Music: End of Year Reflections & Summer Reading

Hello Friends! Happy summer! 

🎶 1. Reflecting on the Year: Wins, Challenges & Growth 

It is at this time of year that I start reflecting on the past year and what I want to change for next year. Here are some of my takeaways. I encourage you to reflect as well. 

• I really need to revamp my recorder karate unit. It takes me too long to get through. I used to do 9 belts to pass for each grade. Through the years I have added to the instruments that I have access to and so now there are more instruments that I want to play throughout the year instead of just recorders and boomwackers. So, that means less time for recorder.  I'm leaning towards a multi-year belt system. For example:  

  • Grade 2- white, yellow, orange.   

  • Grade 3- green, purple, blue 

  • Grade 4- red, brown, black 

  • Grade 5 – restart with harder songs: white, yellow, orange, green, purple 

  • Grade 6- blue, red, brown, black 

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  Speaking of new instruments. I received a grant from Karma Concerts (in Leduc) to purchase instruments. I chose to buy a class set of NUVO instruments. These are plastic band instruments that are smaller, lighter, and more durable, therefore perfect for children. I have about 7-8 of each instrument (flute, clarinet, sax, horn) to make a class concert band. This is great but now I need to revamp my year plans to figure out when, how long and which grades should learn them. Look for a more detailed write up about these instruments and how it goes in next year's newsletters.  

  
  

• I liked having smaller groupings for my multiple concerts per year but I was constantly in concert mode and setting up the stage in the gym so often was a lot of physical labour. I need to re- think this format. I will keep going with not doing a Christmas concert but maybe I do multiple concerts all in one week instead.  

  
  

• Thoughts? What do you do for your concerts? Do you like your format? How do you do your recorder units? Email me and let me know your thoughts and I’ll enter your name into a prize draw for a book resource. 

☀️ 2. Summer Listening & Music Activities for Students 

Here are some fun resources and stuff to check out over the summer: 

• MusicRoomReads - Books for every month in the music  

• Advocacy resources- 

  • Band 

  • Choir 

  • Choir Alberta 

• ATA library- Has so many resources for teachers- not just books! Check out this helpful PDF on how to login and request items.  

• My Summer reading list from the ATA library:  

  • Upbeat by Arau 

  • The Accessible Music Classroom for All by Wagner-Yeung 

  • Culturally Responsive Teaching in Music Education by Mckoy and Lind 

  • Becoming an Outstanding Music Teacher by Leigh 

  • Music Cognition the Basics by honing 

  • Music Advocacy by Benham 

  • Count me in! By Ockelford, Gray, Cohen and Mai 

  • Teaching Music to Students with Differences and Disabilities by Hammel and Yee 

• Dance instruction videos and movement breaks with DJ Raphi 

• Body Percussions and rhythm practices 

• Mr Henry’s Music world