20/08/2008
The autumn term is packed with seminars, conferences and CPD opportunities, and now's the time to book your place.
On 27 September there's an interesting seminar in London hosted by the Incorporated Society of Musicians called Living Music: The Power in Learning. The theme for the day is how to engage students and help them become independent learners.
Peter Wild, who leads the ISM's Private Teacher's Section and will chair the seminar says: "Sometimes students are taught through passive absorption rather than by stimulation. This can lead to students lacking motivation or enjoyment or even abandoning their studies. This seminar will present ways of getting students actively involved in their learning, helping them to develop as musical thinkers."
It sounds invaluable. There will also be a session with Professor Adam Ockelford talking about his experience of music-making with autistic children. Find out more.
Next up is the NAME conference, on 10-11 October in Birmingham. This year's theme is 'Partnership and Collaboration' and there'll be lots of practical demonstrations of successful projects and 'partnerships in action' to inspire you, not to mention a concert by the CBSO thrown in. Book online.
At the end of October, there's an essential CPD day for anyone involved with teaching jazz, in or out of the classroom. Jazz Services are hosting the London event and speakers include Dr Charles Beade of the Royal College of Music, trombonist Dennis Rollins and experienced jazz educators Dr Kathy Dyson, Andrea Vicari and Richard Michael. Participants will be investigating models of good practice and developing new teaching and learning strategies. Find out more.
On 5 November the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) is holding its 2008 music conference titled 'Joining the Dots', for teachers, heads, subject leaders and coordinators at specialist music colleges and affiliated schools, as well as music service representatives. The two-day conference features a host of workshops, seminars, performances and speakers, and themes covered will include national initiatives such as Sing Up and Wider Opportunities, new technology and schemes of work, and looking at how music can help improve standards across the whole curriculum. More info.
The SSAT event takes place at Manchester's Royal North School of Music which, if you're really planning ahead, is also the venue for next year's MusicLearningLive conference. Following January's successful event at the Sage Gateshead, next March the show will decamp to Manchester's Royal Northern College of Music and booking is open now. Find all the details here.