Teacher Talent Show Ideas

     Recently I've been thinking about talent shows.  It may not be that time of year for you, but I wanted to share some ideas in case you are looking for something to do with other teachers in your talent show! 
     We have a talent show at our elementary every year near the end of the year.  I love getting to see what kids choose to perform!!  As much as the students love seeing their friends perform, their absolute favorite thing is to see their teachers perform!  This can pose a challenge since some teachers are not super excited about getting outside of their comfort zone.  Granted, I have seen a group of male teachers perform as KISS and the Spice Girls!  But since not everyone is that comfortable up in from of people, here are a couple of ideas that perhaps even a shy teacher may consider:

Teacher Talent Show Ideas

1.  Recorders--teach them Hot Cross Buns or something else simple.  Dressing up silly is a MUST of course!

2. Pop See Ko--If you haven't signed up for GoNoodle, you need to!  You can check it out yourself here, or check out this blog I wrote about it awhile back.  Pop See Ko is one of my students' favorite chants and last year we changed it into our teacher talent act.  It took about 15 minutes to prepare.  Each grade of teachers created their own dance move and we started with kindergarten and went up, and even had our principal come out in the hotdog outfit at the end (see the video below)!  Then we invited the students to do their own "Pop See Ko."  It's kind of hard to explain on a blog, so log in and check it out!

3.  Dancing in the dark--as STICK FIGURE PEOPLE!  We did this a couple of years ago and boy was it a hit!  This option helps shy teachers because they know people can't see who they are.  It was so much fun and silly at the same time.  (Tip:  Make sure it's completely dark!)  I wish I had a good video of our simplified version for you, but here's a way over the top version:



And here's directions on how to do it!

4.  Lastly, I can already sense a Whip Nae Nae act coming this year . . . anybody else?



Why do we do these crazy things?  For the students.  Catch you next time I have something Noteworthy!

Kodaly Level I vs. Orff Level I

     I am currently taking my Kodaly Level I course at Central Michigan University and learning so much about the Kodaly process!  That being said, I also learned a TON from my Orff level I class at VanderCook College of Music.  (I have also trained a bit in Education Through Music and Music Learning Theory--perhaps another blog post in the future!).  So, I thought I would throw out a few thoughts about the differences and similarities between the two.  This is just my opinion and please keep in mind that I have only taken one level in each methodology, so I am by no means declaring myself an expert :)

Kodaly and Orff Similarities:

1.  Great music, mostly based on folk songs and nursery rhymes. 
2.  Great people in the classes.
3.  Great and knowledgeable teachers of the levels.
4.  Movement activities.
5.  Singing activities.
6.  Games.
7.  Music notation (though one does a better job of explaining sequencing).
8.  Folk dancing.
9.  Makes you want to take Level II.
10.  Gives you great connections to ask questions in the future.
11.  Solfege.

Things I liked about Orff a little more:

1.  Instruments.
Kids light up when they are playing them, and even the biggest stinker in the class is finally glued to you so they won't lose their chance to play a barred instrument.  Also, let's face it, some people are great musicians but not great singers.  I worry that Kodaly might miss those students a little in the early grades.

2.  Recorders
I think Kodaly also does recorders, but I liked that I got to start learning how to play the recorder in Level I of Orff.  I'm guessing Kodaly doesn't do them until Level III since they are so sequenced :)

3.  Movement
Creative movement is an essential element to Orff and I LOVE the expression that comes from these activities in Orff.  In Orff, we had part of the day dedicated just to movement every day.  There are movement activities in Kodaly, but they seem less playful and aren't asking the students to come up with their own creations.  Again, this may happen in later levels for Kodaly, and I'm just comparing the Level I classes.

4.  K-5 in Level I
Orff Level I can be applied K-5, whereas Kodaly Level I is for K-1.  This makes it a bit more appealing for music teachers who are starting out and want tools to help their entire student body.

 

Things I liked about Kodaly a little more: 

1.  Sequencing, sequencing, sequencing.
If you don't know what order to teach things in and how to go about it, this class will save you years of grief.  So detailed and it makes sense.  If you want to learn more about sequencing in the Orff world, take Orff Curriculum and Design--which was a fantastic class and totally worth taking I might add.  But I still think there are a couple of more in-between details explained in the Kodaly method. 

2.  Prepare, present, practice.
This goes along with the sequencing.  I just love the idea that it's okay to keep practicing something over and over again to really nail it!  Sometimes I feel like my Orff curriculum jumps a little too fast for students to know what we were doing.

