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Music Teachers Chatboard

Service opportunity in Cambodia

by Mr. Smith

Dec 11, 2014

Two of my nicest high school students are raising money to teach music and English in Cambodia for a senior service project. They don't need much to make this life-changing trip happen. Please donate and share their link.

[link removed]

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Polar Express

by Jen

Dec 9, 2014

Our school is having a Polar Express Day. Was wondering if anyone had any ideas on things to do during music class to go along with this theme.

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JazzyGal How about ice skating on paper plates? You could probably use some of the music from the movie soundtrack, but I've done this before using these songs:

-Skating from Charlie Brown's Christmas Album

-Waldteufel's Skater's Waltz

-Dance of the Reed Pipes from The Nutcracker

-Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies from The ...See More

Dec 9, 2014

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New music teacher site

by chris

Dec 8, 2014

Hello, im christofer,and i made a site, so music teachers can find students for free. Music teacher sign up in [link removed]!

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Elementary Band

by Frustrated

Sep 30, 2014

For any elementary band teachers...

Are any of you seeing a drop in numbers from 2nd year players?? Last year, I had approx 25 4th grade band students which is pretty good for my school. This year, many of the band players are opting out of playing because they think it's "boring." I lecture them about practicing because they never seem to...See More

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Garland/GA I do chorus in 4th and 5th at one of my schools as an after school activity. I always have a drop with my returning 5th graders. I view it as now they know what it is like and that they may not like chorus at the middle school level. Got to find the silver lining!

On 10/01/14, Mrs. H wrote: > I used to teach beginning band. I think ther...See MoreI do chorus in 4th and 5th at one of my schools as an after school activity. I always have a drop with my returning 5th graders. I view it as now they know what it is like and that they may not like chorus at the middle school level. Got to find the silver lining!

On 10/01/14, Mrs. H wrote: > I used to teach beginning band. I think there is always a > drop off after the first year. Some kids join band just > because their friends are doing it, or the instrument looks > pretty. When they realize that it takes work, they can't be > bothered any more. I think that a certain percentage of those > kids are kids you don't want in your band anyhow! But some of > them may have legitimate transportation problems if lessons > are before school. Also if they are meeting at recess, that > is a real deterrent for kids this age! How many days a week > do they miss recess? With increased pressure from > standardized testing, recesses are shrinking and even > disappearing from some schools. If they have to miss every > recess for band, it's definitely a problem. > > See if you can talk to some parents of your drop outs. Pick > some kids who really showed promise but quit, and ask the > parents why. No pressure to join again, but tell them you are > trying to prevent so much attrition. See what the reasons > are. > > Then you might talk to your administrator about this. Show > him/her the numbers, and if you have more than one year of > numbers, show the trend. What changes between 4th and 5th > grades? Did they have to miss recess and come before school > last year as well? Have there been schedule changes that > affected participation? You could request that kids have an > alternate time, or that it is built into the school day. > > One more idea is to talk to the middle school you feed into. > Find out what that band director is seeing, and recruit > him/her to help you convince the elementary principal that > some changes can be made. Show the administration the > research linking playing an instrument with higher test > scores - play their game! > > Good luck - it's a tough road, but you can do it. BTW, the > reason I no longer teach beginning band is because my > administration moved it to the middle school level... I teach > K-5. I hope your outcome is better than mine. >

Oct 2, 2014

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Bev Iris One thing I do is hold an orientation meeting before band even gets started. Students are encouraged to attend along with their parents. I lay it all out in advance.

My program got booted after school a few years back, and my numbers were definitely suffering.

I was competing with dance lessons, and sports, and scouts, and all s...See More

Dec 4, 2014

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Valentine's Songs

by Kate

Dec 4, 2014

Hi All,

I am already thinking of my Valentine's Day program coming up in Feb. I have the pieces planned for K-2 and 1 for my 3rd grade kiddos, however I am at a loss for a few more. What are some fun suggestions for any Valentine's songs that could work for a spunky, energetic group of 3rd graders?

