Have you ever stood looking at your classroom xylophones and wondered if you need to be teaching them? Or had another teacher question why you’re still using xylophones instead of moving straight to drums and guitar?

You might have forty xylophones lined up against the wall and the best intentions in the world. But if that doubt has ever crossed your mind, you’re not alone…you just haven’t heard the full answer yet! 

That’s exactly why I’m excited for you to hear today’s episode, because today, I’m exposing ONE concept that’s quietly working against teachers everywhere who feel that kind of doubt: that some of the instruments we use to teach primary and elementary music are “outdated” or “old.”

And this is why I’m sharing the exact post that stopped me mid-scroll this week: a second year teacher, standing in front of a shelf of forty xylophones, asking a stranger online if she should just “move on” from them. And that one question left me wondering… how do we explain why we teach these instruments to people who don’t know music teaching yet?

So today we’re unpacking something I like to refer to as the Instrument Ladder. It’s the whole reason why xylophones do so much more for your primary and elementary students than any guitar or set of drums ever could for these age groups, the reason why bucket drumming has to come before playing a full kit, and the two choir teachers whose different perspectives ended with two very different results. 

This episode isn’t a lesson plan swap. It’s a mindset shift. And today I’m speaking from both sides, because I taught high school before I ever taught primary, and I know exactly what it feels like to inherit a class that was rushed way too fast past the basics.

Press play, and you’ll never look at that shelf of xylophones the same way again.

Then once you listen to the episode email me janice@funmusicco.com and tell me what shifted for you. I read every single one! 

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Teaching Music isn’t about luck —it’s about taking specific, deliberate actions and steps and practicing these with daily commitment. 

This podcast will give you the steps and approaches that the most successful teachers, coaches and top performers use.

Listen now to learn how to transform your teaching and achieve the goals you’ve always dreamed of. 

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Additional Resources: 

If you want to see a sample of how the Instrument Ladder works in a grade specific lesson, I’ve put together a free sample pack so you can try it with your classes here: funmusicco.com/primary-school-music-curriculum-resources-sample/

If you’d rather talk it through, I run a free Zoom session most weeks where I walk teachers through exactly this kind of sequencing. You can book a spot here: funmusicco.com/teaching-music-soon/

Get the full K-6 Fun Music programs here: https://funmusicco.com

Tweet Me! @funmusicco

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Enjoy & Let me know your thoughts!

The spark for music teachers is ten minutes of mindset and energy designed especially for anyone teaching music. Tune in every month for insights, tips, strategies for dealing with common issues that arise in teaching music in schools and everything in between! Follow us for more.