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Test 4 Mrs. Miracle's Music Room

May 02, 2017

End of the Year Music Teacher Checklist

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It is May...which means it's already time to start thinking about the end of the year! In my district, our last day is May 25, so we have just a few weeks left. There is SO much to do at the end of the year, so in today's post, I'll lay out all of the different things I think about and check off my list for the end of the year. Make sure to keep reading until the end, since I will have a free Google Sheets checklist that you can make a copy of and edit as needed! At my school, we receive an EOY checklist from our principal around this time of year, but as a music teacher, there are…

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April 10, 2017

Reflecting on your year

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I know it seems crazy to think of the school year in past tense, but with only seven weeks remaining in the school year, I'm already thinking about what worked well this year, and what I'd like to improve for next year. Reflection is, to me, such a huge part of my development as a teacher, so I like to reflect at the end of each school year (before summer, when everything seems so distant!) Here are some thoughts about my year. Teaching: What I loved: I was able to streamline my data tracking and intervention processes even more this year, and was very happy with the results! I was able …

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March 22, 2017

Social Media for Music Teachers

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The way that social media is used has changed tremendously over the last few years. In the past, I used social media as a way to simply catch up on the lives of friends, follow celebrities, or look at pretty pictures. Although I still do those things, I'm now using social media as a form of professional development. In this blog post, I'll detail how to use social media to learn from other music teachers, gather ideas, and even learn new songs! Pinterest When I first happened upon Pinterest, I found tons of pins about home decor and women's fashion, and I wasn't all that interes…

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March 09, 2017

Melodic Intervention 101

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This past week, with my second graders, I have been doing centers to practice sol, la, mi, and do. Typically when I do centers (which you can read more about here ), I choose the groups and tell students when to rotate. Last week, though, I've let the students choose which group to go to and when to switch, and I have LOVED the results. It feels so student-centered, and the students take so much ownership in their learning and their choices! Today, I'm blogging about the set-up, the six centers, and how I provided intervention for those struggling melodically. Keep reading until the end…

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February 28, 2017

Helping all students feel welcome, part 2

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In my last blog post , I discussed how there will always be students who, for one reason or another, might not feel welcome in our classrooms, but that we as music educators can ensure that students feel more welcome and accepted. In today's post, I'm discussing more ways that students can be made to feel welcome: through songs with a message, and through children's literature. Singing songs with a great message If you can find a song that truly has a great message, go for it! Students will really connect to meaningful lyrics, especially students who are feeling fearful and uncertain.…

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February 02, 2017

Helping all students feel welcome, part 1

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There will always be students who, for one reason or another, might not feel welcome in our classrooms, perhaps because of something happening at home, or because of some of the students in the class, or because of something we as teachers are or are not doing. In our current world, though, there are more reasons for students to not feel welcome. Some students in our classrooms may be worrying about their families, their friends, and their futures. Regardless of political affiliation, it is really important as educators that we make ALL students feel welcome in our classroom. As music teachers,…

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January 18, 2017

Three favorite folk dances

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With the start of the new year, many of us are thinking about being more healthy and getting more exercise. As music teachers, we are very lucky that we aren't sitting behind a desk all day and can get up and dance with our students! Below are three of my all-time favorite folk dances, as well as three of my favorite folk dance resources. These dances are GREAT for getting exercise, working with a partner, understanding dance formations, keeping in time with music, and so much more! "Highway No. 1" by the Shenanigans This is one of my absolute favorites! You can buy the track on i…

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January 08, 2017

Choosing repertoire for your choir

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This past week, I sat down to choose my choir's repertoire for the spring. I got to thinking about the variety I wanted for the program, and what makes a great selection, so I decided to write with some thoughts that might help you as you choose your choir's repertoire! A little background: as I wrote about in this post , I have a choir of about 80 or so students in third, fourth, and fifth grade. I see them once a week, for 35 minutes, and we have two concerts at school each year, as well as community events as those arise. I was a trumpet player all through school, and before my Kodaly…

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