I live in an interesting area – Bedford, IN. Bedford is known as “Limestone Capital of the World” There are many limestone quarries located in the area. Bedford limestone is also called Indiana limestone. Limestone has been a major part of the local commerce over the years. It is quite common to see large semi […]
Whoa – oh- oh- self control! Dr. David Erikson is quoted as say, “Controlling your children is never the real goal. Teaching our children self control is the real goal.” In my last post, I talked about using musical cues in the classroom. Over the years, I have written a lot of songs about skills […]
Musical and audio cues are a part of our everyday life. Our smart phones remind us that someone is calling, a text is sent, or it’s time to wake up. Audio cues in our car remind us to turn off the turn signal, close the door or time for a car repair. Musical jingles entice […]
For many of us, school has been in session for a few weeks. Our voices are taking a big strain talking, and in my job, singing all day. What are some ways that we can protect our voices? Several years ago, I had a lot of problems with my voice, so I went to my […]
Aloha is a beautiful Hawaiian word that is translated as both hello and goodbye. It is also an expression of showing love. I am finding out that this word is actually considered a way of life by Hawaiians. While researching the word, I found that there is an actual Hawaiian law called “The Aloha Spirit” […]
Grants are great! They take big dreams and lots of work! Over the years, I have applied for both local and state-wide grants. I didn’t get them every time I applied, but did succeed several times after lots of hard work. Summer is a great time to apply for grants as a teacher. Schedules are […]
Attitude is defined as a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person’s behavior. It can certainly color how your day looks – sunny or bleak! When you wake up in the morning you have a choice to say, “It’s going to be a great […]
The final weeks of school are always difficult. The weather is nice, and most students have their minds on summer activities, not school work! Okay, let’s be honest, that applies to teachers and staff too! So how do you keep your sense of humor and not turn into a grouchy teacher? The answer is to […]
Problems – we all have them! The important thing is learning how to work through our problems and take steps to solve them. Each school year, I spend two weeks in my classroom singing and discussing the super power word “Problem Solving”. At the beginning of music class, we sing the song “Problem Solving” […]
Ah, isn’t it nice to feel comfortable in doing what you do on a daily basis? I think we all enjoy feeling like we have accomplished a certain level of expertise in our lives – teaching, cooking, sewing, playing an instrument, or whatever your gifted area is. I’m a music teacher and have grown up […]
I love this time of year, but it gets a bit crazy with all of the special holidays colliding in the fall. We go from Halloween to Veterans Day to Thanksgiving to Christmas and then on to a New Year! Wow – I get a bit of whiplash trying to keep up with programs, lessons, […]
Every school year I enjoy helping my students prepare for a Veterans Day program. We spend time learning many wonderful patriotic songs such as “Three Cheers for the Red, White and Blue”, “You’re a Grand Old Flag”, as well as the military themes for all 5 branches of the military. I wrote a song called […]