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Fresh Start for the New Year in the Music Room

Dec 26, 2024 | Motivation for Music Teachers, Music Teacher Activities, Student Engagement

Fresh Start for the New Year in the Music Classroom 🎶

January is here, and with it comes the perfect opportunity to hit the reset button in your music classroom! Whether you’re feeling energized and ready to go or dragging yourself back after a hectic holiday season, there’s no denying that a fresh start for the new year in the music classroom can do wonders for your teaching (and your sanity). Today, I’m sharing practical tips to help you revisit your curriculum, simplify lesson planning, and kick off the new year with confidence.

Step one of Your Fresh Start – Revisit and Revamp Your Curriculum

The first step to starting fresh is to take a big-picture look at your curriculum. What worked last semester? What flopped so hard it’s still echoing in your mind? Be honest with yourself—this is your chance to reflect and refine. A fresh start for the new year in the music classroom begins with identifying what’s staying and what’s going.

Once you’ve pinpointed the areas for improvement, think about the key concepts you want your students to focus on this semester. Maybe it’s improving rhythm, mastering melody, or diving into performance skills. Decide what’s most important, and then create a roadmap to get there. Divide the semester into themes or units that build on each other. Having a clear structure will help you feel grounded and keep your students on track.

Fresh Start Step Two – Plan Lessons with Ease (and Some Fun, Too)

Let’s be real: planning engaging lessons every week can feel like climbing a mountain with a tambourine in one hand. The good news? You don’t have to start from scratch every time. Reusable frameworks are your new best friend! Whether it’s Orff activities or Kodály sequences, find a format that works and build around it.

Make sure each lesson has four essential components: a warm-up, teaching new material, hands-on practice, and a strong closure. And don’t forget to leave room for flexibility—because if there’s one thing we know, it’s that unexpected disruptions love to sneak into the music classroom. Finally, prep your materials ahead of time to avoid last-minute chaos. You’ll thank yourself later.

Your Fresh Start in the Music Classroom Awaits

Starting fresh in the new year doesn’t mean you have to overhaul everything—it’s about making intentional changes that will set you and your students up for success. A fresh start for the new year in the music classroom is all about reflecting on what works, letting go of what doesn’t, and embracing opportunities for growth. Take time to reflect, focus on what matters, and plan lessons that spark joy and curiosity. You’ve got this! 🎶

Looking for some great ideas to help you plan for the rest of your year? Check out these other podcast episodes:

Time-Saving Strategies for Planning Your Music Activities

Streamline Your Music Classroom Planning

Check out Musical Maps, the Curriculum Map Guide here.