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As a former professional arts educator, I can safely say given the nature of performance programs nowadays, the amount of time available for non-rehearsal instruction is quite limited. Virginia uses a non-pullout system of instruction, lending itself even less to individual teaching than, for example, a system like New York in which the entire group meets all at once during the day, and throughout the day students are "pulled out" of class for individual and small group lesson instruction. In Virginia, ensembles are generally split into major groups (men and women for chorus, woodwinds and brass for band, for example) that meet as self-contained units. Given the rigor of the programs, particularly here in Prince William, non-rehearsal instructional time may seem a veritable deathwish to even the most comprehensive and progressive of directors.

That said, there are indeed ample opportunity by which you can offer your services.

The use of audiovisual and recording technologies lends itself immediately to the performing arts. Diagnostic recording is one of the cornerstones of a serious and progressive rehearsal regimens. Assisting your directors in setting up easy-to-use, real-time recording-and-playback systems is an outstanding way to use technology in the performing arts. A couple of good microphones and either a stand-alone recorder (like the Marantz CDR-300 for example) or a digital sound-capable PC (using a D-Audio card for example) can give your director access to outstanding self-reflection opportunities in the classroom. Using video to record ensembles rehearsing to diagnose technical difficulties and ensemble skills can also be very beneficial.

Both ensembles and classroom music (Music in our Lives, Music Theory, etc) can benefit from SmartBoard integration. Programs that musicians are familiar with, like Sibelius and Finale (two ubiquitous music notation software titles) work pretty well with a SmartBoard, remembering that interactive whiteboards are essentially just large mice. If kids are having difficulty with a rhythm, for example, it's not difficult to click-and-drag your way to throwing a quick rhythmic notation up on the SmartBoard, then having the computer play it back to demonstrate. Things like that can add quick moments of integration that can make all the difference.

Student response systems like TurningPoint or Quizdom can offer great anonymous concert feedback situations, allowing students after watching a video of a performance or listening to a quality recording (which hopefully you've been involved in the creation of!) to provide nonjudgmental group-level response to questions like "rate your tone quality in Piece A" allow teachers to get honest and unadulterated responses from the ensemble as a whole.

Creativity is key. Talking to your performing arts teachers is important, because many of them have great ideas and just need some help implementing. I once had a situation in which I wanted to improve practice time and practice habits, but didn't have any more time to spare during school. The solution we came up with was the creation of a set of "digital portfolios." Students took home digital voice recorders, set them up, and had their regular nightly practice sessions (say, 60 minutes) while recording. We educated the kids that it wasn't a concert recording, just proof of practice. However, the director could then download the files to a computer, archive them, and later show the student growth over time, talk about consistent good or bad habits, and could guarantee that the kids were practicing when they had to. The ten cheapo voice recorders were passed around in a rotation, and soon the improvements were noticeable. Technology overhead? Pretty low. Innovation and effectiveness? Quite high.

I'd like to suggest that all of the ITRT's take a moment to meet personally for a few minutes with band, chorus, orchestra, drama, and dance directors to discuss what ideas they have - from basic and mundane to pie-in-the-sky - and see what creative solutions you, as a team, can generate. Many directors will say at first "No, I'm good, I just need more instruments and a bigger sheet music budget," but given time and when shown your willingness and enthusiasm, a lot of times you'll be surprised at how truly creative your collaboration can become.

One final note: Prince William County is fairly lacking in MIDI lab capabilities. The most computer-savvy among you may want to have a serious conversation with your Music Theory instructors at the high school level and with music teachers at the middle school level about developing a MIDI lab for your students.

Copyright

© 2006-2008, Keith David Reeves. All rights reserved. Reproduction and/or distribution not permitted without the express written consent of the author.

MLA Citation

Reeves, Keith David. "The Way Up: Leadership, Awareness, and Data in Integrated Education." 1 Nov 2007. KDReeves.com. . <http://www.kdreeves.com/art_wayup.html>.