New Item in the Store: Piano Pirate Incentive Pack!

June 13, 2013 Jennifer Boster

Well folks, it’s been awhile! I want to introduce my adorable son, Oliver! He was born promptly on his due date, and is overall a pleasant, sweet little boy. We sure do love him!

I’m also excited to share something new with you that I have been busy working on! I have decided this summer to teach my son James piano lessons (we shall see how it goes, with me being his mother and all 🙂 …. can’t hurt to try!). I of course wanted to keep it fun and low-key, especially since he’s out of school for the summer and we are always in need of fun things to keep us busy. And we’ve been sort of into pirates lately at our house – Tinkerbell & Peter Pan, the Swiss Family Robinson (great movie, by the way!). So, I created a fun pirate-themed incentive plan to use for his piano lessons, and I think it would be awesome for YOUR studio to use as well!

My favorite part about this incentive packet is the awesome treasure map! I had a lot of fun making it. It includes eleven destinations (for eleven weeks of lessons), is music/piano-themed, and ends on the “X marks the spot” where a fun treasure is waiting! And it looks pretty awesome enlarged and hanging in your studio.

Basically, students get points each week for assignments practiced and such, and as they earn points they move along on the treasure map. Each week they should be able to arrive at one of eleven destinations, where they have a chance to open your studio treasure chest and pick a fun prize. At the end of the eleven weeks, you can have a bigger treasure chest waiting with a fun end-of-the-semester prize of your choice. My son is really enjoying it and is so excited when he gets to put his stickers on the map and get closer to each destination!

So what does this incentive pack include? You get the awesome treasure map. You get two 14-page student “pirate assignment books” to use for the entire eleven weeks. These include space to write down weekly assignments in different categories, and a section to mark off practicing done on each part of the lesson. Each week’s page includes a fun picture of the destination on the map for that week. One book is for beginners, and includes songs, muscle builders, workbook (theory), and games/activities, and the other is for more advanced students and includes sections to write down repertoire, technique, and theory. Also included are some cards with good habits that piano students should have, and instructions for a way to implement those into the lesson for the student to earn “pirate piano points.” And there are, of course, ideas and suggestions on how to use all of this and how to make it a super fun program! I’ve done all the work for you, all you need is to get a couple of treasure chests and some prizes and you will be set!

Come on over and visit The Teaching Studio Store, where this Piano Pirate Incentive Pack is now available for purchase! Or, you can purchase it directly from this post. I hope you enjoy! Anchors aweigh!

Piano Pirate Incentive Pack
Price: $10.00

Teaching Mama, Part 2

March 22, 2013 Jennifer Boster

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I am loving all of the wonderful comments on yesterday’s post about teaching when you have your own children. It seems to be a topic that is on many readers’ minds – and so many of you had such great input! I wanted to follow up with a summary of some of the excellent ideas YOU had, and address a couple of other questions/topics.

Here are some of the many great ideas/suggestions from readers:

my daughter & her friend LOVE the piano!

1. Take a break from teaching while your children are young. As they enter school, gradually pick up students again. Excellent plan – I think this is a great way to do both jobs fully.

2. It is CRUCIAL to have the support of your spouse. I couldn’t agree more! If your teaching is a priority in your home, then you must work together on figuring out how to make it work.

3. Decide beforehand how many students you can commit to. Great comment – I have often turned down students because I simply couldn’t take the time away from my kids. But it is sometimes hard to turn down extra students/income! It’s good to figure out beforehand how much time you can really commit to.

4. Teach in the early mornings. I have not tried this (probably because I am not a morning person!) but what a wonderful idea! Another creative scheduling plan to allow for piano teaching and parenting.

5. Be upfront and professional about your children. I loved the comment from a reader who states in her policy that her child will always be watched by someone. The times when my children have not had someone watching them have been hard. Even though it can work (and as a parent you’ve got to plan to be flexible), your students are paying you for your professional services. Those are always the times that make me re-evaluate things and change my schedule.

6. Make a maternity leave plan for your students. I loved a reader’s comments about ideas for her students during her maternity leave – hold some type of competition for learning scales and pieces, have them attend a seminar by her piano tuner, etc. For more great ideas, read contributor Bonnie Jack’s great article about maternity leave for piano teachers.

