Shows
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerTideo 3 - Rhythmic Activities with TideoTideo is a classic sixteenth note song in many elementary classrooms. But is there a fresh way to approach this rhythmic concept? In this episode, Anne shares a pathway with tikatika speech improvisation. Victoria shares an option for a whole-class rhythm arrangement. For an added bonus, try combining the two ideas together at your next music sharing! Thank you for listening! Visit our website (http://teachingmusictomorrow.com) to listen to or watch new episodes. Make sure to click subscribe and leave a review from whichever platform you are listening on, and tell us what y...
2025-06-1517 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerHarmonic Activities for Elementary Music with TideoIn our last episode we talked about a few of the many variants to Tideo. Today, we'll look at how the version we choose can impact the harmonic activities we do! Victoria shares a vocal bordun activity. Anne shares a tonic and dominant activity that starts with voice and transfers to barred instruments.Thank you for listening! Visit our website (http://teachingmusictomorrow.com) to listen to or watch new episodes. Make sure to click subscribe and leave a review from whichever platform you are listening on, and tell us what you’d like to te...
2025-06-0821 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerTideo: Singing Game for Elementary MusicIn this three-part series, Anne and Victoria explore ways to refresh Tideo, starting with the song and game. Tideo is a rich song, both from a pedagogical standpoint and a song research standpoint! There are so many ways to set this play party up for different grade levels. Anne shares a version of the play party for 2nd and 3rd grade. Victoria shares a slight variation on the 2nd and 3rd grade version, as well as an option for lower elementary. Thank you for listening! Visit our website (http://teachingmusictomorrow.com) to listen to or watch new...
2025-06-0426 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerApple Tree 3 - Melodic ExtensionsFor the final episode in the Apple Tree trilogy, we're talking all things melodic extensions. In this episode, Victoria & Anne talk about how to squeeze every ounce of melodic content out of this song, from so-mi to beyond. Whether it's through oral/aural echo imitation or composition and improvisation, get some ideas for how to use Apple Tree in your music classroom tomorrow.Thank you for listening! Visit our website (http://teachingmusictomorrow.com) to listen to or watch new episodes. Make sure to click subscribe and leave a review from whichever platform you are listening...
2025-05-2720 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerApple Tree 2 - Rhythmic ExtensionsWe’re back with Apple Tree—but this time, it’s all about the rhythm! In this episode, we explore how to extend this favorite song beyond the game and into purposeful rhythm learning. You’ll hear how to use Apple Tree to introduce and reinforce concepts like steady beat, rhythmic patterns, and even early iconic notation.From simple body percussion to creating student-composed rhythms based on the song, this lesson is a seamless way to keep the playful spirit alive while layering in deeper musical understanding.Thank you for listening! Visit our website (http://teachingmusictomorrow.com) to listen to or wa...
2025-05-1923 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerApple Tree 1 - Teaching the Game in Elementary MusicWe’re kicking off a new season of Teaching Music Tomorrow with the first episode of a three part series all about a tried and true song Apple Tree. Anne and Victoria share different ways to introduce the song through game play, both with a “counting-out” elimination game, and a “London Bridge” style game. Whether you’re looking to build steady beat skills, set the foundation for melodic learning, or just looking for a fresh and new way to teach Apple Tree, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can try tomorrow!Thank you for listening! Visit our we...
2025-05-1424 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerActivities for Vocal PartworkToday on Teaching Music Tomorrow, Victoria & Anne discuss different ways for using partwork in the elementary music classroom. Victoria shares an entrance activity she uses with her youngest students and then carries into older grades to introduce partner songs through movements. Anne shares a way to introduce a song through body percussion ostinati and extends with small group composition.
Thank you for listening! Visit our website (http://teachingmusictomorrow.com) to listen to or watch new episodes. Make sure to click subscribe and leave a review from whichever platform you are listening on, and tell...
2024-11-1226 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerOpening Music RoutinesToday on Teaching Music Tomorrow, Anne & Victoria are talking about different opening routines that have worked well in their music rooms. Anne shares a tried and true sequence for having students enter the room and warm up their bodies and voices. Victoria shares a fresh and new idea for engaging students in active listening and student led movement.
Thank you for listening! Visit our website to listen to or watch new episodes. Make sure to click subscribe and leave a review from whichever platform you are listening on, and tell us what you’d like to teach in...
2024-11-0728 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerFall Music Activities!Fall is here! Today on Teaching Music Tomorrow, Anne and Victoria share some tried-and-true Fall activities.
Enjoy these activities on their own, or use them as a way to integrate seasonal celebrations into the existing music curriculum.
Anne shares a grab-bag collection of activities with the song, “Pumpkin Pumpkin Round and Fat.” Victoria shares a counting-out song and barred instrument activity to go with the book, “Too Many Pumpkins.”
Like this episode? Check out more from Anne and Victoria, including free resources at teachingmusictomorrow.com
Find mor...
2024-10-2726 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerActive Listening ActivitiesActive Listening is embedded in the ways that we teach in the elementary music classroom. Today on Teaching Music Tomorrow, Anne & Victoria are discussing specific active listening lessons to keep your students engaged and making music.
Victoria shares a listening activity perfect for a “one off” lesson, the end of class, or to introduce movement vocabulary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WPCBieSESI
Movement sequence:
0:00 - With feet planted in place, improvise movements to follow the melodic contour of the trumpet
0:14 - Sway slowly in place (can you sway your feet...
