In this episode, we dive deep into the realm of music education, uncovering five essential strategies for infusing joy into the classroom without surrendering to chaos. The first part of the episode talks about how to structure your classroom when adding any activity that might introduce chaos.

We also talk about how transitions can help keep the structure savvy and when and where to use them.

Then we delve into 3 strategies to help add fun to the music classroom. First we discuss structured gameplay, where teachers guide students through games with specific rules, fostering a harmonious balance between fun and discipline. Points are assigned judiciously, with personal fouls and disqualifications in place for maintaining order during activities. Whether playing instruments, engaging in physical exercises, or transitioning between lessons, safety remains paramount, and teachers are encouraged to enforce consistent guidelines.

Then we explore creative avenues for learning, emphasizing the power of fun manipulatives and games. From super stretchies and monkey noodles to board games repurposed for music skill challenges, teachers are encouraged to transform ordinary items into engaging tools. Incorporating movement becomes a cornerstone for effective teaching, whether structured or improvised, during activities like dance, line dances, partner dances, and folk dances.

The episode concludes with insights into enhancing listening lessons, advocating for instrument movement, and incorporating dance, creating a dynamic and enjoyable music classroom where structured play and creativity coexist harmoniously.

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What we talked about:

Buy your Chaos to Calm course

Mr. Henry's Games - Go to his site, Click on "I'm a Teacher", search for games

Mr. Henry's The Music Floor is Lava

Artie Almeida Resources for instrumentorium play:

Mallet Madness

Mallet Madness Strikes Again

A Galaxy of Games for the Music Classroom - a book with hundreds of music theory and melody games

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Contact Jeanette:

Send me an email: jeanette@storiesthatsing.net

Visit my website: https://storiesthatsing.net/ 

Sign up for my newsletter and receive THREE FREE Lesson Plans: https://mailchi.mp/5f337a46b85f/storiesthatsing 

Join my Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/themusicteachergroup

Follow me on IG: @thehappymusicteacher

Follow me on TikTok: @thehappymusicteacher 

Are you an elementary music teacher who's feeling overwhelmed and drained juggling lesson plans, self-care and the unique challenges of being a music teacher can be really tough If the hustle's leaving you tired, know that you're not alone. Check to see if you are at risk for burnout by taking our burnout quiz and discover tools for a healthier, happier teaching experience. Your wellbeing matters and it's time to prioritize it. Take the quiz today@storiesthatsing.net slash burnout quiz. Here's to a refresh you in the new year.

This podcast is a proud member of the Teach Better Podcast network. Better today, better tomorrow and the podcast to get you there. Explore more podcasts at www.teachbetterpodcastnetwork.com. Now let's get onto the episode

Music.

Are you an elementary music teacher who's frustrated and overwhelmed? I'm Jeanette Shorey, a happy music teacher who loves teaching every day, but it wasn't long ago, I was in your shoes. Join me Wednesdays to help you find happy in your music classroom.

Well, it's 2024. I mean, I can't even believe it. And for me, and probably a lot of you, that means that this school year is kind of halfway over and that's kind of unbelievable. So I wanted to talk today about something that I think is really, really important and that is ways to introduce fun into your classroom without introducing chaos. Because so many times I hear from teachers that yes, I love to add fun things. I love for my students to play instruments. I love for us to play games. But when that happens, then we get all this chaos. And I recently spoke to a music teacher who was like, you know what? You just have to accept the chaos. So that's the first thing I'm going to tell you. This is your bonus. This is not part of my notes. This is your bonus.

It is the sixth thing, but it's really the most important thing and that is you need to be prepared to accept some chaos. It's going to happen. You are the music teacher. The students are expecting it to be fun in there when it's not fun. They are so disappointed because the teacher drops them off and is like, have fun boys and girls. And as much as we don't like to hear that, the fact is I hope that your class is the most fun part of their week because guess what? If they're having fun in there, then first of all, they're learning more. And second, they are going to love coming to your class and not translates into a love of music. So if you are not adding fun and you are not creating that love of music, then what's going to happen is when your kiddos get to the next level, if you teach elementary to middle school or if you teach primary to intermediate or whatever, they are not going to continue with music and that is heartbreaking.