Thanks!! Kate

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what next?

by anon

Nov 5, 2014

This is my last year to teach public school and I am quite happy about that. I love my students, and if I could teach them without administration interference I would probably keep teaching. But the extra duties, ever changing lesson plan formats, new discipline plans, technology requirements, observations, and increasing demands are just plain wea...See More

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lis This is EXACTLY how I feel, too.whats sad is that I gave up teaching chorus this year. I really miss the joy of teaching the children how to sing good music, but I don't miss the hassles of volunteering to do it twice a week after school. I'm glad to hear your thoughts about church choir because I feel the same as you about it. If I could get a gro...See MoreThis is EXACTLY how I feel, too.whats sad is that I gave up teaching chorus this year. I really miss the joy of teaching the children how to sing good music, but I don't miss the hassles of volunteering to do it twice a week after school. I'm glad to hear your thoughts about church choir because I feel the same as you about it. If I could get a group of kids and adults that loved the Orff instruments like I do, now that would be so much fun!! I'm talking about a little ensemble that could play through the Orff books...Anyway, good luck to you. n 11/05/14, anon wrote: > This is my last year to teach public school and I am quite > happy about that. I love my students, and if I could > teach them without administration interference I would > probably keep teaching. But the extra duties, ever > changing lesson plan formats, new discipline plans, > technology requirements, observations, and increasing > demands are just plain wearing me out. The one thing I > will probably really miss is choir. I just love my 4th > grade choir. I am not a singer, but am a musician and have > learned to help the kids sing well and I love really > perfecting beautiful or challenging pieces, and watching > the kids grow to love good music. I would love to continue > doing something like this on a part time basis. I tried > teaching choir at my (very large) church, which has grade > level choirs, and is pretty extensive. The kids and other > leaders were nice but I found that I really don't like > teaching music that someone else chose, especially if it is > rock kind of music that supposedly appeals to kids. The > performances were often of combined groups with several > teachers standing in front of their section and keeping the > beat for the kids. There was no room for working on > musicality or expression. > Anyway, just wondering if there are any avenues for people > who would like to volunteer to teach choir and still have > some control and autonomy - and have kids who actually want > to be there? In other words if I could have all the joys > of teaching without some of the headaches, I would do it > for free!

Nov 7, 2014

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DonnaR/CA I hear where you are all coming from. My district admin made the unfortunate decision to drop all vocal music from the district -- K-6 left in spring 2012, 7-12 left in spring 2014. I miss it a LOT. I'm teaching Kindergarten now (self-contained classroom) and of course, some of the most fun times in class is where we are singing, playing rhythm sti...See More

Dec 3, 2014

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Site Sign Up

by chris

Nov 22, 2014

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Marzano???

by Mrs H

Nov 17, 2014

Hi everyone - my district is using the Marzano framework for our evaluation system, and it's the basis of pretty much all our staff meetings. We are supposed to come up with a "creative, turbo-charged, rigorous lesson that focuses on DQ4: What will I do to help students generate and test hypotheses about new knowledge?" It's supposed to be based on...See More

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what about... Some kind of composing activity using previously learned rhythms/melodic patterns?

SOme of this is a stretch, but...

Hypothesis: this will sound better if I... (end the pattern with a longer note, use some kind of motif, end on do, don't skip around too much, etc.)

Learning target: Students will be able to create a 8 meas...See MoreSome kind of composing activity using previously learned rhythms/melodic patterns?

SOme of this is a stretch, but...

Hypothesis: this will sound better if I... (end the pattern with a longer note, use some kind of motif, end on do, don't skip around too much, etc.)

Learning target: Students will be able to create a 8 measure rhythm using sixteenth notes, eighth notes, and quarter notes

Sequence of questions: Create a measure Create a 4 measure phrase Create a 4 measure phrase question, and 4 measure phrase answer Or Create with quarter and eighths Create with quarter, eighths, and sixteenths Create with quarter, eighths, sixteenths and two sixteenth eighth patterns

Cooperative groups: Each person create one 4 measure rhythm and combine with another partner or several people to create a longer pattern.

Graphic organizer: notation is a graphic organizer. Or, have them create their own notational system to show what they've written; or use beat pies (circle is beat, circle in half is eighth notes, etc.)

