by Melissa Stouffer | Feb 25, 2025 | Folk Dance, Interactive Learning, Learning Through Play, Movement
Sometimes it happens. You partner with the Phys Ed teacher. You combine because the students have lost their minds with 30 straight days of indoor recess. Maybe your room has been commandeered by an event or you all are just friends and know that you can combine class...
by Melissa Stouffer | Jan 14, 2025 | Interactive Learning, Kodaly, Lesson Planning, Note Reading
When I first started teaching, I saw Write the Rooms and thought they were simply a filler activity. After a few years, and some enlightenment, here’s why I think using a Write the Room is the right idea in the music class. 1. Practice Makes Perfect When we...
by Melissa Stouffer | Oct 22, 2024 | Interactive Learning, Kodaly, Manipulatives
Putting music on the staff can start as early as 1st grade with students, and even younger if you are talking about high/low. Changing up manipulatives is a great way to keep lessons feeling fresh when you are using them often. Here are five staff manipulatives to use...
by Melissa Stouffer | Feb 9, 2021 | General Music, Interactive Learning, Kodaly, Note Reading
When my friend Kelly from Rhythmically Yours told me about her new new manipulatives, I HAD to buy some. Even though I basically live with my laminator, I always like incorporating harder manipulatives when possible. These sustainable rhythm manipulatives are just...
by Melissa Stouffer | Jul 28, 2020 | Back To School, Composition, Early Childhood & Kindergarten, General Music, Interactive Learning, Learning Through Play, Note Reading, Teacher Tips
Prepping for Back To School seems to be every teacher’s favorite time. New music, new decor, new pencils, new possibilities. But… This year is so different! New stresses, concerns, budget issues across the board. How do we even prep for this? I’ve thought...
by Melissa Stouffer | Jul 7, 2020 | Back To School, General Music, Interactive Learning, Kodaly, Lesson Planning, Teacher Tips
I LOVE teaching with no budget. Not. You heard that right…zip zero zilch. We’re all there or close to there. Concert music has always been covered…when I was buying stuff for it and not just making stuff up. And this has been the case for the majority of the...