7. Childcare in exchange for piano lessons. One reader talked about a situation where two families from her church watched her children, while she taught all of theirs – for $8 a lesson, because her kids were being watched at the same time. (Aside from the low tuition rate, not too bad of a set-up, although I wonder how quiet it is during the lesson with so many kiddos running around!) She also wondered if I charge less for “poor” people. This could be an entire post on its own, but I wanted to quickly address it and see what others think…

I charge all of my students the same amount. Sure, a discount should be in order if they watch your children during the lessons, but I think you do need to be careful that you are not undercharging too drastically. A couple of reasons:

1) The less you charge, the less professional you seem – and the less seriously the students/parents will take the lessons and the commitment required. People will take you more seriously if you charge a more professional rate.

2) Your time is so precious, especially as a mama! Make those times away from your kids worth it. Be a good, professional teacher, work hard, get paid what you’re worth, and then enjoy your free time with your kids.

If I gave discounts to everyone who asked for them, it would not be worth my time; I’d be seriously shortchanging myself and my abilities, and really doing a disservice to the profession and to the families I teach. (I think when you stay at your higher, professional rate, they expect more and will work harder. If you give more and truly are a great teacher, they will value it more and practice more.) I have given free months of lessons away at church auctions/charity events, but I don’t give discounts for people, even if I teach 2 or more of their children. I think that I would consider a scholarship program for a student if and only if they: are VERY motivated to practice, have VERY supportive parents who understand the importance of music lessons and consistent practice, who truly make great progress, and are truly financially are in need. Yes, I would give a small discount in exchange for them (a parent or sibling) watching my children during the lesson.

And some thoughts of my own –

ON PROFESSIONALISM
Yes, I have taught lessons when my children were home, and playing quietly in the other room or sometimes in the room. This is definitely not ideal – for me as a teacher, or me as a mother. In situations like this, I feel that I am doing both jobs – that of a piano teacher, and that of a mother – half-way, and something has got to change. Yes, my kiddos are my #1 priority. I always, always prefer and plan to have somebody watching them (or to teach while they are asleep). But, sometimes life happens, my husband has a big test to study for, or has to TA or has something come up, and my kiddos are home while I teach. In such cases, flexibility is important. But at the same time, I need to be as professional as possible in my piano teaching, and I know that my children can disrupt that. That is why, when you are a piano teacher AND a mother/father, you need to know where to draw the line. You need to know when to call and cancel a lesson, knowing that if that student came, it would not be a good/professional situation. I have, many times, been asked to watch somebody’s child, but had to turn it down because I had a piano student coming that afternoon – I can’t do both at once! It is SO not fair to the piano student. Your students pay you for your professional services and for your full attention. If you know you are going to be too distracted from the lesson, you need to fix it or reschedule the lesson on your own time.

CANCELLATION/MAKE-UP POLICY
As a parent and a piano teacher, you have GOT to have in place a good cancellation/make-up policy, taking into account that things will come up with your own children. I have had to cancel SO many more lessons as a mother than I ever, ever did before, simply because my kids tend to get sick! When sickness or other things in your family come up (watching a family members’ kids, school functions, etc.), you need to have a plan, in your policy, for what to do when YOU have to cancel a lesson. I’d say that it is much better to cancel a lesson than to have a student come when your house is crazy and your full attention is not on the student. I like to put into place in my semester’s calendar specific “make-up days” for times like this when I need to cancel. I normally don’t make-up lessons missed by students (except in extenuating circumstances, which I understand), but I ALWAYS make-up lessons that I cancel.

SCHEDULING FLEXIBILITY
In the past few years I have found a great way to keep all lessons a little more flexible, allowing for those times when my child needs my attention during a lesson. I schedule an extra 15 minutes of music theory practice/instruction on the studio computer at each lesson (paid for through a yearly “technology fee” per student). If my evening student arrives and my children are not quite tucked into bed, I have them do their computer time first, allowing for me to finish up my motherly duties and get my kiddos all settled. If a student arrives and my husband is watching my children, I do the lesson first, and then they do their computer time afterwards (at which time I can relieve my husband and grab my baby for a cuddle). This has worked so well in allowing a little bit of flexibility at every lesson.

