Quick SmartMusic Tip

I am always looking for ways to make it easier for my kids to use SmartMusic.  I also believe that kids should be gently prodded to use this powerful tool whenever possible.

This week's problematic observation was that students only use SmartMusic if there was a SmartMusic assignment.  

To help with that limited use idea, you could give out a huge number of assignments.  But that makes tons of work for you evaluating the assignments.  

We spent some time talking about what SmartMusic does for you.   Talk about the support for rhythm and fingering SmartMusic supplies and mention that practicing something wrong repeatedly isn't helpful for learning.  Don't forget to remind them it is more fun as well! 

I also found a place to make the method book more prominent!  Yes, "Method Books" is one of the choices in the left hand side "My Library" column.  But there is also a way to make it show up as a big picture on the right side of the student home page.  To do this go into your teacher home page and add your method book to your class and it will show up on the student's home page whenever they log in.  A visual (and much bigger) hint.  Hopefully, your kids will pick up on it.

You know, I bet the next million dollar idea is the electronic method book.  Runs on your favorite pad like device.  Then there is this little icon right next to the line that says "SmartMusic this?"  With the near impending doom of paper printed texts, this pad may be the way we distribute what we tradtionally put on paper.  Why not make SmartMusic more of a part of the text than the text part of SmartMusic?

Getting Your Students Into SmartMusic Gradebook

www.smartmusic.com

https://gradebook.smartmusic.com/

We have been using SmartMusic Gradebook for several years now.  It is a HUGE piece of our SmartMusic everywhere plan.  The Gradebook is an excellent way to send musical assignments and collect them from individuals.

But the trick to using the SMGB is getting kids to set-up an account, login and register for class.  I guess that is really three tricks.

There are two obvious ways to do this.  You could send the instructions home and hope the kid is a good reader (or has help) and gets it done that way.  Or, you could take class time to do it.

We have tried it both ways and have found both methods have their upsides and downsides.

With the send it home method:

• Upside-- You probably will get parent support.  Kids probably aren't allowed to install software unsupervised at home.  At least they aren't at my house.
• Downside-- You may wait for months for this to happen!
• Downside-- You might not have students registered for the right section.
• Upside-- Parents will actually be aware that they have the program.
• Upside-- You will hear from the parents that it doesn't work on their computer if it doesn't work on their computer.
• Downside-- You will hear from the parents that it doesn't work on their computer if it doesn't work on their computer.

With the use class time method:

• Upside-- You will have everyone registered for class.
• Upside-- You will have little time spent tracking down the laggards.
• Upside--  It will be the right class.
• Downside-- You may be surprised by how many kids don't confidently know their contact information.
• Downside-- I have yet to meet the music teacher with enough rehearsal time.

Recommendations:

If at all possible, I would recommend the do it in class method.  Yes, you loose some of the parent involvement, but it saves you time in the long run.  You can be sure that everyone is registered and you can check to be sure the student is registered for the right class and fix it right away if they aren't.

I wouldn't do this with out some preparation.  At the bare minimum have students bring their e-mail address to class.  They will also need their address and an e-mail for parents.  Our fifth graders are pretty bright, but they haven't had to fill out this kind of registration form before and it takes a while.  I think we have it down to 40 minutes per class. 

If kids forget their home address, we use the schools address for creating an account.  

You need a plan for siblings that share e-mail accounts as well.  Parents could set-up e-mail addresses for the kids or you could use a bogus e-mail address for the login and have real parent contact addresses inside of the SmartMusic account.   

We just got Google Apps accounts at school for our students, so the individual e-mail address was easy for us.  

Everyone's situation is different.  We have access to computer labs and that makes having everyone do this at the same time possible. If you want to use a lab and don't want to install SmartMusic on all the computers, point your favorite browser to https://gradebook.smartmusic.com/ .  This address will let you use the browser to set-up accounts and register for class.

You would be crazy to do this in a lab setting without an interactive white board or projector.  Walk through it once with a dummy student by yourself.  Show the kids once using a dummy student when they aren't watching their computers to walk them through the process as well.

We used our IWB and had students very carefully follow us every step of the way, one step at a time.  Starting with opening the same browser. Have kids triple-check entries.  This is a situation where one misplaced keystroke will slow everyone down while you trouble shoot and fix things.  It is very important to get the login right as well.  How else are students going to get in to do their assignments?  Grandpa always said, "Don't hurry into trouble."  This is one of those times to listen to him.

If you have just one computer in your classroom, you could train a student to supervise the others in registration.  If you use the send it home method, this could be the way to clean up the late or poorly done registrations.

After setting up the accounts and registering the kids for class, I would make sure that they have written down what their login address and password are.  This could be the one piece of paper that should go in an instrument case.  Having watched our practice room computers for several years, I know that the number one login problem is forgetting the login info.

I would also aim to do this in-class process very early in the year.  What else are you going to do on the first day?  Talk about a bunch of rules?  This may also be the least valuable rehearsal day if you are concerned about that time issue.

This process sounds like a lot of work but it is worth it.  It gets easier with each section of kids you work with and kids with existing accounts will breeze right through this.  

SmartMusic Gradebook is THE way to keep tabs on your students and help them grow as musicians.  It will also help you to improve your teaching as well, just listen for trends of what to fix.  Getting them logged-in and registered is worth every minute.

ADDENDUM:
This is harder for students who haven't had an SmartMusic account before.  If they remember their account login info and password from last year, registering for this year's class is a breeze!  Figure half the time on this project for the experienced users.  I would still have them register for class as a group.  Nice to have them all in the gradebook.

The Music Education 100 Blog Project

http://mustech.net/2008/12/16/announcing-the-almost-official-list

I do love vacation, I can catch-up on all the interesting projects and reading that I have been working on.

