The future of education…where are we going?

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Susan McAllister-Bee

I wanted to go to university when I graduated from high school but my family didn’t have the money. All my friends were going to university, and I truly felt “less than them” because I had to go to college … it was affordable.

Twenty-five years and tons of experience later, I’m actually content that I didn’t go to unversity.

I have a special friend, bless her heart, who was a professional student for what seemed like forever. She studied psychology and sociology for years. She is now finally working full-time as an office administrator making a reasonable salary, but still owing thousands and thousands in student loans.

I talk about this because I have two children age 10 and 13, and I wonder what their future is going to be. I honestly have to say that I have little in the way of savings for their education. You see, I am self-employed, divorced, and not in a position to put a lot of money away for their education. This is not the best scenerio, but it is the unfortunate truth.

But, is it really unfortunate?

I’m not worried. I don’t feel the post-secondary education system is an automatic set-up for a job when they graduate. Instead, I believe they need to learn how to “fit it” with the ever-changing ways of today’s world.

I cannot predict the future, but I have this strange feeling that universities are not going to be the number one choice of education for families of the next generation. What do you think?

Which is it? Technique or Style?

Posted on September 18, 2011 by Susan McAllister-Bee

I want to address what Speech Level Singing is and what it is not. SLS is a vocal technique that balances and connects the voice from the low notes to the high notes. It is a superb technique that sets singers up to sing in any style they choose safely and efficiently. It is not a technique that teaches the singer how to sing rock, or pop, or gospel, etc. Style and technique are two very different things.
Students in my studio work on style in the song after vocalizing. This is the ideal time to work on the vocal timbre and sounds such as shouting or belting. Shouting and belting is NOT a part of SLS technique….it is a style choice that the SINGER makes.

Why Can’t I Sing In Tune?

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Susan McAllister-Bee

There are basically two reasons why a singer can’t duplicate the pitch that he hears?

Firstly, the singer has an “ear” problem. The singer cannot duplicate the sound he is hearing because he does not know if he is on pitch. He has not (typically) practised this from a young age and has developed no point of reference. The singer has not imitated sounds requiring the vocal cords and pharynx to adjust to different pitches. The singer cannot associate the pitch he hears with the coordination that his vocal cords need to make to duplicate the sound. This problem can be fixed with “ear training” exercises, and methods such as Kodaly and solfege.

Secondly, a “technical” problem. Usually this is evident with singers who sing louder as they ascend in pitch .The singer knows it is the wrong pitch but doesn’t have the control to fix it. This is especially evident in singers with the inability to decrease volume at a high pitch. This problem can be decreased with the help of a good singing teacher.

Are you willing to let go?

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Susan McAllister-Bee

Singing is such a “freeing” sensation. Quite the opposite of how a lot of people sing, however. The ability to “release” or “let go” can be a difficult concept for some singers to grasp. Our instinct might be to “grab on” and “control” those notes to make them louder and more powerful. This “idea” can be quite limiting for a singer. Instead, the ability to “allow” your voice to just sit on the pitch as it moves around, should be every singer’s dream.

We’ve come a long way in 150 years…..

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Susan McAllister-Bee

The industrial revolution is over. The idea that you will simply get a job in a factory when you are finished high school, or go to college/university and have a job waiting for you when you finish in no longer the reality. There is a new trend, a much different trend, a technological trend. It is up to us as parents and adults, to guide our children and teach them to make choices that will allow them to prosper in the years to come.

The education system cannot keep up with the growing and ever-changing demands of employment shifts. It is up to us as adults and parents to realize our kids need more than school can offer.

Building confidence and leadership skills in a child is challenging but worthwhile. I know, I have two children, age 10 and 13. These two qualities, I believe, are so very important for their success in the future. I try to share as much about the world and how it operates as I can.

The more we equip our children with tools to succeed in today’s world, the easier it will be for them to find employment in the future. Subjects like math (music), science, language, communication, and computer technology are vital subjects. Acquiring leadership responsibilities as they grow older will increase their confidence and ability to adjust to sudden changes like job loss or job changes.

A new revolution is underway. Employment opportunities do not exist like they use to. I don’t have a crystal ball to know exactly when things will settle………but it might not be for a long, long time. Our children are the future. We need to help them adjust, and roll with the punches.