The Anacrusic Podcast

Today on TAP, I’m chatting about one of the areas that I LOVE, but one that I’m still learning about and growing in myself—the children’s choir. In this series of episodes, all about back to basics, I think it’s important to share those things that are (or once were!) outside of my comfort zone. Conducting a choir? It used to be one of them. But I realize now, several years and choirs later, that...

On today’s episode of The Anacrusic Podcast, I’m talking about one of the most common, but most dreaded circumstances in all of music teacher land… the traveling teaching assignment. But don’t fret! Because today, I’m going to share with you how to not only survive, but thrive as a traveling teacher.   Whether you are traveling between two campuses, in a temporary structure because of construction...

Today on the podcast, I’m sharing how to use the learning sequence framework to facilitate active assessment inside of the elementary music classroom. The whole point of today’s episode is to make assessing and data collection part of the learning process so you don’t have to stop everything and teach.   I’ll talk you through the learning sequence framework, how to know when your kids are ready to...

Today on The Anacrusic Podcast, I’m talking with my good friend, Lisa Beyer, all about her elementary music student teaching experience. This is a special conversation, because it just so happens that Lisa student taught with me when I was still teaching in the DFW area. But don’t worry, I ask her to be super candid and honest inside our interview, and she shares lots of great inside tips for thos...

Today we’re kicking off Season 3 of the podcast (affectionately themed “back to basics”) with advice to the first year music teacher.   But, hold the phone if you aren’t a first year teacher, because odds are you need this advice just as much as I do on LITERALLY a daily basis. And it all aligns with this theme: take it one day at a time.   Special thanks to all of my friends and community members...

Today on this special BONUS episode of The Anacrusic Podcast, I’m chatting with The Sequencing Solution member, Kristen Sotero. She shares why she decided to join the program and how it’s changed her teaching.   The Sequencing Solution is my signature program for music teachers just like you to discover the plug + play formula to simplify and streamline your planning.   Get more information &...

Today on the podcast, we’re wrapping up Season 2 by chatting all about the 2 BIGGEST secrets to finding joy in your music teacher life: (1) STOP filling time & (2) FINDING your secret sauce.   Here’s another short and sweet episode that wraps up this three-part mini-series. If you want to know more, check out my FREE workshop: http://anacrusic.com/5simpleshifts   The Anacrusic Podcast is a pro...

Today on the podcast, I'm talking all about why you should adopt the attitude, "it's not you, it's me." Stay with me here, this one is a quick and easy one, but the message is SO important.   The Anacrusic Podcast is a proud member of the Music Teacher Development Podcast Network . The MuTed network provides support in the form of audio on demand programming designed by an...

Today on TAP, I’m talking all about the real reason we became music teachers. Or rather, the things that keep me going back to work each and everyday. It has very little to do with the things that consume a lot of our headspace, and everything to do with music making and kids.   Here are some of the reasons that I’ll bet you became a music teacher... You love music, it touches something deep insid...

TAP 037: Bridging the Gap with Beth Philemon    Today on TAP, I’m talking with my friend Beth Philemon all about making connections between elementary and secondary education. Join Beth and I for our conversation about pedagogy, using social media, and why every teacher has something to share.   Links mentioned in this episode:   Beth’s Website | Follow Beth on Instagram | Check out Beth’s New Pod...

Today on the podcast, I’m sharing my New Year’s Resolutions for 2019. And no, it’s not to finally loose the baby weight, or to read a book a week (although those are both on my personal list), but I’m talking about some things that directly apply to my music teacher life.   Here are my Top 5 Goals for 2019 Stop Worrying About Being Perfect Try Something New Everyday Hone My Own Musicianship Make a...

Today on the podcast, I’m talking with my good friend, Michael Chandler all about Orff-Schulwerk. I first met Michael when he was my Level 1 recorder teacher at the Orff-Schulwerk Certification Course at Southern Methodist University. I can’t say enough wonderful things about Michael as a brilliant musician, thoughtful pedagog, and just a genuine human being. I hope you enjoy our conversation abou...

