The Elementary Music Teacher Podcast: Music Education: Recent Episodes
Jessica Peresta
Are you an elementary music teacher? Maybe you’re worn out, overwhelmed, or feel like it gets harder each year.
Hi, I’m Jessica, and it’s my passion to help elementary music teachers, just like you, figure out your unique teaching style. In this podcast, I'll share helpful tips and strategies, work-home life balance tips, and mindset blocks, while helping give you the motivation you need to gain momentum in your teaching so you can continue being the music teacher rock star you already are.
Come and join the Facebook community at www.facebook.com/groups/elementarymusicteachercommunity.
This episode provides you practical advice on how to maximize the summer break. We discuss the importance of planning and scheduling activities, professional development opportunities, vacations, and even downtime.
You'll also learn the benefits of balancing work and relaxation, and the importance of personalizing your summer plans based on your needs and preferences. Tune in to get fresh ideas for your summer work and life balance!
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In this candid episode, I share my insights and experiences of teaching music in your 40s. Drawing from my own journey, I shared very important lessons and how I've became more relaxed, learned to let go of others' opinions, and how I now view challenges as learning opportunities rather than failures.
I also talk a little bit about the differences between teaching in my 20s and now, offering valuable lessons for young teachers and those considering getting into teaching later in life. Listen in for an honest, encouraging discussion about growth, change, and staying true to yourself in your teaching journey.
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In this episode, I discuss the challenges and successes I've faced, my strategies for assessing students' musical understanding, and how I plan to improve my lesson planning and execution for the next school year.
I also provide you with advice on self-assessment and dealing with perfectionism, emphasizing the importance of viewing mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures. Tune in for practical tips and encouragement on your music teaching journey.
- Sign up for the Curriculum Design Workshop
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- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, we delve into the rich connections between Jamaican music and the Orff approach, with our guest, Javel Perriel.
Javel shares his unique journey of integrating these elements in his music teaching practice. From discussing how he uses reggae music in his Orff instruction to explaining the creation of his book, which beautifully merges STEM science, technology, engineering, and math with music and literacy, Javel provides valuable insights. He also offers advice to music teachers on incorporating cultural music into their classrooms and incorporating STEM into their music lessons.
This is a must-listen for teachers seeking innovative ways to enrich their music classrooms.
- Get more of Javel here:
Grab a copy of his book here
Check out more of his stuff here * Read our latest blog post here * Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide. * Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, I go a little bit anecdotal and take you on a reflective journey through this school year. Throughout the episode, I discussed strategies that worked well in my music teaching, from integrating various teaching methods to building strong relationships with students, as well as the importance of planning and how it contributes to smoother lessons and performances.
This episode serves as a valuable resource for music teachers like me out there looking for practical tips and inspiration for their next school year.
- Check out latest blog post here
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- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode of The Elementary Music Teacher Podcast, we have a fun and educational chat with Jesse Mell and Travien Bryson about the awesome and effective music teaching method of bucket drumming.
The discussion covers the ins and outs of their unique teaching method, using food rhythms to teach complex syncopation to beginners, and the importance of tactile learning experiences. They also explore their new book and curriculum, which brings bucket drumming into classrooms, community centers, and churches, opening up an exciting new pathway for both music teachers and non-music teachers alike.
Our guests are two veteran Philadelphia school district teachers - Jesse Mell and Travien Bryson - who joined forces in 2021 to create a math learning system that would help Black and Brown kids close the achievement gap. Food bEatz is a proprietary learning system that helps kids master addition and multiplication with rapping, beat-making, and competitive game play.
- Check out more of their stuff here: Instagram
Youtube * Check out latest blog post for the show notes here * Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge * Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide. * Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, we delve into the key aspects of preparation for a music teaching interview.
From understanding how to discuss your teaching philosophies and methodologies to the importance of researching the school you're interviewing for, this episode is packed with valuable insights. Whether you're a fresh graduate or an experienced teacher looking to make a move, these strategies will equip you for your next music teaching interview.
- Check out latest blog post here
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- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, we welcome guest Lewis Baez, who shares his unique perspective and experiences teaching in the U.S. as a foreign teacher. Lewis discusses the challenges and rewards of navigating a new educational system and culture, the importance of establishing a strong support system, and the strategies he uses to effectively connect with his students. This episode provides valuable insights for any educators who are new to teaching in a different cultural context and offers strategies for building strong relationships with students and colleagues.
- Check out our latest blog post here
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- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, we talk all about implementing what you learn from music education conferences. I explore ways to effectively absorb, organize, and apply the knowledge gained from these events.
The episode emphasizes the importance of reflecting on conference learnings, connecting the dots between problems and solutions, and the courage to try new ideas in the classroom. Whether you're attending your first conference or you're a seasoned attendee, this episode offers valuable insights on making the most out of your conference experience.
- Check out latest blog post here
- Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge
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Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, we are joined by Linzie Mullins and Betsy Carter to talk about the concept of co-teaching in the music room.
Linzie and Betsy share their experiences, discussing how they navigate managing a large number of students, balance responsibilities, and build a productive learning environment.
Whether you're co-teaching or not, this episode offers valuable insights on enhancing the learning experience in a music classroom.
- Follow more of Linzie and Betsy's story here
- Check out our latest blog post here
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- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, we delve into the Orff Schulwerk approach to teaching music with our guest, Tiffany English.
Tiffany shares her experiences and practical advice on implementing the Orff approach, and we discuss how it can contribute to effective teaching.
Tiffany also provides invaluable insights into the challenges, rewards, and strategies for incorporating students' own creativity in music lessons. This episode is a must-listen for music teachers seeking to enrich their teaching techniques and create a more engaging, dynamic music learning environment.
Get more of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association here:
- www.aosa.orghttps://www.facebook.com/americanorffschulwerkassociation
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/aosadg
- Follow them on Instagram or X
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In this episode, we will be talking all about conference presenting and how to prepare for it. We broke it down into five manageable steps for the listeners to follow.
This episode is full of tips and strategies to help you successfully nail your next presentation. Whether you're considering presenting at a conference for the first time or looking to refine your presentation skills, this episode is packed with valuable advice and guidance.
- Check out latest blog post here
- Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, we have an enlightening conversation with guest Priten Shah about the use of AI in music education. Shah, an expert in AI, provides insights into how this technology can be used in the classroom to enhance teaching and learning experiences.
We discuss the potential of AI in areas as well as its ethical implications. This conversation is a must-listen for educators interested in the intersection of technology and music education.
- Connect with Priten here:
check out his website - https://pritenshah.com/
connect with him on LinkedIn * Check out new blog post here * Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide. * Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, we tackle the unique challenges and strengths of introverted music teachers. I share personal experiences, strategies for managing overwhelming situations, and tips for creating quiet spaces within the busy environment of a school. If you're an introverted music teacher, make sure to tune in to get a valuable guide to balance your needs with the demands of our profession.
- Check out blog post here
- Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, we discussed the benefits and challenges of applying entrepreneurial thinking in the classroom. I share personal experiences and lessons learned from managing a business and teaching simultaneously. Tune in to explore how these entrepreneurial principles can enhance your teaching methods and improve your students' learning experience.
- Check out latest blog here!
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- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, we unpack the complex relationship between musical concepts and standards in music education. Using personal anecdotes, you'll learn about the significance of teaching music in a manner that aligns with your personal teaching style, and how to implement it in your classroom.
- Check out latest blog post here
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In this episode of The Elementary Music Teacher Podcast, we have an insightful conversation with Chandler Owen on the gap between students who receive private music lessons and those who don't. We discuss the challenges and potential solutions for balancing the learning environment and ensuring all students get to shine. This episode provides thought-provoking ideas on how to create a harmonious and inclusive music classroom.
- Get more from Chandler here:
Chandler Owen Music Fountation Facebook
River Valley Music Center Facebook * Check out latest blog post * Enroll in the Harmony membership * Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide. * Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, I share with you some strategies for managing transitions in the music classroom. The discussion revolves around effective methods to establish clear procedures and signal transitions. The episode emphasizes the importance of creating a seamless learning environment that fosters active participation, understanding, and enjoyment among students.
- Check out the blog post here
- Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge
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- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, guest Debbie O'Shea shares her insights on the benefits of group singing in the music classroom. We discuss the benefits this has on the class and how it can enrich a student's overall learning experience. Connect with Debbie here:
FREE Newsletter and the occasional email
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In this episode, we explore the important elements of a successful formal observation. I provided valuable tips, examples, and personal anecdotes from my own experiences to help guide you in turning your formal observation into an empowering and affirming experience for yourself, and your students.
- Check out the latest blog
- Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge
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- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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As Music Teachers, many of us can relate to the struggle of managing your time inside and outside of the classroom. On this episode of the podcast, I sit and talk with Linda Kardamis to discuss different methods and hacks for effective time management that works for us. Tune in to get valuable tips and tricks to step up your time management for less stress and more productivity.Connect with Linda here:Website: www.teach4theheart.comPodcast: www.teach4theheart.com/podcastFacebook Group: www.teach4theheart.com/facebookInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/teach4theheart/ Check out the blog post here Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide. Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thedomesticmusician/message
One of the biggest questions when planning instruction in the music room is around how long to spend on a song or idea. On this episode of the podcast, I talk about how I make these decisions. I consider my students, what I’m wanting to accomplish with a song, and many other factors you’ll read about.
- Check out the latest blog
- Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge
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- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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2023 has nearly come to a close, and with that it's time for a bit of reflection. So, in this episode, I'm sharing 3 lessons I've learned in 2023 as we move into 2024.
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It's okay to take a break! In fact, it's important and necessary to do so for your mental sanity friend. In this episode, we'll explore ways for you to truly rest and reset over Winter break.
- Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
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In this episode, Dr. Patrick Cooper talks about what it means to bring hip-hop into the music classroom. He discusses specific lessons or units he's used with his students, practical ways you can implement hip-hop lessons with even the youngest of students, and talks about new and exciting ideas you'll definitely want to try.
Dr. Patrick K. Cooper is an assistant professor of music education at Florida International University. He teaches courses in research, curriculum development, philosophy, and creativity. He holds degrees in music education from Arizona State University (B.M., M.M.) and University of South Florida (Ph.D.). Winner of the 2015 Outstanding Emerging Researcher Award from the Center for Music Education Research, his research interests capture the intersection of creativity, inclusion, and performance. His publications can be found in academic journals such as Psychology of Music and International Journal of Music Education as well as practitioner texts such as The Music Technology Cookbook and The Learner-Centered Music Classroom. His book Broadcast to Podcast: Lessons from Radio for an Online Music Education is available through F-Flat Books. Dr. Cooper has presented internationally, nationally, and locally at conferences such as NeuroMusic, Society for Music Perception and Cognition, International Society for Music Education, Society for Music Teacher Education, and the National Association for Music Education Biennial Music Research and Teacher Education Conference. He has given workshops and lectures as an invited speaker at several universities including University of Southern California, Arizona State University, Illinois State University, and Westminster Choir College. As a musician, he has performed extensively as a double bassist, synthesizer player, and hip-hop artist. Prior to his appointment at Florida International University, he held adjunct positions with Eastern Illinois University and The Crane School of Music at SUNY-Potsdam, was a Presidential Doctoral Fellow at University of South Florida, and taught in public schools and community centers in St. Petersburg, FL and the metro Phoenix area.
Connect with Patrick here:
- Email him at pcooper@fiu.edu
- Hip-Hop course on LEARN at F-Flat Books
- Broadcasting book at F-Flat Books
- Enroll in the Curriculum Design Roadmap Course
- Read more in this blog post
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- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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We all know that being a music teacher involves a harmonious blend of passion, creativity, and decision-making prowess. From the classroom to your home life, the daily decisions can become overwhelming, leading to what we fondly call "decision fatigue." So, let's dive into some practical strategies to boost your confidence in decision-making and embrace the beautiful melody of choices.
- Read this episode's blog post here
- Enroll in the Curriculum Design Roadmap Course
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If you’re as pumped as I am about organization, then you’re in for a treat. You know I’m all about sharing my tips on staying organized in the chaos of life, lesson planning, and teaching. And today, we’re diving into a game-changer: the power of brain dumping.
Now, if you’re scratching your head, wondering, “What on earth is a brain dump?” Fear not! I was in your shoes until I realized it’s not just my quirky phrase; it’s a legit thing, backed by countless blog posts. So, let’s demystify this and explore why brain dumping is your new secret weapon for staying organized.
- Read the full blog article on this episode, The Power of Brain Dumping for Organization - Jessica Peresta- The Domestic Musician
- Sign up for the Curriculum Design Workshop
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- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In today's episode, we have a fascinating conversation with the talented Emi Ferguson, a versatile musician and author. Get ready to be inspired as we dive into the topic of inspiring the next generation of composers. Teachers, you're in for a treat – this conversation is filled with valuable insights to bring back to your students.
Emi Ferguson shares her journey as a musician, from being a trained flute player to composing and singing. The conversation highlights the diversity within the musical world and challenges the notion of specializing as a contemporary construct. Drawing inspiration from legendary composers like J.S. Bach, the discussion encourages a holistic exploration of music.
Connect with Emi:
- Website: www.emiferguson.com
- Instagram: @emiferguson
- Youtube: @emiferguson
- Facebook: @emifergusonmusic
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- Read this episode's blog post here
- Sign up for the Curriculum Design Workshop
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- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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Today, we're diving into the world of parent-teacher conferences and how, as the music teacher, you can strike a chord that resonates with both parents and students. We know every school has its unique rhythm, so let's explore how you can contribute to these conferences with these handy tips.
- Check out this episode's blog post here
- Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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Do you remember the days when you first stepped into the classroom as a music teacher, full of enthusiasm and a passion for sharing the gift of music with your students? Every lesson felt like an opportunity to inspire and connect with your young learners. However, as the years go by, it's easy to fall into a pattern of burnout and "Sunday night panic lessons," as one experienced teacher, Anna Jo, aptly put it.
Anna Jo's journey as a music educator, like many others, has had its ups and downs. She, too, experienced moments of overwhelm and fatigue. But she also found a way to rediscover her love for teaching and, most importantly, her why.
Anna Jo Knight has been teaching for 30 years now. She's currently an elementary music teacher at Abernathy Elementary School, Texas.
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- Read this episode's blog post here
- Enroll in the HARMONY membership here.
- Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge right here.
- Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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Now, let me be the first to say, I am not a minimalist in my life. I love to keep things organized, clean out my closets, and constantly give things to goodwill. But in the music room, I want to talk about minimalism because it can bring simplicity, clarity, and joy to your teaching. So, let's dive into the world of minimalism and discover how it can transform your music classroom.
- Check out the episode's blog post here
- Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge
- Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thedomesticmusician/message
In this engaging episode, I'll take you through three creative ways to naturally integrate technology into your music classroom. As a passionate music teacher and educational technology specialist, I'll share insights on streaming content directly from your computer, embracing student Chromebooks, and the magic of Spotify playlists. I encourage educators not to be overwhelmed by technology and instead find the right balance that resonates with their teaching style and enhances the learning experience, all while keeping the joy of music at the heart of every lesson.
- Read the blog post that goes with the episode here
- Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge right here.
- Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thedomesticmusician/message
In this podcast episode, we are joined by Ashley Cuthbertson, an expert in culturally responsive music education. Ashley shares her insights and experiences, providing valuable information for music educators looking to make their teaching more culturally responsive. Let’s explore how to make music education more inclusive and relevant for diverse learners.
Key Conversations:
- Introduction to Ashley Cuthbertson: Ashley introduces herself, her background as a former music educator, and her mission to make music education culturally responsive.
- The Early Struggles: Ashley reflects on her initial challenges as a music educator and shares a pivotal moment when she realized the importance of understanding her students beyond their names.
- The Need for Culturally Responsive Teaching: Ashley emphasizes the need for teachers to go beyond just teaching and make learning contextualized and relevant for their students.
- First Year Teachers and Culturally Responsive Teaching: Ashley provides insights into how first-year teachers, and educators in general, can start incorporating culturally responsive teaching practices into their classrooms.
- Overcoming Pushback: Ashley addresses common pushback from educators and the underlying fear that often leads to resistance. She encourages teachers to believe in the power of what they do.
- The Power of Music Education: Ashley highlights the transformative power of music education and how it can impact students' lives in profound ways.
Ashley Cuthbertson, M.Ed, NBCT (she/her) is the Founder & Principal Consultant of A. Cuthbertson Consulting, LLC, an educational consulting firm that partners with schools, school districts, and organizations to help music educators develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to deliver instruction that is culturally responsive & relevant to the diverse and ever-changing needs of today's learners so that all students have an equitable pathway to success in music.
Described as an "engaging and charismatic" teacher educator, Ashley has delivered over 100 professional development sessions through her school district and organization partnerships, serving hundreds of music educators across the U.S. and internationally with 95% of attendees highly recommending her sessions. Additionally, she provides instructional coaching services to a small number of music educators each year.
A Nationally Board Certified Teacher, Ashley holds a Master's in Education, as well as certifications in the Kodály approach and Arts integration. Ashley has over thirteen years of experience in education as a general music & choral educator, a band educator, a K-12 musicianship instructor, a private lessons instructor, lead teacher, new teacher coach, adjunct professor, curriculum writer, speaker, and consultant.
A passionate advocate for music education, Ashley additionally serves the National Association for Music Education as a member of the Repertoire Diversity Task Force and the Virginia Music Educators Association as chair of the DEI Council.
Learn more at https://ashleycuthbertson.com/about-us/
Connect with Ashley through:
- Instagram: @ACuthbertson10 (https://www.instagram.com/acuthbertson10/)
- Facebook: @ACuthbertsonConsulting (https://www.facebook.com/ACuthbertsonConsulting/)
- Twitter: @ACuthbertson10 (https://twitter.com/ACuthbertson10)
- Resource: "Happy Birthday, Dr. King!: A music unit to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr" - Blog post & free resource download (link)
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- Check out our blog post about this episode here
- Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge right here.
- Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thedomesticmusician/message
Hello, dear educators! I'm thrilled to be back with an episode that's sure to ignite your teaching efficiency. One question I get asked a lot is, "How do I batch lesson planning?" You might be thinking, "Is it really possible to plan all my lessons for the month in just four hours?" Well, I'm here to tell you it is absolutely possible. In this episode, we're going to delve into the fascinating world of batch lesson planning and show you how to streamline your teaching preparation. So whether you're a seasoned pro or someone who often finds themselves scrambling on a Sunday night, I've got you covered.
- Check out the full blog post about this episode here.
- Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge right here.
- Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thedomesticmusician/message
In this episode, we have a special guest, Starr Loutsis, who is here to discuss the transformative power of sharing your personal story with your students. Music teachers often grapple with the question of how much of their own experiences to reveal to their students. We'll explore why sharing your story is essential, what aspects of your story to share, and how it can benefit both teachers and students. So, let's dive in!
Starr Loutsis is an author and a business publisher at Aligning Purpose Publishing. She helps aspiring authors publish their books without the anxiety and the hassle.
- Read our blog about this episode here.
- Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
- Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
- Find out more about the Curriculum Design Roadmap course here.
- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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When it comes to music education, we often find ourselves immersed in the melodies, harmonies, and rhythms of our favorite songs. But have you ever thought about the art of asking questions in the music classroom? It's a topic rarely discussed, yet it plays a profound role in shaping the musical journey of students. Join us on a captivating exploration of Dr. Philip Tacka's innovative strategies that illuminate the path to a deeper understanding of music.
Philip Tacka received his doctorate from The Catholic University of America and completed a year of postdoctoral work at the Franz Liszt Academy, Budapest/Zoltan Kodály Pedagogical Institute in Hungary. He is a Professor of Music in The Tell School of Music at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. His research interests center on the all aspects of music education though he has a particular emphasis on music perception and cognition. He writes in collaboration with Dr. Micheál Houlahan, chair of The Tell School of Music. Their publications include Kodály Today and the accompanying seven volumes in the Oxford University Press series. Two new volumes, Choral Artistry: A Kodály Perspective for Middle School to College Level Choirs and Choral Sight Reading are scheduled to be published in 2023 by Oxford. A more complete listing of publications is included below. He has been involved in Kodály Teacher Training programs every year since the early 1980s and has written and provided professional development for four United States Department of Education grants awarded to both the Austin and Houston, Texas Independent School Districts. Dr. Tacka has also served on editorial boards and served as a grant evaluator for more than a decade on the American Fellowship Panel for the American Association of University Women. Prior to his current position, he was an Associate Professor of Music in the Department of Art, Music & Theatre at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. and worked with the Georgetown University Medical School’s Institute for Cognitive and Computational Science in the neuropsychology of music perception. He regularly presents papers and workshops both nationally and internationally on aspects of music education, music perception and cognition, and Kodály studies and has lectured in Italy, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Estonia, the Netherlands, and England. In March, 2016 he was awarded the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE) Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2017 received a distinguished alum award from the Hungarian government.
Connect with Dr. Tacka at:
- Website: Sound Thinking Interactive
- FB and Tiktok: @soundthinkinginteractive
- Facebook Group: Houlahan & Tacka & Kodály Studies
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In this episode, we dive into what it truly means to be an exceptional music teacher. We'll explore five key areas that define your greatness as an educator, from lesson planning to performances, assessments, teaching methods, and your unique personality. Discover how you can confidently embrace your individuality and teaching style while making a profound impact on your students' musical journey. Tune in for valuable insights and inspiration to become the best music teacher you can be - which, for sure, you already are! You just have to realize it!
- Check out this episode's blog post
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In this episode, I'm excited to share an insightful conversation with Stephanie Nantell, a passionate advocate for music education. We explore the importance of music education, the challenges teachers and programs face, and the strategies to advocate effectively for music programs. Also, check out my latest blog post and find the key takeaways that we have from this conversation!
Stephanie Nantell is the Senior Director of Programs at Education Through Music. Her journey from a music educator to her current role at Education Through Music (ETM) reflects her unwavering commitment to music education. Stephanie explains that one of the driving forces behind her transition to ETM was the organization's unique mission – not to compete with public schools but to create more music teacher roles and educational opportunities for students across New York City.
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In this special episode of the Elementary Music Teacher Podcast, I'll be sharing a personal story of unexpected twists and turns in my teaching journey. While I was diligently preparing for a virtual teaching role, life threw me a curveball that led to an incredible adventure of self-discovery and growth. Join me as I delve into the lessons I learned from this experience and how they can apply to your life and career.
Key Takeaways:
- Embrace Change: Life rarely goes as planned, and it's essential to adapt and seize new opportunities when they arise.
- Listen to Your Heart: Trust your instincts and make choices that align with your values and lifestyle.
- Don't Be Afraid to Evolve: Your career path may take unexpected turns, and that's okay. Embrace growth and new experiences.
- Seek Support and Guidance: Don't hesitate to reach out to your support system for advice and insights when facing tough decisions.
- Stay True to Your Passion: Pursue your passions, even if it means juggling multiple responsibilities. Your dedication will shine through.
- Be Vulnerable: Sharing your struggles and uncertainties can inspire and resonate with others. Lean on your community when needed.
This episode reminds us that life's journey is filled with surprises, and each experience contributes to personal and professional growth. Whether you're facing lemons or sipping lemonade, trust in the path that unfolds before you and continue making a positive impact in your students' lives.
