Jess Gronberg, Disrict 1 Chair
Happy August and beginning of the school year to each and every one of our amazing music educators! I hope that this is a fantastic year full of joy, sharing and connecting with our young musicians and creating life changing experiences whether big or small.
In my home, I have a new teacher beginning their very first year of teaching, and in helping them prepare their classroom, I was reminded of my first few years of teaching - the excitement and newness, but also, the feelings of being overwhelmed and working so hard to ensure that every last detail was right, and wondering if it, or I, were ever going to be enough. Did I know what I needed to know? Was I ready?
And now, after starting year 22, my sixth in elementary music, I know that I never want to stop growing and learning and becoming a better educator, a better person, for my students and classroom. But what is it that I wish I had been told or taught or needed to know to feel more comfortable, confident or at ease as a newer teacher?
Procedures and Transitions are Key!
This is so important and thinking of each and every detail is crucial.
How do they enter and exit your classroom?
What is your restroom policy?
Where do they put personal items that they might bring into the classroom? (Water bottles, backpacks at the end of the day)
What do you use as attention getters or quiet signals? (doorbell, chime, Give Me Five, Waterfall, To infinity…and beyond 😊)
How are students allowed to move in your classroom? What space should they use?
How are students sitting in your classroom? Are they on the floor? Is there a carpet or sit spots? Are students sitting in chairs? Do you have risers?
Do you have areas of your classroom set-up for different purposes, such as various instruments or movement?
Communicate with Parents and Families
How do you communicate?
Do you use email, a newsletter, Remind, Dojo, a platform like Canvas or Focus?
Are you communicating small celebrations as well as concerns?
Create a Positive Behavior Incentive Plan
Do you have a system in place to reinforce positive behaviors observed in the classroom?
Do have a Dojo Store, a WHOA Board, a Secret Star Student?
Perhaps a Good Notes Program earning a good note clip for a class when all kind, safe, and appropriate behaviors are observed.
When they earn a certain amount, the student can then earn a reward?
Sitting by a friend in the next music class
Stickers, candy, a music center or game day
A computer/tech day where students then experiment with Chrome Music Lab
Play music theory games with Gimkit or Blooket or Kahoot
Know school traditions
What traditions are expected of you?
Assemblies, Holiday Sing-Along, and concerts are all examples of school traditions.
But also remember that we are general musical classroom teachers first and foremost and that extra-curricular ensembles and full-scale theatrical productions are extra.
It is okay to say no, to allow time to build and establish your program and to get your feet wet before doing these extras!
If you feel sick, take that sick day.
You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of others. And your program will be there waiting for you when you return!
Set boundaries! Find balance and grace.
Explore and find hobbies and do things that make you happy and whole-you do not need to live in your classroom, though many of us do what we do for the love of music!
Find your people!
Be seen and join your community. Connect with others at your school, your music colleagues in your district. And it’s okay to ask these people for help, for guidance to share their best practices and lessons and ideas, to know that we are not in this alone, that we have each other!
Understand school-wide processes.
Make sure you understand the ins-and-outs of the logistics: the budget, acquiring new instruments and repairing of others, planning field trips, etc.
Be your best advocate.
Advocate for yourself, your program, and your students!
Set your classroom culture.
What space are you creating? The set-up of your classroom is important, but it is also about making a safe space, establishing rapport, and making positive waves for change to move forward. Value the textures you weave, the connections you make, and the art that you share!
We are the people that make the children smile and excited about school. What we do is life changing and what we do matters! But we are also all in this together and FEMEA is here to help in any way that we can.
Wishing you a fabulous year!
Jess Gronberg
District 1 Chair
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