Co-creating Success Criteria with Students

There has been research published in recent years that shows that students learn better when they know what they're supposed to be learning, and have a clear understanding of what successful demonstration of learning looks like: knowing the learning target and the success criteria. School leaders, including in my district, have started requiring all...

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Learning Targets in the Music Room

I've had lesson objectives posted on my wall for years now but this school year was the first time I was required by district administration to post detailed "learning targets" in a specific format, including success criteria, for every lesson. After doing a lot of my own research on the topic and a lot of trial and error, I have found some solutions...

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Accountability Without Power Struggles

It's no secret we're dealing with more disruptive behaviors in the classroom than ever before. It can be tough to navigate as a teacher, and it can often feel like we're fighting a losing battle. Today I have a simple strategy to share that I've found myself using more and more frequently in the last couple of years that I've found to be very effective.Dealing...

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Teaching Older Beginners

What do you do when your older students haven't been taught the concepts you would normally expect them to have learned when they were younger? Maybe you just took a new job and there hasn't been a certified music teacher in that position for a while, or maybe you teach in a school where the students don't even get to start music class until they're...

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