Tune in to the full episode for a heartfelt and inspiring narrative that will resonate with educators and anyone navigating the twists and turns of life's journey.
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In this episode, the topic of nurturing musicianship in the elementary classroom is explored. Dr. Houlahan, an expert in music education, discusses the importance of developing musicianship in both teachers and students. Drawing from his experience in different parts of the world, he highlights the value of integrating music theory and performance skills. He emphasizes that teachers should approach music education as both musicians and educators, enabling them to engage students effectively. Dr. Houlahan also introduces the concept of "Sound Thinking Interactive," a comprehensive program designed to support music teachers by providing curriculum resources, lesson plans, assessment tools, and professional development. The program aims to bridge the gap between technical instruction and artistic expression, fostering a passion for music and a strong foundation in music literacy skills among students.
Micheál Houlahan is a Professor of Music Theory and Aural Skills and currently serves as the Chair of the Tell School of Music at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. He received an Irish Arts Council Scholarship for graduate studies at the Liszt Academy in Hungary and a Fulbright Research Scholarship for doctoral studies in Music Theory at the Catholic University of America in the United States after graduating from St. Patrick’s College, Ireland. His research has also received support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Dr. Houlahan has obtained Licentiate diplomas and Fellowships in Piano Performance from Trinity College and London College of Music, London. He has lectured extensively on music theory and Kodály studies in Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Estonia, Netherlands, England, and China. In 2016, he was awarded the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE) Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, the Hungarian Government invited him to present a lecture on his research and teaching at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He was also a featured clinician for the 2017 Texas Music Educators Conference. Dr. Houlahan is currently a member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) accreditation commission and serves as an Accreditation Team Leader and Visiting Evaluator for NASM. He was a guest speaker at the Forum Among Leaders of Higher Music Institutions, China Conservatory of Music, Beijing, China, in 2017 and served as an Honorary Professor (2017-2020) at the Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Chinese National School of Music and China Conservatory of Music.
Dr. Houlahan collaborates with Dr. Tacka; they have authored numerous books, chapters in books, and articles.
Check out their works at:
https://soundthinkinginteractive.com
https://www.youtube.com/@kodalytoday2289/playlists
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1469799603314646/
- Enroll in the Sound Thinking Interactive Subscription
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- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this episode, I’m delving into the crazy world of classroom management. If you’ve been following along, you know that we’ve touched on classroom management before, but today, I want to take a fresh approach. So, let’s dive in and explore how I’m rethinking classroom management as I head back into teaching. Get ready to challenge some old beliefs and discover new ways to create an engaging and harmonious learning environment. Also, check out my episode blog post here: 5 Ways to Rethink Classroom Management.
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In this episode, we're thrilled to have Bill Henry back with us, and today, we're delving into the world of recorders and the art of teaching them in an engaging way. If you're ready to infuse your recorder lessons with excitement and creativity, you're in for a treat! Let's dive in as Bill shares his insights and strategies to make recorder lessons not only educational but incredibly enjoyable.
Bill Henry, with over 17 years of teaching experience in the Maryland public school system, has dedicated his career to shaping young minds through music. He also runs a popular YouTube channel called "Mr. Henry's Music World," with over 50,000 subscribers and millions of views. Bill's dynamic approach to music education engages teachers and students across the globe, and today, he's here to share his expertise on teaching the recorder with enthusiasm and creativity.
- Read the blog post that goes along with this episode here
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Find out more about the recorder course
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Today's episode is truly special as I open up about a chapter of my life that's been in the making for a while. Yes, you guessed it – I'm talking about returning to the classroom after a significant hiatus. My journey back to teaching has been a blend of excitement, challenges, and self-discovery, and I'm here to share my insights, personal experiences, and practical tips that I hope will be of immense help to all the wonderful teachers out there who are considering or embarking on a similar path.
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As we wrap up our summer series, I'm thrilled to share some valuable insights into the world of in-person professional development. While I won't cover every single opportunity out there — the list can go on and on! — I'll provide you with some useful tips and ideas to explore. Check out the episode blog post for links and tips on finding in-person PD opportunities near you.
- Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge
- Enroll in music teacher PD at F-FLAT LEARN
- Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
- Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
- Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
- Find out more about the Curriculum Design Roadmap course here.
- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thedomesticmusician/message
This week’s topic is all about online professional development opportunities for music educators. There are so many great ones out there, and while I can’t cover them all, I’m going to share some that I’ve personally been a part of, whether as an attendee or a presenter. From symposiums and summits to memberships and courses, these platforms offer a diverse range of topics and insights to enrich your teaching practices. You can find all the links on my latest blog post.
- Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
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- Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
- Find out more about the Curriculum Design Roadmap course here.
- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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Welcome back to another summer series episode of the podcast! Today, we continue our exploration of inspiring music education resources, but this time focusing on social media accounts. These platforms have become valuable spaces for music educators to connect, collaborate, and discover new ideas. From Facebook groups to Instagram and LinkedIn, let's dive into the vibrant community of music educators making a difference in the digital world.
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- Find out more about the Curriculum Design Roadmap course here.
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There are a lot of music education websites and apps that you can use as a music teacher. Honestly, the possibilities of what you can use are growing each and every year. One of my biggest pieces of advice is to do your own research or take the ideas I share and go explore them on your own. In this episode, I’ll share some of my favorite music education websites and apps, the links to which can be found in my latest blog post.
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- Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
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In this summer series episode, I'm sharing my favorite music education YouTube channels. The channels mentioned include ideas for play-along videos, teaching strategies, lesson ideas, and much more.
Links mentioned include:
Mario 2023 Theme video
Ready Go Music Rhythm Patterns video
Fun with Composers channel
Ms. Wonderly Makes Music channel
Music and Motivate channel
Swick's Classroom channel
Mrs. King's Music Corner channel
Mr. Henry's Music World channel
Becca's Music Room channel
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In this episode, we chat with Katie Jenks not just about the Curriculum Design Roadmap course but also about the real struggles that we music teachers face everyday. We dive deep into the overwhelm that comes with having too little or too many resources in our hands, not knowing where to start with building a curriculum that is cohesive and makes sense for our students, and grasping at straws when it comes to writing daily and weekly lesson plans that are aligned to our long-term goals in music education.
These problems seem universal for music educators out there, and we talk about how the Curriculum Design Roadmap course provides solutions that will not seem like another overwhelming checklist we have to tick off one by one. Katie also shares her experience in going through the course — the clarity that comes with knowing when and how to use the resources available to her, the confidence in knowing that her curriculum building is headed into the right direction, and the feeling that this is a community rather than a one-time course that she has to finish.
- Join the Curriculum Design Roadmap course before doors close on June 29th at 10pm CST.
- Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
- Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
- Find out more about the Curriculum Design Roadmap course here.
- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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In this summer series episode, I'm sharing my favorite music education books. The resources I share include where to find books to teach with, books to teach from, and books for professional development.
Join the Curriculum Design Roadmap course before doors close on June 29th at 10pm CST.
Links mentioned include:
F-Flat Books
The Ultimate Music Ed Book List
Music Room Reads
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There are so many great podcasts out there, but in this episode, I'm going to share a list of my favorite music education AND business podcasts.
You can read a list of the blogs mentioned in this blog post.
Sign up for the Curriculum Development workshop coming up SOON!
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There are so many great blogs out there, but in this episode, I'm going to share a list of my favorite music education blogs.
You can read a list of the blogs mentioned in this blog post.
Sign up for the Curriculum Development workshop coming up SOON!
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thedomesticmusician/message
There is a lot of great professional development for music educators available. But, the missing piece is the ongoing PD all school year long. Music teachers need real time PD that addresses the issues they're dealing with on a weekly basis. That's why the LEARN site was founded as a way to give you relevant PD by real music education professionals in the field. This interview with the F-flat team will dive into what real PD should look like.
Sign up for PD at F-flat LEARN here.
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Have you ever noticed how wiggly kids can be? This is especially true in the music room. How are you supposed to teach music when some of your students just can't sit still? In this episode, I answer this question and give you strategies to help even your most wiggly of student find success in your classroom.
Read the blog post that goes with this episode.
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Find out more about the Curriculum Design Roadmap course here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
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When it comes to working with upper elementary students in the music room, a lot of questions (and frustrations) can arise within the 4 walls of your classroom. In this episode, I'm answering a few questions from a music teacher who asks about making the classroom relevant to her students and bringing contemporary music into her music room.
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We're just wrapping up the Reflect and Renew challenge. On day 2, we talked about processing through what's working and not working when it comes to your teaching life. While listening to the replay, take the steps mentioned and apply them to your own life.
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You carve out time to lesson plan each week, but do you ever block time out of your calendar to do some self assessment? That's where reflecting, processing, and renewing come into play. Without consistently using and applying these strategies to your music teaching life, you'll be stuck on the treadmill that will keep just getting faster and faster over time. If you're wondering what I'm talking about, then you DO NOT want to miss this episode. I'll break down exactly what it means to stop and reflect and talk about ways you can apply these tips to your own life.
Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge here.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Find out more about the Curriculum Design Roadmap course here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
As the music teacher, you might want to collaborate and share ideas with the other teachers on your team, but you aren't sure how. When talking about your team, of course this will look different from a grade level team. Your team consists of other related arts teachers like the art teacher, librarian, physical education teacher, and computer teacher. Maybe what's held you back from planning or collaboration is the fact that you all teach different subject areas.
It is definitely possible and worth it to work together on shared ideas. In this episode, I'll talk about practical ways you can collaborate with the other related arts teachers. Of course there are MANY ideas you can implement, but I'll be sharing a couple of my favorites.
Read the blog post that goes along with this episode right here.
Sign up for the Reflect and Renew challenge here.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Find out more about the Curriculum Design Roadmap course here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
You might be passionate about both teaching and something else. Maybe you love inspiring your students and teaching them in new and exciting ways while also pursuing passions outside of teaching. If this is you, then you don't want to miss this conversation I had with the amazing Melody Jenkins.
Melody Jenkins is currently in her third year teaching elementary general music. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Instrumental Music Education and initially wanted to be a band director, but fell in love with teaching elementary during her student teaching. She is also known as "The Chromatic Music Teacher" on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, creating covers of popular songs using Boomwhackers and sharing stories from being an elementary music teacher. Melody loves being able to share her love of music not only with her students, but also with the world through social media.
Connect with Melody here:
- TikTok: @thechromaticmusicteacher
- Instagram: @thechromaticmusicteacher
- YouTube: The Chromatic Music Teacher
- Website: www.thechromaticmusicteacher.com
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Join the Facebook group.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
The way we create and organize our lesson plans has a profound effect on classroom management and the classroom climate in general. While focusing on creating and delivering lessons, you may not realize how much of an impact with your student engagement.
Terri Lloyd is a retired elementary music teacher with over 25 years of experience. She holds a Bachelor of Music, a Master of Science in Education, and a Technology Certificate in Instructional Design.She is currently active in music education through blogging, workshops, and curriculum development. She also serves on the music staff at her church and volunteers for an after-school children's program. Terri is an active musician in the community, performing in a local Big Band, pit orchestras, and various events.
In this episode, Terri Lloyd and I have a discussion around:
- creating engaging activities
- using non-verbal communication for instructions
- moving from one activity to the next with few instrutions
- organizing lesson plans in slide decks
- and much more!
Connect with Terri here:
- Her website: www.fraumusick.com
- On Facebook @fraumusickusa
- On Instagram @fraumusikusa
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Join the Facebook group.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
While going throughout the school year, it's important to consider that it's a marathon and not a sprint. Each quarter, you'll experience different highs and lows and realizing where you're at in the race of the school year will help you to keep going. On this episode, I’ll talk about the different quarters and the ways you might be feeling throughout them.
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Find out more about the Curriculum Design Roadmap course here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Professional development doesn't always support what music teachers actually need. We all know the feeling of sitting through yet another PD that has everything to do with math or language arts, and nothing to do with music. In this episode, Sarah and Kate will help you discover how you can find the relevance in PD being offered that is both accessible and motivating for you the learner.
Kate Hagen teaches in the Iowa City Community School district and has 24 years of teaching experience. She has presented at several state conferences and workshops and is a regular guest lecturer at the University of Iowa for undergraduate music education students. Sarah Fairfield also has over 20 years of teaching experience and works as a Leadership Development and Support Strategist for the Iowa City Schools. You can find out more about both of them here.
Connect with the MusicConstructED team here:
Website: www.musicconstructed.com
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/musiconstructed/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/musiconstructed
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musiconstructed
Linkdin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/music-constructed/
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Join the Facebook group.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Using centers in the music room isn't as scary as it sounds. There are ways to plan for centers and ways to provide choice centers to your students. Along with that, centers are a great way to assess your students. In this episode, Aileen does a great job explaining what centers are, different ways to group your students, and why you can adapt centers to work for your students.
Aileen Miracle teaches general music and choir in the Olentangy Local School District near Columbus, Ohio; this is her twenty-fourth year teaching. Aileen received her Bachelor of Music Education from Central Michigan University in 1999, and her Master of Music in Music Education from Capital University in 2003; she completed her masters studies at the Kodály Institute in Kecskemet, Hungary. Aileen has served as President of the Tri-City Kodály Educators in Columbus, President and Treasurer of the Midwest Kodály Music Educators of America, and has served as the National Program Chair for the 2015 OAKE conference, co-chair for the 2019 OAKE conference, and will serve as chair for the 2023 OAKE conference. Aileen has taught Level I Methodology and Folk Song Research for Colorado State University's Kodály Program, Level I and III Methodology and Folk Song Research for DePaul University's Kodály Program, and Level III Methodology and Folk Song Research for Capital University's Kodály Program. In 2016, Aileen was awarded "Teacher of the Year" at Cheshire Elementary. She has presented at OAKE Conferences, and currently presents workshops around the world. She enjoys sharing music education ideas through her blog, Mrs. Miracle's Music Room, and her podcast, The Music Room. Her family includes her 18-year-old daughter Jenna, who plays flute, guitar, and ukulele, and is an English major at Ohio University, and her 10-year-old daughter Macy, who loves to Irish dance!
Connect with Aileen here:
- Her website: www.mrsmiraclesmusicroom.com
- On Facebook @mrsmiraclesmusicroom
- On Instagram @mrsmiraclesmusicroom
- On TikTok @mrsmiraclesmusicroom
- Facebook group: The Music Room with Aileen Miracle | Facebook
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Join the Facebook group.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Following a roadmap is the way to successfully build a curriculum for your classroom that you love. In this episode, I'll talk about the steps of that roadmap and what to do in order to get to your end goal.... a curriculum. Part of the roadmap is simplifying lesson planning and you'll learn how to do just that.
Enroll in the Curriculum Design Roadmap course today!
Assessment and lesson planning work together and not against each other. So many times, teachers (including myself) do a great job lesson planning, but feel frustrated their students aren’t connecting the dots between concepts and it ends up making you feel frustrated. But, when you plan for assessment and not just plan the actual lesson, you’ll notice how much more your students are retaining. On this episode, I’ll talk about how you can assess your students and why it fits like a puzzle piece when it comes to lesson planning.
Save your seat for the FREE "How to Design Curriculum for your Elementary Music Classroom" workshop
Read the blog postthat goes along with this episode that includes links to every website and app mentioned.
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Every grade level that comes into the music room has a different set of concepts you need to cover. It's the how to do it part that can get a bit confusing. When you use concept based teaching in the music room, you'll notice how much more efficient and effective lesson planning becomes. Instead of wondering what to teach and when, you know that you're focusing on the concepts and are checking for student understanding. In this episode, I’ll talk about how to use concept based teaching in the music room and why it’s helpful to do things this way.
Save your seat for the FREE "How to Design Curriculum for your Elementary Music Classroom" workshop
Read the blog postthat goes along with this episode that includes links to every website and app mentioned.
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Curriculum development in the music room is already happening every day. Yes, you’re a curriculum developer and designer whether you know it or not. When you lesson plan, plan for units, prepare for programs, and use assessments, you’re a curriculum developer. But, maybe you’re wondering “if you’re doing it right” or aren’t sure the steps to take when you sit down to plan both long and short term. In this episode, I’ll talk about 4 ways you can incorporate curriculum development in the music room.
Save your seat for the FREE "How to Design Curriculum for your Elementary Music Classroom" workshop
Read the blog postthat goes along with this episode that includes links to every website and app mentioned.
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
There are many types of instructional models. Some are used to design courses, others are used to design lessons and curriculum, yet all can be used by you, the teacher. Although there are many instructional design models to choose from, the ADDIE instructional model is one of the most popular. In the ADDIE model, you’ll analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate the teaching and learning happening in your classroom. It’s used to design courses, whether online or in person, but there are many ways the ADDIE instructional model can be used in. In this episode, I’ll explain no only what the ADDIE model is, but you can use it to design instruction for your students.
Save your seat for the FREE "How to Design Curriculum for your Elementary Music Classroom" workshop
Read the blog post that goes along with this episode that includes links to every website and app mentioned.
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
In your first 5 years of teaching, it's important to set yourself up for success. While it's important to build a strong music program, it's also important to focus on your why, your who, and your what. When you do this, you'll center everything else around these three questions. Along with planning and teaching, taking care of yourself, setting boundaries from early on, and prioritizing your life outside of school are things to consider from the get go. In this episode, Adrian Gordon and I talk about all of this and how setting yourself up for success in the first 5 years will carry on into the next 5 years.
Adrian currently serves as the Director of Orchestras at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC. He believes in the power of music education in a child’s life and understands the necessity of having passionate, confident, and supported music teachers at the helm, promoting great musical experiences for students.
Find out more about Adrian and connect with him here:
- His website: www.adriangordonmusic.com
- On Facebook @adriangordonmusic
- On Instagram @apgordonmusic
- On Twitter @apgordonmusic
- On Youtube @leapyearmusiconline
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Join the Facebook group.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Most of the time, you probably sit down to plan lessons on your own. As an elementary music teacher, more often than not, you’re the only music teacher at your school. Also, it’s hard to find the time to collaborate with other music educators, whether online or in person, due to time constraints. Maybe you want to plan with a “team” like you see the grade level teachers doing, but you honestly don’t know where to begin this process. If this sounds like you, then this episode will show you how to effectively plan with other music teachers.
Read the blog post that goes along with this episode that includes links to every website and app mentioned.
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Join the Facebook group.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Why are you more than a music teacher? How can you inspire your students day in and day out in the music room? What are ways you can build authentic relationships with your students? Throughout my conversation with Franklin Willis, we talk about all of this and so much more.
For more than a decade, educator, and leader, Franklin Willis has served the students and families of the Nashville. Through music, Willis has educated, mentored, and developed young minds to be forward thinking contributors to society. A servant leader specializing in authentic culturally relevant teaching, empowering student contributions, and developing teachers to reach their full capacity, Willis finds true joy when at the service of others.
Read more about Franklin and his work here.
You can connect with Franklin here:
- His website: fwillismusic.com
- On Instagram: @fwillismusic
- On Facebook: @fwillismusic
- Listen to Franklin on episode 97 of the podcast
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Join the Facebook group.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Maybe you've wanted to bring more technology into your elementary music classroom, but you're needing new ideas. There's so much amazing technology available to use and it can get overwhelming knowing where to start and what to use with your particular crew of students. In this episode, you'll hear a full list of music technology ideas for elementary students that you can pick and choose from. There are ideas mentioned for lower, upper, and all elementary students. You know your students better than anyone, so feel free to pull from each of the lists and use them as you see fit.
Read the blog post that goes along with this episode that includes links to every website and app mentioned.
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Join the Facebook group.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I'll recap 10 of the most popular episodes from 2022. 2022 was a great year, and 2023 will bring new solo and guest episodes!
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Join the Facebook group.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
What do you do when you feel like quitting music teaching? More than ever before, teaching has gotten harder for a variety of reasons. Maybe you used to love your job, but the thought of doing it anymore just drains you. If so, this this blog episode will inspire you to keep going and to remind you that you’re doing a heck of a lot better job than you think you are.
Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
Read the When You Feel Like Quitting Music Teaching blog post.
Sign up for teacher coaching or business coaching with Jessica.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Facebook group.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
You’ll be amazed at how well students pay attention when they have to completely focus on what you’re doing and not just what you’re saying. As you’re singing and talking all day every day, try to plan for days where you’re doing less talking and singing to not only save your voice, but to change things up in your classroom a bit.
In this episode, we'll go over ways you can talk less during:
- Instructional time
- Transitions in the music room
- Activities
- Grab your free Simplifying Lesson Planning guide.
- Read the Talking Less During Instructional Time blog post.
- Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
- Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
- Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
- I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
As a music teacher, you may be wanting to put work you've created into the world. Or, you want to consume more content, but aren't sure where exactly to go. Whether you're a consumer or a creator, the resources shared in this episode will help give you ideas you can easily use and implement.
Jaime Slutzky is an experienced and knowledgeable online technology strategist who works with music teachers who have caps on their income and time to create scalable online products and services. With her degree in Computer Science, 11+ years in corporate IT and over a decade supporting online businesses, she has the expertise, insight and grit to help you expand your music studio business online. After about 8 years working with anyone who wanted to hire her, she chose to work exclusively with music teachers because of the opportunities that they afford their students. The biggest thing that comes up time and again is a visible disconnect between what her clients want to achieve and how to get there. She fills in that gap with coaching, consulting, group programs and online courses.
You can connect with Jamie here:
- On Instagram @jaimeslutzky
- On Facebook @jaimeslutzky
- On her website at www.techofbusiness.com
Sign up for business coaching with Jessica here
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Most of this episode comes from what is written in chapter 4 of my book “Make a Note” and other parts of the episode come from personal experience, different coaching I’ve done, or from conversations I’ve helped foster between music educators. You get your teaching position, and whether it’s your first year or your 25th, there are some things that you kind of had to figure out on your own or that weren’t ever really discussed. I know that was the case for me anyways. So, in this episode, we'll discuss that to help you realize you're not alone in the way you might be feeling.
Check out F-flat Books and the Musicast podcast here
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
You may have never stopped to think about how much the creative process promotes innovative thinking and problem solving skills in the music room. As a music educator, it's important to put on your creative mask first, then you'll have so much more to give to your students. Remember that musical studies are both a science and an art and while students are involved in the creative process, it's about honoring the process over the product or performance. Allowing students time to explore creatively, have input on what they're learning, and giving them a seat at the table is so important to this process. In this episode, we'll explore all of this and so much more.
Initially a visual artist, Kathryn Patricia Cobbler sees the world through shape and line—a vision that has laid the groundwork for many of her musical creative projects. Kathryn’s current explorations of the loop pedal have led to the development of her workshop/concert, Sound In Living Colour, where she draws connection between the technical use of the paint brush and her viola bow, guiding her listeners through a music inspired painting experience. After switching to music as her artistic path, she would receive degrees in viola performance from Western University (B.M.) and the University of Ottawa (M.M.). Ms. Cobbler has also performed as an orchestral musician, appearing within the Toronto Symphony’s Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, and the Ottawa Jazz Orchestra. A native of Windsor, Ontario, she makes her home in Ottawa. She performs on a viola by luthier Sibylle Ruppert and a Boss RC-30 loop pedal.
