This post has been on my mind for months – literally!  I started drafting this in early September and am just sitting down to finish it in mid-November.  As much as I love sharing my passion for teaching with all of you, teaching takes it toll on the best of us.  It’s been a busy […] The post Sequencing Ukulele Play-Alongs for Instruction appeared first on SingtoKids ..read more

As a Music Learning Theory Practitioner, I am always looking for ways to include songs in different tonalities and meters in my instruction.  This includes my choir too!  Over the years, I’ve collected a list of songs that use a variety of tonalities and meters.  Here are some of my favorites! Dorian Songs Allie, Call […] The post Choral Music with a Twist appeared first on SingtoKids ..read more

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One of my biggest goals as a teacher is to work smarter, not harder.  Curriculum mapping is a great way to organize your instruction. Let’s walk through some simple steps to help you map out your music instruction for the coming school year! Reflect Before we begin, take a moment to reflect on your practice.  […] The post Curriculum Mapping Made Easy appeared first on SingtoKids ..read more

Are you looking for some free, online games for your elementary music students?  With many schools adopting 1:1 technology post-pandemic, it’s easier than ever to use devices such as Chromebooks in the music room. The challenge is where to find quality, free online resources for students?  I’m sharing some of my favorite sites for free […] The post Online Games for Elementary Music appeared first on SingtoKids ..read more

One of the most challenging parts of remote teaching was incorporating instruments into my instruction.  My elementary music room is a hands-on learning environment with instruments being played most days.  During remote instruction, not only could we not play instruments, but it was challenging to show instruments too! The Beginning of the Mystery Instruments My […] The post Introducing Timbre through Mystery Instruments appeared first on SingtoKids ..read more

Have you ever considered using music centers in your music room?  I’ve used them for over 20 years and they are hands-down my favorite day in music (as well as my students’ favorite days!)  Music centers offer many benefits to instruction: Centers are a wonderful opportunity for students to interact with content at their own […] The post Music Centers: Rhythm appeared first on SingtoKids ..read more

  A few years ago, I wrote a three-part series about Standards-Based Scales.  You can read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 here.  One thing that is consistent in standards-based scales is that if students do not understand the vocabulary associated with a given concept or skill, they cannot achieve true understanding or application […] The post Teaching Vocabulary in Elementary Music appeared first on SingtoKids ..read more

I have two goals for my students when they come to my program: 1) all my students feel that they can use their singing voice and 2) all students find connection and joy through music – however that may look.  Coming back from Remote instruction, where it was hard to sing, I worried about how […] The post Call & Response Songs for Elementary Music appeared first on SingtoKids ..read more

Have you ever wished you knew how to guide your students to move to the beat with ease?  Or not rush the beat when playing an instrument or folk dancing?  What if I told you the answer wasn’t more practice at keeping a beat, but exploring Laban Efforts instead? If you don’t know about Rudolf […] The post Using Laban Efforts in Elementary Music: Activities appeared first on SingtoKids ..read more