Genius Hour Project: Business Basics

Marketing Myself

If I want to market myself as a singing teacher, even if I just focusing on the digital front at the moment, I need to think of this channel as the beginning of a business: my future physical vocal lesson business. So what does a business have? A name and a logo, at the very least. 

I needed a channel name and logo in order to brand my channel. I wanted to use my name, and find something catchy and fun, and immediate relation to my purpose. After playing around with some rhymes, I came up with "Sing Away with Mrs. Day" and created a logo and icon. 

This is going to be my business name and channel persona that I will use in all my channel and lesson videos to represent my brand.

Mission Statement

Businesses also have a mission statement. The following is one that I had created for a physical studio:

 Like mastering any skill, having a firm hold on the basics is essential for success. Day Studio focuses on teaching students strong foundational techniques for proper, healthy vocal production and musicianship. Each lesson focuses growth through targeted vocal exercises to develop transferable technique skills for all levels of singers. These vocal exercises are then translated into carefully selected songs, applying technique to performance. This focus on technique foundations allows students to develop healthy habits and instincts that become consistent in performance. Along with vocal technique foundations, lessons also focus on improving articulation of text and expressive storytelling, essential skills required of any successful performer.  

Obviously, that mission statement isn't going to quite fit the digital teaching model, so I will have to do some modifications.

Like mastering any skill, having a firm hold on the basics is essential for success. "Sing Away with Mrs. Day" focuses on teaching students strong foundational techniques for proper, healthy vocal production and musicianship in a global digital forum . Each lesson focuses growth through targeted vocal exercises to develop transferable technique skills for all levels of singers. These vocal exercises are then translated into carefully selected songs, applying technique to performance. A focus on technique foundations allows students to develop healthy habits and instincts that become consistent in performance. Along with vocal technique foundations, lessons also focus on improving articulation of text and expressive storytelling, essential skills required of any successful performer.  

Biography

I will also need to have a biography to introduce myself and my qualifications to teach singing:

The founder of  "Sing Away with Mrs. Day", Charlene Day, has an Honours Bachelor of Music degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, and over 12 years of performing experience in local theatre and solo vocal performances. She assisted the Musical Direction of Simcoe County native Kempenfelt Community Player’s "Seussical the Musical", winning 3 ACTCO awards and 5 nominations. She taught 15 students from ages 9-19 at Moving Art Performing Academy before moving to St Catharines with her husband. Currently she is studying at Brock University for Teachers Education, focusing on vocal music instruction in elementary school.   

Both these elements will help me build the foundation for my digital practice, and eventually translate over to my physical studio. I will add them to my channel. 

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Things Good Mathematicians Do

What make a good math student? What makes a good math teacher? 

These are questions we must ask ourselves as we begin our journey to becoming teachers. We all have horror stories of the bad math teacher who could only explain how to do a problem one way, and if you didn’t understand it, then you were in the woods alone. However, I’m sure we were also lacking the skills to open ourselves up to learning math. How were we expected to learn if we weren’t given expectations? We need to start thinking about not only how are we going to teach our students math, but how we are going to teach our students to learn math.

I started my placement at a school yesterday. It is a grade six/seven split class, and we have a lot of students at a below grade level of knowledge. However, my associate teacher had an amazing list of expectations or guidelines of math learning. This list went something like this:

“Things Good Mathematicians Do”

• Use math words when talking, sharing and recording
• Use tools to solve problems
• Share their thinking and learn from each other
• Record and use math pictures to show their thinking
• Give proof to their thinking
•  Learn from their mistakes
• Ask Why

We were working through math word problems and they were put into groups of two to solve the question and put their answer on chart paper, and we would do a gallery walk afterwards. What made this list wonderful was after we had finished the gallery walk of a math problem, she referred to this list to highlight how they excelled in their learning. She pointed out how they shared their thinking, used of math words, gave proof. Even though not all the children had the right answer, it still focused on the skills needed to excel at math. It gave a positive outlook towards problem solving. It kept things positive.

So if these expectations for students work, then why not create a list of what makes a good math teacher? An interesting article by Balland Bass discusses this very topic. Many teachers believe simply enhancing their knowledge of mathematics will make them a better teacher. The more you know, the more you can teach on the topic, right? It is important to know the subject of course. Can you imagine teaching music theory if you don’t know a rest from a note? Of course it would be rough. But knowing how to do the math is not enough. Teachers need to know how to unpack the math. We need to know how to break it down. This ability will help us guide our students though the steps the need to find the solution, especially when it’s not making sense.

