Blog

72 | Sowing the Seeds as a Student Teacher first year job search student teaching Apr 27, 2022
Student teaching is one of the hardest things you will ever have to do. On top of teaching full-time and being a full-time student, you are also likely trying to line up your first teaching job for the next year!
 
In this week’s episode of That Music Podcast, I talk about some of...
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Using Technology for Easy Sub Plans distance learning educational tips first year lesson planning teacher tips technology Jan 11, 2022

      Teaching during a pandemic challenged music educators everywhere as our typical lessons and activities had to be reimagined for so many situations. Asynchronous learning home? No instruments available? Singing is not allowed?  I feel like the questions far exceeded the...

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How to Handle Parent Conflicts first year music teachers teacher tips Dec 21, 2021

      Ask any teacher what their top three least favorite parts of being a teacher are, and most would mention “parent conflicts” somewhere on that list. (Likely among “grading” and “lack of administrative support,” but those are topics for...

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Reviewing Expectations and Setting Goals in the New Year classroom management classroom tips first year music teachers teacher tips Dec 14, 2021

      We are used to hearing that January is a fresh start.  Many people even make resolutions about what they will do differently as the calendar changes. We are also encouraged to focus on what habits we can change to make those resolutions come true. All of these things are...

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61 | Decolonizing the Kodály Classroom with Audrey Rice diversity educational tips first year inclusive music teachers show notes that music podcast Dec 08, 2021

 


I often get questions about how a Kodály-influenced classroom can also be one that asks questions to allow us to be anti-racist and anti-biased.

Today’s episode of That Music Podcast is all about refocusing the Kodály classroom to ensure that the repertoire we choose...

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Affirming Spaces: Tips from Experts and How to Implement them in Class classroom management classroom tips diversity exceptional learners first year inclusive music teachers Dec 07, 2021

 What are we doing to make our classrooms as safe a space as they possibly can be?

      As teachers, we worry about our students fairly often. Not only do we worry about their grades or how they are understanding a concept, but we worry about them emotionally as well. I know...

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New Teacher Mid Year Self Check elementary music first year mental health music teachers teacher tips Nov 30, 2021

      If you are a new teacher, it is completely normal to feel overwhelmed at this point in the year. With winter break coming up and concerts to get ready for and grades to finish, teachers often feel just as overwhelmed, if not more than, the students. If that describes you, I...

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Concert Planning Logistics for New Educators curriculum elementary music first year teacher tips Nov 09, 2021

 

      ‘Tis the season to sing and play! There are very few traditions, especially holiday traditions, that do not include some kind of music which is why concerts are often so treasured in a school community.  As music teachers, we have been part of concerts for...

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56 | Vocal Health for Music Teachers with Dr. Jennifer Whitehead first year music teachers show notes teacher tips that music podcast Nov 03, 2021

 


Vocal health is important for all teachers, but we as music teachers have an added struggle if we don’t take care of our voices.

Even those of us who went through undergrad as vocal majors often lack the knowledge of how to truly use our voices in a safe and sustainable way.

...

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Should I Use Popular Music in My Classroom? first year lesson planning music class activities music class resources Oct 05, 2021

 

      Popular music is something that can be surprisingly divisive within the music education community. People who don’t support the use of it within the classroom have many reasons for their lack of support such as: 

  • The subject material is inappropriate
  • ...
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50 | How Curriculum Mapping Changed My Teaching classroom tips curriculum first year lesson planning show notes that music podcast Sep 21, 2021

 


My lessons were a bit of a jumbled mess my first year of teaching. I’ll be the first one to say that I spent the majority of my first year just trying to survive.

But once I started mapping out my curriculum, everything changed.

This week’s episode is all about the process of...

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How To Build Rapport with Teens classroom tips first year middle school Aug 24, 2021

 

      Ever wonder what it’s like working with teenagers? When I tell people that I am a middle school teacher, most people have the response along the lines of “Teenagers scare the living **** out of me!” (And no, they are NOT quoting My Chemical Romance)....

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