For most of us, school is not back to “normal” and now that we understand much more about how COVID is spread, we are back in the music room, able to use our classroom instruments and have a bit more freedom to move. We are excited to dig into as many of our favorite lessons as quickly as we can. The children are so excited to have instruments in their hands and to do all the things.

And then………disaster.

Let’s keep a few things in mind:

• It has been a LONG time since anything about “school” has been “normal”
• Just like the rest of us, the children have experienced a collective trauma as we navigate through the pandemic.
• Many children have spent over a year either learning from home or spent a much larger portion of their school day behind a desk and a computer with limited movement to maintain social distance.
• The children have changed.
• WE have changed.

Here are a few suggestions for refamiliarizing our children with making music together in our spaces.

GO SLOW: I am guilty of being so excited to teach some of my favorite lessons again that I rush through the process because we are having so much fun. Then, the lesson breaks down, behaviors pop up and everyone is frustrated. 

Practice personal space. Define the space for the children. Use hula hoops, tape squares, shoe polish to mark the floor or large sections of yarn to make a circle. 

• Spend time talking about the “personal space” in a playful way. 
• Grab a drum and have the children move to the beat in their personal space. 
• Make up a story that their space is “safe” from an unusually fast turtle with slimy feet who is lurking around the room waiting to “hug” little children and cover them in turtle slime. EWWWW The turtle is mesmerized by your drum, so it is safe to venture out while you are playing, and when you stop they need to hop back into their “safe space” or its SLIME TIME!
• Play one beat for them to hop out, and then hop back in. 
• Try a different direction, then another one.
• Walk two beats away from the “safe space” and back.
• Hop out and in, tip-toe, change levels, move with big and small steps.
• Repeat this game over several classes for SHORT sessions (Always leave them wanting more!)

Plan shorter learning “blocks” in each lesson, and choose activities that teach procedures in a playful way. Like this one for older elementary students.

• Use a short speech piece like Good, Better, Best by Michael Chandler
• Chant the proverb in rhythm 
• Compose body percussion ostinatos
• Perform together THE END, Now go do something else.
• The next lesson, get out just hand drums (If you have enough) or hand drums and rhythm sticks.
• Take time to remind (even the older students) how to handle and care for the instruments. 
• Plan time to teach them how to sanitize after they play.
• Play the ostinato’s they composed the previous class while chanting the rhythm in three or four ways. THE END, Now go do something else. 

If we leave them wanting more, we can reuse this activity the next lesson and reteach the sanitizing procedure again. 

Advance in small steps. Perform the chant as a round while we play our ostinatos, the next class create an instrumental B section.

REMAIN CALM. Remember that collective trauma I was talking about? Find two or three moments in your work day where you can take 30 seconds to a minute just to breathe and clear your mind. These mini-breaks will allow your nervous system to settle and help us stay calm. Many of us are feeling over-stimulated after being home and isolated for some time. Many of us are experiencing conflicting thoughts and emotions that can be confusing to our mind and body making us feel unsettled. If we take some time to reset our own mind and body we can be better leaders and models for the children and remain calm when problems arise in the classroom.

Repeating procedures and routines in a playful and musical way, with short bursts of active music making and a heavy dose of patience and compassion for our students will help them to re-learn how we have fun while learning in our music spaces. Taking care of our own needs as educators will allow us to do the same. 

We would LOVE to hear about what has been working well for you and the mini-musicians you serve.

The post Making It Work: Relearning the Music Room first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

When thinking about taking my classes outside for music, keeping the children in their own space to maintain social distancing was my first concern. Here are a few ideas:

1. I have access to a blacktop area near the music room. I asked permission to spray paint markings on the black top so each child will have their own space to make music. 
   
2. If painting is not an option, thick sidewalk chalk is a less permanent option. 
   
3. Talk to the PE department and borrow large hula hoops, lay them on the ground to create a “music bubble.”
   
4. If you have a grassy area, orange sports marking paint works well, and is cut away when the lawn is mowed.

Next, I thought about how we would sit. Black top is not super comfy on a warm day.

