OrchestraTeacher.net

Use Tech to Organize, Administrate and Promote Your Music Program

Why use the technology?

  • Easy!
  • Free!  (Or mostly free)
  • Saves time
  • Gets you organized
  • Reach a wide audience
  • Available 24/7
  • Fit for today’s students & parents!

Who is my audience?

  • parents
  • students
  • administration
  • the community
  • other teachers
  • the world!

Dropbox

  • It can save the day!! Watch the video.
  • All of your stuff with you all the time
  • Syncs between computers and mobile devices
  • Also backs up files, accessible from web
  • Easy to share files & folders with anyone
  • 2GB is free, earn more space by referrals (my referral link!)

Google Drive

“An office suite in the cloud”

  • Create office documents
    • word processing
    • spreadsheets
    • presentations
  • Store files
  • Parent phone call/contact log

Using Forms on Google Drive

“My favorite feature!”

  • Collect Student/Parent Data
  • Performance assessments
  • Parent phone call/contact log
  • Music Library & Inventory Entry

Google Calendar

  • Create multiple calendars
  • Share calendars with colleagues, parents, students
  • Embed calendars on website/blog
  • Sync calendar
    • On computer Outlook or iCal
    • Mobile device (tablet/phone)

Remind.com

  • Fantastic communication tool!
  • Send SMS text messages
  • FREE!
  • Best part = one way texting!
  • Send via web or mobile app.  Very slick.
  • http://www.remind.com

 Essential Elements Interactive

Charms Office Assistant

  • All encompassing web-based office tool
  • Communication – email, text, calendar
  • Manage uniforms, music library, student data, financial transaction
  • Music studio allows recording & submission
  • Online practice logs
  • Yearly subscription fee per school
  • http://www.charmsoffice.com

Website or Blog

  • Can provide one or two way communication.
  • Upload photos, assignments, files.
  • Examples: Google Sites, Blogger, WordPress
  • Can distribute lots of information & multimedia
  • Build a group’s identity
  • Caution:  Students can post anything unless comments are moderated.

WordPress

  • WordPress.com (or self-install)
  • Blog and/or website
  • Clean look, easy to use
  • Fully web-based, no software to install
  • Use on web or mobile apps
  • Customizable & powerful
  • Expanded functionality with plugins

The POWER of YouTube

  • Use for program promotion
  • What things could you post?
  • Make your own “channel”
  • Disable commenting & like/dislike options
  • Privacy & permission concerns
  • Mr. Laux’s YouTube Channel

 Social Media – The next step!!

Why use social media?

  • Students are always using it!!
  • Your audiences subscribe to your news and it gets delivered to them.  They don’t have to find your information.
  • Facebook/Twitter feeds can be set to automatically post from blogging sites like WordPress

Using technology helps you…

  • Get organized
  • Communicate
  • Educate your audience
  • Enhance your program
  • Recruit and retain students