Rockin’ Around the Clock: An Exploratory Study of Music Teachers\u27 Personal Listening Choices

This study aimed to explore the personal music listening choices of music teachers. Specifically, in which formats do teachers listen to music for personal pleasure, how do they obtain the music they choose, and how frequently do they choose to listen to certain genres of music. Using an online survey, music teachers answered questions about their listening and purchasing habits. Results were then analyzed using simple statistics and Analyses of Variance (ANOVAs) to discover listening preferences for the group as a whole, as well as what differences may occur with regards to age, teaching situation or other factors. Through this analysis, it was shown that although music teachers chose a variety of music for personal listening, they tended to listen to “Classical” art music with the most frequency. Younger teachers also chose some popular styles more frequently than older teachers and some listening choices tended to align with teachers’ job types, such as choral teachers’ frequent choice of vocal art music. Music teachers also embraced online technology in their listening, frequently selecting formats such as computer downloads, streaming services, and mp3 players

On the Fringes: the Monsters, the Voiceless, the Abominations, and the Exiled

Peripheral characters/characteristics frequently serve to highlight the problematic societal situation of marginalized groups, even though these characters on the fringes of the text or main characters with unusual attributes are seemingly irrelevant to the primary plot. This portfolio examines, through a teaching unit, the monster archetype and its representation as a means to suppress Other or other within ourselves. The literary analysis pieces also examine the repression of historically marginalized groups, such as women, homosexuals, and children. And the last piece even takes a look at what happens when powerful groups are usurped by socio-economic and cultural shifts

Rheology and Shear-Induced Textures of Silver Nanowire Lyotropic Liquid Crystals

We report the rheological and microstructural shear response of a mixture of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coated silver nanowires and nanoparticle aggregates (Ag) dispersed in ethylene glycol (EG) or water (H2O). Biphasic and liquid crystalline dispersions exhibited rheological characteristics similar to those of lyotropic liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs). The viscosity versus concentration curve for Ag-EG dispersions showed a viscosity minimum at a silver concentration between 2.2 vol.% and 2.9 vol.%; this is indicative of the transition to an entirely liquid crystalline phase. The rheology results were consistent with optical microscopy observations that at 2.9 vol.% the sample was entirely birefringent; this is another indication of liquid crystalline phase formation. Shear had a significant effect on the microstructure of the dispersions and dried coatings. Depending on the shear rate, worm or shear banding Structures were observed

Harnessing the Power of Failure in Your Music Classroom: Grit, Growth Mindset, & Greatness

No pain, no gain. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. These and other similar phrases represent attitudes most teachers hope will inspire their students. Surrounded by walls adorned with such inspirational quotes, we music teachers walk a fine line between identifying students’ musical mistakes and encouraging them to keep trying. We may wonder during this process why some students seem to crumble under criticism while others never quit, despite constant difficulty. What can we do to encourage students to learn from their mistakes? What roles do talent and hard work play in the music learning process? And what is the relationship between struggle, failure, and learning that lasts

A Racial Impact Analysis of SB 30: Medicaid Expansion

Virginia is the second worst state in providing Medicaid to its citizens. The focus of this report is to provide a racial equity impact analysis of Senate Bill (SB) 30, the Senate legislative vehicle for the appropriations of the budget submitted by the Governor of Virginia for fiscal years 2015 and 2016. SB 30 included a provision called “Marketplace Virginia” as an alternative to traditional Medicaid expansion in Virginia. This compromise bill would have covered an estimated 430,000 Virginians who fall in the Medicaid coverage gap by assisting them in purchasing private insurance. This report provides a racial equity impact analysis of the failure of the Virginia General Assembly to pass SB 30. The racial and ethnic impact of this proposed, but failed, legislation is important because minorities in Virginia disproportionately face disparities in health care access and quality. This racial impact analysis captures and reports the potential impact of this legislation by race in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The primary recommendation includesraising eligibility requirements to a minimum of 100 percent of the federal poverty level. Virginia’s current eligibility requirements are so strict that although it is ranked 7th in per capita personal income, Virginia ranked 43rd in Medicaid enrollment as a proportion of the state’s population and 47th in per capita Medicaid spending

The Relationship between Growth Scores and the Overall Observation Ratings for Teachers in a Public School System in Tennessee

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the TVAAS growth score given by the Tennessee Department of Education and the overall Tennessee Educator Assessment Model (TEAM) observation rating for teachers in grades 3 through 8. The participating county public school system for this study is located in Northeast Tennessee. Participants were teachers in the school system teaching Math, English/Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies in grades 3 through 8 in 10 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, and 2 K-8 schools. Specifically, this research examined the relationship between the TEAM observation scores and overall TVAAS growth score given to the teacher from the Tennessee Department of Education based upon yearly-standardized test scores. Research reinforced mixed views about the validity and purpose of teacher evaluation systems and the use of Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System. Five research questions guided this study and quantitative data were analyzed using a Pearson correlation, one-way MANOVAs and a one-way ANOVA. Results indicated a moderate positive relationship between a teacher’s TEAM observation score and the TVAAS growth score given by the Tennessee Department of Education

The Relationship between Growth Scores and the Overall Observation Ratings for Teachers in a Public School System in Tennessee

Abstract is available to download