2024-10-2020 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerMoving in Open Space
We’re back for another season of Teaching Music Tomorrow! Today, Anne and Victoria are talking all about open space, and how to scaffold the opportunity to move independently in the elementary music classroom.
Anne shares how she begins in self-space with the song Allie Galloo, and how she scaffolds allowing kindergarten students to move to a new “spot” to explore non locomotor movement in new locations and shared space. She also shares how she sequences Mouse Mousie for students to be successful moving in open space.
Victoria shares how she uses Ickle Ockle...
2024-10-1625 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerRecorder Activities for General Music: Al Citron & I See the MoonIn this episode of Teaching Music Tomorrow, Anne & Victoria explore different strategies for teaching the recorder. Victoria shares an extension of “Al Citrón,” and Anne shares ideas for “I See the Moon.”
Recorder can be effectively incorporated into our music curriculum in various ways, from using it as an accompaniment or as a mode of improvisation. In this episode, we’ll explore collaborative learning experiences and the concept of rhythmic building blocks and you’ll learn how to simplify recorder technique to introduce notes effectively.
Don’t forget to visit our website to sign up for ext...
2024-05-1217 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerBeginning Recorder: Star Light Star Bright & Al CitrónIf recorder is something you’re just getting started with, today’s episode of Teaching Music Tomorrow is for you! In this episode, Victoria and Anne share early experiences with recorder and ideas for helping make it an integrated part of your music classroom. Anne shares ideas for starting to play patterns with “Star Light Star Bright” and Victoria shares how to practice hand position with the game from “Al Citrón.”
Don’t forget to visit our website to sign up for extra resources from this episode!
For more from Anne & Victoria, click the links below:
2024-05-0526 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerWillum He Had Seven Sons & Engine Engine Number Nine: Unpitched PercussionIn today’s episode, Anne and Victoria are sharing first instrument experiences. If you’ve never gotten out unpitched percussion with your students, or you’re beginning with early elementary, this episode will give you tangible activities that you can use in your classroom today. Anne shares a rhythm stick exploration for “Willum He Had Seven Sons” and Victoria shares “Engine Engine Number Nine.” Reinforce rhythm and beat with these early experiences.
Don’t forget to visit our website to sign up for extra resources from this episode!
For more from Anne & Victoria, click the links below:...
2024-04-2816 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerUnpitched Percussion Activities for Elementary Music: Listen to the Sun and Huckleberry Ice CreamIn this episode of Teaching Music Tomorrow, Victoria and Anne discuss the use of unpitched percussion instruments in the classroom. We’ll highlight the challenges of incorporating instruments and the importance of clear instructions and transitions. Anne shares a rhyme called "Huckleberry Ice Cream,” and Victoria shares “Listen to the Sun.”Tune in to this episode to learn how to engage your students with unpitched percussion instruments and enhance their musical experience.
Don’t forget to visit our website to sign up for extra resources from this episode!
For more from Anne & Victoria, click the links belo...
2024-04-2227 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria Boler2 4 6 8 & On a Log Mister Frog: Unpitched Percussion for Elementary Music
In this episode of Teaching Music Tomorrow, we’re kicking off our instrument series! In today’s conversation, Anne shares ways to incorporate unpitched percussion into an activity for “2 4 6 8” and Victoria shares how to facilitate instrument exploration with “On a Log, Mister Frog.” Tune in for new ways to make some of your favorite songs fresh with unpitched percussion.
Don’t forget to visit our website to sign up for extra resources from this episode!
For more from Anne & Victoria, click the links below:
anne.mileski.com | @annemileski on instagram
victoriabole...
2024-04-1124 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerKindergarten Music Series: Closing ActivitiesClosing Activities are an important part of routine for both students and teachers in Kindergarten music. We want to leave students with a positive, music making experience as they leave the music room. Included in these closing activities are often opportunities for reviewing the learning objectives for the day, as well as the actual nuts and bolts of managing students through the transition of leaving the music room and rejoining their teacher. You as the teacher can decide whether the students need something higher or lower energy at the end of class to make that transition successful.
...
2024-02-1220 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerKindergarten Music Series: Steady BeatSteady Beat, like the other concepts explored in this series, is a foundational concept for all music making. It is unique, as it is often what we think of first when we think of “Kindergarten music.” Remember that exploring steady beat should be experienced based, where students work with pulse as well as the overall flow of music.
Consider ways to keep and show the steady beat in creative ways that also take into account musicality and musicianship, such as using spider fingers or other visual prompts that encourage flow through space and time.
In this...
2024-02-0520 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerKindergarten Music Series: Echo Singing
Echo Singing, in addition to vocal exploration, is one of the many ways that we get students ready to use their singing voices. Singing voice can be a challenging skill to master for many students because there can be a disconnect between what it means to hear singing voices, hear our own singing voice, as well as access the vocal mechanism that allows us to produce a singing voice. In addition to the actual act of singing, knowing when it’s “my turn” versus “your turn” to sing can be a challenging task for students as well.
In this ep...
2024-01-2920 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerKindergarten Music Series: Movement
Movement in Kindergarten is essential! Not only is it used to get the jitters out, but is an opportunity to build musical vocabulary through movement exploration. Like any other element in the music room, it’s important to carefully sequence movement experiences so that students feel comfortable and confident (and excited!) to move in ways they may not have been asked to do so before. Movement can be an activity or learning objective in and of itself, but like many other Kindergarten concepts can be used to reinforce learning of other musical skills.
