As I write this editorial, much of the country is engulfed in tough winter weather, including blizzards, heavy rainstorms, ice, and bitter cold. It's a great time to curl up with a copy of MET and catch up on the latest technology, products, and ideas for music education.

Our features this month are particularly apt for winter reading. In “Read Me!” (see p. 10), James Frankel reviews four music-technology books for educators that remain current, vital, and useful despite the continual evolution of technology. Several of Frankel's top four include the work of TI:ME trainers and leaders (and MET contributors) Dennis Mauricio, Don Muro, Floyd Richmond, Thomas Rudolph, Scott Watson, and Lee Whitmore. Like Frankel, these folks are veteran educators and technically savvy writers, and it's not surprising that they have produced some of the best books available about technology for music educators. So consider Frankel's reading suggestions, find copies of the books that appeal to you, and by the time spring arrives, you'll have some great new ideas for your program.

Speaking of Scott Watson, the good doctor has contributed a valuable feature to this issue of MET. In “Desert Island Technology” (see p. 26), he engages three accomplished, technology-savvy music educators in a fantasy about which three technology tools they would choose for their music programs if they were stuck on a desert island. As with science fiction, one has to overlook a few obvious conceptual problems; for example, if you were on a desert island, whom would you teach and how would you get electricity and computers to run the software? Nevertheless, it's a fun conceit, and indulging in such a practically useful fantasy is a fine way to spend an evening after a long day of teaching. Of course, the products, tips, and benefits Watson presents are very real indeed.

Whitmore takes us on a journey to Haverford High School, located just west of the City of Brotherly Love (see “Spotlight: Recording Electives Trigger Explosive Growth at Haverford High” on p. 18). There, we pay a visit to Mike Fein, TI:ME's 2007 Mike Kovins Teacher of the Year winner. We also chat with Haverford district music director Thomas Rudolph (who seems to appear like Superman wherever music teachers need help with technology) to find out how Haverford High School has used music technology in order to more than double enrollments in the past four years. Fein inspires as well as leads his kids, and we get a sense of how he works his magic as Whitmore breaks down the school's music lab, observes recording classes, and discusses the program with the district's director of curriculum and instruction. It's an informative and inspirational look at a success story that will help you to discover new possibilities for improving your music program. And that's a heart-warming thought to keep you going as we await the coming of spring.