I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Album: #271
Album Title: The Beach Boys Today
Artist: The Beach Boys
Genre: Orchestrated Rock, Rock, Chamber Pop
Recorded: Three Studios, Hollywood, California
Released: March, 1965
My age at release: Not Born Yet (Technically, I was a fetus)
How familiar was I with it before this week: A few songs
Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, At #4
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: In The Back Of My Mind
(Spotify song picked by Eamon O'Flynn, Host of The Record Roulette Podcast where this record was discussed on an October, 2021 episode)
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| The cassette tape - a staple for music listening and recording (1962-2000) |
I can't remember who lent 10-year-old me that 45 rpm single of Help Me, Rhonda. However, I do remember giving it a workout on my small, all-in-one, suitcase-style portable turntable. My cheap needle probably did irreparable damage to that vinyl, but it also made me a fan of The Beach Boys and their harmony-rich, surf-rock sound.
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| A portable turntable, similar to mine |
For many years after, I only thought of The Beach Boys in terms of their California Sound -- a musical aesthetic which encapsulated beaches, surfing, hot-rods, girls in bikinis, carefree innocence and young love. I wasn't entirely wrong; the early Beach Boys' catalogue features genre-defining hits, including Surfin' Safari, Surfin U.S.A., I Get Around, Fun Fun Fun, Barbara Ann, and Little Surfer Girl.
Then, in 1984, I heard David Bowie perform God Only Knows and learned (likely from a radio disc-jockey) that it was a Beach Boys song. I was gobsmacked! How could this beautiful, lush, orchestral song of grief and heartbreak be a Beach Boys tune? Soon after, I listened to The Beach Boys 1966 studio release, Pet Sounds (#2 on The 500) for the first time, and my formerly narrow understanding of this influential group was forever changed.
As reported in my February, 2021, post for their record Smile, The Beach Boys went through a transition in the mid-60s (the height of the British Invasion). Brian Wilson, the group's principal songwriter, was struggling with exhaustion and crippling anxiety (later diagnosed as schizo-affective disorder). Consequently, he stopped touring with the group and spent his time writing and working in the studio with the band's supporting musicians.
The Beach Boys Today was a fascinating moment in pop-culture and music history. It documents the band's transition from the California Rock sound that had made them commercial juggernauts to the start of their ascension toward critical acclaim with their artistic masterpiece, Pet Sounds.
In fact, this sonic switch occurs neatly between Side One and Side Two of The Beach Boys Today. Typically, when a band changes its sound, the transformation takes place between records. Perhaps the best example of this can be found in the new direction The Beatles took with the release of Rubber Soul (#5 on The 500). It was the product of a whirlwind tour of North America in 1965 when they met folk singer Bob Dylan and their hero Elvis Presley, as well hearing the soul music hits that were playing on American radio. |
| Album cover for Rubber Soul by The Beatles (1965) |
There is always something new to learn, and this thought prompted me to ask: When did I make the biggest change in direction as a school teacher?
Throughout my career, I've learned so much from many mentors. However, the biggest game-changer came in the autumn of 2013 when my principal suggested I attend a Google Professional Development session being offered by our board. Attendees were provided with Chromebooks and, over the course of the day, we learned about the Suite of free tools available through Google and the powerful educational utility of this small, inexpensive device.
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| An early version of Google's Chromebook |
Within a few weeks, a portable WiFi unit and a cart of 15 Chromebooks were available to our school. (Yes, believe it or not, wireless access to the internet for a classroom was still in its infancy ten years ago). The portable units were nicknamed "COWs" -- which stood for Computers On Wheels. They housed the Chromebooks and the portable WiFi system that needed to be plugged into power and the classroom ethernet line.
I was eager to incorporate this new technology into my Grade 4 classroom. and my students were equally enthusiastic participants. As an early adopter, I benefited from nearly exclusive access to that technology for much of the year and my entire approach to teaching changed.  |
| The original line-up of Google Suite Apps |
I shifted from a traditional "Sage on the Stage" approach and adopted the role of "Guide on the Side". Instead of delivering information to rows of students who dutifully took notes, I began sharing links to engaging, kid-friendly websites. Excited and engaged, my charges worked collaboratively to discover information they could share with classmates through interactive slideshows – a process that allowed them to expand their knowledge base creatively. I could write pages on all the ways Chromebooks and Google Suite changed my pedagogy for the better. In fact, for the past eight years I have, in conjunction with the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO), offered a three-day Summer Academy session to educators to support them in incorporating this technology into their own classrooms.
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| A poster for ETFO's Summer Academy in 2021 |
I've even inveigled my dad into being my blog sounding board. Early on, we would clean up my blog copy by phone, but it was a cumbersome and time consuming process. So, he learned the "suggestion" feature using Google Docs for feedback on my musings. After a final proofing, I am ready for publishing via Google Blogger.So, how about you? What sparked the biggest change in your professional life or creative pursuit? I'd love to hear in the comments below or through my social media feed. @Mr_H_Teacher
And, as my current students are in a habit of saying during their Google presentations ... thanks for staying until the end!
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I was eager to incorporate this new technology into my Grade 4 classroom. and my students were equally enthusiastic participants. As an early adopter, I benefited from nearly exclusive access to that technology for much of the year and my entire approach to teaching changed. 
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