Posted inAsk a Teacher, Fine Arts, Literacy

Shakespeare and Americans: The Relationship Starts in the Classroom

“Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania,” reads Karl off the script. He looks confused, “I’m ill?” he looks puzzled. “Am I sick?” “You’re not sick…We are having a fight!” responds an irritated Nicole, who is playing the fairy queen. She continues to read: “What, jealous Oberon! Fairies, skip hence:/I have forsworn his bed and company.” […]

Posted inFine Arts, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion

Based on a True Story: A Critical Look at Teachers in Movies

I remember having a romanticized view of teaching while I was in college.  Though I can attribute some of this to a few overly idealistic professors, I mostly blame the movies.  It was probably one week into student teaching when I came to the painful realization that I did not have the ability to magically […]

Posted inClassroom Management, Fine Arts, How to Fix Education, Uncategorized

If You Build It, They Will Come: How to Build a Successful Choir Program – Educate the Administrative Team

By Anne Guess Read part one here.  Part 2: Educate the Administrative Team         In all my years in the Texas public school system, both as a student and a teacher, I have met very few school administrators that were ever music educators.  By very few, I mean I can count them all […]

Posted inFine Arts, Instruction & Curriculum, Uncategorized

If You Build It, They Will Come: How to Build a Successful Choir Program

By Anne Guess  Part 1: Educate the Children   Building a choir program from nothing is a daunting task.  I am always amazed at the   number of directors that leave floundering choir programs and play the blame game.  Directors will blame everyone from the “untalented” student body, their administration that has it “out to get them”, […]