Teaching Ideas

Here’s a fun and easy idea for keeping music tools handy during teaching time.   Make a Musical Apron!  I bought a simple handyman’s apron from the hardware store and painted it with paint pens. I wear it all the time to keep my teaching tools handy. Here are a few of the items that are in my music apron from time to time:   I use a laser pointer to focus attention on the musical clouds on the ceiling of the music room or anywhere else in the room. If you read this post or this post you can see the teachable areas on the walls and ceiling. The laser pointer is my friend! Google Eyes for focusing attention on the director or to let certain wiggly ones know that my eyes are on them! Magnifying Glass for looking at children or having students find things around the room.  Plastic Microphone for echo singing. The children understand instantly when it is their turn to sing and when they should listen. Squeaky toy for playing listening games. I walk around the room while the children close their eyes and they have to locate the sound source. Switch: I’ll have a child leave the room and give the squeaky toy to a mystery child. While everyone is walking around, the “Guesser” has to find the mystery person who is making the noise. It’s a great 5-minute filler –  I save it for dessert after a very focused lesson.  Scarf for everything under the sun Kazoo for echo singing Funny Glasses for playing question/answer games in character Finger Cymbals for getting attention. I don’t raise my voice, I just tap the cymbals and the kids know to get quiet before the ring dies away. Plastic Cookie for playing “Who Stole the Cookie” during the last 5 minutes of class Yellow Button for giving to a child who is having trouble focusing. He/She has to take care of the button for me until the end of class. Or, we play and sing “Who has the button,” etc.  Musical die for instant rhythm games or to see which group goes first, etc.  SPOTS for when I have to take a music crate or chair away from a child. I give them a SPOT to sit on instead. They don’t like to be put on the SPOT! Loud Clown Horn for waking those critters up if they don’t have enough energy to keep up with me! Don’t you just LOVE teaching music!!