Small Goals: April 2017

I have found it to be such a wonderful practice to set small goals at the beginning of each month. It really helps me to feel motivated as I go into each new month, and helps me to focus on the most important parts of each aspect of my life. Thanks to Jennifer from The Yellow Brick Road for the prompt each month- be sure to check out her post if you want more inspiration to get you going this month!

Last month's goals

First a look back at last month's goals, which were to file my taxes, arrange at least one play date, and to practice even more grace and peace, particularly at school. I feel pretty good about all of those! I was able to file my taxes in one (albeit long) afternoon, arranged a pretty awesome playdate with 4 other girls (2 from each of the girls' classes) to go to a Michael's crafting class, and I have been very conscious about continuing to show grace and peace in my classroom (and I think it has helped!). So on with this month's goals!

1. Upload the 2017-2018 planners!!!

Just talking (or typing, rather) about planners makes me want to squeal with excitement! You guys, I am so close to having everything ready for the new school year's planners and I can't wait to share the new versions with you! If you want to see what I'm talking about, take a tour of my current planner here, or see the planners I have in my store (they get updated for free each school year around this time) here. And stay tuned- I'll most definitely be sharing my shiny new planner once it's ready!!!! :D If you're already a proud Organized Chaos planner owner, be sure to check your "my purchases" for updates in the next couple of weeks- I know many of you have been chomping at the bit like I am! ;)

2. Enjoy time with family

Spring break is starting up soon for me, and with my birthday happening this month as well, I'm looking forward to having some relaxing time with family. Hopefully the weather will cooperate so we can enjoy being out in the warm sunshine too- last month's weather was just awful!

3. Get ready for my spring concert

I can't believe it but there are just a few more rehearsals left with each of my choirs before our spring concert, and this time I'm pulling out all of the stops with some massive combined numbers that include all of the choral and instrumental groups. If I can pull it off, it will be amazing. If I don't, it will be sad. I want to make sure each of my groups feel very comfortable with their music this month, so that next month when we start combined rehearsals, we can focus on logistics and ensemble skills rather than the technicalities of individual parts. I'm excited to see it all come together!

That's it for me this month. April is my favorite month of the year, so I'm looking forward to great things! What are you most looking forward to this month? What are you hoping to accomplish? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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Small Goals: March 2017

I love the fresh opportunities for reflection that each new month brings! I'm sharing my "small goals" again this month along with Jennifer from The Yellow Brick Road. If you're looking for more inspiration (or just want to get to know another really cool music education blogger!), head on over to see her post as well :)

Last month's goals

My "small goals" last month were to get ready for Music In Our Schools Month, start my tax filing, and practice more grace and more peace in my classroom. I managed to get all of my MIOSM prep done (and things are going very well so far), and I think I did pretty well with the grace and peace (more on that later), but I definitely did not start my taxes. Boo. So that's going to be one of my goals again this month (since it pretty much has to happen at this point).

Goal 1: file my taxes

Welp, I guess getting it done early isn't going to really happen. Hopefully it won't be too painful of a process, but I need to set aside a chunk of time to get my taxes done this month so I'm not rushing right before the deadline!

Goals 2: even more grace and peace

The last few weeks have been really tough for some of my students, especially the older ones. I teach in a K-6 building so the 6th graders always end up dealing with changing hormones and looking at transitioning to middle school around this time each year, which can make for some pretty serious craziness. But this year I've had some students confide in me recently about some pretty heavy stuff going on in their lives, and it has been a difficult but important reminder of just how much stuff my students deal with on a regular basis outside of school. My goal is to continue to support those kids with whom I've developed a closer personal connection as best as I can and to continue to offer grace and peace as much as I can to all of my students.

Goal 3: arrange at least one play date

One of my daughters told me recently that she has been sad at school because her "best friends" have been playing with other kids and she has had trouble finding someone to play with. We talked about it, and she has found some people to play with at school, but I also promised to try to invite some friends over for a play date sometime so she could further foster those friendships. I want to make sure I don't forget to do that! Several of them will be going to the same kindergarten with them, so it will be great for them to get to play together outside of school!

What are your goals for this month? March is always a busy time of year, but a lot of great things happen too! I hope you all have a wonderful month ahead, and be sure to head on over to Jennifer's post to see what she's up to as well :)

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Small Goals: February 2017

It's amazing how quickly a month can fly by! I love taking the time each month to reflect on the past month and look forward to the next- it helps me stay motivated and focused on the most important things I want to accomplish. I'm linking up with Jennifer from The Yellow Brick Road to do just that- I hope you'll join us in taking a moment to reflect! Click on the picture below to see what Jennifer is up to this month, and leave a comment below to share your own thoughts and goals.

Last month's goals

My small goals last month were to clean the house, choose my choirs' repertoire, and make progress on my 2017-2018 teacher planners. I honestly didn't get as much done on each of these as I hoped, but I did at least do some work on each of them, so I'm going to call that a win.

