It's the end of the year! Time to start prepping for next year's programs!  Here are my elementary music programs from the last two years.  I use material from lots of different sources, so if you're unsure where something is from, please reach out to me and I'd be happy to help you ..read more

Today I'm sharing my two music programs from the 2020-2021 school year. While we met in the classroom (on a cart), CoVid-19 prevented us from having large in-person music programs. I decided to have two virtual music programs, one for JK-K-1 and the other 2-3. Each program was centered around a picture book that our principal read. Each class had their own song to learn and sing. After recording everything, I put all the pieces together and shared it with our families. Below is a bit more information for each program. Also, do to privacy concerns, I am unable to share the programs with you ..read more

Hello all! This year has been a difficult one for many teachers, including myself.  My mental health has suffered greatly, both at work and at home. As the school year ends, I'm finally starting to find some clarity and consistency with my days and wanted to share a new blogpost for those out there working with adaptive music classes.  Every year, my adaptive class changes. I teach K-3rd so I may have students moving on to 4th grade and new ones coming in. Also, it takes several weeks for me to understand what each student likes/dislikes and how they interact with each other.&nbs ..read more

This year, we were only able to complete 3 programs before the shutdown of our district due to CoVid-19. Here are the three we were able to complete - please let me know if you have any questions! 3rd Grade 2nd Grade 1st Grade ..read more

Hi there! Sadly, I have neglected my blog over the last year. I apologize!  I have had several people email me and leave comments, though, asking for more information on my programs. I'll be doing two separate posts today with programs from my last two years. As always, if you have questions on where to find the music or how to structure the program, let me know!  3rd Grade 2nd Grade (this program is a favorite of mine so I used it again at my new school) 1st Grade Kindergarten ..read more

Well, this school year has ended in a way that we could never have imagined. Our last week before Spring Break in March was actually our last few days of school. The state of Iowa cancelled school for the remainder of the year with optional online learning. This has caused chaos, confusion, fear, anger, concern and so many other emotions.  However, through all of us, I am trying to stay positive. Positive for my students. Positive for my daughter. Positive for our family, near and far. Positive for our essential workers. Positive for those ill. Positive for the future of our country an ..read more

All are welcome here! It's time for a new school year and I'll admit, I'm just as nervous as the kiddos! It's my 9th year of teaching, but I still get butterflies and so many emotions as the families come in to find their classroom, locker, etc.  This year, I'm starting music class with this amazing book by Alexandra Penfold: All Are Welcome.  The current climate in our country is far removed from our origins. We are a land of many different peoples and should be embracing that. Children need to come to school and know they are safe, loved and accepted. This book is a beautiful ..read more

Happy Spring! Our school year has been crazy! We had several weeks of illnesses - so bad that they considered closing our building and cleaning it. Then, we had several snow storms in a row. We didn't miss that many full days as much as we had late starts. When the snow melted, massive flooding occurred. Our area was able to absorb most of the water but other parts of Iowa and Nebraska were not so lucky. Many places (including our schools) have begun donating items, money and volunteering to help these people put their life back together. #NebraskaStrong But, spring has given me some more ti ..read more

Fashion is hard as an elementary music teacher. We are up dancing, moving around instruments or sitting on the floor for a circle game and so much more. My skinny jeans and high heels WILL NOT cut it. Now, add being pregnant into that mix. Every day is a new adventure. WARNING: I'm about to be honest and candid throughout the rest of this blog post. I was extremely sick during my entire pregnancy. I ended losing 30 pounds. It was scary but Harper was safe, sound and growing beautifully the whole time. Each day, I'd open up my closet and decide what is going to be comfortable, appropriate an ..read more

Time to share my programs from the previous year! With my pregnancy, they were not my best showings or preparations. But, the kids had fun!  Don't forget to check out my programs from previous years. You can search for them or use the sidebar. Let me know if you have any questions regarding my programs. Have a great weekend ..read more