choir, curriculum, education, music education, online learning

High School Choir Online Learning Options: Growing as Musicians

If this helps anyone, here is how I am going to proceed with online learning for my high school choirs in the next weeks (approximately 130 students).  My school uses Google Classroom, so this assignment will appear there and students will be able to submit.  But this would also work through email.  Many of these ideas are industry standards.  I’ve only compiled them in a … Continue reading High School Choir Online Learning Options: Growing as Musicians

Doreen Fryling21 Comments
curriculum, education, online learning

Don’t just assign crap. Questions to consider in this bizarre time.

Many of us are now suddenly faced with distance learning situations. So, here are some ideas to consider when teaching from home (these work for sub plans or long-term school closures). Fortunately, there are a ton of great resources being generated online and shared out there right now. Join social media groups for your professional organizations to get access to ideas and plans. But then, … Continue reading Don’t just assign crap. Questions to consider in this bizarre time.

Doreen Fryling1 Comment
curriculum, education, music education, positive pyschology

A frank guide to a better back-to-school night

A frank guide to a better back-to-school night As noted in the title, this is intended for teachers who are looking to come through the other side of back-to-school night with fewer scars. If this is your first year, well, good luck.  There’s a strong possibility that it’ll be a disaster, but that’s okay.  Your entire first year may also be a disaster.  Hang in there … Continue reading A frank guide to a better back-to-school night

Doreen Fryling2 Comments
choir, music education, positive pyschology, self-help

Shine Your Light

These thoughts are excerpted from the keynote I presented at the CT-ACDA Fall Conference in Guildford, CT.  I have edited my remarks for this print edition for ease of reading (mostly, I took out all of the jokes that failed miserably). Shine Your Light When I found out that the conference was titled “Shine Your Light,” I instantly thought of the zillions of inspiring graduation … Continue reading Shine Your Light

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creative thinking, curriculum, education, music education, writing

Practicing What You Preach: Learning What You Teach

Summer is the perfect time for me to try out some of the nonsense I spew all year long.  Okay, not nonsense. Well thought-out, research-backed, pedagogically sound, veteran tested, best practices stuff.  But honestly, stuff that sometimes makes me feel like I’m just a carnival barker. I’m talking about the practice-what-you-preach stuff.  Things I say a million times over the course of a school year, … Continue reading Practicing What You Preach: Learning What You Teach

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disabilities

Today, I spent the day in a wheelchair.

Today, I spent the day in a wheelchair.  And at the end of the school day, I got up out of the chair and returned to my normal walking life. I’m lucky.  I’m grateful.  I’m ashamed. Two of my colleagues have an awesome son who is wheelchair bound and has been the beneficiary of a Magic Wheelchair, which is an epic wheelchair costume.  Because of … Continue reading Today, I spent the day in a wheelchair.

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bullet journal

THE BEAUTY OF THE BULLET JOURNAL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ITS BEAUTY

by Doreen Fryling If you’ve ever found yourself going down the rabbit hole of images of bullet journals and thought, I can’t do that, you’re right. You can’t. Well, maybe you can, but all of those pictures of gorgeous journals has nothing to do with why the bullet journal is beautiful.  It’s beautiful because of the simplicity and flexibility of its design. I love my … Continue reading THE BEAUTY OF THE BULLET JOURNAL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ITS BEAUTY

Doreen Fryling
education, Uncategorized

Understanding School Choice

By Doreen Fryling, Ed.D. School choice sounds like a great idea. In theory, parents could pick out the best school that suits their child’s learning needs and interests. Schools would compete with each other to bring the very best to their student populations so as to retain and recruit. Innovation would follow. Failing schools would disappear. Kids would be happy. Parents would be happy. Schools would be happy places. But … Continue reading Understanding School Choice

Doreen Fryling
education, music education

Changing the Narrative in Arts Education

Remarks read at the 2016 New York State School Superintendents’ Conference: On behalf of the Rockville Centre Schools community, the singers and I come before you as advocates for music education.  And we ask you to consider a bold change in the narrative regarding arts education.  Over the two decades of my teaching career, I have been part of many advocacy campaigns that seek to save … Continue reading Changing the Narrative in Arts Education

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