Update Fall 2009:

I am a music teacher in a rural area. I love all things tech related. I have been known to spend hours on the net over the summer just looking for new things to bring into my classroom. Visit my music room webpage at www.mrsmuench.com.

View my page on Music Techie Teachers

Geocaching

I just got started with Geocaching in the summer of 2007. Thanks to my buddy Jill Murphy and her 6th grade math class unit on GPSing.

I started out getting most of my information from www.geocaching.com It’s a wonderful site! Then I downloaded EasyGPS from (you guessed it) www.easygps.com Looking for a cache is great exercise and lots of fun. We even took my niece and nephew out caching in June. My sister-in-law is also offically hooked. Another interesting site from a fellow IL geocacher is at www.geocacher-u.com.

My Experience

Brenda D. Muench

Education

Bachelor of Science in Music Education – University of Illinois – 1996

Teaching Experience

Iroquois West CUSD 10 9/1996 – present

Vocal Music Teacher

1996 – 2005

• K-3 General Music Classes twice a week

• Middle School Chorus daily

• Small group lessons with Middle School Chorus students weekly

• Co-Direct High School Musical in alternating years

2005 – 2008

• K-3 General Music Classes twice a week

• 4-5 General Music Classes once a week

• 4^th grade and 5^th grade Chorus twice weekly

• Middle School Chorus daily

• Small group lessons with Middle School Chorus students weekly

• Mentor new Band Directors

2008 – present

• K-3 General Music Classes twice a week

• Assist teachers across the district in integrating technology

• Mentor new Band and Chorus Directors

Special Projects

• Created the Collaborative Composer Project (composerproject.wikispaces.com) with Carol Broos in 2008

• Began program that offered MS Chorus students small group lessons during the school day

• Expanded the 4-5 Chorus to numbers large enough to split into 2 separate groups

• Launched Music with Mrs. Muench (www.mrsmuench.com) – one of the most visited sites on the Iroquois West website

• Guided a group of boys to start Maroon4 (http://maroonfour.edublogs.org/) a group blog to showcase their compositions

• Set up website to post practice tracks for Middle School students auditioning for IMEA All District

• Launched individual 5^th grade music blogs for 2007/2008 school year

• Participated in interviews for all current instrumental and vocal teachers