While I was student teaching, the students regularly used SmartMusic in lessons. Mostly the program was used for the accompaniment and the student's had their own sheet music so they weren't reading off the computer. This is definitely something I wish I had growing up because when it came to All-State solos, I wasn't used to playing with a piano and when I first started it would always through me off! I think it's great for the students to hear how the piano compliments their performance and there's more than just reading the notes off the page.
As far as Finale, I must say I absolutely love scanning pieces in! What a time saver, considering I'm working on a laptop without the numeric keypad. Using the numbers on top of my laptop is helpful, but nothing compares (in my opinion) to having a numeric keypad to work with when inputting. It's kind of amazing how Finale can read and input music from a sheet of paper you scanned. I can only imagine what deceased composers would think if they only knew what advancements would occur in music technology!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
Work Rant
Even though this isn't a class assignment, I feel the need to rant and since it's about teachers - what better place than here?
At my job, our desks are inside cubicles that are about 6' high, so if people are talking you can hear most of their conversation. It's about 3pm, after most kids are home, one woman must have just gotten off the phone with her daughter. She says to the coworkers around her, "Are you kidding me? My daughter just said she has a project - she has to write a report, put together a bibliography, and even have a cover page!" Then a couple women around her began chiming in about their kids projects, remembering their own schooling, how so much homework was useless or pointless, etc. One lady said, "Oh, I remember one... we had to use ten pictures with our paper, too!"
At my job, our desks are inside cubicles that are about 6' high, so if people are talking you can hear most of their conversation. It's about 3pm, after most kids are home, one woman must have just gotten off the phone with her daughter. She says to the coworkers around her, "Are you kidding me? My daughter just said she has a project - she has to write a report, put together a bibliography, and even have a cover page!" Then a couple women around her began chiming in about their kids projects, remembering their own schooling, how so much homework was useless or pointless, etc. One lady said, "Oh, I remember one... we had to use ten pictures with our paper, too!"
Oh, the horror! Ten pictures, a report, a cover page, and a bibliography?
As if it weren't bad enough, one lady said how her boyfriend told her he would never get involved with another teacher because his ex-wife was one and he knew how "they" were.
It was so difficult for me to remain planted in my seat and not open my mouth, particularly after that comment. I'm still livid thinking about it. I might be working in an office and not considering teaching at the moment, but I certainly feel offended. And to think about how this woman probably will react in front of her daughter regarding the assignment is clearly going to influence how she feels about the project, her teacher, and education.
I thought working out would make me feel better, but nope -- still so angry!
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