I have to apologize for being so absent lately, but things have been CRAZY! My family and I have been through a lot of health problems this fall and I am home today with my younger daughter who has a “tummy ache”. Instead of having the sub watch a video, I decided to try to have the kids get into the Music Lab and access the Harrington Music website, where I would upload a short video of myself instructing them on today’s lesson. Then they would post on WallWisher after they learned from Virtual Me, and then go play various games that I have linked on there. So all was planned, except I only had 1 hour to get dressed, get my oldest to school, make the videos for three different grade levels, make the Walls on WallWisher, publish the website, and check all of the links before the kids would arrive in my classroom with the sub! (And you wonder why I’m on anti-anxiety meds!…)

So, the plan was to have 4th grade do a Medieval webquest and read information about the Medieval period and comment about one thing they learned on their WallWisher site. That went pretty well, though I had only 6 commenters with terrible spelling. But at least I know they were getting it. Then 3rd grade was to watch a video of a powerpoint I had converted… scratch that…that I was YET to convert! The trick here was being able to get the powerpoint converted in time, and with several failed attempts with authorStream (worked for me in the past, don’t know what the deal was today), I ended up finding out that I can “Save as Movie” right in PPT! Arghh….

By that time, 3rd grade music was almost over and I called the sub to tell her just to direct them to play online games. I got the second grade movie ready but she told me that 6 of my computers were “freezing” and she just put half the class on the rest of them and half the class in the room watching a video. *sigh* So much for my 4 hours of work this morning!

Everything this year seems to be turning out like this. In an attempt to utilize more and more technology in my lessons, I am spending an average of 8 extra hours per week beyond my regular “plan time” (which just ends up being tech support time at my school) making flipcharts in ActiveInspire, PowerPoint slides, updating the classroom website and the school website, inputting data into excel and Schoolnet, and creating my weekly lesson plans using Planbook. Though I am in love with technology, I also am neglecting my family, and my health has been affected as well.

I am reminded of Matthew 6:24 which says “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” This is me with technology. It is a love/hate relationship for sure. Honestly I have to figure out a way to work smarter or all passion will be lost for this job. Everyone keeps asking me why I don’t work in IT for a large company. Really?! I cannot see myself in that world. I love kids and know that Harrington is where I am supposed to be serving right now at least.

So that’s my fall update. Until the next post, take care readers and please feel free to comment and offer any suggestions or sympathies.

The next project I’ve been exploring is Smoothboard for Mac. This shareware software allows one to use a wiimote and infrared pen to create a wiimote whiteboard system. I fell in love with the built-in toolbar (highlighter, shape tool, pen, etc) (Wiimote Whiteboard doesn’t have) and I don’t have to open up ActiveInspire everytime I want kids to write. Also got a new pen from Teachwithtech.com that is working very well.

Third experiment I’ve been trying is a new room set-up. Flipped the entire room 180 degrees and now am using the actual whiteboard (glossier surface=better for writing) for my IAW surface. I had to play around with my LCD projector settings to get it to project in 16:9 mode to fit the board at a “far away” width so my projector cart doesn’t have to be right in the center of the room. A little squishy, but it’s fine for now. Pics to come.

That’s all for now. I’m going to learn a lot of new tech with this new role, but it will come with a lot of ranting too I suppose. Get ready, this year is going to be one heck of a ride!!

These are just a few of the Flash tools offered on this site. There are also counters, random fact generators and  even a customizable Hangman game! Can’t wait to try it with my Wiimote Whiteboard!

So, dear readers, please bear with me this summer as I try to determine what exactly constitutes a good length of time to take off and just live life for a while and when to get back to my professional life. While I’d like it to be with renewed vigor and passion, I’m not sure two months will be enough. We’ll just have to see.