You can connect with Kathryn here:
- Her website at kathrynpatricia.com
- Her music at kathyrnpatricia.bandcamp.com
- On Instagram @kathrynpatriciaviolist
- On Facebook @kpviolist
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Implementing technology into the music room can be overwhelming. There are so many different technology platforms to use with your students, yet so little time to figure out what to use. In this episode, David Smolover of MatchMySound gives such great advice around how to use technology in your music classroom.
He talks about:
- easy assessment
- ways technology can enhance what you're already doing in the music room
- how students can take ownership and ways you can incorporate student centered learning
- how students can be incentivized to practice
David Smolover is a career musician, music educator, and serial entrepreneur whose lifelong mission has been to find ways to make it easier for more people to bring music into the world. He has founded several innovative and successful businesses in pursuit of that dream, including the National Guitar Workshop, DayJams, Workshop Arts Publications, and WorkshopLive. He is now the CEO of MatchMySound.
You can connect with David and MatchMySound here:
- matchmysound.com
- MatchMySound on Twitter
- MatchMySound on Instagram
- MatchMySound on Facebook
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Sometimes, you’ll get a class that has more students in it than normal. Or, there might be a certain day you’re asked to combine classes since a teacher on your electives team is out for the day. It gets a little overwhelming trying to teach that many students and it’s easy to feel stuck. I’ve been there and done that and know how much it feels like you’re herding cats. If you’re needing ideas for teaching a larger class size, this episode (and this accompanying blog post with other helpful blog posts included inside) will share the exact strategies that worked for me.
Podcast episodes to explore further:
- 125: 5 Things to Consider if a Lesson Plan Bombs
- 5: Classroom Management in Elementary Music
- 214: Why Trial and Error is a Good Thing in Teaching
- 194: How to Teach Elementary Music Without Enough Instruments
- 170- How to do Centers in the Elementary Music Room
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
SEAL focuses on art, music, dance, and drama and they integrate with the 5 SEL competencies. The awesome thing is that the possibilities are endless when it comes to incorporating SEAL into the music room. Incorporating SEAL isn’t one more thing to do but it’s understanding what you’re already doing and building upon that, and in this episode Elizabeth Peterson does a great job explaining how exactly to do that.
Elizabeth Peterson has devoted her life to education and to reaching out to other teachers who want to remain inspired. A former music teacher and current elementary general ed teacher, Elizabeth loves to bring artistic and creative experiences into her classroom. An arts integration specialist, she is the host of www.theinspiredclassroom.com providing inspiration to other educators who know the value of arts in learning through informative articles, workshops and professional development opportunities.
You can connect with Elizabeth here:
- www.theinspiredclassroom.com
- YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
- Facebook @theinspiredclassroom
- Instagram @theinspiredclassroom
- www.teachseal.com
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
You may want to bring Classical music into the music room, but aren't quite sure where to start. You need engaging activities and want your students to really connect with the music they're learning. If so, this episode (and in this blog post) you'll be provided with some ideas for you to begin bringing Classical music into your music room.
Other links mentioned in this episode include:
Black Violin
Classics for Kids
Who Sampled
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Sometimes, it can get frustrating not being able to find the songs you're wanting to use in your music room. But, you've probably written some songs and have just stored them away somewhere for safe keeping. I'm so excited for you to listen to this inspiring interview with Dennis Mathew, who not only writes children's songs and books, but created them out of the ideas he had from years before. Throughout our conversation, we talk about YOU can use your own creativity to write songs that your students need. Not only that, you'll hear about Dennis's work and the ways you can use stories in your music room as well.
Dennis is an elementary school speech pathologist based out of the Oklahoma City area. He just finished his 15th year in public education.
In 2019 Dennis also ventured out into the kid lit space and fortunately has been able to connect with 100's of schools over the last three years. Since 2019, between his three titles, Dennis has been able to distribute around 45,000 books to over 200+ schools nationwide and present his books and music to over 100,000+ students in person and virtually.
Connect with Dennis here:
- His website free resources
- Dennis's music
- Twitter: @storiesbydennis
- Instagram: @booksbydennis
- Bello the Cello on YouTube
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
The word failure is so tough. Nobody wants to mess up or make mistakes and wants to get things right all the time. But, trial and error is actually a good thing. It's an opportunity for you to try new things, mess up, learn as you go, and to grow and continue moving forward.
In this episode, we'll talk about how you should get into the habit of practicing trial and error all school year long and why it's a good thing. Read the blog post that goes right along with this episode right here.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this bite sized PD, we'll talk about how you can feel successful moving forward into this coming school year.
The resources mentioned are:
-
https://www.thedomesticmusician.com/first-day-of-school-in-music-class/
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https://anchor.fm/thedomesticmusician/episodes/199--4-Ways-to-Reframe-Negative-Thoughts-About-Teaching-e1h3asa
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The Harmony membership at https://harmonymembership.teachable.com/p/harmonyhub
The doors to Harmony close this week! They’ve been open the entire month of July and I can’t wait to move forward in supporting members in a big way this school year.
On July 29th, we’ll have our welcome party, first monthly planning session, and will have members sharing ideas.
Harmony will help you tremendously in feeling successful this school year because first of all, you’ll be surrounded by other music teachers who can support and encourage you.
You’ll be given the resources and the exact action steps you need to help you move forward based on where YOU’RE at. You will literally start in a Start Here section that will guide you with where to go and what to do, so it takes the guess work out of what to do in a membership site that can get so overwhelming.
To read more about Harmony head to harmonymembership.teachable.com/p/harmonyhub
In this bite sized PD, we'll talk about staying organized both at home and work. We'll talk about:
ways to stay organized action steps to take the exact systems that work for me
The resources mentioned this week include: 1. https://www.thedomesticmusician.com/organization-tips-to-balance-your-work-and-life/ 2. https://www.thedomesticmusician.com/the-music-teachers-back-to-school-checklist/ 3. The Harmony membership
Harmony helps you tremendously with staying organized at home and at work by providing a success path to follow where you identify what you need whether it’s beating stress, simplifying lesson planning, classroom management and transitions in the music room, or adding in technology into your lessons. You’ll start in the start here section and will be guided on where to go and what to do next so it’s not a big guessing game. There are teaching topics where you can identify what you need, like classroom management for example, and be taken to the exact videos, guides, and resources in harmony to help you. Oh yeah, and the videos have minute markers so you can go directly to the section you need to watch. To also help you stay organized, each lesson plan pack for the entire school year is editable and contains a section all about organization, so it takes the guess work out of it. There are planning resources to help you when you sit down to plan, checklists for back to school and for using the harmony resources, and so much more amazingness you will see once you become a member.
Find out more and join us at harmonymembership.teachable.com/p/harmonyhub
I just wrapped up elementary music coaching week and it was amazing. If you missed it, this episode will share a wrap up and a condensed version of what was talked about in the various sessions. I'll also be talking about how the Harmony membership will help you continue gaining forward momentum as an elementary music teacher all school year long.
Find out more about the Harmony membership, watch the behind the scene video, listen to the member stories podcast episodes, and ask me any questions you have right here...
harmonymembership.teachable.com/p/harmonyhub
As a reminder, the doors to Harmony close on Friday, July 29th! We can't wait to see you inside.
In this bite sized PD, we'll talk about accountability and what that can look like for you as an elementary music teacher.
We'll talk about:
- what accountability is and why you need it
- action steps to take
- the way you can stay accountable all school year long
The resource this week is the Harmony membership site. This site was created in part to address the needs of music teachers needing that community you just can’t find anywhere else. A community isn’t just a Facebook group, but is a set of like minded people (in our case elementary music teachers) who come together to support each other. The way Harmony offers accountability is through mentor/mentee relationships, accountability groups (which will be assigned in August), monthly member accountability calls to talk to and strategize with other teachers, lesson planning sessions each month, mindset Facebook lives with me, and so so so much more. Find out more and join us at harmonymembership.teachable.com/p/harmonyhub
In this bite sized PD, we'll talk about your uniqueness and believing in yourself including:
- how your uniqueness is a GOOD thing
- resources to help you move forward
- action steps to take
The resource this week is Elementary Music Teacher Coaching week. It's happening June 26-July 3 right here: https://subscribepage.com/elementarymusiccoachingweek2022
In this bite sized PD, we'll talk about finding fulfillment including:
- how to find fulfillment as a music teacher
- resources to help you move forward
- action steps to take
Resources mentioned include:
-
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/rediscovering-your-fulfillment-as-teacher-allen-mendler
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https://www.thedomesticmusician.com/how-your-background-makes-you-a-better-music-teacher/
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https://anchor.fm/thedomesticmusician/episodes/75--How-your-background-makes-you-the-teacher-you-are-today-e92e9s
Sign up for the "Teach Elementary Music with Confidence Coaching Week" happening June 26-July 3 right here: https://subscribepage.com/elementarymusiccoachingweek2022
In this bite sized PD, we'll talk about finding peace including:
- ways to do this
- resources to help you move forward
- action steps to take
Resources mentioned include:
-
https://themodernschoolmarm.com/how-i-maintained-peace-of-mind-as-a-teacher/
-
https://anchor.fm/thedomesticmusician/episodes/188--Trusting-your-Intuition-e1dd47g
Sign up for the "Teach Elementary Music with Confidence Coaching Week" happening June 26-July 3 right here: https://www.subscribepage.com/elementarymusiccoachingweek2022
In this bite sized PD, we'll talk about feeling unappreciated including:
- why you feel this way
- resources to help you move forward
- action steps to take
Resources mentioned include:
-
https://www.verywellmind.com/7-things-to-do-if-you-feel-unappreciated-5081881
-
https://www.thedomesticmusician.com/4-ways-to-reframe-negative-thoughts-about-teaching/
-
https://anchor.fm/thedomesticmusician/episodes/199--4-Ways-to-Reframe-Negative-Thoughts-About-Teaching-e1h3asa
Sign up for the "Teach Elementary Music with Confidence Coaching Week" happening June 26-July 3 right here: https://www.subscribepage.com/elementarymusiccoachingweek2022
In this bite sized PD, we'll talk about beating the overwhelm including:
- where it's coming from
- resources to help you move forward
- action steps to take
Resources mentioned include:
-
https://teachsmartwithme.com/stop-the-overwhelm-tips-for-overwhelmed-teachers/
-
https://anchor.fm/thedomesticmusician/episodes/132--How-to-keep-moving-forward-when-the-overwhelm-is-so-real-enpp2a
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https://anchor.fm/thedomesticmusician/episodes/108--How-to-start-the-school-year-off-feeling-a-little-bit-less-overwhelmed-eg38ku
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Elementary Music Teacher Coaching Week
This summer, I want you to focus on letting it be the summer that YOU need. Make no plans, make plans for fun, and then make plans for relevant professional development. We'll talk about all of this in this episode.
Sign up for Teach Elementary Music with Confidence coaching week right here.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
While wrapping up the school year, there’s a lot of things to check off of your to do list. It can feel overwhelming while thinking about what you need to get done before heading out for summer. In this episode, we’ll talk about how to go about wrapping up the school year for yourself, your students, and your classroom. Read the blog post that goes right along with this episode right here.
Sign up for Teach Elementary Music with Confidence coaching week right here.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Technology is something we all use in our every day lives. There are so many different ways to use technology for yourself and your students. It can be confusing knowing what to use and how to use it. That's the exact reason I asked Katie Wardrobe to come on the podcast. She is the "music technology lady" as I so lovingly refer to her and talking about all things technology is her jam!
In this episode, we talk about technology tips and tricks including:
- Productivity tools
- Lesson planning
- Google drive
- Making beautiful PDFs
- Creating slides
- Student apps
If you're feeling stuck, just try one thing. But also, start by getting comfortable with the things you already have to use at school first and then go from there.
Katie Wardrobe is a music technology speaker, trainer, consultant, blogger and podcaster who is passionate about helping music teachers through her business Midnight Music (www.midnightmusic.com.au). She runs hands-on workshops and presents regularly at conferences in Australia and overseas as a Keynote speaker or clinician. Katie offers online training and support to hundreds of music teachers all over the world through her music technology professional development online community - the Midnight Music Community - and also through her series of free monthly webinars which have been attended by more than 20,000 teachers in 2020 alone. Katie is also the author of the keyboard and technology program for middle school students titled Studio Sessions (published by MusicEDU), Katie is also the host of the Music Tech Teacher podcast which has more than 125 episodes.
You can connect with Katie here:
- Connect with her on Instagram @katiemidnightmusic
- Connect with Katie on Facebook @midnightmusic
- Check out Katie's website, blog, and podcast at mighnightmusic.com
- Check out Katie's YouTube channel at Midnight Music
Sign up for Teach Elementary Music with Confidence coaching week right here.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
We're creative people, and in fact, we were created to be creative. Part of reaching into that creativity is by using musical play. There are two different types of musical play, behavioral and then playful type of play. Students need to experience play that allows them to learn, find joy, and reveal new parts of themselves they've never been able to experience before.
In this episode with Tina Arenas, you’ll learn:
- What musical play is
- Different ways students can use their bodies to make music
- How to make books playful and musical
- Vocal exploration ideas
Tina teaches early childhood music and movement and serves as team leader for the elementary art, music, library, and PE team at the American School of Dubai, UAE. Prior to teaching abroad, she taught K-5 elementary general music and after-school musical ensembles in public schools in Plano and Denton, Texas. While in Denton, she was recognized as a campus Teacher of Year in 2011. Tina received her Master of Arts in Music Education from the University of St. Thomas and has completed both Kodály and Orff-Schulwerk levels courses, in addition to movement masterclasses.
She has presented workshops for teachers at international, national, and state music conferences and has served as a board member and teacher representative at the national, state, and district levels. Tina has also served as a cooperating teacher for student teachers and as an invited guest lecturer and artist-in-residence for universities. With over 20 years of classroom experience, Tina has developed a passion for making play a priority in teaching and learning. Her mission is to create an environment where children feel valued and developing community relationships is central to our well-being.
You can connect with Tina here:
- Grab her free teaching resource here
- Connect with her on Instagram @popupforplay
- Connect with Tina on Facebook @popupforplay
- Check out Tina's website and blog at popupforplay.com
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Today, we're celebrating episode 200! I honestly can't believe that we're this far into the podcast friend. On this episode, you'll hear Jessica Grant interview me. She prepared questions, without me knowing what she was going to ask me ahead of time. What a fun way to celebrate and give you a chance to get to know me a bit better.
Oh yeah... and to continue the celebration, I'm giving away two copies of my book "Make a Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music" and two 1-on-1 30 minute coaching calls as well. To enter into the giveaway, simply tag me in a post on Instagram or Facebook, share about the podcast with a friend, or do a post about the podcast sharing about why you love listening.
Want to support my work? You can buy me a coffee!
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head here to grab your free music teacher guides and resources
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Teaching isn't always going to be sunshine and rainbows. In fact, it's easy to get caught up in what I call the negative thought pattern swirl. Things can be straight up hard and it can cause you to feel the overwhelm big time.
In this episode, I'm sharing 4 ways you can reframe the negative thoughts you might have about teaching.
I talk about:
- Remembering your why
- Knowing the hard days will come
- Being part of the solution
- Identifying what's bringing you down mentally
You can also read the blog post that goes along with this episode right here.
Want to support my work? You can buy me a coffee!
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head here to grab your free music teacher guides and resources
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Maybe you're teaching, but you want to dive into being an entrepreneur as well. This episode with Bree Noble and Katie Zaccardi goes into how you can do that successfully, while being yourself and getting past any mindset issues.
Connect with Bree and Katie here:
Get on the Out to Launch waitlist here: www.katiezaccardi.com/outtolaunch
Bree's Instagram@profitablemusicianllc
Katie's Instagram @katiezaccardi
Katie's TikTok @katie.zaccardi
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource
Head here to grab your free online business cheat sheet
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
On a day you played one of your classes favorite songs, did you see their faces light up with excitement? Have you ever stopped to think about why? Some kids don’t associate the music they learn in school with what they listen to outside of school. There’s “music class music” and “other types of music” according to some of your students. Honestly, I didn’t try to bring popular music into my classroom for the first couple of years because I wasn’t ever told this is something I could do. In all my years of college prep and student teaching, no one ever talked about actually using music your students connect with.
Maybe you can relate to this. You know your students will respond to popular music, but you’re just not sure how to do that. If so, this podcast episode will help you to get started. You can also read the blog post that goes along with this episode right here.
The Beyonce YouTube video mentioned in the episode can be seen here.
Want to support my work? You can buy me a coffee!
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head here to grab your free music teacher guides and resources
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Maybe you want to make extra money as a teacher, but you don’t know where to start. There are truly so many awesome ideas available, and the first place to start is to figure out what aligns with you. Then, think about if you want to start a teacher business (like we discussed in episode 166 of the podcast) or make extra money on the side of your full time teaching career. In this episode, we’ll focus on 4 easy ways to make money as a teacher. You can also read the blog post that goes along with this episode right here.
Want to support my work? You can buy me a coffee!
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head here to grab your free online business cheat sheet
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode goes deep into mental health in both your teaching and home life. Mental health isn't something to take lightly, and through Lauren's story, our goal is that you know you're not alone and are able to take the steps to get the help you need.
Throughout our conversation, we discuss:
- Why it's important to treat yourself like a best friend or a child
- The longest relationship you have in life is with yourself
- Living your life for you and not for others
- Putting your needs at the forefront before it's too late
Lauren Marcinkowski (she/her) is a music therapist, educator, mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend--and now former teacher. Her passions are around creating empathy for all students and people through promoting self-awareness and understanding of ourselves so that we can more fully accept others in our lives. Lauren is also passionate about mental health and advocating for this. Lauren is currently at home now with her 1 year old son, Jace, and is working on her website, "The Empathetic Teacher.com." She enjoys spending free time exercising, reading, playing with Jace and her husband and exploring the libraries in their county.
Connect with Lauren here:
On her website www.theempatheticteacher.com
On Instagram@theempatheticteacher and @theempatheticmom
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
It's tough to teach music without enough instruments. But, it's not impossible. I started my elementary music teaching career with one broken hand drum. That was it. Although it was frustrating at times wanting to use a classroom full of instruments and not having that, music was still taught to my students.
Sometimes it's not about what you don't have, but teaching with what you do have. The instruments can be bought and your classroom can be built up over time. In this episode, we'll explore how to teach music without enough instruments to help you move forward successfully.
You can read the blog post that goes right along with this episode right here.
Other links mentioned in this episode:
- Blog post about centers in the music room
- Scratch.MIT virtual xylophone
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode is all about helping students find a sense of belonging in the music room. Once teachers develop an empathy based approach with your students, you'll notice it leads to connection, which therefore leads to belonging. Students need to be able to come into the music room knowing they belong there. The music room is a safe space where students should be able to take a risk and make a mistake. Real empathy builds belonging and fosters a sense of belonging. Throughout our entire conversation, Dr. Missy Strong talked with me about empathy, how her approach to teaching music has changed, and the ways she helps her students be their most musical selves by feeling like they belong.
Missy Strong has taught general, choral, and instrumental music at the early childhood, elementary, and middle school levels for 26 years. She holds a Master of Music Education degree from Rowan University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Music Education with a specialty in Early Childhood Development from Rutgers University, New Brunswick. Missy currently teaches elementary general and choral music. She has served as the Senior Research Assistant for Music Together and was the director of children's music education at Philadelphia's historic Tenth Presbyterian Church for over a decade. Missy is a FAME Endorsed Teacher Trainer in both First Steps in Music and Conversational Solfege. She is a Founding Member of FAME and the former President of the organization. A frequent music education consultant and clinician, Missy presents conference sessions, professional development workshops, webinars, and courses at the collegiate, international, regional, state, and local levels. She is a published author and editor with articles in both state and national music education journals and books from GIA Publications and Oxford University Press. Missy and her composer/pianist husband Jeremy live in Southern New Jersey with their four kids, Ethan, Owen, Lorelei, and Jackson.
Connect with Missy here:
In her Facebook group
On Instagram @musicedwithmissy
On Twitter @DocStrong26
At her TpT store
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Assessment in elementary music is something that can be a bit tricky. Unlike a general classroom where formative assessments are done all day long in reading and math, a lot of what happens in elementary music is performance based. Therefore, the assessment waters can get a bit confusing and it’s overwhelming trying to figure out when and how to assess every student. Honestly, there’s not one size fits all approach.
A lot of what happens in an elementary music classroom from planning, to teaching, to assessing, is up to you as the teacher. So, in this episode, blog post, I’ll break down assessment in elementary music in an easy to understand way. My goal is to provide you with tips and strategies that you can in return, think about how you can make them work for your teaching situation.
You can read the blog post that goes right along with this episode right here.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
One day, you might find yourself at a school where you're responsible for building the music program from the ground up. This was my exact situation, and is also the story of my guest Natassia Perrine. In this episode, she shares her journey from going from teaching high school music to teaching elementary music at a school that didn't have any resources or a budget for her to work with. I love this entire conversation and throughout our discussion, she talks about:
- how you can't give up
- why it's about trial and error
- the importance of being you
Natassia Perrine is a music educator, content creator and speaker currently serving Prek - 4th grade students in New Orleans. Before making the switch to elementary music 2017, Natassia taught high school choir and theatre in Ireland, Alabama and Rhode Island. In response to the pandemic, Natassia created a YouTube channel - Music with Ms. P - to share lessons with her students and yours, too. Natassia is passionate about creating new music curricula that centers and celebrates her students, provides opportunities for social and emotional growth and uses children's literature to expand her students' musicianship and literacy skills. In addition to her work in the classroom, Natassia is an active professional development facilitator and resource creator, and loves to connect with fellow music educators and pre-service teachers!Links mentioned in this episode:
- Natassia's YouTube channel
- Natassia's blog at https://www.musicwithmsp.com/
- Follow Natassia on Instagram @musicwithms_p
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
It’s easy to feel stressed and overwhelmed as you’re juggling everything in your teaching and home life. It’s a lot to handle and might feel like you need to clone yourself somedays to get everything done. I get it, and have been there and done that. So, I want to share these organization tips for teachers that have worked so well for me. In this podcast episode, you’ll hear two sections, one for your school life and one for the home side of things.
Here are the blog posts (with links to accompanying podcast episodes included in the post) mentioned in this episode:
Organization Tips to Balance your Work and Life blog post
Tips on Lesson Planning for Music Teachers blog post
6 Ways to Make Lesson Planning Easy for Music Teachers blog post
5 Tips for Putting on Successful Elementary Music Performances blog post
Juggling Teaching and Motherhood as a Music Teacher blog post
Elementary Music Teacher Work-Life Balance blog post
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Bringing literacy into the music room is so important. But, sometimes music teachers can feel stuck in knowing how exactly to do this. That's the reason I brought Vicky Weber on the podcast. She's not only a children's book author, with music education focused books in fact, but she's passionate about brining literacy to kids. In this episode, she talks about literature in music education including:
- why literacy matters in the music room
- ways to use books in your music lessons
- what inspired her to begin writing her own books
- how literacy in the music room helps with cross curricular learning
Vicky Weber is a musician and an elementary educator with a love for children's literature. As a Puerto Rican author of Taíno descent, she strives to create picture books that are fun, engaging, and educational. All her current titles are based on her background in music education or her heritage.
