and obviously, the computer.<br />
I've actually used Audacity, a small lapel mic, and my iPod headphones to record small pieces I've composed for violin, cello, and voice on my laptop! <a href="http://rorowe.tumblr.com/post/32981694/just-something-i-recorded-before-quartet">"For a Reason"</a> <i>(hosted on my <a href="http://rorowe.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a> account) </i>is one example of what you can do, freely, easily, and with very practically no recording experience. Seriously, the big red circle, which is commonly recognized as a "record" button: <i>press it and play</i>!<br />
I doesn't need to be said, but Audacity is great for podcasting as well. Light enough for recording simple speech, and powerful enough to get well-recorded musical thoughts digitally recorded. I've played with some of the advanced features like noise reduction, effects, and beat-matching, so professional-quality recording <i>is</i> possible. Of course, you'll get better results with higher quality microphones, processing, and recording environments, but for what I do...Audacity is a <b>win</b>.<br />
Use Audacity, or other recording tools for practice and composing? Have tips you want to share? Leave 'em in the comments for me!rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-78432448818813992042008-08-06T13:00:00.001-04:002008-08-06T13:49:40.789-04:00iPod Touch for a Musician<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QnO7yakieMApObx97xuvz4jReFEw54kYpCyKj9BYFw-5ibEOzP7UQbLtl6NEGb4647Roac-wNEG175ahbvkeh6c4Aly6xTF5F4QEX9Mle20JbDYm0ksdYfsv2lV97h5ukaEaO8Eoo5Fw/s1600-h/2059113867_56237b6337_o.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QnO7yakieMApObx97xuvz4jReFEw54kYpCyKj9BYFw-5ibEOzP7UQbLtl6NEGb4647Roac-wNEG175ahbvkeh6c4Aly6xTF5F4QEX9Mle20JbDYm0ksdYfsv2lV97h5ukaEaO8Eoo5Fw/s200/2059113867_56237b6337_o.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230339019305345986" /></a><br />I am a musician, and a teacher, and a tech-gadget hog. So when I was looking for a new music player before my Disney trip with the music department, I splurged on a 16Gb iPod Touch. <br /><br />I am a firm believer in the "listen, sing, play" mentality, so a portable music player is almost a must-have in my eyes. One of the first things I do <span style="font-style:italic;">after I've sight-read</span> through a new piece, is find <span style="font-style:italic;">a few</span> recordings of it to study. Sometimes I'll play along. Other times, I just listen and try to imitate. <br />With the software upgrades and the opening of the <a href="http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/appstore.html">App Store</a>, my iPod has become even more useful. I grabbed <a href="http://moocowmusic.com/">MooCowMusic's</a> "Piano" app, allowing me to tune my violin/cello from a full 88 key piano, record simple chord progressions and play them back, and devise simple melodies for future compositions. The "Remote" app, allows me to control my iTunes on my laptop when I need a louder accompaniment (or when I have it running through a sound-system) all via wifi. <br />Also, as long as I'm wifi connected, I have handheld access to my Google apps, where I can search my lyrics, use the calendar to keep track of when/how often I practice (and what I worked on), and more. <br />Honestly, if you're searching for a new music player and can afford it, I'd suggest the Touch without question.<br />Let me know in the comments, if you're a musician, and currently use the iPod Touch (or iPhone) as a practice tool.<br /><br />photo credit: "<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/whizkeed/2059113867/">iPod Touch</a>" by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/whizkeed/">tibopoix</a>.rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-25659596486126619482008-08-02T22:07:00.006-04:002008-08-03T12:50:19.315-04:00Why is it so hard to practice?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluN63r8WRa2KldenWZteHwpGNuD2Gxdxt4DoNbaSD1WAJLHLvhuD6aboUYtt3_KqdKwl8gebIS2u8xZDsCK2geg6LFT0kv3VAhn_TdUPyYlp4HArFdZq0Sx6DOWtnaJ7iVgQ7Y0lE2eFy/s1600-h/1935490276_e848600c0b.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluN63r8WRa2KldenWZteHwpGNuD2Gxdxt4DoNbaSD1WAJLHLvhuD6aboUYtt3_KqdKwl8gebIS2u8xZDsCK2geg6LFT0kv3VAhn_TdUPyYlp4HArFdZq0Sx6DOWtnaJ7iVgQ7Y0lE2eFy/s200/1935490276_e848600c0b.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230334564887357234" /></a><br />Students aren't practicing as much as they used to. <br />Maybe that's just my own observation, or maybe it's partially true. There are a few reasons, I think. <br /><ol><br /><li>Kids are much busier now than they once were - with karate, dance, homework, sports, etc, they literally don't have enough time in the day to do it all.<br /><li>Families are much busier - not only are the kids busier, but parents and siblings are often doing many different things within the home, making practicing much more difficult (finding a quiet place, sans distractions).