
The Elementary Music Teacher Podcast: Music Education
Are you an elementary music teacher? Maybe you’re worn out, overwhelmed, or feel like it gets harder each year.
Hi, I’m Jessica, and it’s my passion to help elementary music teachers, just like you, figure out your unique teaching style. In this podcast, I'll share helpful tips and strategies, work-home life balance tips, and mindset blocks, while helping give you the motivation you need to gain momentum in your teaching so you can continue being the music teacher rock star you already are.
Come and join the Facebook community at www.facebook.com/groups/elementarymusicteachercommunity.
Latest episodes

Jul 21, 2021 • 38min
161-How to move from feeling stuck to supported as a music teacher with Taylor Middleton
Have you felt stuck or supported as a music teacher? In this episode, I brought in Taylor Middleton to talk about her journey as a music teacher and how she's found the support she needs.
What you need won't look the same as any other music teacher and it's important to identify what that looks like for you. As you listen in today, you'll hear Taylor talk about what has worked for you and how she gets what she needs from a variety of different groups, resources, and online communities, including the HARMONY membership site.
The doors to HARMONY are officially open! You can find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership here.

Jul 14, 2021 • 26min
160- How These 15 Music Teachers Journeys Are Just Like Yours
In this episode, you'll hear from 15 music teachers who all have different stories to share. That's what so cool about meeting elementary music teachers... everyone's story is different. You'll hear what struggles each teacher faced and what they've gotten from being in the HARMONY membership. While listening in, you'll be able to connect with a story you hear.
Come to the "Back to School Planning Workshop" where you'll get to interact, ask questions from, and support other music teachers and will leave the workshop with your first 4 weeks of school completely planned out. The workshop is on Monday, July 19th- Thursday, July 22nd and you can sign up by heading here.
The doors to HARMONY are officially open! You can find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership here.

Jul 7, 2021 • 18min
159- Reframing the Way You View Professional Development
Do you view professional development as only earning PD hours and enough credits just to get by? What if I told you it was about so much more than that. In this episode, let's talk about how you can reframe the way you view professional development and what my favorite way to do that is.
Read the blog post that goes hand in hand with this episode right here.
Come to the "Back to School Planning Workshop" where you'll get to interact, ask questions from, and support other music teachers and will leave the workshop with your first 4 weeks of school completely planned out. The workshop is on Monday, July 19th- Thursday, July 22nd and you can sign up by heading here.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.

Jun 30, 2021 • 22min
158- Planning Out the First Month of School
Planning out the first month of school can seem a little daunting. There are so many decisions to make and things to think about before you teach a single lesson. In this episode, I'll break down the "how to" behind planning for back to school and will walk you through some deciding factors to consider while you're making your plans.
Come to the "Back to School Planning Workshop" where you'll get to interact, ask questions from, and support other music teachers and will leave the workshop with your first 4 weeks of school completely planned out. The workshop is on Monday, July 19th- Thursday, July 22nd and you can sign up by heading here.
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.

Jun 23, 2021 • 18min
157- A Simple Way to Keep Your Lesson Plans Organized
You’ve probably accumulated so many lesson plans from different workshops, trainings, levels courses, friends, and resources. It gets so overwhelming knowing what to do with each lesson plan and how to find what you need when you plan each week.
Today, I want to talk about a simple way to keep your lesson plans organized.
Want to take a deeper dive into this topic? Register for the "Organizing Your Lesson Plans" workshop that's happening on July 5th.
Sign up for all of the summer professional development workshops
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.

Jun 16, 2021 • 20min
156- Determining How to Structure Your Class Time in the Music Room
Determining how to structure your class time in the music room can be tricky. You see your students on average for 45 minutes once a week and want to use your time wisely with each class that comes into your in person or virtual music room. In this episode, we'll talk about how to structure what happens in the music room so the time you see your students is used efficiently and effectively. Want to take a deeper dive into this topic? Register for the structuring your class time workshop that's happening on June 28th.
Sign up for all of the summer professional development workshops
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.

Jun 9, 2021 • 17min
155- What Classroom Management Is and Isn't
Did you learn in college that classroom management was only about the rules and about being strict? Yeah, me too... But, classroom management is about SO much more than that. In fact, forming relationships is the KEY to classroom management. In this episode, I'll be talking about what classroom management is and isn't to help you move forward with making a plan that works for you. Want more guidance in making classroom management work for your students and in your classroom? Register for the classroom management workshop that's happening on June 21st.
Sign up for all of the summer professional development workshops
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.

Jun 2, 2021 • 20min
154- School’s Over… Now What?
So, now that the school year is over, what do you do now? You’re probably thinking… umm Jessica, absolutely nothing is the answer to that...right? In this episode, we'll talk about how the most important thing you can do is to take a break and then do something fun before you even begin to think about going back to school. Then, begin to process through last school year and what you're wanting to do moving forward into the new school year.
Sign up for a summer professional development workshop
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.

May 26, 2021 • 41min
153- How to have a Side Hustle and Teach Music Full Time with Katie Holbrook
Maybe you're teaching music full time, but you've had the desire or passion to pursue something else as a side hustle too. Thinking about doing this can be intimidating and overwhelming. There are a lot of questions to think about like, "what would I pursue" or "but there are already so many people doing what I want to do."
The thing is that there is only one you. So, that means that special gift you bring to the world is unique and the world needs it. In this episode, Katie Holbrook and I talk about what to do when you're wanting to pursue a side passion on top of your full time teaching job. She is my community manager for The Domestic Musician, LLC as well as a founding member of my HARMONY membership. She and I talk about how to pick one thing to focus on, ways to manage your schedule so you're not overwhelmed, and how to choose what to pursue.
Connect with Katie here:
On Instagram @onethirtymusic
At her website 130music.com
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head here to grab your free online business guide.
Sign up for 1 on 1 business coaching with Jessica right here.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.

May 19, 2021 • 39min
152- What to do if You're "Ready to Quit"
Have you had thoughts about quitting teaching? What do you do with these thoughts and how do you move past them? In this episode, we'll talk about not only identifying where these thoughts are coming from, but what you need to do in order to keep moving forward in your teaching career.
Links mentioned in this episode:
"Make A Note: What You Really Need To Know About Teaching Elementary Music" book
"20 Things To Know About Teaching Elementary Music" cheat sheet
Join the Elementary Music Teacher Community Facebook group
Sign up for a summer professional development workshop
Find out more about and sign up for the HARMONY membership waitlist here.
Head to my website to grab your free music teaching resource.
I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on I-tunes, be sure to share the podcast with any music teacher friends who would find it helpful and be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook.