A formal music education is so important. But, it's not the end all be all to learning. It’s not that having a music degree doesn’t matter, because it does. It just means that although you have your degree, never stop …
In this episode, Lori Burke and I discuss her story as a songwriter and how you can help your students write songs with ease. She gives so many actionable steps including choosing a topic, using music to write a story, …
This episode is an interview with JoEllyn Sumner of The Tuneful Teacher. She, like a lot of you, shifted to virtual teaching both as an elementary music teacher and in her parent child music classes. We talk about how paren...
It’s March which means it’s officially music in our schools month! Your students may have heard you mention this, but aren’t quite sure what exactly it means. First of all, talk about why music in our schools month exists. ...
Advocating for your music program can come in many different forms. In this conversation with Rainy Barton, we discuss ways to advocate for yourself with your administration, the families of your students, and in the communi...
This episode is with the amazing Katie Wonderly of Ms. Wonderly Makes Music. I LOVED this conversation and we talked about so much including using technology, teaching during a Pandemic, how to use social media while still b...
February is Black History Month and celebrating the amazing black musicians, musical artists, and styles of music from black culture is so important. But, celebrating black history all school year long is equally important a...
In this episode, I give you ways to talk to your family and friends about what you REALLY do as a music educator and how to explain to them why you need their support now more than ever including: Explain …
Preparing to have a substitute teacher in the music room is so tough. Most of the time you get a non-musical sub, and knowing what to leave for them and how to keep it simple for yourself is a bit …
Have you ever seen a baby crawl? Each child learns to crawl at different times and does it when they're ready. They then also learn how to walk in their own time frame. Just like a baby, you have to …
The year of 2020 was probably one of the hardest years many of us have ever faced. Right along with you, I had to pivot with what I talked about on this podcast. I knew I still wanted a sense …
Maybe you feel like you're on a music teacher island, especially this school year. You already feel alone as an elementary music teacher, and this year, you're craving a sense of community and a support system more than ever...
The overwhelm is so real right now. In this episode, I share a story about how I had a tech week from heck, how I continued moving forward, and I want to help you to do the same. It's so …
This school year, you've probably had to adapt instruction... like a lot. This "new normal" can cause serious feelings of overwhelm, and to be honest, you probably miss teaching music like you usually get to in a regular sc...
As a music teacher, you know the Winter months (especially December) can be the most stressful time of the year! You want to have joy during the Winter months, but it's so hard trying to meet the needs of your …
Today's episode is with Steve Giddings, from stevesmusicroom.com , who is an amazing music educator not afraid to think outside of the box. In this episode, we discuss rock and popular music ensembles and also what informal ...
2020 has been one for the record books and it’s been a lot to deal with. It’s so easy to only see the negative parts of this year because that’s what’s thrown in our faces literally every second of every …
Are you wanting to do performances or programs with your students, but it seems a bit "tricky" this school year? In this episode, I'll share some simple ideas to still have amazing performances with your students and to help ...
I met Courtney virtually at the International Music Education Summit. We were both presenters, and after attending her session, I knew I needed to have her on the podcast. Courtney has such a heart and passion for teaching ...
Let's face it. Every lesson will not go according to plan. There will be lessons that bomb in one way or another. The important thing is to know it's not just you and that this happens to every teacher at …
In this episode, I sat down to talk with Bill Henry all about his music podcast for kids, teaching with e-learning, and his advice around using creativity in your classroom. Bill Henry is a 14-year elementary music teacher fo...
Every single music teacher is different and that's a good thing! How boring would it be if everyone was exactly the same? In this episode, taken directly from a Facebook live I did, I'm talking about how you get to …
In this episode, Jenny Delacruz talks about how to help kids cope with the impact of COVID-19. During our conversation, we discuss not just COVID, but also how books can help kids process trauma of all kinds. She explains h...
In your teacher life, things can get so stressful. You constantly have things swirling around in your mind and it can cause you to feel stuck. This episode will help you to process through those "what if" questions like... "...