The Jazz of Physics by Stephon Alexander

This was requested by a faculty member.  If you know me at all, you know I am very vocal about arts and shop being STEM, and therefore needing to be part of the conversation about "future-ready" education. 

I could get on my soapbox right now and start ranting, but I shall refrain.

The reality is that music is math, a language, a science, and an art all rolled into one.  And it's been proven time and again that kids who can read music and/or play an instrument score better on standardized tests.  Because that's all we care...nevermind.  You know what I want to say without me having to say it.

For me, Band was my escape.  Taking all Honors level courses (WHHS only had 2 AP courses when I was a student; I did take AP Calculus my senior year) was intense.  It was hard.  The Bandroom was where I was embraced by kids from all levels, all races, all, well, pretty much everything.

So I get where Alexander is coming from when he talks about what music (specifically sax and jazz) means to him. 

Alexander is a world-renowned professor of physics.  He's a genius.  There have been several of those who love music, including this guy named Einstein.  Maybe you've heard of him?

Now, I'm not saying this was easy to read.  It's been twenty years, twenty-one actually, since I did anything related to the study of physics (still love you and that class Mr. Marsoli, and a lot of my kids love your successor Mr. Favale).  So some of this, I glossed over.

But on the whole, a nifty hybrid of memoir, physics, and jazz.  Oh, wait, that's language, science, and music, isn't it?

Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
Tweet what you're reading #whhssummerread

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.