Thursday, July 23, 2015

New Curriculum: New Outlook

In Texas, the music curriculum comes up for adoption every ten years.  That means that we are using materials that were developed a decade ago, which in this age makes a huge difference!  I am excited to say that our district has chosen the digital curriculum from Quaver Music for our new adoption.  I tested the materials last spring, and they are COOL!  Of course, I love technology, so I am thrilled to have interactive materials that are entirely online.  I can access them from anywhere, and they are constantly updated and expanded without the need to buy new materials.  (They also send a CD set in case your internet is not working up to par. Problem averted!)

As an experienced teacher, there are two ways I can look at this new adoption.

A: "Oh great.  I'll just put it on the shelf with the last adoption."  
B: "Oh, great! How can I use this to make my class even better?"

I'm choosing B.  In fact, I'm going to try to use it as much as possible this year.  This will ensure that all of the TEKS are met, without my having to keep track, and give me a foundation to add my favorite lessons and activities to.  This is a good thing.  I hope to be back here sharing new and fun finds with you soon.  In the meantime, rest, relax, rejuvenate, and get mentally ready for the Back to School frenzy. You can do it!

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On Being a Marigold....

Hello friends!  I just read a great article addressed to new teachers about finding their "marigold" to help them through the tough first year.  It is so well-written, I encourage you all to read it.  It is a good reminder to all of us to think about our mindset as we go into a new school year.

Find Your Marigold

I am committing myself to being the marigold this year.  You've got this, friends!