In this episode of Teaching Music To...
2024-01-2121 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerKindergarten Music Series: Vocal Exploration
Vocal Exploration is one of the first musical experiences in Kindergarten. The goal of these activities are to allow students opportunities to use their voices in many different ways, many of which they may or may not have experienced before. Over time, this affords students the experiential vocabulary to draw upon when it comes time to differentiate between labeling different ways of using their voices, including but not limited to singing voice. These activities are used to help students explore those different ways to use their voices, work toward accessing their singing voices, and eventually on to...
2024-01-1521 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerExtractable Patterns for Teaching Music TomorrowToday on the podcast, Anne & Victoria discuss extractable patterns: what they are, why they are important, and how to use them meaningfully in individual lessons and your curriculum overall. Listen in for ways to think about digestible chunks for your students’ music learning and how to decide which song to use for which extractable pattern.
Thank you for listening! Visit our website to listen to or watch new episodes. Make sure to click subscribe and leave a review from whichever platform you are listening on, and tell us what you’d like to teach in your music classroom tomorrow! For...
2023-11-0821 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerProcedural TransitionsToday on the podcast, Anne & Victoria continue the conversation on transitions by discussing how to move students from one space to another. As you’ll hear, there are many different ways to implement these types of transitions into your music classroom, but they do take practice just like any other musical skill. These transitions are still musical, but serve as transitions from space to space by giving students a job.
Thank you for listening! Visit our website here to listen to or watch new episodes. Make sure to click subscribe and leave a review from whichever platform yo...
2023-10-3022 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerMusical TransitionsToday on the podcast, Anne & Victoria discuss how to successfully move from one activity to another using musical transitions. Musical transitions tend to focus predominantly on one rhythmic or melodic concept, whether or not it is “known” to students. Listen for some ideas for how to implement critical thinking skills for your students in the margins of your lessons, but with intention.
Thank you for listening! Visit our website here to listen to or watch new episodes. Make sure to click subscribe and leave a review from whichever platform you are listening on, and tell us what you’...
2023-10-2319 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerHow to Teach a Movement ActivityToday on the podcast, Anne & Victoria continue the conversation on how to successful scaffold movement or a game-like activity in the elementary music classroom with movement. Following a discussion about what makes this episode different than the two previous in our movement sequence, we’re sharing a couple of our favorite movement & folk dance inspired activities. Victoria shares Sashay the Donut with implications for using creative movement and creating opportunities for student choice. Anne shares Zemer Atik and how she scaffolds it based on form and duration. See a video of the full Zemer Atik dance here.
2023-10-1637 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerHow to Teach a Play PartyToday on the podcast, Anne & Victoria continue the conversation on how to successful scaffold movement or a game-like activity in the elementary music classroom with “play parties.” Anne share “The Old Brass Wagon” and how she uses it for a movement vocabulary builder, adaptable to many different circumstances and grade levels. Victoria shares how to scaffold “Alabama Gal” in a way that allows for students to be successful right off the bat.
Thank you for listening! Visit our website here to listen to or watch new episodes. Make sure to click subscribe and leave a review fro...
2023-10-0820 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerHow to Teach a Singing Game
Today on the podcast, Anne & Victoria break down how to teach a singing game or activity with your students. We discuss what things to think about when teaching a song for a game, how to scaffold gameplay so that students understand their jobs, and possible extensions for these games and activities for assessment, instruments, and beyond!
Thank you for listening! Visit our website here to listen to or watch new episodes. Make sure to click subscribe and leave a review from whichever platform you are listening on, and tell us what you’d...
2023-10-0235 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerMore Ways to Teach a SongToday on the podcast, Anne & Victoria are talking more about rote song singing. We’re tying up a couple of loose ends from last week’s episode, and sharing two new songs and how we’d teach them by rote to children for the first time. We discuss a “line-by-line” or “my turn, your turn” sequence for the simplest way to teach a song by rote, as well as discuss the element of form with both “Let Us Chase the Squirrel” with Victoria, and “Just From the Kitchen” with Anne.
Thank you for listening! Visit our website here to listen to or wa...
2023-09-1830 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerTeaching a Song by RoteOn this episode of Teaching Music Tomorrow, Anne & Victoria start at the very beginning: how do we teach a song by rote? If we are going to have a predominantly singing classroom, how do we effectively sequence singing a new song for our students? Listen in for tips, tricks, and a whole lot of discussion on how to teach a song.
Thank you for listening! Visit our website here to listen to or watch new episodes. Make sure to click subscribe and leave a review from whichever platform you are listening on, and tell us what you’d...
2023-09-1142 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerMelodic Arranging - Level 3!In the conclusion of today’s three part melodic arranging discussion, Anne & Victoria round out the ideas we’ve explored throughout the past couple of episodes. We open the episode with a discussion about what it really means to arrange, vs. having a melodic arrangement and how student choice and action is a big part of both.
Victoria shares a sequence for introducing partner songs to students in an AB structured passing game, "El Florón." She provides the partner song for the B section, but provides melodic building blocks for students to compose and therefore arrange the p...
2023-07-0328 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerMelodic Arranging Activities (Part 2)In today’s part 2 of a three part series, Anne & Victoria talk about the next level of melodic arranging, in a way that allows for student agency and voice (pun intended). This episode is focused on models of melodic arranging that start specifically with singing and then allow for opportunities to expand to barred instruments or beyond.