<br /><li>Schools aren't providing the motivation children need now. Being "in band" isn't enough anymore, especially with the negative stereotypes and self-esteem issues that come part and parcel with belonging to a clique.<br /><li>Encouragement at home isn't what it needs to be.<br /></ol><br />Now, obviously, if your child is <span style="font-style:italic;">routinely</span> practicing, and making steady improvement, most of those <span style="font-style:italic;">excuses</span> don't apply to them. <br />One of the saddest things I heard this summer was, from one of my 8th graders, "My parents don't let me practice because while my mom is in the kitchen cooking, my dad is watching tv, and my brothers are working on homework. Practicing would be a distraction." Thinking inward to my own habits, my practicing has suffered for a number of the same reasons: apartment living, background noise (a/c, fan, dehumidifier), and time. <br />Solutions are forthcoming in a future post, as I think about this more. If you have thoughts, leave 'em in the comments!<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">photo credit: <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/trommetter/1935490276/">Jason Tromm</a></span>rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-26059885415271426352008-07-19T16:10:00.004-04:002008-07-19T16:25:17.881-04:00Oh Woe is TechnologyThe past week has been hell for me, a technology-addicted 30 yr old. The quick list, followed by what I've learned over the past few days:<br /><ul><li>Wireless router interference - I thought, was being caused by an identical router next door to my apt. <br /><li>Car "check engine light" - Caused because spark plugs and wires were never replaced after 105,000 miles. (<span style="font-style:italic;">fixed now, thanks to Monroe Brake & Muffler where my awesome brother works</span>)<br /><li>Wireless card/Motherboard conflict - My HP dv6448se refuses to acknowledge the wifi card anymore. Best Buy's Geek Squad was a waste of time, HP tech support walked me through some steps, and finally resorted to me sending it in (after I finish this post). <br /><li>Mother's E-Machines desktop power-supply failure - Fun! Getting my brother to work on this one for me. I give up at this point.<br /><li>Mother's printer failure - Canon BJC 3000 gives me a fun "waste error" code, which I reset, only to end in a roller/paper feed issue. Again, I quit.<br /></ul><br />AND, I THINK THAT'S ALL...<span style="font-style:italic;">*knocks on wood*</span><br />When it rains, it certainly pours, and I'm hoping my Toshiba survives until HP can diagnose, repair, and return my Vista laptop. Otherwise, I'll be surfing via cellphone and my iPod Touch. (<span style="font-style:italic;">I did say I was a tech-addict, right?</span>)<br /><br />*sighs* Oh well...<br /><br />(btw, this whole situation further reinforces my need to live "on the cloud" and keep all data consistently backed up. Live it. Learn it. Do it.rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-16714821259219433262008-06-22T17:47:00.002-04:002008-06-22T18:02:56.840-04:00Hypermiling - to ChicagoLast week, I got a lot of shit about <span style="font-weight:bold;">driving</span> to Chicago to visit a friend, as opposed to flying or taking the train. Well, my reasons were simple: 1)Cheaper (see below), 2)Less hassle, and 3)It was on <span style="font-weight:bold;">my</span> time frame. <br />So, as they say, the proof is in the puddin'. Using <a href="http://mymilemarker.com">MyMileMarker</a>, the web and my cellphone (including text messages and <a href="http://twitter.com/rorowe">Twitter</a>, I was able to keep very precise track of my mileage everytime I filled my gas tank. <span style="font-style:italic;">Btw, I still haven't gotten gas again since I've been home, so there should still be one more high mileage report added.</span> I'm not supporting driving for no reason, mind you. But, since we are *coughs* <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/06/we-are-not-addicted-to-oil.php">addicted</a> to gasoline, and the government is taking it's good ol' time funding something better, we do what we can. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPb_GWYE9HYa8Nx13X1D0X1ODi77cG9A_5IP5T4BIMLbXt7buI_AYI4V2vrfAYLAPmA6Dr1PMiQ8GbIbHGd1BPKFqxlIBYacvIrfA__-taKkxQtXbPDdyweDKQhUcehpilrf7EdFC3qXs4/s1600-h/Chicago-mpg.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPb_GWYE9HYa8Nx13X1D0X1ODi77cG9A_5IP5T4BIMLbXt7buI_AYI4V2vrfAYLAPmA6Dr1PMiQ8GbIbHGd1BPKFqxlIBYacvIrfA__-taKkxQtXbPDdyweDKQhUcehpilrf7EdFC3qXs4/s400/Chicago-mpg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214825850875410658" /></a><br />So, how'd I do it? Drive 55mph (I did 65 in Ohio because of the higher speed limit on route 80, and while driving 55mph I felt like a safety hazard). It was a little tougher not having cruise control in my '02 Saturn, but it also kept me constantly diligent on how I react to different traffic/driving conditions. "Hypermiling" is all about paying attention to your driving habits to maximize fuel economy. So, no jack-rabbit starts, coasting to a stop instead of accelerating until the last minute, staying a steady speed instead of racing to catch up to traffic "clots", etc. I also learned that my tachometer can be my best friend when it comes to hypermiling. Don't be shocked when I say this, but I don't think I took my car past 2000rpms the entire trip!