Goal 1: get ready for MIOSM

I celebrate Music In Our Schools Month at school each year, and this year I'm planning to make some changes from my normal festivities. I am hoping (this weekend, actually) to update the visuals I use for the 2 games/contests I do in class (I've been using the same old images I found in Word 10 years ago! Woops...) and I'm also thinking of changing the way I set up my busker-style performances. (Click here if you want to know more about the activities I have been doing to celebrate MIOSM in the past, and stay tuned on the blog for updates if and when I get them ready ;) )

Goal 2: start my tax filing

I hesitate to make this a goal because it may not be realistic, but I would really like to at least make some progress on filing my taxes this month. I'm still kindof learning how to do all of this stuff, so I know it's going to take some time (also I avoid anything related to money management like the plague so I know I need extra motivation to actually do it).

Goal 3: more grace, more peace

The last 2 weeks in my school have been wacky. I don't know why but the students and staff have all been on edge and we've all been getting on each other's nerves. Everybody is grumpy. I need to remember to keep responding to negativity, hurt, anger, and stress with grace and peace, even when I feel like I've already done that 7 million times that day.

That's it for me! Looking for more inspiration to get your month going? Head over to Jennifer's post. Ready to share your goals with the world? Leave a comment below. Want to stay informed about what I'm up to? Sign up below for my monthly newsletter, or sign up over on the right side of this page to have every post sent straight to your email inbox!

Have a wonderful month, everyone! :)

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Small Goals: January 2017

Wow, can you believe it's 2017!?!? Crazy. I'm linking up with Jennifer over at The Yellow Brick Road blog to share my small goals for the month of January. I hope you'll join me in thinking ahead and setting some small, manageable goals to get excited about the month (and year!) ahead. Head on over to the link-up (click on the picture below) to see what Jennifer and other bloggers are up to- you're sure to find some inspiration to get you going!

Here are my goals for the month ahead!

1. Clean up my house

I had big plans to do lots of cleaning and purging over winter break. I accomplished some of that but not most. Between Christmas, my daughters' birthday, and stomach viruses my house is in desperate need of a good clean. I'm not going to say my house will be magazine-worthy by the end of the month, but I'd like to make sure I spend a little time each weekend cleaning up this month so I can at least restore some order. The clutter is stressing me out.

2. Find some great repertoire for my choral groups

I won't lie, my winter concert with my choirs was pretty awesome. Now I'm struggling to find just the right songs to keep that momentum going in the spring. I usually focus on songs from non-Western cultures in the spring and I always include at least one "pop song" for my 5th and 6th graders, focusing on songs that allow them to work on parallel harmony and solo work. If anybody has some great suggestions, I'm all ears! My kids respond best to pop songs performed by artists of color, so I'd love some suggestions on something in that category that's also clean (without me having to do any cleaning myself).

3. Make significant progress on my 2017-2018 planners

I've got the ideas in my head of improvements I want to make for next school year's planners, and now I need to actually make them so they're ready to be released in the spring! This is a mammoth project every year (but one that I enjoy), so I need to keep plugging away to get them ready in time. Woohoo!! New planners make me giddy ;)

That's it for my January goals! What are you hoping to accomplish this month? Anybody have some suggestions for my choir music? Leave me a comment- I love hearing from you!

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Small Goals: December 2016

I love setting small goals for myself each month, and this month is a good one to slow down for a minute to get my priorities in order! I'm linking up with Jennifer from The Yellow Brick Road again this month to share my small goals for the month ahead. Click on the picture below to check out her small goals and see what everyone else is up to as well!

First a quick look back at last month's goals:

1. Get some Christmas shopping done

2. Survive report card writing and parent conferences

3. Make an update list for next year's teacher planners

How did I do? Well, I'm pretty much done with my Christmas shopping, so that's a plus :) I have a few more friends to buy a small gift for, but that's about it. Report cards and conferences were not my favorite thing but yes, I did survive, and I did make an update list for next year's planners, thanks to the awesome planner lovers in my Facebook group (here's the link if you want to join- we have lots of fun sharing ideas and answering questions about our planners!). 

Alrighty, on to this month's goals!

1. Enjoy our Advent activities with my daughters

I am having so much fun with our Christmas activities this year! Every year it gets more and more fun as the girls get older :) If you want to see what's on my list for this year (trust me, it's all simple stuff and most of it is stuff I would be doing anyway) here's my blog post on that, and if you want to see what we're up to each day, I've been sharing photos of our goings-on on Instagram :)

2. Have fun with my winter concert

I'm surprisingly feeling really good about my upcoming winter concert. I was really worried at the beginning of the school year that my choirs would not be able to handle the same level of music that I had done in the past, but these groups have surprised me every week and they are SO READY. I really hope the concert goes well, for their sake, because they have worked so hard for it! I'm actually feeling slightly ahead of the game with all of my concert preparations so my goal is to try to relax and just enjoy the music with my kids!

You know, I think I'm going to stop with just 2 goals this month. Better not get ahead of myself- I am a music teacher in the thick of December craziness after all! What are you up to this month? What are you hoping to focus on most this holiday season? I'd love to hear about your plans and thoughts in the comments below!