1. I use plastic “Ikea-Style” stools as a seating option. They are easy to bring outside and move back in at the end of the day.
   
2. Ask around for old carpet squares that classroom teachers may be willing to donate.
   
3. A foam square, (the type that fit together like a puzzle) is great for sitting on any type of ground.
   
4. If you have a grassy space a square of thick plastic or blue tarp is an inexpensive option that can be easily cleaned between classes, or provided for each student. Classroom teachers could also use the squares to take the children out for reading or other work that can be completed outside in the sunshine, and for mask breaks on warm days.

*I always have a few chairs with backs available for students who need them to be comfortable.

Lastly, what will we do when we are outside?

1. Sing! Finally SING! If I am outside with children six feet apart we can sing. Check with your district leaders for specifics in your situation.

2. Dance! Any folk dance can be modified for self space. Modify partner movements to move forward, backward or side to side. Sashay around your hula hoop or chalk circle. Instead of a right hand turn, wave your right hand in the air and walk in a circle in self space. Line dances of any kind are awesome in self space! Pata, Pata is one of my favorites for spring. (Pata, Pata can be found here: https://sannafolkstyle.com/)

3. Drum! I will take my tubanos outside and drum with the children. I can’t haul them up the stairs and carry them class to class and on nice days I sure can set them up in the morning and put them away at the end of the day. If you have access to Tubano’s they can be cleaned with a wipe or spray without damaging the drum head.
   
4. Creative Movement with (or without) props! If you made or purchased music kits for the children, bring them outside to use those scarves and streamers to make big movements in the fresh air. We are moving to “Popcorn” this week. The children choose what they want to use from their instrument kit while they move. We move in self space until the “popcorn” starts. We used leveled movement (low, medium and high) to match the changes in the popcorn theme. Adapt any movement lesson for self space and take a break from sitting at desks.

5. Look back at the original “Take it Outside” post from 2018. Most of the ideas for outside learning suggested in the post will work with Covid restrictions, some just need a few tweaks to make them work for 2021.

After months of traveling class to class and being limited to what we can do behind a desk at the computer, I am looking forward to spending time with my classes outside. What ideas do you have for outside learning in 2021? Share your ideas in the comments on the blog so we can help each other to “make it work!”

The post Making It Work: Take it Outside, 2021 first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

Two years ago, I was excited to present a workshop out west. I had worked really hard to prepare and had loads of lessons and techniques to share. I was proud of the content I had to offer. As the workshop drew near, there was an emergency that caused the workshop to be rescheduled to the Saturday after my spring break. I had a fantastic trip to New Orleans with my husband planed for break, so I flew home from my vacation, and got on the plane for my session the next day. I failed to consider the effect spending a week in New Orleans below sea level and then traveling to the mountains out west in a 24-hour period would impact my body. I regularly hike at high elevations and have suffered only mild headaches; this time would be different. As I began the presentation my body started shutting down. I kept having to run to the bathroom to vomit. I tried laying down during the break, when I returned I patted my legs and they buckled from the elevation sickness. It felt like the WORST flu I had ever experienced. I did my level best to continue on, and I physically could not. I had to admit that I could not continue. I was devastated and ashamed. Many of the participants had traveled long distances to attend, and the Orff Chapter paid for my flight and hotel room. I had let them down. Later, when I was finally feeling better, the chapter president came by to check on me. I was so embarrassed and upset that I just kept talking really fast and apologizing over and over, which was not at all helpful. I did not handle it well.

Reflecting on the experience, there were some really beautiful things that I experienced from this “failure.”

