Hello, and welcome to the first of what will be a series of blogs concerning the arts in a project based learning setting. It's my hope that I can facilitate conversations nation wide concerning the arts in schools and why it is so important to keep them. Also, I want to offer any expertise I may have to those that are starting out in the field.

For those of you who may not know me, I work at Triton Central High School, near Fairland, IN. TCHS is a New Tech Network affiliate.

I teach a class called "LitMus" which is English 10, Literature and Musicology combined. Musicology is both Music History and Music Theory/Composition. My partner, the English expert, is a brilliant and patient lady named Sarah Papin-Thomas. Prior to moving into my current position, I served as the Director of Choral Activities at the Middle School and the High School.

But enough about me, let's talk about the arts...

Currently we are living in a most exceptional time. Our students are being inundated by media almost endlessly. They have the world at their fingertips through cellphones, laptops, iPads... yet they have very little understanding of the content that they are absorbing. Ask any student to define "art" or "music" and you will find varying answers, none of which grasp the real heart of what the arts are: a universal language.

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