<br />Done better than this? Let me know in the comments!rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-75287276608511349042008-06-11T21:10:00.003-04:002008-06-11T21:31:04.317-04:00GeekTrippingIn about 8 hours, I'm leaving for Chicago. I'm going to (very weakly) tie this post in with education and music, but really, this is my summer vacation.<br />First off, I'll be <a href="http://www.hypermiling.com/">hypermiling</a> in my '02 Saturn SL1 instead of traveling by air or train, mostly because it's a straight shot, and it made more sense than having to rent a car later. I've printed off 3 pieces of paper for the trip (hotel confirmation and the <a href="http://maps.google.com">Google Map</a> to get me there). If I need anything else, I'll hunt out WiFi or use the mobile version of Google Maps. Music's covered via my iPod (with a few separate playlists created for the ride) piped through via an FM transmitter. Someday, I'll get a new head unit (probably not this car) so I can plug in directly. <br />Speaking of plugging in, power is a huge issue on this trip. Learning from my past experience of driving from PA to DisneyWorld, my phone died about 1/3 of the way down, and me without a car charger. I decided to correct this and other charging issues with "one stone". I picked up a cheap, but effective inverter from Radio Shack for about $20 which will let me plug in my normal chargers en-route. My speed-dialing numbers are all set to people I'd need to call during the trip, and I have my bluetooth so don't bark at me for cellphone use while driving. :-)<br />Finally, I guess I should explain why I'm going to Chicago in the first place! I'm visiting/meeting a friend I met in the virtual world, <a href="http://secondlife.com">Second Life</a>. It's always exciting (maybe a little scary) to connect "sl to rl". Following a 4 night stay, I'll be traveling further West to visit my grandparents (I think...lol), before making the entire trip in reverse. <br />Btw, I'll do my best to document the trip via <a href="http://twitter.com/rorowe">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://brightkite.com">BrightKite</a>, but we'll see if "rl" allows it. :-)rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-45826553928904803792008-06-07T11:44:00.002-04:002008-06-07T12:02:14.012-04:00Practicing over the Summer (Facebook uses)School's out for us at Northern. (*sings the Alice Cooper song*)<br />Most teachers have gotten into the habit of assigning summer reading, juniors are starting senior projects, seniors are working their butts off to save up as much "spending money" as possible before heading off to college. This is all well and good, but how do music students stay fresh without a private instructor, weekly lessons, and daily orchestra rehearsals? <br />This is only a trial, but I created a closed <a href="http://facebook.com">Facebook</a> group and invited all the string players I'm already "friended" with. I announced the group in class, as well as my hopes and expectations of it. So here, goes:<br /><ul><br /><li>Discussions: I'll be checking in <span style="font-style:italic;">at least</span> once a week (if not much more) and posing questions to think about, including music selection for next year, community performance opportunities, auditions (Districts!), artist reviews, etc.<br /><li>Videos, Links, Photos: Find something relevant on <a href="http://youtube.com">YouTube</a>, <a href="http://flickr.com">Flickr</a>, or a blog? Post it! (I got one started; great video of Turtle Island String Quartet playing "On Green Dolphin Street".)<br /><li>Network: Want to get together and play duets, trios, quartets? Practice District audition pieces together? Still excited about improvisation? Use the network to find a good time/place to meet and play together. <br /><li>Challenges: This is all me. :-) I'll be posting weekly "challenges" which could be anything from <span style="font-style:italic;">"playing Happy Birthday in 3 keys"</span> to <span style="font-style:italic;">"Compose an 8 measure groove and record it."