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Ideas for Organizing Your Music Room

Make sure you scroll down to the very end of this post or you will miss out on linking up with other fabulous music teachers!

Here are some ideas for classroom organization:

1. Velcro spots and circle

I bought my colored velcro from Hobby Lobby with coupons. You can only use the hook side (rough side). It sticks to the floor so well! The first day we talked about taking care of our room and our spots. I cut the velcro small enough that if they are sitting on it, it won't stick out, so they shouldn't play with it. If I notice someone who is playing with it I take a moment to say "Thank you to everyone who is sitting with their pockets on their velcro and not touching it! That really helps take care of our room!" and the student who was messing with it corrects their behavior without being singled out.



I love having a circle on my floor this year. It cuts out on all the time figuring out how to make the circle and gives us more time for making music! To make a circle, I took a plastic solo cup, punched a hole in the top and fed yarn through it. I taped the cup to the floor and the cup was the center of my circle. I used the yarn to help me go around and lay down the velcro. I laid down one color at a time to keep them evenly spaced.  



Board spots: In front of my board, I have three rows of velcro and these spots are numbered with permanant marker. Each student has an assigned board spot. This also helps transition to the circle. I can call "Pinks, go find a pink spot on the circle". That has also helped us mix a little better in the circle instead of being by our best friends or all the girls on one side of the circle and all the boys on the other side of the circle. 

2. Position Posters
Position posters: I  found these on a blog and modified them a bit to fit my needs by cutting off their labels and adding my own (the green). I changed the "group poster" (pink) to the reading corner and used a sharpie to draw a chair, book and hair for the teacher. You can  find these here: http://deborahkoakes.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/three-qs-of-perfect-circle-making/ They are perfect for labeling all of the areas in our room so that I can quickly direct kids where to go and they have a visual for what I want it to look like.

3. Music Rules
I made music rules that spell out MUSIC and coordinate with my music themed bulletin boards. These rules are available on my TPT store in a few different styles and come with a song for teaching each that is set to  a folk tune.

4. Reading corner

You may have read about my ugly record holder here. I painted it a pretty light blue and re-purposed it as a reading corner in my room to have a dedicated space to songtales.

 BONUS  5. Instrument Labels

I accidentally didn't change my printer setting to print to the edge, but I think doing that would get rid of the white border. These labels are available on my tpt store here
 


Now head on over to the linky party to link up with other music teachers to see what they are doing in their classroom:



6 comments:

  1. Thank-you so much for linking up Lindsay! Your ideas are fabulous! I wish I had space to try your circle and board velcro spots! I am in the midst of setting up a reading corner and I love your "Sing me a Song" phrase. What did you use for letters?

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    1. Thank you so much! I am very lucky to have lots of space, but at the same time it's hard to make it feel cozy and inviting. I feel like these dedicated spaces help with that as well as help give kids specific places to go.

      The letters are just those cut out letters that you can buy at teacher supply stores or Dollar Tree.

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    2. Research has linked active music making with increased language discrimination and development, math ability, improved school grades and better-adjusted social behavior.
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  3. Hi Lindsay! Question for you - I have an L-shaped classroom (it used to be an old locker room a long time ago). I have only been in it for one year so far, and am still struggling to figure out the best way to organize it. I have flip form risers and am thinking about moving them and having students sit on the floor because I struggle to find a good space for movement/circles. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks :)

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  4. I took a plastic solo cup, punched a hole in the top and fed yarn through it.

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