Organizing my Lesson Plans

This fall I will be teaching every level of MG except for Music Makers Around the World and I will miss that wonderful program.  For some reason, every year I get a blip in my schedule - no enrollment in Cycles one year and then the following year, no MMAH and then no MMAW.  Anyway, I have to prepare all my lesson books and I want to do it quickly and efficiently.  This is not time to rehearse pieces or re-consider content.  This is about implementing the program.  So here is how I do it:
1. I copy all the lesson suggestions and place them in a Loose leaf binder, one page per lesson. If I make changes as I teach, I put the changes on the copy.
2. I select the lesson plans.

Here are all the plans I will be teaching next week.  Now I go to my cards and select what I need and place them in the card holders.

I keep both baskets under my piano.  I move quickly through the cards, making sure I put cards back in order each week when I am finished with them.  In all the years I have taught I have misplaced one card. (I am sure someday it will turn up).  When I am done with this task (which normally takes about one hour)  I take a break and read or practice.  Tomorrow I will sit with each lesson plan and go through each activity, listening to the CD, singing through the movements or dances,  and planning calming spaces throughout the classes.  I think the most challenging part of teaching is managing the transitions from activity to activity.  In the first week I want to set up rituals in my classroom that work all year long.  Here are some to consider
How will the children enter the room?
How do you plan to create a circle?
How do want the children to sit on the floor?
How do you want the children to prepare for listening?
How do you want the parents to enter the room at family time?

  I also will make sure I have all the material ready.


Monday will be a big day with four classes (three in a row in the afternoon) and a private lesson at the end. I will be ready.