Just wanted to give an update on my Passion Planner use as a music teacher. So far so good - I just wish I had space to write details. So what did I do? I bought and Erin Condren life planner and it just came in TODAY. Check out the size difference on top of my Passion Planner. I figured I would try the EC one out since I got it 40% off for being so late in the year.
I also just ordered Erin Condren's Teacher Planner which has the big boxes I was looking for. ALL TEACHER STUFF is 25% this month!!!!!!! CLICK THIS LINK TO GET $10 OFF YOUR FIRST PURCHASE!
Back to my PP. I love using washi tape because I can re-stick a lesson if something gets changed. I'm also a rainbow nut. I would love to see how other people are decorating their PP!
So I have a new all-female acappella group at school (as well as a male one) and was really stumped on what other pieces I should arrange for them. I have to arrange ALL of the music used for both groups since I don't have budget money for them. I was going back through songs that I have saved on Spotify and came across this mashup of Home and Dirty Paws by The Gardiner Sisters. Check them out if you haven't already - they're amazing!
This arrangement is SSA and has a piano accompaniment. I also arranged it in two prep periods (no idea how that happened. I think I was sweating by the end.) I added the piano part for rehearsal so I may or may not take it out yet and add pads instead. Either way, the girls loved it!
2. First day back includes a mix of sunburned lethargic kids who were in Florida for a week AND kids who ate their entire basket of Easter candy for breakfast. Differentiation at its finest. ;)
3. Everyone forgot what we learned before break. EVERYONE.
4. But hey! At least the kids are excited to show you the new song they've been belting at home.
5. You tell the kids that you finally finished their choir arrangement that they've been hounding you about.
6, You realize you have one more holiday off for the rest of the year.
7. At the same time you realize your concerts are a month away.
8. HOW IS EVERYTHING A MONTH AWAY!?
9. State tests begin. Children immediately begin stressing out. Teachers are stressing out. Everyone wants a nap.
10. It's April. It's a tough month. BUT SUMMER IS COMING!!
I jumped on the Passion Planner bandwagon back in December and bought one for myself and my student teacher. Now if you've been following Passion Planner, you know about the late shipping (for various reasons). Shipping seems to be all caught up though, so if you like it, go for it! I received my planner at the end of February and love it!
A little something about me: I'm a Google calendar and planbook.com addict. However, there really is something about putting things down on paper and even though planbook.com is great for adding specific standards (go check it out!), I really wanted to have my plans open on my desk all day. Enter - an old fashioned planner.
The planner is really professional looking - nice black faux leather. The planner opens completely flat which I like because I don't have to fight with the pages. I use my passion planner for my personal and work schedules, so the fact that the time ranges from 6am-10pm is great!
(Excuse the Insanity workouts and Jamberry scheduling (I'm a consultant))
Now my favorite part about this for music is the note space on the bottom right. I use it A LOT for brainstorming but it works even better for putting together groups/teams in classes. I like that depending on what I'm doing that week, I'll have my group lists and everything else pertaining to my lessons RIGHT THERE.
Now although I do love this planner, I am thinking about ordering an Erin Condren Teacher Planner for next school year. I know she ran a Teacher Appreciation sale last May, so I'm holding out till next month. I would just like more room to write in more detailed lessons. I love the Passion Planner because as a music teacher, it's an awesome way to not only keep tracking of what part of a lesson you are on, but it's a great way to keep track of rehearsals! I love just being able to look down and see what my afternoon schedule looks like. I ordered a regular Erin Condren Life planner (they're on sale now!) to see what that's like as well. I don't know which one will win out!
Background: In 5 years, I have NEVER spent any of my budget money on classroom materials, curriculum, etc. All of my money gets used on sheet music for ensembles - and even that runs out (yay Finale!).
As previously stated, I bought “Ready, Set, Rhythm!” by Melody Easter-Clutter and Anna Wentlet at the NAfMe conference this past October. After an amazing workshop with her, I NEEDED this book. I knew it wouldn’t take many resources and it was just plain old fun. You can find it here on Amazon for less than $20!
I needed something to target my 7th grade general class. This grade has a high rate of IEPs and 504s, so written notation is a struggle for them. They’re great kids though, so I’ll take learning disabilities any day!
How I Used the Book
The book can be used for group warm ups in chorus, class, or really anything. I combined a few to make full 40 minute lessons.
Each page is correlated with the National Standards
I love that it gives you step by step instructions - it’s VERY detailed. It’s refreshing to see something geared towards middle school that is just as detailed as primary school resources.
As you can see, there are rhythms on the top of the page. You can write them on a whiteboard, but what I usually do is take a picture, crop the rhythms out, and put the on my SMARTBoard.
The first couple lessons are driven completely by body motions. I wish I could post the videos of my students! I would have music playing BEFORE they walked in so that they minute they stepped into my room - they would be caught in the warmup. Lately they love “Heartbeat Song” by Kelly Clarkson. I usually run the song twice to get everyone in the room. You’ll have to buy the book to get the warm ups (Melody deserves the purchase from YOU) - but they are simple, good, and fun.
Day 1
First two lessons in the book, pair up, perform their own 8 measure rhythms in front.
Day 2
Next two lessons in the book, pair up, perform new compositions using the movements from last class and the new movements learned today.
Day 3
Add TENNIS BALLS. You heard me. Did you just picture your student with ADHD chucking one another kid’s head? Yeah. We’ve all got one of those. It’s extremely important to stress “ready position” when using aids like this. My ready position is holding the tennis ball straight up in the air. We’ll usually practice a few times. I’ll let them go nuts, I’ll yell ready position, and then they have to hold up the tennis ball as quickly as possible. I don’t know how - but it works!
This lesson follows the same format as the previous ones except that the tennis balls are used to count the rhythms. I love how it helps kids feel the downbeat! I used that as a teachable moment.
Days 4-5
Start working on Tennis ball compositions in pairs! They have to combine body movement, tennis balls, and their own movements (their favorites) to perform their rhythms. I only let them get the tennis balls if their rhythms follow the rubric I give them
Day 6
The performance/Test!
This is just a basic way that I use the book. The rhythms start out simply, but by the end of the book, you can get into complex meters in rhythm. I LOVE it because you can start anywhere in the book!
TOTAL: $34.11 for MULTIPLE LESSONS! You could do this for a month if you wanted to! I transitioned into boomwhacker playing after this, but maybe next year I’ll extend it.
