Once students are conscious of metre, bar lines and the associated notation, and have been taught the 2 metre conducting pattern (approx. Year 2) , the teacher can then move onto 4 metre (approx.Year 3.) Music in 3 metre is quite tricky considering our very well-established 4 metre sense established through popular music so it […]

The aim of this 5 step music lesson plan is to observe the incoming prep children for the following year, to see who we need to flag as possibly having special needs. This enables the staff to more evenly distribute special needs children across the two prep classes. Download the lesson plan from Professional Learning

It’s really important to provide easily accessible activities for ALL students. Every student should feel as if they are improving and able to achieve whilst you also offer challenges to the more able students in your classes. Our aim is for each student to have felt success as a learner; whether they felt confident to

Looking after our vocal and auditory health should be a consideration for every music teacher. Prevention is always better than cure! Here are a few strategies to ensure you have a long career and set up classroom practices so you (and your students) have the best possible environment for learning and making music together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKBC7DPkWG8

The teacher sings FOR the students while students are involved in a body percussion activity. Then, once students have heard the song a number of times, they begin to sing the song, firstly by singing just the ‘chorus’ – phrases 1 and 4 and then, over time the whole song. It’s active and engaging and

An independent reading focus to challenge all students. They learn not only about how to perform rhythm, but how to analyse form and rhythmic elements along with compositional techniques. See the Music Reading section on our website for a fabulous selection of flashcard activities and rhythm, sol-fa and song picture flashcards.

A simple, but effective way to encourage students to develop respectful interactions with others is to end a middle years’ class, thanking the students for their work and them responding. To be honest….I know we don’t always feel like singing at the end of a class that has not been characterised by co-operative and harmonious

Behavioural or ‘Engagement’ Management can be assisted by teaching to the individual rather than seeing the class as a unified ‘mass’. Students feel more ‘seen’ and it’s a way of really getting them engaged in the class. Giving individual feedback to students is SO important to ensure they develop a sense of self as a

Developing a relationship with your students is at the core of successful teaching. To do this, a teacher must learn and use the names of their students in order to give direct individual feedback. This quick video will provide a few useful strategies. Video Transcription Behavioural management in the classroom is crucial to developing good

Never underestimate the affect of ‘The Look’. A well-honed look of absolute horror is an amazing way to stop a young student dead in their tracks without a single word. Ruth shares some of her classic looks here. A very effective way to manage behaviour in your younger Primary years.