Instruments in General Music

There are few things more exciting and motivating for general music students (no matter the age) than instruments, and they are a great way to learn all sorts of musical skills and concepts. But managing the logistics of storing, handing out and collecting, and using the instruments with a class full of students without getting a headache can often...

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Introducing Xylophones

Xylophones and other barred percussion instruments are often a staple in elementary music classrooms, but it can be scary to put such expensive instruments in front of small children! I introduce barred instruments to my students in Kindergarten. Getting them started with the right technique and procedures is critical to being able to use them regularly...

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Assessing Prior Knowledge in General Music

One of the most common questions I get these days is some variation on this one: "I'm starting a new job and don't know what they learned with their previous teacher- how do I assess where they are right now so I can plan my lessons?" It's a great question that puts the students front and center in the curriculum planning process- here is how I go...

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2019 Rewind: Top Music Education Posts

Happy New Year! 2019 was a great year- I learned so much from the online conversations and connections I made through this website, and I continue to grow as a teacher through my writing and creating process. I'm so grateful to have this platform that allows me to reflect and explore ideas! Today I'm counting down the top 10 most-read posts of 2019....

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