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Vicky's website Trunk Up Books
- Follow Vicky on Instagram @vickyweberbooks
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
What exactly does it mean to trust your intuition when it comes to teaching music? It means that a lot of the times, you already know what you need to do when it comes to teaching a lesson, classroom management strategies, assessing your kiddos, planning virtual ideas, putting on performances, and so on and so forth. But, actually doing these things is tough. In this episode, we're going to unpack these topics, so you can begin to move forward while you trust your intuition in your music classroom.
Read the blog post that goes hand in hand with this episode right here.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Bringing guest teaching artists into your music classroom might be something you've thought about doing before, but you're just not sure where to start or how to do it. I brought Allison Russo on the podcast to talk about why bringing in guest artists (both in person and virtually) is so beneficial to you and your students, ways to get the funding you need, and a breakdown in how to prepare your students both before and during the time the guest artist is there. In this episode, you'll hear so many ideas and ways you can bring a guest artist into your music room.
Allison Russo is an educator, consultant, and writer focused on creating ethical and effective learning spaces in the arts with her consulting company, The Critical Good. Her areas of interest include social-emotional learning, culturally responsive teaching, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Allison has a BM from Ithaca College and an MM from Boston University, both in Music Education. As an elementary band teacher and non-profit arts administrator, Allison has designed and delivered music programming to thousands of students and teachers. She currently serves on the board of Keys 2 Success, a non-profit working to remove systemic barriers to music education for the children of Newark, NJ. Allison envisions a world where arts education is boundless, universally accessible, and joyful for all.
You can connect with Allison here:
Website: www.thecriticalgood.com
Instagram @thecriticalgood
Facebook page: Facebook.com/thecriticalgood
Twitter: twitter.com/thecriticalgood
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In a 45 minute class period, it's easy to feel stuck when trying to figure out what to do with your students throughout the class time. Of course, there are a lot of factors to consider including if you see your students more or less than 45 minutes, what your teaching situation is like, and also the unique needs of your different classes. Whatever the case may be, this breakdown will help give you a guideline to follow as you're thinking through your music time with your students.
Read the blog post that goes right along with this episode.
Social media links mentioned:
45 minute break down on TikTok
45 minute break down on Instagram
Other episode to listen to:
- 156- Determining How to Structure Your Class Time in the Music Room
- 168- What to Know About Students Entering the Music Room
- 177-Lining Up Students to Leave the Music Room
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Teaching on a cart is something many music teachers find themselves doing at one point in their career. There are a lot of questions surrounding on a cart teaching and I'm so excited to have Amy Walworth on the podcast to help answer them. In this episode, she breaks down her experience in teaching on a cart including:
- why she likes it
- what's hard about it
- why teaching in the general classroom isn't necessarily a bad thing
- tips and strategies for decorating your cart
Amy Walworth is the elementary music specialist for Macon County Public schools, in the beautiful hills of Lafayette TN. She is the only music instructor for over 1100 K-5 students and teaches at five different schools during the year. She travels to every class using a cart and is the author of the new book Teaching Music on a Cart which includes encouragement, cart teaching tips, teaching strategies, and lesson plans for music cart teachers.
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Amy's website Teaching on a Cart
- Teaching on a Cart Facebook page
- Amy's book Teaching Music on a Cart at F-Flat Books
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Every year, I do a recap episode to reflect back on the episodes recorded and to share some of my favorite moments. 2021 was a fantastic year for the podcast and I'm so excited to keep this show going and to continue bringing on guests and creating solo episodes that meet you where you're at. Happy New Year and may this be the best year ever!
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
What is a mission statement and why do you need one as a music teacher? When you do goal setting and really strive to reach those goals, it’s what keeps you motivated to keep going. Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve thought about goals or you’ve never really done anything like this besides your teaching philosophy you had to think through in college.
What I want to help you do in this episode is to think through 4 questions that will help guide you as you create your mission statement. Then, I want you to hang this statement by your desk, write it on a stick note, frame it, or even put it in the notes app on your phone to refer to it from time to time. Because, when not if you’re having one of those crazy hard days, this mission statement will remind you of your why.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I want to give you 5 steps that will help you to find renewal before you head back to school after Winter break.
- Let go of unrealistic expectations put on you by others or yourself
- Process through the successes and struggles you’ve had so far this school year
- Think about what you'd like to improve upon going forward
- Consider how or what will improve your teaching practice or life
- Think about what ways can you improve on practicing real self care
Sign up for the "Reflect and Renew" challenge right here.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Being an empowered educator means that you notice how you're feeling, and are therefore able to take a deep breath and focus. A lot of times you don't have your feelings validated, which is so hard.
In this episode, Jen Rafferty does a great job of explaining what an empowered educator is, why this is her mission in helping teachers, and how refocus your thought patterns to help you move forward.
Presenter and author, Jen Rafferty began her career as a middle school music teacher in Central New York. Jen brings her energy, humor, and expertise to all professional development workshops. She is known for her practical ideas and passion in her presentations while inspiring teachers to stay connected to their “why.” Jen currently serves as the Co-chair of the New York State School Music Association’s (NYSSMA) Secondary Classroom Committee, member of the advocacy committee, and is the President of Cortland County Music Teachers Association. She earned a B.M. in music education and vocal performance, a M.M. in music education from Ithaca College and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in educational psychology.
Jen is frequently invited to conduct elementary and middle school choirs throughout New York State. Additionally, in 2020 she founded Sing Together, an international virtual singing community of singers of all ages and abilities. Her most recent publication is A Place in the Staff: Finding Your Way as a Music Teacher, available on Amazon.
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Jen's website
- Empowered Educator Facebook page
- Jen Rafferty Music Instagram
- Facebook live about Finding Your Why
Sign up for the "Reflect and Renew" challenge right here.
Find out more about the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
If you aren't aware by now, I'm beyond passionate about serving, mentoring, and coaching elementary music teachers. With that said, I've been doing not only group coaching, but 1-on-1 coaching with some of my HARMONY members. I wanted to share this coaching call with one of the music teachers in the membership for you to get advice and strategies about what you might be facing in your music teacher life.
If you're interested in 1-on-1 coaching, I'm offering this as a service outside of my membership site now as well! Fill out this form and we'll get you set up.
Sign up for the "Reflect and Renew" challenge right here.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Working with English Language Learners in the music room can feel intimidating, yet rewarding at the same time. How can you teach music to student who speak a different language than you? What are ways you can communicate and help them progress in the music room? In this episode, we'll talk all about that including:
- the best strategies for connecting with your students
- why you don't have to go it alone
- building a sense of belonging
- teaching with non verbal communication
Angela Ammerman is currently both a stay at home mama and a passionate music teacher trainer. She stays at home six days a week and spends one day on campus at George Mason University where she teaches Lab Orchestra, Aural Skills, and String Methods. Ammerman also supervises student teachers for both GMU and James Madison University and is the author of the upcoming book “The Music Teacher’s Guide to Engaging English Language Learners,” to be published by Meredith Music THIS MONTH (October)! Ammerman has been named Virginia’s 2016 Orchestra Director of the Year, the University of Tennessee at Martin’s Advisor of the Year in 2019, and she has been honored by the Virginia House of Delegates, and featured in the Washington Post as well as the Tennessee Alumnus Magazine. Ammerman is the host of the #MusicEdLove Podcast and is in high demand as a guest conductor and clinician across the country. Angela lives with her 1 year old son David Michael and her husband, Dr. David Allen Ammerman.
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Connect with Angela at angelaammerman.com
- Also connect on social media on Instagram @angelaammerman
Sign up for the "Reflect and Renew" challenge right here.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership here.
Get your copy of Make A Note: What You Really Need to Know About Teaching Elementary Music
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Teaching right now is hard. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Although things are going back to "normal", they're not quite there yet. So what do we do? How can you move forward?
In this episode, I'm going to talk to you about reframing the way you view thankfulness and gratitude. It’s not going to be sunshine, unicorns, and rainbows all the time. We're all very well aware of this. But, in this episode, you'll get some example phrases to show you how to reframe the negative into a positive and then I want you to think about your own life and how you apply these tips and strategies into it.
Sign up for the "Reflect and Renew" challenge right here.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this podcast episode, I'll talk about what to know about students lining up to leave the music room. Every class time will look different and will change according to what you're doing with your students and what grade level is leaving your room. But, the ideas I share in this episode will help you to get your students lined up and ready to leave in an easier way.
In this episode, I discuss:
- What to allow time for
- Things to think through
- Knowing your schedule well
- What to do before lining students up
- How to have students leave
- Why procedures and expectations are important
Read this blog post that goes right along with today's podcast episode.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
What does it mean to deconstruct a music standard? It can be overwhelming having objectives, deciding what quarter to teach them in, lesson planning to teach the objectives, and knowing if you're doing it "right."
In this episode, I break down step by step how to deconstruct a standard to help you move forward in your music classroom. Readthis blog post that goes right along with today's podcast episode where you'll see what's discussed laid out in a sequential process.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Get your copy of my book Make A Note.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Sign up for 1-on-1 music teacher coaching.
Listen to episode 157.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
What does decolonizing music education look like? Are there steps you can take to make sure you're making your music classroom equitable for every student who comes through your doors? In this episode, I brought on Giuliana Conti to discuss this with me. The advice she shares throughout the entire episode is awesome and you'll get practical tips you can apply into your teaching right away. One of the best quotes from this episode is that equity means access, accountability, and opportunity to learn. In the classroom, equity means thinking critically about what you're presenting, how you're presenting it, and your role in it. After listening in, I can't wait to hear what your key takeaways are.
Giuliana Conti is a proud educator, education researcher, and leader. She has committed five years to representing nearly 15,000 colleagues in local, state, and national arenas while evaluating and developing the advancement of GPSS as an organization. She also has five years of teaching experience in the K-8 music setting. Her recent focus has been on increased communication with stakeholders and partners, professional development programming for our constituents, and providing her team with a strategic plan grounded in inclusive, effective, and sustainable processes for the next three years.
As a PhD researcher she has carried out a sizable portfolio of qualitative and quantitative studies. These have involved standard and innovative processes within study design, need assessment, data collection, analysis, evaluation, and impact measurement. While my Doctorate is in music education specifically, she has a deep understanding of the practical and theoretical intersections between psychology, sociology, cognition, culture, learning, policy, reform, and student-centered curriculum development in K-12 settings. She loves teaching, and contributing to the success of others within education.
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Connect with Giuliana on Twitter
- The Smithsonian Folkway website
- World Music Pedagogy books by Patricia Campbell
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
If you aren't aware by now, I'm beyond passionate about serving, mentoring, and coaching elementary music teachers. With that said, I've been doing not only group coaching, but 1-on-1 coaching with some of my HARMONY members. I wanted to share this coaching call with one of the music teachers in the membership for you to get advice and strategies about what you might be facing in your music teacher life.
If you'd like to sign up for coaching with me where we can talk about anything and everything going on in your music teacher life, fill out this form.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
As an elementary music teacher, you bring drama into what you're already doing with your students, whether you realize it or not. As you put on performances, do movement activities, read stories with action words, and create different sounds, you're integrating drama. I'm so excited for the conversation I had with Deb Baldwin in this episode about drama instruction and integration, because this is where her expertise lies. She breaks down how to teach drama to the youngest and oldest of students and gives sound advice that you can use in your own music or drama classroom.
Deborah Baldwin is an award-winning theater teacher and director having done both for nearly 40 years. She directed over 250 plays and musicals with adults and children alike. Deborah developed and administrated several youth theater companies in the Midwest and serves as a consultant to them as well. She taught in Missouri and Colorado retiring in 2016. She created curriculum in all areas of theater for grades second through twelfth--creative dramatics, introduction to theater, musical theater, playwriting and technical theater. Currently, she created drama education resources for her store, DramaMommaSpeaks on Teacherspayteachers.com. In addition, she coaches teachers just starting out on their journey. She is an award winning indie author of Bumbling Bea a middle grade book. She blogs at www.dramamommaspeaks.com and can be found on Facebook at Drama Momma Speaks and Instagram under the Dramamommaspeaks name.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Are you struggling with feelings of being left out or lonely? I know I sure have. In fact, I've gone through some anxiety and stress the past two months and know others have as well from conversations I've had. If this is you too, then I recorded this episode just for you.
During this episode, I talk about how to move past the feelings of being left out or not included. What do you do? How do you process through your emotions? We'll talk about that and so much more. So, listen in and get ready to feel encouraged.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Diversity in music education is so important. Making your classroom equitable starts with you first... understanding who you are, what your knowledge is, and where the holes are.
In this conversation with Nate Holder, we discuss:
- why it's important to learn and to keep relearning
- the importance of helping students to see themselves in your music classroom
- including music from your students culture in your classroom
- and much more
Nate Holder BA (Hons), MMus is a musician, author, speaker and music education consultant based in London. He is an advocate for decolonising music education and has been speaking, writing and consulting on the subject internationally for the past few years.
Nate brings his passion and skill in public speaking into leading CPD training and workshops for schools, hubs and universities; helping address bias, underrepresentation in music classrooms, departments, hubs and boards internationally. He is currently serving as Professor and International Chair of Music Education at the Royal Northern College of Music.
You can connect with Nate here:
www.nateholdermusic.com
www.thewhybooks.co.uk
Instagram - @n8holder
Twitter - @n8holder
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Have you wanted to bring centers into your elementary music classroom but you're just not sure how? In this episode, we'll go over simple ways you can begin doing centers with your students.
These include:
- Boomwhacker melodies
- Student devices
- Listening activities
- Using keyboards
- Recorder or mallet instruments
- Music games and activities
Read the blog post that goes along with this episode right here.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
What if I told you that you can step into being a leader in your school building and amongst your peers as the music teacher? You have the advantage of teaching every child or each grade level, know how to adapt lessons on the fly, and can deconstruct a standard to reach the different ages of learners. Not only that, you're great at getting the unengaged learners excited about learning and your lessons are hands on and not boring.
So, you have a lot to bring to the table my friend. It's time you step into being a leader and bring your confidence and strengths to the table. In this episode, I'm so excited to chat all about this with Jamal Maxsam.
Jamal Maxsam is an Igniter of Champion leaders. He started in business, then realized he could do more to help others reach their fullest potential. Then Jamal made the shift and became a teacher, then served as a school Principal turning around struggling schools and accelerating performing schools. Now he helps teachers go to the Principal's office and Edupreneurs birth their dream, shifting it from a good idea to a business.
You can connect with Jamal here:
- website: jamalmaxsam.org
- social media: Clubhouse, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook
- LinkedIn: Jamal Maxsam
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this podcast episode, I'll talk about what to know about students entering the music room. Honestly, when you set yourself AND your students up for success before they even step foot into your classroom, your class time will run smoother than ever.
Throughout the episode, I discuss:
- The importance of meeting your students at the door
- Doing body percussion activities as they walk in
- Greeting your students with a smile on your face
- Silently doing echo rhythms or movement for students to follow
- Simple singing warmups
- Practice, practice, practice procedures and stay consistent
Read this blog post that goes right along with today's podcast episode.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
While working with students with exceptional needs, you'll encounter students who deal with behavioral challenges. It's so tough as the music teacher knowing how to best work with these students and to stay patient in the process.
In this episode, Dr. Erin Parkes discusses how to take an empathy based approach to the behavioral challenges you may encounter.
But, not only that, she and I have a conversation around sensory processing disorder, students on the autism spectrum, and so much more.
One of the biggest pieces of advice she gives is that it will take a lot of trial and error when figuring out how to best meet the needs of certain students. But, trust that your boundaries are your boundaries and it's your classroom.
Dr. Erin Parkes is the founder and executive director of Lotus Centre for Special Music Education, a charitable organization based in Ottawa, Canada with a mission to provide access to music education for the special needs community. As part of her commitment to teacher education, Erin leads the first and only post-secondary program in special music education at the University of Ottawa, and has recently started the Lotus Centre Institute for Professional Development. Erin has been teaching students with exceptionalities for 25 years and welcomes students of all ages and abilities in her studio.
You can connect with Dr. Parkes on her websites here:
- www.lotuscentre.net
- www.institute.lotuscentre.net
And... you can connect with Dr. Parkes on social media here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lotuscentreforspecialmusiceducation
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5B_QWcde9iHIDWDf8T6gNA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LotusCentreMus1
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Maybe you've wanted to start a side hustle or sell some products or services, but you're not quite sure how. I remember starting out and having all of the questions and no idea how to figure out the answers.
In this episode, I'll break down the first steps to consider while pursuing your edupreneur dreams.
Some of these tips may be strategies you've never heard before, and my goal is for you to take what you learn and to brainstorm ideas so you can make forward momentum.
Fill out the business coaching Google form on this link.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Connect with me and send me a direct message on Instagram here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
What is a student-centered classroom? How exactly does it empower your music students? In today's episode, Theresa and I talk about these exact topics and help provide you with strategies to move forward with implementing ideas into your classroom.
Theresa is a Google for Education Certified Trainer and Innovator, frequently working with teachers to help integrate technology into their music classes. Theresa is a recognized presenter and clinician for local, regional, and national conferences and is the co-author of the book Pass the Baton: Empowering All Music Students.
You can find Theresa's work online at www.musicaltheresa.comTheresa Hoover is a music educator, speaker, and writer. She is an advocate for student voice in the music room and works to empower students throughout their musical experiences and help teachers transform their classrooms to become student-centered learning environments.
You can connect with Theresa here:
- www.musicaltheresa.com
- On Twitter @MusicalTheresa
- Instagram @MusicalTheresa
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Personal development for teachers is an important topic, to help you in both your teacher life and for your students. A lot of times the focus is on professional development only, and personal development for teachers is forgotten about.
It's important that you know how much you matter as a person, and not just a teacher. Then, show that person to your students and form those connection points that will open the doors to empathy. We'll talk about all of this and so much more in this episode.
Robert Anderson is the President of Win by Design consulting. He has served as a consultant to corporations, universities, individuals, and teams. He is also the author of the recently released "The 12 Things They Wanted To Teach You High School...But Couldn't " A Personal Development book written to create educational leaders is quickly becoming an Amazon Best Books of 2021. He is focused on raising awareness of the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in our educational institutions and executive spaces.
Robert has 15 years of classroom teaching experience, has been married for 14 years, has 4 beautiful kids, and is a lacrosse dad, and health fanatic.
You can connect with Robert here:
- On Facebook here
- At his website winbydesign.co
- On Instagram @rajrofficial
- On Twitter @anderson9363
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Whether you already taught in person last school year or you'll be headed back into your building this school year, there's a lot of fear, uncertainty, and unknowns facing not only you, but your students too.
In this episode, I'll address some thing to think through as you head into the new school year.
We'll discuss:
- How music class may feel new to your students
- Why things may feel awkward for a bit
- Knowing that fear is still there
- Remembering that kiddos aren't used to being at school
- Getting excited to create music in person with your students again
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
There are so many mindset beliefs music teachers deal with on a daily basis. In this episode, I'm going to tackle the 3 I hear mentioned the most. Today, we're going to talk about the thoughts:
- "I'm not good enough..."
- "I feel like giving up..."
- "My students are behind..."
The doors to HARMONY are officially open, but hurry because doors close tomorrow, June 29th! You can find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership here.
Have you felt stuck or supported as a music teacher? In this episode, I brought in Taylor Middleton to talk about her journey as a music teacher and how she's found the support she needs.
What you need won't look the same as any other music teacher and it's important to identify what that looks like for you. As you listen in today, you'll hear Taylor talk about what has worked for you and how she gets what she needs from a variety of different groups, resources, and online communities, including the HARMONY membership site.
The doors to HARMONY are officially open! You can find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership here.
In this episode, you'll hear from 15 music teachers who all have different stories to share. That's what so cool about meeting elementary music teachers... everyone's story is different. You'll hear what struggles each teacher faced and what they've gotten from being in the HARMONY membership. While listening in, you'll be able to connect with a story you hear.
Come to the "Back to School Planning Workshop" where you'll get to interact, ask questions from, and support other music teachers and will leave the workshop with your first 4 weeks of school completely planned out. The workshop is on Monday, July 19th- Thursday, July 22nd and you can sign up by heading here.
The doors to HARMONY are officially open! You can find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership here.
Do you view professional development as only earning PD hours and enough credits just to get by? What if I told you it was about so much more than that. In this episode, let's talk about how you can reframe the way you view professional development and what my favorite way to do that is.
Read the blog post that goes hand in hand with this episode right here.
Come to the "Back to School Planning Workshop" where you'll get to interact, ask questions from, and support other music teachers and will leave the workshop with your first 4 weeks of school completely planned out. The workshop is on Monday, July 19th- Thursday, July 22nd and you can sign up by heading here.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Planning out the first month of school can seem a little daunting. There are so many decisions to make and things to think about before you teach a single lesson. In this episode, I'll break down the "how to" behind planning for back to school and will walk you through some deciding factors to consider while you're making your plans.
Come to the "Back to School Planning Workshop" where you'll get to interact, ask questions from, and support other music teachers and will leave the workshop with your first 4 weeks of school completely planned out. The workshop is on Monday, July 19th- Thursday, July 22nd and you can sign up by heading here.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
You’ve probably accumulated so many lesson plans from different workshops, trainings, levels courses, friends, and resources. It gets so overwhelming knowing what to do with each lesson plan and how to find what you need when you plan each week.
Today, I want to talk about a simple way to keep your lesson plans organized.
Want to take a deeper dive into this topic? Register for the "Organizing Your Lesson Plans" workshop that's happening on July 5th.
Sign up for all of the summer professional development workshops
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Determining how to structure your class time in the music room can be tricky. You see your students on average for 45 minutes once a week and want to use your time wisely with each class that comes into your in person or virtual music room. In this episode, we'll talk about how to structure what happens in the music room so the time you see your students is used efficiently and effectively. Want to take a deeper dive into this topic? Register for the structuring your class time workshop that's happening on June 28th.
Sign up for all of the summer professional development workshops
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Did you learn in college that classroom management was only about the rules and about being strict? Yeah, me too... But, classroom management is about SO much more than that. In fact, forming relationships is the KEY to classroom management. In this episode, I'll be talking about what classroom management is and isn't to help you move forward with making a plan that works for you. Want more guidance in making classroom management work for your students and in your classroom? Register for the classroom management workshop that's happening on June 21st.
Sign up for all of the summer professional development workshops
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
So, now that the school year is over, what do you do now? You’re probably thinking… umm Jessica, absolutely nothing is the answer to that...right? In this episode, we'll talk about how the most important thing you can do is to take a break and then do something fun before you even begin to think about going back to school. Then, begin to process through last school year and what you're wanting to do moving forward into the new school year.
Sign up for a summer professional development workshop
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Maybe you're teaching music full time, but you've had the desire or passion to pursue something else as a side hustle too. Thinking about doing this can be intimidating and overwhelming. There are a lot of questions to think about like, "what would I pursue" or "but there are already so many people doing what I want to do."
