This episode details my Top Ten Tips for those first few weeks back to school!
From befriending the custodians to finding a place for EVERYTHING, this podcast touches base on so many of the things we need for our first few weeks!https://criticalpedagogyelectrified.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/episode-15-back-to-school.mp3
Here is just one of my tips:
FIRST DAY PLANS! Okay, the temptation for the first day is to go ahead and get the syllabus out of the way. Yes, it’s important to talk about the syllabus and the handbook, and all of the other BORING things, but is this the kind of a tone you want to set for your students??? NO! So, start the class with music blaring from your room. Greet your students in the hallway with a fun activity. Perhaps you have a hopscotch drawn on your floor with expo marker (for tile floors) or with tape for carpeted floors. Have students hopscotch to the beat of the piece you are playing into the room. What a fun and simple way to assess steady beat on day 1! And trust me, this is fun for ANY age!
I hope you enjoy this episode! Stay tuned for our next episode, in which our future music teachers will talk to us about their hopes and dreams for their own music teaching careers. I hope you tune in! Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes, to hit Subscribe so you can get all of our updates, and to like us on facebook at Musicedlove!
We hope that this week you will be able to sprinkle a little stardust on all your students, uncover the greatness within a few more humans, and send those stars through the stratosphere! Happy Musicking Friends!
P.S. – Remember to use #TheArtsCan as your students are doing exciting things! We are starting an Arts Advocacy Campaign here in West Tennessee and will be promoting the arts in so many ways! We know that the arts can inspire a people, the arts can bring together people from all walks, and we especially know that the arts can give us an outlet for expressing ourselves. Let us know how the arts can help you and your students today on our facebook page or just by using #TheArtsCan !