FOLLOW YOUR HEART

As cheesy as that may sound, I think it is really important. I love teaching, I really do. But I knew it was time to drastically reduce the number of private students I taught when I started to dread those afternoons when I taught. When I found that I would rather be out there playing with my kids than in my studio teaching, I knew it was time for a change. And yes, it was very hard to give up that extra income, but it is definitely worth it. This is a season of my life to slow down on the piano teaching and focus on my kids. I know there will be many other seasons to come that I will have more time to devote to private teaching, and many ways now that I can continue my teaching – whether I am teaching a little preschool music class and singing little songs about train rides and rivers, or whether I am teaching my own children to love music, or teaching an occasional student here or there. I am a music teacher for life, but a mother forever.

Piano Teaching Q&A: Teaching Mama

March 20, 2013 Jennifer Boster

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I have had many great questions asked by readers in the recent months and have been so horrible at responding to some of them!! So, I thought I’d start with one that somewhat explains why it sometimes takes me awhile to answer these questions…it’s because I’m a busy mama! 🙂 I know that a lot of you understand this, having children yourselves, and so I hope to hear your feedback on this important question as well!

Here’s the question:

Teaching When You Have Your Own Small Children:

You might have answered this before, but I haven’t found it on your site, but I have a question about teaching once you start having your own children. How do you keep them entertained/safe/QUIET while you’re teaching other students? Has that been difficult for you? Or would you recommend taking a break from teaching when your children are very young? I don’t have any kids quite yet, but I just got married and know they’ll come along sooner or later and I want to be able to figure out what I’m going to do with my students when that time comes. Thanks again for all your fun ideas and hard work!

Thanks for the great question! I have talked about this topic a little before, but not for awhile. And now with child #3 on the way I feel better-equipped than ever to answer it 🙂

this little man made me a mama!

I have been blessed to be able to successfully teach for the past 5 1/2 years since becoming a mother. At some times I have taught more than others, sometimes it has been harder than others, but I have learned a few things along the way about how to make it work.

First of all, I think you need to determine your priorities. For me, my kids are most definitely my priority. I have always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. To me the most important thing is to be there for my kids. I particularly have determined that will not be a mom who is always teaching in the afternoon when my kids get home from school. To me it is important to be there when the kids come and go, to talk, to help with homework, to read, to play, etc.

me and my buddy boy

Now, having said that, I think that teaching piano is wonderful! It is such a rewarding way to use my training and talents. I love seeing my students progress. I love being able to work at home to help put my husband through school 🙂 and to earn a little extra income. I LOVE having a job that I love that is flexible; I am my own boss, I choose my own hours, my own vacation days, etc. It is a pretty ideal job. And with the training and experience that I have, I can make just as much working at home for just a few hours a week as I could make outside of my home at a “regular” job for many, many more hours. It is such a blessing. And, I definitely see myself as a piano teacher for life. Even if I take a break while my children are young, it doesn’t mean I won’t continue my teaching in other ways (preschool music classes, maybe some group lessons involving my kids when they are older, maybe an adult student or two while all my kids are at school, and definitely teaching a lot more once my kids are grown).

So here are some ideas and suggestions that I have learned over the years to help balance teaching and mothering.

It’s all about scheduling! When you are a mother of young children, you must take into account your child’s schedule, as well as your spouse’s. Before I had children I had a moderately large studio, about 20 students. When I had my first baby we moved shortly before, so I had to drop all of my students.

me & my daughter

NAP TIME: When my son (my oldest) was a baby, I started teaching just one or two people, and was able to schedule lessons during his nap time. It worked most of the time. 🙂 He was a pretty regular sleeper. It was so nice to have a little time each week to use my talents and interact with other adults again after having my baby.

