We are lucky to be teaching in a time where there is no shortage of digital music creation tools! From the most basic to the very complex, there is a tool available for every situation. When looking for something that is accessible for all students, the Chrome Music Lab is a great place to start….
And with that, another year down! It’s amazing to think about all the different things that took place this year. While I’ll spare you reading about the good, the bad, and the ugly from 2021, I want to share the top five blog posts. This year I had two focuses: updating popular posts to be…
This article was originally published in The Woman Conductor Journal, October 2021 issue. If there was ever a time to go paperless in the band room, this is it! Between forms, flyers, and sheet music, the amount of paper in any band room is impressive. While eliminating all paper might not be possible or even necessary, moving…
October 2021 – this post has gotten an update! Check out these Jamboard updates and some new ideas for how to use it in music classes. I see the irony that my last post was about understanding your WHY in the classroom prior to determining your WHAT, and today I am starting another series on…
I’ve always been one to try new things in the classroom. I like to experiment and I’m not afraid to take a risk. However, student musicianship is always at the center of each of these experiments. I want students creating music and learning about music in a way that’s meaningful to them. Last year, because…
This article was originally published in The Woman Conductor Journal, June 2021 issue. For many, summer is a time for rest and rejuvenation. The schedule slows, the days are longer, and the commitments are less frequent. However, summer is also a great time to dig into new tech tools you may not have explored before. Or dive…
This article was originally published in The Woman Conductor Journal, March 2021 issue. While the focus is on band rehearsals, the strategies described will work in nearly any music class or rehearsal. Technology integration is something that many band directors are aware of but are still unsure how to achieve. Especially since the goal in…
The last twelve months have introduced music educators to a plethora of tech tools we may not have considered using before. Video conferencing became a necessity, unlike we had experienced before. Prior to 2020, we never would have considered holding a birthday party or attending a professional conference over zoom, let alone a music class!…
Each December I like to look back at the blog to reflect on the year. Which posts were the most read? When was I most consistent in publishing? Were there any noticeable themes? Given the events of the year, it’s no surprise that a big focus was technology and almost all blog posts incorporated that…
As a band director, I love studying new pieces of music. It was one of my favorite things while working towards my master’s degree in instrumental wind conducting. I enjoy digging into a new piece to discover its nuances and details. Dedicating time to score study increases my capacity to teach the piece to my…