Your classroom is like a second home. You spend a lot of time there, and the reality of teaching is that you can’t always step out when you need something. So as the scouts say, be prepared, and keep these
Top Tips for Teaching Rounds
I think it’s fair to say that teaching kids to sing a round is pretty standard fare in elementary school music. Rounds are a fantastic way for students to develop musical independence, to perform and listen at the same time.
Energize your music class with these Kahoots!
I know I’m really behind the times on this, but I discovered Kahoot! this year, and my music classes can’t get enough of it! After I use one to review a lesson, they always ask for more. If I say
The Easy Guide to Getting Started With Ukuleles
General music teachers are bringing ukuleles into their classrooms now more than ever! And many of you are like me, and never really played the ukulele before bringing it into your classroom. And although I’m not a huge fan of
Back to remote learning?
Happy new year! I’m enjoying the last few days of my Christmas break, but also starting to put some details into my plans for the upcoming term. We’re having one week of online learning at my school, to give people
Vocal Exploration in Music Class
It’s one of the first things you’ll do with your early childhood music classes. The voice is the instrument we carry with us, and vocal exploration exercises help children physically feel pitch changes. Playing with their voices is an important
Easy assessment of music concepts—even for a sub!
The chaos of pandemic-year teaching sure compelled me to streamline my assessments! When working with early childhood classes, a lot of the learning is focused around contrasts in four main concepts: duration (long and short), tempo (fast and slow), dynamics
Using picture books to develop musical thinking
Welcome! Picture books are a fantastic way to develop creative thinking and musical thinking in the elementary school music classroom. If you are looking for ideas to connect music learning to a picture book, you have come to the right
“High” doesn’t mean loud: Clearing up the confusion
Pitch and rhythm are a great pair in early childhood music. Students often use the words “high” and “low” to talk about “loud” and “quiet”, which we want to sort out as early as possible. Teaching in an international school,
Soundscapes with Listen to the Rain
This is my second book recommendation this month! With no singing allowed under strict covid-19 restrictions, I’ve been diving into more books. Bill Martin, Jr.’s Listen to the Rain provided a great backdrop for my Pre-Kindergarten classes to explore all