#musedchat Archive
Each Monday evening at 8PM EST, music teachers get together and share ideas about important topics within music education. It’s a great chance to interact directly with educators from all over the world and to get new tips and tricks to help you succeed in the classroom. The entire #musedchat discussion is organized and moderated by Joe Guarr.
Monday January 4, 2016
It's time for ! Our topic tonight: regaining focus after a break. Be sure to introduce yourself.
Hi Sarah, good evening to you. Hope you had a wonderful holiday break.
Hi all! Amy from MI. Middle school band. Stopping by before an early bedtime.
Good evening Sam from IN checking in
Good evening! Tim - Director of Bands at Eastern Brown.
hi! My break was great but it's nice to be back! Hope you enjoyed yours too
Hi Sam, welcome to the chat. Hope your 2016 is off to a great start.
Hey! Sarah, K-5 music, NC. May not be available the whole chat but I'll connect when I can!
Hello . I'm David. I teach HS band and choir in Northern California.
Hi Amy, hope you've kicked your cold!
Hi Tim, welcome. Hope you had a great break!
It was great! Saw the new Star Wars three times :)
Hi Sarah, glad you could join us tonight. Hope the holidays were good to you
Hi David, welcome! Hope you had a great break
Much better now, thanks! It was a rough few days though!
Hi Sara, welcome to the chat, hope you enjoyed your break!
thanks! Same to you as well. Glad to be here!
Hi everyone in ! I'm Susie and I teach 4th and 5th Grade band in Northern California.
Good evening to you, hope your break was a good one!
Thanks Joe! It was relaxing and a little too long...
Erica here from Music City USA Chorus, piano, musical theater
Hi ! It was good, but too short! Hope yours was good as well :)
Hi! Michelle from FL. High School band!
Q1: What's the most challenging thing about coming back to school from a lengthy layoff like holiday/spring break?
Hi Erica, hope your holiday season has been wonderful
Welcome to the chat! Hope the new year is treating you well so far.
A1: Tuning all of the string instruments!
They don't tune them at the factory anymore?
Happy New Year! Lani, K-5, vocal. A1 focusing the little ones!
A1: Kicking the rust off everything: chops, reading, instruments, behavioral expectations, etc.
Hi Lani, Happy New Year to you too!
A1: not knowing how well skills will come back- and how fast
A1: Honestly...setting my alarm and putting on real clothes. :-)
A1: getting the Ss back into "school mode" was hard, especially first thing this morning
Ha! That alarm was rough this morning.
A1: Break was only two weeks...but many routines and instruments were forgotten today
A1: Personally? Readjusting my sleep schedule.
A1 getting back into the routine, recovering tone, prepping for a MLK parade...so soon after break
A1: Having enough vocal stamina. Also having too many ideas about what to have the kids learn next! https://t.co/ecLwFFvsHD
Q1: What's the most challenging thing about coming back to school from a lengthy layoff like holiday/spring break?
A1 I won't see my kids until Wednesday but it's always getting their (and my) minds off vacay mode & back in school mode
That's very soon for a performance after break. Best of luck!
shockingly, 1 instrument out of 19 missing today for me! Pretty good!
A1b: adding in that I dealt with a group of Ss who had a sudden desire to take up the bassoon.
That's not too shabby at all
There are worse things for them to be interested in! "Can I switch to drums?"
It has been wonderful! Hope yours was wonderful, too!
Absolutely! Nice to recharge the batteries a bit.
A1: Remembering procedures is a tough one for Ss.
I don't think they wanted to start the semester off with the evil eye.
Q2: Do you do anything special returning from a break to help students transition from "vacation mode" to "school mode"?
Adam from NJ; sorry I'm late! Hope everyone had a nice holiday!
A2: Start with 2 Breathing Gym exercises and some silly stretches. Helps to get the wiggles out for elem Ss.
Hi Adam, welcome! Hope your holidays were great!
A2: We pull out instruments to make sure they're present, accounted for and have all their pieces and get into sight reading.
A2: reviewed rules, let students work towards a fun activity as a reward for good behavior/effort
A2: Didn't remember for all groups, but gave them a few minutes to share something from break. Then started with something easy.
A2: Spent a ton of time on warmups/chorales today. Lots of focus on air support, remembering good sounds.
A2: in classes we did a bit of review of rules and lessons from previous, got started with familiar stuff
Take a few mins to check in with students and ask about break then longtones, longtones, longtones.