I know that's heartbreaking to you and it's heartbreaking to the people in the upper levels of music education. So it's so important to add some fun. So I'm going to tell you first of all, number one, how to structure things so that the chaos doesn't overtake the learning. So we're going to talk about being active playing instruments and we're also going to talk about playing games. These are things that I do in my classroom all the time that keep me being a happy music teacher. So let's talk about playing games. When you're playing games with your students, you want to first of all set specific rules, whatever those rules happen to be. So for example, if you don't want them to talk during a certain part of the game, and I will tell you that I do allow talking when it's not essential for them to be listening to a question or something like that because guess what?

They don't get a lot of time to talk. So if I don't want them to talk, I'm going to say boys and girls, when you are listening to a question, if your team talks, anyone on your team talks, your whole team loses a point. Whatever those happen to be, whatever those rules are, set, very specific rules only set maybe three because students can't really remember more than three. And then be consistent in your handling of those rules. So if someone doesn't follow the rules, the whole team loses a point or misses a turn or whatever the consequence happens to be and make sure that you stop every single time. And guess what? If you do it consistently, they are going to be like, oh, she has not taken any BS about this. I'm going to need to follow those rules. And then they're going to remind each other to follow the rules.

Number two, in the playing of games, if there is an argument, we call that a personal foul and the team loses a point. If there's a second argument with the same person, then they are disqualified and removed from the game. If they are arguing with the teacher, it is a personal foul and they are removed for five minutes from the game. So there is no arguing with the teacher. Now you can set up your rules any way you want them, but make sure that you are very consistent in handling those rules and just be like, I'm sorry, someone on your team was talking. I don't like to point people out, but someone on me personally, I'm not telling them that I don't like to point people out, but I will say someone on your team was talking so your team loses a point. So that is how to structure things when you're playing games, when you're doing something active, any sort of movement, any sort of transition that's active.

Safety always comes first. That's what I say to my students safety first, and that is all I will say to them. They can interpret that the way that they're going to interpret that. I do not go over that big time. Then I set specific guidelines. So students put on either their dance bubbles or their force fields. I start with force fields in third grade. And what I do, as I say, students put on your force field, and I'm going to do the sound effect in a minute, but basically I put my hands straight up, my body around my head, straight down my body, and then I do a three part on the sides. So it goes like,

Actually that was four parts, wasn't it? So that is what we do. We set a forest field starting in third grade because I feel like little ones are great with dance bubbles, but big kids do not like dance bubbles. They're like, I'm not a baby. So I give them a force field. The rules on the dance bubble or the force field are, it is soundproof. No one can take it off, but you or me. So otherwise they're going to go around popping each other's bubbles. And if I hear you talking, I will know you took it off. If I see you getting too close to someone, I will know you took it off. And I will demonstrate by walking and pretending to walk into somebody and kind of bouncing off of them. And if they do that, they get five minutes out. I don't ever use the words timeout because to me that sounds like a punishment.

What I'll say is your bubble or your force field takes about five minutes to reboot. So you'll have to sit out until it's rebooted. And then I set a timer and I'll be like, Hey Siri, set a five minute sally timer. And then when it goes off, they get to come back in. So if they are not being safe in some other way, it's five minutes out. And in that case I will say safety first five minutes out and I have a rest area in my room with actual rests. And that's what we do if the whole class needs to be stopped, do it. So they've started to get crazy and you're like, oh my gosh, somebody's going to get hurt, freeze. And then I do bubble breathing. So we'll fill our bubble. I don't say deep breathing, I don't say anything like that. I'll just say, okay, you have a bubble around your belly.

