Submitted by Vickie, Alabama
Idea posted November 22, 2002
My routine is usually to get everyone seated - the rule is to enter quietly and find a seat, face front, and wait for class to begin. Some classes have assigned seats, then I call roll. Very quickly, I pass out folders (they each brought one from home with pockets and brads). I made them music lessons for the folders and their memory songs are in it. Also, any songs we sing I copy, and each child has their own copy of the words. For 3rd grade, we sing a soft song, then an action song (sometimes stand and do motions), then a quiet song again. I teach them recorders every other week (they order them from me and I keep them in my classroom until they have to take them home to practice). On the weeks we do recorders, that is all we do.
This pretty much takes up the 30 minutes. Fast and fun! is how I like it. Sometimes we do more songs, but I try to do at least 3 each class time.