A2: Review classroom procedures, PBIS expectations and talk about our next unit.
A2 Take a few mins to check in with students and ask about break then longtones, longtones, longtones.
for my bands I am going to do a whole lot of review/prep for the changes I am making, calling it Mulligan Week
A2: I treat it as a "second start." We review expectations, check instruments, and outline upcoming events to create excitement.
A2: my K-2 Ss reviewed procedures, how those apply in music, & sang new songs to reinforce https://t.co/oP6qjpzNZ4
Q2: Do you do anything special returning from a break to help students transition from "vacation mode" to "school mode"?
A2: Started some big projects wrapping up learning to cap the semester. Ss remembered material and we're pumped.
I lost my voice halfway through my first class!
A2b: also started classes by asking Ss to share musical experiences they had over break. Great responses!
I was definitely scratchy by last class. Drank lots of tea today.
Cool twist on the standard "what did you do over break?"
A2: I try to play more than talk- remind them a bit of what they should have kept up on - fundamentals!
A2: Oh, and collect the 'BANDO" (practice bingo) card I sent home over the break and hope it encouraged some to practice!
A2: Long tones are important on the first day back. Helps/hurts those that didn't practice over break.
Ooh, that sounds cool! Is there an online copy anywhere?
A2 review rules/procedures, do some of the fun warm ups, then hit the ground running. We have performances in February
Darrell, band director from Missouri.
Glad you could join us tonight, Darrell
No, but I can figure out how to post it some where or send it to you after chat.
Q3: What do you most look forward to when returning from a long break?
A3: seeing my students again and making music!
A3: Applying ideas I collected from Midwest.
A3 seeing my students for sure! And digging into some new lit.
A3: seeing my students and getting back into a routine!
A3: I look forward to seeing Ss after a break. Don't get me wrong, love family time, but definitely miss my Ss
A3: Getting to see the students against after two weeks of rest. Feeling refreshed and energetic!
A3: Getting back to a routine. Having "A HA!" Moments. Seeing my Ss!
A3: Getting back into things with Ss. Loved the little moments like kids showing me their new music note socks today!
A3: What I look forward to most is getting to all the music selected for the semester.
Agreed! Was great to see the excitement on their faces this morning.
Still working on that whole sleep schedule thing though. Time to head to bed! Goodnight all!
Good night, see you at in a few weeks!
goodnight! accidentally slept in til 11 yesterday, very worried I wouldn't make it out the house this AM
What do you have planned for spring? We're looking at Last Stagecoach Heist by tomorrow morning
Have to add I had a little celebration when no one showed up with a vso.
A3: Seeing the Ss and getting back on a regular schedule!
Q4: Do you do anything over your breaks that has a big impact on your classroom or your teaching?
A3: seeing those precious faces! Trying new things & making real world music connections w/ my kiddos https://t.co/3UPqjrEby6
Q3: What do you most look forward to when returning from a long break?
A4: Attending Midwest and recharging. Both are key in making it through the year.
A3 Looking forward to seeing my kiddos again and making some good music/memories. Spring always goes by sooo quickly!
Any favorite sessions from Midwest this year?
A4 I rest - I feel that is as important as any other thing I can do. I save workshops, etc for summer if I can
A4: reflecting, and reading! You should all read Bulletproof Musician Newsletters
A4: Sleep and connecting with family make an impact on my teaching. I feel refreshed and ready for the second half.
A4 relaxing and recharging to avoid burnout. Also read up on articles, blogs, BDG threads.
I'm excited to be teaching the tech model to general music teachers this week! So much share...
A4: I listen to music and read scores. I also try to connect with colleagues and trade ideas / stories.
There was a great one on incorporating games and other creative ways to create ensemble. So excited to try things out.
A4: Brainstorm, bounce ideas off of others (not only music Ts), look for resources/new things to try https://t.co/rA7OEVxXiL
Q4: Do you do anything over your breaks that has a big impact on your classroom or your teaching?
A4 Unplanned, but I ended up sitting by a fellow music tchr on a 4hr flight to Phx before Christmas. Lots of ideas exchanged
It was great! Got a few book ideas to purchase for my classes that I'm particularly excited about
That looks great! I definitely want to check that out.
Thanks for a great chat tonight, everybody. Hope your break was refreshing, and your return to school is a good one!
