International Dot Day!

Happy International Dot Day, everyone! This past week, students have been celebrating creativity in their art classes by making individual and group dot paintings based on the famous book "The Dot" by Peter H. Reynolds. Teachers and students from all across the globe are joining in on the fun and "making their mark" in different ways. Click here to see some fun examples of how people are choosing to celebrate this special day.
In addition to creating artwork, students have been rocking out with me to "The Dot Song" by Emily Dale & Peter H. Reynolds. This song was inspired by the words of the story, and it's really catchy! Enjoy the video below, and feel free to join us on Friday morning in the gym when we will celebrate Dot Day as a school and sing the song together!

Chamber Chorus Auditions!

Announcing Chamber Chorus auditions for all interested 6th, 7th, and 8th graders! 

Auditions will be held during advisor seminar today (Wednesday).

Questions? Please see me. 

GOOD LUCK, everyone!

A Song for Reflection...

With so many things happening at the beginning of the school year, it's always important to pause on this day and take a moment in silence to remember...

As Billy Joel sings, "I'm in a New York State of Mind" today.

Welcome Back!

As we dive back into school, I've been asking my students about songs that "speak" to them. Their answers have been fascinating, and they've sparked some really great conversations about why we listen to some songs only once, while others get heard repeatedly as we sing/hum/dance along over and over again. Ask yourself this same question, or strike up a conversation about this with your family!

I'll be posting student answers on this board over the next few weeks, so stay tuned...

Summer pondering before the year begins...

While I try to take a solid "break" from teaching over the summer as a way to rejuvenate and prepare to dive back in when fall returns, teaching and learning are never far from my mind. That's why when I read articles about education, written by people I admire, I feel extremely proud to be a teacher and a learner in a world where everyone has something to teach and learn from someone else. Reading how violinist Hilary Hahn's teachers influenced her life through their teaching styles is inspiring to me as both a violinist and an educator.

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2015/07/violinist_hilary_hahn_on_her_two_greatest_teachers_and_on_the_mozart_and.html

As we prepare ourselves to head back to school in just a few days, I look forward to reconnecting with my students, meeting new faces, and starting the school year off by thinking about the symbiotic relationship that teachers and students have. We teach and learn from each other every day, and initiating that give-and-take process is something I strive for constantly, both in and beyond the classroom.