Anne shares a way to take the same song and activity from last week and add another ostinato based on student speech to the arrangement of Peas Porridge Hot. This can be done first with the voice and a limited, pr...
2023-06-2529 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerBeginning Activities for Melodic Arranging (Teaching Music Tomorrow)In today’s episode, we’re continuing on the arranging conversation, this time diving into all things melodic arranging. We start the episode with a conversation about why this might feel challenging to both you as the teacher-facilitator, as well as your students, and what makes melodic arranging a bit of a different animal than rhythmic arranging. (If you haven’t listened to the three part series on rhythmic arranging, now would be a good time to do so!)
Anne shares an activity for Pease Porridge Hot that starts as a simple rhythmic ostinato and can be expand...
2023-06-1823 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerRhythm Arranging - Part 3In today’s conclusion of our three-part deep dive, Anne and Victoria share two cumulative experiences that will incorporate all of the skills we have talked about thus far. These three episodes have truly built on one another to show how you can start small, add the simplest layer and guide students toward independent musicianship skills.
Anne shares how to take the different layers we’ve discussed with the song Apple Tree and how it can become a performance piece highlighting student choice. Victoria shares the ultimate Tideo mashup with rhythmic building blocks that inspire and incorporate stud...
2023-06-1229 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerRhythm Arranging - Part 2In this second episode of a three-part deep dive, Anne and Victoria outline two actionable sequences for upleveling rhythmic arranging with your students. You might be surprised about what we consider “level 2” for arranging with your students, and it puts a lot less pressure on the teacher than you probably think.
Anne shares how to take the song Apple Tree and continue along the arranging spectrum, giving students more opportunities to express their creativity and musical fluency with quarter notes and eighth notes. Students have the opportunity to explore new avenues of music making as well as coll...
2023-06-0430 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerFirst Experiences with Rhythm ArrangingIn this first episode of a two-part deep dive, Anne and Victoria outline two actionable sequences for starting the process of rhythm arranging with young musicians. Anne shares a layered arranging activity with the song, Apple Tree. Victoria shares a movement-based arranging activity with the rhyme, Zapatitos Blancos. Both activities encourage students to experiment with rhythmic durations in a focused and intentional way, while maintaining a playful spirit of exploration. Whether this is your first time facilitating a rhythm arranging experience for your students, or you’ve been leading rhythm arranging for a long time, this episode has something fo...
2023-05-2824 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerMelodic Reading ActivitiesLast week on the podcast, we shared a couple of easy to implement rhythmic reading ideas. In that episode, we talked about how rhythmic reading is multifaceted and not a straight forward description. The layers of “reading” are only compounded when we add in melody, or pitches, to reading activities.
Today, Victoria shares an activity for identifying melodic patterns in well known folk songs as well as how to extend it into something that allows for student choice and agency, inching toward composition. Anne shares an activity for practicing stick to staff notation, where students have to read...
2023-05-2125 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerRhythm Reading ActivitiesReading can be used as a one-and-done activity on its own, or we can use it as the launch-point and facilitator of many other musical skills like memorization, arranging and part-work. Today on the podcast, Victoria and Anne share two reading activities you can use tomorrow.
Anne’s game, “Clever Caterpillar,” can be found on her TPT store here. Victoria’s rhyme, “Pin Pin Jarabín” is sourced from “The Spanish-American Song and Game Book,” published in 1942.
Thank you for listening! Visit our website here to listen to or watch new episodes. Make sure to click subscribe an...
2023-05-1522 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerSteady Beat ActivitiesSteady beat is the foundation for all musical skill building. Today on the podcast, Victoria and Anne are talking about all the different ways we experience steady beat in our classrooms, and best practices to consider when thinking about steady beat activities.
Today on the podcast, Anne & Victoria share two of their favorite tried and true activities for steady beat. Anne shares “Umpi the Frog,” a fun passing game rhyme scaffolded for Kindergarten and beyond, and Victoria shares the perfect drag and drop chameleon activity for any music you or your students want to use in the clas...
2023-02-2025 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerVocal Exploration Activities for Elementary MusicEarly childhood music is full of vocal development opportunities and explorations. Whether we are talking about exploring higher vs. lower, echo singing, or pitch matching, giving adequate time and care to developing and discovering the singing voice is one of the most important musical foundational skills.
Today on the podcast, Anne & Victoria share a couple activities for vocal development. Anne shares the favorite, “No More Pie” for whole class and individual echo singing and pitch matching, and Victoria shares a fun vocal exploration extension for the rhyme “Jack, be Nimble.” Both of these activities can be part of your m...
2023-02-0628 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerFast & Slow Activities for Early Elementary MusicThe concept of fast and slow is one of the earliest foundational concepts we introduce to our students. In the land of comparatives, it’s one of the most accessible for our young musicians, because they have so much gross locomotor experience moving fast. The discrimination between learning slow and fast is an important scaffold for talking about tempi and note durations later on in music learning.
Today Anne & Victoria share some of their favorite activities for using faster and slower, as well as some good teaching strategies to scaffold the experience appropriately for your young learners. Bot...
2023-01-3020 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerRounds in Elementary General MusicPart-singing is one of the most integral parts of the general elementary music classroom. Rounds are an important part of a part-work sequence, but are not the first experience or even the most accessible way to explore part work for beginners.