The thing is that there is only one you. So, that means that special gift you bring to the world is unique and the world needs it. In this episode, Katie Holbrook and I talk about what to do when you're wanting to pursue a side passion on top of your full time teaching job. She is my community manager for The Domestic Musician, LLC as well as a founding member of my HARMONY membership. She and I talk about how to pick one thing to focus on, ways to manage your schedule so you're not overwhelmed, and how to choose what to pursue.
Connect with Katie here:
On Instagram @onethirtymusic
At her website 130music.com
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head here to grab your free online business guide.
Sign up for 1 on 1 business coaching with Jessica right here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Have you had thoughts about quitting teaching? What do you do with these thoughts and how do you move past them? In this episode, we'll talk about not only identifying where these thoughts are coming from, but what you need to do in order to keep moving forward in your teaching career.
Links mentioned in this episode:
- "Make A Note: What You Really Need To Know About Teaching Elementary Music" book
- "20 Things To Know About Teaching Elementary Music" cheat sheet
- Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group
- Sign up for a summer professional development workshop
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
The end of the school year is inching closer and closer and up goes the energy of your students. Maybe you have guilt about what you haven't done or what you should've done, but haven't really taken the time to appreciate the fact that you've almost taught an ENTIRE school year during a Pandemic.
In this episode, I'll address some mindset stuff you may be feeling, but will also share some practical tips and ideas for engaging your students in music class, no matter what your teaching situation may look like.
Links mentioned in this episode:
"How to Put On an End of the Year Talent Show" podcast episode 48
"5 End of the Year Elementary Music Activities" blog post
"6 Fun Elementary Music Center Ideas" blog post
Sign up for a summer professional development workshop
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Self care is more than a buzzword. So many times, we hear phrases like "just take care of yourself" or "find the one thing that works for you" or even "pencil in time to get that pedicure."
But, self care isn't the same as self soothing. In fact, it's about the daily, mundane, and boring stuff that will help you to feel better every single day that matters. In this episode, Beth Duhon does a great job of explaining what self care REALLY is and has an easy to remember acronym called "MAP" that will give you amazing tips to implement what you're hearing today.
Beth Duhon is, to borrow Tracy King’s phrase, the K-5 “ambassador of joy” at Travis Elementary in Rosenberg, TX. This is her fifth year teaching in Lamar Consolidated ISD. She has received over $14,000 in classroom grants for a keyboard lab, iPads, and music manipulatives in addition to regularly receiving travel grants for music education conferences.
In 2021, she presented “Self-Care for the Music Educator: Not Just a Buzzword” for TMEA and the LCISD elementary music teacher cohort. Previously, Ms. Duhon was a successful horn private lesson teacher, clinician, and freelance performer in the West Houston area for over a decade. She also taught elementary music in Williamsburg, VA and middle school general music in Falls Church, VA before moving to Texas.
She was an honors recitalist, principal horn in the wind ensemble and orchestra, cum laude and an inductee of Pi Kappa Lambda from Illinois Wesleyan University where she received a B.M.E. At the University of Houston, Ms. Duhon was a teaching assistant in the music history department, summa cum laude and a student of Roger Kaza (St. Louis Symphony) and Nancy Goodearl (Houston Symphony). She received an M.M. in horn performance.
Ms. Duhon met her husband, Jimmy, when they were both performing as instrumentalists at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. They have a ten-year-old son, Mark.
You can connect with Beth here:
- On her Facebook account here
- See her YouTube presentation (as long as it's available) right here
- Join her "Self Care for the Music Educator" Facebook group here.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
No two schools are the same. The way you teach at one school won’t be the same as the way you present the same exact lesson at another school. Funding is different, relationship building is so important, you'll need to adjust and adapt what you do a lot, some of your students are dealing with a lot, and you won't have as many resources to work with at times.
In this episode, you'll hear about my story with teaching in a low income school and why teaching music isn't a "one size fits all" approach.
Read the blog post that goes hand in hand with this episode right here.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
The word inclusive means, "aiming to provide equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those having physical or mental disabilities or belonging to other minority groups."
Every student can and should have the opportunity to receive a quality music education. There are not ifs, ands, or buts about it. Unfortunately, some kids aren't getting the same opportunities to learn music for a variety of reasons. In this episode, we're going to explore why making music education inclusive for all students is so important and how you can go about doing that.
Read the blog post that goes hand in hand with this episode right here.
Come to the Make A Note book club
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In today's episode, Casey Hall came on the podcast to talk about culturally relevant music education.
We discuss:
- what culturally relevant music education is
- why it's so important
- why forming relationships with your students is so important
- understanding the culture of your students
- researching what music your students like
Mr. Casey Hall is a Fine Arts Education Program Specialist at the Georgia Department of Education. As a Fine Arts Education Program Specialist, it is our mission to create the next generation of fine artists and foster a deep appreciation of the arts for students and fine arts patrons in the State of Georgia. In Georgia, we believe this occurs with a world-class fine arts education, fine arts experiences in the arts community, and fine arts extensions of learning after school.
He joins the GaDOE Fine Arts Department team from Fulton County Schools as a Fine Arts Support Teacher (FAST) and the Music Specialist at Wolf Creek Elementary School in Atlanta, Georgia. On the FAST Team, he coached and provides support for elementary music teachers across the district. He was a member of Fulton County's Vanguard Team and works with educators across all grade levels and disciplines to support a personalized learning environment in their classrooms, build capacity, and seamlessly integrate technology. He was selected to be a member of the Working Committee to revise the Georgia Performance Standards for Music in 2017. Most recently, he was awarded the title of 2019-2020 South Learning Community Teacher of the Year for Fulton County Schools.
He holds a bachelor's degree in music education from the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University and a master's degree in music education from Georgia State's School of Music. While at GSU, he studied and developed the term, culturally driven pedagogy (a comprehensive term which uses students' culture to drive instructional practices) as well as developed a songwriting curriculum for the Johnny Mercer Foundation. Mr. Hall has presented at various conferences on topics such as Project-Based Learning, Personalized Learning, App Smashing, Cultural Pedagogies, Culturally Driven Pedagogy, and Behavior and Classroom Management at international, national, state, and local school district professional development sessions.
Connect with Casey here:
GaDOE Fine Arts Website: https://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Curriculum-and-Instruction/Pages/Fine-Arts.aspx
GaDOE Fine Arts Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jesbooth
GaDOE Fine Arts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GADOE-Fine-Arts-Department-104588351442666
My Personal Education Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrhallpass
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Implementing instructional software in elementary music can be a bit tricky or even overwhelming. In this podcast episode, I share 3 ways you can easily do this with with your students.
I'll discuss:
- Drill and practice
- Tutorials
- Simulations
Read the blog post that goes hand in hand with this episode right here.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
I'm so excited for you to listen in to this episode with Eric Young. We talk a lot about how to connect elementary music to secondary music and why it's important for it to be a seamless transition for students. But, Eric also talks about his love for Orff Schulwerk and how it easily transfers to what he does in secondary music as well as what technology he has used with his students and why. Eric has been both an elementary and secondary music teacher, so he understands both worlds. This conversation will help bridge the gap in a way between what happens in elementary and secondary music and how teachers of both worlds can talk to and help each other out.
Eric Young taught Pk-5 Elementary Music for 12 years with Montgomery County Public Schools in Christiansburg, VA. In 2016, Eric left the classroom to focus on full time music education consultant work. He worked with Lynn Kleiner's Music Rhapsody teaching online teacher training, manager of Lynn Kleiner's Music Box, and content/lesson development. In 2018, Eric returned to the classroom teaching K-3 music and 4-5 beginning band with Roanoke City School. He then returned to Montgomery County in 2019 teaching Pk-5 Elementary Music. Currently, Eric is in his first year teaching middle school Band, Choir, Guitar and General Music at Auburn Middle School in Riner, VA. Additionally, Mr. Young is an adjunct faculty member at Radford University where he teaches Music Technology for the Music Educator. Eric frequently presents music education workshops all over the US and China.
Eric holds a BAchelor of Music in Music Education from Radford University and a Masters of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Tech. Mr. Young completed his Orff Schulwerk Levels I, II, III and Master Class from Appalachian State University.
Eric lives in Christiansburg with his husband Joe and their spunky boxer, Luna.
You can connect with Eric here on:
Instagram @heymisteryoung
Twitter @heymisteryoung
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
A formal music education is so important. But, it's not the end all be all to learning. It’s not that having a music degree doesn’t matter, because it does. It just means that although you have your degree, never stop learning from others, growing as a music educator, thinking outside of the box, and not staying stuck in your ways. In this episode, I talk about what a formal music education doesn't teach you and my feelings around that.
Purchase the book "Make A Note: What You Really Need To Know About Teaching Elementary Music" right here.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, Lori Burke and I discuss her story as a songwriter and how you can help your students write songs with ease. She gives so many actionable steps including choosing a topic, using music to write a story, changing up the words to a familiar melody, and so much more. We also discuss the importance of music education and music teachers and how music can be used as a tool in students lives when they need it.
Lori Burke is the business owner and entrepreneur at Lori Burke Music LLC. She uses music and kinesthetics as a medium to achieve dreams. She's a Sesame Street alumni songwriter, Division 1 Javelin athlete, Hall of Fame for Volleyball (playing and coaching) and T&F, and has been nationally recognized for her work by the Today Show, PBS, Huffington Post, Redbook, and YouTube viral video. Lori has been married for 20 years to her high school sweetheart and has 2 beautiful children who are teens also achieving their big dreams.
You can connect with Lori here:
Website: loriburkemusicshop.com
Instagram: @lori_burke_music
Facebook: Lori Burke Music
Facebook group: Sing-A-Long Parenting Group
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode is an interview with JoEllyn Sumner of The Tuneful Teacher. She, like a lot of you, shifted to virtual teaching both as an elementary music teacher and in her parent child music classes. We talk about how parents and teachers are looking for creative ideas to do with their children while you're at home more than you usually are. JoEllyn stresses the importance that parents can be their child's teacher and how you don't need to have the greatest singing voice to do so. Being an elementary or secondary music teacher is way different than teaching the little learners. So, it can be confusing knowing what to do with the littles, whether it's your own child or if you're asked to teach a preschool music class. In this episode, you'll hear SO much helpful advice that you can apply to your elementary music teaching or if you're a parent as well.
JoEllyn Sumner is a 15 year K-4 music teaching veteran from the Chicagoland area, who has also been virtually teaching parents how to cultivate a Tuneful Home for the past year. She has 2 B.A.'s - Vocal Performance and Music Education, as well as an M.A. in Educational Administration. She also has countless post-graduate credits specializing in Orff-Schulwerk, First Steps in Music, Conversational Solfege and prenatal, infant, and toddler music as well. JoEllyn loves singing, dancing, and listening to all sorts of music from around the world -- and wants to bring that passion to all the parents and families she meets!
You can connect with JoEllyn here:
Website: www.thetunefulteacher.com
Instagram: @thetunefulteacher
Facebook Page: The Tuneful Teacher
Facebook Group: The Tuneful Teacher Parent Group
YouTube: The Tuneful Teacher
Twitter: TheTunefulTeach
Other links shared in this episode:
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Check out the Learn Piano At Home course right here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
It’s March which means it’s officially music in our schools month! Your students may have heard you mention this, but aren’t quite sure what exactly it means. First of all, talk about why music in our schools month exists. Of course you’re teaching music all year long and not just the month of March. The first National Music in our schools month occurred in 1973 in New York and now is a national event in the US. Having a month set aside to truly focus on advocating and celebrating music education is so awesome. In this episode we’ll focus on ways to help your students understand why music in our school month matters and give them reasons to advocate and celebrate right along with you.
Blog posts and links mentioned in this episode:
3 Reasons Music in Our Schools Month Matters
How to Integrate Music and Reading for Kids (see links to social studies, science, and foreign language blog posts on my website)
Music and Math Integration Ideas for Kids
FREE 5 Day Music Integration Into the Core Subjects Email Course
5 Life Lessons Marching Band Teaches Kids
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Advocating for your music program can come in many different forms. In this conversation with Rainy Barton, we discuss ways to advocate for yourself with your administration, the families of your students, and in the community. You'll hear so many awesome tips and get some new ideas that you can begin trying right away.
Rainy Barton graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelors in Music Education and is currently in the process of receiving her Orff-Schulwerk certification. She absolutely loves the Orff-Schulwerk and Kodaly methods and implements them both within her classroom on a regular basis. She is also currently a member of the Florida Music Educators Association, and its subgroup FEMEA (Florida Elementary Music Educators Association).
As far as Whimsically Musical goes, Rainy has always thought of herself as a whimsical person. She likes to go against the grain and come up with new and exciting things, and live life to the fullest. That’s why she started a blog, a YouTube Vlog, a TPT store, and a Facebook page. Rainy's goal is to help other music teachers in the teaching community by sharing what she's learned about activities that work well, classroom behavior management strategies, etc. She feels we all work better as a team, and loves meeting other teachers and getting to share our teaching journeys together!
You can connect with Rainy here:
Website: whimsicallymusical.com
Instagram: @whimsicallymusicalteacher
Facebook: Whimsically Musical
YouTube: Whimsically Musical
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode is with the amazing Katie Wonderly of Ms. Wonderly Makes Music. I LOVED this conversation and we talked about so much including using technology, teaching during a Pandemic, how to use social media while still being you, and letting go of imposter syndrome. Katie is so real and authentic and this episode will feel like you're a part of a conversation with a friend. The main thing I want you to walk away from this episode with is to remember that there is only one you and your students need the exact teacher that you are.
Katie Wonderly is a fifth-year elementary music teacher, making music in Oklahoma with 550 of her favorite young musicians. She graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education from Oklahoma City University in 2015 and has completed two summers of master's coursework in Kodály Pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma. She was recently named the Oklahoma Music Educators Association's Outstanding Young Music Educator of the Year and is the current Putnam City Schools District Teacher of the Year.
Katie utilizes social media to connect with educators and community members around the world. She shares her journey as a music educator, featuring favorite resources, classroom decor, organization tips, lesson ideas, technology tools, and more. Katie believes every classroom should be a place where creativity, community, and diversity are embraced and encouraged. She is passionate about teaching music by all people to all people, ensuring that every student leaves her room knowing their voice matters, and that they are an essential part of the ensemble.
You can connect with Katie here:
Website: mswonderlymakesmusic.com
Instagram: @mswonderlymakesmusic
Facebook: Ms. Wonderly Makes Music
YouTube: Ms. Wonderly Makes Music
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
February is Black History Month and celebrating the amazing black musicians, musical artists, and styles of music from black culture is so important. But, celebrating black history all school year long is equally important and in this episode we'll talk about why.
Consider these questions throughout the school year in your music room:
- What do you have posted on your walls?
- What books are you reading to your students?
- What cultures are you representing and teaching about?
- What songs are your students learning?
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I give you ways to talk to your family and friends about what you REALLY do as a music educator and how to explain to them why you need their support now more than ever including:
- Explain what you do
- Tell them why you’re tired
- Show them a sample lesson you’ve recorded
- Be proud of yourself and share your work
- Tell them it’s changed so much since they were in school
- Help them realize that working with kids is way different than working with adults in an office job
- Explain what you deal with as a music teacher on a personal and day to day basis with your colleagues and students
- Talk to them about expectations put on you and how if you vent to them it’s not because you hate your job that sometimes you just need a sounding board Invite them to come and see your students perform during a non covid time of course
- Tell them how they can support you whether it’s your spouse, a friend, or other family members who you’re needing support from
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Preparing to have a substitute teacher in the music room is so tough. Most of the time you get a non-musical sub, and knowing what to leave for them and how to keep it simple for yourself is a bit tricky. In this episode, Liz Kutschke gives some amazing advice about how she prepares for having a substitute teacher and shares her struggles in how to keep moving forward as a teacher when you're dealing with anxiety.
Liz Kutschke is in her 11th year teaching Elementary Music. She began her career in the Chicago suburbs, but now she teaches in Scottsdale, Arizona. Over the years, Liz has been fortunate to work with a wide variety of school populations, including private, public, Dual Language, Gifted, self-contained special needs, and most recently International Baccalaureate students. Her classroom is Kodály- and Orff- inspired, with the hope that her students become joyful music makers. When she's not teaching, Liz enjoys walking her corgi mix Sadie, relaxing with her husband Steve, and creating resources for Mrs. Cookie's Music Room.
You can connect with Liz here:
Website: mrscookiesmusicroom.com
Instagram: @mrscookiesmusicroom
Facebook: Mrs. Cookie's Music Room
TikTok: @mrscookiesmusicroom
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Have you ever seen a baby crawl? Each child learns to crawl at different times and does it when they're ready. They then also learn how to walk in their own time frame. Just like a baby, you have to learn the basics first this school year, just like when you were a brand new teacher. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is teaching. You’ll always be evolving and changing for the better. So, keep learning the basics and keep it simple. Don’t worry about making things fancy or try to keep up with the Joneses, but just do the best you can.
Keep crawling, then you’ll notice it will begin feeling more like a walk which is maybe where you’re at now. You’re not exactly where you want to be and are of course learning new things like you always will, but it’s becoming a bit easier to adapt instruction and to teach with the hand that was dealt to you. In this episode, I'll share with you ways to keep things simple and to not put so much pressure on yourself so you can turn that crawl into a walk, which will in return turn into a run.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
The year of 2020 was probably one of the hardest years many of us have ever faced. Right along with you, I had to pivot with what I talked about on this podcast. I knew I still wanted a sense of normalcy with helping you to be the best music teacher and to keep moving forward with confidence, but I also knew I needed to have episodes, both solo and with amazing guests, about the REAL challenges you've faced in 2020. So, each episode was recorded with you in mind. In this recap episode, you'll hear snippets from the most downloaded episode of 2020. Happy New Year and I KNOW 2021 will be the best year ever! If you can get through all of the things in just one year, imagine how much you'll be able to achieve moving forward into this upcoming year.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Maybe you feel like you're on a music teacher island, especially this school year. You already feel alone as an elementary music teacher, and this year, you're craving a sense of community and a support system more than ever. In this episode, you'll hear from 5 music teachers, just like you, who are a part of the HARMONY membership community. They share their stories of joining the membership, what they've gotten out of it, and how it's helped them even during this time of uncertainty. The thing about stories is that you can always see yourself in one. Whatever your story looks like, our community is waiting for you with open arms and we can't wait to rally around you and support you just like HARMONY members are already doing each and every day.
Join the HARMONY membership today by heading here.
The overwhelm is so real right now. In this episode, I share a story about how I had a tech week from heck, how I continued moving forward, and I want to help you to do the same. It's so important to keep moving forward no matter what. A lot of it is about mindset, although this doesn't mean that everything is all sunshine and rainbows, but about focusing on the bigger goal which is your students!
Your bigger goal won't look like anyone else's either. Please keep this in mind and remember it's not the way another teacher does it, not the way you think you should be doing it, and not even the way you did it last year, but the way your students need. Yes, that means you'll be adjusting and modifying lesson plans all year long (like you've already been doing). But, think about how resilient you've been and how much you've learned from doing the hard things!
As you’re so busy teaching, you don’t have time to stop and think about what’s working or what you want to do moving forward. You might be busy comparing yourself to other teachers and that’s keeping you stuck. The word of the year is pivot and we've been doing a lot of that lately. While pivoting, it can feel like you cant ever get your bearings and there's just too much going on in your mind with a thousand browser tabs open at all times.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This school year, you've probably had to adapt instruction... like a lot. This "new normal" can cause serious feelings of overwhelm, and to be honest, you probably miss teaching music like you usually get to in a regular school year. In this episode, I'm joined by Taylor Nardone, who shares how he's adapted his instruction for his students. He talks about finding the silver linings, setting up routines in his personal life, and remembering the big picture element. He also talks about the fact that this year will push us as music teachers to think outside of the box and think of different ways that students can still be excited about music.
The biggest piece about adapting instruction is:
- you can still do a log of movement
- you can still play instruments
- there are a lot of new things you can do with technology
Taylor Nardone is an elementary music teacher based on the eastern shore of Massachusetts. Passionate about giving each student an equitable opportunity to build a love and joy of music, he consistently strives to blend the newest teaching techniques into his practices. Taylor is currently in his fourth year of teaching.
You can connect with Taylor here:
On Instagram @thechroniclesofteachertay
On YouTube at The Chronicles of Teacher Tay
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
As a music teacher, you know the Winter months (especially December) can be the most stressful time of the year! You want to have joy during the Winter months, but it's so hard trying to meet the needs of your students while their energy levels go way up. Have you heard the phrase "if you can't beat them, join them?" This is kind of the philosophy you should have in the colder months when kiddos are having more inside recess. Or, maybe your students are learning virtually this year and you just want to do something fun to help them get up and move. No matter what your teaching situation is this school year, having fun in the music room during the Winter months is what it's all about. Your kids can still learn the objectives and concepts you're wanting to teach, but just in a new and fresh way. In this episode I'll share some of my favorite ideas that include:
- Read books about Winter and give students different action words they need to create movement to
- Have a sing-a-long or a listen along if they can’t sing
- Do holiday freeze dance
- Do a listening map like to sleigh Ride
- Learn about the different Winter holidays and celebrate them with games, stories, and songs
- Play Christmas carol charades. Pictionary, or even bingo
- Pass a present to the beat or incorporate it into any movement activity that uses a beanbag or a ball
- Any Nutcracker activity...there are truly so many
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Read the blog post that goes right along with this episode.
Here is the blog post I wrote about the Trepak Nutcracker activity.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Today's episode is with Steve Giddings, from stevesmusicroom.com, who is an amazing music educator not afraid to think outside of the box. In this episode, we discuss rock and popular music ensembles and also what informal learning really is. We also talk about creativity in the music room and how to help your students be their most creative selves while letting them be in control of the learning that happens in your music classroom. This interview will challenge you to think of teaching music in a new way and will inspire you with fresh ideas to use with your students.
Steve Giddings teaches 1-6 Music in Montague, Prince Edward Island where he coaches rock groups, singing groups, and is musical director for various productions at the school. Musically, his experience is very diverse, performing in various genres on various different instruments. He has been a long-time advocate for creative musical practices and a conduit for pushing the envelope in music education throughout Canada and across the world.
He is a regular columnist in the Canadian Music Educator Journal where he writes on topics including popular music education and creativity, is author of the award-winning book, Rock Coach: A Practical Guide for Teaching Rock Bands in Schools, and just recently released his newest book, Creative Musicking: Practical, Real-Life Ideas to Get Your Learners Creating Their Own Music in early 2020. His website and blog, StevesMusicRoom.com, is a comprehensive resource for music educators of any experience level.
You can connect with Steve on Twitter @stevesmusicroom and on Facebook at Steve's Music Room.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
2020 has been one for the record books and it’s been a lot to deal with. It’s so easy to only see the negative parts of this year because that’s what’s thrown in our faces literally every second of every day. But, when you stop and think about what you’re thankful for, focusing on the good will help you to remember there’s more to be thankful for than you realize.
In this episode, I'm going to share why I'm thankful for you music teacher friend. You may feel unappreciated, unseen, and overwhelmed. But, I'm beyond grateful and thankful for the work you're doing of pouring into the lives of your students every day. Listen in to this episode to find out why I'm thankful for you and to get the encouragement you've been needing.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Are you wanting to do performances or programs with your students, but it seems a bit "tricky" this school year? In this episode, I'll share some simple ideas to still have amazing performances with your students and to help you think outside the box a bit.