</span> <br /></ul><br />Of course, this entire Facebook thing is optional...for now. If it works to keep my musicians on their toes, I'll require it. My hopes, are that the students will enjoy it enough to <span style="font-weight:bold;">want</span> to be involved. If a shout-out on Facebook is the motivation necessary to get your instrument out of the closet, then it and I...have done our jobs.rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-11946010173355012722008-05-27T20:19:00.002-04:002008-05-27T20:59:23.774-04:00A Committee for Cellphone PolicyLast week, I <a href="http://cellowireless.blogspot.com/2008/05/cellphones-and-music-education-thought.html">posted</a> as a precursor to my school district's plans to address the increasing disruptions caused by cellphones and other electronic devices (including iPods). <br />A committee was formed to discuss next year's policy changes before bringing it to the faculty (which won't happen until our June Faculty Meeting) for a vote. The committee was created by volunteer basis and included the Principal, Asst Principal, 3 teachers, and 4 students. The students were all members of the "Principal's Cabinet", which meets once a month to discuss student and faculty concerns.<br />A quick refresher on our current policy, followed by our proposed changes: (paraphrased)<br /><blockquote>Students must turn off their cellphones at 7:15am (upon entering the building), and must have them off and out of sight until 2:40pm (final bell). <br />1st Offense: Phone is confiscated by a member of the faculty and turned into the main office where the student can pick it up at the end of the school day.<br />2nd Offense: Phone is confiscated by a member of the faculty, turned into the main office, and must be picked up by a parent/gaurdian.<br />3rd Offense: Phone is confiscated, turned into the main office, and kept until the end of the school year.</blockquote><br />Now, the committee all agreed that the current policy is causing headaches for the faculty, and parents are becoming more difficult to work with. So, our changes address both the need for a disruption-free learning environment, and the students' needs for connectivity. Here's what we came up (<span style="font-style:italic;">Note: most of these suggestions were brought to the table by <span style="font-weight:bold;">the students</span> and merely agreed/adapted by the faculty</span>.):<br /><blockquote>Phones are turned off (not on silent/vibrate) at 7:15am (entering the building). <span style="font-weight:bold;">Phones may be used during their lunch periods in the cafeteria and main commons area.</span> Phones may be turned on at 2:40pm (final bell).<br />1st Offense: Device confiscated by member of faculty, and turned into the main office. Student is required to notify their parents to arrange for a pick-up time. (this was the old 2nd Offense). 2nd Offense (and consecutive): Device is confiscated by a member of faculty and turned into the main office. Student is responsible for notifying their parent/gaurdian to arrange for a time to pick-up the device, <span style="font-weight:bold;">but only after serving a Saturday School detention</span> (which are currently offered only twice a month.</blockquote><br />The students in the committee also brought up a good point. Allowing students to use phones during their lunches is a positive reinforcement for keeping their phones off and out-of-sight. Also, if a student's phone rings during class <span style="font-style:italic;">because of a student at lunch texting/calling them</span>, there will be a peer-aspect involved. I'm anxious to see what the staff thinks of this proposed new policy. If you have any thoughts, improvements, words of caution, or similar policies in your districts, please let me know in the comments!rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-2141462077272679802008-05-18T14:31:00.003-04:002008-05-18T14:55:50.575-04:00Cellphones and Music Education (a thought?)Next week, I meet with a committee of administrators, students, parents, and education association members to discuss next year's cellphone policy for our school district. The consensus so far, is that cellphone abuse is worse this year than it ever has been, so we're going to tighten the rules and enforce them even more. My stance is that we'll never be able to keep up with the policies that are <span style="font-weight:bold;">already</span> in place, let alone tougher ones. I believe if we talk about respect and "the right place and time", we'll have more luck and less disruptions. With all that said, here's a thought on how I could use the handsets in an educational manner. <br />Here are a few samples of Essential Questions I've used as of late:<br /><ul><br /><li>"How does ear-training improve my playing alone and in an ensemble?"<br /><li>"What are some different techniques for memorization of music?"<br /><li>"Why do we review and critique our performances and the performances of others?"<br /><li>etc...<br /></ul><br />My cellphone, an <a href="http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-details/?device=LG+Shine(TM)&q_sku=sku1130019">LG Shine</a>, has texting, camera, and audio/video recording capabilities. What if students could use their handsets to record their practicing during the school day (since computers or our advanced recording equipment is bulky and time-consuming to set up)? What if they used <a href="http://twitter.com">Twitter</a> to keep track of practice at home? I realize video recording isn't available on every cellphone, but recording video would give students an insight on their posture, bow grip, performance quirks, and so on. I have a post in draft about using <a href="http://skype.com">Skype</a> for distance-learning lessons, but there's nothing stopping a student from placing a cellphone on a music stand (on a call) with me as they play from home, right?