QUIET PLAY TIME IN THE ROOM: As my son grew and became a toddler, I started to pick up a few more students and to work on getting my NCTM. My husband worked odd hours and would sleep a lot during the day. I was still able to teach while son napped, but there were more and more times that he would be wide awake when lesson time rolled around. Luckily, I only taught one or two students at a time. He was pretty good at playing quietly in the room, or would quietly watch a little show on my iPod while I taught (not ideal, but it worked). Since it was just once or maybe twice a week that this would happen, it worked fine. However it was definitely not ideal and not as professional as I would like to be. But, my son came first, and my students/their parents were very understanding.

getting a little picture-happy now…

CHILDCARE BY SPOUSE OR FAMILY MEMBER: When my son was two, we moved to a new state for my husband to attend optometry school. As my son grew older it got trickier to teach. It is a constant balancing act between keeping your child occupied/safe/quiet and having a quiet/productive/professional lesson. With my husband in school, he was definitely busy but since he wasn’t working full-time he was able to be home a little bit more. Since money was tight and my teaching really helped pay the bills, my husband and I figured out a schedule and made my teaching more of a priority. I tried to schedule lessons at times when my husband could be home. This worked very well. I would teach all or most of my students in one afternoon while my husband and son had play time together. This, to me, was the most ideal solution. My son was not neglected at ALL, he was playing with his Daddy, I had a chance to use my skills, interact with people, and to help make some money for our family, and lessons were quiet and professional. If you live near family members (which we do not), you could also work out some kind of a deal with a family member to help watch your kids for a few hours one afternoon.

HIRE A BABYSITTER DURING LESSON TIMES: I have only done this occasionally, but I have friends who have been able to either swap babysitting with another friend with young children, or to hire a teenager in the neighborhood to play with their children while they teach. This could be an excellent solution as well!

After I had my daughter, teaching got even more tricky. I admit that I did teach many lessons with her sleeping in her swing in the room, or sitting on my lap (mostly quietly!). I found some other solutions that worked well:

look at that face…
how can you teach with those eyes looking at you?? 🙂

TEACHING IN THE EVENINGS: My kiddos have always gone to bed around 7:00. They are very good sleepers (most of the time) and are used to hearing the piano while sleeping. I focused on getting more students who were able to come to lessons in the evenings. I got more adult students (who are really rewarding to work with!!) and just LOVED this schedule. I was usually able to teach from around 7:30 to 9:00 pm, while my husband studied hard for school. This schedule worked so great for our family. Of course there are times when kids get sick, or won’t go to sleep, and you need to be flexible. But for the most part this worked so well.

Along with creative scheduling, you also need to be able to BE FLEXIBLE. I usually schedule in an extra lesson or two in the semester in case of sickness or other cancellation. My kids tend to get sick a lot, so this has really been important. Your students/their parents need to be flexible as well, and you need to be able to reach them in the event of a sudden sickness, to let them know to not come to lessons that day.

CHANGE THE FOCUS OF YOUR STUDIO: Another way I have facilitated my teaching as a mother is by shifting the focus of my studio. As my son has grown and shown interest in music himself, my interests have also shifted because I have wanted to find ways to teach him music as well! It was in large part because of my son that I started teaching preschool piano classes, which has turned into a wonderful curriculum of “Early Explorers” and “Mighty Musicians” music classes. My son attends the classes, and all the hard work is worth it to me because my son loves it so much. And now my daughter, who is 19 months old, can at least attend the classes and is starting to participate as well. I don’t have to feel like I am choosing teaching over mothering. As my children grow, it will be interesting to see how my focus shifts further. Maybe some group lessons involving my children and some neighborhood kids as well? Who knows!

my two favorite students!!

TAKE A BREAK!: With my oldest now attending Pre-K each day, my toddler daughter exploring and living life to the fullest, and my third child about to be born in six weeks, I have definitely slowed down in my teaching, and plan to take a break. I still have one private student, and I am teaching my preschool classes. So I have slowed down to focus on my children and my pregnancy, and it is the best decision right now for me and my little family. We will be living here for about another year after baby boy is born, and then will be again moving out of state. So for this next little season at least, I will be taking a break and focusing on what matters most to me and my kiddos.

Some scheduling ideas for the future:

TEACH HOME-SCHOOLERS WHILE MY KIDS ARE AT SCHOOL: Once all my kiddos are in school, I think this sounds like a fantastic idea. I will be there when my kids come and go and won’t have to choose between my kids and my students, but still be able to teach (in a quiet house!).

TEACH GROUP LESSONS: Putting those home-schooler students in group lessons would be an even better (and super time- and money-efficient) way of teaching to maximize my time spent teaching. I think the only way I would teach group lessons after school is if one of my kids was involved in the group. Could be lots of fun!

I love my fun music classes!

