How can I teach music online?

As we all left our classrooms for Spring Break 2020, we all had this same question! Rehearsals over Zoom are just not the same! We at Mighty Music believe that though music class might need to look different for successful online learning, our core values of musicianship and community do not have to. 

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Fortunately for us, we had the content part down already! The creators at Mighty Music publishing have been turning out quality materials for music educators for 40 years! Our products help students learn how to be active, engaged listeners who can analyze and describe what they hear. While not a replacement for a complete curriculum, our materials are aligned to national and state standards of education. You can still teach your students about rhythm, melody, form, and style through our innovative program of listening lessons. Our materials also include opportunities for students to engage with the music they are studying and be assessed individually on performance standards. 

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Can I use these materials in synchronous or asynchronous teaching online?

Either one or both! Each module or lesson can be adapted to asynchronous teaching through the use of LMS tools (Google Classroom, Canvas, etc.). Students may also benefit from verbal directions being recorded by their teacher for each assignment. Click here to view a sample lesson in Google Classroom (a Google account will be needed to access). Use class code 5ywpbis.

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How does your product work with my district's LMS?

Our team has experience integrating our products with both Google Classroom and Canvas. We encourage teachers to reach out to their school and district tech representatives for help using these systems as they have been set up specifically for your school's environment. We are always happy to hear about how you have been using our materials! Use the contact form to  let us know how you are innovating in your classroom with Mighty Music. Click here to view a sample lesson in Google Classroom (a Google account will be needed to access). Use class code 5ywpbis.

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How do I teach critical listening to my students?

Students have been learning how to listen in their classrooms since kindergarten! Tap into that background knowledge and relate what students know about being good listeners to their musical listening as well. Some important hallmarks of engaged listening are focused attention (not talking or being distracted by other things), reflection, and response. After listening, ask students to recall what they have heard or react to a particular element of the music. Stress the important of multiple listenings, especially at the beginning! Students who are listening for the first time might not catch much, but with more practice they will start noticing things like timbre, form, and rhythms. Encourage students to use vocabulary words in their responses, and include as much detail as possible. Younger students may find sentence starters helpful:

"I noticed..."

" I liked..."

"I wonder..."

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How can I assess my student’s learning with your materials?

Each selection's module contains a checking for understanding page to use as a formative assessment of your student's learning. Teachers can also assess learning over multiple modules with a "name that tune" style listening quiz. Students may also be assessed on performance skills in each module with the optional extension of performing the notated theme of each selection. We recommend using a tool like  FlipGrid  to collect recordings of students singing or playing notated themes. 

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Won’t my students be bored listening to classical music?

Students might have some pre-conceived ideas about classical music! Help the students be enthusiastic about the program by showing your excitement. Remind them that classical music is often used in movies, video games and commercials to build emotion and create a sense of gravitas. EDM DJs often sneak classical music into their sets as well! Here are some YouTube videos to help students get excited about listening to classical music:

14 Songs that "Rip Off" Classical Music

5 Modern Songs Directly Inspired by Classical Music

Classical Musicians React to Remixes of Classical Music

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How long will this take me to teach?

Each module or lesson in our materials is designed to be customized to your classroom’s wants and needs. Teaching in class and only have 15 minutes? You can do the basics of one selection, easily! Teaching online and need materials to fill a whole week’s worth of classes? You got it! Each selection is accompanied by materials to extend or reinforce your teaching. 

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Can these materials be used for a general music/music appreciation class at the Secondary level?

Yes! At Mighty Music we pride ourselves on making materials that are educational and engaging for learners of all ages! Check out the 2020-2021 Products page for more in-depth general music curriculum materials with lessons and extensions appropriate for secondary students. These products are aligned with Texas UIL and PSIA contest guidelines for the current academic year.

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Are there pieces of music included for my students to perform?

Yes! Each selection is accompanied by notated theme(s) for students to perform. We recommend using a tool like  FlipGrid  to collect recordings of students singing or playing notated themes. 

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Where can I get more modules?

We are so glad you have loved using our Online Listening Experiences with your students! We currently only offer the 30 modules currently on the website, but we would love to expand this offering in the future. Use the contact form to let us know if there is a piece you are dying to see, and make sure to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates from Mighty Music Publishing.