Teach with Technology

Check out this website! It gives some good tips on how we can teach with technology. It looks like they even offer workshops and classroom management skills and much more!!

TEACHING WITH TECHNOLOGY

Dancing Disney Family Gal

CHRISTMAS- I love celebrating Christmas with all the lights, the snow, the cookies, the carols, and the magic. But it is not solely my love of this holiday that makes “Christmas” a part of my identity. Christmas also symbolizes that I am a Christian, which has become an immense part of my identity and marks why I do everything I do. Christmas also is symbolic of a time for family and tradition. My family has greatly influenced who I am and who I will become. The loving examples of my parents and my five sisters have molded me and made me a better person. Together, my family and my faith are the two greatest influences in my life and what I accredit that largest part of my identity to.

DANCE- dance is not only my favorite hobby, it is now my educational pursuit and my passion. Some of the greatest accomplishments and growing experiences of my life have been through my dance training. It has enabled me to travel, provided rewarding career opportunities, and has taught me many valuable life lessons such as diligence, perseverance, team work, finding joy in the journey, and optimism. Dance has truly shaped me into the hard worker I am today and has had a great influence on my identity. It is a beautiful art form of expression and release that I could not live without.

DISNEY- It could be because I worked there this past summer, or because I know every word to all the animated classics, or that I'm considered to be an absolute Disney nut, but it is so much more than some little quirk of mine. It symbolizes my love of simplicity and child-like love of life. I love to stop and enjoy the small joys in life. The simple things like toes in the sand, the texture of ice cream, leaving notes for friends, and looking at the sparkle of a light up Christmas tree are often what bring me the greatest joy. I think it is an absolute tragedy when people decide they are too old, too busy, or too mature to snitch cookie dough from the bowl, or to giggle, or to do a silly dance in the rain. Life is to be enjoyed and if we don't take the time to enjoy the simple little wonders in our world, we will miss them completely. This is who I am, my personality, and my identity.

You will notice that these three items that seem to represent my identity are somewhat connected. That is because they are! They, along with several other aspects, all play a role in my life and they work together to make up who I am.

iMovie

This week has been full of discovery. This time, in video, cinematography, splicing, music, storyboards. imovie come automatically with any mac computer and is such a resourceful tool that can be used in the classroom. It is straightforward and easy to use, so in dance I will be able to video and edit my students performances, create DVDs of shows, or even produce commercials or advertisements. It will also be useful to teach my students how to use it as a tool for producing good audition videos that will be more professional, but also simple to complete.

Check it out!!
imovie

Freeplay Music

I know this one was introduced to us in class, but I'm seriously just so excited cause it'll assist in dance so much!!

freeplaymusic.com

so often you'll be working on a piece and you need to find appropriate music, but want something that's not necessarily well known. This is perfect cause you can search for music by the feeling and it's completely legal and free!!

Copyright

This first video evidently violates copyright laws as this is a professional performance that has been videoed from an audience member from the audience and then posted on youtube. In order to first video this and then to post it, they would have to obtain the rights to the music and the choreography, neither of which they had.



This next video is better with copyright because it never uses more than 10% of the video and it's very spliced up, however I think that they would need to have rights to use the song and then posting it on the internet. Also, they title it "Disney Love," however not all this footage is Disney.

Why creative dance?

build balance and coordination

increase muscle strength

increase muscle endurance

build flexibility

encourage team work, co operation and group skills

develop an awareness of beat, rhythm and movement to music skills

develop an understanding of musical qualities and the relationship of music to emotion and mood

Teaching Children with Disabilities

Choose some music options that have a strong beat, are age appropriate, and are not too fast

Think through how your students might move to the music, and predict any problems or issues

Check your room or venue for safety and ease of access

Locate any props, aids or equipment needed for your session (such as silk ribbons, needed for this activity)

Read entire article: http://www.brighthub.com/education/special/articles/48254.aspx

This article gives some really good basic concepts to know and teach before teaching students with disabilities how to dance.

Class Website!!

Check out my new class website!!