One of the most important practices that a teacher can do is reflect on the school year. I tend to reflect on the school year during the last couple of weeks of school, as I prepare to say “see you later” to my students. I pull out a little index card and just start writing some notes from the year. This year was a pretty wild one- we were 100% in person 5 days a week with no singing, no band for most of the year, and not being able to share instruments. I found that there were some things I tried that went really well, some things that I’ll let go of next year, and some things I want to focus on this summer to help me prepare for next year.
If you’re interested in doing the same practice, but want something fancier than an index card, I’ve created a free workbook that contains reflection and goal setting pages for units, programs, observations, and the school year.
Download your free workbook here!
What Went Well
- Virtual Talent Show- we did a virtual variety show again this year because we couldn’t all gather together in person. Students K-5 were able to submit a video on FlipGrid during a 3 week time period. Each student could only submit one video, and they had between 1.5-3 minutes depending on the grade level. I LOVED watching the kids’ talents! We were able to see some that we wouldn’t have if we had only done it in person! I had kids show us horseback riding, trampoline tricks, and even hockey skills. I truly believe that there were students who submitted a video because they didn’t have to do it live. While I can’t wait to do in person variety shows again, I will also continue to do some kind of digital variety show as well.
- Technology- Okay, okay, some of us are totally done with technology. I get it! I will say, though, that there are some really great videos that I found and used this year. Some of my favorites were this Among Us themed rhythm game, these videos for assessments, and this video explaining instruments native to India. We are so lucky to have the world at our fingertips, and I really took advantage of it this year.
- Enrichment Activities at Home- This is another one I’m fairly burnt out on. While we were in person, I still had to make lessons for any kids that were quarantined. Oftentimes I wouldn’t know which grade level had kids learning from home. I ended up making virtual lessons every week just in case. It was a pain, but I do like the idea of having activities on our e-learning page. Going forward, I think I’ll put up resources once per month for students who want extra music.
What didn’t Go Well
- Listening/Genre Lessons- This is something that I really need to get better at. Kids should be exposed to music of all genres, and it’s my job to provide that for them. This will definitely be something I continue to work on for next year.
- Improvising and Composing on Instruments- Do you follow Victoria Boler on Instagram? She is the queen of elementary music improvisation. Every time I watch her stories, I think about how I want to have my kids improvise more on instrument. I had every intention of using them more once I was told I could, but it just didn’t happen.
What I’ll Learn More About this Summer
- Listen to more genres of music- For being a music teacher and someone who enjoys a lot of different types of music, this is actually a tough goal for me. Honestly, if I’m in the car or doing things around the house, I would prefer to listen to an audiobook. But, if I want my students to be more exposed to various genres and artists, I need to go first. So give me all your favorite artists in your favorite genres!
- Learn more about holidays and cultures around the world: This is something I try to be cognizant of no matter what time of the year it is. My students love sharing their cultures and holidays with their classmates, and I learn so much from them. We should be incorporating different cultures all year, not just when we’re celebrating certain months. This summer I’ll be spending some time learning more so I can celebrate my students’ heritage and introduce them to cultures they might not know as much about! Also, I just want to be more educated about all the amazing people in this world.
Have a convinced you that writing down your reflections for the year is a good thing you should absolutely do? You’ll want to download your free workbook!
You can get that workbook here!
In the comments, be sure to tell me one thing about the past year- either something that went well, something that didn’t, or something you’re going to learn more about before the start of next year!
