Name:
Sally Utley
Store Name:
Sally Utley (Sally’s Sea of Songs)
What I Have Taught:
High school band, color guard, middle school & elementary band, K-5 elementary music, elementary choir, adult & children’s church choirs, youth & adult handbell choirs, and steel drum band.
Where I am From and Where I Have Taught:
I spent most of my life in Oklahoma, and I have taught in Oklahoma, Iowa, and South Carolina.
Favorite Teaching Memory:
As a part of my beginning of class activities, students echo me as I say, chant, and sing through some vocal warm-ups. To help students differentiate between speaking and singing voices by feeling the vibrations in their chest, we practice using both low and high pitched speaking voices. I ask students to put their hand on their chest, and say in a low, grumpy sounding voice, “Hello, Ms. Utley. I feel the vibrations in my chest.” Then, I switch to a high pitched head voice and say, “Helloooo Ms. Utley. Vibrations are gone!” For the last 3 years, every time I pass by one sweet little girl in the hallway, she greets me with her high pitched head voice, “Helloooo, Ms. Utley!” I love it!
Quick, Fun Facts About Me:
I’ve lived in Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Florida, Iowa and South Carolina. I love going to the beach, especially in the spring or fall. My favorite food of all time is my husband’s homemade chicken enchiladas made with homemade tortillas. This is actually a family favorite, and what we always have for Christmas dinner!
Why I Love TpT:
I have always loved crafting, and always had the “why buy when I can make” mindset. TpT allows me to continue creating using a digital format, while still keeping up with the needs I have teaching elementary music. As a buyer, I love having so many creative lesson ideas to choose from. Let’s face it, there are just not enough hours in the day to create everything that I would like for my classroom and maintain a balance between work and personal life. My TpT music friends and their creative resources make me look good every week!
Music Teacher Quick Tip:
Music Teacher Quick Tip: Stay connected with other music teachers! Real life meet-ups, workshops, conferences, etc. are so important, however those opportunities are often few and far between. Developing my professional learning network through several of the various online music teacher groups has been a real treat for me. I began participating in the Music K-8 email list over 15 years ago, and some of those teachers are still among my greatest professional and real-life music friends. As Facebook gained in popularity, quite a number of music teacher groups sprang up with varying areas of focus. You can’t keep up with all of them, but it is very good to select one or two and really engage with the teachers who participate regularly. Read, comment, share, ask questions. You will find teacher tips that are specific to your music job, have a place to share your struggles and successes, and develop great online friends.
Most Facebook music groups are closed groups. That means that you have to be a member of the group to view and post. This helps to ensure that there is not a lot of spam in the groups, and that only actual music educators are posting. If you are not already a member, please click on the join button. One of the administrators will approve your request, so it might take a little bit of time, but then you are in! Here are a few groups to check out:
- Music Teachers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/musicpln/
- I’m a General Music Teacher: https://www.facebook.com/groups/generalmusic/
- MLT Classroom Music Teachers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/245675515451058/
- Elementary Music Teachers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/481909418563309/
- I Teach Music Technology: https://www.facebook.com/groups/musictechnology/
- iPads in the Music Room: https://www.facebook.com/groups/292810547462700/
Two products you may not have seen in my store:
While many people find Sally’s Sea of Songs when looking for jazz and blues resources, my store is full of practical resources for elementary music educators. Two things you may not have seen in my store are my Orchestra Instruments Music Center Activities Bundle and Music Awards and Incentives Bundle.
My students always have difficulty remembering the proper names for the instruments of the orchestra! These center activities will help reinforce those names in a playful environment. Vocabulary Sorting Mat, Puzzles, and Trace & Write activities are available separately or together in this money saving bundle.
Positive reinforcement is so important to student motivation! This bundle of awards and incentives will take you throughout the year, providing low cost options for student awards. Brag Stickers, Positive Recognition Bracelets, and Editable End of Year Awards are available separately or together in this money saving bundle.
Thanks for reading! I’m so excited to be a part of the crew and to get a chance to get to know you better! Stay tuned over the next few weeks for a lesson idea from me and more Meet the Crew!
If you want to know more about me, visit my website! 🙂
Musically,
Sally Utley
Sally’s Sea of Songs
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I love that head voice vs chest voice exercise. I never thought of doing it that way. Definitely going to steal that one! Thanks for sharing, Sally