• First, the folks from the chapter were so gracious and helpful. When I admitted that I could not continue, one member thanked me for taking care of myself. Another offered medicine to help with the elevation sickness. The women who drove me home told me that she was going to make me stop the workshop if I threw up one more time. They cared about me as a human, not just as a presenter and what I had to offer them. What a gift they gave to me. I think back on how they cared for me often.

• Secondly, I am a human being and I need to listen to what my body needs. This revelation has extended to every aspect of my life. As music educators we take care of everyone. Our families, our students, our pets, other teachers, our homes, our classrooms and we strive to meet the wants and needs of everyone around us. If my needs are not met, I cannot effectively meet the needs of others. Taking care of my body is not selfish. I can do a better job of what is most important, and not worry so much about what isn’t important when I am healthy and well rested.

• Lastly, sometimes things just happen, and it is not my fault and I can’t “fix It.” There was nothing I could have done in this situation to make it through the presentation. It just happened, there was no way to fix it. I spent WEEKS after this incident beating myself up and “shoulding” myself. I should have cancelled my vacation, I should have rambled less when I was feeling better, I should have drunk more water….none of these thoughts were at all helpful and I was miserable and upset for nothing. Now I have learned to acknowledge the situation, repair what I can and then move on. Being gentle with myself has made me feel better all the way around.

I am writing about this now, because a lot of us are feeling like failures. For most of us nothing is happening in any way like we have been used to and many of us are working with constantly evolving situations that make feeling successful a challenge.

• Let’s look for the beauty in our challenge when we can find it. It may be hidden and it is worth the search.
  
• Listen to your body, it will tell you what it needs. Eat well, sleep as well as you can. Rest when you need to, participate in joyful movement, find quiet when you need to recharge.
  
• Recognize what is in our control and let the rest go if you are not feeling your best. If you are choosing to exert influence in areas that are not in your direct control, have reasonable expectations for your work.

We are not “failing” right now, we are learning. Learning to live and teach in a new and different way will take a lot of mistakes and practice. What are you doing to keep yourself healthy and learning this year? Leave your thoughts in the comments so we can all Make it Work.

The post I Am a Failure … first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

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Later this year, I have a book being published by Oxford University Press titled, Using Technology with Elementary Music Approaches. This book gives lessons and ideas on how to integrate technology into the approaches of Dr. Feierabend (First Steps in Music), Zoltan Kodály, and Orff Schulwerk. It also has a chapter for integrating technology into Project-Based Learning (PBL). The summaries of the approaches were written by experts in the field: Dr. Missy Strong (Feierabend’s First Steps), Glennis Patterson (Kodály), and Ardith Collins (Orff Schulwerk)

The post Making It Work: Teaching With Technology first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

It’s the most wonderful time of year, but also one of the most stressful for music teachers.  Teachers take care of everyone else first and often neglect their own care. In their recent podcast, the members of Chaotic Harmony Classroom tackle the subject and share openly about their own struggles to find balance and peace while managing the ups and downs of teaching hundreds of students.

For more goodness from the Chaotic Harmony team, check out their weekly podcast in which they share the joys and challenges of teaching general music in public schools.

The post Making It Work: Self Care for Teachers first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

A growing trend among general music educators is to host Informances instead of Performances at their campuses. Informances are a great way to invite your students’ parents into the classroom and pull back the curtain to reveal the thoughtful process behind what and how we teach their children.

Who do Informances involve?

I have informances for Kinder-2nd, and you should include whatever you think is most appropriate for your school community. You could focus on specific grade levels, or on different clubs that you have at your campus.

What happens during an Informance?

Think of an Informance as “Take-Your-Family-to-Music-Class-Day,” instead of a performance. Familes are invited to join their children during Music Class for a lesson of making music together. Consider choosing activities that can easily involve families. For example, I choose some of the most interactive lessons and activities we have experienced throughout the year, and when we start an activity, the students invite their parents to come join us. If we are doing an activity with drums in a circle, the families join in the circle. If we are sharing group work we have already created, the groups are tasked with teaching the parents about the music they created, and why they made their musical choices. It is also wise to have a wide variety, so you can showcase a broad spectrum of the activities you and your students do. Depending on the grade level, I like to showcase music literacy, small group work, movements, and/or instruments. The list can go on and on!