Today Anne & Victoria talk about how to use rounds in a lesson, an appropriate sequence for teaching these activities, and some tips and tricks to make rounds more successful in your teaching. Anne's song, "Scotland's Burning" is sourced from "150 Rounds for Singing and Teaching," published by Boosey & Hawkes. Victoria’s song, “Sahhaa Sahhaa” is sourced from nordic...
2023-01-2320 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerElemental FormElemental Form is one of the most basic ways to break down music in the elementary music classroom. Whether we are talking about singing, movement, or any other mode of music making, we use elemental form every single day in our lessons. From introducing new song material to scaffolding for students’ creative choice, elemental form is not only a concept on our curriculum roadmap, but a tool for student understanding.
Today Anne & Victoria break down different ways to teach elemental form with two concrete activities you can use in your classroom tomorrow. Not only do we explore ac...
2023-01-1617 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerOstinato Activities for Elementary MusicOstinati seem like one of those simple things that appears on our elementary general music curriculum “to do” list. However, ostinati are definitely not a “one and done” game. As a matter of fact, they're an important part of our music making process that allows students to exhibit their own independent musicianship while also making creative choices.
Today Anne & Victoria are talking about ways to use ostinati in your classroom tomorrow. Ironically, we don’t chat about what we’re going to share ahead of time, but these activities are a beautiful pairing for ways to incorporate different mo...
2023-01-0226 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerSpeech Activities for Elementary General MusicWhen you think about the many different modes of music making we use in the elementary general music classroom, you may not immediately think about speech. However, like singing, speaking is an important first step (and beyond!) for all musicians to explore comparatives, creativity, and expression.
Today Anne & Victoria are talking about speech pieces they use in their classrooms. Victoria is sharing a rhyme that can easily be scaffolded for upper elementary grades with layered ostinati, and Anne is sharing something that works well as a first experience for students using speech and making creative choices. Both...
2022-12-1220 min
Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerPicture Books for Music ClassPicture books are one of the most powerful tools you can use in your elementary music classroom. Aside from bringing in cross-curricular connections from kids’ grade level classrooms, or “singing a story” (which we love!), there are many ways to incorporate books into the music room that promote active music making and learning with our students.
Today Anne & Victoria are talking about two books they like to use with early elementary students–although both could be used with upper grades as well! Anne is sharing “Away We Go” by Migy, and how she uses vocal exploration and movement pat...
2022-12-0517 min
How To Teach Music with Jessica GrantAsking for Help, Talking to Parents, and Having Difficult Conversations with Victoria BolerIn October I had the privilege of being interviewed by Victoria Boler for her podcast Elemental Conversations. We discussed three main areas: 1. How to ask for help 2. How to have conversations with parents 3. How to have difficult conversations with parents I hope you enjoy our conversation and a special thank you to Victoria for allowing me to share our talk on the Afternoon Ti podcast. If you haven't checked out her work, I highly recommend that you do! Victoria is thoughtful, thorough and knowledgeable about how to teach music to...
2022-11-291h 15Teaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerBody Percussion Activities to Try TomorrowToday Anne & Victoria are talking about some good, drag and drop activities with body percussion. We’re starting with the basics, whether you’re looking to work with early elementary students or older beginners, so that you can incorporate creative music making using body percussion no matter what grade, class, or concept you are teaching.
Thank you for listening! Make sure to click subscribe and leave a review from whichever platform you are listening on, and tell us what you’d like to teach in your music classroom tomorrow! For more from Anne & Victoria, click the links below...
2022-11-2821 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerDipping Your Toe into Creative MovementMovement can be a scary word. Although it’s embedded in our music making and our music classrooms, finding opportunities to engage our students in purposefully creative movement can leave us feeling overwhelmed and intimidated. So what do we do? We find ways to simply build upon what we are already doing.
Today Anne & Victoria are talking about the first steps you can take toward facilitating creative movement in your classroom. We start with activities that you are likely already familiar with and doing with your kids, and simply take the next step to facilitate student choice an...
2022-11-2120 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerQuick Music Assessment IdeasIf you’ve heard Anne & Victoria talk about assessment before, you have probably heard the words: “active,” “embedded,” “part of the process,” and “observational data,” among other things. But what does that actually look like in practice? What does it mean to be consistently and efficiently taking in observational data when you are in the middle of teaching your music class, and you only have 30 minutes to assess 30 kids?
Today we’re talking about quick assessment activities that exist right along an activity that you are likely already doing in your classroom. Whether it’s solo singing in your opening routin...
2022-11-1816 minTeaching Music Tomorrow - with Anne Mileski and Victoria BolerWhat to do with Extra Class TimeWhat do you do when you look up at the clock and realize you’ve flown through your lesson plan… and you don’t have anything else left to do that day? What happens next? How do you keep the kids meaningfully engaged while still filling the gaps and transition out of a meaningful music lesson?
We’re sharing two activities that can be completely adapted to any grade level, for any lack of time. Anne is sharing Acka Backa Soda Cracker which you can find notated here in the Holy Names Song Collection. Victoria is sharing Willum H...
2022-11-1812 min
Elemental Conversations with Victoria BolerCreating a Winter Review Project for Elementary General MusicHere are some ways to review and refresh your semester.We’ll talk about the importance of looking backwards to go forward with our review project. We’ll talk about the importance of knowledge transfer when we review, and the role that creative processes (improvisation / arranging) play. We’ll think about ways we can move students’ creative work outside the walls of the music classroom. Last, we’ll discuss how students can take charge of reviewing, self-assessing, and planning for next semester. ————-You can find the complete review pr...
