“I started out in the ‘trash band…’ but you know what? We have the best job in the world. We get to teach music!”
Tag: education
Putting Them First with Dr. Alice Hammel!
You. All… I cannot wait for you to hear this latest episode with Dr. Alice Hammel! Alice has been a huge inspiration for me and a role… Read more “Putting Them First with Dr. Alice Hammel!”
Passing the Baton: Empowering ALL Students with Theresa Hoover and Kathryn Finch
“If I could flip it a little bit and empower the kids and you know, intrinsically motivate them … So the idea of shifting just a little bit of your thinking to you know, giving the kids a little bit more of the ownership of the learning. If we give them autonomy, mastery, and purpose… that’s where they are intrinsically motivated and ready to you know take on their learning.”
The Middle Schooler That Never Grew Up & The Infamous Cup of Doom with Mark A. Hensler
“We had something that I call the cup of doom, where we put all the kids names on the popsicle stick. I would alternate the test one week we would go Alphabetically you know by last name A to Z and then the next, it was random. But the kids they would start chanting ‘Cup of Doom! Cup of Doom!’, like they couldn’t wait to take the playing tests!”
Thwarted by a Tennis Ball…
the thing about this homeroom time is that teachers are supposed to use this time to remediate students who are struggling. But some of my students were never being requested by anyone, even though they were failing nearly every class. Two of them completely failed 9th grade by the end of the year. I tried so much to reach these students last year, but nothing worked….
Teaching Love, One Note at a Time
Today, in my classes, we will be playing music and sending love, as we always do. But today, we will be directing our love to the families and victims in Orlando. I urge you today to do what you can in your own lives to send love, to show your support to those who need it, and to fill the world with music, love, and pride.
The Power of Even a Drop of Critical Pedagogy
Ever since learning about Critical Pedagogy, I have done everything I could do put it into practice. Let me tell you… The results have been out of this world…
Hall Duty Horrors: Take a New Spin on Hall Duty and Improve Your Program!
Bellies and buttcracks and wayyyyy too much skin pouring over jeans…. I had NO idea…. Now I do… Now I realize why my students think it’s ridiculous when I ask them to wear longer shorts… I understand that cursing is the norm rather than the exception within my school… And that my students are kind of angelic in comparison! This gives me so much insight into what my own students deal with every day and how drastically things have changed
LIFT OFF! Stats and Tips to Starting your New String Program!
thinking about starting up a new strings program in your district?…. 90% of the participants reported an increase in the overall enrollment in music programs within their district once a new strings program started
The Honor of Honors Orchestras (or Lack Thereof…)
He would definitely have a private teacher if his parents would let him, but they can’t afford it. So he watches every youtube video he can find of the audition excerpt. If he made it, he might be the first kid in his entire school to make this orchestra. Just a few minutes ago, he was sitting on a metrobus. Watching the minutes on his phone go by as slow as snail mail….
MusicEdLove 