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My Favorite Nutcracker Music Lesson Ideas

For many music teachers, December in the music room means The Nutcracker! Today I want to share some of my favorite lesson ideas using The Nutcracker that I love doing with my elementary students, and I'm also including a link-up at the end of the post for other bloggers to share their favorite Nutcracker lessons, so be sure to check those out as well!

1. Movement

I've shared this before but it is still my favorite Nutcracker lesson. I created these movements to go with the March, Trepak (Russian), and Sugar Plum Fairy music a few years ago. Not only are they great because they are active, but they are a great way to reinforce the form in each movement as well as other musical elements like articulation. The idea for the Sugar Plum Fairy is a painter- first painting dots, then painting swirls and turning the canvas to see which way it should go, then back to painting dots.

2. Play-along

This one is great for reinforcing form as well, but it's also the perfect way to practice steady beat and rhythm and break out those instruments! This play-along video by Denise Gagne shows rhythms and steady beat sections for students to play on instruments to go with the Nutcracker Overture.

3. Arrangements

For upper elementary students, I like to introduce the concept of arranging with these examples of totally different versions of the Sugar Plum Fairy. First we watch each of the videos, and discuss what elements were the same and which were different (what things can you change without changing the song itself?). Afterwards, I have students create an arrangement of a simple song (like Jingle Bells) in small groups to perform for the class. Besides introducing students to the concept of arranging, it's also a great way to review music vocabulary through the discussion of musical elements.

"original" with traditional ballet dancer:

On wine glasses:

Electrohouse/ Dubstep:

Asian folk metal:

a capella:

What are some of your favorite lessons using The Nutcracker? If you're a blogger, please link up your (non-product heavy) posts below, and I'd love to hear everyone's favorite ideas in the comments!

Want more? Sign up here for the Organized Chaos Newsletter to get ideas and resources sent straight to your inbox. You can also check out my complete general music curriculum resources here!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Small Goals: November 2016

I seriously cannot believe it's November already! I'm linking up with Jennifer from The Yellow Brick Road to share my monthly "small goals"- be sure to head on over to her post to read about what she's up to as well, and if you'd like, link up a post of your own or share your goals in the comments!

First a look back at last month's goals: 

1. Reconnect with a few friends

2. Enjoy Halloween with my daughters

3. Start teaching ukulele for the first time

Done, done and done! :) I was able to connect with all of the friends I had in mind, and it was great! My daughters ended up dressing up as Princess Sophia and Ariel, and they both thoroughly enjoyed trick-or-treating. Even the jack-o-lantern carving went well! And the ukuleles have been great too, although I'm getting tired of hearing my students whining about how their fingers hurt...

So on with this month's goals!

1. Get some Christmas shopping done

I'm not going to go crazy and think I will get all of my shopping done, but I would like to get started with at least a couple of things that I already know I want to get. That way I can focus on figuring out the presents I haven't decided on, and check one more thing off the always-too-long holiday list! If you're shopping for your kids like I am, you might like this holiday shopping guide from Modern Parents Messy Kids. I found it a couple of years ago and I always get a few great ideas from them!

2. Survive report card writing and parent conferences

These have got to be two of my least favorite teacher tasks, and they'll both be happening this month! Perseverance is all I ask for.

3. Make an update list for next year's teacher planners

Believe it or not, this is the time of year when I start making my list of revisions and updates I want to make for the next school year's planners! If you don't know, I have a bunch of teacher/home/life planners in my store here, and I update them (for free) every school year. If you own one of the planners and you have ideas/suggestions, come join my planner group on Facebook and let me know what you'd like to see! :)

Stay in touch! Sign up right here for the Organized Chaos newsletter and get ideas for home and school sent straight to your inbox.

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Small Goals: October 2016

I'm linking up with Jennifer over at The Yellow Brick Road to share my small goals for the month of October! If you haven't ever checked out the Small Goals monthly link-up, you really should head over to Jennifer's post (just click on the image below) and read through the posts. I always find it entertaining and insightful to read about what others are thinking and planning, and I often find inspiration for things I want to try myself as well!

First, a look back at the goals I set last month:

1. Remember to take my lunch out of the fridge

So I figured this one out but maybe not in the way I had intended- I just stopped putting my lunch in the fridge. I now put my packed lunch (with an ice pack) right next to my purse as soon as I make it. I haven't forgotten to take my lunch to school since.

2. Try not to scream when I hear, "I want"

This fun phase that my daughter was going through has died down enough for me to say that I did achieve my goal. I'm not saying I don't still have 4 year olds who often *cough* act their age, but the constant whining has been toned down enough to make it manageable. 

3. Get the rest of my new centers set up

Yes! This is an actual thing that I actually did! I just finished putting together the last one this past weekend and I will be sharing some of my new ideas in future blog posts.

OK, so on with this month's goals!

1. Reconnect with a few friends

With all of the back-to-school craziness, I have to admit I have let some of my friendships slip onto the back burner. I've recently had several moments when one of them would pop into my head randomly and I would realize that I hadn't talked to them since August- I think that's my cue to set aside some time to reconnect! I have 3 people specifically in mind that I definitely want to get in touch with in the next couple of weeks, even if it's just a few texts.

