From Stressed-Out to Streamlined: Making Music Education Sustainable in the Modern Music Classroom

I don’t need to tell you about the challenges we’ve faced on personal, professional, and an even bigger levels in the past couple of years and how those things have made being an effective music educator even more time-consuming as we have had to constantly adapt to change and circumstances that are not conducive to in-person ensemble music making.

Have the past couple of years put you in multiple teaching modes? Have you had to pivot and create (and then re-create) lessons and plans that can be adapted and accessed when students are out in quarantine or when new restrictions come up?

At the end of the day, are you mentally and physically just plain done?

What about your energy for your own interests or quality time with your family at the end of a workday? Have you expended all your creative juices and find yourself too busy mentally preparing for your next day instead of feeling fully present with your family?

This. Has. Been. Exhausting.

As music teachers, the constant adapting to new situations while trying to deliver high quality music experiences for our students in ways we have not been trained to teach has required all kinds of mental gymnastics. The way we always have done things aren’t always working with students or circumstances now days.

You’re busting your butt…are you getting the results you want?

Are your students on-task and focused when you are teaching?
Are students retaining the content you’re teaching?
Are students actively engaging with the activities you present or in rehearsals?
Do you have a way of planning lessons that is efficient and effective?
Do you have systems in place that help your classroom community run smoothly?
Do your lessons and activities support your and your students’ social and emotional needs?
Are your students demonstrating interpersonal skills that support a collaborative environment?
Are you enjoying your job?

Would you like to be able to shout a resounding HELL YES answer to each of the questions above? I’d like to help you!

Like you, I’ve been navigating these weird times in music education. I was about to begin the manuscript for my third book where I plan to share the five key pillars I’ve found that have made it possible for my students and me to navigate these changes and grow as artists and musicians.

But people don’t want to wait six months to a year to get their hands on this. They are asking for the information now so they can (re)build their music program in a way that is sustainable and doesn’t suck all their time and energy and leave them depleted at the end of the day.

So here’s the deal – I’m releasing an ONLINE CLASS specifically for MUSIC EDUCATORS who meet a few criteria:

They love their job (at least most of the time)
They know the work they do impacts students and makes a difference
They want to continue to do this important work for a long time and are looking for proven ways to make this a sustainable career
They see the importance of the wholistic approach – not just teaching a student to play the clarinet, but nurturing the social and emotional needs of the student so they can successfully participate in the music community
They are looking for strategies that help them do this important work with more ease, joy, and grace

If this sounds like you, I’m inviting you to be part of my BETA COHORT for this NEW COURSE! What does that mean?

You’ll get access to new content each week
- There are five units that take you through the key elements of assessing your current practices and how to implement them in your own classroom
You can work at your own pace, moving as quickly or as slowly as you need to in order to be successful in understanding and implementing it.
- The investment of time varies, but most people have spent an hour a week on content (videos / journaling / activities) and an hour once or twice a month on our live group Q&A calls
You’ll earn The mPowered Music Room Level 1 Certification upon successful completion of the series.
You’ll have a powerful system for planning, implementing, and teaching that will make your job much easier and more efficient.
BETA BONUS: As part of this Beta Cohort, you’ll be invited to LIVE Q&A with me twice a month for the first two months you are in the program – a $200 value for FREE!

How does this work?

You receive access to new recording each week that outlines one of the five components of The mPowered Music Room
The videos (15-30 minutes) come with journaling and/or reflection activities that help you assess your own practices and learn the five key elements in a successful music classroom:
- The “F” Word – Focus: What is YOUR focus and intention as a music educator?
- The SOCIAL needs of your students and why addressing these needs is so critical to a successful and well-rounded music education
- A daily protocol for tuning your students’ brains and bodies for music class to get their attention and focus where it needs to be for optimum learning
- The key to planning effective CONTENT for your students so they’ll remember and connect with what you are teaching them
- A proven way to quickly and effectively assess individuals and groups of students every single day for feedback about anything you need, from comprehension of content to a mental health check-in so you can more easily plan follow-up lessons
When you’ve completed all the units and activities, you’ll earn a Moffat’s mPowered Music Room Level 1 Certification and you’ll have a plan that becomes your blueprint for a streamlined music classroom that leaves you with plenty of energy for yourself and your family at the end of the day!

