Started teaching the first of my Backwards Designed units today (How to Blues- 5th grade) and I thought I’d reflect on the experience. Up ’til now I’ve just been puttering along, re-designing each “unit”(or rather set of fun, but otherwise meaningless, activities) that I have scrapped together and taught since the beginning of the year. [...]

So, what we do, what I do anyway, is get the kids all “riled up” according to one classroom teacher who will remain unnamed. We all know that; its the nature of the beast so to speak. And thus begs the question, how do we teach creativity, movement and freedom of expression in the elementary [...]

Conference time has come and gone. I’m back in the classroom on a snowy January. Testing pressure is mounting and kids are going crazy already. I am frantic to find time to fit in curriculum and performance material (which should be one in the same, but inevitably end up different somehow).  And I just don’t [...]

Today we started the third 6-week rotation cycle and I have decided to ramp up the keyboard lab in anticipation of the VH1 folks coming from NY in 2 weeks. I’m nervous that the kids won’t be ready to show anything at that point, but I think they are coming to see my teaching anyway. [...]

I’m sitting here typing as my 6th graders are practicing guitars. The whole class is engaged and focused and on task! I’m so grateful for my friend Nancylee Summervill who shared the Guitar Connection with me. It has streamlined my teaching of guitar and is creating an air of enthusiasm and enjoyment in my sixth [...]