The #MusEdChat held on December 6, 2010 discussed time savers that could be used in the music office or classroom.
Time Savers in the Office
The #MusEdChat participants began by discussing multiple tips and tricks to staying organized and being efficient in a music teacher’s office and classroom. One tip was to write the agenda for the class on the board. This helps to keep the teacher and the students on task.@lovedrummin suggested using a variety of forms for students to fill out which include forms for excused absences, repairs and needed supplies. Students then put the forms into their respective folders. As far as ensembles go, @tubachic suggested instituted a no-talk rehearsal. This keeps the rambling of the teacher to a minimum and also makes the students work more efficiently. Student leadership was also an invaluable resource for teachers to be productive. Giving easier tasks to students to complete helps the teacher to be more efficient, and also gives students responsibility which could in turn motivate them But the overwhelming majority of tips had to do with technology. Many teachers use iDevices to take attendance and do grades. In addition, participants stated that class or department websites can be useful in keeping students informed about updates and class information. Check out some of the technology tools music educators are using below!
Web Applications
- Twitter – A Twitter account for your band can be useful to post updates. Students also can sign up to have Twitter updates pushed to their phones by texting “Follow @username” to 40404
- Evernote – with the use of a scanner, teachers can use Evernote as a filing cabinet to store students’ work. Can work in conjunction with the iPhone/iPad app.
- Dropbox - Dropbox can be very useful in the administrative tasks of a music teacher. Teachers can easily share documents with students using Dropbox. Can work in conjunction with teh iPhone/iPad app.
- Wiggio – A great way to get messages out to all students.
- Cinchcast – Can be used to record and analyze rehearsals.
iPhone/iPad Applications
- Seize the Day – An application that helps to organize tasks and makes your to-do list portable.
- Dropbox – Adding this App allows you to sync your iDevice to files that were added to your dropbox via computer, and vice versa.
- Evernote – Syncs any notes made on your computer to your iDevice, and vice versa. Allows you to access and take notes no matter where you are.
About Andrew Ritenour