2. Enjoy Halloween with my daughters

I'm not really a Halloween person, to be honest. I grew up in Japan where (at least in my day) it wasn't even a thing. But this year I am looking forward to doing a little trick-or-treating with my girls, because it's the first time in 3 years that we'll actually be together for Halloween evening (just the way the days fell with custody the last 2 Halloweens). As you might imagine, the last time I was with them for trick-or-treating time they weren't really into it (being under 2 at the time). I'm hoping to convince them not to dress up as Disney characters, but that may be setting the bar too high for myself...

3. Start teaching ukulele for the first time

Yes it's true. I got a donorschoose project funded just before the start of summer vacation, and my instruments finally all arrived a few weeks ago! I've been scheming for months now and I can't wait to introduce my 6th graders to the ukulele! I am slightly dreading the inevitable tuning/string issues, but I think it will be worth it. I have a picture on my Instagram account if you want to see them hanging beautifully on my classroom wall!!!! :)

I think that's it for me this month! Make sure to go check out Jennifer's post to read about what other bloggers are up to this month and share your own small goals :)

Read more "Small Goals: October 2016"

Small Goals: September 2016

I'm linking up with Jennifer from The Yellow Brick Road today to share my small goals for the month. I love taking the time to reflect and get refocused each month, and this month is no different. Make sure you click on the picture below to go check out the link-up and see what other people are up to this month! And if you want to join in and set some goals yourself, leave a comment below! You'll feel more motivated to complete your goals if you share them :)

1. Remember to take my lunch out of the fridge

My daughters and I started classes last week, and I managed to leave the lunch I had packed for myself in the fridge twice in 5 days. Granted, I did manage to send the kids to school with everything they needed, and I did not forget my keys, planner, or other major item I need to survive, but it certainly did not help my first-week-back-tired to not have my lunch! This month my goal is to actually take the lunch I pack out of the fridge and get it to work with me. We'll see.

2. Try not to scream when I hear, "I want"

My girls... actually scratch that, one of my daughters.... has been in a bit of a phase lately. It has gotten to the point that when she starts a sentence with, "I want...." in the whiney voice she has recently adopted, I feel the physical urge to scream. My goal is to not scream. That's probably a good thing to aim for, right? OK.

3. Get the rest of my new centers set up

I came across some awesome new center ideas this summer and gathered all of the supplies, but haven't had the chance to put them all together so they are ready to be used yet. My goal is to have those done by the end of the month so that I have them ready when the first class earns a day of centers. 

Clearly I have very low standards for the month of September- that is intentional! Boy, that first week back at school sure was a rude awakening (as it is every year,Honestly if we all survive the month without anyone getting seriously ill or blowing a gasket, we will have done well. 

What are you up to this month? I'd love to hear from you in the comments or on social media! Don't forget to click on the picture above to see the other goals posts that have been linked up. Happy September!

Read more "Small Goals: September 2016"

Fermata Friday: August 12, 2016

Welcome to this week's installment of my weekly linky party, Fermata Fridays! For a few reasons, I have decided that this will be the final installment of Fermata Fridays on my blog: starting next week I will be inviting people to share their blog posts on social media and featuring posts that way. I think the change in format will allow me to continue sharing awesome posts from other blogs while getting rid of some of that extra bulk that hosting a weekly linky adds to my blog. If you aren't already be sure to follow my Facebook page to stay updated on future Fermata Fridays!

This is a chance for music education bloggers to share blog posts with readers and bloggers alike, so we can all mingle and learn from each other. Readers, you are going to love all of the awesome blog posts that are out there- I hope you discover some new blogs to follow and get some new inspiration for your teaching! Bloggers, make sure you read the directions carefully before linking up to make sure we keep the party fun for everyone. Thanks! :)

Here are the rules for the linky party:

1. Add the linky image to your blog post, blog sidebar, linky party roundup, or other similar location on your blog and link it back to the party. Copy and paste the code for this button, or use the image above and link to the label "Fermata Fridays".

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://caldwellorganizedchaos.blogspot.com/search/label/Fermata%20Fridays"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5AShYQiAk-NC2PM5EMpGrK31c3bfaUO7qbi6cCVXVIW-ySfO3xfYbJOj0WAbRcl11hVrCCWLIiqFjqs2cV8Yu8Zw-HEdtId-jZRpwv-W6p9VwBWQZvreaxjOfVBwlw-YdvMr_BbR3M0/s1600/fermata+friday+button.jpg" /></a></div><br />

2. Add up to two blog post links to the linky. The posts can be old or new (but no posts that have already been linked up to Fermata Fridays in the past), on any topic related to music teaching, but must not be primarily featuring a product. It's fine to have a link to a relevant product within a post, but that should not be the primary focus of the post. I reserve the right to delete a link that is too product-focused. If you're not sure, just ask! :)

3. Leave a thoughtful comment on at least two other links, including the one right before yours. Add #fermatafridays to your comment so bloggers know where you found them!