At placement yesterday, while the students were figuring out their solutions to the math problem, I went around to see how they were doing. One group was struggling where to begin. They couldn’t figure out how to break down the word problem to an equation. I had to walk them through how to break down the question. Where was the information we needed to find, what information were we given? We eventually got the equation written out and they had to find the next part of their solution. It was interesting to see how they got their answer; it was a different way than I would have found the solution. Another group found the solution by themselves, but they also found it a different way. Instead of using division, they used subtraction.

When teachers know how to unpack a concept completely, they not only know how to teach students how to get to a solution, but they also know that there can be many ways to find the answer. Their students might take a different path than the “quickest” way we might do it, and that’s okay. At least they are going through the steps. This is just as important as knowing how to do the math, because not only will our students find different ways towards to solution, but it will also help us when they do not find the solution. When they show their work, if we know all the different ways they could get the answer, we can see where their thinking process is going, and intervene exactly where they might need clarification of a step.

So, this is the list I propose teachers keep in mind when teaching our students math:

“Things Good Math Teachers Do”

• Have mathematical knowledge
• Know how to unpack concepts
• Keep an open mind to unique solutions

Keeping this in mind, over the next few weeks, especially in placement, I want to focus on the mathematical process that is outlined in the Ontario curriculum:

• Problem solving
• Reasoning and proving
• Reflecting
• Selecting tools and computational strategies
• Connecting
• Representing
• Communicating

I want to particularly focus on problem solving and the reasoning behind this problem solving. Watching the children get to their answers was so interesting, and it was exciting to hear them explain and defend their reasoning behind solving it the way they did between peers. I want to keep this in mind for my teaching. I feel that sometimes my first instinct is to correct and guide them to the way I would answer the question, when I need to remember that they need the freedom to find they answer by themselves to learn.

Would you add anything to the lists? Add your suggestions in the comment section below!

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Genius Hour

In the next five weeks, I will embark on a genius hour project. A Genius Hour project is an independent research project to answer to a question. This project encourages students to take control of their own learning and explore a passion that might not be taught to them in the traditional classroom curriculum. It also teaches students to dig deep and break down what additional questions do they need to find the answers to and how to evaluate and apply that research. In turn teaching them the tools they need to navigate researching for a classroom project.

Genius Hour Question:

How can I start a Voice Lesson YouTube Channel?

Proposal:

    In order to start my own digital vocal studio, there are many small details I will have to develop and research before I can start my own YouTube channel.

First Week: The Basics

• Name and Logo
• Mission Statement
• Introduction Biography

Week Two: Set Up

• Research Successful YouTube Channels
• Research Vocal Lesson Plans
• Research YouTube Vocal Lessons

Week Three: Prep and Plan

• Set up a Recording Space
• Decide on Recording Method
• Make Lesson Plans

Week Four: Record and Edit

• Begin Recording Lessons
• Edit Lesson Recordings into Videos

Week Five: Finalize Product

• Post Lesson Videos on YouTube

This project will help me develop my organization for teaching vocal technique, and well as a beginning to open my own vocal studio in the future. It is also an excellent feature to my professional portfolio. A more personal benefit this project provides is it will give me an excuse to find time to sing, something I love and yet have been neglecting. 

"Those who wish to sing always find a song" ― Swedish Proverb

Why sing? 

Here are some benefits of singing. You don't need to be a professional to gain the benefits, it's good for every level of vocalist, even the shower singers!

Benefits of Singing, Mrs. Day

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Creative Commons

It’s wonderful to be creative. 

Not only for your own mental well-being and enjoyment, but also for the joy that comes from sharing ideas and interests with peers. The 21st century and use of the internet has opened our peer networks up to a global scale, all available within seconds. People in Ontario can share their creations and ideas with someone in England, and simultaneously find another creative idea from someone in Japan. This global sharing network has opened up communication to inspire new ideas, or build upon others ideas.

Lucélia Ribeiro. (June 30, 2008). Child Computers (Digital Image) Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/lupuca/8720604364/

But it also has emphasized the need for creative protection. The internet allows you to access mountains of resources and ideas from other people with the click of a button, but what’s to stop you from claiming the glory of all that hard work? What about your own creative contributions? You spent 3 months getting that song just right, and you see it being used on another person’s blog from Europe, claiming they wrote it. 

Something needs to be in place that is globally recognized to protect the world’s creativity.

DID YOU KNOW?

Everything you create, you have copyrights for!

This means anything picture or artwork you make, any song or poem you write, or sound clip you record, it belongs to you, and you have rights as to how it will be distributed and used. This is done through the Creative Commons. It’s free to sign up, and after a couple of questions, your creations now have a series of rules that others have to follow in order to use your creation.

There are different levels of how your peers can use your material

Attribution

Credit must be given to the creator or ask for their permission to omit.

ShareAlike

Material can be distributed and used, even modified, but it must be under the same terms, otherwise permission is needed.

