With all due respect to Twitter, there’s no tool that is more powerful to my professional development as a teacher and musician than blogs. While the reflective process of writing for my own blog is extremely meaningful, I gain endless knowledge and inspiration from subscribing to the work shared by many of our colleagues. Checking my blog subscriptions is an important part of my daily ritual, and I’m constantly surprised by the quality of thought and unique ideas that roll through my feed. Luckily, there were a couple of great compilations over the summer (Music Ed-centric) that helped me expand my list of sources. With the year ramping up, it’s a perfect time to set up your blog subscriptions so that you’re on tap to receive a year’s worth of work around the choral world. If you have favorite conductor or choral blogs, add them in the comments below!
My “Intro to Blogs” Suggestions:
If you’re just diving into the world of RSS and blog subscriptions, I present a few ideas to keep in mind.
- Get a Reader. I recommend using Feedly, which allows to you subscribe to blog feeds and categorize them for your organization. It’s free, and you can use it with a Google Account (or create a new one). It’s web-based, and has apps for Android/iOS as well.
- Categorize, and Set a Routine. I have categories which I know are work-related, and I often skim that during a time of the day when I need something a little “low energy” or passive to do. Other categories are for morning coffee rituals or evening.
- Have a Place to Save. Just as with e-mail inboxes, Feedly is not meant to store things permanently. If you want to save a post to re-read later, or archive, use a service like Evernote, Pocket or Diigo.
- Comment! If you are interested in a post, leave a comment or question. It’s a great way to start conversation and networking.
2 Music Education Blog Roundups
- Music Education Blogs to Follow (Bandroomtech)
- Music Education Blogs (Scott MacLeod, Dangerously Irrelevant)
What Else?
Recommendations? Add them below!
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