<br /><br />Handheld electronics are not going away, and the sooner we all realize that, the less stressful we will be. How can we change policies <span style="font-weight:bold;">for the better</span> and start to take advantage of the portable nature of these <span style="font-weight:bold;">tools</span>?rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-51137319718635300392008-05-06T18:34:00.003-04:002008-05-06T18:55:03.179-04:00Copyright vs. Creative Commons EducationMy students ask me every time I do it:<br /><blockquote>"Are you copying that illegally? Did you ask permission? My Dad recorded the concert. Isn't that against the law?" etc</blockquote><br />They're smart. Some of them even ask me about Creative Commons now that I've shown them some of my compositions. The biggest thing we're missing, is a time and a place to educate these students about <a href="http://www.copyright.gov/">Copyright</a>, Fair Use, and <a href="http://creativecommons.org/">Creative Commons</a>. <br />I'm trying to gather information and wrap my head around it all enough to offer a lesson (possibly even an after school workshop) on the differences. With the press about Nine Inch Nail's latest albums (<a href="http://ghosts.nin.com/main/home">Ghosts I-IV</a> and <a href="http://theslip.nin.com/">The Slip</a>), it gives me a teachable moment to warn them about illegal downloading, plagiarism, copyright infringement, etc, BY offering legal alternatives. <br />So here's where I ask for help. My plan is to use a simple Google Docs presentation, including some NIN music as a hook, with the goal of having the students understand what we can and can not do based on the various licensing options of intellectual property. If anyone's done this already, I'd love some pointers. By Monday, I will have the presentation published, and will welcome anyone to collaborate if they wish. <br />Is this something that should be done more often with our students? Are we blindly assuming that they understand the law and differences between copyright, creative commons, and fair use?rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-3144928687591434742008-04-29T19:18:00.002-04:002008-04-29T19:47:17.126-04:00Please, look at my profilesAll this talk about online safety, making students Googleable, teachers behaving badly, and so on, gives me good reason to put my thoughts out there.<br />First things first: <span style="font-weight: bold;">I participate in social networking. </span>I have a Facebook profile, a MySpace profile, I blog, and Twitter, and have a few photos on Flickr. My MySpace page has past students as "friends". My Facebook page has past and current students as friends. Both have friends from my high school and college years as well as family. My profiles are clean, and I have no worries of a student/parent/colleague finding them. Here are some quick tips for <strike>teachers</strike> everybody when it comes to cleaning up their online presence:<br /><ul><br /><li>First off: Ask yourself, "If my boss, mother, student, etc saw anything I post online, how would they react?"<br /><li>Adults are allowed to be adults, but there are reasons children aren't allowed in bars, clubs, bedrooms...don't subject young minds to things they don't need/want to see. It doesn't need to be online (or recorded at all for that matter!)<br /><li>Kids party and act silly. If you're posting pictures of drinking, shame on you! If you're cyber-bullying or treating anybody worse than you'd want to be treated, online or not, stop it. The minute it goes online, it's permanent.<br /><li>Simply put, <span style="font-weight:bold;">think before you post</span><br /></ul><br />Please, I offer an assignment: <span style="font-style:italic;">Visit my profiles, if there's something you think I should change, let me know via these comments. THEN, check your own profiles, and look at them in the eyes of your boss, your mother, or your students.</span> Good luck!rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-90759153942703365282008-04-06T22:08:00.002-04:002008-04-06T22:09:19.904-04:00Learn to be Impulsive<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rorowe/2394688850/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2319/2394688850_75ae7d2438_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" > <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rorowe/2394688850/">Harrisburg from across the river</a> <br /> Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/rorowe/">rorowe8</a> </span></div>The past few nights, I've had optional things planned to get out of my apartment, avoid work, and hopefully have fun. I've noticed recently, though, that as the time nears, I debate whether I really want to go or not. Finally, I jump up, grab my go-gear, and head out the door, usually ending up having a great time. This post is a lesson in being impulsive so stir up an otherwise routine life without spending alot of money.