Classroom Management

Young African American boy listens to teacher during remote learning session, demonstrating engagement through technology at home

Lessons from the Virtual Music Room

Trust, Wait Time, and Relationships That Matter By NAfME Member Dawn Firak  When people imagine an elementary music classroom, they often picture movement, laughter, instruments, and voices filling a shared…

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Cheerful students discussing at desk in classroom

Level-Up Student Agency

How to Do Less for Your Students So They Can Do More!  By NAfME Member Erin Zaffini My oldest son is in his final year of middle school this year.…

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Top 10 on tablet with cup of coffee

Top 10 Most-Read Music Education Blogs of 2025

Top 10 #MusicEd Blogs of 2025 Here’s a look back at the Top 10 most-read NAfME Blogs of 2025. We thank NAfME members and corporate members for sharing your ideas,…

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elementary music student sitting on classroom floor raising her hand

The Importance of Teaching Audience Etiquette

The Importance of Teaching Audience Etiquette By NAfME Member Christina Toulios As an elementary music teacher who spends a lot of time preparing students for performances, I’ve come to realize…

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elementary music students with recorders

Setting Up Welcoming Teaching Spaces

How do you set up your teaching space to be a welcoming place for ALL students? Six Music Educators Share Their Ideas  This article first appeared in the August 2025…

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WHAT YOU NEED TO NOW word on yellow paper with office tools on a white background

Vital Tips for First-Year Music Educators

Vital Tips for First-Year Music Educators  Four Music Teachers Share Their Thoughts This blog is sponsored by NAfME Corporate Member Yamaha Corporation of America. In 2020, we launched the “40…

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Joseph Rutkowski in band rehearsal in classroom

You Can’t Buy That

You Can’t Buy That How Invaluable Music Education Is By NAfME Member Joseph Rutkowski Three years after teaching high school band and orchestra classes for 39 years, I found a…

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orchestra director in classroom rehearsal

Classroom Management to Curb the Disruptions

It’s Not Your Fault Classroom Management to Curb the Disruptions  By NAfME Member Angela Ammerman, PhD Has anyone else noticed this epidemic of shrinking attention spans of our student-musicians? Nearly…

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smiling strings students

What Does Joy Look and Sound Like in the Music Classroom?

What Does Joy Look and Sound Like in the Music Classroom? Nine Music Educators Share Their Thoughts This article first appeared in the January 2025 issue of Teaching Music. Corinne Smith…

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music keyboard

5 Teacher Tools that Will Maximize Your Efficiency

5 Teacher Tools that Will Maximize Your Efficiency By Don Stinson  This blog is sponsored by NAfME Corporate Member Yamaha Corporation of America. Feeling overwhelmed by endless to-do lists and…

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