How To Teach Music with Jessica Grant

I often see people post questions in Facebook groups and music teacher chats that ask:

Where can I go for professional development? 

What are sessions I can do on my own time virtually? 

How can I access quality content that can be applied to my classroom? 

So glad you asked!  Jessica Peresta is here to talk about an amazing professional development platform called LEARN!  You'll hear how Jessica collaborated with Dr. Sarah Gulish, co-founder of F-Flat Books, to create LEARN, a professional development sessions for music educators and content creators.

F-Flat LEARN Platform Website

Follow me on Instagram @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

Website:  www.jessicagrant.org 

Clint Hardy, Middle School Choral Director in Keller, TX, is here to share several great ideas for teaching expectations and sharing information, activities to help you learn about your students, helping students get to know each other, and teaching us a fun music game involving rhythms.   These are fabulous ideas to use at the start of the year or integrate at other times as well.

Instagram - @choirwithclint

Twitter - @tsms.choirs

Podcast - The Choir Chronicles

Facebook Group: The Choir Chronicles

Teachers Pay Teachers - Choir with Clint

Facebook Group:  Choir with Clint

Meet Clint:

Clinton Ray Hardy is in his fifteenth year of directing choral music, and is the head choral director at Trinity Springs Middle School in Keller ISD. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Texas Christian University and earned his Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas. 

At Trinity Springs, Mr. Hardy directs seven choirs and serves as the head of the fine arts department.  His choirs consistently have earned Sweepstakes awards for superior ratings at the yearly University Interscholastic League Concert and Sight-Reading Contest. Mr. Hardy’s Varsity Treble Choir was invited to perform at this past year’s 2023 Texas Music Educators Association Convention. Previous to this, his Varsity Treble Choir performed at the 2022 Southwestern American Choral Directors Association Convention, his Varsity Tenor-Bass Choir performed at the 2021 National American Choral Directors Association Convention. In addition, his Varsity Treble Choir performed at the 2019 Texas Music Educators Association Convention and in 2018 his Varsity Treble Choir performed at the MS/JH National Cambiata Institute Convention. The Keller Honor Choir, under the co-direction of Clinton Hardy, performed in the elementary division for the 2017 Texas Music Educators Association Convention, and in 2014 his Varsity Tenor-Bass Choir was invited to perform at the MS/JH National Cambiata Institute Convention.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Hardy currently serves as the National ACDA JH/MS R&R Chair. He also currently serves as the TMEA Region 30 MS/JH Secretary. Mr. Hardy is frequently requested to be a clinician/conductor for All-City, All-Region, and All-State Choirs. He is an adjudicator for UIL Concert and Sight-Reading contests throughout the state and is a judge for Solo and Ensemble contests in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.  He is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Choral Directors Association, the American Choral Directors Association, and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association.

He is proud to have had 120 students selected for the TCDA All-State Choir and 663 Middle School All-Region Choir members selected during his thirteen years of teaching.  Mr. Hardy has been named Teacher of the Year three times in teaching career.  The first happened in 2013-2014 for Linda Jobe Middle School in Mansfield ISD, and the second and third were at Trinity Springs MS for the 2016-2017 and the 2020-2021 school years.  In 2014 he was awarded the TCDA Young Director of Distinction Award.

He strives to first teach his students how to be the best humans possible and then to be excellent musicians.

Jessica's Links:

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

Instagram: @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

As we head into the school year, I thought I’d share some of the things I wish I’d known when I was starting my first year as a music teacher.  These are ideas that many of us may need, even if it’s not our first year. 

Want some help getting started in your first year?  Pick up a copy of 'The Afternoon Ti Guide to Teaching Music.'  Tons of practical ideas and strategies to help you as you start your first year or any year after!

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

Instagram: @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

It's Book Release Week!  I can't wait to share a project that's been years in the making. My illustrated children's book called William's Song is being released on August 11, 2023 with F-Flat Books. Follow Anna Betts, the illustrator, on Instagram at @anna_betts_art. Her work is gorgeous!

In today's episode you'll hear the story behind the book, listen to the poem, and hear ideas for how you can use the book in your classroom. You can find the book and teacher guide on Amazon and F-Flat Books!

Grab your Amazon paperback copy and teacher guide HERE.  Available now!

Grab your F-Flat Interactive Book and Teacher Guide pdf HERE (beginning August 11, 2023)

Follow me on Instagram @howtoteachmusicwithjessica to learn more!

