After many hours of working in my room, I'm FINALLY ready to reveal my music room for this year! Here is a view of my room as you walk into it. I am super lucky to have a pretty big room! Here's a panoramic view of my room: I decided on a travel theme this year, and I have to say, this might be one of my favorites! I love the colors in the theme, AND I love that it fits in with my school's theme of "Oh, the places you'll go!" I really tried to be intentional this year to not cover every single wall with something, so that kids could learn in an engaging setting but not …
For many years in my classroom, I did not use a theme in my classroom...I simply decorated with whatever fun, colorful decor I had in my closet. But a few years ago--probably through Pinterest--I discovered that teachers were choosing themes for their classroom, and decided I wanted to try that too. Over the last few years, I've tried several different themes, and now I look forward to choosing a theme and implementing it in my room. Here are some ideas and strategies for choosing a theme for your music room! Why use a theme? First, why use a theme in your classroom? To me, it's a great w…
For many years in my classroom, I did not use a theme in my classroom...I simply decorated with whatever fun, colorful decor I had in my closet. But a few years ago--probably through Pinterest--I discovered that teachers were choosing themes for their classroom, and decided I wanted to try that too. Over the last few years, I've tried several different themes, and now I look forward to choosing a theme and implementing it in my room. Here are some ideas and strategies for choosing a theme for your music room! Why use a theme? First, why use a theme in your classroom? To me, it's a great w…
This past year, I implemented flexible seating in my music classroom. Earlier this year, I wrote about which seats I bought, and a few months after that, I wrote this post about how I introduced flexible seating. In today's post, I'm writing about what worked and what I'm changing for next year. What worked? Overall, the kids LOVED the seats in my room! They were always super excited to get the seats, whether they were working on worksheets, working in small groups, or at centers. I also had some students get special seats if they'd been star student the previous lesson...that r…
If you've ever directed a musical program, you know how those "little" things can really add to a performance. In today's post, I'll discuss some special effects that I've tried for various performances, to add another layer to each musical! #1: Flashlights If you are planning any kind of firefly song at your program, flashlights are a really awesome addition! Here is one of my favorite firefly songs, a Japanese folk song called "Hotarukoi." A rough translation of the text is: Ho, ho, ho, firefly come, Here is some water that's bitter, Here is some water that…
Need ideas for a third grade program? In today's blog post, I'm writing about my program, "You Belong Here." I created the program based on the beautifully illustrated book by M.H. Clark and Isabelle Arsenault . about how we are all unique, and how we are all loved! Here is a summary of songs and dances I used for the program (and make sure to keep reading to find out about a fun 5-day musical program challenge I'm hosting in a few weeks!) I did this program with third grade, but it could also work for second grade. I split the text up between 28 narrators. For the first p…
It is May...which means it's already time to start thinking about the end of the year! In my district, our last day is May 25, so we have just a few weeks left. There is SO much to do at the end of the year, so in today's post, I'll lay out all of the different things I think about and check off my list for the end of the year. Make sure to keep reading until the end, since I will have a free Google Sheets checklist that you can make a copy of and edit as needed! At my school, we receive an EOY checklist from our principal around this time of year, but as a music teacher, there are…
I know it seems crazy to think of the school year in past tense, but with only seven weeks remaining in the school year, I'm already thinking about what worked well this year, and what I'd like to improve for next year. Reflection is, to me, such a huge part of my development as a teacher, so I like to reflect at the end of each school year (before summer, when everything seems so distant!) Here are some thoughts about my year. Teaching: What I loved: I was able to streamline my data tracking and intervention processes even more this year, and was very happy with the results! I was able …
I know it seems crazy to think of the school year in past tense, but with only seven weeks remaining in the school year, I'm already thinking about what worked well this year, and what I'd like to improve for next year. Reflection is, to me, such a huge part of my development as a teacher, so I like to reflect at the end of each school year (before summer, when everything seems so distant!) Here are some thoughts about my year. Teaching: What I loved: I was able to streamline my data tracking and intervention processes even more this year, and was very happy with the results! I was able…
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