If you’d like to join this Beta Cohort, all you need to do is click the SIGN UP BUTTON below. When the course is officially launched, it will be offered for $199 with optional live coaching for an additional $100 per month, but the total investment for the Beta Cohort is $99 and includes all the course content AND Live Q&A with me on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month during January and February! This is a $500 value!

What are you waiting for? Won’t it be nice to know you have a plan and support in place to help you do this important work in a more sustainable way? Think of the relief that comes with knowing you’ve got someone there to help you figure all this out!

I look forward to helping you find your groove and making your life’s work a little easier in 2022 and beyond. 🙂

Lesley

Vision Boards, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and a Surprise

When One Teacher Didn’t Throw Away Her Shot

Featured NAfME Member Spotlight | Lesley Moffat

Online band is hard.

In an environment where students and teachers normally collaborate and work toward shared goals through the work we do in our ensembles, I was struggling with how to teach those important skills in a virtual environment, and I knew that if I didn’t find a way to help students nurture those skills now, then it would make our work harder when we eventually return to the classroom.

Enter—vision boards.

One of the activities my students and I did is create vision boards that identify one goal we want to accomplish by the end of the school year. When we were making the boards, students asked me what my goal is, and I replied, “I want to have Lin-Manuel Miranda as a guest co-host for You, Me, & A Cup of Tea” (which is the new daily routine we do at the beginning of each class: I spotlight a different student each day with an interview, and they share some music with the class). We’ve been studying Hamilton, and I saw the opportunity for him to not only inspire my own students who are desperately missing making music with their friends but also to speak to music teachers and students with whom I could share this video.

My purpose in doing so was to 1) show my students the power of having a vision, taking steps to reach the goal, and reaching out for help when they need help, and 2) creating a video that can be shared with music educators and students around the world who could use some uplifting words from Lin-Manuel to remind them of the power of the arts—and not to give up when circumstances become difficult.

Fast-forward a few weeks—a short video I posted on Facebook was viewed tens of thousands of times and shared by hundreds of people. I received countless messages with email addresses and other ways to contact Lin-Manuel. I followed up with all of the leads.

But it was William who got Lin to respond.

I awoke early one morning to find a package on my front porch with a note that said, “DO NOT OPEN UNTIL DIRECTED BY Honors Wind Ensemble.” A few hours later during our online class, I was instructed to open the mystery box.

Inside the box was an envelope. When Will said, “Ms. Moffat, who’s it from?”, I looked at the return address, and my jaw fell to the floor when I saw Lin-Manuel Miranda’s name in the top left-hand corner of the envelope!

As I opened the envelope and I realized what Will had done, the tears started flowing.

In my hands was a handwritten note thanking me for my work with my students. And on my computer screen I saw the dozens of kiddos I’ve been with for years share in the joy and excitement of this moment.

Excerpt from Will’s email to me about how this happened:

“I was pretty excited too because less than 24 hours after sending an email to Lin-Manuel, I got a response back from his wife! I was amazed out of my mind that I was talking to Lin-Manuel’s wife! She said that Lin-Manuel would write you a handwritten letter, and I got so excited! I didn’t think it would arrive because of the valiant efforts you have been making to meet him. When I got the letter in the mail, I started jumping up and down! I was not only excited that I was holding something touched by THE Lin-Manuel Miranda, but I was also excited to see your reaction. I have experienced a lot of troubles throughout this pandemic that a lot of other people have as well. It made me so happy to see your reaction and feel the joy coming through the screen. It also made me happy that we can still enjoy these experiences through zoom and still make everyone happy.
I am beyond honored to have received a handwritten letter from Lin-Manuel. Sharing that joy with the kids was really a powerful bonding moment—much like when we all have a performance that required a lot of hard work to make happen, but the payoff is grand when it all comes together.”

Since we couldn’t have a winter concert this year, I created a special video for my students to summarize our Online Band experience. The letter from Lin-Manuel made the video. (Disclaimer: My first day ever rapping was 36 hours before recording this . . . just sayin’!)

