I never thought that I would be teaching online. If you'd told me a year ago that this was happening, I would have thought you were completely crazy. Distance learning as a music teacher is tough-- but it's not impossible. In the Spring, I had a really, really hard time. I was beyond stressed out.… Continue reading How to Survive Distance Learning as a Music Teacher
Blog
Virtual Music Lessons for Teaching Music Online
This situation sucks. This is the guide to making teaching music online manageable and fun with this ebook full of lessons. Let's make online learning simple for you and fun for the students. You never thought you'd be teaching music online. It's not ideal, but it's necessary. This ebook has everything you need to… Continue reading Virtual Music Lessons for Teaching Music Online
How to Play Asteroid! An Active Rhythm Game
Teaching music on a normal year is difficult. On a normal year, I am constantly looking for ways to get students reading music while having fun and being active in music. This year, with some people teaching music on a cart, 6 feet away from their students, other people teaching music virtually, and some music… Continue reading How to Play Asteroid! An Active Rhythm Game
Book Based Lessons for Elementary Music
When thinking about going back to school-- from six feet away!-- the first thing that came into my mind was books. Book based lessons for elementary music seemed like the most logical answer. But how do we make books fun? That is the question. I love to read. I really, really love to read, and… Continue reading Book Based Lessons for Elementary Music
How to Teach Elementary Music Digitally for Distance Learning
I don't know about you, but I was not good at using digital activities in my elementary music room. Like at all. I got a grant for iPads to use, and every time I tried to use them, it was a disaster. Then, in March, many of us were expected to take our entire curriculum… Continue reading How to Teach Elementary Music Digitally for Distance Learning
No Touch Movement Lessons for Elementary Music
At the end of last year, my principal held a meeting where we just talked. We were on Zoom, we read through the CDC guidelines for going back to school, and thought about what that might possibly mean for us. What that would mean is no students in the cafeteria, no students in the gym,… Continue reading No Touch Movement Lessons for Elementary Music
No Touch Singing Games for Elementary Music
This year has been.... an adventure, to say the least. And it is continuing to be an adventure, as schools reopen and teachers are forced to change their curriculums once again. This time, we are focusing on activities that can be done without touching or being near students... For elementary music teachers, that means no… Continue reading No Touch Singing Games for Elementary Music
Fun Zoom Music Lessons for Distance Learning
When all of this distance learning stuff began, I was STRUGGLING to figure out what to do with my students on Zoom music lessons. How can I teach elementary music on Zoom? The sound lag made it impossible to sing or play rhythms together. Fortunately for you, I have now figured out a couple of… Continue reading Fun Zoom Music Lessons for Distance Learning
What to do when the Lesson Plan Goes off the Rails….
Ah, teaching. Probably the only profession in which you are expected to write detailed plans, turn them in and then stick to the exactly. As if you could ever plan what 30 five years olds are going to do or say or understand. We aren't taught to adjust things as we go along, even though… Continue reading What to do when the Lesson Plan Goes off the Rails….
Card System for Classroom Management
In my classroom, I focus highly on PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention System). But let's be honest-- no matter how many class points or Dojos are given, all kids are still going to act up. And that is why I now use the card system. So when you are thinking about classroom management in your own… Continue reading Card System for Classroom Management