Research and Video presentation

Well I have started my research and I hope to video tape my class instruction next week. I want to do all this early so that I can get some feedback on what I have done. I wanted the students to work on intonation. That is a big area I want to try and find ways to get students to listen more to themselves and others. It seems like a big order for me but I feel that by starting now they will be able to develope the skill throughout the middle school years.
I have been using singing techniques, listening, and piano to get them to sing and play in tune. The younger (2nd, and 3rd grade)students have not made the connection with the violin yet. the 4th and 5th are doing well. I just need them to understand that all this goes with creating the correct sound in the music they play. I will be asking for your suggestions to see if I am going in the direction.
As far as rest the of the schools are concerned, everyone is in a testing mode. It is hard to stay focused on the music in some of my schools because there is an urgency surrounding what has been written in the paper. Sunday's paper has another article on testing and what it means to the teachers in Atlanta. Some of my collegues have been teaching math and science instead of music in some schools, so they have had their classes cancelled for the test. In any case I plan to do what I have to, to do what I can for my students.

This week was rather productive. I went to see Mulan at the Alliance Theatre with the students from Humphries. I try to put in perspective the things I learned from the Daniel Pink book. The play held the kids attention. That was good considering that many were kindergarten and first grade students. The dialogue, music and script was not over their heads and it only lasted an hour. The scenery was very colorful. All in all the play met all the criteria set down in the book.
The play set the stage for my video and hopefully my research project. I want to do my video at Dunbar because of the new band room I am in. I chose intonation as my project. After some thought I have come up with some techniques to use to help me come up with a reasonable conclusion. I feel that dispite some setbacks in performances the students sound very well this year. Hopefully the project will help me in the coming year to get the students to listen more to themselves and the music. In any case I will calling on you all for advise and suggestions.

Yesterday I talked with a computer technician about a printer for my computer. The conversation led to music and the cutbacks that are taking place at the capitol and around the state school districts. He was telling me of the importance of music in the schools. He had played the violin when he was in elementary school. He began to relate the study of music to the computer field, and how complex and detailed the machine. He felt that musicians would make the best computer geeks and that muscians like Mozart would have revolutionize the industry.
As the conversation progressed he stated that he likes jazz and that he listens to WABE on the weekends to the late night jazz program. He did not like the direction music is going today with all the rap and hip hop music. We agreed that there is little creativity in the industry. He seemed very sincere in convictions and hopes that music remains in the schools and not be the first item for budget cuts.