It’s been far too long since I’ve shared my monthly favorites, with categories including (but definitely not limited to) music education. After all, music teachers have interests outside of the classroom. It feels good to remind you of that, especially as you begin preparing for spring performances and everything else that makes the spring semester of school a bit chaotic.
Music Education
Podcasts
I was thrilled to discover the FAME Podcast this month. This podcast is all about the teaching philosophy of Dr. John Feierabend. I purchased his book, Feierabend Fundamentals last year, and I continued to be inspired by his research and philosophy. The podcast is hosted by Dr. Missy Strong, a co-author of Feierabend Fundamentals, and President-Elect of FAME.
If you’ve ever been curious about the Feierabend Philosophy, then this is a fantastic place to start! You can find out more about the podcast HERE.
Music
Do you own the soundtrack to How To Train Your Dragon? If not, go get it now! Not only is it gorgeous all the way through, but it’s a fun way to practice steady beat with your students via the music freeze game.
Resources
I’ve been updating my Basics Bundle to include a Google Slides option, additional examples in each category of the interactive presentation, and a prequiz. All of these changes have been made in response to the customer survey I administered last year. You spoke, I listened! I’ve updated several files so far, and hope to have the rest finished soon! If you want to see a closer look at the updates, click HERE.
Entertainment
Movies
Speaking of dragons…I saw How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World this past weekend, and I’m so happy I did. No spoilers, this is just me telling you that it’s definitely worth the trip to see it!
Audiobooks
Sherlock Holmes as read by Stephen Fry has been my evening entertainment. If you’re into Sherlock, I think you’d really enjoy this.
Food
Pączki have returned to our local grocery store, and my sugar intake hasn’t been the same since. My husband and I look forward to these every year. Our favorite fillings are the raspberry and cheese, but really, all are delicious. If you want your custodians and secretaries to love you, just bring them a batch of these one morning!
Also, what does it say about me that I place the category of food under entertainment? Hmm…
Tech
In-ear Headphones
I have exceptionally small ears, which makes finding earbuds a bit of a chore. This year, I decided to invest in a quality pair. After some thorough research, I decided to go with the Bose Soundsport.
They came with three different sized earpieces, the smallest of which were a perfect fit for me. They never feel loose or uncomfortable. They also have an inline remote, which makes it easy to play/pause my music or adjust the volume. Sadly, they’ve went up in price by $30 since I’ve purchased them. Though, if you’re in the market for a new pair of earbuds, I’d still say these are worth the investment.