In this episode of TAP, we’re continuing our conversations about active music making approaches. Today I talk with Dr. Marla Butke, current president of the American Eurhythmics Society, about using Dalcroze in the general music classroom.   Marla Butke, Ph. D., directs the Women's Chorale at Otterbein University and teaches Choral Methods at Capital University. She has previously taught at A...

Today on TAP, I’m talking with Dr. Cynthia Crump Taggart all about Music Learning Theory. MLT is an approach that I’m not as familiar with as others, and to be blunt, one that I still have a lot of questions about. This conversation with Dr. Taggart shed a lot of light on the philosophical underpinnings of Music Learning Theory, and, once again, how there are many more similarities to other pedago...

In today's podcast episode, I'm sharing my 7 takeaways from the American Orff-Schulwerk Association National Conference. And these might not be exactly what you think. No lesson plans or sequencing for body percussion here. This episode is all about why it's important to attend any conference, workshop, or seminar. It all comes down to community and continuing education.   Links men...

In today's episode of the podcast, I'm sharing a few stories that have shaped me as a musician, a music teacher, and a person overall. This episode was inspired by a recent podcast I was a guest for, The Musicality Podcast . In this interview, Christopher asked me some really specific questions about my musical life and experiences that have shaped me. I surprised myself by a few of the...

Today on the podcast, I’m answering 7 questions I’ve gotten from the Anacrusic Tribe over the last few weeks. These questions come from folks who are podcast listeners, newsletter subscribers, Instagram peeps, and everything in between. These are quick answers that might help you with those burning questions that have been firing up your brain.    Here are the questions I'm answering today: (...

Today on the podcast I’m sharing the 3 rules I almost always break in my teaching, plus 1 that I almost never break. Now, if you’re like me, you’re probably a HUGE rule follower. It is not in my normal nature to break rules, but I have forced myself to get comfortable with getting uncomfortable, because I know that is where the magic is. So today, here are a few things that I think you should infu...

Today on the podcast, I’m putting all four active music making approaches we’ve been discussing into the framework of a learning sequence. Kodály-inspired teaching, Orff-Schulwerk, Dalcroze Eurhtyhmics, and Gordon Music Learning Theory all have the common goal of music fluency. Since all the pathways are sequential, I’m breaking down my definition of a learning sequence from each pedagogical persp...

Today I am overjoyed to have my great mentor Dr. Julie Scott on the podcast to talk about Orff-Schulwerk. Julie is quite literally one of the reasons I am a music teacher today. While I was working on a masters in trumpet performance, I was assigned to the music education department for my work study. It was there that I met Julie, and our conversations about music education and early childhood mu...

Today I am beyond thrilled to have my great friend and mentor Kathy Kuddes on the podcast to talk all about her experience with Kodály. Our conversation goes beyond what you might expect from a stereotypical “Kodály” interview, and we talk about all things training programs, historical context, and the upcoming teacher’s tour to Hungary. Kathy’s thoughts on quality and authenticity still have me t...

Today’s episode is all about Dalcroze Eurhythmics, with Dr. David Frego. David is a Dalcroze practitioner and teacher trainer, and has developed materials for children and teachers to implement meaningful movement in the various settings. He is an incredibly joyful and intentional pedagog, and in this interview we discuss some of the main tenants of Dalcroze inspired teaching.   You can find out m...

Today on the podcast, I get to talk with the wonderful Jennifer Bailey of Sing to Kids . Jenn is an absolutely amazing pedagog, and is one of the kindest, most intentional teachers I think I've ever met. She helps talk me through some of the tenants of Gordon Music Learning Theory that still seem a bit mysterious or understood, and helps identify the approach as a sequential, joyful music mak...

Today’s episode of the podcast is about blurring pedagogy lines and labels. Now, it may seem strange that after an episode about Kodály-inspired teaching, and an upcoming season full of interviews with experts from different pedagogical approaches that I’m choosing this as a topic. But my hope is that with this episode, and all the interviews this season, you will see that many of those boxes we f...

Today’s episode of TAP is going in the books as one of my favorites. I was lucky enough to speak with one of my mentors, Dr. Brent Gault, about Kodály-inspired teaching, and the book he co-edited with Dr. Carlos Abril, Teaching General Music. Here are some of the highlights of our conversation: The book Teaching General Music, and why he and Dr. Abril decided it was important to have a text like t...