4. Pin at least one post to one of your Pinterest boards.

5. Make sure you are following me on Pinterest. I will be pinning every link to the Fermata Fridays board each week.

6. Make sure you are following me on Facebook and check back next Friday- I will be featuring one of the links from the previous week's linky on my Facebook page each Friday!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Fermata Friday: August 5, 2016

Welcome to this week's installment of my weekly linky party, Fermata Fridays! This is a chance for music education bloggers to share blog posts with readers and bloggers alike, so we can all mingle and learn from each other. Readers, you are going to love all of the awesome blog posts that are out there- I hope you discover some new blogs to follow and get some new inspiration for your teaching! Bloggers, make sure you read the directions carefully before linking up to make sure we keep the party fun for everyone. Thanks! :)

Here are the rules for the linky party:

1. Add the linky image to your blog post, blog sidebar, linky party roundup, or other similar location on your blog and link it back to the party. Copy and paste the code for this button, or use the image above and link to the label "Fermata Fridays".

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://caldwellorganizedchaos.blogspot.com/search/label/Fermata%20Fridays"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5AShYQiAk-NC2PM5EMpGrK31c3bfaUO7qbi6cCVXVIW-ySfO3xfYbJOj0WAbRcl11hVrCCWLIiqFjqs2cV8Yu8Zw-HEdtId-jZRpwv-W6p9VwBWQZvreaxjOfVBwlw-YdvMr_BbR3M0/s1600/fermata+friday+button.jpg" /></a></div><br />

2. Add up to two blog post links to the linky. The posts can be old or new (but no posts that have already been linked up to Fermata Fridays in the past), on any topic related to music teaching, but must not be primarily featuring a product. It's fine to have a link to a relevant product within a post, but that should not be the primary focus of the post. I reserve the right to delete a link that is too product-focused. If you're not sure, just ask! :)

3. Leave a thoughtful comment on at least two other links, including the one right before yours. Add #fermatafridays to your comment so bloggers know where you found them!

4. Pin at least one post to one of your Pinterest boards.

5. Make sure you are following me on Pinterest. I will be pinning every link to the Fermata Fridays board each week.

6. Make sure you are following me on Facebook and check back next Friday- I will be featuring one of the links from the previous week's linky on my Facebook page each Friday!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Fermata Friday: July 29, 2016

Welcome to this week's installment of my weekly linky party, Fermata Fridays! This is a chance for music education bloggers to share blog posts with readers and bloggers alike, so we can all mingle and learn from each other. Readers, you are going to love all of the awesome blog posts that are out there- I hope you discover some new blogs to follow and get some new inspiration for your teaching! Bloggers, make sure you read the directions carefully before linking up to make sure we keep the party fun for everyone. Thanks! :)

Here are the rules for the linky party:

1. Add the linky image to your blog post, blog sidebar, linky party roundup, or other similar location on your blog and link it back to the party. Copy and paste the code for this button, or use the image above and link to the label "Fermata Fridays".

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://caldwellorganizedchaos.blogspot.com/search/label/Fermata%20Fridays"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5AShYQiAk-NC2PM5EMpGrK31c3bfaUO7qbi6cCVXVIW-ySfO3xfYbJOj0WAbRcl11hVrCCWLIiqFjqs2cV8Yu8Zw-HEdtId-jZRpwv-W6p9VwBWQZvreaxjOfVBwlw-YdvMr_BbR3M0/s1600/fermata+friday+button.jpg" /></a></div><br />

2. Add up to two blog post links to the linky. The posts can be old or new (but no posts that have already been linked up to Fermata Fridays in the past), on any topic related to music teaching, but must not be primarily featuring a product. It's fine to have a link to a relevant product within a post, but that should not be the primary focus of the post. I reserve the right to delete a link that is too product-focused. If you're not sure, just ask! :)

3. Leave a thoughtful comment on at least two other links, including the one right before yours. Add #fermatafridays to your comment so bloggers know where you found them!

4. Pin at least one post to one of your Pinterest boards.

5. Make sure you are following me on Pinterest. I will be pinning every link to the Fermata Fridays board each week.

6. Make sure you are following me on Facebook and check back next Friday- I will be featuring one of the links from the previous week's linky on my Facebook page each Friday!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Fermata Friday: July 22, 2016

Welcome to this week's installment of my weekly linky party, Fermata Fridays! This is a chance for music education bloggers to share blog posts with readers and bloggers alike, so we can all mingle and learn from each other. Readers, you are going to love all of the awesome blog posts that are out there- I hope you discover some new blogs to follow and get some new inspiration for your teaching! Bloggers, make sure you read the directions carefully before linking up to make sure we keep the party fun for everyone. Thanks! :)

Here are the rules for the linky party:

1. Add the linky image to your blog post, blog sidebar, linky party roundup, or other similar location on your blog and link it back to the party. Copy and paste the code for this button, or use the image above and link to the label "Fermata Fridays".

