Elementary music can be so much fun– or it can give you a giant headache. Seriously, it gets loud– especially when you are using instruments. So how do you handle classroom management for instruments? Is it possible to have a chaos free classroom when you are using instruments? The short answer? Yes. The longer answer… Continue reading Elementary Music Classroom Management for Instruments
Tag: classroom management
Music Classroom Management for Centers to Calm the Chaos
Elementary music centers are one of the best things to ever happen to my music room, but they can be tricky. Classroom management in centers is completely different than classroom management in whole group situations, because the kids are working independently. There are a lot of things going on at the same time, and it… Continue reading Music Classroom Management for Centers to Calm the Chaos
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
What do I do with fifth graders? Classroom Management
Ah, fifth graders. What will we ever do with them? Last week we talked about what to do with fifth graders in the elementary music room as far as lessons go. Check it out here. Today we are talking about dealing with behavior in fifth graders. Because we all know that no learning can happen… Continue reading What do I do with fifth graders? Classroom Management
Positive Reinforcements that won’t Break the Bank
PBIS. If you have read my blog for more than five minutes, you know that I love PBIS. And I use it. A lot. Why? Because positive reinforcements work. That doesn’t mean that you don’t address when students are doing something wrong. It just means that you make a big deal about the students doing… Continue reading Positive Reinforcements that won’t Break the Bank
Things I’m Doing Differently in my Second Year of Teaching
My first year of teaching was ok. A lot of people have these stories where every single day of their first year of teaching is awful and they almost quit and so on and so on. I will say that I did not hit that point until about February. That’s a pretty good time line,… Continue reading Things I’m Doing Differently in my Second Year of Teaching
Elementary Music Classroom Tour
Oh classroom tours.... how I love them. But yet, there never seem to be enough classroom tours when it comes to music teachers. Guys-- I want to see your classrooms! I figure that others must feel how I do to, so I am doing a classroom tour today! Now, it is not 100% clean (we've… Continue reading Elementary Music Classroom Tour
An Easy (and fun!) School Wide PBIS Incentive
PBIS takes on many different shapes in today’s schools. We use it for individuals, classes, schools, etc. As part of our school’s PBIS plan, we have a school wide PBIS incentive periodically. Last year we did things once a nine weeks, this year the plan is to kick it up to once a month. For… Continue reading An Easy (and fun!) School Wide PBIS Incentive
Music Centers Classroom Management for Bad Classes
If you have been teaching music for longer than a day, you will know that not all classes are well behaved. If you have had your kids for a few weeks, you will have already figured out which the “good classes” versus the “bad classes”. It is easy to let the bad classes rule your… Continue reading Music Centers Classroom Management for Bad Classes