the music educator blog

The success of getting our students to practice is very much in our hands. If we allude to practice subtly during the course of the lesson (when you practice what might you do next; what might be an interesting way to think about this…), if we represent practice in an interesting, engaging, and collaborative way (the Simultaneous Learning Practice Map is a good way forward here), and if we connect with practice at the start of the next lesson (how did your practice go?) … then gradually easing students into the practice process—the Simultaneous Learning Practice Cycle—has a really big chance of happening!

In 2017, when I first wrote Creatively Preparing the Music Department Budget, I never thought about preparing a follow-up to answer the issues at hand we are facing as music educators.

As much change as we are going through in music education right now—and no matter how unsure the future may seem—some things stay the same.

People learn best when they feel safe to be fully themselves. More than ever, contemporary education research points to the need for social-emotional learning to be fully integrated into the classroom environment, which now extends and applies to remote learning.

With only a few pages left in this chapter of our lives—the chaotic one about suddenly having to teach remotely during a global pandemic—teachers across the country are now likely wondering how to turn to the next page.

In case you missed it, we recently rolled out a brand new educational series for teachers and students to utilize during remote instruction and beyond.