Setting Expectations and Routines When Teaching Ukulele

Before teaching students how to play the ukulele, it is important to first establish clear expectations and routines to help maximize their success. Learning to play the ukulele can engage a lot of excitement in the classroom, so you want to ensure that your music students have clear instructions to be attentive and respectful.

Organizing Ukuleles in Your Music Classroom

An image of ukuleles organized and numbered in magazine cardboard holders

If you’re just starting to teach ukulele, you’ll realize that you need to figure out a way to effectively store your ukuleles safely to prevent damage, while still making them accessible to your music students. Any music classroom, regardless of size, can benefit from a well-thought approach to organizing ukuleles. Here’s some tips that you […]

How to Teach Beginner Ukulele

An image of a ukulele

  So you want to teach your music students how to play the ukulele? You’ve come to the right place! Check out my Ukulele Beginner Basics Music Program. This printable and distance learning music resource is the perfect, no-prep beginner guide for your students and includes: Basic theory student pages Anatomy of the ukulele  How to […]

Home Alone – Movie Soundtrack Analysis

Cover of Musical Analysis of the movie soundtrack Home Alone

Do you need one more “last week before the holidays” activity?⁣ I don’t know about you, but I’m tired and ready for a break! Lucky for you, I’m offering a great no prep, printable holiday activity that is sure to engage your students this holiday season. For our final week of music classes, my older […]

Book ‘Nighttime Symphony’ in the Music Classroom

Have you heard? My friend Gina from @musicpluscoffee and I have partnered to create a community-driven platform called Music Room Reads where music educators across the globe can come together to share music book recommendations on our new Instagram page: @musicroomreads. If you’re a music teacher who is interested in being featured on our page, […]

Music Listening as a Mental Health Strategy

Soundtrack of my life - connecting music to emotion SEL project

As music teachers, I’m sure you already know that there is a huge connection between music and our emotions… but do your students know that? And better yet, do they know how they can use music to help improve their mood? Story time While I was teaching music online, my junior students were doing a […]

3 Ways To Use Podcasts In Your Music Classroom

3 ways to use podcasts in your music classroom

Engaging middle schoolers, whether in person or through online learning, can sometimes feel like a challenge. We want our students to be critical thinkers and actively engage in music-related discussions. We also want to meet them where they are at and incorporate their interests. Want to know how you can do both? In this blog, I will […]

My Favourite Virtual Teaching Routine

Music Themed Prompt routine to start off middle school music class

Routines are important in every classroom. Now that I have been teaching online, I found that I need something quick to start my online lessons. And I think I’ve found the perfect thing… these musical prompts! Why I love using these musical prompts to start off each class: As a (very sudden remote) music teacher, […]

Projects for Middle School Music Students

projects for middle school music

Are you trying to find engaging project-based learning activities for your middle school music students? Personally, I want my students to deepen their skills as music makers, critical thinkers, and problem solvers when they spend time in my music classroom.  Opportunities for playing and performance are important. But that has proven difficult with the current […]