Why should I consider hosting an Informance?

First and foremost, kids LOVE having their families visit. Informances have become a highlight of the year for my students, and their parents really enjoy them too! It is an enjoyable experience for families to visit multiple years, and see their childrens’ musical growth. Informances help to build a strong sense of community, and hence, support, for your music program.

In my experience, administrators have always been very impressed with Informances, and have given easy approval. There is no schedule change necessary, no before or after school requirements, and it increases community connections.

Finally, Informances are a great way to advocate for the music program. I highlight the Orff approach, and how we learn through singing, saying, dancing, and playing. Instead of hearing about what is happening in my room, parents are seeing and experiencing it first hand, with minimal, but consistent commentary from me so they can understand what is happening.

How do I put it together?

Consider having your Informances during your regular music class time and date. If you divide them up by class, it will take several days (likely at least a week), and will also create a more intimate setting for your students and families. Don’t forget to check your dates with your administration to make sure you aren’t conflicting with any other events that may be taking place at the same time.

Think about the location you want to use. I have always used my classroom. If you are a teacher on a cart, maybe you can host each class in their homeroom. If you have high parent involvement, maybe you need to move your Informance to a larger multi-purpose room, or a stage. If your campus demographic has a lot of working parents, be sure to send out an invitation at least two weeks in advance, so they can arrange to take time off of work (it is also important to talk with younger students about why their parents may not be able to make it, and what an appropriate reaction would look like). It is also helpful to send a reminder a few days in advance as well. I also plan to spend one to two lessons (depending on our chosen activities) reviewing different activities with my classes, so they can be prepared to be “the experts,” and take charge in teaching their parents.

Perhaps what makes Informances so appealing to me is the amount of flexibility I can have when planning them. I am only limited by my own ideas (or lack thereof!), and enjoy constantly trying to think of new ways to engage my school community with the music program. Consider trying to host an Informance at your school. If you are unsure of how you want it to look, try only one grade level the first year, and you can include more grade levels as you gain more experience!

The post Making It Work: Informance first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

While you are fresh at the beginning of a new school year there are quite a few things that can help you prepare for a peaceful and productive year for you and your students. Please keep in mind that these ideas are what works for me and the students I am privileged to work with. I hope that you may be inspired by one or two of these ideas to create something that works for you and your community.

Carefully plan the learning space for success.

Think ahead about the learning that happens in the space and plan the layout so there is the least opportunity for conflict and the most efficient flow possible. Do you want children to have access to pencils? Where will you place them in the room so the children can get them without being in the way of each other and disrupting the work? How will they access tissues? Sanitizer? Trash cans? If you travel to classrooms, where is the best place to put your cart? How will the children pass out and collect supplies in an equitable way? Where are the instruments stored? In my classroom the pencil sharpener was a source of constant interruptions and conflict. I decided to have sharp pencils set to go every morning. A student helper gets these ready for me each afternoon this solved many problems in our classes. How will you facilitate the development of procedures to avert chaotic situations before they begin?

What can you let go?

What do you do for students that they can do for themselves or for you? What are you currently controlling and “managing” that you don’t need to? Once my students reach fourth grade I no longer need to manage their use of tissues. We agreed that unless there is an emergency, only one child should be at the tissue station at a time, and as long as they don’t abuse the privilege they just get tissue whenever they need to. A common phrase in our classroom is “Solve your problems without causing problems for you or anyone else in the world.” If you need a tool, get it and put it back when you are finished using it. I have found that the students can manage themselves. When there is an issue it is addressed on a case-by-case basis. Rarely is an entire class returned to having to ask to get what they need, although it has happened. In this case, after a period of time the children are given an opportunity to try again. Which routine tasks can students manage for themselves or you? These choices will be personal to you, your comfort level, your students and teaching style. There are no formulas here, it is up to the children and you.

