Productivity Tools For Music Teachers

[colinlesnar]

Music Teachers can have a very stressful life. Of all teachers probably music teachers have the biggest load to do on a regular week by week basis.

Of course, many would argue with that supposition. Physics, Science and English teachers of course work very hard and no-one would say they don't work extremely hard to bring brilliant lessons to their students.

Music Teachers however have to do a lot of extra activities that other teachers don't have to: like running band and musicianship programs, preparing student recitals, coordinating instrumental programs and communicating with parents about practices and raising funds for instruments.

With all these activities taking the teachers energy, it is vital that they be extremely organized to make sure that their music sessions are both fun for students and trouble free for themselves.

There are a few practical tools that can help music teachers:

1) A diary. This simple thing can save all sorts of problems from double scheduling events if it is well managed. It is so easy to double schedule school events with personal events, as most music teachers would well understand! You can use a modern PDA or Mobile Organizer, or use the old fashioned paper diary for just a few dollars.

2) A location plan for all the school equipment. Even if you're school has one well used xylophone and a broken guitar with three of the strings missing it is important that those two instruments have their place, and that your students come to learn and respect that when in the music classroom. When you are seeing lots of children every week and sometimes many hundreds of dollars worth of instruments it is important that it is put away with respect. Make a plan, commit it to paper and stick it on all the walls near the equipment. Being careful about this for a few weeks will make your teaching a lot less stressful in the long run!

3) A personal blog or website. What if you could have a place on the internet where you place news for your students, music parts for practice and assessments so they can get it done without you even being present? Its as easy as setting up a personal page on blogger or word press, and getting going. Just consider - if you put resources there that you ask students to access for additional work... once its completed this year you will never have to do it again!

4) Software tools. The latest software for music often has inbuilt assessment and worksheet creation tools, so you can create your own teaching materials in minutes. Prepared Lesson plans downloading instant print work sheets and lesson plans from the world wide web can save you lots of preparation, and there are many great sources of material available now.
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