#MyRelaxing5

As I sit here with Christmas decorations (mostly) up, enjoying the cozy light of the tree, it seems to be an appropriate time to write #MyRelaxing5. This blog challenge began with @msventurino, and has made its way through the #sunchatbloggers group, focusing on something educators are not always good at - taking time for ourselves.

Learning to rest. Sitting on the couch with a soft, cozy blanket, and Christmas lights glowing. #thisishygge #hyggetime #hygge pic.twitter.com/Rmoaz4GDKI

— Aubrey Yeh (@Ms_A_Yeh) November 26, 2018

If you know me IRL or have seen me online for any length of time, it's probably not a secret that I am a go-go-go type of person! I enjoy a fast-paced lifestyle, I love being involved in many different things, and I'm passionate about the work I do. The flip side of this is that I'm not good at resting. Or saying no. Or doing things for myself. But neglecting that side of life can definitely lead to burnout and not being as effective at...well...anything. This is the perfect time of the year for a reminder to slow down and take a moment to just relax.

Here are #MyRelaxing5, 5 non-work things that I will commit to doing for ourselves before the end of 2018.

1. Go on a vacation!

Okay, this is sorta cheating because I've already done it, but it was a big one! Once I left the classroom, I also left behind Thanksgiving break, winter break, spring break, and summer. As a teacher, I was "told" when my time off was, and I took advantage of it! Now, I work year-round, and it didn't occur to me at first that I purposefully need to plan some chunks of time to take off. I've taken a couple of long weekends or time off to go to other conferences (which doesn't really count), but this is the first real, extended vacation I've taken in several years, making it worthy of inclusion on this list! I need to do this at least once per year, whether it's traveling out of the country or just taking days off for a staycation!

2. Making fun food

I always know my stress level is low when I feel like I have time to experiment in the kitchen. And what better time to cook than the holidays? Whether it's trying a new recipe or making my traditional Christmas fudge, I want to make time to play in the kitchen.

3. Sit on the couch and do nothing.

I'm serious. Sometimes the best thing I can do is...nothing. There's something relaxing about just saying no to deadlines, work-work, fun-work, volunteer responsibilities, chores, and everything else for a moment. It's hard to quiet my mind, but when I can get to that place of doing nothing and letting my thoughts wander, it's one of the most relaxing things in the world!

4. Reading

On my recent trip, lots of time on airplanes meant time to read. As I updated my "Books I've Read in 2018" list, I realized I hadn't finished a book in two months! Yikes. Somehow, between switching jobs and everything else I had going on, reading just got pushed to the bottom of the priority list. But it is something that brings me great joy! My recent "kick" has been reading books that are stories, whether nonfiction or fiction, of refugees, along with some professional reading to help me in my new role. I'm happy to say that over the past two weeks, I've read 7 books and am in the middle of #8. It feels so good to be back into it!

5. Making Music

One of my favorite relaxing things to do is to play piano. Or to play violin with friends. One of my favorite Christmas traditions is playing piano duets with my sister. It's time to practice! Making music always calms me, no matter how stressed I am, and provides a good, quick outlet for my creative juices. I want to play more before the end of 2018.

So there you go - #MyRelaxing5. Please feel free to ask and hold me accountable for actually doing these things!

What will you commit to doing for yourself by the end of the year? Share using the hashtag #MyRelaxing5, and don't forget to take care of YOU in this busy season!

#ISTE18: It's All About the Relationships!

This year, I was so excited to go to my first ISTE conference! After stalking the #notatISTE hashtag for a few years, it was amazing to finally be there!

I thought about writing a recap, but a picture tells a thousand words, so I'd rather just share my sketchnote of the conference. Each little sketch represents a memory of my time in Chicago! Looking back, I notice a lot of food on here...yep, food = good memories...maybe a little too much ;-).

As I look back, the thing that I will remember the most is all of the friendships & relationships. I loved sitting down next to new people (or, more accurately, standing in line) and being able to strike up a conversation, because we were all connected by our love of education! Even more meaningful were the people I got to have more in-depth conversations with, because this isn't the first time we've connected. From my amazing teammates to the Breakout EDU crew to #sunchatbloggers to other people I've connected with online, it filled my heart to spend time with so many amazing people!

My mind and heart are full. Thank you, #ISTE18!

Colorado Summit 2017: Takeaways

Nearly a week later, and I am finally getting the chance to sit down and blog about the Ed Tech Team Colorado Summit! I had an amazing time (complete with very little sleep!) - here are the three main themes that describe my weekend.

Connections

#sunchatbloggers buddies - @brianrozinsky & @historicalipad

More than anything else, this conference was about connecting with others for me! I had the pleasure of meeting several people that I have interacted with online, and it was so much fun to finally meet in real life. Being only the second ed tech conference I've ever attended, this is the first time I have really seen the breadth of my #PLN. I met so many friends of friends and it seemed like there were common connections everywhere! Last year, when attending this conference, I was just getting started on Twitter. This year, I met so many #eduheroes and realized the impact of being a globally connected educator!