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

It's Back-to-School and I'm helping you get ideas for teacher planners, life planners, digital resources, and planner accessories with guest Danny McKay!  Danny McKay is an elementary music teacher who has found joy and organizational tools that help him plan.  He's here today to talk about why and how planners can impact our lives, why the process matters as much - if not more - than the planner we purchase, and why using multiple planners not only helps with organization, but also meet the different needs we have in our lives.  This episode is light-hearted, thoughtful, and inspiring. 

Episode Outline:

4:00 - What to look for in a planner

13:20 - Danny’s current favorite planners

17:50 - Jessica’s current favorite planners

26:30 - Danny’s digital resources

30:08 - Jessica’s love of spreadsheets

37:00 minutes:  Planner accessories

43:00 minutes - Planner podcasts

About Danny:  Danny McKay is a content creator who you can find on Instagram and TikTok @DannyPlansIt.  Danny is a Queer-identifying and proud teacher as well, and his content focuses on a love for all things planners and stationary.  He also shares stories of his experience as a Gay man in hopes of building better allies for a safer future for Queer people.  Danny hopes that everyone who connects with him leaves feeling fierce, flawless, and fabulous!

Follow Danny on Instagram: @dannyplansit

Follow Jessica on Instagram: @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

New book release educators!  Order your copy of Two Teacher Perspectives on Health and Wellness HERE!

Episode content can be found in the podcast area of my website!

There's been a lot of discussion, articles, and information coming out about an AI chatbot called ChatGPT.  What is it?  How does it work?  How can we use it?  I'm sharing what I've learned about it and how I've used prompts to brainstorm ideas and gather information.

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

Instagram: @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

If you’ve had the opportunity to take a Summer Levels Course, you are truly fortunate to have learned from some of the most amazing educators.  You come away with a wealth of ideas and experiences.  You want to capture everything you’ve learned, take it to your students in the fall and immediately implement all of the incredible pieces, strategies, lessons, and joy into your classroom.  You’re likely changed as an educator.  Your thinking was challenged.  Your musicianship was pushed and grew in many ways.  Now what do you do with what you’ve learned and how do you bring it to your students?  

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

Instagram: @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

Want to set goals and go after them?  Check out the Get Your Goals Course on my website at www.jessicagrant.org.  For $15, you get video tutorials and access to both Google Sheets templates and printable workbooks.  You’ll learn how to brainstorm, select goals, make action plans, and go after the things that matter most to you!  Go Get Your Goals!

In today's episode I'm sharing some goals I've been working on this year, some goals I've let go, and some goals I have yet to begin, but am hoping to work on in the last half of the year!

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

Instagram: @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

This is the third and final podcast episode in the Summer Blueprint series about lesson planning.  While you could do these ideas any time of the year, summer is a great time to put together curriculum ideas shared in episode 260, long range plans shared in episode 261, and short range plans in today’s episode.  I'll share five ideas for how you can focus on short term lesson plans by:

1. Beginning with long range plans
2. Make a list of song material from this past year by grade level and find new song material
3. Creating assessments and rubrics
4. Putting together a lesson structure for classes
5. Create a lesson plan template for a specific grade

Find out more at www.jessicagrant.org.

Follow me on Instagram at @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

Last week I shared ideas for working on parts of your curriculum in the summer.  Today I’ll be sharing how you can focus your attention on a specific grade level of your choosing and plan a blueprint for long range lesson plans.  I’ll provide five ideas for both year-long plans and monthly plans including:

1. Identifying the concepts and skills you want to teach

2. Creating a sequence for teaching those concepts and skills

2. Planning engaging activities

4. Assessing along the way

5. Reflecting and revising

Be sure to head to my website at www.jessicagrant.org to purchase the Long Range Lesson Planning Flow Chart.  You’ll get access to yearly and monthly examples as well as fully editable Google Sheets Templates for the year and month.

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

Instagram: @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

It's summer and you're soaking up the sun while thinking about putting together an outline for mapping out your curriculum for the coming year.  Here are seven ideas for getting started:

1. Scheduling work and play
2. Lists of concepts by grade
3. Lists of song material by concept
4. Create manipulatives
5. Select choir materials
6. Select a musical
7. Purchase something created by another music teacher

Head to F-Flat Books to get my newest book release co-written with Danielle Larrick called Two Teacher Perspectives on Health and Wellness.  It's the perfect summertime read!

Instagram: @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

Danielle Larrick and I just released our book “Two Teacher Perspectives on Health and Wellness” with F-Flat Books.  You can head over to F-Flat Books to purchase your copy!  Share it with a friend.  Use it for a book study with teacher friends and colleagues.  It’s the perfect summer book to focus on your needs as an educator.  We're giving you an exclusive sneak peek into the book!  You'll hear us read Chapter 4: I need more balance.