Fill it for four, empty it for four, and we will do three calming breaths and then we'll get started again if I have to stop them a second time. We don't do three strikes, we do two strikes. If I have to stop them a second time, they're done. The last part of this is just like with games, you must be consistent. If you are not consistent, they are not going to follow your rules, they're just not. And then you are going to have chaos. Chaos is going to be an everyday part of your class. The third section of this is playing instruments. So I suggest you play instruments almost every week. I know that's a lot, but your kids love it and it is the best way for them to learn. Hands down. Best way is for them to play instruments. Almost every week use a specific pass out technique.

I have a couple of specific pass out techniques that I use that in my course. Chaos to calm. I will be going over those pass out techniques. That'll be part of it. And you're going to teach the technique as you go. You are not going to explain it ahead of time. When you are passing out instruments, I allow them to play because they want to play. And all you're doing is making them frustrated and making you frustrated because then you're having to walk over and take away instruments from people and it takes away longer. So as long as they don't play too loudly, I will say soft playing beautiful music and we'll talk about beautiful music in a moment, but if they play too loudly, I ask them to hold their instruments. So I'll just hold out my hand and I'll be like, you'll get it back in a minute.

You were playing too loudly if they don't stop when you're ready to stop. So I do like 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, we're done. And if they don't stop again, I walk over and I say your instrument's in timeout for five minutes. The student does not go into timeout, the instrument goes into timeout, I will hold onto it. So if they're playing too loudly or they don't stop when you ask them to, and again, you must be consistent. That is super important. Do not be nice. They don't need nice, they don't need you to be their friend. They need you to be their teacher and they need you to be consistent with the rules that is going to help them be more comfortable. Finally, when playing instruments talk about beautiful music, not nasty noise. So I'll be like, oh, beautiful music. And then I'll be like, Ew, nasty noise.

And my students know even my wee littles, even my pre-Ks know that we play beautiful music and we never play nasty noise. And if someone is playing nasty noise, I will be like, can you play that more beautifully? Because we are looking for beautiful music, not nasty noise. And everybody's like, Ew, nasty noise. So those are some techniques on structuring things so that the chaos does not overtake the learning. Next, number two, I'd like to talk about transitions. So you want to use them always for everything you do. You want to transition for them coming in, you want to transition for them leaving. You want to transition for any time you move about the classroom. And again, this is something else we'll be talking a lot about in my new course, chaos to Calm, because transitions are a great way to keep the calm and avoid the chaos. And they're also a great way to not have to talk too much. So I sing or chant all of my transitions and within the first couple weeks I start encouraging my kiddos to also sing or chant with me. This discourages talking, but it also keeps them actively engaged and it keeps them reviewing the rules because I'm doing like this

Tiptoe to the story place, to the story place to the story

Place

Tiptoe to the story place

And sit down

Crisscross applesauce,

Hands in your lap so they already can hear the rules. You do not have to talk about the rules, you do not have to go over them. All you have to do is start singing. And my kids all love to sing those as well. So that's kind of cool. And then they're sitting and they're tiptoeing, and if they don't tiptoe, guess what? They have to go back and I will just say, I'm so sorry, Sally, would you go back and try again? You were not tiptoeing. And if the whole class does it, oh, freeze boys and girls, we were not tiptoeing. Can we go back and try that again? And even those who are tiptoeing, if there's too many of them, I am make them all go back because it's good practice. So that is super important. You want to also add movement in your transitions.

So anytime you're doing transitions, there should be some sort of movement. If there's not a natural movement, like they're not coming in or leaving, they're not doing some sort of walking to a place in your classroom, then you can add just some hand movement, some swaying, anything you want to do because the more movement you add, the less chaos you're going to have in your classroom. You and I both know that those kids are not getting enough time being active. We in Alabama are very blessed to have PE every day for 30 minutes, but I know there's a lot of places where that does not happen and they're not getting enough recess because guess what? Anytime they're not doing the right thing, what's the first thing that goes? It's recess. And those kiddos who have struggles that struggle to stay on task, they need the recess more than anybody else.