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://caldwellorganizedchaos.blogspot.com/search/label/Fermata%20Fridays"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5AShYQiAk-NC2PM5EMpGrK31c3bfaUO7qbi6cCVXVIW-ySfO3xfYbJOj0WAbRcl11hVrCCWLIiqFjqs2cV8Yu8Zw-HEdtId-jZRpwv-W6p9VwBWQZvreaxjOfVBwlw-YdvMr_BbR3M0/s1600/fermata+friday+button.jpg" /></a></div><br />

2. Add up to two blog post links to the linky. The posts can be old or new (but no posts that have already been linked up to Fermata Fridays in the past), on any topic related to music teaching, but must not be primarily featuring a product. It's fine to have a link to a relevant product within a post, but that should not be the primary focus of the post. I reserve the right to delete a link that is too product-focused. If you're not sure, just ask! :)

3. Leave a thoughtful comment on at least two other links, including the one right before yours. Add #fermatafridays to your comment so bloggers know where you found them!

4. Pin at least one post to one of your Pinterest boards.

5. Make sure you are following me on Pinterest. I will be pinning every link to the Fermata Fridays board each week.

6. Make sure you are following me on Facebook and check back next Friday- I will be featuring one of the links from the previous week's linky on my Facebook page each Friday!

An InLinkz Link-up

Read more "Fermata Friday: July 22, 2016"

Fermata Friday: July 15, 2016

Welcome to this week's installment of my weekly linky party, Fermata Fridays! This is a chance for music education bloggers to share blog posts with readers and bloggers alike, so we can all mingle and learn from each other. Readers, you are going to love all of the awesome blog posts that are out there- I hope you discover some new blogs to follow and get some new inspiration for your teaching! Bloggers, make sure you read the directions carefully before linking up to make sure we keep the party fun for everyone. Thanks! :)

Here are the rules for the linky party:

1. Add the linky image to your blog post, blog sidebar, linky party roundup, or other similar location on your blog and link it back to the party. Copy and paste the code for this button, or use the image above and link to the label "Fermata Fridays".

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://caldwellorganizedchaos.blogspot.com/search/label/Fermata%20Fridays"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5AShYQiAk-NC2PM5EMpGrK31c3bfaUO7qbi6cCVXVIW-ySfO3xfYbJOj0WAbRcl11hVrCCWLIiqFjqs2cV8Yu8Zw-HEdtId-jZRpwv-W6p9VwBWQZvreaxjOfVBwlw-YdvMr_BbR3M0/s1600/fermata+friday+button.jpg" /></a></div><br />

2. Add up to two blog post links to the linky. The posts can be old or new (but no posts that have already been linked up to Fermata Fridays in the past), on any topic related to music teaching, but must not be primarily featuring a product. It's fine to have a link to a relevant product within a post, but that should not be the primary focus of the post. I reserve the right to delete a link that is too product-focused. If you're not sure, just ask! :)

3. Leave a thoughtful comment on at least two other links, including the one right before yours. Add #fermatafridays to your comment so bloggers know where you found them!

4. Pin at least one post to one of your Pinterest boards.

5. Make sure you are following me on Pinterest. I will be pinning every link to the Fermata Fridays board each week.

6. Make sure you are following me on Facebook and check back next Friday- I will be featuring one of the links from the previous week's linky on my Facebook page each Friday!

An InLinkz Link-up

Read more "Fermata Friday: July 15, 2016"

Fermata Friday: July 8, 2016

Welcome to this week's installment of my weekly linky party, Fermata Fridays! This is a chance for music education bloggers to share blog posts with readers and bloggers alike, so we can all mingle and learn from each other. Readers, you are going to love all of the awesome blog posts that are out there- I hope you discover some new blogs to follow and get some new inspiration for your teaching! Bloggers, make sure you read the directions carefully before linking up to make sure we keep the party fun for everyone. Thanks! :)

Here are the rules for the linky party:

1. Add the linky image to your blog post, blog sidebar, linky party roundup, or other similar location on your blog and link it back to the party. Copy and paste the code for this button, or use the image above and link to the label "Fermata Fridays".

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://caldwellorganizedchaos.blogspot.com/search/label/Fermata%20Fridays"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5AShYQiAk-NC2PM5EMpGrK31c3bfaUO7qbi6cCVXVIW-ySfO3xfYbJOj0WAbRcl11hVrCCWLIiqFjqs2cV8Yu8Zw-HEdtId-jZRpwv-W6p9VwBWQZvreaxjOfVBwlw-YdvMr_BbR3M0/s1600/fermata+friday+button.jpg" /></a></div><br />

2. Add up to two blog post links to the linky. The posts can be old or new (but no posts that have already been linked up to Fermata Fridays in the past), on any topic related to music teaching, but must not be primarily featuring a product. It's fine to have a link to a relevant product within a post, but that should not be the primary focus of the post. I reserve the right to delete a link that is too product-focused. If you're not sure, just ask! :)

3. Leave a thoughtful comment on at least two other links, including the one right before yours. Add #fermatafridays to your comment so bloggers know where you found them!

4. Pin at least one post to one of your Pinterest boards.

5. Make sure you are following me on Pinterest. I will be pinning every link to the Fermata Fridays board each week.

6. Make sure you are following me on Facebook and check back next Friday- I will be featuring one of the links from the previous week's linky on my Facebook page each Friday!

