Chaotic Harmony

This week we dig more into the root causes of burnout. We talk about Brene Brown's book Atlas of the Heart and her compilation of the research about Stress and Overwhelm and how they specifically correlate to music educators teaching in this post lockdown reality. Spiccato: Toilet Plunger Round of the Week: This Pretty Planet by John Foster and Tom Chapin Our Social Media: @CHClassroom Find Us on...

This week we talk about Jon and Crystal’s plan to put on a winter showcase. It’s not virtual, but it’s not entirely in person either. We also discuss what things we plan to keep or change here in the “after times.” Spiccato: Cotton Balls Song of the Week: Mrs. Pridmore’s Snowball Scarf Song Our Social Media: @CHClassroom Find Us on Instagram, Twitter or Youtube Crystal Pridmore: @FinneyVAPA Jonath...

This week we recap Crystal’s webinar through Teaching With Orff titled “Becoming a Burnout Resistant, Trauma Informed Music Teacher.” This school year has been different than any other year as the world comes back into “analog” learning. Teachers, students, and admin are all dealing with burnout and trauma in simultaneous and vastly different ways. How we choose to process that trauma and move for...

This week we hear how 2021’s AOSA conference went for Jon. He loved the focus on cultural responsibility and social justice in the classroom--from Doug Goodkin’s session on Joy, Jazz, and Justice to the powerful session on Japanese American Internment through song and movement with the Inoyue sisters. Do listen to hear how these powerful ideas can be utilized in the classroom. Spiccato: Electric C...

In this episode, Crystal & Jon talk about what teachers need to really thrive in their workplace. From physical to emotional and everything in between, the need teachers have are wide ranging and vary in different geographic and professional environments. Spiccato: Dinosaur Dance by Sandra Boynton Round of the Week: Song Rocky Mountain and Walking Home Our Social Media: @CHClassroom Find Us on Ins...

It's August! It's a new school year! And this is Marc's last episode as he's taken the position of Chula Vista's Visual and Performing Arts coordinator. In this episode, we reflect on the many transitions happening, on how we we're getting old and don't understand Zoomer memes, on what it means to be getting mature in the profession, and we look to what is to come during this new season and new ye...

This whole year, Chula Vista VAPA has been in distance learning. I'm sure many of you music teachers have been in the same. This week, we talk about what we anticipate as things come back in. After over a year of seeing us only on computers, how are we going to bring kids back into the analog classroom? Do things change? How do we navigate the parameters? We tackle all this, so join us! Spiccato:...

We get it. We’re music teachers. We understand what we do and we understand our value. But to outsiders, it’s hard to define what we do. After all, it just looks like we’re only having fun. So what do music teachers do and how specifically do we help grow children? Crystal, Marc, and Jon dig deep into this discussion. Join us! Song of the Week: "Gak Goon Went the Little Green Frog" Our Social Medi...

It's May. At least in California, COVID is easing up. So let's check in! In this episode, Crystal, Jon, & Marc reflect on how we've been the past three months, discuss how COVID has provided opportunities for confidence to grow, and what do we want to use when we eventually go back in person. Join us! Song of the Week: "Follow Me" Our Social Media: @CHClassroom Find Us on Instagram, Twitter or You...

In this episode, Crystal, Jon, & Marc talk about what teachers need to really thrive in their workplace. From physical to emotional and everything in between, the need teachers have are wide ranging and vary in different geographic and professional environments. Song of the Week: "Johnny Grim" lesson by Mr. DelGaudio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljXXJ8BO4fk&ab_channel=MrDelGaudio Mr DelGaudio's...

In this episode, Crystal, Jon, & Marc talk about how each of them is handling concerts during this year of distance learning. They also examine patterns of behavior in their personal and professional lives that they want to change. Song of the Week: "The Leaf Man" round by Crystal Pridmore Our Social Media: @CHClassroom Find Us on Instagram, Twitter or Youtube Marc Keehmer: @mrKeehmer Crystal Prid...

In this episode, Marc, Crystal, and Jon talk with Manju Durairaj about a wealth of topics—from cultural responsiveness to appreciation vs. appropriation to using technology in a 21st century music room, to teachers creating content and materials relevant to their classroom. Join us! Our Social Media: @CHClassroom Find Us on Instagram, Twitter or Youtube Manju Durairaj: @manjudurairaj Marc Keehmer:...

In this episode, Marc, Crystal, and Jon share a nugget of wisdom as well as an activity they're experimenting for this trying year. It's different year. A weird one. But all three share insights from a different perspectives to ensure our community that we don't go too far one way. Song of the Week: "This Land is Your Land" Our Social Media: @CHClassroom Find Us on Instagram, Twitter or Youtube Ma...

