A veteran teacher once told me that the secret to a long and happy teaching career is to have a major change every seven years. That advice came to me just after I decided to leave the school I had
Stagnation Stinks, So Let’s Avoid It
Grading for Success
Like most teachers, my first year of teaching quickly made me realize that there was a lot that college didn’t prepare me for. I ran into challenges that I never could have anticipated and discovered that there was a lot
2020 – The Dumpster Fire that Saved My Life
For the last several months, I keep hearing people talk about 2020 as if it were the worst year in human history. Already people are looking longingly towards 2021 – or even 2022 – with the idea that anything would
Music Matters: A Letter to Myself
Dear future self, Over the last few weeks, I’ve seen a huge outpouring of gratitude posts on social media. It’s been refreshing to read through posts from old friends and past students, seeing what they’re doing and what they are
Elements of Effective Rehearsals – Virtually and In Person
The pandemic has certainly changed a lot about teaching, and especially teaching music. As a teacher who has had to switch back and forth between in-person and online teaching, I’ve had to be creative and find ways to adapt. One
Developing Patience…the Roundabout Way
“How are you so patient, Ms. Thorup?” is a question that I’ve gotten more than once. The funny thing is, I don’t think of myself as a patient person. I certainly don’t have a vast reserve of inner calm and
How Journaling Changed My Teaching
I am not new to journaling. When I was little, my mom gave us journals and made us write in them every so often. As a teenager and into my twenties I religiously wrote in my journal every day for
Supporting Your Music Student in a Pandemic – And After!
I believe that music classes are more important than ever right now. During a time when everything is so uncertain and so much of our lives are lived through a computer, students need a creative outlet where they can work
Why You Should Stay in Your School Music Program
Every year I talk to students who are thinking about dropping out of their school music programs. Every student I talk to has his or her own reasons for it. Often it’s because of other classes they want to take
How to Finger String Parts – Six Basic Guidelines for Orchestra Teachers
The ability to find a great fingering for strings is perhaps one of the most under taught skills in string playing. I’ve found that many of us – even native string players who have studied our instruments for years –