OMEA Summer Publication Overview

Hello All,

I just received the Summer Edition of the "RECORDER" which is the Journal of the Ontario Music Educators' Association. I took it to the cottage and was reading it when I had a few moments of peace when the kids were sleeping. Great information as per usual, however, there was a great mention of the importance of Music Education and Multiple Intelligences by the current OMEA President, Jim Palmer, and a great article titled "Useful Free Stuff on the Web" by David Gueulette. I will highlight more of the great links later in the blog.

Just a quick note on the OMEA. I have only belonged to the OMEA for a few years since 2005. I would strongly recommend anybody that teaches Music to join. The four Journals are worth the annual fee alone ( somewhere around $75.00 or $80.00). The Professional development I have experienced in the past three years have been absolutely amazing professionally speaking. Through my involvement with the OMEA I have been involved with the Planning Committee for the Annual OMEA conference in 2006 called "Unison". I was selected to be on the Arts Curriculum Review Committee, and I also recently wrote the Gr. 6 Think Literacy lesson featured in the new Ministry Publication Think Literacy Music Gr. 1-6.

Useful Free Stuff on the Web by David Gueulette is an article that I swear he wrote for me to save time. He highlights many useful free WEB 2.0 applications.

www.mp3mymp3.com

The application is a handy, easy to use freeware program that turns your computer into mp3 or wav recorder.
This program is similar in function to Audacity. ( already installed in TVDSB schools). It does not work well in VISTA be warned.

www.iShedjazz.com

This peace of software is what got me so excited. I will be playing around with this WEB application and letting you know what I think. Hopefully, I will be using it come September and/or October with my more advanced grade students.

is a free software tool designed for learning how to play and improvise Jazz music.

It features tools such as Pattern Loader, Riff Builder, Groove'ranger, Transcriber, and Impro-Visor,

Please check out the sites and let me know what you think...