Get to know your kids.

Often we think this means that we have the children share about themselves verbally, fill out “get to know you” worksheets or play name games. I do those things and I have adapted a variety of “leadership” activities that may only take a few minutes and let me observe how the children work together. I can identify which children are leaders, who gets quiet and backs away, who gets frustrated? I look for which children are the peace keepers, which students do other children respect and listen to and which student has great ideas and is ignored? There are many examples of “leadership games” available online. Here is one example.

Get in touch with families.

I have several hundred students as well, I get it. You may not get in touch with everyone, that is ok! Making an effort will go a long way. My contract requires that I send out a “syllabus” for music class. I use this to write about all of the normal things – introduction, assessment and contact information. I also take this opportunity to let parents know exactly what we do in music class; folk dance, holiday and patriotic music, singing, moving (dancing) and playing instruments. I ask families to let me know if there are any conflicts with their child participating in any of these activities. This gives me the chance to contact families regarding participation concerns before we encounter them in class and avoid relying on children to tell me when they can and cannot participate. Lastly, I ask “What should I know about your child?” It is so much fun to read the responses. One of the benefits of being a music teacher is watching the children grow from year to year. Sometimes we may have had a challenging relationship with a student the previous year. Did they do something awesome in class the first day? Call right away and establish a positive connection with the family. I make myself visible and available on meet the teacher and conference nights actively encouraging families to come to the room and find out more about our program, and to share information about the family and their children.

These are just a few of the strategies I use to plan ahead for a peaceful learning environment. Please add your ideas to the comments section on the blog so we can help each other to “Make it Work”

The post Making It Work: Planning Ahead for Peace first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

The end is near and it is time to begin thinking about my summer professional reading list! As I have stated in previous years, I set aside time to read three teaching-related books each summer too get the wheels turning and learn something new. Here is my list for this summer.

Orff Schulwerk Today; Nurturing Musical Expression and Understanding by Jane Frazee, Schott

This is another one of those books that was recommended by my levels instructors and I could not fit into my book budget at the time. I recently purchased this used and I am excited to dig in. Sections include: 1. Your Heritage, 2. Your Approach 3. Your Work 4. Your Commitment 5. Your Rewards. There are more than one hundred lesson suggestions using American songs and rhymes. I am looking forward to integrating these ideas into my lesson planning for next year.

Classroom Instruction that Works with English Language Learners second edition by Jane D. Hill and Kirsten B. Miller, ASCD

I work with a large number of students who are English language learners. Despite serving many students who are new to the English language, I have had little training on the best ways to meet their needs. I will be looking for instructional strategies to make music class an even more valuable time to acquire language while joyfully making music.

Empower: What Happens When Students Own Their Learning by John Spencer and A.J. Juliani, Impress

Student engagement is a hot topic in education, and is an area where Orff-Inspired teaching can shine! In this book the authors offer strategies to guide students past compliance to engagement in and out of the classroom. I am eager to find new tools and design strategies to enrich preparations for next year. The authors acknowledge the everyday challenges and provide practical solutions to overcome the barriers we may not be able to control.

What does your summer professional reading list include?  Please share titles you plan to read or re-read in the comments below. Have you read a book from our list and found it helpful? Please let us know about that in the comments as well. It may be just the inspiration someone else is looking for to make his or her summer reading list work.

For even more ideas, check out our lists from summers past!

Summer Reading List 2018

Summer Reading List 2017

Summer Reading List 2016

The post Making It Work: Summer Reading 2019 first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

Many of us have reached the time of year where state testing is finished, the weather is improving, spring fever and end of the school year activities abound. These circumstances can lead to frustration and classroom management issues that can result in a stressful few weeks. Here are a few of my tips and tricks to make the end of the school year run smoothly.