2021-11-2200 minElemental Conversations with Victoria Boler41 - Espresso Shot: Organizing Resources for 1st Grade RhythmHere’s one example of how we might organize resources for teaching 1st grade rhythm. We’ll use a concept plan, or a place we can document our goals, repertoire, and learning activities. When we have these resources in one place, lesson planning is more intentional and streamlined. You can find the full show notes here: victoriaboler.com/podcast/organizing-resources-to-teach-1st-grade-rhythm
2021-11-1700 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerLesson Planning When You Have Too Many Resources“One thing that I struggle with is the availability of too many resources! Any tips? I wind up feeling so guilty when I don’t get to a particular song or activity, but I can’t do it all…”The internet is a big place! That can make it overwhelming when we look for lesson ideas - how will we choose the most intentional lesson ideas, while keeping track of all the things we find interesting? Find the full show notes here: https://victoriaboler.com/elemental-conversations
2021-11-1500 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerExperiencing Syncopa in Concept-Based Teaching (Espresso Shot)Here are some examples of how musical experiences can be threaded together across lessons. We’ll look at specific teaching activities for syncopa from The Planning Binder’s November monthly plan._______This is a quick “espresso shot” episode. My hope is that it’s an actionable teaching idea that applies some larger principles, and gives you some inspiration on your drive to work. ________ Find the show notes at victoriaboler.com/elemental-conversations
2021-10-1300 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerConcept-Based Teaching - Syncopa SongsIn the last episode we talked about structuring the lesson around musical concepts, instead of activities. Let’s think about some ways to apply concept-based teaching with upper elementary and the rhythmic pattern, “synco-pa,” or ta-di—di. Syncopa (ta-di-di) songs: Bump Up Tomato Weevily Wheat Surfin’ U.S.A - Beach Boys Alabama Gal (or) Count On Me - Bruno Mars Find the show notes at victoriaboler.com/elemental-conversations________ This is a quick “espresso shot” episode. My hope is that it’s an actionable teachi...
2021-10-1200 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerOrganizing the Music Lesson PlanShould we organize our lessons around activities or around musical concepts? There are pros and cons to both! Find the full show notes here: https://victoriaboler.com/elemental-conversations
2021-10-1100 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerEspresso Shot: Two Songs for Sharing Instruments in KindergartenSongs: Bell Horses Frosty Weather Passing Out Instruments: Students sit in a circle. As they sing the song and pat a steady beat, the teacher walks around the outside of the circle and places an instrument behind students’ backs. Collecting Instruments:Students stand and walk around in a circle while singing the song. As students move, the teacher walks around the circle and collects the instruments.
2021-09-2800 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerSharing Instruments in Zapatitos BlancosZapatitos Blancos Speak the rhyme and play the game Add an ostinato - students come up with any combination of shoe / little When you’re out, choose if you’ll play the steady beat on a tubano or play the rhythm of the ostinato on rhythm sticks or other unpitched percussion Continue playing until the available instrument slots are taken
2021-09-2800 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerStrategies for Sharing Instruments in Elementary General MusicFind the full show notes here.Strategies for Sharing Instruments: - Choosing, elimination, guessing, or chasing games - Doubling up on instruments - Using instrument stations - “Pass it down”
2021-09-2700 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerWeekend Research: How Do Music Teachers Spend Class Time?Find the show notes here.Reports mentioned: Comparison of the National Standards for Music Education and Elementary Music Specialists' Use of Class Time (Orman, 2002)Self-Reported versus Observed Classroom Activities in Elementary General Music (Wang & Sogin, 1997)Perceptions of Time Spent in Teacher Talk: A Comparison Among Self-Estimates, Peer Estimates, and Actual Time (Nápoles & Vázquez-Ramos, 2013)Time Use in Instrumental Rehearsals: A Comparison of Experienced, Novice, and Student Teachers (Goolsby, 1996)
2021-09-2400 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerEspresso Shot: Layered Ostinati & Engine Engine Number NineThis is a quick “espresso shot” episode. My hope is that it’s an actionable teaching idea that applies some larger principles, and gives you some inspiration on your drive to work. For my part, it keeps me thinking through many ideas and connections so I stay energized as well._______Main Rhyme: Engine engine number nine going down Chicago line See it sparkle, see it shine, engine engine number nine Ostinato 1: Clack clack clickity clack Ostinato 2: Cling clang Ostinato 3: track ___ ___ down the Potential Pedago...
2021-09-2300 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerEspresso Shot: Engine Engine Number Nine, Rhythm vs Beat, & PartworkFind the show notes at victoriaboler.com/elemental-conversations________ This is a quick “espresso shot” episode. My hope is that it’s an actionable teaching idea that applies some larger principles, and gives you some inspiration on your drive to work. For my part, it keeps me thinking through many ideas and connections so I stay energized as well. _________Rhyme: Engine Engine Number Nine Process: Students choose if they’ll perform the rhythm or the beat Students are now seated at the “train station”The teacher is...
2021-09-2200 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerEspresso Shot: Multiple Means of Engagement, Partwork, Frog in the MeadowFind episode notes here._______This is a quick “espresso shot” episode. My hope is that it’s an actionable teaching idea that applies some larger principles, and gives you some inspiration on your drive to work. For my part, it keeps me thinking through many ideas and connections so I stay energized as well. ______Process: Sing the song and play the game (Recruiting interest / Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity)In small groups, students create jumping motions that match the lower vocal part (Sustaining Effort & Persistence / Foster collaboration and co...
