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Aileen Miracle
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July 06, 2017
Flexible Seating in the Music Classroom {Part Three}
Organization · 4 comments
This past year, I implemented flexible seating in my music classroom. Earlier this year, I wrote about which seats I bought, and a few months after that, I wrote this post about how I introduced flexible seating. In today's post, I'm writing about what worked and what I'm changing for next year. What worked? Overall, the kids LOVED the seats in my room! They were always super excited to get the seats, whether they were working on worksheets, working in small groups, or at centers. I also had some students get special seats if they'd been star student the previous lesson...that r…
June 21, 2017
Special Effects for Performances
Programs · 1 comment
If you've ever directed a musical program, you know how those "little" things can really add to a performance. In today's post, I'll discuss some special effects that I've tried for various performances, to add another layer to each musical! #1: Flashlights If you are planning any kind of firefly song at your program, flashlights are a really awesome addition! Here is one of my favorite firefly songs, a Japanese folk song called "Hotarukoi." A rough translation of the text is: Ho, ho, ho, firefly come, Here is some water that's bitter, Here is some water that…
May 25, 2017
Third Grade Program: You Belong Here
Programs · 4 comments
Need ideas for a third grade program? In today's blog post, I'm writing about my program, "You Belong Here." I created the program based on the beautifully illustrated book by M.H. Clark and Isabelle Arsenault . about how we are all unique, and how we are all loved! Here is a summary of songs and dances I used for the program (and make sure to keep reading to find out about a fun 5-day musical program challenge I'm hosting in a few weeks!) I did this program with third grade, but it could also work for second grade. I split the text up between 28 narrators. For the first p…
May 02, 2017
End of the Year Music Teacher Checklist
End of year · Freebies · Organization · 2 comments
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…
April 10, 2017
Reflecting on your year
Classroom decor · End of year · Organization · Technology · 2 comments
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 …
March 22, 2017
Social Media for Music Teachers
Social media · Technology · 2 comments
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…
March 09, 2017
Melodic Intervention 101
Freebies · Learning centers · melodic work · 1 comment
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…