The F-flat Books Blog is a community-run blog exploring a variety of topics in music teaching and learning.
Browse posts by category or check out the most recent posts below.
Let’s Play! Supporting the Creative Process in Music Class
Change and Growth I'm back. It has been a while. Last year, I switched schools after teaching at Westwood Primary for ten years. Change is necessary for growth, but it was not an easy year. Less time was available for blogging and sharing, but I am hopeful to get back into it now that I am in year 2. Today, I am thinking aloud about using "Let's Play" by Herve Tullet to support my students in making creative choices. The Creative Process as a Pedagogy approach fits well [...]
Three Ways to Build Connection with Students During the First Month of School
What do you do during the first month of school to build connection with your music students? I remember starting as a teacher and feeling like rules were first, and relationship was second. I was so wrong about that. Not only did I struggle with classroom expectations, I struggled to build authentic relationships with students that garnered mutual respect. But now, 17 years in, I've learned a few lessons about connecting with students that have served to build positive relationships for the entire year. In this blog [...]
Setting the Stage: Using Technology to Give Every Student a Voice
The start of a new school year is the perfect time to create a foundation where students have a voice in the music classroom. Students are excited to start fresh and learn new things, and they are also eager to share their ideas and opinions. By giving students a voice in the music classroom, you can create a more engaging and supportive environment for making music. Sometimes it’s difficult to make sure all students' voices are heard in the classroom. Often it’s the same students who will volunteer [...]
More Than A Music Teacher: Susana Rodriguez-Synder and Amanda Aragon
What makes you #morethanamusicteacher? In this blog series inspired by Franklin Willis’ Book, More Than A Music Teacher, we invited teachers around the world to share their stories. Today, we’ll hear from Susana Rodríguez-Snyder and Amanda Aragon. Read on as we celebrate the incredible changemakers in our profession of music education. Meet Susana Rodríguez-Snyder, #morethanamusicteacher Tell us your story. How did you become a music teacher? I grew up in a family of musicians (mother’s side). We were always singing and my uncles were always playing the guitar. I [...]
More Than A Music Teacher: David Getz and Anna Mounts
What makes you #morethanamusicteacher? In this blog series inspired by Franklin Willis’ Book, More Than A Music Teacher, we invited teachers around the world to share their stories. Today, we’ll hear from David Russell Getz and Anna Mounts. Read on as we celebrate the incredible changemakers in our profession of music education. Meet David Russell Getz, #morethanamusicteacher Tell us your story. How did you become a music teacher? I decided early in high school that I wanted to be a musician, but even up until my senior year I [...]
More Than A Music Teacher: Elizabeth Shier and Crystal Briley
What makes you #morethanamusicteacher? In this blog series inspired by Franklin Willis’ Book, More Than A Music Teacher, we invited teachers around the world to share their stories. Today, we’ll hear from Elizabeth Shier and Crystal Briley. Read on as we celebrate the incredible changemakers in our profession of music education. Meet Elizabeth Shier, #morethanamusicteacher Tell us your story. How did you become a music teacher? I grew up with a special-needs brother and wanted to be a music therapist and double majored in music therapy/music education, but [...]
The Value of a Values Statement for your Music Department
Like many music educators, I experienced a major shock during my first few months of teaching: Even though I knew how to play all the instruments, sing all the songs, and teach all the music… Very few of my students cared like I did about learning music. After four years of music school and being surrounded by high-caliber musicianship, I had forgotten that fifth graders don’t live in that world; they have a whole other reality that I needed to get to know if I was going to [...]
Reflections on Cultivating a Daily Creative Practice: #asongadayinjan
Intro I’ve always been inspired by my dear friend, Sarah Gulish, to take on the “Song A Day Challenges” over the last couple of years. I only just began my songwriting journey three years ago and prior to 2023 starting, I had only written a total of forty-six songs. This January, I decided that I was going to actually complete the challenge and here I am in February of 2023 able to tell you that in one month, I wrote thirty-one songs! They’re not all my favorite, a [...]
My Favorite Portable Instrument for the Classroom
I spent the first four years of my teaching career with zero instruments for my high school general music class. We had nothing, and I was told there was no budget for my class. I tried to make the best of it by gathering all of the "leftovers" throughout our district. I secured an old drum set from the middle school jazz band (it still sits in my room today, over ten years later), some broken xylophones from the elementary school, and any bass or electric guitar I [...]
What Music Teachers Can Learn From Coaches (and vice versa)
I have spent my entire life in the seemingly unrelated worlds of Sports and Music. Thanks to High School Musical, the narrative that a teenager could live comfortably within the dual identities of Artist and Athlete in the mid-2000s was all but shattered. However, with the anthem of “We’re All in This Together” proudly being the wind beneath my wings, I emerged from the social rubble of this dilemma quite victorious. Now, as a music educator for 11 years and a varsity Cross Country coach for 10, I [...]
Seven Tips for Surviving December as a Music Teacher
(This post was inspired by an interview with Jessica Grant for Afternoon Ti and Musicast) If classroom teachers are overwhelmed in the month of December, there needs to be a whole other phrase coined for what music teachers feel this time of year. In addition to our regular responsibilities, most of us have an absolutely overstuffed December calendar because of school performances, gigs and the occasional play-off game or region band audition depending on your area. While some months are never going to be a breeze for educators [...]