Have you been following the 100 ME Blogger project?  Looks like the 100 has happened!  The blogs are worth a look for ideas and they are a chance to see what others are thinking.  Have a couple of minutes before the next thing happens in your day?  Take a quick look here.

YouTube Symphony Orchestra

Have you heard about the YouTube Symphony Orchestra?

I don't know how I missed the launch in November.  I must have been working.

Anyway, it looks like the quickest way to Carnegie Hall may be to practice, practice. practice for this audition, record it and submit it to YouTube.

You need to be 14 (or older.)  My students aren't old enough, maybe yours are!  

It looks like there will be help with arrangements (travel and visa) so no worries and lots of fun!  

Maybe I'll have to enter.

Link (I think I left a bad one blues)

http://electronicmusicedideas.wikispaces.com/ Should take you to my wiki about my new general music class for the 7th grade. I wrote about this project earlier and put in a bum link. I am looking for any and all ideas for teaching technology in music that has worked in general music at the 7th grade level. If you have anything that worked, show this wiki some love!

These short naps are wonderful. There is some news for Finale Users.

Wow.  I haven't written since last Thursday?  Really?

Last Thursday, Finale 2009 was released by MakeMusic.

I'm planning on upgrading, not so much because I like to stay current, but because there will be improved SmartMusic support.

You see, Finale is the key to getting what you want in SmartMusic.  If you can't find  what you need in the 50 bazillion exercises, etudes, band arrangements that are built in/available, your next step is to open a new Finale document and create it.

They say that linked part support will save a lot of time for educators.  I believe they are right.  I will love to verify that for you when I get my copy of '09 and the latest version of SmartMusic (10.3?)   That's gotta be coming in soon as well. 

Only only 41 days left to the end of the "seasonal summer lay-off."  It is good to have a couple of projects.

iPhone Apps

There is a lot of buzz about the iPhone release today.  There is a lot of talk about the improvements and the new pricing.

I was most excited about the App Store that is opening at the same time on iTunes.  Developers are now able to write software for the iPhone (and iPod Touch) and publish their work at iTunes.  Some of these apps are free and some are low cost.

A quick look at iTunes this morning turned up an app that music teachers may be interested in.  Guitar Toolkit looks like something that music teachers could use.  A lot.  Ever wish you had a tuner in your pocket?  I probably wouldn't use it for the alternate guitar tunings, but just hearing a A=440 that is actually in tune would be helpful no matter what ensemble I am working with.  This might be worth a closer look.

(Quick Edit-- I went back to the store and after playing around a little more. I found a NUMBER of other apps that may be a help to music teachers.  Happy shopping.)

Guitar Toolkit must need the microphone from the phone, so I suppose my iPod won't run it.  I wonder if the IRS will let me deduct my iPhone bill?

SmartMusic Numbers

The SmartMusic July numbers are interesting.  

97 districts will be using it now with the site license plan.  There was a jump in enrollment this last month. 

538 teachers are using Impact to give assignments to 50 or more students in a year.  I think this may be the most interesting number to watch.  This may be the portion of the program that will be the most useful for educators.  When people hear how easy it is to create, send, collect, evaluate and communicate about student assignments from these 538 people, I think the use of this program will grow exponentially.

It really is pretty easy to get things done with Impact.  Are you using it?

The MusicEd Blog Carnival

I am kind of new to the blog carnival idea, but I like the results.  There is one going on here!

New project. Need ideas!

Well, I think I may be in trouble.

This fall there will be a new class on my schedule. 7th grade general music. This is in addition to 5th grade band, 6th grade band, 7th grade band, 5th grade general music, 6th grade general music.

I believe there will be two sections of 20 or so students. These are students who are actively avoiding the performance-based classes of band and choir.

I think the intent is that I will give them experience working with music technology in this class. This age group of student benefits from hands-on learning. It should be interesting with 5 or so computers.

I am collecting ideas at a wiki page http://electronicmusicedideas.wikispaces.com/ Feel free to stop by and put your two cents worth in! In the mean time, I will be trolling the net looking for ideas and resources to borrow. Wish me luck.

I'm on the list of Music Ed Bloggers

As I mentioned a few posts back, there is a push to find 100 music ed blogs. That's me on the list at number 37. There is still room for more there, so go ahead and take the plunge. Add yours. A little bit about me. I am a 25 year veteran of the middle school band room. I have been in my current district for the past 15 years. The program has grown since I have been here to the point where about half of the students take band here at Grandview Middle School. To keep from going crazy, I have a couple computer programs that I use often. I am a huge fan of FileMaker Pro and SmartMusic. FileMaker to organize student information that I need and SmartMusic to help students get better at their instrument. I have been using both programs since 1994 or so. I am always looking for ways to work smarter, so drop me a line if you have one.

What else could you use?

I periodically look around for alternate ways to do things. What could you use instead of SmartMusic? There is iPas. It provides structured lessons that go with the Standard of Excellence Series (Kjos.) I like the ability to hold kids accountable. iPas does have the lessons locked down so kids have to meet a standard. Teachers can also download the results. This program is a good choice, but you are locked into one method book and no other literature. There is In The Chair/Starplay from Sibelius. Like iPas, this also has a limited number of method books. I do like the ability to swap in a Sibelius generated accompaniment. I don't see much info on how you get your results back. I suppose you could Moodle assignments. The video of musicians playing the same piece is an interesting feature, but is it something I would use? I don't know. They may be catching up since I last looked. SmartMusic has a good school package. You can choose from a number of methods. You can generate your own pieces in Finale. It is possible to lock down the assignments to your parameters and you can get the results from the web. The grade book/student information handling is a great feature.