So I totally disagree with that, but that's another talk for another day. So it is important to use the transitions to make sure they're singing or chanting and make sure all of your transitions involve singing or chanting to add some movement to go with it and then be consistent If they are doing the right thing, make sure you compliment them. Oh my gosh, I love the way Alfred is walking so nicely. Boys and girls. Can you see how wonderfully Caitlin is sitting? She's sitting up straight and tall, she's tiptoeing to the story place, et cetera, whatever. If someone's not following the rules again, send them back and let them try again. So if you're interested in learning more about those transitions, that is something else that will be in my new course, chaos to Calm. So if you're interested in checking it out, you can go to stories that sing.net/chaos to calm and put yourself on the waiting list so I can notify you as soon as it goes live.

Or if you're listening after January of 2024, after the end of January, 2024, then you can go and just sign up for that course because there is lots of great value there. So we talked first about how to structure things so that chaos doesn't overtake the learning. And then number two, we talked about transitions and how to always use them. Now let's talk about some ways to add that fun and silly into your classroom. And again, make sure that you always structure things the proper way. That's why I went over that first. Number three is add fun, manipulative. What I want you to do is I want you to search up or ask your kiddos if you have kids at home or ask your students at school, what are your favorite, favorite things to play with right now? And those should be the things that you bring into the classroom because your students are going to legit lose their minds.

They're going to be so excited that you have these things in your classroom. So some of the ones that I love to use are super stretchies monkey noodles. I love for my students to bring in their stuffies from home coming up very soon. We're going to have a whole teddy bear day where they get to bring in their stuffies and I will have extras and we do a whole teddy bear day. I love to use streamers. The kids absolutely love to use streamers, any kind of blocks or legos, Nerf toys, not the guns. We don't want to be encouraging that, but I love to use a Nerf football or anything like that. Those are great things to use for doing head voice. They're great for warming up their voices. They're also great for if you want somebody to answer a question, you can toss them that Nerf football and they can answer the question if they catch it, if they fight over it, they don't get to do it, neither one of them.

So that's kind of a hard fast rule I have. And then I get to pick somebody. And usually what I'll do with the Nerf toys is I'll specifically, I have pretty good aim. I tend to do, I throw a lot of things at my students, a lot of nerve toys and things like that. So I have pretty good aim because I've been practicing for a long time. But if you don't have great aim, then you can just say, this is going to cash, and if it doesn't get to cash, then cash gets to go pick it up, that kind of thing. And you can sort of tell them that the first time you're tossing anything like that. Anything that is fun, that is interesting to touch and feel and play with. And guess what? Like monkey noodles. Legit the best way to teach any sort of duration.

I was teaching long and short for my pre-K this year and my mind was so blown because I brought out those monkey noodles and they immediately could see and feel because I passed them around for everybody and they were able to tell me long and short with no problem at all. It is the first time in my teaching career. Every once in a while you have one of those amazing ideas. So fun manipulatives are your friend. If you need help. This will again be part of my chaos to calm course. But if you need help thinking about manipulatives, trying to figure out what manipulatives to use, you can always message me jeanette@storiessing.net. It's one n two ts@storiesthatsing.net number four, play lots and lots and lots of games. Everything can be made into a game. There are no prizes. The kids, honestly, they never even ask me, and if they do, I'm like, you are just getting the glory of winning the game.

So it's not about the prizes, it's not about the winning, although they're going to bring it back to that. You can bring in board games from home and transform them into music skill games. I mean, just replace your monopoly board with stickers that have musical terms on them or something like that. You can do musical twister, anything like that. I love to do the class against the teacher. So for example, if we are playing any kind of game, I'll be like, okay, I'm going to read this rhythm and then you're going to read this rhythm. Or if we're doing the best thing really is when you're doing behavior management and I'll be like, okay, I'm going to see how many points I can get if the class is talking too much, I get a point. If the class is doing a fabulous job, you get a point, et cetera.

