Week 7: Piano Partners

This blog post reviews Piano Partners, a method book series for beginning piano lessons. The books look pretty interesting, and I might check them out if I ever teach piano lessons.

Click here to read the review.

Week 7: Half Note Flashcards

I just read this blog post that has some ideas for using flashcards to teach reading half notes. It includes a memory game that looks like it could be pretty fun.

Click here to check it out.

Week 6: Non-verbal Students Communicate Through Music

This is a really inspiring article and video on non-verbal students communicating through music. It was really inspiring.

Check it out here.

Week 6: Self Assessment

Wow, I can't believe it's already week six! I just read this post on self assessment. Unfortunately, it doesn't contain any assessment tools, but it makes a good case for having students assess themselves, and was interesting to read.

Check it out here.

Week 5: Ideas For Teaching Rhythm

This blog post has some neat ideas for teaching and reinforcing rhythmic reading, including having the students read rhythms off of popsicle sticks. The post also has ideas about playing rhythms on recorders and reading them off of a Smartboard.

Click here to read the post.

Week 5: NAfME Supports Proposed Legislation for Early Childhood Learning

I just read this article about the Strong Start for America's Children Act, which would increase the number of children, especially children in poverty, that attend preschool. This act lists the arts as an essential domain of school readiness, and is supported my NAfME.

Read more about it here.

Week 4: The Benefits of Learning an Instrument

This article in The Guardian tells about some of the benefits of learning an instrument. It explains that children who study instruments have faster brain responses as adults, and are better listeners. You can never have enough advocacy!

Check it out here.