Music Teacher Coffee Talk

Music Teacher Coffee Talk · MTCT #192: A Kodály Meets Dalcroze Conversation with Crystal Henricks   Main Theme: A Kodály Meets Dalcroze Conversation with Crystal Henricks Crystal Henricks currently teaches lower school music at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. Her experience includes Nursery School-12th grade general and choral music, both in Chicago and China. She holds a BS in Music Education from Asbury University, Kodály Certification and MMEd from Capital University, and is a Master Teaching Artist with the American Eurhythmics Society. She completed levels I- III Orff Schulwerk Certification from the University of Kentucky and Anderson University. She is an active clinician for workshops throughout the United States. Crystal has taught elementary music pedagogy and folk song research classes at Colorado State University, California State University Bakersfield, DePaul University, VanderCook College of Music, and the University of Central Missouri. Things we men...

Music Teacher Coffee Talk · MTCT #187: Carrie's Contemplations from Orff Schulwerk Level II Announcements: Carrie and Tanya will both be presenting at the  OAKE Western Division Mini-Conference  on November 7th and 8th in Denver. Tanya will be presenting a session on Friday, Carrie will be presenting on Saturday, and we'll be doing a live podcast recording on Saturday. If you plan on attending the conference, we'd love to see you at our sessions! Want to cheer us on with some Music Teacher Coffee Talk merch? We are doing a pre-order of T-shirts, coffee mugs, and tote bags that can be picked up at the conference.  Complete this form to order your swag!  (Orders for WDOAKE conference attendees only- items will be delivered at the Western Division OAKE Conference in Nov. 2025) We will also both be presenting in January at the Colorado Music Educators Association state conference in Colorado Springs. Be sure to say hello if you go! Main Theme: Carrie's Contemplat...

Music Teacher Coffee Talk · MTCT #177: Outside Singing Games, Part 2   Support us at Buy Me a Coffee! We are excited to offer our listeners support and resources through our new Membership site on Buy Me a Coffee. We have two membership options: Solo Single Shot ($5/month) and Duet Double Shot ($15). Check out our  Buy Me a Coffee membership site  for all the details including the perks you get with each level of membership. We appreciate you supporting our work! Main Theme: Outside Singing Games, Part 2 Carrie and Tanya share some of their favorite singing games and dances that are fun to take outside, especially this time of year. We have shared other singing games in MTCT Episode #13, and you can check those show notes out here . Naughty Kitty Cat Singing Game: Students stand in a circle with hands joined. One student is in the middle of the circle as the butter. Another student is the cat,  walking around the outside of the circle while the class sings. On the ...

Music Teacher Coffee Talk · MTCT #176: Managing Spring Fever Behavior Support us at Buy Me a Coffee! We are excited to offer our listeners support and resources through our new Membership site on Buy Me a Coffee. We have two membership options: Solo Single Shot ($5/month) and Duet Double Shot ($15). Check out our  Buy Me a Coffee membership site  for all the details including the perks you get with each level of membership. We appreciate you supporting our work! Main Theme: Managing Spring Fever Behavior in the Music Room In this episode, Tanya and Carrie talk about strategies and lesson ideas that help when managing Spring Fever behavior challenges in the music room. Things we mention in this episode: " Spring Fever Classroom Management Ideas" by Jennifer Finley . Not a music education specific article, but still a helpful read to get you thinking. Bloom app - great for a calming moment at the end of class and can be a great incentive. Incredibox - another fun incentive ...

Music Teacher Coffee Talk · MTCT #163: Creativity in the Orff Classroom with David Row Main Theme: Creativity in the Orff Classroom We were thrilled to welcome David Row to the podcast to talk about improvisation ideas for the elementary music room.  David Row is a Nebraska native and Midwesterner at heart currently living and teaching in the Kansas City Metro area. He holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory, is an Orff Schulwerk Level I teacher educator, and has extensive experience with critical thinking in the arts. He is an AOSA-approved Orff Schulwerk teacher educator and teaches Level I Pedagogy each summer in Orlando and St. Louis. On his blog, MakeMomentsMatter.org , and through his podcast David shares ideas about classroom content, management, lesson plans, critical thinking, and more. Catch up with David every week on his “Musical Mondays” LIVE videos on Facebook and Instagram. David shares so many wonderful ideas and strategie...