<br />Friday I attended a benefit concert for Breast Cancer Research at Northern High School (featuring House Exit and Fink's Constant). I got to sit back and enjoy a great event for $3 in a pretty comfortable environment (where I teach, lol).<br /><br />Saturday, I traveled up to Enola, PA to hear Fink's Constant again at the local VFW. That was a little stranger, as I was driving to a strange area, and going to a Veterans' hangout to see one of my colleagues play in a ska/reggae band. My best memory from last night was my colleague buying a beer for me (on the band's tab) and remarking about how nice it is to have a fellow teacher out to hear them.<br /><br />On the way home last night, I noticed the lights of Harrisburg from across the river. "I must get some pictures of that," I thought, so that was today's event. I debated not going, but finally let my impulses take over, grabbed my camera and grabbed a bunch of shots. Unfortunately, due to my camera's limitations, I was only able to keep 4 pictures (the one above being my favorite).<br /><br />This all comes about as I think about the life of a teacher outside of school. What's appropriate, what isn't, and how to participate in the world around us (both physical and digital). I'm anxious to see what my Monday brings me!rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-40863027925537505992008-04-04T01:28:00.002-04:002008-04-04T01:31:29.639-04:00Making Accomodations<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rorowe/2386200303/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3088/2386200303_39399567f7_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" > <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rorowe/2386200303/">nycsd Orchestra Room (middle school)</a> <br /> Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/rorowe/">rorowe8</a> </span></div>I'm going to start off negative, but should wind up with a thoughtful, positive post by the time I'm through.<br />Because of PSSA's, I got paid to take pictures of my classroom, make a few phone calls, and practice my violin. Because of PSSA's, my 8th Grade Orchestra lost a rehearsal and day of lessons that they'll never get back; a rehearsal that is only one month from the Spring Concert. My home-schooled students were sent home when they showed up for their lessons. When my 6th and 7th Grade Orchestras each had their rehearsals, they were so hyper from being in a quiet testing environment all day, then finally released to "normal classes".<br /><br />So here's my favorite photo from this morning. A photo prompted by a few of my 7th Graders. This was taken from a storage area that can only be reached via an iron ladder bolted to my wall. You see, my orchestra room used to be a prop-storage room for the plays/musicals. My students have always been curious about this little storage area, but because of the ladder, and other safety concerns, I obviously don't let them up here. So, I promised to take pictures of the closet, and the room, from this vantage point.<br /><br />My students are starting to learn about technology above and beyond what I/we can teach in<br />school because of filtering, mainly because I give them opportunities outside of school. "The link on the whiteboard is to an amazing YouTube video of Pablo Casals, a very famous cellist." for example. Publishing worthwhile links on my <a href="http://facebook.com/">Facebook wall</a>, or taking it a step further and publishing it via Twitter (which still goes into Facebook for me), and then finally blogging about it, all give students an additional way to learn without the confines of a school building.<br />While I haven't created specific lesson plans that utilize technology, I'm making my orchestra students use the technology they already have (cellphones, iPods, cameras, computers, etc) to extend their learning beyond my rehearsals and lessons. It's not mandatory, so no worries about students without access/cellphones/etc, and if a student tells me they're not allowed on YouTube (which has happened), I get the parents permission to show them a downloaded version of the video. No iPod? It's an extra step, but I can burn a CD with the listening assignment, podcast, or recorded versions of the concert music.<br /><br />Until we change the way we test/teach/treat our students, I'm being flexible and doing what I can with what I know.rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-30858530993236887882008-04-01T22:06:00.002-04:002008-04-04T01:32:09.809-04:00Photography (I'm back!)