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Top Five Blog Posts of 2018

2018 marks the first full calendar year that I have been blogging, and what a year it’s been! I have found tremendous value in writing and looking back at the blog stats, others have too. Inspired by other “Top 5” posts, here are my five most-read blog posts from 2018.

The Qualities of an Empowered Music Student

This post was probably my favorite to write in 2018! Co-written with Kathryn Finch, we discuss six qualities we feel are essential for music students to be empowered learners and why it is important for music students to be empowered. Engagement is no longer enough. When students are empowered, they take ownership of their learning, and that’s when the real magic happens!

Google Slides in Music

I truly love all things Google! One of the most versatile and possibly under-used tools is Google Slides. This post describes some ways that Google Slides can be used in music classes including ideas for bell ringers or exit tickets, sharing creative work and collaborative projects. It’s worth checking out.

Five Ideas to Try After a Concert

Many music educators struggle with what to do immediately after a performance or during “off” weeks like testing. This post includes ideas like reflection, having student conductors, creative work, and genius hour. And they aren’t only useful after a concert – give these suggestions a try any day of the year.

Using Flipgrid in Instrumental Music

This was my first blog post about Flipgrid, and it was the most read blog post of 2018! I wrote it about six months after I began using this amazing tool, and have added three updates since then. This post details the basic features of Flipgrid along with some favorite ways to get started using the tool in your music class.

Flipgrid – What’s New?

My second post about Flipgrid was almost as popular as the first! In August 2018 Flipgrid announced several new features both in functionality and student privacy. This post describes the changes and lists numerous additional uses for Flipgrid in music classes.

Voice and Choice in Music Class

This is an article I wrote for the NAfME blog, “Music in a Minuet,” which was also the #5 most read blog post in 2018! In the post, I write about what it looks like for students to have a voice and a choice in music classes and why it’s so important.

What’s next? I currently have a few posts in progress, including the December 2018 VSTE conference, singing in elementary band and orchestra, and how to incorporate student jobs in music classes. I look forward to writing more about empowering music students and can foresee additional joint posts with blogger-buddy Kathryn Finch. Thank you for following the journey so far; I am excited for the adventures that 2019 has in store!

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