I have not given up on having Lin-Manuel as a co-host for You, Me & A Cup of Tea. I have put together a handful of questions to ask him to inspire teachers and students who are struggling with missing making music with their peers and questions for his advice to decision-makers about the importance of keeping the arts alive and well in spite of financial challenges. Our kids have never needed the arts like they do now during these challenging times.

About the author:

NAfME member Lesley Moffat has taught high school band for more than thirty years and is currently the Director of Bands at Jackson High School in Mill Creek, Washington. She is the author of I Love My Job But It’s Killing Me: The Teacher’s Guide to Conquering Chronic Stress and Sickness and Love the Job, Lose the Stress. Moffat has been a presenter at multiple NAfME conferences and participated in conferences and webinars for Washington, Illinois, and Pennsylvania as well as being a guest on podcasts and serving as a guest conductor and adjudicator throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Did this blog spur new ideas for your music program? Share them on Amplify! Interested in reprinting this article? Please review the reprint guidelines.

The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) provides a number of forums for the sharing of information and opinion, including blogs and postings on our website, articles and columns in our magazines and journals, and postings to our Amplify member portal. Unless specifically noted, the views expressed in these media do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Association, its officers, or its employees.

January 8, 2021. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org)Tags: arts education, band, Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, online class, virtual learning, vision board, zoom

What’s the Secret for Music Teachers Who Don’t Feel Anxiety on Sunday Night When They Think about School?

They have a plan – and I’m not talking about a lesson plan for delivering content. I’m talking about a plan for intentionally creating a space where their students and they feel connected, supported, and at-ease.

But what does that look like?

I invite you to grab a cup of coffee or tea (or put something stronger in your mug, no one needs to know) and join me to tacet for a few minutes and experience how you can help ease your own (and your students’) anxiety so you can spend more time making music together and less time feeling overwhelmed.

I hope this short video gives you a much-needed opportunity to pause and take a breath before heading into the rest of the school year.

We’ve got a long road ahead of us. With a little attention to intention, we can make the journey better for everyone.

2021 – Let’s do this!

Lesley

Music Educator Mindful Intention Setting 2021 Replay

Here We Go Into A New Year. Are You Ready?

With all we’ve dealt with in the past 10 months, it’s not surprising that many music teachers are at their wits end as they struggle with student engagement and worry about how they’ll keep their programs alive for next year.

We had zero training for what we’ve endured, and it’s been one heck of a ride to try and figure all of this out. And as we head into spring, we’ll be dealing with registration for next year. That can be scary enough during “normal” times. It’s down right frightening for many music educators right now who are seeing students fall away the further we get into the pandemic.

Are your students eager to show up for your classes? Are they going to continue signing up for your classes? In spite of the way you are teaching (virtual, hybrid or in-person), are they showing up and participating with enthusiasm or has all that amazing momentum you usually experience through ensembles evaporating and leaving you all frustrated and worried?

While many music teachers were masterful at finding apps and activities for students to do in their classes, building the sense of community that is normally such an inherent part of our ensemble classes during a pandemic was incredibly challenging. For many, it was an impossible task and they are now seeing what happens when our normally tight-knit classes are turned upside down.

We all know that the sense of community we create in our ensembles is the backbone of the success our students experience as musicians, but knowing how to create it while also trying to figure out how to pivot to online instruction overnight and all the other stuff we had to do was just too overwhelming for a lot of teachers. The result of that has been many music teachers and students becoming disengaged and frustrated at all they’ve lost during this time.

The stress on students and teachers has been pretty rough. And that has had a negative effect on many aspects of everyone’s music education experiences this year.
When teachers are in a healthy place emotionally and physically, they are much more equipped to lead their students through this hard stuff.

Music teachers who are part of the mPowered Music Educator Academy have been practicing the secret I’ve used for years in my high school band classes – in person and virtually – and they (and their students) are reporting feeling connected and are managing many of the stressors their colleagues and friends are experiencing.

What’s the secret?

mPowered Music Educators have learned that the best way to support their students’ social and emotional needs is by supporting their own social and emotional needs so they can model the benefits of building the skills to navigate hard things. They do this by implementing my mPower Method I designed especially for music educators who want to do this important work without burning out.

