Handouts Are Now Downloads

When I first started using Music Teacher's Helper, one of the features that I was most interested in was the ability to post files for students to view.  I was tired of making copies and having students lose them and ask for more.  Plus I wanted to save a few trees.  By using the File Area feature with MTH, students can have access to all my handouts whenever they want to use them.  I have a classroom set printed up that we use for studio classes and as reference in lessons, but if students want to have their own copy, they go to the website and print it themselves.

The way the program is set up, when I upload a file, I get to choose whether I want it to appear on the Resources page of my website where it is available to the whole world, or if I only want it available to students and parents after they log in.  If you only want it available after you log in, you can also choose if you want all users to be able to see it or you can choose specific people to view that file.  For example, my handout on practicing is available to all my students after they log in (and I really hope they use it).  I could also scan a student's Solo and Ensemble critique form and select only that student and his or her parents as viewers.    So far I haven't done that much.  (Mostly because I need to fix my printer/copier/scanner that has been broken for far too long, but that's another story.)

When I first started using the File Area, I posted all of my regular handouts, plus a few things compiled for specific studio classes.  This summer, I decided that I need to find quicker ways of doing lesson notes, so I created a whole bunch of new files describing specific concepts or exercises.  Now I can just put the key words into students' lesson notes and they can go find the file if they need more specific reminders.

This morning, I created these new files, each covering a specific topic that I will cover in lessons.  Some like straws and body mapping are spread out over multiple weeks.

• Breathing, Resonance, Vowels (Basics)
• Straws
• Body Mapping
• Chocolate Cake Principle
• Personal Positive Pep Talks
• Trains and Train X3
• Spray Paint and Laser Beams

I'm also in the process of revising my Listening List and Recommended Reading files. Comment if you have any recommendations for singers for my students to listen to or books/articles for them to read.

The big bonus of all of this work with the files of handouts and writing these blogs is that if I ever actually get around to writing my book, most of the information will already be there, just waiting for my to revise and organize.