2011 Music and Arts Enthusiasts Award Winners Announced

This years 2011 Music and Arts Enthusiasts Award Winners for Music Education are:

* Music Teachers 911
* Music Education Magic
* Music is Not for Insects
* Music Matters Blog
* Music Teacher’s Helper
* Music, Education, and Technology: MusTech.Net!
* MusicEdMajor.net
* Free Jazz Blog
* Thomas J West Music
* UrbanMusicEducation.org
* What Music Means to Me
* Congratulations to all the winners and be sure to bookmark these valuable online music ed. resources.

I’m sorry the links didn’t format correctly… Google these fine blogs or CLICK HERE to see the full list and be sure to visit these amazing blogs created by other talented and passionate arts educators!

The bottom line for me is simply that we are no longer (or were we ever?) in control. The one thing I kept holding onto as I drove home is that I am extremely lucky to still have a job despite these cuts. The arts positions decided upon in the 2003 mill levy remain untouchable and I am in a good spot for now. I need to praise God for that and for the fact that I can come home to my kids tonight with less anxiety than some of the staff at my school right now. I can only hope that it stays this way, but removing myself from the equation always helps. Remembering that God has me just where he wants me, for now, takes everything and puts it into perspective. I am still on a mission to serve and glorify Him in everything that I do. I need to remember that each day when I drive into work until the day when I get my calling to go elsewhere. I want to encourage others in similar situations to keep the faith. The moment I woke up this morning was filled with anxiousness over being possibly evaluated, not being as prepared with my lessons and I would have hoped, and the looming bad news of the budget cuts, but I know tomorrow will be much better, because I know I am free. Free from the worry and anxiety that a job is what makes me me.  It is only a vehicle through which God allows me to carry out His work and when it is over, He will let me know and move me to the next adventure. I am free to surrender EVERYTHING in my life to God.

Thanks for reading, and I hope there is hope for our school in the form of some budget relief int he future. In the meantime I am going to pray for the staff at my school faced with the hard reality of possibly losing heir jobs or moving into new positions next year, and the negative impact losing those people will have on our kids. If you pray, please include Harrington in your list, and thank you.

Here’s a brief recap of what I saw and liked this year. Thursday I wasn’t into seeing much of anything since I was so sick. I checked out some of Thom Borden‘s sessions (always a good time!) and enjoyed learning some new dances for little ones (though I didn’t participate since I didn’t want to hold hands with anyone!) I also went to meet and see my MusicPLN colleague, Marcy Cochran do a session on Interactive Whiteboards in the Music Classroom. I got some great new ideas to use with ActiveInspire and learned some neat new tricks for making things ‘magic’ with the software.It was good to reconnect with old colleagues and I had my first dinner- best fish and chips ever- at the Golden Bee, the Broadmoor’s must-see English-style pub.

The next day I slept past the first two sessions, and felt better. Rarely do I ever get to sleep in on a weekday and I savored the opportunity to spend and hour on my hair and makeup while enjoying a cup of coffee and taking my sweet time. No kids for a few days can really rejuvinate a tired and stressed music-teaching mom! The first session I attended on Friday was Barbara Grenoble. She is truly the Orff Guru. I really loved her ideas about classifying sounds using everyday objects. I really enjoyed seeing Susan Cicerello’s “Majestic Mallets” ensemble and it gave me a lot of ideas for my own little lunchtime music club that we started just before Christmas. I enjoyed meeting up with DPS collegues Friday night, but didn’t stay long since I had to present on Saturday and wanted an early start (and a chance to watch Fringe with NO distractions FOR ONCE!)

Saturday came early, and I was nervous-excited for my first session because it was ME! There were about 25 in attendance (maybe not even that) at 8am but they were all appreciative of what I had to present. I also took the time to see Jim Solomon Saturday and I had a lot of fun just jamming with recorder, guitar and drums. Jim’s enjoyment and enthusiasm for music is infectious! Overall I’m glad for the experience to take it easy and not wear out myself by going to everything. I am excited to start the week with kids and know that I am more energized and rejuvenated just by having a few days to focus only on myself. Thanks to everyone who wished me well and for those that spent the time to professionally and personally heal me this weekend. I appreciate this profession more than ever and know it is where God wants me to be.

~blessings, Sarah