These are several ideas mentioned in the episode you can share with the other students, teachers, and families:
- Record the kids singing without their faces and put under a slideshow
- Record what students are doing in class (similar to an informance)
- Record different classes of the same grade level singing different verses and the same chorus
- Do a performance of just instruments, body percussion, or movement
- Have students choose a body percussion, singing, movement, or playing an instrument on top of the track you give them
- Add individual student submissions to Google Classroom (or whatever else you use) so other students can see it
- Record yourself singing on top of the track and send that to students to practice with
Listen to the episode where I break down each one of these ideas in detail.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Read the blog post that goes right along with this episode.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
I met Courtney virtually at the International Music Education Summit. We were both presenters, and after attending her session, I knew I needed to have her on the podcast. Courtney has such a heart and passion for teaching her students and they absolutely love her music classes. She has a unique way of making music education relevant to her students. One of the things I love hearing her talk about is hip hop music education and that's exactly what we're talking about in today's episode, as well as much, much, more.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Courtney Powers is the Music Director at South Philadelphia High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Originally from a small rural town in Kansas she began playing French horn in middle school and came to Berklee by way of Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City outside of Wichita. She graduated from Berklee in 2007 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and from Villanova in 2015 with a Master of Arts in Education.
In her 12 years of teaching she has had a wide ranging experience in urban schools that have taken her from Massachusetts to Texas and Pennsylvania while working in schools and community bands and choruses. She has extended her teaching to include modern band, guitar and ukulele, drama and general music classes. Courtney is a VH1-Save the Music grant facilitator and a 2020 Grammy Music Educator Semi Finalist.
Connect with Courtney here:
On Instagram @ms.powers_musicedu
On Facebook at Courtney Powers
On YouTube at Ms. Powers Music Edu
Check out this website mentioned in the episode: whosampled.com
Let's face it. Every lesson will not go according to plan. There will be lessons that bomb in one way or another. The important thing is to know it's not just you and that this happens to every teacher at one point or another. Also, keep moving forward and don't give up or think this makes you a bad teacher if things don't go well on a certain day.
In this episode, I'll break down 5 things to consider if a lesson bombs. These include considering:
- Your students
- How the lesson was presented
- Your teaching situation
- Your attitude
- The day or week
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Read the blog post that goes right along with this episode.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I sat down to talk with Bill Henry all about his music podcast for kids, teaching with e-learning, and his advice around using creativity in your classroom.
Bill Henry is a 14-year elementary music teacher for Cecil County Public Schools in Maryland and was the 2020 Teacher of the Year nominee for Perryville Elementary School. Bill has presented for the Maryland Music Educators Association in Baltimore giving music teachers insight into a Melodica program he created and implemented into his school. Alongside teaching in the public school system; he owns a private music studio, teaching piano, guitar, and percussion. His group piano program called 'Rockin' the Keys' has been featured on the Music Lesson Business Academy podcast with Danny Thompson. Bill is the co-cost, writer, and producer of 'The Music Podcast for Kids' which is a show teaching kids about many different topics in music including World Music, Instruments Families, and more. He also has a YouTube channel offering online piano lessons for kids and resources for music teachers to help teach and recall basic music concepts in their class.
You can connect with Bill here:
Mr. Henry's Music World YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFtJ3FoPlbZ0JZqdfSgdyYQ/videos?view_as=subscriber
His website: www.mrhenrysmusicworld.com
The Music Podcast for Kids YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdGhqK_DWpRIKS45ICqN3eQ
The Music Podcast for Kids website: www.themusicpodcastforkids.com
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource and join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Every single music teacher is different and that's a good thing! How boring would it be if everyone was exactly the same?
In this episode, taken directly from a Facebook live I did, I'm talking about how you get to still be you even while using technology to teach.
Technology doesn't replace you as a music teacher, even if it feels like that some days, and in this episode you'll find out why.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation and you can watch the Thursday Facebook lives on my Facebook page The Domestic Musician.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, Jenny Delacruz talks about how to help kids cope with the impact of COVID-19. During our conversation, we discuss not just COVID, but also how books can help kids process trauma of all kinds. She explains how to incorporate books into the music room and why it's so crucial we continue reading to kids.
Jenny Delacruz is a Haitian American Writer, a wife, and a mother of two boys. She was born and raised in New York. Growing up, she was aware of the importance of diversity and how each person has a story that weaves back to generations.
Jenny is also a licensed professional counselor specializing in family conflicts, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and parenting issues. Her counseling career has helped her in her writing because it has allowed her to realize the importance of promoting the emotional intelligence and self-awareness of children in books. As a counselor, she has observed how the books children read help them have a more meaningful understanding of themselves and the world around them.
Her passion for teaching her children about world history and current events led her to pursue writing and launch her own educational children's book series.
If you want more of Jenny Delacruz's work, check out her first book, Fridays with Ms. Mélange: Haiti. She has a YouTube channel called Storytime with Ms. Mélange where she reads diverse children's books aloud. You can also visit her online at www.cobbscreekpublishing.com. She is now launching her next book "Momma, Can I Sleep with You Tonight? Helping Children Cope with the Impact of COVID-19."
Sites: https://www.cobbscreekpublishing.com/ & https://www.restorativetherapy.info/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/StoryTimeWithMsMelange
IG: @storytimemelange
Twitter: https://twitter.com/storytimewithm2
FB: Diverse Kids Books (https://www.facebook.com/StoryTimeWithMs.Melange/)
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In your teacher life, things can get so stressful. You constantly have things swirling around in your mind and it can cause you to feel stuck.
This episode will help you to process through those "what if" questions like... "what if my students can sing" so you can move forward with confidence in your teaching.
Get the "What If" graphic organizers on my TPT store here.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Today on the podcast, I'm talking to Stephanie Leavell about songwriting AND teaching music to preschool and kindergarten students. We talk about her process for songwriting and how she doesn't complicate it, teaching music, using music for transitions, and musical cues that work amazingly well with the littlest of students.
Stephanie Leavell is a board certified music therapist, music educator and the founder of Music for Kiddos-- a website dedicated to high-quality children's music. She's a songwriter, Berklee College of Music grad, and is passionate about using music to support kids academically, socially, and developmentally.
You can connect with Stephanie here:
Her website: www.musicforkiddos.com
On Facebook: facebook.com/Musicforkiddos/
On Instagram: Instagram.com/music_for_kiddos
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
These are 5 tips that work great when it comes to helping your student teacher thrive. Of course there are more ideas I could share, but these are my favorite ideas that I’ve shared with teachers when they ask me where to start with a student teacher.
- Go to coffee or invite them to meet you before they ever step foot into your classroom, whether that be in person or virtually.
- Know that they won’t do things the same way you do.
- Be patient and ask them lots of questions.
- Model great teaching, classroom management, and the way you plan.
- Start with having them observe, then co-teach, then they can take over.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Robert Franz joins me on the podcast to talk about his experience being a director and a conductor and how he is passionate about bringing live music to kids. He also discusses why active listening is so important and shares ways he goes about doing this with kids through in person concerts and while kids are at home learning.
Acclaimed conductor, Robert Franz, recognized as “an outstanding musician with profound intelligence,” has held to three principles throughout his career: a commitment to the highest artistic standards, to creating alliances and building bridges in each community he serves, and a dedication to being a strong force in music education. As Music Director of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra and Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival Orchestra, Associate Conductor of the Houston Symphony, and newly appointed Artistic Advisor of the Boise Baroque Orchestra, he has achieved success through his focus on each of these principles.
You can find out more about Robert and his amazing work at robertfranz.com.
You can connect with Robert on social media here:
On Facebook
On Instagram
Check out these links as well:
The Stella's Magical, Musical Balloon Ride series
Robert's TEDx talk about active listening
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This school year, you may find yourself with a crazy schedule. Not only are you possibly teaching virtually, on a cart, in person, or a combination of all of the above, but you also might have a schedule that looks like a complete hot mess.
In this episode, I'm break down the crazy schedules you might find yourself with and will provide you with action steps to help you move forward.
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode is a conversation about inclusion and literature in the music room. Charissa does a fantastic job of breaking down what inclusion is, how to help all students to feel included in the music room, and why using a variety of literature in your music room is so important.
Charissa Duncanson has taught K-5th grade general music in the Metro Detroit Area for six years. Born and raised in Michigan, Charissa began her musical journey in elementary school. Throughout her childhood Charissa participated in choirs, bands, and theatre within her community and schools. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Education from Wayne State University and currently teaches at McDonald Elementary School in Dearborn.
As a professional, Charissa has performed and presented throughout the Metro Detroit Area ranging from state conferences to local PD workshops. Being an avid advocate for music education, Ms. Duncanson has served on multiple boards for music education associations. In her spare time Charissa loves to craft, sew, and go on walks with her husband and dog, Maizey.
You can connect with Charissa here:
Facebook @musicwithmrsdunc
Instagram @musicwithmrsdunc
Twitter @musicwitmrsdunc
Email is music@mrsdunc@gmail.com
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group to continue the conversation.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
I can't WAIT to share this episode with you today. My book "Make A Note: What You Really Need To Know About Teaching Elementary Music" is available. This book has been on my heart to write for several years now and I'm excited to share a portion of the book on today's episode.
The book goes into detail about what you need to know about:
- Life
- Feelings
- The first year
- Teaching music
- Classroom management
- School dynamics
To find out more about the book and to purchase the eBook or paperback version, head to www.thedomesticmusician.com/book
You can also find the eBook by heading directly to fflat-books.com/books/
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Today's episode is a such a great conversation with Darlene Machacon. We're both pianists AND music teachers, and we talk about how to bring that unique perspective into the music room.
Darlene talks about how she goes about planning her lessons and why she leaves space in her planning to add in new activities she finds throughout each month. Also, she talks about the importance of meeting your students where they're at and why it's important to stay flexible.
Darlene Machacon is a TK-6th grade elementary music educator, chorus director, and private piano teacher in Orange County, California. Her experiences include designing group piano and general music curriculum, overseeing studio group music programs, accompanying for the Intermediate group of the Emmy award-winning Southern California Children's Chorus and playing keyboard for various church worship bands in the area.
After experiencing her Carnegie Hall solo piano debut in 2019, she quickly realized that performing was not her calling and decided to focus on reforming general music education for diverse students. She holds a dual Bachelor's of Music degree in Music Education and Piano Performance from Biola University and is currently pursuing a Master's in Music Education degree at VanderCook College of Music.
You can connect with Darlene on:
Instagram @thedarlingmusicteacher
TikTok search for @thedarlingmusicteacher
You can also check out Darlene's new podcast "Coloring the Melody"
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Teaching music virtually is something you may have never thought you would be doing. It's a learning curve and comes with it's own unique challenges, especially if it's out of your comfort zone.
With COVID-19, so many teachers became virtual teachers all of a sudden. I asked my friend Michelle Rose to come on the podcast to talk about her experience with virtual teaching so that you can get the help and guidance you need to help you move forward this school year.
She also talks about self care and offers a unique perspective that I know you'll get a lot from.
Michelle Rose teaches middle & high school music at North Carolina Virtual Academy. She also directs the after school virtual band and choir. Michelle holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and Performance (flute) from Elon University and is currently pursuing a Master's in Music Education from The University of North Carolina, Greensboro.
She is a teacher-author and blogger at themusicalrose.com. Michelle has been a presenter at several conferences and has been a guest speaker for pre-service music teachers at colleges across the country. In her free time, she enjoys baking, sewing, and going on walks with her dog Tovy (short for Beethoven).
You can connect with her on Instagram @the_musical_rose or through her website themusicalrose.com
Links mentioned in the episode:
How to create a virtual ensemble using SmartMusic and GarageBand: https://youtu.be/LKcDXTubAiM
How to play Doggie, Doggie via Zoom for elementary music teachers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVOWmfex2ME
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
So much has been on my heart lately, especially in regards to going back to school. The worry, anxiety, and overwhelm parents, students, and teachers alike are facing is surreal.
I wanted to record this episode today for a couple of reasons. First of all, you're not alone. I'm praying for you as you go back to school and completely get the feelings you're probably feeling. Secondly, preparing to go back to school will look a bit different this year. Never in a million years did I think I would need to buy masks during back to school shopping for my kids.
As you listen to the episode, my hope is that you're able to get even one piece of advice to help you move forward into the new school year with hope and feeling loved. Although this year looks so strange, and there are so many unknowns ahead, you can do this.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode comes directly from the "Start the School Year Off Right" challenge that I hosted earlier in the month. If you missed the challenge and want to be a part of the challenge next summer or this coming Winter, be on the lookout on the podcast for announcements about when those are coming.
In this episode, we'll talk all about classroom management, setting up your classroom, and mindset as you head back into the school year. We discuss ways to approach these ideas whether you're teaching in your classroom, virtually, or on a cart.
If you want to join the free Facebook group, you can do that here.
You can also download a free classroom management guide here.
Join the HARMONY waitlist so you're the first to know when doors reopen.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, Justin Mclean and I have a conversation all around intentional bridge building in music classrooms. You'll find out what building bridges really means, why it's so very important, and ways to connect with your students on a deeper level.
Justin Mclean is currently the Percussion Director/Assistant Director of Bands at Hightower HS and Lake Olympia MS Band in Fort Bend ISD. Mr. McLean is a Texas native raised in Rosenberg, Texas a humble community right outside of Houston. Justin’s love of music began at an earlier age and was heavily influenced in church through both gospel and secular artists/musicians. His ambitions propelled him to strive for excellence not only in his personal aspirations but also in his academic/professional life and to his wife Brittany and 3 beautiful children Lennox, Blaise, and Cairo.
He received a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Prairie View A&M University in 2011 and has had the pleasure of educating and training young musicians as a band director and percussion instructor for the past 9 years in HISD and now Fort Bend ISD. He is also a devoted music director and student minister in his local church and currently pursuing a Masters Divinity degree through Reformed Theological Seminary.
You can connect with Justin here:
Connect with The Score podcast here:
On Apple podcasts
On Instagram
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, my sister Jeralyn and I have a candid conversation about all things education. She's taught in the general classroom, has taught in 3 different states, and now is the ESL coordinator at her school.
Since it's July, I wanted to have a lighthearted conversation about:
- What classroom teachers wish music teachers knew and vice versa
- What it's like teaching during COVID while also being a parent
- How to help special needs learners succeed
- Ways to still bring music to your students, even if teaching virtually
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed heading into this school year, or you have no idea what to expect with all the uncertainty about going back, this episode is for you. This audio comes from a recent Facebook live I did. I talk about mindset you might be struggling with, where the overwhelm is coming from, and how to move forward with letting go of what you can't control.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Autumn Shurley, Justin Stanton , and Lauren Larson are three music teachers who are apart of my HARMONY membership site. They came on the podcast to talk about their experience with joining HARMONY, what their teaching life was like before they joined, and the reasons they choose to stay a member month after month.
Download a FREE HARMONY lesson plan pack sample right here.
We'd love to have you join us! Enrollment is open until Tuesday, June 30th at 10pm CST. You can join HARMONY here.
Joseph Tagnipes and Ashley Hawk are two music teachers who are a part of my HARMONY membership site. They came on the podcast to talk about their experience with joining HARMONY, what their teaching life was like before they joined, and the reasons they choose to stay a member month after month.
Download a FREE HARMONY lesson plan pack sample right here.
We'd love to have you join us! Enrollment is open until Tuesday, June 30th at 10pm CST. You can join HARMONY here.
One of the greatest pleasures of being an elementary music teacher is being able to pour into the lives of your students each and every day. But, one of the hardest parts is when they leave you and move on to middle school, high school, and beyond.
In this podcast episode, I get the opportunity to talk to one of my former students Ralph. He talks about his experience in going from elementary school to being a full time worship pastor and pursuing music as a career. We also talk about his experience as a black student with white teachers and those times he felt like he was unseen by certain teachers
One thing Ralph says that I love is how teachers don't know how many seeds you're planting in the lives of your students right now. You don't know the fruit that those seeds will bear one day either. The teachers he remembers the most are the ones who took the time out to form relationships with him, gave him understanding, and didn't just teach the content.
Ralph Edwards is a professional musician and creative in the Central Arkansas area. Originally from Tulsa, OK, he developed a passion for music and the arts at an early age, leading him to a full time career in music today. He serves as the Worship Pastor at That.Church in Sherwood, AR.
You can connect with Ralph here:
Register for the upcoming FREE 5 day "Start the School Year Off Right" challenge here
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Is navigating parenting and working from home a challenge for you right now? I know transitioning from the classroom to the virtual world is a game changer.
I’ve been asked and have seen so many questions around working from home, so I wanted to give some tips and tricks that have worked well for me as I've been doing this for the last 4 years. I hope you’ll find this information helpful as you navigate this work from home journey.
This presentation was originally given for the Music Education Summit Series.
The main points I talked about are:
- Give yourself grace
- Let your kiddos know when you need to work (if they’re old enough to understand)
- Plan activities ahead of time for your kids to do while you’re working
- Know that there will be a lot of interruptions
- Work when your kids aren’t awake
- Stay consistent and be patient
- Your workload will look different each day
- Let go of that parent guilt
- Be clear about your expectations with others
- Set a schedule
- Communicate with your spouse (if you’re married) what you need
- Find quiet time for YOU
- Work in a quiet spot and get creative
Read the parent and work from home blog post here
Register for the upcoming FREE 5 day "Start the School Year Off Right" challenge here
Find out more about the HARMONY membership site here
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, Katie Holbrook and I talk all about imposter syndrome, finding your people, and leaning into communities as a music teacher. This conversation was so good and we discuss all the things that will help you gain forward momentum if you're battling any of these things.
I also always say that if one music teacher is dealing with something or has a question, it means someone else does too. Katie shares some great ideas and strategies and I know you'll walk away from this conversation feeling refreshed and ready to go into next school year feeling a bit better.
Katie isn't a veteran teacher, but is a second generation teacher so it's in the blood. She's active online in the teacher community and is an advocate for equitable music education.
You can connect with Katie here:
130music.com
On Instagram at onethirtymusic
On TPT at 130 Music
Register for the upcoming FREE 5 day "Start the School Year Off Right" challenge here
Find out more about the HARMONY membership site here
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
White music teacher friends. This episode is all about my experience working in a school with a high demographic of black students. I talk about what I learned in the process and my hope is that you'll hear my words and will learn from them.
If I can be honest, I’ve been stewing on whether or not to record this podcast episode for days now. I even told one of my best friends I have so much to say, but I don’t want this to be about me or to offend anyone with my words at all. That is never and will never be my intention.
But, with so much stewing in my heart, I knew I had to get my words down in the hopes of helping other white educators. After praying about it, I knew it was time.
I pray those of you hearing this episode can see and hear my heart through my words. Because, that is the only way I’m coming at you is with a completely loving and open heart to learn and also share with you today.
You can read the blog post that goes with this episode here.
Register for the upcoming FREE 5 day "Start the School Year Off Right" challenge here
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Teaching music and trying to connect with your students virtually can be tricky and weird. You want to still see them and hear them make music. Of course you do! All of a sudden you've had to figure out this new world of teaching music online and it can be so hard.
In this episode, we're going to talk about ways you can connect with your students while teaching virtually. It's not going to look the same as it did in person, but you can still connect, interact with them, and show them you care. You're just going to need to realize that although it will look different, keep in mind that you still showing up any way you know how to matters so much.
Register for the upcoming FREE 5 day "Start the School Year Off Right" challenge here
Mentioned in this episode are:
Episode 101- Preparing for any teaching situation next school year
Episode 61- How to build relationships with your students as the music teacher
Episode 86- 5 practical ways to implement SEL in the music room with Paige Bell
Narwhals and Waterfalls YouTube channel
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Let's be honest. Teaching during COVID-19 has been overwhelming. Now that school is wrapping up, thinking about what your teaching might look like in the fall might be causing even more stress. In this episode, I want to go through the various teaching situations you might face next school year and how to make a plan to have success.
Join the FREE 5 day "Start the School Year Off Right" challenge here
The different situations discussed in this episode include:
-
Teaching like you normally would
-
Teaching on a cart in the general teacher's classrooms
-
Continuing to teach virtually
-
Teaching only half of each class at a time
-
Sending home paper packets
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode is all about integrating music and social studies.
There are so many ways to integrate social studies and history with music, and the ideas discussed in this episode include:
- Teaching songs from other cultures and countries
- Doing a 50 states rap or song
- Rap about the presidents
- Doing songs about various wars and world leaders
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
Join the FREE 5 day "Start the School Year Off Right" challenge here
"How to Integrate Music and Social Studies" blog post
Free 5 day music integration e-course
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, Dr. Ruybalid talks about why early childhood music education is so important. You'll hear why starting kiddos from such a young age not just learning, but experiencing music will help carry them into elementary school and then adulthood and how to implement music learning for the youngest of students. If you're going to be asked to teach preschool music at some point, or this is something you've wanted to learn more about, this episode is definitely for you.
Dr. Michael Ruybalid is the Music Education Specialist at the University of Montana. He teaches courses in undergraduate and graduate music education and supervises student teachers in their general music placements. Dr. Ruybalid earned his PhD in music education from the University of Oklahoma, and currently holds Kodály certification (Levels 1-3), Orff-Schulwerk certification (Levels 1-3 and a Master Class) and Elementary Level 1 certification in Dr. Edwin Gordon's Music Learning Theory. He previously taught music education coursework at the University of Maryland and Southeastern Louisiana University. Prior to entering higher education, Dr. Ruybalid taught PreK-12th grade music for eight years in both private and public schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Ruybalid has presented pedagogical and research sessions for local, national, and international audiences, including several conference sessions on early childhood music.
You can connect with Dr. Ruybalid here and can check out the "Everyday Musicality" podcast he referred to here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode is all about integrating music and science.
There are so many ways to make science musical, and the ideas discussed in this episode include:
- Science and sound
- Frequency and music
- Sing about science
- Make a thunderstorm
- Go on a nature walk
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
"How to Integrate Music and Science" blog post
Free 5 day music integration e-course
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, Franklin and I discuss what we wish we had known before entering the teaching profession, cultural relevant teaching in the elementary music classroom, and the importance of music education advocacy.
You'll get SO much out of this episode and so many amazing ideas, strategies, and thoughts were shared.
Some of my favorite things Franklin said in this episode are:
- Build community, build trust, build relationships
- Understand that the kids have some brilliance and knowledge that we don’t have and be ok with letting them share that with us.
- Understand what it is that you want to accomplish as a music educator and start with the end in mind.
- We can accept and realize that it’s ok to explore the music our student's enjoy, while still implementing the musical standards.
- Music education advocacy begins with the teacher and your views on music education.
Mr. Franklin J. Willis currently serves as the Elementary Music Coach for the Metro Nashville Public Schools district. In this role he provides instructional support for elementary music teachers in creating a learning environment that fosters meaningful cultural experiences int eh performance, understanding and appreciation of music. Before this new role, Willis taught both general music and choir at the elementary and middle school levels for the past decade. He is a three time recipient of the prestigious Country Music Association Foundation Music Teacher of Excellence award. His student performance groups have been featured on national syndicated television programs such as NBC New with Lester Holt, Entertainment Tonight, and The Today Show. He specializes in providing musical instruction that will empower and engage all children to achieve their best through authentic culturally relevant teaching experiences.
