Afternoon Ti

Afternoon Ti Podcast Season 9 Episode 168 Take the Pressure Off I’m so hopeful for this school year.  I’m hopeful that my students will have the opportunity to make more music.  To grow in their skills.  To grow in their confidence.  To grow in their understanding and knowledge of musical concepts.  I feel a responsibility to provide an incredible music education for my students and give them the very best experience I can.  That’s a lot of pressure.  You likely feel it too. It comes from our internal desire to teach well and the external pressures and requirements from our districts and schools. Some of you are already a few weeks into the school year.  Some of you are in teacher inservice and about to begin teaching students again soon.  We’re about to encounter the start of another year that has some uncertainties because life is not back to where it was two years ago yet.  I’m hopeful that it’s going to be a better year and trying to...

Afternoon Ti Podcast Season 6 Episode 122 What's on Your Cart? Teachers are some of the most resourceful people in the world.  A few days ago I put a question up in my social media about what other teachers consider essential for their carts.  So many great ideas came in!  I’ve had several ‘oops’-es as I’ve been on a cart the past two weeks - I stole an eraser from one room after erasing the board, setting it on my cart and bringing it with me to the next room.  I left my lesson plan binder in the previous room I had been teaching in when I set it on the table.  I’ve completely forgotten to bring my water.  And my expo markers.  And my snack on a day that I didn’t have a break for lunch until 1pm.  I was so hungry.  Each time I’ve entered a room and didn’t have something I would have needed or left with something that had been in a room or left something of my own in the last room I taught in, it helped me learn what I really needed to hav...

Season One Episode Ten Victoria Boler I enjoyed this talk with Victoria Boler.  She shared some great ideas for goal setting, data collection, informances, and long range lesson planning.  On Victoria's website , you can find templates, resources, folk songs organized by rhythmic and melodic concepts and posts about music lesson ideas. In Episode 10 Part I, Victoria talks about her music background, Kodaly and Orff approaches, and information about goal setting, data collection, and informances. In Episode 10 Part II, you'll hear about lesson planning, transitions, and her teacher capsule wardrobe. Victoria Boler teaches Transitional Kindergarten through 5th Grade general music, choir, and percussion ensemble in Southern California.  She is also the director of the arts department at her school, which encompasses her own programs as well as visual arts, band, orchestra, technical arts, and musical theater.  Victoria has degrees in both instrumental and ...

In Episode Two, I share about  how time can be used, found and managed so that we can give our very best to our students, our families, our personal interests and ourselves.  We are each given the same amount of time in our day and using it well makes it go further. HOW TO USE YOUR TIME DURING BREAKS 5-15 minute breaks Do something practical a. Go to the bathroom.  No, I mean it! That is often what those 5-minute breaks are for between classes. Many times a teacher comes with their class early while you are waiting with your class for their teacher to pick them up. Be considerate of the classroom teachers while also making sure you have a chance to take care of business. b. Get a drink or a snack. Consider stocking up on some healthy options and keeping them in your desk or a basket. c. Stretch a bit! Take deep breaths. Stretch your arms. It's quick, refreshing and sometimes just what you need to wake up and get energized! d. Take notes about the ...