Blog Posts

Music Classroom Management

Denise Gagne

We want music class to be something the kids look forward to, and it's a very active learning environment. How do you maintain the "fun" yet have your students behave in a way that allows for maximum learning.

This is a big topic, and will probably need more than one newsletter. I'd appreciate your suggestions and input! Either send me an email or post on https://www.facebook.com/groups/MusicplayTeachers/. I can give suggestions and ideas, but I know there are many teachers with far better classroom management skills than I have. So - send your suggestions!

Tips:

Engage the students - When students are engaged, they aren't causing problems. When are students engaged? When they are "doing!" The teacher needs to remember to talk less and do more!
Pacing - My lessons are fast paced. When students have very little down time, there are far fewer behavior issues.
Barbara Coloroso says it so well: “Our children are counting on us to provide two things: consistency and structure. Children need parents who say what they mean, mean what they say, and do what they say they are going to do.”
Praise the Positive A pat on the back goes a lot further than a kick in the pants. Catch someone in the class doing something right and make a positive comment. It will often encourage the rest of the students to behave more responsibly.
Remind them about the Rules Set your classroom rules early in the year and revisit them as needed throughout the school year.
If students don't meet the expectations, have them reflect on their behavior. Here are two sample reflection forms.