What kind of example are you for your students when you are exhausted, worried, full of anxiety, and sad about everything that’s happened to your program and all the work you have to do to hold things together?

Think about it – when you learned to be a music teacher, you had to master your instrument and learn other skills so you could model for your students. Social and emotional health is the same way.

What does this mean?

It means that the teachers who have been intentionally addressing their own and their students’ social and emotional needs are better able to support themselves and their students (and the longevity of their programs) through the challenges we’re facing.

It is easy to spend all our time finding ways to teach content. But the bigger payoff comes in finding ways to reach our students so we can teach our students.

Building a classroom culture that supports healthy and engaged students and teachers starts with two questions:

1) What do my students need?

2) How can I use music to meet those needs?

When those two questions become the driving force in your planning and serving as a music educator, everything becomes easier for you and your students.
Your responses to these questions may require you to think outside the box as you design (or redesign) how you teach.

THIS is where you start and then everything else falls into place.

I’ve been 100% virtual since March 13. In spite of that, student engagement has been 95.5% as measured by submission of assignments and daily MoffatGrams. Attendance is even higher. And that’s because the “band room” is still a place where students’ social and emotional needs are being met.

Don’t take my word for it. On December 18, I surveyed my high school band students.
Here’s what they said:

83.5 % of my students rate their “online band’ experience as SATISFYING or VERY SATISFYING.

82.4% of my students say there is a 75% or greater chance they’ll sign up for band again next year.

Our band classes look a lot different than they used to. But my students are growing as musicians and connecting to one another through their music activities in spite of the challenges.

Band is still a place where they can come and be with their friends, explore their art, and express themselves freely. They just do it in different ways than we did when we had in-person ensembles.

This is why they will return to classes next year.

Are you confident your students will be back next year?

Would you like support in making sure you and your students have the mPowered Advantage as you move into 2021 but you just aren’t sure where to start?

Moffat’s Music Ed Masterclass begins on January 4!
# Weekly live calls
# Lessons and templates you can copy and use for SEL and music lessons for your students
# Connections in a community of music educators to turn to and share ideas with
# Support from me – over 30 years of experience as a high school band director, author, mom of three, and coach – as you face unprecedented challenges
# Much, much more!

If you want to know more about this opportunity for exceptional music teachers, please complete the Music Ed Masterclass Application. If your responses indicate you’d be a good fit, I’ll reach out to set up a quick interview so we can chat.

Start 2021 with a decision that supports YOU in making a positive difference for your students without burning out! You are worth it.

With you on this journey-Lesley

Music Ed Masterclass Application

A Tribute to “Online Band” in 2020!

At my age, the only wrapping I should be doing this time of the year is wrapping gifts. But it’s 2020 – and here I am at the age of 55 making my rapping debut for my students!

We just finished a month-long study of Hamilton, so this seemed appropriate.

Most of them had their cameras on today and their faces were priceless. It was worth risking my dignity to see all the smiles and laughter.

I share this in hopes of reminding you what we CAN do to keep kids engaged and growing as artists and musicians no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in.

Watch at your own risk. 🙂

Cheers to a safe and healthy new year!

Will Your Music Program Survive the Pandemic?

For a FREE sneak peek at my latest book, go to mPoweredEducator.com/contact

Music teachers across the country are struggling with engagement and are worried about retention as they teach under stressful circumstances brought about by the pandemic.

I’ve talked to thousands of music educators, and their fears about students enrolling for their classes next year and their program longevity have them anxious as they worry that their life’s work as a music educator is in jeopardy.

Add to that the challenges they’re having engaging students in a virtual, hybrid, or in-person-but-wearing-masks-and-social-distancing scenario and it’s no wonder there is wide-spread panic among so many music teachers.

The past ten months have turned many thriving music programs upside down. In schools where kids were able to experience active music programs, students and teachers are now facing the harsh reality of not being able to make music together and it’s devastating to students, teachers, and the music programs.