<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rorowe/2374500477/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2187/2374500477_1eab9049f8_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" > <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rorowe/2374500477/">Memorial Park</a> <br /> Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/rorowe/">rorowe8</a> </span></div>When I discovered a dust speck on the internal lens of my Olympus Stylus 300, life was over. When I stupidly didn't back up my photos, and consequently paid the price when my laptop failed, it was like erasing 3 years of memories.<br />So, imagine my surprise and joy when I booted up the camera and noticed the dust was <b>gone</b>! This past Sunday, I had planned on actually opening up the camera to see if I could clean the lens myself (definitely a last resort option, mind you). It was a beautiful day, so discovering a functional camera was just the perfect thing for my day.<br />Thanks to some friends at work, I went exploring, camera-in-hand, at the Memorial Park in Lemoyne. It's a small park stretched along the Susquehanna River, with City Island resting in the river between Lemoyne and Harrisburg. Here's one of my favorites from the excursion.<br /><i>p.s. This is also my first use of <a href="http://flickr.com/">Flickr</a>'s blog posting feature. Hope it works. </i>rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-46234439677071658322008-03-29T12:19:00.004-04:002008-03-29T12:44:01.875-04:00Earth Hour 2008 (Or have you been doing it already?)I just learned about <a href="http://www5.earthhourus.org/">Earth Hour 2008</a> about 20 minutes ago (through <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2008/03/black-google-homepage.html">Google's blackout notification</a>), but it reminded me of something I've wanted to share for a few weeks now. Here are <span style="font-weight:bold;">my</span> Green Habits, and how I've contagiously started to spread them to my family, friends, and students. <br />First off, I live in a studio apartment (460sq feet) by myself. My electric bill per month averages $50 <span style="font-weight:bold;">ALL YEAR</span>. I have not done anything drastic to save the Earth...yet, so everything I share, is easily copyable by all of you reading!<br /><ul><br /><li>I use CFL (compact fluorescent bulbs) in all but my bedroom light (which is the apt's globe light that I never use. I even got 2 free CFLs by doing a Electricity Audit of my apartment!<br /><li>I use power strips with on/off switches. When I'm not charging cellphone/iPod/Nintendo DS/Laptops, the powerstrip with all the power adapters is turned OFF. Believe it or not, leaving those adapters plugged in still drains electricity!!!<br /><li>My heat (this apartment uses electric radiant heat, kinda like a giant toaster-oven) is set at 65 degrees Fahrenheit. I tried to go below that, but my cat started having issues. Set your's as low as you can stand and use lots of blankets. <br /><li><a href="http://www.tide.com/en_US/tidecoldwater/index.jsp?vid=1014">Tide Coldwater</a> Works perfectly, clothes should last longer, and not only am I being "Green" with this small step, I'm saving the apartment complex money on water heating expenses. (<span style="font-style:italic;">Whether I'll ever see those savings remains to be seen. (-:</span>)<br /><li>I use reusable, canvas (they happen to be green) bags for all my grocery shopping. They were 99cents/each at <a href="http://weismarkets.com">Weis</a> (where I also walk to work every weekend). They're stronger, hold more items per bag, and I get a small discount at every checkout for using them instead of plastic. <br /></ul><br />Now, my students know I'm a fan of Green living, <a href="http://lifehacker.com/">LifeHacker</a> and <a href="http://treehugger.com">TreeHugger</a> blogs, and sharing my tips with everyone, so they've started to adopt simple things too. Turning out my classroom lights whenever we aren't in the orchestra room was an obvious one that apparently nobody else in the district thought of! <br />So, tonight at 8pm, turn your lights off! In fact, turn everything off, grab your iPod, and take a night walk around your neighborhood (or ditch the iPod and walk with a friend). Let me know in comments if you've planned any fun "no light" activities in the comments!rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-57675932970084553632008-03-22T21:58:00.005-04:002008-03-22T22:26:51.524-04:003 things I learned from a thrash-rock showIf you know me well enough, you know I'm a musician, but more specifically, a music <span style="font-weight:bold;">teacher</span>. I am a cellist, violinist, and composer. Music theory is to me what theorems and proofs are to mathematicians. <br />Every once in awhile, though, I expose myself to music outside...<span style="font-weight:bold;">way outside</span>...my normal everyday experiences. Tonight, I went to a thrash-rock CD release party.