BrewsterConnections(PDF) - Brewster Academy

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Project-Based Learning Evolves From Hard Copy to Hard Drives The Shifting World of the Music Industry Technology innovation and evolution has left its imprint on the recording industry in challenging ways. Brian Weisbord (Los Angeles) and Logan Floyd (Essex Connecticut) plan to examine how these challenges impact both the industry and music consumers today. “We want to get into the world of the music industry and see how it’s been changed by small independent labels, the Internet, and blogs. I’m involved in the online music scene because I make my own music and release my own stuff,” explained Brian, who aspires to be a documentary filmmaker. “We also want to look at how artists in different parts of the country go about getting recognized, because we know it’s not the same in every city,” he added. These seniors want to gain a better understanding of how the music industry works today in a world where the latest recording is accessible and downloadable to the world in seconds. “In the past you cut a record and getting it pirated was much less likely. Now we live in this super sharing environment that is the Internet. Everyone is connected to iTunes and people are sharing things back and forth, and I want to see what really goes on behind the scenes in the music industry,” Brian said. Sharing music can be good for some artists, Brian explained while it might not be good for others, depending on where they are in their music careers. “A lot of people who want to be recognized will pass around their music for free … there’s this digital compulsiveness to share everything, but then when they are recognized, they are less willing to give it away.” He continued, “The business model for the music industry is really messed up. Bands barely make money off of the music they sell; the money is all in touring. The artists barely get any cut of their music. That’s part of what we will be looking at.” Brian and Logan plan to interview music executives, independent artists, producers, and bloggers among other industry professionals. Since it’s a documentary, they plan to conduct as many face-to-face interviews as possible and video the meetings. They expect the interviews will help hone their interviewing skills. For their sophomore and junior projects, Brian completed two documentaries and Logan produced two movies, and they are counting on the lessons learned from these projects to make their more in-depth senior Brian Weisbord projects stronger. As an example, Brian has learned he needs more media to round out his film. “On my first project I didn’t have enough film, and I had no B-roll,” he laughed, referring to background footage that helps set the context of a film. Ultimately they will produce a documentary to present to their Logan Floyd classmates and teachers. We plan to benefit by knowing we can start with an idea, make connections to that idea or topic, do something really interesting with it, and connect it back to our classmates in a meaningful and entertaining way, Logan explained. 10 BrewsterConnections – Spring 2012
Conference Affirms Direction of Brewster Program By Marcia Eldredge Through the generous support of Brewster’s professional take steps to nurture creativity in their students. Brewster’s project-based development program, Dean of Studies Peter Hess attended learning initiative, in which students have the freedom to explore topics the Learning & the Brain Conference in Boston in November. of their choice and develop creative, useful solutions to problems, speaks The conference brought together teachers, school administrators, directly to how Brewster is cultivating this concept. psychologists, and clinicians from around the world to hear researchers share their latest discoveries in neuroscience and their implications for Robert Swartz, Ph.D., director of the National Center for Teaching teaching, interventions, and curriculum. Thinking, discussed the value in decentralizing the classroom into small groups and the importance of teaching students how to work well The conference’s title, “Preparing 21st Century Minds: Using Brain in groups. Brewster has been committed to the concept of teamwork Research to Enhance Cognitive Skills for the Future,” was what piqued and collaboration for nearly two decades, and the school curriculum’s Hess’s interest. Brewster works hard to ensure that its academic program intentional cooperative learning practices accomplish this objective prepares students for the world in which they will learn and live, and extremely well. Hess was curious to see if the information presented at the conference would affirm that Suzy Cox, Ph.D, researcher on the impact Brewster’s program is current in proven best practices in teaching and learning for student success. Several ideas shared at the conference had direct connections to how Brewster has evolved in recent years. For example, Charles K. Fadel, co-author of 21st Century Skills: Learning for Life The conference affirmed that Brewster’s curriculum is current in proven best practices in teaching and learning for student success. of technology in education, advocated for schools to adopt certain technology tools that will help support the “Five Minds for the Future” advocated by author Howard Gardner. She touted the value in taking advantage of technological resources as a way to engage students more deeply in a variety of higher order thinking skills. Some of the tools that she in Our Times (2009) called for schools to rethink what is taught around promoted were tools that engaged students in the gathering and analysis three dimensions – knowledge, skills, and character – and to achieve a of real time data, podcasting, website creation, blogging, and media “balance between direct instruction and projects.” Brewster has recently creation. These tools have been a part of Brewster’s technology repertoire revised its curriculum to find the appropriate balance between content for many years so, again, this affirmed the relevancy and importance of coverage in different disciplines and the application of that knowledge Brewster’s curriculum. through its project-based learning initiative. Fadel’s words confirmed that Brewster is on the right track with these types of revisions. The above is just a sample of the direct connections to the Brewster program that Hess found as he listened to the various experts. The Harvard researcher Shelley Carson, Ph.D., spoke of the important role conference was very stimulating and extremely affirming that Brewster that creativity will play in the 21 st century and how vital it is that schools is absolutely on the right track with where it is headed in its efforts to provide the best possible education for its students, Hess commented. LIVE LEARN LEAD www.brewsteracademy.org 11
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