Creativity

From the keynote speakers (@amyburvall & @jheil65) to the sessions (including sketchnoting by @sylviaduckworth), the innate creativity in all of us and the need for it in education was at the forefront of my takeaways from this conference. Even the winning demo slam was @sylviaduckworth rapping with Incredibox! As a music teacher, this fed my soul! It is always so affirming to hear the more creative subjects celebrated. But beyond that, I loved the way we talked about tying it all together - it is not about creating in isolation, but infusing that into everything we do as educators!

Leadership

I can't talk about this event without looking back to my #oneword2017, LEAD. Over the past year, I have slowly come to view myself as a leader in different ways. Starting with being the leader of my classroom, moving to leading a building in my summer admin job, and now being in a leadership position with educational technology in my district, I have been challenged to step up and grow. At the conference, I had a couple of interactions that challenged me to continue to think wider about my influence, as a leader in the greater educational technology community. I still feel like just one small voice in a chorus, but it's humbling to realize that some people may see me as a leader. I feel a sense of responsibility to be a positive voice, to be someone who is unafraid to push for change but who will do so in a way that always communicates love and respect for others. And I feel a renewed sense of purpose in being REAL (both online & in person), in being ME, and in sharing my story.

Thank you, everyone who helped make the weekend a success! What were your biggest takeaways from the Colorado Summit?

#EdTechTeam #GAFESummit: Learning about Blogging with @cmoor4!

I'm sitting in a workshop at this #GAFESummit (which is now rebranded as #EdTechTeam) learning about blogging with @cmoor4.  These are some great resources and things I wish I would have had when I started blogging with my students this year!

Quick thought so far: we have talked a lot about being a good audience and how important it is to develop an authentic audience for the kids.  I'm so thankful for my #sunchatbloggers group and friends @MsVenturino, @AmyLynnRever, and @jkervs who have connected with my blog and my students' blogs to engage in this learning adventure together!

Time to click post so I can follow along with the next step!  I will post much more later, including a recap of my experience at this Summit!

#sunchatbloggers: Top 5 Non-Rehearsal Activities in an Instrumental Music Classroom

Earlier this year, as I was just starting to blog, I connected with an amazing group of educators in the #sunchatbloggers group.  As we have been inspired by each other's blogs, we decided to try a group topic of the "Top 5".  So, without further ado, here are my Top 5 Non-Rehearsal Activities in an Instrumental Music Classroom!

Check out this padlet to view other #sunchatbloggers Top 5 Posts!

1. Have students blog (or write) reflectively

How often do we ask students to reflect on their learning?  Blogging can be a great way to help them go deeper with class projects or practice logs.  Another favorite of mine is having students reflect on a performance or recording of themselves.  In writing about it, they are able to take a step back and look at the bigger picture of their learning.  This can also open up opportunities for class discussions to take place through the comment section online - which evens the playing field for some quieter students who would not speak up as often!

Relates to: literacy, critical thinking, technology, communication skills, student collaboration, assessments

2. Get out and share!

String Caroling

One of the best things you can do for your program is to share the joy of music with others!  My students participate in the Birthday Brigade to wish staff members a happy birthday.  We also do String Caroling around the holiday season, where students stop into different classroom to play holiday tunes (this also doubles as a chamber ensemble experience for them).  We also connect with younger students, playing mini-concerts to prepare for our evening concerts and putting on "instrument petting zoos" to give preschoolers and kindergartners some hands-on experience with the instruments.

Relates to: community, relevance, learning environment, students' strengths

3. Find & watch relevant YouTube videos!

YouTube, and various other video platforms, have changed the way people share media and provided a track to instant fame.  Many modern musicians have built their fan bases largely from viral YouTube videos!  Tap into that excitement, and show students videos that include their instrument in less traditional settings.  I also have a tradition called "YouTube Fridays", where we watch a relevant YouTube video and students complete a brief listening assignment about it.  This connects them to the world and lets them see the cool things they can do with their instruments,while also honing their listening skills!

Relates to: relevance, connectedness, differentiation, technology, critical thinking

4. Explore Online Music Tools

There are so many cloud-based programs that allow students to play around with different aspects of music.  I have shown students these tools in class, and had them go home and send me a video later that night of something they made using these websites.  There is also so much authentic learning that occurs as they try to recreate what they hear in their head on the screen!  Some of my favorites are:

Noteflight for composition

Pencil Code Jam for coding

Chrome Music Lab for musical fun and creation at all ages

Relates to: technology, connectedness, relevance, differentiation, students' strengths, critical thinking, student collaboration, coding

5. Make an instrument!

Orchestra Construction

As crazy as this sounds, allowing my students the chance to make an instrument has made a bit difference in how they take care of their instruments as well as their tone quality.  When they understand the underlying mechanics, they are able to integrate this knowledge into their playing to create a better sound.  We start by talking about the essential parts of their instrument (this TEDx Talk provides a great introduction), and then students design and build.  I have made instruments with all sorts of materials, and it is always fascinating to see the different ways students construct things to achieve the same result!

Relates to: technology, content, connectedness, student collaboration, critical thinking, makerspaces, community, students' strengths

What non-rehearsal strategies do you employ in your classroom to engage students and connect music to other disciplines?