Craft Supplies for Home Decor: Washi Tape

Raise your hand if you've ever used craft supplies as home decor! I've found that many craft supplies are also perfect home decor items- they're generally cheaper than buying pre-decorated items, there are infinite color and pattern possibilities, and in most cases they're easy to change out if you're renting (or just flaky). Plus if you're like me...

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July Favorites 2017

I hope you have all been enjoying this month- I know I have! I took my daughters on vacation, worked on plenty of projects for school and home, and spent plenty of time outside playing with my girls. This really was a month full of amazing things I loved, but here are some highlights from this past month. 1. Updated girls' bedroom Believe...

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Elementary Music Teacher Wardrobe Essentials

I am pretty active in my classroom, as most elementary music teachers are. Within any given day, I need to have clothes that will allow me to dance, sit on the floor, interact with pre-teen boys, sing, conduct, play instruments (including some that go between my legs), and be comfortable in lots of different temperatures (because does anyone actually...

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Home Organization Tips to Get Ready for Back to School

I know it's still a long ways off for many of us, but today I want to share some of my favorite tips to get organized and plan ahead now during summer break to get ready for back to school season, whether you're a parent or a teacher (or both). Once the beginning of the school year hits, I find it so much harder to sit down and figure out which way...

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Mixed Methods Approach: how and why

Early in my teaching career, I felt a certain amount of pressure to choose a team to join- you know, the Orff team, the Kodaly team, the MLT team.... And everyone seemed to think their "team" was the best one, and considered it one of the primary sources of their identity. The conversation has shifted since then- most music teachers know that different...

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Top Tips for Traveling with Young Children

Traveling with young children can be so frustrating but so much fun too! Having grown up traveling all over the world, and now having taken my 5-year-olds on several trips over the last few years, here are my top tips for staying sane and having fun on your next trip with your kids, whether it's on the road or in the air! Planning for the trip: Packing...

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Children's Literature in Elementary Music Lessons

I love using books in my elementary music lessons, especially for younger students! It's amazing how much more engaged they are when there's a story, and they retain the concepts much better when it's tied to a book. I've shared lots of favorites on this blog, so today I thought I would round them up in one central place. Click on the picture to visit...

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