Decoding Dilemmas with Older Beginners: Points to ponder as you build your program. Last week I had two breakthroughs in my classes. My 1st graders tried the game “Oh Dear, What Can the Meter Be?” for the first time, and to my surprise, they got every single musical example correct! Historically, this has not been the...

Dr. Strong’s Pyramid of Musical Greatness (PoMG) Designed by Adam Brittain                     As I so often do, one day I found myself searching for a quick analogy or metaphor that would help my students focus on the task at hand. Suddenly it came to me, “It’s...

Before Pencil and Paper Try Some Alt-Write Techniques: Writing Steps in Conversational Solfege John Crever, FAME Endorsed Teacher Trainer In Conversational Solfege (CS) the recommended amount of time spent in the Writing Steps (9-12) is significantly less than that spent developing conversational skills at Steps 2-5 (Conversational Solfege.)  After mastering the Reading Steps in a...

by Chris Powers   Looking for a fun, engaging activity that is perfect for individual assessment at Steps 7 and 8 of Conversational Solfege? Consider using these “I Have…Who Has? Cards” created by Chris Anne Powers.    The cards correlate with all Units in Book 1 of Conversational Solfege by Dr. John Feierabend. AND for...

by Emily Maurek Dancing is practiced, performed and enjoyed in large, airy spaces with authentic formations, figures, and accuracy, right? However, as many of us know, some classroom spaces are less than ideal and conditions for dancing or even moving with a group of students is problematic. However, for teachers who travel from room to...

by Missy Strong Published in the March 2016 Issue of Tempo, New Jersey Music Educator’s Magazine “I have no idea what I’m doing!” This is the unfortunate cry of many a new general music teacher. I know it was a lament of mine as I embarked on my own teaching career 21 years ago. While...

by Missy Strong Thirty years ago the Rafiki Foundation was started by Rosemary Jensen and her husband, Dr. Robert Jensen. They had just returned from a trip to Tanzania and were very concerned about the poverty, disease, and famine that they witnessed during the trip. Rafiki was created with the express intention of helping widows...