Blog
I love my job! I am not sure if other teachers realize how lucky we are! Singing, dancing, playing and getting to build relationships with students over multiple years really makes most days fly by and not seem much like work at all. However, I am a little jealous of...
I never liked the recorder. Even when I was in school it wasn’t my favorite.
But once I discovered how the recorder can be used as another tool of music-making rather than just another unit, I changed my tune (see what I did there?).
This episode is all about why the recorder...
What can we do to combat teacher burnout?
That's what I chatted with James Robinson, II about on this week's episode of That Music Podcast.
Unfortunately, burnout is a very real problem within the teaching profession as a whole. Add on the fact that music teachers are often...
Ready or not! It is back to school time! Even if you were working hard to avoid looking at the calendar, it is hard to enter any store and not see all those gleaming new school supplies right at the front! As much as it always seems too early to see school supplies...
Happy Fall!
If you are reading this, that means that the wonderful, amazing, slightly anxiety-producing time of year is upon us - back to school! Even if it is still 90 degrees and 70% humidity on your first day of school, your first day lesson plans can be as cool as...
As music teachers, we are responsible for seeing the entire student population every week. Depending on your school size, that can be 500 (or more) names! It can be difficult to learn so many names quickly, especially when you’re new to the...
Want to quickly spike the heart rate of a music teacher? You might be able to do it with just one of three phrases: MacGAMUT! Norton Anthology of Western Music! Back to School!
Although many of the texts that are popular in undergraduate studies...
What is the first thing you say when you meet someone new? For me, it’s usually something along the lines of “Hi, I’m Rachel! I’m a music teacher - what do you do?” Our identities constantly circle around being teachers, especially in...
It’s a teacher’s dream: Waking up to a beautiful blanket of snow outside and a message from your school reading “no school today, snow day!” Last week, I experienced my very first snow day as a teacher, and it turned into a double snow day. I...
Are you finding yourself coming up on a long term absence and feeling overwhelmed at the thought of lesson planning for while you’re gone? You’re in good company! As I write this, I’m finalizing my lesson plans for my maternity leave that will take...
This post is based on a podcast episode with Stephanie Powell. To listen to her episode, click here.
What is adaptive music education and why is it important?
Adaptive anything simply means giving someone the tools that they need to accomplish a goal. Adapting could...
Throughout my life, I have seen and heard my fair share of “polite” words to describe students with disabilities. Growing up with a brother who has autism and an intellectual disability, I have heard people describe him as “special,” an “extra...
