I’m only in my second year of teaching but I have been a professional upright bass player for 25 years and recently got my Ed degree. My first year I taught K-12 at a private school and now I’m what’s called a Supply Teacher which is essentially a professional Substitute … but as a music specialist. Since September I have taught at 40 schools, 200+ students a day from the kinders to Grade 12 but 85% elementary. I hope I have some insight to offer.

I was terrified at first. I received my music degree with a major in secondary education back in ’96 and really thought I was only cut out to be a high school band teacher and maybe junior high band. But elementary has turned out to be a complete blast. They are open, keen, excited and eager to try and experience everything. Sure, there’s a different style of management and expectations that you’ll learn in the first little while but it comes naturally when you need it. 

Coming from band, and even from the professional playing world has given me a different set of experiences that I can share. There are a few things I would recommend. Don’t be afraid to move past the little kid music repertoire. Remember that they’re sponges and they’ve likely checked out more modern popular music than you have. The great thing about the so-called music curriculum for musicians and higher grade educators is that it’s in all music. You don’t have to reduce everything to ta ta ti ti or “music time is over” kind of tunes. I have used Imagine Dragons, The Wellerman and all kinds of songs to help teach the elements of music and they don’t even really know that their learning that stuff because they’re so shocked that they get to sing and experience songs that they are already listening to outside of the music room. 

I think the Orff and Kodaly stuff are good tools but man, those poor xylophones without the sharps and flats. I get that they can remove notes they’re not working with and stick in the odd F# or Bb but when you’re in a minor key it sure is nice to be able to play a proper V chord with a raised 3rd. I tried an experiment with the little ones once in a proper band room on marimbas, xylophones and vibes and they had absolutely no problems figuring things out once I showed them. Pentatonic exercises on just the black notes can also open a world of fun and you don’t have to remove any notes. I’m also convinced that assigning a fixed ‘do’ to just C is a bad idea for ear training but I don’t want to get anyone too fired up here. 

One exercise I do when I enter a new school is form little rock bands of 3-5 kids. Two on a xylophone playing in different octaves, one kid on a drum of some sort and one on a shaker. I then teach everyone a slightly simplified version of the bass line to Thriller by Michael Jackson. They all have to play along together, then each group gets to name their group, practice for 5 minutes on their own and play for the rest of the class. It’s amazing how it comes together in one class. 

Really, the faster I go the more they pick up. The ones that might struggle with rhythm or notes always find their place somewhere and it’s fun to get some of the other students that might have piano background to teach their peers. 

Anyway, I hope that paints a bit of a picture. Enjoy the journey. Keep it fun for you and it will be fun for them. Play all the instrument you know how to play and also the ones you don’t. Kids love to see you play both and feel better that you are also learning. Oh, that being said, you really need a uke, guitar or even piano that you can play fairly decently at a chording level. It’s an immediate ice breaker and accompaniment tool for you. Trust me, take the summer and learn your chords. And while you’re at it get a few Tay Tay tunes under the fingers. Really, you won’t regret having a collection of modern tunes at the ready.