PRESCHOOL MUSIC CLASSES!: I just love teaching these classes, and want all of my kids to get a chance to participate. I’d love to have some morning preschool classes which my young children at home could attend while my older ones are at school.

So, in conclusion – it is possible to teach while you have young children! But first you must determine your priorities, and schedule accordingly. You and your students need to be flexible. Also, you need to learn to say “no” to too many students or too many studio-related commitments that take away from your family. I also have had to learn to accept only students in my studio who I feel good about teaching and who work hard and progress. If they don’t, it is simply a waste of my precious time as a mama. Yes, it is difficult. And yes, sometimes the answer is simply to take a break. But that is the great thing about this job – you are the boss! My advice is to talk it over with your spouse, do what feels right for your family, and if it is ever too much, don’t be afraid to make a change.

Good luck!

What ways have you readers found to help balance teaching and family? I’d love to hear about your experiences and your ideas and suggestions.

Read my follow-up to this post here!

Giveaway winner!

March 20, 2013 Jennifer Boster

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Thanks to all who entered the giveaway for a free copy of our “All Aboard!” preschool music lesson plan. Our lucky winner is….

Jennifer!

Congratulations, Jennifer! Please contact me and let me know what email address I can send your free download to.

Remember, we currently have 8 lesson plans available for purchase in The Teaching Studio Store, so be sure to check them out! They are We will try to get a few more ready to sell in the next few weeks……but I am getting more and more pregnant 🙂 My baby boy will be here in about six weeks, so we shall see what happens!

All Aboard! preschool music lesson plan

March 14, 2013 Jennifer Boster

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Our next lesson plan for our Early Explorers preschool music classes is a fun one! “All Aboard!” is a lesson all about transportation that teaches children about Forte and Piano – and it is now available for purchase in The Teaching Studio Store under “Lesson Plans for Sale.”

This class was based around a great song we found by Danish composer Hans Christian Lumbye that musically tells the story of a train ride. Students receive train tickets, line up like a train, learn about some forte and piano sounds made by a train, learn some original lyrics to the song, and move like a train to the music while singing along! Here’s a recording of the fun song we use:

Here’s a little sample of the sheet music with our original lyrics to the song:

We also do other fun games and activities related to transportation that help teach the children all about loud and soft in music. Students review the musical alphabet, learn to use their ears to listen for loud and soft, improvise a fun train duet on the piano and make a homemade Train Shaker Instrument craft.

This is a fun and memorable lesson! In fact, since my son has attended this class a couple of times, we have had a lot of fun singing the lyrics while listening to the Lumbye piece, both at home while moving around like a train, and in the car, where we pretend we are driving a train! So much fun.

Here are a couple of previews of what’s included in the lesson:

The lesson plan, as always, includes a take-home booklet you can print and assemble for each child to take home. We love this because then they have a chance to show their parents what they’ve learned, and they can also have a parent help them look up the songs at home and they can then sing along together (we include all of the lyrics to the songs we sing in the take-home books). The take-home booklet comes as a color version, or as a black and white version for those who want to have their students color the book.

As always, there is also included lots of fun and colorful clipart that coincides with the theme, and that can be used as visuals to help teach lyrics, as well as used in conjunction with other games and activities used during the lesson. Craft templates and tutorials are also included.

This lesson plan is 69 pages long and is in downloadable e-book format. The price is $8.00. You may purchase it here, or you may visit the Lesson Plans page of The Teaching Studio Store, where you will find all of our lesson plans that are currently available for purchase. (And if I stay on the ball, there will hopefully still be a few more to purchase in the coming weeks!)

All Aboard! Preschool Music Lesson Plan
Price: $10.00

And…what the heck…let’s do a giveaway! We’d love to give away a free copy of the All Aboard! lesson plan to one lucky reader! We really think these Early Explorers classes are wonderful and we’d love as many of you to try them out as possible. So, if you’re interested in winning a free copy, leave me a comment on this post! Once again, you will get an extra entry into the giveaway by sharing about this giveaway on your Facebook page, Twitter or Pinterest account, or your blog, Please leave an extra comment letting me know that you shared our giveaway. Giveaway will end on Monday, March 18 at 10:00 pm, central time, and the randomly-selected winner will be announced the next day (unless of course, like last time, I have unforeseen circumstances like sick children and the like….in which case it will be announced soon after that :)).

