Name: Shelley Tomich (Tom as in “tom-cat” and itch as in I have an “itch” to scratch ? ). Store Name: Pitch Publications The post Meet the Crew: Shelley Tomich with Pitch Publications appeared first on The Music Crew ..read more

One of the things that I struggle with when teaching the littlest musicians is their short attention spans. I know that they will be most successful if I change activities frequently, but when I’m planning for seven grade levels (K-6) it’s hard for me to remember all of the fun things I have planned for younger students without referring to my lesson plan constantly- which really disturbs the flow of the lesson! I figured there HAD to be a better way- and there is! Creating Google Slides™ presentations to guide my lessons has not only helped me remember everything I have planned, but has also ..read more

Taking Popsicle Stick Dictation to the Next Level Rhythm is a fundamental skill for the students in your classroom. Being able to read, write, compose and improvise can be challenging, especially to your younger students, so here’s a guide to making hands-on rhythm toolboxes your students will love! Why? The young music makers in your classroom all have different learning styles, whether it’s aural, visual or kinesthetic. Using hands-on manipulatives strengthens your lessons by providing the opportunity to see, touch, move, feel and experience rhythm. You may already have popsicle sticks for ..read more

No matter whether you suddenly get sick, your child is sick, or you are in an accident, having substitute plans in a pinch is crucial, especially for a sub who is not a musician. Having simple plans that anyone can do is important.  MUSIC-RELATED BOOKS One of my favorite sub activities is to have a pile of music-related books. Kids of all ages enjoy listening to stories and it ensures positive behavior. I have always had shelves of music-related books in my classroom, so it would be easy, even if I can’t come in an emergency for someone to grab some to read.  Check out Melissa Stouf ..read more

Whether you like to base your lesson plans on seasonal themes or sprinkle in a few special activities, here’s a collection of resources that have been a hit with our students! Revisit this page any time of year when you are looking for something festive and fun. There are year-long units and guides to help you plan for your best year ever, and resources you can use at any time! January Follow the snowball with your voice in this Snow Day Vocal Exploration! Students will love following the unexpected paths of the snowballs. Use the line tool in Google Slides to create your own paths or hand yo ..read more

If you have walked into more than one music room, you will notice that each school has a different level of supplies.  The first school I worked in gave me a great budget, but it was severely lacking in supplies such as resource books, curriculum, and instruments.  In order to catch up to what I wanted in my classroom, I wrote lots of grants.  I have now received over $10,000 worth of grants and I continue to write them each year.  Here are some tips to get you started if you have never written a grant before. Read the grant guidelines closely. It’s very important to mak ..read more

For most, it seems that the ocarina’s familiarity begins and ends with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time; a popular video game released in the mid-90’s. My own journey with the ocarina began at a multi-media and pop culture convention where I watched someone improvise on the ocarina for several minutes, while onlookers stood mesmerized by the sound. And like any musician, I bought one immediately and started teaching myself to play it. I love the sound of the ocarina, and while it is present in some elementary music classrooms, it’s popularity is greatly surpassed by both the recorder and ..read more

When we think of leadership in schools, we most often look towards principals, instructional coaches, or to other leadership roles outside the classroom, such as teacher mentors. When it comes to our work inside our music classrooms, we commonly refer to it as teaching and classroom management.  Concerning the difference between management and leadership, US Navy Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper said, “You don’t manage people. You manage things; you lead people.” Many teachers don’t consider themselves leaders, however we are the only adult in the room, surrounded by 20 (or 40 or more ..read more

As someone who has always loved learning about and playing instruments, I felt pretty confident with my abilities to teach my general music students about the five instrument families. I had the posters, center games, video clips, and even live demonstrations. But every year the same questions were asked – “Why isn’t the saxophone in the brass family?” “How is the flute in the woodwind family when it doesn’t look like the others?” “How is a xylophone in the drum family?” Providing historical context seemed to only deepen the level of confusion. So I felt there had to be a better way of organi ..read more

A class set of ukuleles can open up a whole new world for students. However, classroom management with anything that makes sound can always be a challenge. In this post, check out my top 3 tips for ensuring your classroom remains a safe and welcoming learning environment for students! Tip 1: Practice Instrument Retrieval and Clean Up Instrument damage rarely happens in the middle of class while everyone’s strumming along to a song. The most precarious moments in music class are often the transitions. Taking the time to have students practice calmly walking to the instrument storage area and g ..read more