Afternoon Ti

Season Two Episode 54 Three Things I'd like to thank Orff for Several years ago I was in a teacher slump.  I needed something to re-energize my passion about teaching, to give more purpose to what I was doing, and to simply grow again as an educator.  I was given the opportunity to pursue a levels course and choose whether to take another Kodaly level or try something new so I went for the new and began taking Orff Level I.  I think all of us have that thing that inspires a spark inside of us and reignites our passion for what we do - my Orff Level I course at SMU was that spark for me. And truly changed the trajectory of my teaching. Carl Orff was an educator in Germany who wanted to merge movement and music together.  He began to create a concept called elemental music and experimented with it. Then Orff met  Dorothee Gunther and they worked together at the Guntherschule teaching college age women. Throughout his time there he tested out his th...

Season Two Episode 53 Sunday Sip:  Patience Hello friends and welcome to Sunday Sip on Afternoon Ti.  Each Sunday for the remainder of the year I plan to share a single idea, thought, or meaningful take-away in hopes that you'll be encouraged and inspired as you prepare to enter the next week of teaching. I'm not sure what your week looked like, but mine was disjointed.  Dallas was hit by tornadoes last Sunday night.  Our home was right at the top of the line of the storms as the tornado went by.  The sirens were going off - power went out - we spent time in the closet listening to strong winds.  We were mildly inconvenienced with no side effects to deal with except a few large branches.  If you drive a quarter to a half of a mile south in our neighborhood there is massive destruction - trees pulled from the roots laying on top of homes, entire roofs ripped off houses, shopping centers completely gutted.  It's really shocking to see the dev...

Season Two 2 Episode 52 Three Things I'd Like to thank Kodály for This past summer I finished my third level of Kodály training and have found that a few things really stand out as difference makers as a result of implementing what I've learned.  They are likely things that have made teaching better for many people, but it bears repeating because the differences are worth doing. Zoltan Kodály believed in several key parts of music education: 1 - Music should be taught from an early age 2 - We should learn music from our culture and heritage 3 - Music should be sequenced and enjoyable 4 - We should use our voices to sing because it's the most accessible instrument (we all have one!) Kodály dedicated his life towards bringing the best music education to students in Hungary.  Over time his ideas took root and schools throughout Hungary began implementing his ideas.  What we now have as the Kodály approach began with Kodály himself, but has been altered as other...

Season Two Episode 51 Sunday Sip:  Affirmations Hello friends and welcome to Sunday Sip on Afternoon Ti!  Each Sunday for the remainder of the year I plan to share a single idea, thought, or meaningful takeaway in hopes that you'll be encouraged and inspired as you prepare to enter the next new week of teaching. Today's inspiration is the result of a short video I saw that has gone viral.  Alissa Diop began teaching her son Ayaan an affirmation when he was two years old so that he'd have something positive to focus on.  She videotaped him as he was walking to school with his backpack while holding a banana and saying the affirmation to himself repeatedly: I am smart. I am blessed. I can do anything. Not only is it one of the most adorable things you could go watch, but the message is something that we all need to tell ourselves.  In the book The Help by Kathryn Stockett, the nanny in the story speaks a similar message to the little girl she has ch...

Season Two Episode 50 Dreadfully Good Halloween Activities for the Classroom I have not one (ah-ah-ah) or two (ah-ah-ah), but ten carefully chosen spine-chilling, frighteningly gruesome and dangerously fun Halloween activities to share.  (ah-ah-ah)  I love spending time with family and friends and embracing the joyfulness of enjoying a seasonal holiday involving costumes, fun, and candy corn.  WAY too much candy corn! Every school looks at this day differently and celebrates or embraces it in different ways.  In one school that I worked, we celebrated Book Character Day on Halloween and students dress like a character and bring their book to match.  Dressing up within a book theme with other teachers is so fun.  One year our team used the book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (I was the wardrobe made out of a cardboard box - that was so fun to move around in!) and other years we were different versions of Pinkalicious, Greek goddesses, Dr. Seuss...