The biggest frustrations I’m hearing from music teachers include:

A lot of students are not engaging in activities
Students who usually thrive in ensembles seem lost in our new environment
Students are expressing sadness at not having “normal” ensembles and are dropping out
Delivering important content and using all the latest apps aren’t enough to keep students actively engaged in making music and collaborating with their peers
The honeymoon period is over and kids (and teachers) are burning out
The love of teaching music that propels music teachers during challenging times isn’t present in this pandemic teaching environment and many are depressed and at their wit’s end
If we don’t meet our students’ social and emotional needs, they will find other electives where those needs can be met

What if I told you it doesn’t have to be this way?

What if you could change things?

How would your life be different right now if you could:

Get over 90% of your students engaged on a daily basis
Spend less time planning lessons but have more engaging activities that draw your students in
Have students who actively participate in a variety of activities that support them as musicians in addition to supporting a collaborative environment no matter what kind of teaching situation you face
Meet yours and your students’ social and emotional needs so your classroom returns to being a place of refuge, community, and creativity – and the stress levels for you and your students are reduced while engagement and a sense of belonging are increased
Feel energized and excited again as a music teacher instead of feeling like your world is falling apart

Well I have some very GOOD NEWS for you!

Since the moment our schools were closed on March 13, I’ve been obsessed with helping music students and teachers thrive during and after the pandemic and now I’m opening up my private coaching group for a few more music teachers who recognize the opportunity we have in this moment to either reimagine music education or face some major losses.

My newest book, Love the Job, Lose the Stress: Successful Social and Emotional Learning in the Modern Music Classroom, is all about the steps I’ve taken with my own students and the strategies I use with my clients that have helped us to thrive in spite of the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

Even though their situations vary widely, their feedback about what they’ve learned through our work together is consistent. Here are a few comments from some of the directors I work with.

“I feel so supported, and inspired, and Lesley makes me feel confident that I can tackle this “new normal” with a good plan, and some stillness! I look forward to the class every week, and am excited when rolling out these new lessons, and seeing my students progress each week! She’s able to respectfully coach and talk more specifically about what my students need in my teaching situation, and she does this for each student in her class.”
Lindsey – Band Teacher and Client

“What I’ve learned has been invaluable and has made me a calmer teacher who has been more present with my students, and has made me actually enjoy teaching during a global pandemic. I look forward to learning more from her in the future.”
L.O. – Music Teacher in Music Ed Masterclass

“Teaching during a pandemic has been crazy–I think everyone can agree with that. However, I haven’t felt the same kind of stress that I had in the spring and I attribute that largely to what I have learned from Lesley. Taking the time to address students’ social emotional needs first, and then proceeding with content has allowed us to grow together, and to have successful experiences in the classroom regardless of the pandemic.”
Evonne G – Middle School Music Teacher and Client since June, 2020

Here’s the good news for YOU … I am opening up a few spots in my Music Ed Masterclass starting in January!

I’m taking all the best nuggets I’ve shared with my clients in our weekly classes and creating a course where you will:

Have access to SEL lessons I’ve designed specifically with the intent of keeping students actively engaged in the music-making process during virtual, hybrid, or in-person teaching

Meet weekly with the Music Ed Masterclass where you will learn additional tips, share ideas, and get hands-on experience with implementing successful SEL activities in your classroom

Get personalized coaching with me to talk about you, your students, and your program so we can come up with ways to meet their needs so your program survives
A group of highly motivated music educators from all over who will become your support system and accountability buddies – an absolute MUST if you are to survive this with your program and sanity in-tact!

I’m looking for a few music teachers to join the Music Ed Masterclass beginning in January.

If you are looking for support in meeting the social and emotional needs of your students so they’ll continue to engage and enroll in your classes, complete this quick application to see if we’d be a good fit to work together.

This class is geared toward music teachers who know the power of music education and who are looking for innovative and proven ways to engage and retain students through challenging situations so the long-term survival of their programs as well as the immediate needs of their students can be met – all without burning out the already overworked music educator!

Apply Now

BONUS for registering by December 31 = 50% off your first month tuition!

Hurry – limited spots are available. If your responses indicate we could be a good fit to work together, I will reach out and set up a call with you.

How different will the rest of your school year be if you’ve got a support system in place to help you serve your students and keep your program alive during and after the pandemic? The peace of mind alone is priceless.

Here’s to a renewed 2021!

Lesley