Steve Watson's Online Music Class

Greetings!

Let me first begin this blog with an introduction.

Having spent several years teaching general music at the high school level in New York, I have come to believe that there is a need for input from all of us that share this experience. My first teaching assignment was 5 classes daily in a classroom with no musical instruments (well, there was an out of tune piano), 32 desks and 50 students ranging in age from 14-20. Some were honors level seniors, others were freshmen with IEP's. None had any particular desire to play music, yet all were required to be there in order to graduate.

At the time, neither my education nor my experience as a bass player were nearly enough to prepare me for the lessons I would eventually learn - and teach - as I began to develop a curriculum that could meet the NYS learning standards while keeping the attention of my adolescent urban attendees.

Blah, Blah, Blah... how do you reach anyone under these circumstances???

I have developed a few ideas over the years, and have decided to share them throughout this semester. I am setting up this blog with the intention of documenting my lesson plans and my concept for teaching general classroom music at the high school level.

I hope that you may find this information informative, entertaining, or even useful, and I welcome any suggestions or comments that you may have as we move along...