3.  Singing and Solfege.
I love the emphasis on the music literacy and musicianship of the teacher themselves.  At first I was a little annoyed by it (being honest here, please don't hold that against me).  Solfege class tests your sight-reading and coordination abilities.  Singing in a choir again after a decade of not doing so--heavenly!!  I forgot how much I love alto lines . . . no seriously, I am in love with singing alto.  I can't believe I forgot how much I loved making music just for my own satisfaction.  Kodaly has brought that back out in me!

Final Thoughts:

     Whatever your style of elementary music teaching is, taking a levels course will GREATLY improve your teaching.  Please consider taking a level in Kodaly or Orff.  Perhaps what I've noted above will help you choose which one is right for you!  My personal philosophy is to study as many methodologies as possible and steal the best stuff from each one!!  I guess that makes me an Orff/Kodaly/ETM/MLT splat teacher, but I don't think my students mind.  They just know they are loved and making great music.
     Catch you next time I have something noteworthy!

Music Games Road Trip

     Well, I may not be on vacation, but I'm headed out on part of a musical road trip hosted by My Musical Menagerie. 

     This week's focus is games!  There are so many great games out there for music learning.  This year, I have focused on creating games to help students learn the proper names for notes and to show they understand music terminology.  Truthfully, I also like to include some games that are just for fun and enjoying the music you are listening to (see #5)!  Here are some of my current favorite games:
     1.  Music Note Bingo Bundle--Lots of great levels to name the proper names of notes so students can proper music terminology.  Great for non-music subs too.

     2.  Music Undercover--Great for stations or just to play with a partner as review.

     3.  Music Monster Match--Test to see if your students understand the relationships between notes and their rest counterparts.  It's like concentration with a monstrous twist that students love.  It can be played as a whole class or in partners/groups. 

     4.  Note Naming Bingo Triple Bundle--Teach you students how to name just the spaces, just the lines, or put them together!  It's up to you!  A great review for students who have been introduced to note naming.  It can be used with the treble or bass clef.

     5.   The Broom Game:  This is the game I close every year out with because students can get their energy out and have a blast!  Put three chairs at the end of an alley formation (2 lines facing each other).  Put one person in each chair with the person on the middle chair getting the broom.  That student can choose to hand it to the person sitting on either side of him/her.  Whoever gets the broom goes to the middle chair.  The remaining two students (including the student who used to have the broom) connect hands and gallop down the center.  The lines move forward (the lines end up facing the chairs) and two new people are seated on the chairs.  I usually put Rhythmically Moving CDs on while we are playing this game and the students love it.  If you want to make it more tricky, only allow them to pass the broom at the end of a phrase!  If you want to win your students over, put their favorite pop song on as a surprise :)
     One last thing, all of these games listed above will be 25% off through Wednesday!  I also really like:
Lindsay Jervis' Steal the Bacon 
Malinda Phillips' Annoying Aliens
Amy Abbott's Swat that Fly!
     If you want to read about more games that are on sale, check out other posts by clicking on the road trip logo at the top of this post!
     Catch you next time I have something noteworthy!

Reviewing My Resolutions

     Well, since it's about half way through the year, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on my resolutions (for better or worse!).  So I'm linking up with Mrs. Miracle's Music Room to review the goals I set waaaaaaaayyyy back in January:

Personal:  Devotions and prayer
     I have to say while this has increased in my life, I could still use more discipline.  Perhaps a continuing resolution for many years to come!

Professional:  Take a levels course.
     I'm SUPER excited that I will be taking Kodaly Level 1 at CMU in just a couple of weeks!!  I LOVE professional development opportunities because I know I will always walk away a better teacher because of them!

 

Classroom:  After-school music club
     Well . . . . I was interested in that whole "after-school music club" until I found out I was going from K-5 to K-12 next year.  I guess I will have to save that after school time for my own planning for now :)

Blog/TPT: Stay active/don't second guess. 
     I have decided to pace myself as a TPT seller because I have a husband and two young daughters at home.  I haven't put out as many new products as I would have liked to which is kind of disappointing.  But, in another way, I'm so proud of myself for spending time with my daughters as my main priority in life (although this whole K-12 thing is taking a lot of my time right now too). 
     Don't second guess.  Well, I think I still do that sometimes.  But a big step forward for me is that I will be presenting about Teachers Pay Teachers at the Michigan Music Conference.  Make sure to come see me if you are attending.  I would love to meet you!