F-Flat Books: https://fflat-books.com/

Danielle's Instagram: @musicalmiddles

Jessica's Instagram: @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

Danielle Larrick and I have teamed together to write the perfect summer book for teachers all about teacher health and wellness.  Get the inside scoop about what you can expect within the book including:

Ten chapters related to health and wellness topics such as imposter syndrome, identity, anxiety, joy (when things are going great!), sleep, energy, and more

Key takeaways for each chapter

Book study questions

Get your copy from F-Flat Books starting on June 8, 2023!

Danielle's Instagram: @musicalmiddles

Jessica's Instagram: @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

When the school year comes to an abrupt end, it takes some time for our minds and bodies to catch up to the fact that we can now rest.  Or at least breathe a little bit for sure.  Here are five things we can do to wind down for summer.

1. Take a day of rest
2. Get closure
3. Summer meal plan
4. Be okay with a mess
5. Think about what you want your summer to be

Grab the Summer Meal Plan Freebie HERE!

Instagram: @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

You may have seen the meme/gif going around with this word on it.  What a perfect way to describe how many of us feel at the end of the school year!  I'm sharing three ideas for what you can do when you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and overstimulated.

Instagram:  @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

How do we finish the year well when we're so tired?  What should we choose to push forward on and what do we ease up on?  Here are six things I'm doing at the end of the year to keep learning continuing in the classroom and reviewing material already learned.  Ideas include:

• Podcasting Lessons
• Teaching New Instruments (sounds crazy, but I'll explain)
• Short Unit Plans
• Reviewing material learned throughout the year
• Taking musical learning outside
• Online learning with Blookets, Kahoots and Gimkits

Follow me on Instagram @howtoteachmusicwithjessica and head to my website www.jessicagrant.org  to learn more!

I’ve often found it challenging to find books that I love to use with my older students so I created this fairy tale project to use possibly familiar stories in a way that allows students to work together to create short speech pieces/raps and put together an entire classroom performance, if you desire.

Today I'm sharing the process I use with my students for this project over four class periods.  Use it as a guide with your students or follow it as shared!

You can use this project with the fairy tale stories that I’m sharing today or use other themed literature: the little people musical artist books would work for this, Aesop’s fables, or any group of stories based on a theme.  Love the project and want to use it in your classroom?  Head to www.jessicagrant.org, click on shop and look for Fairy Tales: Drumming and Speech Piece.

You can also read the transcript of the episode in the podcast page on the website.

Book:  Endlessly Ever After by Laurel Snyder

Calligrams are a word or part of a text where the design and layout of the letters or words create a visual image that relates to the word themselves.  They can be created using one phrase, individual words, song lyrics, poems, or specific text.

In today's episode, you'll hear four ideas for using calligrams in the classroom and learn how I used a calligram project with my students based on song lyrics.  Want to purchase the project?  Head to www.jessicagrant.org and click on shop to purchase!

Website: www.jessicagrant.org

Instagram: @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

This past week I spent time backpacking in the Smoky Mountains with my seventh grade students.  Here are five lessons I learned in the woods that apply to teaching at the end of the year (or anytime really!)

Website:  www.jessicagrant.org

Instagram: @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

Allison Russo is a consultant, writer and educator who has written a fantastic book called “Planning Purpose.”  I’ve enjoyed working through the process within the book to find ways to implement my values and the values of my students into the content I’m teaching.  I’m excited for you to learn from Allison and encourage you to follow her on Instagram @thecriticalgood.

Allison’s Bio: 

Consultant, writer, and educator Allison Russo has dedicated her career to creating more ethical and effective arts learning spaces. She has a BM from Ithaca College and an MM from Boston University, both in Music Education. As an elementary band teacher and non-profit arts leader, Allison has designed and delivered music programming to thousands of students and teachers. Allison founded The Critical Good, an arts education consultancy in 2021, where she facilitates the creation of ground-up and equity-focused strategic plans for the arts departments of schools and nonprofits. She is also a graduate course facilitator for the Longy School of Music at Bard College, a collaborator with consulting firm WolfBrown, and freelance grant writer. She envisions a world where arts education is boundless, universally accessible, and joyful for all.

Links: 

Instagram - @thecriticalgood

Website - www.thecriticalgood.com

Jessica Grant's Links:

Instagram - @howtoteachmusicwithjessica

Website - www.jessicagrant.org