Have a nice evening!

Muscle Builder Giveaway Winners!

March 11, 2013 Jennifer Boster

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Today I’m pleased to announce our giveaway winners!

Winner of the Muscle Builder Book 2 is:

Shannon!

And our winner of the Muscle Builder Book 3 is:

Tonya Dirksen!

Congratulations, Shannon and Tonya! Please contact me and let me know what email address I should send the download link to.

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway and had such good things to say about the Muscle Builder Books! I really appreciate all your feedback and questions.

Happy Monday!

My Muscle Builder Book: Level 3!

March 4, 2013 Jennifer Boster

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I have been so pleased with my students’ progress in my other two Muscle Builder Books (and have gotten great feedback from you readers, as well!), and I am so excited to be offering level 3 of the My Muscle Builder Book, available now in The Teaching Studio Store. (If you haven’t had the chance to check out Level 1 and Level 2 yet, I recommend it! My students have really excelled in their understanding of chords and scales using these books!)

Book 3 builds on the foundation of successful completion of Books 1 & 2. (So by now, students should know:

• how to play all 7 white-key major and minor chords, arpeggios, and 5-finger scales, both hands

• how each white-key major chord is spelled by memory

• how to listen and identify major vs. minor chords

• how to transpose simple songs from one five-finger position to another

• the 7 major chord inversions in broken chords (walking up the keys) and block chords, right hand

• how to play staccato and legato scales

• how to play five-finger scales in opposite motion

• how to listen and identify 2nds and 3rds)

In my studio, I have had young students who have taken lessons for about a year, and are in the Faber “My First Piano Adventures” Book C who are totally ready for My Muscle Builders Book 3. They are super confident in playing major white-key chords and arpeggios and are ready to move onto some more techniques!

Here are some previews of Book 3:

We learn some thumb preparation exercises to get ready to play full scales (one octave, hands alone):

We learn five full scales (one octave, hands alone):

We do some tonic/dominant chord exercises in 7 major keys:

We review the major chords, this time using an Alberti bass pattern in the left hand:

…and more!

Like the other two Muscle Builder Books, this includes lots of fun, colorful “picture scales” so even students in lower levels of music-reading will be able to play these, no problem. Each technique is broken down into short and manageable exercises, and there is a place to pass off each individual exercise with a sticker or check mark. I have found that, generally, students can work on and master a couple of exercises per week. Of course, some may go quite a bit faster and some may need more time!

This book is 28 pages long and is in downloadable e-book format. I recommend printing it in booklet format (double-sided with two pages per sheet – so when you fold it the pages are in the right order!), so check your printer settings before printing! That way it can be folded and stapled into a nice little booklet. I often use small round stickers to pass off exercises, and to place on the circles of the picture scales. The price is $10.00 and it is available to purchase here in this post, or over in The Teaching Studio Store under Teaching Resources For Sale.

And, what’s an exciting new teaching resource on The Teaching Studio without a GIVEAWAY to go with it???

I want to give away a Muscle Builder Book to TWO lucky readers! Leave me a comment on this post for an entry into the giveaway! I will give away one copy of My Muscle Builders Book 2, and one copy of My Muscle Builders Book 3! (Remember, Book 1 is available as a FREE download – check it out!) Receive one extra entry by sharing about this giveaway via Facebook, Pinterest, etc. Giveaway ends this Friday, March 8 at 10:00 pm, Central Time. Have a great day!

giveaway winner, and Summer Music Activity Jar freebie!

February 23, 2013 Jennifer Boster

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Thanks to all who entered the giveaway for the free copy of our Rushing Water preschool lesson plan! Our lucky winner is:

xiaoxu wen said…

It’s so thrilled.I’m teaching my Chinese students how to enjoy picture books and music.Yesterday,I found this blog,the content is just what I want,I can learn so many funny methods of teaching music,thank you!I would love to win a copy,
wish me luck!

20/2/13 4:29 PM

Congratulations, xiaoxu wen!! Please be sure to contact me and let me know what your email address is so I can get you your free download!

Be sure to check out our “Rushing Water” lesson plan all about short and long in music, as well as our other fun preschool music lesson plans!