NonCommercial

Material can be used, modified and distributed as long as it is for non-commercial use. Permission is needed if used for commercial purposes.

NoDerivatives

Material can be used and distributed, but must stay in its original form. Permission is needed to modify.

So when you use an image, video, or worksheet to enhance your teaching, make sure you are respecting the legal rights the creator requests, as you would expect others to treat the material you create and share.

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Designing Your Blog

Make It Pretty

This post is for my fellow classmates that might want some help with designing their blog. I'm going to post a bunch of links to help you make it look as awesome as your posts are! 

For Templates:

CssAuthor - This has ready-made templates, inspiration, backgrounds, icons....anything your heart desires for design

Gooyaabi - This is where I got my original template, Lots to choose from and they have a comprehensive filtering tool so you can find exactly what you are looking for

For Customization:

GoogleSupport - This is a walkthrough on how to change your layout and the details of each section

Advance Customization:

Youtube - This video shows how to read hmtl and tricks to modify it. If you are a visual person and need a step by step "how to do anything", as you probably know already, Youtube is gold. Especially for modifying your blog!

HTML101- An article explaining how to read your blog's HTML

Centre Your Header - I needed this, maybe you will too 

Logo Creation:

JulieStoian - Article on How to Create a Blog Logo for Beginners 

Shopify - Article with 5 Easy to Use Online Logo Makers to Design Your Brand 


And Lastly, General Coding Tutorials:

W3Schools - Suggested by my coding husband, this site has literally anything you'd ever want to know about coding. 


When I find more sites or tricks, I'll edit this post and put them on! 

Happy Blogging Friends!

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Math Makes Me Cry

I have a confession: 

I am in a bad relationship. With Math.

Math makes me cry.

I have never been good at math. I used to have fleeting moments when I would grasp the main concepts and feel brilliant. It was like the beginning of a relationship, all sunshine and roses. And then I would start on the homework and my rose coloured glasses would fade. A third of the way into the homework, I would start getting frustrated. Things were not as easy to fit into the box. Then things got more complex and multiple steps involved, and instead of persevering, I pushed my book away and pouted, or found something else to interest me. I’d given up. It was too hard, too confusing. When I asked for help, I got the same lesson explained to me, which I understood, but still continued to struggle once the complexity increased. I felt like I needed to be handheld through each step, too stupid to do it on my own. 

Math took my independence.

I managed to make it to Grade 11 math, and my heart sang in a joyous hallelujah choir when I completed that course and thought I was done with difficult math forever! It was a short lived joy however, as I began my undergrad in music. Did you know that music has a math subject too? It’s called Music Theory, and it was all my nightmares of math now combined with the abstract concepts of music without the black and white comfort math provides. Now, I went into university with a moderate knowledge of music theory, probably the equivalent of elementary school level math, maybe even up to a grade nine level of math. University music theory, at least at my university, was like jumping into grade 11 academic math, accelerating quickly. Three years I struggled with barely grasping concepts, and when I did understand a concept, I was only to be thrown into again into confusion. Music theory is like a combination of math and English. While there are formulas and structures and rules, there are many exceptions to the rule, and all ambiguous. My bad habits I had developed in math class did me no help. I responded to music theory as I did to math. I understood the basics, felt confident and then quickly lost it as soon as the “going got tough”. I even started bringing colouring pages into class because I knew that the lesson was way over my head and I wasn’t going to learn anyways. 

I gave up on music theory the way I gave up on math. I gave up on myself. 

Math had managed to stomp on my self-confidence.

Needless to say, it was a long three years and when I finished my last music theory course I had a similar song in my heart as I did in grade 11. Last week, I did a “math refresher” program to prepare me for my “teaching mathematics” class. I think I cried about three separate times, and had many a frustrated outburst. I worked through 18 years of the math that frustrated me all my educational career in one week. That’s a lot for a girl to take in! All I can say is thank goodness for Google and my husband. Both held my hand while I ventured though all the nightmares.

So that is my confession: 

Math makes me cry. It makes me feel stupid. It makes me give up on myself.  

But I don’t like that. 

I want to love math. I want to understand it and embrace it. I want to get excited about it. I want to make my students excited about it. I need to start a relationship with a new Math.  

That might be reaching a little high for now and I hopefully will get there by the end of this program. But I’m not going to give up. I’ll just make my goals smaller.

            My two goals for this term:
                        1) To stop crying when I do math
                        2) To like Math.

I need to go slow in this new relationship with Math 2.0. I don’t want a superficial, fly-by-night romance with it. I want something lasting. I want something real. So I will start with being civil, and work towards being friends. Love can grow from friendship. But that takes time. 

Check out my Pinterest page to find fun ways to teach math to children! 

Pinterest

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