Pressed for time & help? Link up!
With KMTA resources!

What do teachers do these days, when pressed for time, resources, and ideas? They link up with the world-wide web of information, with colleagues who recognize their plight, share their joys (and feel their pain!), and with those whose expertise and experience exceeds theirs (such as those who instruct us through this publication, and who teach master sessions at the In-Service Workshop!).

You can link up on-line with three independent KMTA teachers who publish excellent blogs with free resources and links to many wonderful music education sites!

Natalie Wickham, NCTM* from Derby, has a nationally recognized blog at musicmattersblog.com with links to over 75 other blogs, and posts for free- downloadable software and music, such as Audacity (free audio recording software), USTREAM.tv (an on-line TV channel with live broadcasting), KunaKi.com (to produce professional quality CDs for a low price), and CreateSpace.com (a print-on-demand publishing site).

Wendy Stevens, NCTM*, Andover composer (with Hal Leonard, Concordia, and Augsburg Fortress) and teacher, maintains an excellent blog especially for encouraging composition and improvisation. She provides free and for-purchase music education materials of her own innovative creation at ComposeCreate.com as well as insightful articles on the business of teaching through the "Dollars and Sense" segment of the blog.

Jennifer Fink, NCTM* of Olathe just received the KMTA 2011 Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award, in part for her excellent blog with her many colorful and creative downloadable materials at pianimation.com with "resources for seriously fun music educators." When you see these excellently-produced aids, you'll readily see why she was awarded the honor!

KMTA's link to colleagues across the nation through MTNA — the Music Teacher's National Association — provides members with a feature-packed magazine, a new free e-Journal, and, on the "Resources" tab on its website, a list of websites for kids, a new products directory, and great presentations on learning issues.

The KMTA sessions at the In-Service Workshop have been led by experienced experts in accompanying, improvisation, music games, and midi-technology in the last few years. And the "proof in the pudding" of the results of these cumulative experiences is in the excellent work of the KMTA teachers as always modeled in a recital of the Honors Auditions winners from across the state. Maybe some of these excellent students are from your school!

The 2011-2012 year is a fantastic time to join KMTA as they participate in MTNA's recruitment and outreach campaign:

Just as the old saying goes, that music erases the dust of everyday life, it's true that we're stronger for being links in a chain, than in being just lone links as we seek to support, encourage and advocate for the benefits we all agree are essential to any quality of life, through the study of music!!

So link up! With us, and with all the great resources of KMEA, KMTA and MTNA!

* Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, through the Music Teachers National Association.

For complete information on KMTA's activities, go to www.ksmta.org