And now I’d like to share a new freebie that is available on the Free Printables page. I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance that parents and home environments play in encouraging children to be musical and to succeed in musical training. As a teacher I can only do so much, but if the parents create a home environment where music is appreciated, valued and USED (singing, playing instruments, listening), and if they encourage their child to love music, then the child will be SO much more likely to succeed in music training and lessons.

So, I created a fun printable to help parents have a fun, musical summer with their children! The Summer Music Activity Jar contains lots of simple musical activities to do with your child. Simply download the file, print it out, cut out the strips and put them in a jar. Whenever you and your child want a fun musical activity to do, simply pull out a strip and follow the directions! There are listening activities, movement activities, craft activities, computer activities, hands-on instrument activities and more. Should be a fun way to have a more musical summer at home! Hope you enjoy!

Rushing Water Lesson Plan & Giveaway!

February 20, 2013 Jennifer Boster

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This morning Nichole and I taught our favorite Early Explorers lesson plan and had such a fun time – and we are super excited that it is now available for purchase in The Teaching Studio Store so you can all enjoy it as well!

“Rushing Water” is a one-hour preschool music class all about water, from rushing rivers and streams to little raindrops. In this class we explore short and long sounds in music. We also learn through Bedrich Smetana’s “The Moldau” that music can tell a wonderful story!

We take a musical journey down a magical river, and through singing, movement and storytelling encounter castles, mermaids, waterfalls and more. Children (and teachers, too!) have a blast with this class. We also use raindrops and rivers to explore short and long in music in lots of hands-on and exciting ways. Today was the perfect day to teach this class, because here in Texas it was cloudy and rainy! I think those short musical raindrops were on the children’s minds as they traveled home from our class!

Would you like to teach this fun class? Our lesson plan is a 73-page downloadable e-book that comes with take-home booklets, templates, tutorials, all of the clipart/flannel board figures you will need, sheet music to four songs, a listening guide for “The Moldau,” and much more! We think you and your little students will love it! Here are a couple more previews and sneak peeks:

We would love to give away a *FREE* copy to a lucky reader! So comment and share away – receive one entry for a comment on this post, and an additional entry for each way you share about this lesson plan – whether it is Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, your blog, etc. Giveaway ends this Friday, February 22 at 10:00 pm Central time.

And for those of you who can’t wait to check out this awesome lesson plan, head on over to The Teaching Studio Store, where there are many great lessons available (and many more to come!!)

our winner! & why I love teaching preschool music

February 16, 2013 Jennifer Boster

1 Comment

Featured Posts, Uncategorized

Thanks to all who entered our “Wondrous Winter” lesson plan giveaway! The lucky winner is…..

JeremyandElizabeth said…

Sounds like so much fun! 🙂 ~Elizabeth

13/2/13 12:19 PM

Congratulations, Elizabeth!! Please contact me and let me know what your email address is so I can get you your free download!

Be sure to visit The Teaching Studio Store to check out our “Wondrous Winter’ lesson plan as well as the others available there. And be sure to check back in the next week or so for our next lesson plan which should be available soon (and is one of my very favorites to teach!!!).

Here’s a hint about our next lesson plan – it involves Smetana’s “The Moldau,” which is an amazing, gorgeous piece that is probably my favorite to teach to the kids. This piece has been a long-time favorite of mine – I remember listening to it with my Dad on a Saturday morning, we pushed a couple of small couches together to make a sort of “boat” to sit in while we listened to this beautiful music. Now I get to share this beautiful music with my kids and my other little students! My five-year-old son often begs me to turn on “The Moldau” while we are driving, so he can pretend our car is a boat.

I have really been amazed over the past couple of years teaching preschoolers just how much music can touch these little ones. These classes can be so meaningful for these kids, particularly if the parents read through the take-home books with their kids at home and turn on the classical music! My own kids absolutely love listening to classical music in the car or at home, especially when it has a neat story to go with it (whether the story is commonly-known, or if it’s one we made up on our own). My 18-month-old daughter just beams with joy when a song she loves begins, and often will break into applause after a grand ending and ask to listen to it again. Music is a real blessing in our lives, and I have discovered that it is never too early to begin – it really isn’t!

Do you teach music to preschoolers? What do you love about it? I’d love to hear your comments!

Have a wonderful weekend!