<br />I learned some things about music, believe it or not. Things teachers would NEVER be taught in college or during professional development. I learned some things about life that wouldn't be taught as part of character-ed lessons. So, here's my three biggest observations from attending a thrash-rock show:<br /><ol><br /><li>Listen to EVERYTHING. This is THE most important thing I can teach a musician or a music student. My ex-wife used to complain of headaches and car-sickness anytime I played something that she didn't know the words to. John Cage said (I'm paraphasing) that everytime you are given a piece of music to listen to, you're placing limits on what you understand as music. The more variety you hear, the bigger the umbrella of "music" you can appreciate, whether you enjoy it or not. <br /><li>"Loud" is not always called "forte". Our musical notation system is complicated. We still use Latin and Italian words for things, notes are placed on staves with heads, stems, and flags/bars, and instruments can be based around different keys. Just because music isn't written down, doesn't mean it isn't music. I take a step back occasionally, and force my violin, viola, and cello students to improvise. The National Music Standards may then advise me to have them try to notate it, but it doesn't always need to me. Some bands (like the 3 I heard tonight) have everything memorized, with only a set-list taped to the floor to remind them the order they want to play the songs in. When's the last time you memorized an entire concert?<br /><li> Don't assume ANYTHING based on the music someone likes. Yeah. I went to a thrash-metal-punk show, and enjoyed myself. I almost bought a copy of the cd they were releasing. You only need to go as far as my iPod to know that I'm not all Bach and Beethoven. You'd also never think of me as a music teacher if you caught me at a punk show like this, right? You know what happens when you assume, right?...<br /></ol><br />Finally...(yeah, this is number 4), it's amazing what a little networking will get you. The drummer of the second band I heard, works with me at Weis Markets (which is my 2nd job since teaching doesn't pay enough to survive on a single salary). He was leaving early for the show, and most of the others were attending. They all know I'm a musician/teacher and invited me...just for the heck of it. It was a bonding experience, and I'm actually looking forward to working again next Friday. Hopefully, we'll make the Facebook connections, I'll get some more pictures tagged with me in 'em, and I'll be invited to more musical experiences.<br /><br />p.s. One of the other cake decorators sang a part of Carmina Burana today, and asked me to write down the title and composer so she could by the CD. (She's a 22 year old, culinary arts student who usually listens to Top 40/Rock)rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310001059233380943.post-38204240424221912122008-03-13T21:08:00.002-04:002008-03-13T21:24:55.131-04:00Cellphones in the SchoolsI couldn't let Will Richardson's latest <a href="http://weblogg-ed.com/2008/students-pay-a-price-literally-for-cell-phone-ban/">post</a> go without my own response on my blog.<br />I've talked about this before, as have the many high school students I surround myself with daily. To refresh, here's a summary of our district's policy; one I feel is fair, and well-written, even though it's abuse has largely gone unnoticed. <br /><blockquote>Students may carry cellphones/iPods to and from school. During normal school operating hours, they must be turned off. If a cellphone is visible (or worse, audible) during instructional time, a warning will be issued. The consequence for a 2nd offense is confiscation (student picks it up at the end of the school day), and 3rd offense requires a parent to come to pick up the phone from the office.</blockquote><br />I am all for a lift to a cellphone ban, but that said, I don't see a problem with my district's current policy. Aside from a very select few teachers using cellphones during the day for educational/business contacts relating to their positions, I don't see a reason to allow cellphones to be used during the day. While I would love students to be able to connect via Twitter, use their cameras/video features for educational use, I haven't seen or heard of anyone trying to implement something like this. <br />I have many students who have my cellphone number, and I have a short list of students' numbers as well. The music department relies on cellphones for inter-building communication, and communicating during after-school activities (marching band, musical, drumline, etc). I've allowed students to have their iPods/phones out during study-hall rehearsals when they've asked me to listen to a piece of music, or watch a video of them playing. I've allowed phone calls home to explain to their parents why they have a zero for the day (forgetting an instrument, for example), and I invite students to take pictures/record audio and video during performances (where legally allowed, of course). <br />So, for now, I'm fine with our policy, but I would be on the front lines supporting a change in policy if the use of technology warranted it.rorowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02118009594614181918noreply@blogger.com0