At Long Last: The 2020 Student Mixtape

Better late than never! After resolving a technical snag I was unaware of, our end-of-the-year songs from LAST year are finally being published. We used the DAW BandLab.com and a loose rubric centered around creating a lo-fi study beat. This was a special batch of songs for me because of the pandemic and the way…

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Will Education Embrace Remote Learning?

“Remote learning is here to stay for a while,” said Kristen Brody, a CPS parent who spoke at a recent online panel organized by Raise Your Hand, a parent advocacy group. “We need to plan for the long term and we need to have something in place for our families and our students.”

Black Panther Drumming: Music, History, & Culture

The film Black Panther was a huge hit, Chadwick Boseman (its star) passed away in 2020, and the new film will be released in 2021. (2022?) It’s relevant pop culture that is here to stay and will engage students of all ages for years to come. This lesson is a great way to tie-in pop…

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How to host a Virtual Winter Concert

With everything up in the air at the end of the year, the annual “Winter Concert” might be low on the list of your priorities. Don’t scrap this time-honored tradition, use the new setting, and circumstances to re-invent what it can be! Sure packing hundreds of students and parents into a gymnasium might not work…

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How to create a Self-Directed Playlist using SeeSaw

Using the ed-tech platform SeeSaw, I’ve been able to create self-directed independent learning playlists (menus). These are amazing for asynchronous learning, independent learning, self-directed learning, or even learning centers. The menus are easy to navigate but provide students with the choice and voice that is so essential when trying to foster participation and buy-in. This…

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No Instruments? No Problem!

Teaching remotely can be a real challenge. Teaching music remotely can seem impossible! Students often don’t have the resources or instruments necessary to participate in traditional activities. However, I’ve found great success in this first month of online learning by using found-percussion. Just like STOMP! students are clapping, slapping, and taping their way to success…

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Pacific Islander Heritage Month (FREE materials)

May is Asian American, Pacific Islander Heritage Month. An important celebration, but one that doesn’t typically draw the fanfare of February’s Black History Month, or Hispanic Heritage Month. However, with the popularity of Disney’s Moana and Lava songs I have found an easy engagement piece that allows students to access a part of the world…

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At-Home Learning: Using Google Effectively

With so many homebound students, and so many trying distance learning for the first time it can be a real challenge. However, there are tools and tricks you can use to make the whole things easier. Most people I know use Gmail just fine, but actually all the programs in the Google Suite are powerful…

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Virtual Sing-a-longs!

How are you coping with distance learning? Don’t forget about the fun songs and community carpet time activities as well. As the music teacher I’ve been hosting daily sing-a-longs with my students, here are some of my favorite ideas and songs. 

Pop Music Production: An Overview

One of the biggest areas I get questions about from other arts teachers is digital music. It is simultaneously one of the most desired areas and one of the most intimidating. However, with a little practice anyone can produce great original work using these tools. These lessons and materials can be used as individual activities…

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