Formative assessment: Checking the measure, 4 measure pattern, etc. Exit slip=performing their work for the class

Differentiation: Self differentiated as they can create easier and harder to perform patterns. Lower functioning students could only create one measure to combine with others. Or, a really low functioning student could just do four quarter notes, etc.

On 11/17/14, Mrs H wrote: > Hi everyone - my district is using the Marzano framework > for our evaluation system, and it's the basis of pretty > much all our staff meetings. We are supposed to come up > with a "creative, turbo-charged, rigorous lesson that > focuses on DQ4: What will I do to help students generate > and test hypotheses about new knowledge?" It's supposed to > be based on previously taught information and used to > deepen knowledge. It must include all of the following: > learning target, a sequence of questions (increasing in > difficulty), cooperative groups, a graphic organizer, > differentiation, and a formative assessment such as an exit > slip. > HELP!! The art teacher and I are totally stumped. How can > we include all that in 45 minutes AND actually create > music/art?? > Is anyone else using Marzano? How are you making this work > at the elementary level seeing kids just once a week? For > me, making music is much more important than discussing it. > How am I going to "deepen knowledge" of a new pitch or note > value? What kind of hypothesis is a 4th grader going to > generate about low La? > Thanks for any insight you can give me at all!!!

Nov 17, 2014

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Mrs H This is great stuff - thank you very much!!

On 11/17/14, what about... wrote: > Some kind of composing activity using previously learned > rhythms/melodic patterns? > > SOme of this is a stretch, but... > > Hypothesis: this will sound better if I... (end the pattern > with a longer note, use some kind of motif, end on ...See More

Nov 18, 2014

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Chorus Behavior

by Msc Tchr

Oct 27, 2014

I have an after school chorus for 4th and 5th graders. I generally don't have major behavior issues with the students in regular music classes during the school day, but during chorus, I sometimes feel like I have a total lack of behavior management skills. They have to go to the bathroom, they call out, they have questions about everything, one pe...See More

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Gary I remember about 7 years ago with my 8th grade Honor Choir during the concert, one girl was combing the girls hair in front of her during the concert. I was running 103 fever at the time and trying to get through the concert. My principal called me in and told me that I didn't have control of the students on the risers. That was the only thing that...See MoreI remember about 7 years ago with my 8th grade Honor Choir during the concert, one girl was combing the girls hair in front of her during the concert. I was running 103 fever at the time and trying to get through the concert. My principal called me in and told me that I didn't have control of the students on the risers. That was the only thing that happened and I was sitting behind the piano playing and did not see it. Now I drill them on behavior and if I see anything and I mean anything , I stop the concert - pull them off the risers - sit them by the principal and continue on with the concert. I have never had a problem since. One time I actually called the parent from the audience to come get their child off the risers during the concert. As far as the classroom goes, Bathroom is before class starts - and only if an emergency during class. If I let one go and then the rest want to go, I just say NO. I have my rules and I really stick to them. Since it is an afterschool practice, I have had parents come and sit in my rehearsals, especially the students who call out and are a disruption. I have also called home and had the child speak to their parent or called the parent at work and had the child speak to them at work. That seems to work the best for me. Good LUck.

On 10/27/14, Msc Tchr wrote: > I have an after school chorus for 4th and 5th graders. I > generally don't have major behavior issues with the > students in regular music classes during the school day, > but during chorus, I sometimes feel like I have a total lack > of behavior management skills. They have to go to the > bathroom, they call out, they have questions about > everything, one person gets a headache and then all of a > sudden 4 more students have headaches, etc. I use Music > K-8 materials for music, so I don't think a dislike of the > music is an issue. > > What types of things do you do to keep students engaged > during rehearsals? I'm looking for things beyond "kick > them out." That should be a last resort. What do you do to > motivate to do their best and then what consequences do > you have before kicking them out?

Nov 13, 2014

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wayne I rehearse choir two days a week before school...I think that makes a difference. I don't normally have behavior problems, but if I do, I e-mail the parent and let them know that it has to be corrected if they are going to remain in the group.

My parents sign an enrollment form at the first of the year with choir requirements. It states th...See More

Nov 18, 2014

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