An InLinkz Link-up

Read more "Fermata Friday: July 8, 2016"

Small Goals: July 2016

I can't believe it's already July- seriously! I'm linking up with Jennifer at The Yellow Brick Road again this month to share my small goals for the month. Make sure you head on over to her post to see all of the others who are sharing their goals for the month- it is always motivating to see what others are planning, and I often learn something new about my favorite bloggers in the process! ;)

1. Start posting on Instagram

So last month my goal was to create my Instagram account. I managed to check that off my list but have posted.... zero pictures. Haha! Oh well, baby steps, folks! This month I'm hoping to start actually posting pictures, now that I've got everything set up (and found some awesome people to follow too!). If you want to see my newbie posts, here's my account. Just go easy on me, OK? I'm just figuring this stuff out! :)

2. Put up some decorations on the girls' bedroom walls

I have been hemming and hawing for months trying to figure out how to make my vision for the girls' bedroom come to life without spending an arm and a leg. I think I've finally figured it out... now I just have to make it (because you know, obviously this is going to be a DIY project... if you didn't see that coming then you haven't been reading my blog enough LOL)! I really hope it works, because if it does it's going to be awesome!!!

3. Finish my long range plans for next school year

I can't even begin to describe how excited I am- after plugging away at my long-range plans each summer for almost a decade, I have not one but TWO colleagues who have agreed to work on the plans with me this summer!!! Life goal achieved. I already met with one music teacher from another elementary school in my district a few weeks ago and we made it through kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade.... in 5 hours. I could go on for days with this stuff though! I'm meeting with another elementary music colleague later this month and we're hoping to finish grades 3-6. We'll see. Either way I would like to get all of them done by the end of this month so that I have time to get everything ready that I need to actually, you know, implement those plans before school starts!

I have a few other goals in mind but I'm gonna go easy on myself and only publicly commit to these three. It is summer, after all! I hope you are all having a wonderful summer, and if you want more inspiration (or just some fun reading), go check out the small goals link-up here. Happy July!

Read more "Small Goals: July 2016"

Fermata Friday: July 1, 2016

Welcome to this week's installment of my weekly linky party, Fermata Fridays! This is a chance for music education bloggers to share blog posts with readers and bloggers alike, so we can all mingle and learn from each other. Readers, you are going to love all of the awesome blog posts that are out there- I hope you discover some new blogs to follow and get some new inspiration for your teaching! Bloggers, make sure you read the directions carefully before linking up to make sure we keep the party fun for everyone. Thanks! :)

Here are the rules for the linky party:

1. Add the linky image to your blog post, blog sidebar, linky party roundup, or other similar location on your blog and link it back to the party. Copy and paste the code for this button, or use the image above and link to the label "Fermata Fridays".

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://caldwellorganizedchaos.blogspot.com/search/label/Fermata%20Fridays"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5AShYQiAk-NC2PM5EMpGrK31c3bfaUO7qbi6cCVXVIW-ySfO3xfYbJOj0WAbRcl11hVrCCWLIiqFjqs2cV8Yu8Zw-HEdtId-jZRpwv-W6p9VwBWQZvreaxjOfVBwlw-YdvMr_BbR3M0/s1600/fermata+friday+button.jpg" /></a></div><br />

2. Add up to two blog post links to the linky. The posts can be old or new (but no posts that have already been linked up to Fermata Fridays in the past), on any topic related to music teaching, but must not be primarily featuring a product. It's fine to have a link to a relevant product within a post, but that should not be the primary focus of the post. I reserve the right to delete a link that is too product-focused. If you're not sure, just ask! :)

3. Leave a thoughtful comment on at least two other links, including the one right before yours. Add #fermatafridays to your comment so bloggers know where you found them!

4. Pin at least one post to one of your Pinterest boards.

5. Make sure you are following me on Pinterest. I will be pinning every link to the Fermata Fridays board each week.

6. Make sure you are following me on Facebook and check back next Friday- I will be featuring one of the links from the previous week's linky on my Facebook page each Friday!

An InLinkz Link-up

Read more "Fermata Friday: July 1, 2016"

Fermata Friday: June 24, 2016

Welcome to this week's installment of my weekly linky party, Fermata Fridays! This is a chance for music education bloggers to share blog posts with readers and bloggers alike, so we can all mingle and learn from each other. Readers, you are going to love all of the awesome blog posts that are out there- I hope you discover some new blogs to follow and get some new inspiration for your teaching! Bloggers, make sure you read the directions carefully before linking up to make sure we keep the party fun for everyone. Thanks! :)

Here are the rules for the linky party:

1. Add the linky image to your blog post, blog sidebar, linky party roundup, or other similar location on your blog and link it back to the party. Copy and paste the code for this button, or use the image above and link to the label "Fermata Fridays".

