Maine Motif Issue 3, Vol. II (Spring 2018) | Page 42

“General” Review
A LOOK INTO ALL-STATE 2018 FOR THE GENERAL
MUSIC 6-12 SESSIONS!
Erin Morrison, General Music 6-12, Co-VP
When looking into the 2017-2018 school year, and my first on the MMEA State Board, I
wanted to make sure that the needs of the the teachers were being met at this coming
All-State. Being a rather new teacher, however, I was not sure exactly what the needs of
the teachers were, so my Co-Vice President and I made a survey in the fall to help us
gauge what was needed. With the wonderful response we got, we were able to get what
you, the music teachers of Maine, wanted most. With that being said, I thought for this
edition it would a special treat to tell you about the upcoming sessions at this coming
All-State.
When looking at what the educators wanted for this conference, it was apparent that
technology in the classroom was a big need. Being someone who uses technology
constantly, I was excited to encourage this. Over half of our sessions for this conference
utilize technology, from figuring out what Google Classroom is with Barbara Vinyl, to
learning about Audio Production with Larry Williams. We scheduled these events
primarily by the level of technological skill necessary for the task. From beginners who
are just beginning to explore, to seasoned technological professionals, there is sure to be
something for everyone in these sessions. Some of the sessions offered include using
Soundtrap with Tracy Williamson, Composing with Media with Anthony Beatrice,
Technology Overview for Enhancing Music Rehearsal and Instruction with Rebecca
Mallory, and Film Music for General Music with Renovia Day.
A topic that came up repeatedly on the survey was grading. With the state switching to a
proficiency based diploma, many musical minds are wondering the same thing: how do
we grade students in this new system? Luckily, we have some fabulous speakers to help
address that question. Denese Odegaard, the NAfME President herself, will be doing a
session on how to best analyze student work in light of the new grading format. Maine
also has our own grading gurus presenting to help the masses understand the shift into
the new grading system. Laura Whitney, presenting PBL in the Music Classroom, will be