2021-09-2100 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerSinging Harmony in Elementary MusicFind the show notes here
2021-09-2000 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerTeaching a Partwork Piece on Barred InstrumentsFind the show notes here: https://victoriaboler.com/podcast/teaching-a-partwork-piece-on-orff-instruments
2021-09-1300 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerKindergarten Music Informance Ideas: The Carrot SeedFind the show notes here: https://victoriaboler.com/elemental-conversations/2021/9/6/kindergarten-music-informance-ideas-the-carrot-seed
2021-09-1000 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerActive Musicking - How Students Learn Best (An Elemental Conversation with Anne Mileski)Find the show notes here: victoriaboler.com/podcast
2021-08-3000 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerThe First Weeks of Kindergarten MusicFind the show notes here: victoriaboler.com/podcast/2021/8/11/the-first-weeks-of-kindergarten-music
2021-08-2300 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerWhere Do the Standards Fit In the Music Curriculum Planning Process?Find the show notes at: victoriaboler.com/podcast/2021/8/12/where-do-the-standards-fit-in-the-music-curriculum-planning-process
2021-08-2100 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerLong-Range Planning for Elementary General MusicFind the show notes here: victoriaboler.com/podcast/2021/8/11/planning-a-music-curriculum
2021-08-1800 minElemental Conversations with Victoria Boler22. Pre-Assessments at the Beginning of the 2021 - 2022 School YearListen on…Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | SpotifySeason 1 | Episode 22Show Notes
Today I’m chatting with my good friend, Anne Mileski about assessment and curriculum at the beginning of the 2021 - 2022 school year. This is an incredibly unique time for our industry, and it can feel tricky to know where exactly to begin. One of the tools we can use to guide our thinking is a pre-assessment. So let’s jump in and start thinking through what pre-assessments are, and how we can use them to inform future...
2021-08-1600 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerClassroom Management for Elementary General Music (Before the Sticker Charts)Find the show notes at victoriaboler.com/podcast
2021-08-1300 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerPlanning Music ConcertsSeason 1 | Episode 20Show Notes
What is your process as you start planning programs for the year, and what tips do you have for those of use who are new to them altogether? Thanks for your input!! I look forward to hearing the podcast.
Questions: How involved is this program? What is the scale of the production that I have the capacity to produce from a musical standpoint? Programs take a lot of planning and logistics. What is my capacity to be a project manager in addition to a show pr...
2021-08-1100 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerOpening the First Day of Music - An Elemental Conversation with Anne MileskiFind the show notes at https://victoriaboler.com/podcast/2021/8/4/opening-the-first-day-of-music-an-elemental-conversation-with-anne-mileski
2021-08-0900 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerChoosing Repertoire for the 2021 - 2022 School YearFind the show notes and leave a comment here: victoriaboler.com/podcast/2021/7/6/choosing-repertoire-for-the-2021-2022-school-year
2021-07-1500 min
Elemental Conversations with Victoria BolerElementary Music and Art Collaboration IdeasFind the show notes and leave a comment here: https://victoriaboler.com/podcast/2021/6/24/music-and-art
2021-07-0700 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerIncreasing Parent Involvement in the Music ProgramFind the show notes and leave a comment here: victoriaboler.com/podcast/parent-involvement-music-program
2021-06-2400 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerPop Music in the Elemental StyleFind the show notes and leave a comment here: http://victoriaboler.com/podcast/pop-music-elemental-style
2021-06-1500 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerDo You Have Ideas for Using Movement to Teach Musical Concepts?Find the show notes and leave a comment here: http://victoriaboler.com/podcast/movement-to-teach-musical-concepts
2021-06-1400 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerI'm Teaching on a Cart! What Should I Do?Find the show notes and leave a comment here: http://victoriaboler.com/podcast/music-on-a-cart
2021-06-0900 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerHow Should I Lesson Plan if I'm Burnt Out?Find show notes and leave a comment here
2021-06-0700 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerWeekend Research: Music Teacher BurnoutFind show notes here: https://victoriaboler.com/podcast/2021/5/28/weekend-research-music-teacher-burnout
2021-06-0400 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerHow Many Songs Should I Teach Each Month?Find the show notes at: victoriaboler.com/podcast/how-many-songs-should-i-teach-each-grade-per-month
2021-06-0200 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerHow Should I Use Percussion Instruments as a Vocalist?Click here for the show notes: Victoriaboler.com/podcast/how-should-i-use-percussion-as-a-vocalist
2021-05-3100 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerResearch for Elementary Music TeachersFind the show notes here: http://victoriaboler.com/podcast/research-for-elementary-music-teachers
2021-05-2800 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerWhat Classroom Instruments Should I Buy First?Find the show notes at victoriaboler.com/podcast/what-classroom-instruments-should-i-buy-first
2021-05-2600 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerHow Do You Assess Improvisation?Find show notes here: victoriaboler.com/podcast/how-do-you-assess-improvisation
2021-05-2300 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerWhat Are Some Ways to Efficiently Pass Out Classroom Instruments?Find show notes here: https://victoriaboler.com/podcast/2021/5/15/how-should-i-pass-out-orff-instruments
2021-05-1900 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerHow Do You Explain to Parents What an Informance Is?Get the show notes here: http://victoriaboler.com/podcast/2021/5/14/how-do-you-explain-to-parents-what-an-informance-is
2021-05-1700 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerHow Do You Create a Program Based on a Book?Find show notes here: https://victoriaboler.com/podcast/2021/5/12/how-do-you-create-a-program-based-on-a-book
2021-05-1200 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerA Concert Schedule for a First Year Music TeacherFind show notes here: https://victoriaboler.com/podcast/concert-schedule-for-first-year-music-teacher
2021-05-1200 minElemental Conversations with Victoria BolerWhat is Elemental Music?Find episode notes here: https://victoriaboler.com/podcast/2021/5/12/what-is-elemental-music
2021-05-1100 min
The Anacrusic PodcastActive Embedded Assessment with Victoria BolerAssessment is one of those things that I really really struggled with when I first started teaching. I think I mostly didn’t have a lot of knowledge about how assessment in the music room relates to assessment in other subjects, whether it should be the same or different, and how it could fit in the same box as the other grades my students are receiving on a report card.I’ve learned over time a couple of things: (1) active assessment is embedded and inherent in what we do in our music classrooms, as long as we are...
