It’s 2018 and about time I put my own blog together.
I’m a former Music Teacher. And Science Teacher (Physics with a bit of Chemistry and even less Biology). I spent just under 25 years in Secondary schools in London and the South East. I have taught children as young as seven and young adults as old as twenty. I used Technology heavily throughout my teaching. I taught various GCSE specifications, AS/A levels in Music and in Music Technology and BTEC vocational music and music technology at levels 2 and 3. In 2017 had to stop all that thanks to failing health, which has denied me the stability and capability needed to continue teaching. It has given me a way to spend more time thinking, writing and making videos though…
Sometime around 2010 / 2011, I answered a random questionnaire about how I use Technology and what sort of things I teach in my lessons. That led on to a couple of interview type meetings with Emma Cooper, who was working for Rhinegold Education at the time. I reviewed a few books, worked as a consultant teacher on things like Mike Simpon’s fantastic “Teach and Play” books, and started writing myself from time to time. All of that led to an unforgettable meeting at what was then Rhinegold Education’s London HQ – the MusicSales Ltd head office in Berner’s Street, London. The meeting was chaired by Dr James Frankel, who was starting to put together what was to become MusicFirst. The rest is, as they say, history: I got more and more involved as a member of their UK panel, then tested their software in my school(s), started writing their UK Blog site and then, in June 2018, started working for them part-time as their Digital Content Manager, as my health allows. That role changed slightly around Jan 2019 so my title is now “Customer Support and Brand Ambassador” no less! I’m sure I’ll post more about that journey in the future…
Within the blogs and vlogs that follow you will find opinions on all sorts of things, mainly Music, Education, Technology and Teaching. Everything I write or record is/will be completely my own opinion.
I shall start with the articles I put together for MusicFirst UK and who knows where I’ll end up!
From a former Music Teacher... 