If you are still using Internet Explorer, you really need to make the switch to Firefox! I’ve been using it quite a while and appreciate that you can add so many extensions to it. It really makes the browswer fit you.
To celebrate the launching of Firefox 3, the folks at Firefox are asking for help in setting the record for the most downloads in 24 hours. Of course, that will be downloading Firefox 3. Check out this page for more information and spread the word about Firefox!
Two more weeks and this school year will be over! Until that time comes, I am putting the blog on "hold." Like many of my fellow teachers, I am in the middle of "End of the Year Madness." Concerts, final evaluations, collecting instruments, doing inventory, grades, etc. are the priority right now.
Thanks for visiting and I’ll be posting again soon.
During a time when music in American public education is an oft endagered component, Jason Heath’s Double Bass Blog April entry highlighting the 60 Minutes segment on El Sistema and the Venezuelan National Youth Orchestra was very refreshing. I cannot imagine anyone not being very glad for the positive impact this music program is having on the impoverished young people of Venezuela. This orchestra program enables the Venezuelan young people see that there is an alternative to poverty through hard work and discipline. It shows them that there are constructive ways to express the many kinds of human emotions. In addition, the imagination, creative thinking music engenders can enable these young people to excel in a variety of fields outside of music. (See Sir Ken Robinson’s talk, entitled “Do schools kill creativity?” He refers specifically to music and arts relationship to the needs of the 21st century and future job opportunities.)
Why do we have such a hard time convincing school administrators, legislators, et. al. of the powerful impact music can have on a child’s life? What do you think?