In this episode, Crystal, Jon, Zoe & Marc talk to Dr. David Frego about creating a culture of movement in the classroom through Dalcroze Eurhythmics. This episode was recorded in March 2020 before the COVID shutdown. Song of the Week: "The Scat Song" or "The Doo Doot Round" Our Social Media: @CHClassroom Find Us on Instagram, Twitter or Youtube Marc Keehmer: @mrKeehmer Zoe Kumagai: @msKumagai Crys...

In this episode, Crystal, Jon, & Marc talk about the 2020/2021 school year. We check in with each other on how teaching is going, and how distance learning isn't perfect, and we as teachers need to show ourselves a little bit of grace. Song of the Week: Casillas Elementary Alumni Choir present Switchfoot's "Float" Our Social Media: @CHClassroom Find Us on Instagram, Twitter or Youtube Marc Keehmer...

In this episode, we talk with Melissa Salguero, an incredible music educator at P.S.48 Joseph R. Drake Elementary School in the South Bronx. She has built the music program from the ground up and has raised over $200,000 for her music program. Salguero was honored as the Lincoln Center Arts Teacher of the Year in 2013. In 2014, after P.S. 48 suffered a break-in, Salguero was invited to represent t...

Ondrya Leavitt has been teaching in our district long enough to see music programs come and go along with changes in funding. Her story is one of a teacher who knows how to pivot when things change. Learn from how she takes care of her physical and mental wellbeing while being an excellent teacher. Spiccato: Antique Fan Pull Round of the Week: Here I Sit and Wait for You tags: music education, iro...

In this episode Christa Crawford Valency, music teacher at Discovery Charter School, joined us. We talked about how Christa’s teaching career has interwoven with Zoe & Marc, how having a strong community really is so important and how as a teacher we need to remind ourselves and our students that “we can do hard things.” Spiccato: Bag of Colored Pencils Quarantine Song of the Week: Count On Me Our...

This week we have back with us, the best Arts Administrator in the World, Lauren Shelton. Lauren is the coordinator of visual and performing arts in the Chula Vista Elementary School District. We talked about the realities facing arts educators now and in the future advocating why are the arts important, and taking care of the social and emotional needs of ourselves and the people around us. Spicc...

In this week’s episode Crystal, Jon, Marc and Zoe talk to therapist Noelle Vitor about trauma and strategies to cope with the anxiety we are all living with daily. She has great insight from a brain science perspective for us to process the change and uncertainty we are facing. She recommends "The Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook," which you can download for free here: https://thewellnesssociety.org/w...

This week, Victoria Boler joins us to talk about how to prioritize content and speak to administrators during distance learning. While none of us have landed on a system that feels perfect quite yet, we are slowly finding practices that work for our schools. Quarantine Song of the Week: Crystal sings Woody Guthrie’s “Pick it Up” Spiccato: What have you found around your house to make homemade inst...

In this week’s episode Crystal, Jon, Marc and Zoe realize that it has been over forty days since they started sheltering-in-place. They check-in with each other, distance learning/teaching about the realness of Imposter’s Syndrome. Quarantine Round of the Week: Marc ‘I Got a Letter’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rul7DFPszk Spiccato: Find things to use in your house for rhythm sticks in 30 secon...

It’s now Week 4 since we’ve been sheltered-in-place and our second update on how we’re coping with being in quarantine. Each of us gives 2 stars and 1 wish: 2 things we’re enjoying and 1 thing we wish was different—from the personal life to the world outside. Spiccato: Chalk Feature of the Week: Sevens In the end of the episode, we gave out some shoutouts to groups, charities, and organizations th...

This week we're not letting social distancing from stopping us! Join us on a Zoom meeting as we talk about navigating distance learning, share our struggles with virtual choir creations, and our attempts at reaching our students during the pandemic. Spiccato: Drumming with stuff in your house! Round of the Week: Morning Has Come Our Social Media: @CHClassroom Marc Keehmer: @mrKeehmer Zoe Kumagai:...

COVID-19 has hit us all in multiple ways. In this episode, we talk about how it has affected us as music teachers and individuals, how we plan to cope with it all, and what we intend to do for ourselves and the community abroad. We are all suffering together, so join in the conversation. Spiccato: Toilet Paper Round of the Week: Alleluia #COVID #COVID19 #CoronaVirus19 #RemoteLearning #MusicEducati...