Technology

Seven Google Add-ons and Extensions for Music Teachers

Posted on by Theresa Hoover2 Comments on Seven Google Add-ons and Extensions for Music Teachers

October 2021 – This post has gotten a much-deserved update! Seven add-ons and extensions isn’t enough anymore. Read on for my favorite nine! This post continues a back-to-school series about tech tools for the music classroom. One useful feature of Google Chrome is the ability to customize your browsing and creating experiences using add-ons and extensions. Add-ons go with specific G Suite applications to add new capabilities. Chrome extensions are small software programs that work … Continue reading “Seven Google Add-ons and Extensions for Music Teachers” →

Empowered Music Students, Technology

Podcasting in the Music Room

Posted on by Theresa HooverLeave a Comment on Podcasting in the Music Room

I’ve always been one to try new things in the classroom. I like to experiment and I’m not afraid to take a risk. However, student musicianship is always at the center of each of these experiments. I want students creating music and learning about music in a way that’s meaningful to them. Last year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, our ability to make music together was limited. When the students returned to the classroom in … Continue reading “Podcasting in the Music Room” →

Technology

Three Tech Tools to Check Out This Summer

Posted on by Theresa HooverLeave a Comment on Three Tech Tools to Check Out This Summer

This article was originally published in The Woman Conductor Journal, June 2021 issue.  For many, summer is a time for rest and rejuvenation. The schedule slows, the days are longer, and the commitments are less frequent. However, summer is also a great time to dig into new tech tools you may not have explored before. Or dive deeper into something where you’ve only scratched the surface. Either way, here are three tech tools worth checking out before … Continue reading “Three Tech Tools to Check Out This Summer” →

Empowered Music Students, Technology

Creativity With Composing Pieces

Posted on by Theresa HooverLeave a Comment on Creativity With Composing Pieces

At the beginning of last school year I knew regardless of the teaching modality – virtual, hybrid, or some combination of the two – I wanted to expose my students to a variety of diverse music and composers. I also knew that incorporating student creativity was very important. After some research I found Jodie Blackshaw’s piece, 13 Moons, which fit both categories perfectly. 13 Moons: Four Composing Pieces for Wind Bands of All Ages was … Continue reading “Creativity With Composing Pieces” →

Technology

Optimize Your Chrome Browser With These Three Tips

Posted on by Theresa HooverLeave a Comment on Optimize Your Chrome Browser With These Three Tips

As a Google Trainer and Innovator, it’s no surprise that I work almost exclusively within the Google platform. My recent post, Three Tips to Organize Your Google Drive, received great feedback and has inspired this post about Google Chrome! Many people use Google Chrome for their web browsing, but are missing some features that make it such a powerful tool. Here are three things you can do to maximize efficiency and get the most out … Continue reading “Optimize Your Chrome Browser With These Three Tips” →

Technology

Using Technology to Boost Student Engagement

Posted on by Theresa HooverLeave a Comment on Using Technology to Boost Student Engagement

This article was originally published in The Woman Conductor Journal, March 2021 issue. While the focus is on band rehearsals, the strategies described will work in nearly any music class or rehearsal. Technology integration is something that many band directors are aware of but are still unsure how to achieve. Especially since the goal in band rehearsals is to make music! However, as we are experiencing rehearsals that appear very different this year, technology is … Continue reading “Using Technology to Boost Student Engagement” →

Technology

A Better Virtual Gathering

Posted on by Theresa HooverLeave a Comment on A Better Virtual Gathering

The last twelve months have introduced music educators to a plethora of tech tools we may not have considered using before. Video conferencing became a necessity, unlike we had experienced before. Prior to 2020, we never would have considered holding a birthday party or attending a professional conference over zoom, let alone a music class! While Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom all quickly worked to adapt to pandemic needs, we still weren’t able to … Continue reading “A Better Virtual Gathering” →

Technology

Three Tips to Organize Your Google Drive

Posted on by Theresa HooverLeave a Comment on Three Tips to Organize Your Google Drive

This is the time of year when many of us notice holes in our digital organizational methods. What started with good intentions has turned into nothing short of a mess! While feels like no small task to tackle the problem, the longer we wait, the worse it gets. The good news is, there are a couple of quick things you can do within your Google Drive that will yield results right away and set you … Continue reading “Three Tips to Organize Your Google Drive” →

Empowered Music Students, Technology

Top Five Blog Posts of 2020

Posted on by Theresa HooverLeave a Comment on Top Five Blog Posts of 2020

Each December I like to look back at the blog to reflect on the year. Which posts were the most read? When was I most consistent in publishing? Were there any noticeable themes? Given the events of the year, it’s no surprise that a big focus was technology and almost all blog posts incorporated that in some way! Many music teachers were looking for ideas and support in this area as instruction was forced online. … Continue reading “Top Five Blog Posts of 2020” →

Empowered Music Students, Personalized Learning, Technology

Increase Ownership Through Score Study

Posted on by Theresa HooverLeave a Comment on Increase Ownership Through Score Study

As a band director, I love studying new pieces of music. It was one of my favorite things while working towards my master’s degree in instrumental wind conducting. I enjoy digging into a new piece to discover its nuances and details. Dedicating time to score study increases my capacity to teach the piece to my students effectively and efficiently. Score study often comes to mind as I think about how my middle school band students … Continue reading “Increase Ownership Through Score Study” →