He is a graduate of the University of Memphis where he earned a Bachelor's of Music Education with an emphasis in choral music. Willis also earned the Master of Education Degree in Nonprofit Leadership at Belmont University. To learn more about Franklin and his advocacy for music education visit his website at www.fwillismusic.com
You can also follow Frankin on social media here:
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode is all about integrating music and math.
There are so many ways to make math musical, and the ideas discussed in this episode include:
- Helping kids memorize math facts by speaking them in rap form
- Recognizing fractions
- Addition and subtraction with note values
- Creating and finishing patterns
- Practicing number order
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
"How to Integrate Music and Math" blog post
Free 5 day music integration e-course
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Writing an eBook is something that many music educators think about doing, but just don't start for some reason. Your reason might be because you're dealing with imposter syndrome (which we talk a lot about in this episode too), because you don't know how to get started, or the whole process just overwhelms you.
In this episode, Sarah Gulish talks all about her journey in not only being a music educator, but also with writing, publishing, and editing eBooks of her own and for so many others. She shares so many valuable tips and has helped me even as I continue on my journey of writing my first book.
Sarah Gulish holds a Ph.D in music education from Temple University. For over a decade, Sarah has taught secondary level music at Lower Moreland High School located in the state of Pennsylvania in the U.S.A.. She also serves as Adjunct Professor of Music Education at Buffalo State University and Temple University. Her teaching centers on creativity and improvisation in courses focused on new music learners. Sarah is an active researcher, writer, presenter, and clinician at the state, national, and international levels. She serves as the United States representative for the International Society of Music Education’s Popular Music Special Interest Group and is a past member of the National Association for Music Education’s IN-ovations Council.
She also regularly tours and records as a rock musician with a variety of groups. Her experience as a popular musician has influenced her curricula and philosophy as a music educator and is detailed in her book, Creativity in the Classroom: An Innovative Approach to Integrate Arts Education. She works to provide authentic learning and performing experiences for adolescents both in and out of the classroom. In 2019, Sarah launched F-flat Books, a music publishing company focused on practical and affordable resources for musicians and music educators. She regularly contributes to the F-flat community blog and publishes her curricula for a variety of teaching settings on that platform. Her research interests include informal learning, creativity, popular music pedagogy, and student autonomy.
You can connect with Sarah here:
On the F-flat books website here
On her F-flat Instagram page here
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Have you wanted to integrate music and reading, but you just don't know how?
In this episode, I'll share my favorite ways to integrate reading, which includes:
- Rhyming books
- Poetry and speech pieces
- Movement books
- Books about composers
- Musical scores
- Story books
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
Resources and books I recommend
"How to Integrate Music and Reading" blog post
"How Poetry and Music Go Hand in Hand" blog post
Free 5 day music integration e-course
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I'll talk about how you can and will keep teaching music, yes... even if it's online.
- Just like when you were a new music teacher, you took things one day and one week at a time, until you eventually found your groove. The same can apply for teaching remotely. This isn't going to be easy and just something that comes
- Also.. just like when you're in the classroom, don’t compare what you’re doing with your students to anyone else because your expectations put on you, your teaching style, and what your students need are all different than any other music teacher.
- Remember to just encourage your kids to engage in active music making- my kids enjoy just dancing, singing familiar songs, and doing movement or body percussion activities
- Right now is the perfect way for kids to make music with their families. So often they’re already singing the songs you’ve done with them or teaching a music game or dance they’ve learned, so that won’t change.
- Nothing replaces you- yes, there are so many technology options out there and so much advice being thrown around, but nothing will replace you as a teacher. You can still communicate (even if by just posting on your class website or PTA page) different ways students can make music together and remind them how to do it.
- Know that parents and kids are trying to find a new routine right now. So many parents were sent home work to do with their kids (speaking from experience here) while juggling working full time as well. Music still matters, but there won’t be as much time to make music as you had to do with the kids at school.
- Let go of expectations you’ve put on yourself. I think so often we’re overachievers as music educators and that’s a good thing. You’d rather have more planned than not enough. Just like I talk to you about keeping it simple in your classroom and not trying to get through all the things, the same applies with teaching remotely.
- You’ll see so much out there that you could do with your kiddos, but it doesn’t mean you have to or even need to. It’s still your classroom, even if it’s virtual, so the systems and processes for teaching you have put in place is completely up to you.
- Take time to just breathe. It’s ok to not teach all day every day like you’ve been used to doing.
Links mentioned in this episode include:
"Learn Music with Mrs. Jessica" music lesson bundle
"How To Teach Elementary Music Remotely- Ultimate Resource Round Up"
"6 Ways to Make Lesson Planning Easy for Music Teachers" blog post
Music Teacher COVID-19 chat replay
"How to Parent and Work From Home" blog post
In episode 92, Melissa Stouffer comes on to talk about what solfege is, how to teach it and use it in your classroom, and how she sees it helping her students to thrive in the music room. Whether you've already implemented solfege, it's brand new to you, or you're just looking for new strategies in using it, you'll find this episode so helpful. I know I learned so much just from my conversation with Melissa.
Mrs. Melissa Stouffer is the music teacher in her 10th year of teaching. She teaches preschool through 5th grade general music, elementary choir, middle school choir and middle school band. She earned her BS in Psychology and BME in Music Education from Central Michigan University. Mrs. Stouffer is Kodály Level Two certified and serves as the president of the Michigan Kodály Educators as well as the MMC Planning Committee representative for the Michigan Music Educators Association. She is a music education blogger and frequent presenter at conferences in the region. She is married to Sam, a financial analyst, whom she met in marching band at CMU. They live in Metro Detroit with their dog, Cindy Lou Who.
You can connect with Melissa here:
Her website mrsstouffersmusicroom
Her TPT store
On Instagram
On Facebook
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This is such a stressful time right now. Whether your school has closed, is going to close soon, or you're just not sure what's going to happen, you're still a music teacher.
Those relationships you spent all year building have not been in vain. Let's talk about that today...
Check out the "How to Teach Elementary Music Remotely: Ultimate Resource Round-Up" blog post here
Access the "Sing with Mrs. Jessica" course here
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Did you know a flower and teaching music have a lot in common? From starting out as a seed, then growing into a bud, and then eventually a full flower, it takes time for it to grow. With the right nurturing and care, the flower grows into it's full potential and doesn't compare itself to other flowers along the way. This episode goes into how you are just like a flower when it comes to your growth, confidence, and uniqueness as a music teacher.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
If you've ever transitioned to a new school, you know it feels like a transition for sure. There are so many things you need to process mentally and emotionally before starting at your new school. Whether you're about to transition to a new school, have already done so, or are just thinking about it, this episode will help you as you hear from Rachel Hahn about what it was like for her to make the decision to move school's and her mindset behind it.
Rachel Hahn teaches elementary music in Owasso Public Schools in the Tulsa, OK area. She is in her eighth year of teaching K-5 music. She previously taught in Broken Arrow Public Schools before switching districts this summer. She is a graduate of Oklahoma Wesleyan University and University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she earned a Master of Music degree in Clarinet Performance. Rachel completed her Kodály certification at the University of Oklahoma in 2015. In 2017 she was chosen as a Fund for Teachers Fellow to travel to Austria to study the music and lives of Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven. She performed in the Classical Music Festival in Austria as part of her fellowship, performing music by these great composers in the original places they were performed hundreds of years ago! Rachel joined the music teacher Instagram community last year when she started her TpT store, Harmony with Mrs. Hahn (formerly Harmony with Ms. Hammon). Although her teaching schedule keeps her busy, she enjoys playing in her church orchestra, teaching clarinet lessons, serving as an accompanist, and playing the occasional gig.
You can connect with Rachel here:
TPT
Blog
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
One thing I’ve been seeing around lately is how teachers don’t feel like they can be effective teachers without a levels course under their belt. Remember that degree you received or that certification you worked towards? Remember taking that Praxis test and the other teacher exams? Remember keeping up your PD hours every year? Remember being in the classroom and teaching music? That matters too! Coming into teaching elementary music whether new teacher or not, you won’t have a levels course under your belt and that’s ok. You are there to teach music, which is the main goal, and your students need YOU!
Blog posts that you can refer to:
3 Ways to Teach with the Kodaly Method
4 Ways to Teach with the Orff Method
Also, be sure to refer to the different Kodaly and Orff interviews and solo episodes on the podcast as well.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, Allison and I discuss how to do movement and improvisation in the music room while using the Orff approach. I love how Allison breaks down how she loves doing movement and improvisation with her students and easy strategies you can implement in your own classroom even if this is brand new for you.
Allison Croskey is an elementary general music teacher from Cincinnati Ohio. She received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music education from Miami University. Allison has completed all 3 levels of Orff-Schulwerk certification as well as Orff Curriculum, and utilizes the Orff approach in her classroom everyday. She currently serves on her local Orff Chapter's executive board. Allison has presented lessons at her Orff Chapter's Sharing Day as well as county-wide professional development days. Allison and her husband Greg live in Cincinnati Ohio with their 2 black labs Cameron and Cady and are parents to their first baby.
You can connect with Allison here:
Mallets and Music website
Some books Allison recommends are:
Creative Dance for All Ages by Anne Green Gilbert
Teaching Movement and Dance by Phyllis S. Weikart
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In podcast episode 87, we're going to talk about how to encourage love and kindness in the music room. As a music teacher, your job is to obviously teach music, but it's so much more than that. Your job is to also help bring up good citizens who will grow into good adults one day too.
It's hard to do this in the music room. You're limited for time, and only have a few minutes each week to teach music to your students. So, how in the world are you also supposed to talk to your students about character too?
Well listen in, because we'll explore strategies and ideas for helping you to do just that!
Read the blog post that goes right along with this episode here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, Paige and I discuss 5 practical ways to implement social and emotional learning strategies in the music classroom. This is something music teachers ask a lot about, because with only seeing your students for a limited amount of time, it's difficult to know how to connect with them and help them connect with others in a deeper way.
Research has shown that students will learn more from teachers they know care about them and care about their life. Social-emotional learning can serve as a great classroom management tool. Classroom management isn't just about being strict and enforcing the rules, but also about connecting with your students too.
The 5 practical ways to implement social-emotional learning in the music classroom (that are discussed in detail in this episode) include:
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Implement a feelings check in or greeting
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Incorporate a zen zone in your classroom
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Do breathing exercises and meditation
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Practice social-emotional learning for yourself too
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Dialogue effectively with your students
Paige's mission with the “Simple Music Teaching” blog, and TPT store, is to share simple, effective, lesson ideas and resources. As a self-proclaimed “minimalist music teacher,” she enjoys inspiring teachers to say “no” more often so that they can say “yes” to the things that really matter and live a more balanced life with less burnout. She's been teaching music at a large Title I elementary school in Dallas, TX for 6 years and specialize in ukulele, guitar, social emotional learning, technology and classroom management.
Paige loves morning routines, running and Thai food. She's a non-fiction book nerd (specifically personal growth & psychology books), coffee-shop dweller, traveler, introvert, songwriter and entrepreneur. She's been married to her favorite human for 6 years and has an energetic 2 ½ year old blue heeler dog.
You can connect with Paige on her blog and on social media on:
Instagram here
Facebook here
Her TPT store here
YouTube here
For the resources that Paige recommends in this interview, head to this link.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Today's podcast interview is with the amazing Annie Rasmussen. I'm so excited to bring her on the show to talk about teaching ukulele and curriculum design for elementary music.
She breaks down teaching ukulele so that even the most beginner of teacher can walk away feeling confident in teaching this incredible instrument.
She's also super passionate about creating curriculum and if this is something you've been interested in, I pick her brain about transitioning from teaching elementary music to what she does now on a day to day basis.
Annie Rasmussen is the creative brain behind MusicPoppins.com. She's a full-time music curriculum developer and the author of the ukulele launch curriculum Let's Say Aloha!, she runs curriculum test classes in her home-based lab studio in Houston, Texas. She is obsessed with puppets, folk instruments, and all things 'ukulele. Her dream is to put music making back into the recreation time of kids and their families.
She graduated from Utah State University in Music Education in 2007. She has taught middle school band and general music, private flute lessons, group and individual piano and theory lessons, church choirs, and of course, LOTS of ukulele classes! She has two sons and is married to a brilliant scientist.
You can find Annie at musicpoppins.com and on social media as Music Poppins on Instagram and Facebook.
On her blog at musicpoppins.com/blog, you can find posts about curriculum design in elementary music and ukulele as well.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Today's podcast episode with Jessica Grant is about two topics that she is both knowledgeable and passionate about... combining the Orff and Kodaly approaches and teaching music to upper elementary and middle school students.
Jessica Grant is the middle school music specialist at Good Shepherd Episcopal School in Dallas, Texas. She taught fourteen years as an elementary public school music specialist prior to teaching middle school students for the past four years. She has taken Dalcroze classes, is certified in Orff Schulwerk, and completed Kodaly Level III this past summer.
Jessica earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Lee University in Cleveland, TN, and her Masters of Music in Music Education from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. She is a member of AOSA, OAKE, ARS, and TMEA. Jessica is the host and creator of the Afternoon Ti Podcast on iTunes and Stitcher.
You can find Jessica here:
Instagram: @highafternoonti
Facebook: Jessica Morrison Grant
Afternoon Ti Blog
Afternoon Ti Podcast
Links shared in this episode include:
Waltz No 2 by Shostakovich
Percussion for Waltz in 2 (Group Example)
Playlist
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode is about how to have a successful first year of teaching music. Bethany Johnson and I talk about:
- Her experience going from student teaching to her own classroom
- What it's like to team teach
- Advice from her heart to new music teachers
- Why it's important to give yourself grace when you're just starting out
Bethany grew up in Richmond, VA, earned my bachelor's degree in Instrumental Music Education from George Mason University, and completed her first year of teaching in Northern Virginia in 2019. She team-teaches approximately 1,000 K-5 students per week now.
You can follow Bethany on Instagram at missgeneralmusic
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Reflecting on the beginning of the school year is so important, so you're able to move forward into the rest of the year with success. When you reflect on the start of the school year, you'll feel renewed and ready to keep teaching music like a rock star!
In this episode, we talk about:
-Doing a mid-year reflection
-Looking ahead towards the rest of the school year
-Goal setting and writing a mission statement
We'd LOVE for you to join us in HARMONY! You can enroll here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Have you wondered what all the fuss is about when it comes to the HARMONY membership? Why are so many music teachers enrolling and staying around every month? Not only do members get monthly done for them lesson plans, lesson plan packs, and implementation lessons, they get bonus resources, monthly coaching calls, and Facebook lives where I answer questions submitted to me or posted in the group each month.
Download a FREE HARMONY lesson plan pack sample right here.
This is your opportunity to listen in to one of the Facebook lives I did with the members so you can hear what it's like. We'd LOVE for you to join us in HARMONY! You can enroll here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I'm recapping every episode from 2019. I give a short synopsis of every episode and break down what you'll learn by listening to each one. Then, you'll be able to identify what you're needing and will be able to gain momentum before heading into 2020.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I talk with Matthew Stensrud, better known as "Mister S Orff" about the responsive classroom and movement ideas in the music room. He shares so many amazing ideas that are easy to implement and that I know you'll gain so much value from.
If you're unfamiliar with what the responsive classroom is, then this episode will help you out so much. You'll find out how to connect with your students better, ways to include movement and to get them involved in the learning process, and how to really make your music classroom your own.
Matthew Stensrud is an award-winning Elementary Music and Movement Teacher and currently teaches PK-4 music and movement at Sidwell Friends Lower School in Washington, DC. He received his Master of Music Education from George Mason University and Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, is an Orff Schulwerk approved Teacher Educator of Movement, and teaches Movement Levels Courses in South Carolina and Oregon. Matthew is also on The Orff Echo Editorial Board and was a key content contributor to the book Responsive Classroom for Music, Art, PE and Other Special Areas. He present workshops internationally and is well-known on social media as @MisterSOrff.
You can connect with him here:
His website:www.mistersorff.com
On Instagram here
On Facebook here
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This time of year can feel so stressful. You've got holiday parties, performances galore, and oh so many gifts to buy. But, it's also possible to find joy in this season too.
In this episode, we'll discuss how even though this is the most overwhelming time of the year, it is possible to beat the holiday stress while still teaching music to your students.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This interview is all about how to turn the negative parts of teaching music into positive ones. Every day of being a teacher won't be all sunshine and rainbows, and in this episode we explore what to do when you feel like it's all just too hard.
Traci Stewart is an elementary music teacher from Alabama who LOVES her school and LOVES her students She has been married for 20 years and has 2 teens, both in the high school band, for which she is lead chaperone coordinator. She also teaches a group fitness class as a Revelation Wellness instructor.
You can find Traci on Instagram at elementarymusicmatters and revelatefitnessandpraise
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
I honestly can't believe it's been 3 years since I started The Domestic Musician website. Those years seriously flew by so fast. In this short but sweet episode, I'm going to let you know why I'm thankful for each and every one of YOU. I'm thankful for your support and for every listen of the podcast, read of the blog, and kind message I've received.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll talk about how your background makes you the teacher you are today. Think about your childhood...how did you grow up and how does that make you relate to your students? Also, think about your background with music and how to communicate that with your students. How did you become a musician and in your childhood, how did you know you wanted to pursue playing an instrument or singing?
All of these things from your childhood experiences, the way you grew up, your highs and lows from your childhood, and how you connected with music will help you form connections with your students.
Mentioned in this episode:
"How Your Background Makes You a Better Music Teacher " blog post
Episode 35- Forming a sense of community in the music classroom Valentine's Day activity
Episode 42- Bringing your musicianship into your classroom
Episode 61- How to build relationships with your students
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode with Bryson Tarbet is seriously so good. He talks about his experience working with students on the autism spectrum and how to work with several other types of special learners in the music classroom.
Bryson Tarbet is an elementary music educator just outside of Columbus, Ohio. Between two buildings, he serves nearly 700 students, Kindergarten through 6th grade. Bryson received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Ohio Wesleyan University and is currently pursuing a Masters in Music with Kodály Emphasis from Capital University, where he has also completed Kodály level one. In addition to his "traditional" music education responsibilities, he also serves students with exceptional needs in self-contained music classes. Regardless of the situation, Bryson strives to create successful music-making experiences for all students. Bryson is a proud Cat-Dad and loves to wear silly socks and share them with his students each day.
This blog post "Music Speaks Autism" gives some reasons why music helps autistic learners so much.
You can connect with Bryson here:
His Website
Here are some links Bryson wanted to share as well:
Music Education for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Music for Little People
Wee Sing Dinosaurs
Coast Music Therapy
Free PDF that shares my top 5 ways to better serve exceptional learners!
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode with Kelly Surette is about adaptive music education and how to help your special needs learners in the music room. We also talk about technology adaptations for deaf and hard of hearing students.
Working with students who have special needs can be intimidating and overwhelming. It's hard not knowing how to best help them and how to help them become active music makers.
In this episode, we explore so many ways that you as the music teacher can help your special needs students thrive in the music room.
Kelly Surette has been an adaptive music educator for almost a decade now, working specifically with students who have special needs as well as Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals with disabilities. Kelly is a speaker, blogger, and author of Creative Miracles: A Practitioner's Guide to Adaptive Music Instruction to be released in fall 2019.
You can find Kelly's blog, book release info, and contact Kelly on her website at www.kellysurette.com
If you're wanting to connect with Kelly on social media, you can find her on Instagram here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode with Elizabeth Caldwell is all about restorative behavior management and equity in music education. I love this conversation and think it is one that is so important to have.
We talk about what it's like working with kids who have gone through trauma, how you can be a great teacher no matter what your school environment looks like, and even ways to bring hip-hop music into the elementary music classroom.
Elizabeth has been teaching elementary general music and choir for 12 years. She has lead trainings on general music curriculum design and has published her own K-6 curriculum. She has also lead trainings on restorative practices, school climate, and behavior management for elementary teachers (not just music). Elizabeth grew up moving around a lot, but spent her most significant growing up years in Japanese public schools. She currently teaches general music and choir in a K-6 school with an under-resourced, high-trauma student population of primarily Black and Latina students.
You can connect with Elizabeth on her website at caldwellorganizedchaos.com and on Instagram and Facebook.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
I'm so excited about today's episode where Anne Mileski talks about how you can be a more purposeful, sequential, and joyful music teacher.
Anne Mileski is an elementary music specialist in Eastern Washington. She has taught elementary general music in both public and private school settings, and piloted an early childhood program for the Spokane Area Youth Choruses. She is certified in Orff-Schulwerk, Kodály Pedagogy, Smithsonian Folkways World Music Pedagogy, Music Learning Theory Elementary General Level I, and has completed coursework in Dalcroze Eurythmics. She is a regular clinician at local chapter workshops, state music conferences, and has presented at both the American Orff-Schulwerk Association and Organization of American Kodály Educators national conferences. In the summers, she serves as a pedagogy instructor for Kodály teacher education programs.
Anne holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of Michigan where she studied with Bill Campbell and a Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from Southern Methodist University where she studied with Tom Booth of the Dallas Symphony. She has performed on trumpet with prestigious groups such as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Dallas Wind Symphony. In addition to her applied music studies, Anne holds a Master of Music degree in Music Education from Southern Methodist University. Prior to relocating to the pacific northwest, she completed coursework toward a doctorate in music education at Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music. She served as an associate instructor for the music education department, both as a supervisor for student teachers and as a teaching assistant for choral and elementary music methods courses. Also while at IU, she conducted second and third grade singers in the IU Children's Choir.
Currently, Anne serves as the director of the early childhood program for the Spokane Area Youth Choruses. She is the founder of The Anacrusic Podcast and Anacrusic.com, where she works to inspire other music teachers to be more intentional with their teaching through purposeful, sequential, and joyful resources. She created her signature program, The Sequencing Solution, to help other teachers discover the plug + play formula for intentional music teaching.
You can follow and connect with Anne here:
Instagram: instagram.com/annemileski
Facebook: facebook.com/anacrusic
FREE Podcast Community: facebook.com/groups/TAPinsiders/
Subscribe to the FREE Anacrusic Newsletter: anacrusic.com/newsletter
Join the waitlist for The Sequencing Solution: anacrusic.com/tss
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I'll talk about 4 ways you can celebrate Halloween in the music room with your students.
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Have a Halloween week
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Sing songs
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Poetry and stories
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Movement
The blog posts mentioned in this episode include:
The Ultimate List of Halloween Songs for Kids
3 of My Favorite Halloween Activities
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode with Aimee Pfitzner is about how to use the Orff approach when it comes to doing singing games and body percussion in your music classroom.
Aimee Curtis Pfitzner has been the Lower School Music Director at Cannon School in Concord for 22 years. She holds a Masters of Music degree from UNC-Greensboro and completed Level I Orff-Schulwerk Training at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts, Levels II and III at UNLV, and Master's Level at the University of Memphis. Aimee is a frequent presenter at AOSA chapter workshops around the country and National AOSA conferences. Her books, "Hands to Hands, Clapping Songs and Games from Around the World", "Hands to Hands, Too", "Painted Music", and "Sing a Song, Play a Game" are available from Beatin' Path Publications.
