Today I was able to work with my students for the upcoming String Fling coming in May. the students at Thomasville have come a long was for the first year. They are eager to play. I have become more aware of intonation with my students and I am using some techniques Dr. Rensburg suggested in my lessons. Some of the students are placing their fingers in the correct tape and area of the fingerboard without corrections from me. Also behavior and confidence is increasing. Next year will bring new changes throughout the system in regard to the overall curriculum. I will have to see how all this will affect music in general.

As far as my research is concerned, I think I have some results that will help me next year. I plan to start as soon as possible and get my students playing and listening more.

Class Musical Project

I have just listened to the recording we made last Saturday. It was very interesting and dynamic. After listening I commented that it was already long enough for me and basically making it any longer we would have to turn it into a full compostion. The ideas and sounds we incorporated for this piece come together dramatically. It reminded me of the music from 2001 Space Odyssey.

As for my action research, I think it is coming together. Following Dr Rensburg suggestions not to get too complex in my research. This research project will give me something to consider for next year.

I enjoyed yesterday's classes very much. Mrs. Terry introduction was very informative. I know the class is a lot of work and time but I am now just beginning to see some things that can help me not only in my string classes but with the community band, chorus and church. I am seeing some things that can make me a better musician even after all these years. After reading these two books there I can see what needs to be done in the arts to make in workable in the schools and community. This is more than just a class and it is not like a class is some respects. We have ownership is the success of this project.

The session with Dr. Rensburg was a good hour or more but it was still too short. We were able to get a handle on the action research project. I myself was rather nervous about the direction I was heading and if what I was doing had any validty. With the help of Dr. Rensburg and members of the class, I was able see clearly the direction I needed to go to complete my project. In any case I will be posting my results and seeking further comments. The second session with Mrs. Colbert is now pretty much in completion for our class project. We worked out our basic ideas for our composition so we are now ready for the completion. Writing down our ideas and having them visualized in music is exciting. You could see the interaction and reaction during the preparation and after the performance. This is something that can be done in the classroon to enhance the arts in the schools. I enjoyed yesterday's class.

Thank goodness for spring break. It is Wednesday and the week is halfway over. I made a video of my class lesson the week before. I used my beginning class for my video. There were some methods I wanted to use with the students to see if they would work. I used my brother's video camera and I need to copy it on to a DVD when I get back. I am still compiling the data on my research. The research is not extensive but I hope it will show some valid conclusion based on the topic I chose.

The students are working on the music for the String Fling. I am having each student write the names of the notes to make sure they know what they are playing. I do have some who could play in the middle school orchestra. When I return I will try and get them ready for that music. They seem excited and ready to play. The String Fling is a great diversion from the routine of getting ready for this test. They definitely need an outlet from what is going these days. Everyone seems to be cautious about the upcoming CRCT. I will be glad when this is over.

Our class yesterday on the 14th of March was very productive. I need to start Monday on my project and video. I think the classes are coming together and that as cohort 2 we will make a difference. I know that I will be working on my research and asking a lot of questions to make sure I am doing it right. I am researching intonation with my children. I want to see if I can come up with some techniques that will get my students to listen more when they play. That is one of my main goals when attending festivals is to make sure their fingers are playing the correct sound. As for the final project, we plan to do a combined class project composition. We threw out some ideas to consider and hopefully put music to our work next month.

Finally the online video and audio connection will be a great addition to the class. I will try out the headphones I have and the microphone as well. My computer does have a camera so that is an added convience. In closing I must say I am learning a lot and hopefully making a difference with this project. Also I look forward to going to Washington in May. I do not know what the agenda will be but I do have some things I want to accomplice.

Last week was LGPE for elementary and middle school string orchestras. We were scheduled to perform on last Wednesday at 6:50 pm. The problem was the weather the day before. The time for our performance would be delayed two hours. Based on my timing, my 2nd, thru 5th grade students would have gotten back to school at 10:00 pm. In any case, I called to cancel. I mentioned this to say that I feel my students were ready to play. This year I would have incorporated my 2nd graders who have been with me since kindergarten. They were excited along with their parents. I am getting a lot of notice and positive feedback, support and encouragement from my parents. I want to build on that for the rest of this year and the beginning of the next. The String Fling musical in the spring will be a good time for all the string teachers to parade their work to the parents in APS and promote the program hopefully to stem the tide of cutbacks due to the financial crunch.

Recruitment will be the focus for the remaining school term. I have the support of my principals and parents and I want to create new ways of promoting music and the arts in the schools. With all the testing and reforms taking away from the arts in the schools we are going to have to do more than just perform at PTA's and Holiday programs. I want to find ways to get the entire school thinking about music throughout the day. We have talked about integrating arts into the curriculum, but I see that more is needed. The parents are the key to what we need. Which brings me to my violist. I have a 4th grade viola students who is behind in his work. He has already been kept back and I think he will be kept back again. The only thing he wants to do is to play the viola. He is a good viola player and I think he will stick with it throughout high school. His mother wants him to play the viola, but she seems not too interested in his classroom work. I am thinking that music may be the key to turing him around. This creates a problem for me. I want him incorporate music and homework together. I don't know what the future hold for the young man. I might have a great violist hidden behind all of the bad grades. This reminds me of the movie with Sandra Bulloch. Maybe I will have to intervene in some way.

Today is the first of my two day break from school. I need break to help me get ready for the LGPE on the third of March. The students are excited. Most of them have never been to one and I feel it will be a great experience for them. I am focusing on presentation as well as the music aspect. I want the students to do the best they can and I feel they will. I want them to look uniform with their outfits and in their performance. My principal at Thomasville said he wants to attend and I will try get the other prinicipals to come as well.

Most of the students going are first year students and I think they have done well with the music they have learned. So far this has been a good year. I am busy but relaxed through it all. By the end of the year I hope to send some good students on to middle school. I just hope they stay with the program and not get bogged down with other classes and activites. Tomorrow I will begin getting their uniforms and music together. This two day break was a good idea.