PLN Resource 2 (MENC: The National Association for Music Education)

MENC: The National Association for Music Education
URL: http://menc.org/

As I was reading through my PLN resources, my attention was continually focused on the MENC website (http://menc.org/). MENC is the National Association for Music Educators. Although this is an organization that I am familiar with, as I am sure many other students and educators are familiar with as well as, I still found it to be an excellent resource. The MENC website has a plethora of information regarding music education as well as opportunities for students and educators. As I was reading through the articles that come into the Google Reader, I saw an article about the All American Marching Band, a group that one of the students at our high school will be involved in and is extremely excited about. This example demonstrated just one of the many opportunities that educators can expose their students to through the MENC website. In addition, the website can provide educators with references and information about many topics related to music education. There are links to information about band, choir, jazz, general music and much more. In addition, the website lets music teachers see and learn about how other music educators teach music. There are ideas for lessons as well as concepts that worked well for others. This is a great way for educators to expand their horizons and try to implement new concepts into their own teaching. Along with reading about other lessons, one can interact with other teachers and discuss music education issues. There are music forums, as well as links to contact mentor teachers to discuss issues. Along with the many educational benefits of the website, there are also many resources supporting and advocating music education. With the tough economic times that our nation is currently facing, a resource could prove to be invaluable in helping to promote and defend a music education program. Although this is a source that I have been exposed to in the past, I continue to be impressed with the new information that I can find at the MENC website and I am sure it will continue to be a valuable resource in the future.