Music Teacher Coffee Talk

Tanya and discuss solfege. Why use it? What are the controversies surrounding it? How are we using solfege to teach melodic concepts? What are our favorite songs for each melodic concept?

Our latest episode is all about music class procedures and building a positive community within each class. Some of the things we talked about: Music Making: Bring the joy of music to them as soon as possible. o Start the class with a “no-fail” singing game or chant. This could be a singing or chanting name game. Is there a singing game students have begged to play again and again in class in your past years? Start the year and your class with that gem! o Aim to include singing, moving/dancing, and playing instruments, within the first 4 lessons. Rapport: Build relationships between you and the class o Use students’ names frequently, (this will help you memorize names quicker, too.) o Smile and be willing to share a laugh with the students. o Talk to kids when they’re not in music class and show that you care about them. o Share a few of your “what I did on my summer vacation” pictures with each class. (They need to know about you, too.) o Verbalize why you became a music teacher. o Give a short performance for each class. You are a musician, too. Share that part of you. · Rules: Communicate your behavior management plan and class rules on the first or second day. o Keep it simple. More than 4 or 5 rules is too many. o Emphasize mutually respect. (Pair and share: “I want my teacher to know:__________”) o Give specific examples of following or not following a classroom rule. Procedures to Practice: Coming in to the room Mindful Minutes Reading the learning target Lining up/Leaving the room Asking a question Pair and Share/”Back to Class” Bathroom procedures Time Out procedure Answering the phone Fire Drill Lock-Down Making a Circle Moving in a Circle Passing out materials Getting small percussion instruments Going to drums Going to barred instruments

The first days of school are here again! Tanya and Carrie discuss their plans for grades K-5th grade in the music room. Show Notes: Songs discussed Kindergarten: Jim Along Josie Come Along Everybody - I’m Growing Up Little Green book Little Green finger puppet Shake Your Eggs 1st Grade: Mighty Pretty Motion Johnny Works with One Hammer Whoops Johnny Bluebird Bluebird Bluebird finger puppet 2nd Grade: Ickle Ockle Blue Bottle Looby-loo Hicklety Picklety Apple Tree Apple shaker Wolf Are You There 7 Jumps 3rd Grade: Circle Round the Zero Hi There Neighbor Jump In, Jump Out Great Big House 4th Grade: Aquaqua Fjaskern - stick passing game Categories Concentration Fire in the Mountain 5th Grade: Hello, Hello Tarzan the Monkey Man Welcome Chant Dry Bones Coda: “Directions to Literacy: Teaching the Older Beginner” By Ann Eisen and Lamar Robertson KEXP

Tanya and Carrie discuss back to school planning for the music teacher.

MTCT #20 Q&A From CKI - 7:24:18, 1.25 PM by Carrie Nicholas and Tanya LeJeune

This is the conclusion of our 2018 Summer Book Club. We discuss chapter 7 of World Music Pedagogy v. II by Christopher Roberts and Amy Beegle.

Tanya and Carrie discuss chapters 4-6 or Amy Beegle's and Christopher Robert's book World Music Pedagogy v II.

Summer Book Club! Carrie and Tanya discuss Chapters 1-3 from World Music Pedagogy by Amy Beegle and Christopher Roberts. Show Notes: Rhythmically Moving series Pata Pata by Miriam Makeba Sanna Longden dance materials (If you ever have the chance to do any folk dancing workshops with Sanna you really must! She is rich with multicultural music and dance.) Rahim AlHaj NPR Tiny Desk Concert Bulgarian Women's Choir performance on The Tonight Show Kate Bush with the London Bulgarian Choir Coda Section (Things we are looooooving!): Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me Junior with Neil Patrick Harris Glen Hansard's cover of Ashes to Ashes

Carrie and Tanya review the highs and lows from the school year.

Carrie and Tanya discuss lesson closure and and end-of-the-school-year closure.