must do better

It's been a few weeks since posting and since it's half term I can catch up.

There have still been a steady stream of kids interested in numu but I haven't been recording as much as I've wanted to - the realities of developing a new department (both of us are new) in an inner city school.

However there are big plans afoot - I have pitched NUMU to SLT and they love the ideas I have so they will be very supportive.

First I am organising a NUMU day (29th November) which will involve a visit from the website manager (Cliff, if this is not your title - or you prefer 'numu god' or something, let me know), lessons specifically focussed on NUMU, recording workshops in the afternoon and then a meeting with as many Sheffield music teachers who want to come. I'm hoping to get the local press interested and SLT have asked me to send a letter out to parents too.

Something that partcularly excited SLT was the suggestion that NUMU could play a part in primary-secondary transition. Having been a head of year 7 (the exact title was head of year 6 and 7 - ie transition) I know that bridging units are becoming more and more popular. If secondaries and their feeder primary schools were able to share projects and their outcomes through NUMU I think that would be rather exciting. So I've invited primary music specialists to the NUMU day too.

We have enterprise week coming up too - and I think the music department will be focussing on NUMU in big way. We might look at a band releasing stuff online (eg Radiohead - any excuse to bring them into my lessons) and think about the marketing implications etc. Or we might just have a week of competitive whole class recording sessions......fun fun.