Music Teacher Coffee Talk · MTCT #157: Movin' and Groovin' Main Theme: Movin' and Groovin' Carrie and Tanya share some of their favorite singing games, play parties, and dances that are specially good for keeping kids moving and grooving at the end of the year.  Broom Dance: Check out this video from Bow Tie Music Rig a Jig Jig - coming soon! La Raspa  Recording and dance instructions can be found in  Sanna Longden's "More Folk Dance Music for Kids and Teachers, CD 2" Shake Them 'Simmons - coming soon! Simple Square From Chimes of Dunkirk - New England Dancing Masters Music:  Golden Slippers Formation:  Square Dance (8 in a square, standing next to partner).  Ensure that students know their partner and corner.  Also make sure everyone knows if they are couple 1, 2, 3, or 4 and who are the head couples (1 and 3), and head couple (2 and 4). Introduction: Honor to your partner (bow or curtsy to partner) Honor to your corner (bow of curtsy to corner) Wav...

Music Teacher Coffee Talk · MTCT #156: End of the Year Plans Main Theme: End of the Year Plans Tanya and Carrie discuss their end of the year plans including what content we are still going to teach and some of the extra fun things we do this time of year to keep kids engaged. Past Music Teacher Coffee Talk episodes for the end of the year: #111: Wrap it Up! #112: 3-2-1, The Final Countdown! #90: Your Future Self Will Thank You #39: End of the Year Gems #13: Outside Songs and Games Other things we mention in this episode: Example of Carrie's review planning document (this is 2nd grade) Teaching Music Tomorrow podcast with Anne Mileski and Victoria Boler Musication Day-O (Banana Boat Song) Blob Opera Incredibox BeepBox Groove Pizza Gimkit Blooket Know Better, Do Better Carrie talked about the importance of gender neutral concert dress codes. Here is a great article with ideas and things to consider. Work Smarter, Not Harder Tanya recommends creating a document now that goes into s...

Music Teacher Coffee Talk · MTCT #146: Icing and Sprinkles: Recipes for Success Pt. 4 Check out this episode on YouTube! Main Theme: Icing and Sprinkles We are continuing our Recipes for Success series and today's episode is all about transitions.  Think of daily lesson plans as a layer cake and the lesson segments are like the foundational layers of the cake. The transitions are like the layers between the cake that bring more flavor and texture. Now it's time for the icing and sprinkles. These are the activities that you include that may not necessarily relate to your main lesson segments or to a melodic or rhythmic concept, but are fun, engaging and contribute to the overall enjoyment of musiking. Types of "icing and sprinkles" that we like to include: Themed lessons Carrie shared a themed lesson for Kindergarten that has a sleigh ride theme. Here are the basic activities of the lesson: No More Pie : echo song Galloping movement to the Wild Rider by Schumann Sing...

Music Teacher Coffee Talk · MTCT #145: Transitions: Recipes for Success Pt. 3 Check out this episode on YouTube! Main Theme: Primary Lesson Segments (Recipes for Success, Part III) We are continuing our Recipes for Success series and today's episode is all about transitions.  Think of daily lesson plans as a layer cake and the lesson segments are like the foundational layers of the cake. The transitions are like the layers between the cake that bring more flavor and texture. What are transitions? Transitions are the ways in which your seamlessly flow from one lesson segment to the next. Having smooth transitions not only helps your lessons flow and feel magical, they also help with classroom management because students don't get as many opportunities to get bored or distracted. There are many types of transitions, and we are going to focus on our favorites as labeled and described in Rita Klingers's book Lesson Planning in a Kodály Setting: A Guide for Music Teachers. Tran...