Tag: choir
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Unpopular opinion, but POP MUSIC is worth learning about in music class.
“Pop music isn’t worth learning about! Focus on the greats!” “It just isn’t real music.” “It all sounds the same!” As a music teacher, you are bound to hear some version of these comments at some point from well-meaning people who don’t believe that pop music has merit. While these comments about the inferiority of…
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Summer Themed Projects for the Music Classroom!
Have your music students mentally checked out for the school year? Have YOU mentally checked out for the school year? Let’s face it, this time of year EVERYBODY is ready for summer. It’s time for warm days, beach trips, sleeping in, etc. Here are some fun music education projects to celebrate the impending summer months!…
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Quick tricks to get your music students SINGING!
Some students walk in the door singing and dancing. If only that were the case for everyone. Some students, believe it or not, hate singing at first. As music teachers, it is our job to try and turn this around. Here are some ways that I have found to help get these students out of…
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The most common thing I hear from other music teachers is….
“I have no idea how to plan for so many grade levels.” This is the plight of the specials teacher. Currently, I teach 9 grade levels (k-8), run two choirs, and vocal music direct my school’s musical. My first year of teaching, it felt nearly impossible to plan for so many grade levels. But it…
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POV: You’re the music teacher on CAREER DAY!
Recently my school celebrated career day, and it got me thinking about how I can make careers relevant in music class. The truth is, many of my students won’t become professional musicians, BUT I want to make sure they have a chance to at least explore the idea of a career in music. Check out…
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Games for Middle School Music Class!
My middle schoolers LOVE games. When I started teaching, I thought that middle schoolers might be too advanced for games, but I was wrong! My oldest students beg me for game days all the time. Here are some games that are great for older students! Music Trivia My students LOVE playing music trivia. I often…
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3 LIES your college program will tell you about teaching.
Once you’ve been teaching for awhile, you’ll come to realize that not everything your college program told you about teaching is accurate. Here are 3 things that are often told to students in teaching preparation programs that I have found to be false. 1. You need to write detailed lesson plans everyday. When you are…
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7 Musical Theater Activities for The Music Classroom.
After our school’s musical in March, my students are already buzzing about what next year’s show will be. To build on this excitement, I often do a series of musical theater lessons in music class. Here are SEVEN musical theater activities that are perfect for the music room. You can create your own activities based…
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3 Things I Wish I Knew Sooner about Classroom Management as a Specials Teacher
Specials teachers do NOT get enough credit for how solid our classroom management needs to be. We have challenges that other teachers couldn’t imagine facing, such as having several different groups of students in and out of our rooms every day, teaching a wide range of ages and ability levels, and coordinating daily activities that…
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Things to Consider When Choosing Repertoire for your Middle School Chorus
Getting your choirs ready for Spring Concert season? Me too! Here are some things that I consider when selecting repertoire for my middle school choirs! Difficulty level of ALL elements in the repertoire. It goes without saying that as choir directors, we are trying to choose music that fits our choir’s ability level just right.…