• Plan ahead for as much as you can. I keep my calendar open and when I get and email or a flyer with an activity, schedule change, or request for music I write it in right away. This helps me to keep track of what I need to do to, keep on top of who will show up at my door and when there will be changes. If I don’t write dates and times down immediately, I know I will forget.
• Create strategies to “roll with the changes.” Have a few of your favorite activities and lessons in your back pocket ready to go when you need to change plans at the last minute. I am working in two buildings this year. I can be sure that someone will forget to tell me about something. Having some singing games, dances, songs and paper projects ready to go when I need to change my plans on the fly will reduce my stress level and keep the children busy and happy.
• Wrap up official grading about two weeks before the end of the last marking period. This has been the best way to reduce my stress levels. I do not tell the children, and if we are able to accomplish more than I planned I can certainly add extra marks in the gradebook. When field trips, assemblies and other disruptions interrupt my scheduled contact time I don’t have to worry about how I am going to squeeze things in.
• Anticipate and plan for active students. I have my K and first grade students at the end of a longer than usual school day in an un airconditioned building. I know they are going to be active when they walk in the door. I plan structured movement activities early and often. When I see that the children are getting squirmy, we switch to a movement song, game or dance and then continue on with the lesson after we get the wiggles out.
• Take time to review procedures and rules. When we come back from spring break I go over all of our expectations, procedures, drills and understandings. It not only reminds the children of how we work together, it reminds me to keep on top of our expectations (even when I am tired) before some behaviors get out of hand.
• Use all of your tools. Borrow that parachute from the PE teacher, break out your favorite singing games, play ukuleles to pop songs, get out the drums and scarves and beanbags, teach your classes all of your favorite silly songs from when you were a child. Revisit and expand on favorite lessons and activities. Use these tools as leverage to motivate the class to work through less desirable tasks.
• If you are able, take your lessons outside!
• Be compassionate to yourself. Take a few moments each morning to organize and plan your day. Find five to ten minutes to shut your door, turn off the lights and just be quiet, or go outside and walk around the building. Five to ten minutes of peace will make you more productive and motivated for the rest of the day. Eat as much healthy food as you can. In my self-care in December article, I listed ways to choose healthy meals during busy times. It is tempting to reach for sugar and carbs and they may you feel better in the moment but will result in a crash that will make you feel worse.
• Show compassion to the children. If you are feeling a little tired and unmotivated at times, your students probably are too. Take a minute to listen and respond with compassion. Don’t take complaints like “Do we have to do work today; can’t we just go outside?” personally. “I understand how you feel, I wish we could. Maybe if we finish our work today we can go out for the last ten minutes” is a compassionate response. If you can’t accommodate a request, acknowledging how they feel and being sympathetic goes a long way.
• Look for the positive. It is easy to get caught up in the complaining. When you find yourself in a conversation revolving around complaints, find something hilarious, beautiful or exciting to share from your class that day and ask others to share a positive moment too. When we focus on how frustrated we are and what is not going the way we want it to that translates into how we feel and our mindset. Looking for the positive will do the same. It does not mean that there will not be frustrating times, and everything will be perfect. Acknowledging that there are beautiful, exciting and funny moments takes away some of the weight of those frustrating times and makes us lighter and happier.

How do yourself keep yourself and your students happy and healthy during the last few weeks of school? List your strategies and ideas in the comments below so we can all “Make it Work!”

The post Making It Work: Last Weeks of the Year first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

Some of us are enjoying a well deserved spring break, others are trying to hang in there until spring break arrives. As you make plans for the final few months of school, our Chief Motivation Officer, Michelle Brady, encourages you to include a plan for your own self-care and well being.

For more on what you can do today or this week to take care of yourself during this busy time of the semester, see our post Making It Work: Self-Care Strategies for Springtime.

The post Making It Work: Making Time for Self-Care first appeared on Teaching With Orff.