She is passionate about music making, gardening, adoption, and anything and everything creative; painting, zendoodling, digital scrapbooking, making jewelry, writing music, crafting, and sewing. When not teaching or writing music, singing, or creating, she can be found musically musing on her blog, www.ofortunaorff.com.
You can also find Amy on social media here:
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
singsmileplay.com
westmusic.com
musiciselementary.com
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagramor Facebook.
In this episode, we'll explore how getting to year 3 and moving past that 1st and even 2nd year of teaching is so great!
Year 3 is the year of:
- finding your stride
- learning how to find the right mixture of lesson plans
- knowing your students better and your kids knowing the way you do things
- your relationship with your colleagues happening
You can read a blog post that goes right along with this episode here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, Jessica Dutton and I have a discussion about how it's ok to shift from teaching classroom music to something else like private lessons, owning your own studio, or even starting your own business online or in person.
Once you get your music education degree, this doesn't mean you're required to teach elementary music (or secondary) for the rest of your life. If you do, than great! High quality music teachers are DEFINITELY needed in the schools. That's the exact reason I started this podcast... to help give you tips and strategies to teach music. But, I also like to talk in the podcast about how as a musician and teacher, you'll have multiple passions, and how it's ok to follow those and shift a little bit sometimes.
Jessica Dutton is a former public school music teacher turned private teacher and music studio owner/manager. She's also a writer, speaker, business coach, and serial entrepreneur. She juggles these pursuits with her Spanish teacher hubby while raising three kids under five. She specializes in equipping music teachers with the encouragement, direction, and practical tools they need to build a successful business that fits their life and goals.
You can find her on Instagramor Facebook at Music Business Mom or in her Facebook group, Music Teacher Business Launchpad.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Juggling being a parent and a teacher is not easy. In college, there's not a course that tells you "one day you'll be a parent and do this". Wouldn't that be nice?
The main takeaway I want you to get from this episode is to know that you're doing a better job than you think you are. Just like when you became a teacher and it's all about just getting in there and doing it, and figuring it out as you go, the same goes for being a parent. You'll have days where you feel guilt, or like you're not doing a good job, but these emotions and feelings are normal and you're allowed to feel them.
These blog posts will help give you even more insights into being a parent and a teacher:
Juggling Teaching and Motherhood- As a Music Teacher
Teacher Work-Home Life Balance- for Elementary Music Teachers
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I'm sharing 10 things that music teachers really think during staff meetings. You might be able to relate to one of all of the points, but if anything, I'm hoping you get a good laugh out of today's episode.
You can read the blog post that goes right along with this episode here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Megan Kuhar is a Marketing Technology Coach with many titles: entrepreneur, videographer, podcast producer, audio engineer, educator, and musician. She is the first-ever Assistant Professor of Music Technology at Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music, where she teaches music majors and educators about branding, marketing, and technology for artists.
Through the Fan Finder Podcast as well as coaching sessions, Megan teaches professional musicians how to turn their social media audience into loyal fans, so they can get booked and make more money online. Her unique background in music, technology, marketing, and education allow her to coach her clients into creating beautiful, purposeful content that is authentic and built upon a foundation of a strong brand.
This episode is a little different than other ones, because it's all about marketing and technology. Whether you're just wanting to connect with other music teachers online, are wanting to start a side hustle, need advice about making your website work for your classroom, or are wanting to implement more technology with your older students, this episode is for you.
Links mentioned in the episode:
Article on "Innovate. Music. Lead.", Eastman School of Music publication: Technology in Arts Entrepreneurship Curriculum
Music Technology Coaching Session, for educators who want to learn more about how to teach technology projects in their arts courses
Megan's social media links:
Facebook group
The Fan Finder podcast
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll go over simple strategies to set your music classroom up for success. Whether you teach on a cart, have a small classroom, or have a large classroom, you'll find some tips that will work for you.
The blog posts that go right along with this episode are:
Setting up Your Classroom for Maximum Effectiveness
Ideas for Decorating Your Classroom
5 of the Best Music Education Quotes
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, Audrey Jones and I have a discussion about what it's like to teach in a large, Title 1 school. You'll discover that although it gets a little overwhelming at times, every day is a new day and your students need you!
Audrey Jones is a fifth year teacher at a large title one school in Texas. She's passionate about cultural relevance and compassion in the classroom. Outside of school, she's a runner, worshipper, and a dog mama to the cutest dog in the world.
You can find Audrey on social media here:
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we're going to talk about how to build relationships with your students as the music teacher. It can be overwhelming trying to connect with your students when you have so many of them. But, there are strategies and ways that you can effectively connect with them.
You can read the blog post that goes right along with the podcast episode here.
The strategies mentioned in this episode include:
- It takes time
- Learn your students names
- Have a talk to me box
- Talk about things unrelated to music
- Say "hi" and welcome them
- Realize when it's ok to stop teaching and come back to a lesson
- Remember the students acting out might need the most love
- Eat lunch with them sometimes
- Care about what they care about
- Positive reinforcement goes a long way
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, Justin Griffith and I talk about teaching composing to your students, how to use technology, even if you don't have much of it, and starting a pitched percussion (or any other) ensemble. He shares so many amazing and helpful advice for elementary music teachers.
After studying classical voice & graduating with a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of North Texas in 2005, Justin Griffith began teaching music at Vitovsky Elementary School in Midlothian, Texas. Since then, he's continued developing skills as an educator, songwriter, composer, performer, & audio engineer. Music is the focus, but the ultimate goal is to teach children how to be good humans. Building a comfortable & safe environment while providing a lifelong outlet for students is the foundation of his philosophy.
You can connect with Justin here:
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, 3 teachers share their stories of how they became an elementary music teacher and how joining the HARMONY membership has helped them gain momentum in their teaching and balance in their work-home life.
Download a FREE HARMONY lesson plan pack sample right here.
How will joining HARMONY change your life for the better? To find out and to sign up for HARMONY, click here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Are you struggling to find a work-home life balance you so desperately need as an elementary music teacher? In this episode, I'm going to share with you 5 tips that will help you go into the school year with a little more ease.
You can read the blog post that goes along with this episode here.
To sign up for HARMONY that was mentioned in this episode, click here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
How can you start the school year off with success? What are ways you can reflect on last school year and adapt things to work for this coming school year? We'll explore that and more in this podcast episode.
You can also read this blog post to get even more tips to help you prepare for the upcoming school year.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
I'm so excited about today's episode with David Row. We're discussing a little bit of everything pertaining to Orff, centers, puppets, and books. His teaching style is just so much fun, and I loved talking with him about all the things and am so honored to have him on the podcast.
David Row loves teaching music to kids. A Nebraska native and Midwesterner at heart, David now lives and teaches in the Cherokee County School District outside of Atlanta, GA. He holds a Master's Degree in Music Education from the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory, completed three levels and a master course in Orff Schulwerk training, and has extensive experience with critical thinking in the arts.
David is an active clinician and has presented workshops at state and local conventions across the country. He loves sharing and networking with other educators and tries to actively engage the larger music education community through his podcast, social media, and with "Musical Monday" LIVE videos on Facebook where he shares his lessons for the week along with favorite resources, tips, and tricks. On his blog, MakeMomentsMatter.org, David shares ideas about classroom content, management, lesson plans, critical thinking, and much more!
You can find out more about David, including his podcast and resources at MakeMomentsMatter.org.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
It's 4th of July, which means it's America's birthday. So, what better way to celebrate than by sharing 10 of my favorite Patriotic songs to teach to elementary students, both old and new.
You can read the blog post that goes right along with this episode here. It contains links to listen to snippets of some of the songs mentioned as well as some YouTube links as well.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In episode 52, we discussed how to go about choosing teaching resources to use in your own unique classroom. But today, I want to share some of my favorite resources and why I like them just so darn much.
You can find most of these resources I discussed today here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Today's episode is a guest interview with Jane Marsilio from sillyomusic.com. I'm so excited about this episode, because we're talking all about how to use routines to effectively help with classroom management in the elementary music classroom. Jane shares so much insight about how to use routines effectively, how to know if they're not working for you, and what to do when you need to change them up.
To join the FREE "Start the School Year Off Right" 5 day challenge, sign up here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Check out these other links too:
TeachersPayTeachers
Free recorder lesson
Free Solfa Dojo
S Cubed for Choir
In this episode, we're going to talk about how to choose music resources to teach when there's so much out there! It can get so overwhelming with so much available and not knowing what to pick! I'm going to break down a step by step strategy for you to be able to choose resources and not get so overwhelmed while doing so.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we're going to talk about how to address the "it must be nice to get summers off" statement. Even if you've never heard someone say this before, you may have felt some guilt around having summers off. We'll discuss why taking a break is needed and why you simply don't need to justify you taking a break to anyone else.
You can read the blog post that goes right along with this episode here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, Kristen and I will discuss music literacy. She has some amazing advice and insights when it comes to helping kids not just learn to count notes, but understand how rhythms and note reading all fit together like a puzzle piece.
Kristin M. Pugliese has been an educator for more than 15 years, first in early childhood education and then in the music classroom. She has worked almost exclusively in Title 1 Schools and helped create music standards for Cambridge Public Schools. In 2009, Kristin created Note Knacks Music; a company devoted to making music more accessible for young children. Through her company, she provides support for educators via lesson plans, a blog, workshops and as a national clinician. You can find out more about what Kristen and the amazing work she's doing by visiting noteknacks.com.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll discuss easy ways to prepare your music classroom for summer. You'll learn how to store your instruments, what to do with the other resources, and why thinking about the beginning of next school year is so important.
To read the corresponding blog post for this episode, click here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll explore exactly you need to know about putting on a talent show. If you've never put on a talent show before, it can be overwhelming knowing where to start and how exactly to do it.
This episode comes right from lesson 19 of The Elementary Music Teacher Blueprint course.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Today, I'm interviewing Erin Elliott, who breaks down the steps she takes to teach Orff-Schulwerk in her classroom.
In this episode you'll learn:
-how to get started teaching with the Orff method
-ways to attend an Orff level or training
-how to teach with the Orff method, even if you don't have many instruments
-ways to incorporate other music teaching styles while using the Orff approach
For even more help getting started using Orff, read this blog post where I break it down into simple strategies.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I'm going to be super honest and real with you. Anxiety is something I've suffered with for years and I want to share strategies that have worked for me with you, so hopefully you can feel like you can take a deep breath and help alleviate some of the stress you've been feeling.
To read the corresponding blog post that goes right along with this episode, click here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I'll explain 3 simple ways you can use keyboards in your music classroom. We'll discuss, how to use them in centers, as a full keyboard lab, or for small group instruction, even if you're not a pianist yourself.
To read the corresponding blog post that goes right along with this episode, click here.
If you want to find out more about the piano courses you can use in your music classroom, click here and for my favorite keyboard suggestions, click here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
I’m so excited about today’s guest Stacey Garrepy. Shes in her 3rd year of teaching elementary music at a Classical Christian school while also in her 3rd year in the PhD program at UNC Greensboro. Today, we’re going to have conversations about what it’s like teaching while pursuing a post graduate degree at the same time. We’ll also talk about what it's like to teach music with a limited budget and how you can teach music if you find yourself in this situation.
If you’re an elementary music teacher and you’d like to come on to talk about your story in becoming an elementary teacher and what challenges and wins you’re facing in your teaching journey, I’d love to have you. Simply email me at jessica@thedomesticmusician.com for the details or fill out the form on the podcast page here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we're going to talk about what to do with your students in the music room during testing week. You'll learn effective, yet simple strategies, that still teach your students music, yet isn't overwhelming them. Your students are already tired and don't want to focus on one more thing when they come to music. So, leave that week open to having some fun and creating a quiet atmosphere for learning.
You can read the blog post I wrote about this too here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In episode 41, we talked about the importance of not losing your musicianship. In today's episode, we're going to talk about how to bring your musicianship into your classroom.
It's ok if you don't do things like the music teacher down the street. Your musicianship will not look like anyone elses, so therefore you as a teacher will not look like anyone else.
In this episode, we'll discuss:
-Why it's ok to not be comfortable teaching everything in elementary music
-How your musicianship will help you teach elementary music your way
-Ways to show your students the musician side of who you are
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we're going to have an honest conversation about why you shouldn't lose your musicianship. You're so busy as a music teacher and in your private life, that practicing your instrument looks a lot different than it did while you were in college and before you became a teacher. But, it's so important you still find the time to play your instrument for fun, even if you have to get a little bit more creative about it.
For even more encouragement, read the blog post: "Those who can't do teach? Excuse me... I'm a music teacher."
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll discuss ways to advocate for your music program during Music in our Schools Month. Some ways to advocate aren't just about barging into your latest Congressman's office and demanding respect.
Most of the ways to advocate are about simply inviting parents and other teachers to observe what you're teaching to the students in the music room. Sometimes, the simplest things go the longest way with bringing awareness and support for music education.
You can read the "3 Reasons Music in Our Schools Month Matters" blog post, that was mentioned in this podcast episode, by clicking here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, Elisa Jansen Jones and I discuss mentorship for elementary music teacher's. Mentorship is usually just thought of as being assigned one teacher to help you when you're starting out in your teaching career. But, did you know it is actually so much more than that? You are capable of getting the help and support you need as an elementary music teacher, even if you don't have many connections.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
You can find out more about Elisa and everything she has going on by heading to her website here.
To register for the International Music Education Summit mentioned in this episode, click here.
To enroll in The Elementary Music Teacher Academy, click here.
In this episode, we'll discuss 4 ways to deal with music teacher burnout. You feel like you’re like the little engine that could and you’re barely making it. Maybe this is your first year teaching, so you’ve never experienced a true Spring in the music room, so all of this is new to you. Or, maybe you’ve taught for years, but every year this time of year sneaks up on you and you feel like you’re just going through the motions. So, if this is something you’ve been battling, we’re going to talk about that today and how it’s completely normal to feel this way.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
To access any of the free resources mentioned in this episode and to join my email list, head here.
In this episode, we'll explore ways to celebrate Mardi Gras in the music room. Ideas were shared from this blog post.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll talk about the super powers you have as a music teacher. You may have hard days, but each day you get to change the lives of your students through the power of music.
You can read the blog post about this same topic here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll talk about an easy Valentine's Day activity, how to keep it simple with your lower elementary kiddos, a rhythm heart activity, and a way to foster a sense of community with positive phrases.
For 5 Valentine's Day songs to do with your students, read this blog post.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This episode originally aired on this Facebook Live.
In this episode, we'll discuss ways you can plan, pick out, and implement programs. Even if you have no resources or have never put a program on before, you can do this!
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful. and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll discuss my absolute favorite Martin Luther King quotes and how you can apply his words to your life and teaching.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll talk about ways you can celebrate black history month in the music classroom.
The Facebook Live I did where I taught "Lift Every Voice and Sing" can be found here.
I mentioned two blog posts that can be found here:
How to teach students to write a rap
5 ways to teach music in a low income school
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this podcast episode, we'll explore ways you can find your motivation as you head back to school after Winter break.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I share my 5 favorite episodes from 2018. You can also read "My Top 10 Music Education Blog Posts" here... www.thedomesticmusician.com/my-top-10-music-education-blog-posts-from-2018/
This has been a great year and I can't wait for what 2019 has in store.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll discuss how you can really relax over Winter break. It's so hard to leave work at work and to "turn your brain off". But, self care is so important and in this episode we'll talk about how you can really unwind.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I'm going to share 5 reasons I'm thankful for music education.
I'll discuss:
-
How music helps students explore creativity
-
Why music class doesn't just teach music
-
Why every child can learn music
-
The importance of students working together in music class
-
How music class exposes students to the world around them
The blog posts mentioned in this episode:
-Teaching music and learning styles... https://www.thedomesticmusician.com/teaching-music-learning-styles/
-How to integrate music and foreign language (look for links at the end of the blog post to other ways to integrate music)... https://www.thedomesticmusician.com/how-to-integrate-music-and-foreign-language/
-How to teach music to the hearing impaired child... https://www.thedomesticmusician.com/how-to-teach-music-to-the-hearing-impaired-child/
-Music speaks autism... https://www.thedomesticmusician.com/music-and-autism/
-Is music education really that important... https://www.thedomesticmusician.com/benefits-of-music-education/
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I want to talk about 5 things I'm thankful for. This episode is a little different, because I break away from the normal music education episodes, and share my heart with you a little bit.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll talk about why teaching your students music from other countries and cultures is so important and ways to go about doing this.
Don't forget to grab your free resource and you can download the free "40 Children's Songs from Around the World" PDF mentioned in this episode here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll discuss:
-how to keep planning and teaching the lesson simple when you're just starting out
-ways to keep yourself from over planning
-how to use lesson plans from last year
Don't forget to check out my website to grab your free resource and you can download the free "20 Fun Filler Activities" PDF mentioned in this episode here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll discuss:
-ways to use old textbooks and other resources
-simplifying by combining lessons per grade level
-how to organize your lessons by teaching standards
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I'll share with you an answer I gave to one of the music teachers I mentor about how to handle a behavior problem child in the music room.
Click here for a free printable to help you with classroom management in your music classroom.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In today's episode, I'm going to talk about why I'm a teacherpreneur and what it's like being one. If you've wondered why I do what I do, or what a teacherpreneur is exactly, than this episode is for you.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I'm going to teach the activity "Pass the Pumpkin."
Even if you're already familiar with this activity, I'm going to talk about how to make it even more musical, ways to extend this lesson, how upper elementary can use this lesson as well.
For a free printable of filler activities you can use with your students, click here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This elementary music lesson "Peanut Sat On a Railroad Track" is a speech piece that adds instruments to it that your students will love!
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll discover real ways you can beat imposter syndrome and stop comparing yourself once and for all to other music teachers.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In episode 18, I'll go over why teaching songwriting and composition in elementary music isn't scary. If you're new to teaching your students to compose, just the very thought can make you want to run to the corner and suck your thumb.
In this episode, I mentioned the "Teaching Songwriting in Elementary Music Isn't Scary" blog post.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we're going to talk all about teaching kids to sing in elementary music. I wrote a blog post about teaching kids to sing that you can check out here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, you'll be able to listen to one of the 20 lessons from inside The Elementary Music Teacher Blueprint course. The Elementary Music Teacher Blueprint teaches everything you need to know to successfully teach elementary music, even if you're brand new at it.
It contains 20 lessons that have slides to go along with the audio recordings and 20 printable worksheets that accompany each lesson to work through at your own pace. You'll be able to think about YOUR students and YOUR classroom as you take the course. You can access the The Elementary Music Teacher Blueprint course by clicking here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Whether students are new to your school or have known you a while, I want to share ways that you can make students feel comfortable in the music room.
In this episode, I'll discuss:
-how to make kindergarten students feel welcome
-ways to welcome all students even if they've known you a while
-why going over procedures helps with more than just good classroom management
-why making students feel welcome matters a lot
To download your free cheat sheet "Classroom Management in the Elementary Music Classroom", click here
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
This was originally aired on my Facebook page.
In this episode, we'll talk about my favorite ways to transition from summer back to school. The first week is always the hardest as you adjust to waking up to an alarm and getting back on a schedule.
Check out my blog to find posts about back to school lesson planning, the first day of school, and so much more.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I'll talk about 10 things you don't know about me. If you've ever wondered who I really am, then you need to listen to this episode.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode we'll discuss 3 ways you can feel successful teaching elementary music.
To sign up for The Elementary Music Teacher Blueprint course, head here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode we'll talk about why teaching Patriotic music to kids is so important. A lot of times, kids aren't given the opportunity to learn songs about America, and it's our job as music teacher's to teach them these beautiful songs.
For tips on how to teach the National anthem to your students, click here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Self care for teachers is so important! The quotes I share in this short but mighty episode are:
"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you." Anne Lamott
"You can't pour from an empty cup unless you take care of yourself first." Author Unknown
"Self care is so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel." Eleanor Brown
"If you get tired, learn to rest not to quit." Banksy
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I'll share my favorite tips I wish someone had shared with me my first year of teaching.
We'll discuss:
-why going in with confidence is key
-why it's ok to ask for help
-practice procedures like it's your job (oh wait it is)
This blog post "4 Things Every New Music Teacher Should Know" will give you even more helpful advice.
To sign up for The Elementary Music Teacher Academy, head here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we'll discuss how to find your motivation to take professional development this summer. Professional development is not only required, but it really does help give you new ideas and fresh inspiration to use in your classroom for the next school year.
In this episode, we'll discuss:
-how to find your motivation
-ways to get the most out of professional development
-why it's important to relax
Here's the blog post about professional development opportunities as discussed in the episode.
To sign up for The Elementary Music Teacher Academy, head here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Music teachers, do you have any idea how much you matter? During teacher appreciation week, it can be so hard to watch several other teachers receive cards and gifts while you sit by and wonder if you're invisible.
In this episode, we'll discuss:
-why music teachers matter
-how appreciated you are
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast, to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
It really is never too early to begin planning out the next school year. As this school year wraps up, think about what worked and what didn't work this year.
In this episode, we'll discuss:
-ways to think about changing up what worked and what didn't work for next year
-why planning out the next school year now matters
To sign up for The Elementary Music Teacher Academy, head here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, we we'll talk about:
-why practicing procedures over and over matters
-how to practice what your preach
-my favorite positive classroom management strategy
Here's the blog post I wrote about classroom management that also contains a link to my 3 favorite ways to practice procedures.
If you're looking for even more help with your classroom management, go snag your free cheat sheet here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
As a former Oklahoma educator, the walkouts matter a lot. Teachers aren't being heard and, lots of times also not seen.
In this episode, we'll talk about:
-why the walkouts matter
-what the conditions at some of the schools are like
-my story as an Oklahoma teacher
If you are a new elementary music teacher, or are just switching to teaching elementary music from another subject, this free cheat sheet "20 Things to Know Before Teaching Elementary Music" was created just for you. Go snag your freebie here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
In this episode, I will talk about my favorite Springtime activities for the music classroom.
We'll discuss:
-creating a rainstorm using instruments
-a fun composing activity about Spring
-4 songs about rain and ideas for teaching them
If your lessons aren't going according to plan and you need some ideas for "those days", this "20 Fun Music Filler Activities" printable will help you.
To see the songs that were mentioned in this episode, click here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Teaching in a low income school has its own set of unique challenges. These are the strategies that worked for me...
-Do what works and don't compare yourself to other teachers
-Gain the students trust
-Teach with what you have
-Bring real world experiences to them
-Some days don't teach music (what?!?!?!) If you are new to teaching music, here is a free cheat sheet I created called "20 Things You Need to Know Before Teaching Music in an Elementary School."
To watch the free webinar mentioned in the episode, click here to sign up.
To purchase The Elementary Music Teacher Academy, go here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful, and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.
Welcome to The Elementary Music Teacher podcast! Hi, I'm Jessica, and I'm excited you're here. In this podcast, my hope is that you'll find the mentorship and support you've been needing in your elementary music teaching career.