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I had my first ever “viral” post this week. As of this morning, my quote art of one of the Ken Robinson quotes from last week’s blog has been shared 193 times on Facebook and seen by nearly 14,000 people. It’s been cool to watch, but I have tried to remain mindful […]

More and more we are called to educate our students as humans as well as musicians. Choir seems to be the one place in their schedule where our students can relax, be human, and release their anxiety about college/standardized tests/just being a teenager in 2015. My wife has created a fabulous website for teachers […]

Summer is great – full of the impromptu time with family and friends that being a choir teacher doesn’t often afford during the school year. But the impromptu gets hard. I think human beings crave routine. I can’t wait for the regular schedule of a bus arriving, predictable rehearsal times, and being […]

I have long enjoyed many of neurologist Oliver Sacks’s writings, and more recently his appearances on Radio Lab. He was insightful, clever, and profoundly human. His death is a loss to the world. In addition to being a brilliant neurologist and a masterful writer, Sacks was a musician – a […]

A Michigan law since 2006 requires schools to start after Labor Day. Because Labor Day is as late as possible (Sept. 7), that means schools don’t start until September 8. But because last year Labor Day was Sept. 1, we in Rockford finished school on June 5. That gave us over […]

It’s time to greet September and say goodbye to August. Perhaps with this lovely poem by Irish poet Francis Ledwidge. August by Francis Ledwidge She’ll come at dusky first of day, White over yellow harvest’s song. Upon her dewy rainbow way She shall be beautiful and strong. The lidless eye […]

In Krista Tippet’s On Being interview with neuropsychologit Rex Jung, titled Creativity and the Everyday Brain, she asks a question about free time that includes this statement: It’s something that’s, to me, proven true in life, that there’s a connection between boredom and creativity, or between not having things given to you to do…. It’s a […]

Finishing a piece is joy and fear. You’ve sweated over the big picture, the arc, the actual writing. The last few hours are spent on fine details, making sure the the piece will be as successful as possible at first reading. And you feel great joy when you decide it’s ready to send to […]

Teachers: be sure that in addition to the days of “professional development” you participate in through your school, you also engage in your own professional development. Activities that are certain to help you on your journey. Ask: What will help me develop your professional skills? Today’s personal PD assignment from me is to […]

How do you stay in the zone? For me, it’s important – and tough – to remember to not overuse it. I’ve been in a really good writing zone for about a week, with progress made on a number of fronts, music flowing relatively smoothly, and results I’ve been pleased with. The […]