Top Tips for New Elementary Music Teachers
If you’re a new music teacher, a recent college graduate, or a burned-out educator trying to find your spark again, this post is for you. In Episode 4 of our New Teacher Series, we’re digging deep into something that sounds simple but can completely transform your classroom: routine.
Watch a Full Video Walk-Through Here~
Let’s Get Started
Why Routines Matter More Than You Think
Routines aren’t just about structure. They’re about energy, expectations, and flow. When your routine fits you as a teacher, it not only sets your students up for success—it saves your energy, reduces classroom management struggles, and brings purpose back to your teaching.
When I first started teaching, I skipped over routines. I thought they were too rigid. What I didn’t realize is that the right routine makes space for flexibility, creativity, and meaningful movement. Now I see routines as the foundation that holds everything else up.
Start with You
Before building a routine, ask: Who are you as a teacher? Are you spontaneous or a planner? Do you thrive with visuals or love working on your feet? Were you the hand-raiser or the daydreamer as a student? Your answers shape how your class flows.
Reflect on what lights you up. What were your favorite moments this year? What do you love teaching most? Now think about what your students love. That space in between? That’s where your magic routine lives.
Your Routine, Your Way
A strong music class routine has three parts:
- Beginning Routine
- Greet students with a steady beat or a hello song.
- Use movement (like a scarf dance or body percussion) to engage them from the moment they walk in.
- Review key skills to prepare them for what’s next.
- Chunk Time
- This is your teaching core: instruments, rhythm games, stories, assessments.
- Mix in meaningful movement to keep engagement high.
- Don’t talk for more than 10-15 minutes without some form of active participation.
- End Routine
- This is often skipped—don’t make that mistake!
- Wrap up with a short, simple assessment or reflection.
- Give students a moment to show what they learned.
Movement Before Management
Movement is not just a fun add-on. It’s how students process, retain, and connect. In The Soaring Scarves Academy, we believe movement is music, and music is movement. When you build movement into your routine, you’re actually preventing behavior issues and creating deeper learning experiences.
Don’t Reinvent the Wheel
You don’t have to start from scratch every week. Using a structure lets you focus your creativity where it counts. Change the content, not the flow. When your students know what to expect, they can thrive. And so can you.
Connect What You Love to What They Love
Do you love classical composers? Great. Pair it with interactive SmartBoard activities. Do your students love dance? Use Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Carnival of the Animals” for movement improv. Use what lights you up to build routines that excite them too.
Ready to Reset Your Routine This Summer? Join the Fun with Our FREE Offers!
Here’s what you’ll get when you sign up:
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5-Week Challenge – Quick, actionable steps to help you build a better classroom routine without the overwhelm.
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Summer of Free Access – Explore everything The Soaring Scarves Academy has to offer—lesson plans, movement breaks, assessments, and more.
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Bite-Sized Professional Development – Stay inspired with easy-to-digest videos and tips you can actually use, all without sacrificing your summer.
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Exclusive Curriculum Previews – Get a sneak peek at our K–8 movement-based music lessons that make learning stick.
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Start the Year Confidently – Walk into your classroom in the fall with a plan that fits you and your students.
Grab your free spot today and make this the summer you finally feel ready and excited to teach again.
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