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://caldwellorganizedchaos.blogspot.com/search/label/Fermata%20Fridays"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5AShYQiAk-NC2PM5EMpGrK31c3bfaUO7qbi6cCVXVIW-ySfO3xfYbJOj0WAbRcl11hVrCCWLIiqFjqs2cV8Yu8Zw-HEdtId-jZRpwv-W6p9VwBWQZvreaxjOfVBwlw-YdvMr_BbR3M0/s1600/fermata+friday+button.jpg" /></a></div><br />

2. Add up to two blog post links to the linky. The posts can be old or new (but no posts that have already been linked up to Fermata Fridays in the past), on any topic related to music teaching, but must not be primarily featuring a product. It's fine to have a link to a relevant product within a post, but that should not be the primary focus of the post. I reserve the right to delete a link that is too product-focused. If you're not sure, just ask! :)

3. Leave a thoughtful comment on at least two other links, including the one right before yours. Add #fermatafridays to your comment so bloggers know where you found them!

4. Pin at least one post to one of your Pinterest boards.

5. Make sure you are following me on Pinterest. I will be pinning every link to the Fermata Fridays board each week.

6. Make sure you are following me on Facebook and check back next Friday- I will be featuring one of the links from the previous week's linky on my Facebook page each Friday!

An InLinkz Link-up

Read more "Fermata Friday: June 24, 2016"

Fermata Friday: June 17, 2016

Welcome to this week's installment of my weekly linky party, Fermata Fridays! This is a chance for music education bloggers to share blog posts with readers and bloggers alike, so we can all mingle and learn from each other. Readers, you are going to love all of the awesome blog posts that are out there- I hope you discover some new blogs to follow and get some new inspiration for your teaching! Bloggers, make sure you read the directions carefully before linking up to make sure we keep the party fun for everyone. Thanks! :)

Here are the rules for the linky party:

1. Add the linky image to your blog post, blog sidebar, linky party roundup, or other similar location on your blog and link it back to the party. Copy and paste the code for this button, or use the image above and link to the label "Fermata Fridays".

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://caldwellorganizedchaos.blogspot.com/search/label/Fermata%20Fridays"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5AShYQiAk-NC2PM5EMpGrK31c3bfaUO7qbi6cCVXVIW-ySfO3xfYbJOj0WAbRcl11hVrCCWLIiqFjqs2cV8Yu8Zw-HEdtId-jZRpwv-W6p9VwBWQZvreaxjOfVBwlw-YdvMr_BbR3M0/s1600/fermata+friday+button.jpg" /></a></div><br />

2. Add up to two blog post links to the linky. The posts can be old or new (but no posts that have already been linked up to Fermata Fridays in the past), on any topic related to music teaching, but must not be primarily featuring a product. It's fine to have a link to a relevant product within a post, but that should not be the primary focus of the post. I reserve the right to delete a link that is too product-focused. If you're not sure, just ask! :)

3. Leave a thoughtful comment on at least two other links, including the one right before yours. Add #fermatafridays to your comment so bloggers know where you found them!

4. Pin at least one post to one of your Pinterest boards.

5. Make sure you are following me on Pinterest. I will be pinning every link to the Fermata Fridays board each week.

6. Make sure you are following me on Facebook and check back next Friday- I will be featuring one of the links from the previous week's linky on my Facebook page each Friday!

An InLinkz Link-up

Read more "Fermata Friday: June 17, 2016"

Fermata Friday: June 10, 2016

Welcome to this week's installment of my weekly linky party, Fermata Fridays! This is a chance for music education bloggers to share blog posts with readers and bloggers alike, so we can all mingle and learn from each other. Readers, you are going to love all of the awesome blog posts that are out there- I hope you discover some new blogs to follow and get some new inspiration for your teaching! Bloggers, make sure you read the directions carefully before linking up to make sure we keep the party fun for everyone. Thanks! :)

Here are the rules for the linky party:

1. Add the linky image to your blog post, blog sidebar, linky party roundup, or other similar location on your blog and link it back to the party. Copy and paste the code for this button, or use the image above and link to the label "Fermata Fridays".

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://caldwellorganizedchaos.blogspot.com/search/label/Fermata%20Fridays"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5AShYQiAk-NC2PM5EMpGrK31c3bfaUO7qbi6cCVXVIW-ySfO3xfYbJOj0WAbRcl11hVrCCWLIiqFjqs2cV8Yu8Zw-HEdtId-jZRpwv-W6p9VwBWQZvreaxjOfVBwlw-YdvMr_BbR3M0/s1600/fermata+friday+button.jpg" /></a></div><br />

2. Add up to two blog post links to the linky. The posts can be old or new (but no posts that have already been linked up to Fermata Fridays in the past), on any topic related to music teaching, but must not be primarily featuring a product. It's fine to have a link to a relevant product within a post, but that should not be the primary focus of the post. I reserve the right to delete a link that is too product-focused. If you're not sure, just ask! :)

3. Leave a thoughtful comment on at least two other links, including the one right before yours. Add #fermatafridays to your comment so bloggers know where you found them!

4. Pin at least one post to one of your Pinterest boards.

5. Make sure you are following me on Pinterest. I will be pinning every link to the Fermata Fridays board each week.

6. Make sure you are following me on Facebook and check back next Friday- I will be featuring one of the links from the previous week's linky on my Facebook page each Friday!

An InLinkz Link-up

Read more "Fermata Friday: June 10, 2016"