2021-02-0447 min
Chaotic HarmonyVictoria Boler - Quarantined Chaos 4 - Ep. 34 - Chaotic Harmony PodcastThis week, Victoria Boler joins us to talk about how to prioritize content and speak to administrators during distance learning. While none of us have landed on a system that feels perfect quite yet, we are slowly finding practices that work for our schools.
Quarantine Song of the Week: Crystal sings Woody Guthrie’s “Pick it Up”
Spiccato: What have you found around your house to make homemade instruments to show your students?
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Our Social Media: @CHClassroom
Marc Keehmer: @mrKeehmer
Zoe Kumagai: @msKumagai
Crystal Pridmore: @FinneyVAPA
Jonathan Seligman: @mrSeligman [Twitter/Instagram]
Email: chaoti...
2020-05-061h 06
Chaotic Harmony ClassroomVictoria Boler - Quarantined Chaos 4 - Ep34 - Chaotic Harmony Podcast This week, Victoria Boler joins us to talk about how to prioritize content and speak to administrators during distance learning. While none of us have landed on a system that feels perfect quite yet, we are slowly finding practices that work for our schools. Quarantine Song of the Week: Crystal sings Woody Guthrie’s “Pick it Up”Spiccato: What have you found around your house to make homemade instruments to show your students?https://victoriaboler.com/https://www.instagram.com/victoriaboler/Our Social...
2020-05-061h 06Chaotic Harmony Classroom019 Chaotic Harmony Podcast Episode 16: Victoria Boler Victoria Boler (wemakethemusic.org) shares her journey into becoming an elementary music teacher, and her method to educating her parents and administrators about the value of music education. She shares practical tips for planning lessons, performances, and assessments, and we have plenty of great laughs along the way! Be sure to visit her website to find her resources, many of which are offered free of charge.
Spiccato: Yarn/ pom moms
Round of the Week: “Little Bitty Man”
Follow us on Twitter!
Chaotic Harmony — @CHClassroom
Crystal Pridmore — @FinneyVAPA & @mrsPridmore
Jonathan Seligman — @mrSeligman
Marc Keehmer — @mrKeehmer
Zoe Kumagai — @msKumagai
Website: https://www.chaoticharmony...
2019-11-131h 04Chaotic HarmonyChaotic Harmony Podcast Episode 16: Victoria BolerVictoria Boler (wemakethemusic.org) shares her journey into becoming an elementary music teacher, and her method to educating her parents and administrators about the value of music education. She shares practical tips for planning lessons, performances, and assessments, and we have plenty of great laughs along the way! Be sure to visit her website to find her resources, many of which are offered free of charge.
Spiccato: Yarn/ pom moms
Round of the Week: “Little Bitty Man”
Follow us on Twitter!
Chaotic Harmony — @CHClassroom
Crystal Pridmore — @FinneyVAPA & @mrsPridmore
Jonathan Seligman — @mrSeligman
Marc Keehmer — @mrKeehmer
Zoe Kumagai — @msKumagai
Website: https://www.chaoticharmony...
2019-11-131h 04The Anacrusic PodcastTAP 047: Planning & Assessment with Victoria BolerToday on TAP, I’m chatting with my friend Victoria Boler of We Make the Music about all things planning and assessment. When I first came across Victoria (on Instagram, of course), I felt like we were music teacher kindred spirits--and after talking with her more, I know that we are. The way she thinks so beautifully about sequencing and big picture music teaching is 100% my jam. Today she’s sharing some of her process for planning and how assessment is all tied in. Check out more from Victoria on her website here→ wemakethemusic.org
2019-05-091h 04How To Teach Music with Jessica GrantE010 Part II: Interview with Victoria BolerIn the second part of Episode 10, Victoria Boler shares about lesson planning, transitions and her teacher capsule wardrobe. Victoria's Website: www.wemakethemusic.org www.afternoonti.blogspot.com Intro/Outro Music: Our Big Adventure by Scott Holmes www.scottholmesmusic.com
2019-02-2658 minHow To Teach Music with Jessica GrantE010 Part I: Interview with Victoria BolerIn the first episode with Victoria Boler, she shares about her experiences with Orff and Kodaly approaches, as well as information about data collecting, goal setting and informances. Victoria's Website: www.wemakethemusic.org www.afternoonti.blogspot.com Intro/Outro Music: Our Big Adventure by Scott Holmes www.scottholmesmusic.com
2019-02-2648 min