Name

Jane

Store Name

SillyOMusic

What I Have Taught

General music (Pre-K/Headstart – 8th), chorus, early childhood, and private saxophone lessons. Prior to teaching music, was an at-home instructor for children with autism.

Where I am From and Where I Have Taught

I am from Maryland and taught there for 7 years. After getting married, I moved to North Carolina where I teach ages 2 – Kindergarten.

Favorite Teaching Memory

My favorite memory comes from a music club that met in my trailer every day after school. It was comprised of a handful of chorus kids who wanted extra music time. We explored a variety of activities, but one day, everyone decided just to play a bunch of instruments after a 4th-grader pulled out his trombone. They were incredibly loud but full of JOY and smiling from ear-to-ear, so I just let the impromptu jam session continue for almost an hour. Then, another boy wrote “We Love Music!’ in giant letters on the board as everyone decorated it. We were loud and proud musicians that day!

Quick, Fun Facts About Me

My dad met my mom in Korea, and although most people can’t tell, I’m half-Korean! Growing up, I had red hair and a face full of freckles. 🙂

The little guy in the photo is my dog, Perry. When I adopted him, he was thin and covered with scabs. No one expected him to turn into such a cutie!

Why I Love TpT

The district where I started teaching didn’t have a set curriculum, which can be a blessing and a curse, but as a new teacher, I was completely overwhelmed with creating new lesson plans. During my first year, I would write lesson plans until 9 pm every school night. Then I discovered TpT and hallelujah, I was saved! Not only was TpT a huge time-saver, but I was able to teach with confidence because the resources were created by verteran teachers. After a few years, I started making my own resources and taught myself graphic design. The creativity involved with making/using TpT resources completely energized me as well as my students. Win-win!

Music Teacher Quick Tip

Last year, I implemented a silent line-up process that worked well with my intermediate students. I recommend practicing it several times, but after a few tries, all you’ll need to do is clap 3 times.

Clap 1: students stand

Clap 2: students turn towards door (works well if they are seated in a circle, U shape, or rows)

Clap 3: students walk to the door and stand in line

Two Products From My Shop

I started by making a product that I personally needed most, sub work, but Recorder Cat set was definitely a labor of love after seeing my students struggle with Hot Cross Buns. I found that students were much more likely to READ the notes rather than play by ear when we examined a tune in several different ways. Try the freebie for yourself! My second product is a game that my students requested almost daily, 4 Corners. 4 Corners is great for reviewing objectives or as a time filler because they can be played for 5 minutes or 25 minutes. The game also allows students to move quietly around the room if they need to stretch.

I’m so grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with my fellow music educators! I hope you enjoy our future posts and teaching tips. I’ll be posting about the Korean folk song, “San Toki,” which was the first song I ever “performed” (if you consider a 3-year old singing for her parents’ friends and then hiding under a table a performance)!  😀

Thanks for stopping by!
Jane

Jane from SillyOMusic

I've been teaching since 2009 and now live in North Carolina with my husband and rescue dogs. I currently teach early childhood music, but I've taught elementary and middle school music for most of my career. I love creating resources that are fun for the whole class!