So I mean, make it up as you go along. I do that all the time. I love to use Mr. Henry's games. There are lots and lots of games out there, but his are my favorite because he goes into all the great learning and he also does, they're engaging and they're fun. And the video part of it is so much fun to listen to and watch or I should say to watch, not to listen to. But the singing is also great. The music is also great. So I'm going to link to some of my favorite games. My absolute favorite is Four Corners, but I'm going to link to some of those in the show notes. Instrument play games. So you can do instrument play games for meter, for example. You put two different sizes. You have teams of three. One person gets a big drum, one person gets a small drum, a third person has a mallet, and they are playing the big drum and the small drum.

Big drum of course is on beat. One small drum is on beat. Two, I don't like to do, I mean I'll do meter three with starting in second grade-ish maybe this time of the year. But for first graders, maybe even for kindergartners this time of the year, you can do something like that and the class gets to vote. Each team has an opportunity to play and the class gets to vote on whether or not they played on the meter and then they get a point if they did. So that's just one random game. Get out your flashcards, split the class into two sections and have them play as many rhythms as they can without making a mistake. See who goes furthest. So that's another good game. Get out all of your weird instruments, all of those instruments that the kids are like, how do you play that?

And have them split up into teams of maybe three or four. I like to have them choose their own team and you do it your way, but I like to have them choose their own team. They love it that way and see if they can play it correctly or get out your other instruments and do it that way. So every time they play an instrument correctly, they get a point. So you see where I'm going with this. Anything works. Split your kids into three groups, into groups of three rather, and do a relay. So you can do this with any music theory. So you can do note values, you can do rhythm reading, you can do say the names of the notes, whatever. And I will say, so the way it works is I show them the flashcard and if they get it right, then they get to go to the next area and tag that person, et cetera.

So I mean, you can do it anyway. You can have them all stand up and if someone says the note right, then they get to stay standing. If they say it wrong, they get to sit down, et cetera, et cetera. There is a great, great book that is not in here right now, but I will link to that in the show notes with tons and tons and tons of games. So everything can be made into a game. Again, everything can be made into a game, and if you are playing a game, your kiddos are going to be super on board. Finally, number five, technically number six, because I gave you a bonus at the very beginning. Number five, use as much movement as humanly possible. It can be structured movement like dancing line dancing, that sort of thing. It can be improvised movement where you put on some music and they just do creative movement.

You can use scarves or stretches or whatever you want to use. I like to, with my bigger kids, use some kind of manipulative because that helps them to move. Like they're not so focused on themselves then and going, oh my gosh, everybody's watching me and my kids. They're totally used to moving. And even if you're starting with fourth and fifth grade, which I did for a long time, they adjust really quickly because they're like, oh, everybody else is doing it. So they do it too. You can move with listening lessons. In fact, that is the way that my students engage the most with classical music is by adding some movement anytime. I mean, it can be anything. It can be like walk back and forth, wave your hands, that sort of thing. Move with instruments. So I like to have them move like, okay, we're going to take turns.

Section one, when you are done, you are going to walk over and give your instrument to somebody in the same row in section two or vice versa. So they get a chance to get up and actually stand and move or set up all of your instruments and move through an instrument auditorium. This is a great thing to do, and Rd Alameda has tons of resources for you to use an instrument auditorium. I will also link to those in the show notes as far as dancing goes, line dancing, circle dancing, partner dancing, folk dancing, use them all. Movement is so, so, so important. I can't stress that enough. So let us go back to our five ways to add fun to the music classroom. First of all, structure things so that the chaos does not overtake the learning. Set those rules. Be consistent. If someone doesn't follow them, you know what to do. Number two, use transitions for everything and sing or chant them. Number three, use fun manipulatives. Find those manipulatives and use them. Number four, play lots and lots and lots of games. Everything can be made into a game. And number five, use as much movement as humanly possible. If this has peaked your curiosity, again, check out my course stories that sing.net/chaos to calm.

If you got some great tips and tidbits that are going to help you become a happy music teacher, I would be so thankful if you'd leave me a review. Thanks so much for your time.

Well, that's all I have for you today, but before I go, let me remind you, keep learning, keep growing and keep being fabulous. You.