Midnight Music Community Member Spotlight
The Midnight Music Community “member spotlights” let you take a sneak peek into the music tech journey (so far!) of one of our members.
This second Spotlight article featuresNeil Gracey from Westbourne Grammar, Victoria Australia. Neil’s school is in Melbourne where I live and I’ve enjoyed working with Neil and the other musicstaff in person for music tech workshops.
What do you teach and where?
I teach Year 7 & Year 8 Concert Band classes, Year 9 Music Performance Elective, Year 5 Brass classes and individual trumpet lessons at Westbourne Grammar, Victoria.
Name one favourite technology tool or resource that you’ve used in your music teaching
Sibelius for my Year 9 class and Kahoot for formative assessments in my Year 7 Band class.
Briefly describe one tech success you and/or your students have had during a lesson
Kahoot is MASSIVELY popular with the Year 7 students. It has increased their engagement levels with the lesson content because they want to win the quiz. They get REALLY competitive. I’ve never seen such excitement over answering theory questions…
What’s your next music tech goal?
Next year we are implementing a new Year 9 Music Technology Elective which will use Mixcraft, so I want to learn how to use it.
Tell us why you decided to join the Midnight Music Community. What’s your favorite thing about it?
To keep informed on music tech applications for the classroom and get assistance when necessary. My favourite thing is the regular emails giving me this information.
What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing when it comes to music technology in education?
Making it meaningful and not just a temporary or shallow learning experience. Using technology has to be valid not just novel.
If you could give one piece of advice to a brand new music teacher regarding the use of technology in music education what would it be?
Using technology in the classroom has to be valid and value add to the learning experience for the student. And that the students will probably be more adept at the technology than you, before long.
Need help with technology? Join the other teachers inside the Midnight Music Community
We’d love to have you join us inside the Midnight Music Community where you can find personalised help and step-by-step instructions for using technology in your music teaching. There are online courses, lesson plans, tips and tutorials – all designed especially for music teachers.
Learn more about the Midnight Music Community here.
2 Comments
Thank you for the information and helpful classroom technology tools that you send to the community members. It is very helpful and interesting
You’re welcome Vicky!