 

Just for me:  Proactive about health.
     Without going into the boring details, I've had lots of nagging health issues for many years.  I DID stick to this resolution and am happy to say that going gluten-free has pretty much wiped out my migraine and stomach issues that I have had for years!!!  Now I can work-out again--which I have been doing regularly for a couple of months!!  So glad to have a healthier body :)

     I hope your year has also been blessed with great successes!  Feel free to share something wonderful that has happened to you or something that has made you proud of yourself!  If you would like to see other resolutions from music teachers, and how they are going, click here! 
     Catch you next time I have something noteworthy!

Book Review: "Classroom Management for Art, Music, and P.E. Teachers"

     A little over a week ago, I wrote out some of my summer goals, and though I still have 3 days of school left, I’ve already accomplished part of my summer bucket list!  I just finished reading “Classroom Management for Art, Music, and P.E. Teachers” by Michael Linsin.  In two days. 

     Here are some of my thoughts on this book:

1.     Every new music teacher should read this book.  It expresses much of what I have learned over the past ten years of teaching.  

2.     Michael Linsin, though a P.E. teacher, points out many of the realities of teaching music and how they differ from a classroom teacher.  It’s nice to hear from someone who can relate!

3.     His approach is calm and respectful to both the teacher and students.  This is paramount to me—that my students feel they are treated fairly and with respect.  

4.     Experienced teachers can benefit from it too.  It’s always good to hear someone else’s approach to teaching in a specials classroom (I say specials because of how it’s scheduled, but please know that I consider music to be a core class).  You may learn some new tricks, or you may just enjoy hearing someone else chime in to say that what you’ve been doing is a good idea.

    Some favorite quotes:

1.     “The purpose of your classroom management plan is to protect each student’s right to learn and enjoy being part of your class.  It’s a positive, not a negative.”

2.     “It’s in your positive relationships that the secrets of managing difficult students reside.”

3.     “Only proceed when your class is giving you what you want.”

     If your class hasn’t quite been doing what you want, check it out!  It’s a short read and you will likely find some helpful tips :)  Catch you next time I have something noteworthy!

Please note:  Noteworthy By Jen is an Amazon affiliate.  Links may be monetized to help pay for the upkeep of this blog.  

Get Their Wiggles Out!

     As the end of the year comes, it's time to help our students move and shake it!  If you're looking for something new to try for upper grades, check out my Class Cooperation Freeze Dance.  It's a great test of their teamwork and has lots of fun poses too!

 

Here's a few samples pages:

     Enjoy the end of your school year.  Catch you next time I have something noteworthy!

Tips for the End of the Year

     It's getting close to the end of the school year--and boy, do the students seem to know!  Or maybe it's the teachers :)  Here are some tips for the end of the year to keep it fresh, purposeful, and fun:

End of the Year Tips

1.  Review what your students learned this year!

     I have a word wall for each grade in my classroom.  When we get near the end of the year, I like to do a whirlwind of activities to review the concepts we learned throughout the year while pointing back to the word wall and talking about what we did.  It keeps the students on their toes and also helps them to be proud of all that they have learned!  Here's a sample of part of my 3rd grade word wall (we do a unit playing the violin).  Someday I hope to have the word wall all printed out and pretty. 

 2.  Try a new activity

     I always like to go to workshops to get new ideas each year, otherwise I don't feel as excited about my teaching!  Other great places to search for music activities are blogs and Pinterest.  Recently, my kindergarten students were "painting" their bodies to the beat while we sang "I Ain't Gonna Paint No More." I think we will create our own rhyming verses next week just for fun.  I have the CD that I got through scholastic books, but I don't know where it's available now :( 

3.  Have a choice day!

     The very last day of my music classes is always a game day where students can pick their favorite activities from the year and revisit them!  I also include folk dancing and the broom game as options.  Sometimes we even have our last class outside if the weather is nice. 

4.  Set goals for the summer

     I am the queen of post-it notes.  My desk is covered in them!  But, it allows me to take those small ideas I get throughout the day and not forget them.   So, now is the time of year I look through my ideas for the summer and start working on it.  This year's goals?
     1.  Redo the costume closet at my school.
     2.  Take Kodaly Level I (or Orff Level II if that doesn't work out).  Either way, it will be invaluable!
     3.  Read some books. It's always nice to hear how someone else runs their classroom so you can pick their best ideas and use them in yours.  Here's one I'm going to check out for sure:

     4.  Pick out possible music and musicals for the upcoming school year.  I normally wait to make my final decisions until the school year is in session, but it's always good to have a list to choose from instead of starting from scratch.  And next year I will be K-12--so it's never to early to start planning!

     Catch you next time I have something noteworthy!  Feel free to share how you are making it to the end of the year!

     For more great tips on what to do at the end of the year, click here to see who else is blogging about it!