Resource Share: ClassTag

I really, truly like ClassTag and they didn't pay me to write this. I may receive an incentive if you sign up using my links in this post, however I'd recommend ClassTag with or without their affiliate program! 

As a music teacher who runs ensembles before and after school, I have to communicate with a lot of families. Emails can be really cumbersome with large groups (especially with privacy concerns) and phone calls take too long. When I have information to share with families of my students, I use ClassTag. ClassTag lets teachers communicate with families, with group and private messaging features. It also lets you schedule events and coordinate volunteers, appointments, and to-dos. Basically, it's everything you could need to get families the information they need to engage with school. It saves me countless hours and keeps parents fully informed about what's going on at school.

Setting up ClassTag is super easy. It starts with a 2 minute sign-up process, and then you're ready to make a class. I have 6 classes set up, one for each ensemble section I teach. ClassTag allows you to add co-teachers to a class, which is great for many circumstances in which 2 teachers work with the same students. It's possible to import family email addresses into ClassTag simply by copy-pasting from a spreadsheet, which is super convenient. You can also print sign-up codes for each student, or input the information manually. Once they're signed up, parents can add their phone number if they prefer SMS alerts, or can get the app for their smartphone and receive messages there.

Using ClassTag is even easier than setting it up! There are plenty of options to make ClassTag as customized as you want it, but sending an announcement requires just a few clicks and typing out your message. There's a handy preview screen before sending, which I think is a great feature. I use announcements to communicate class cancellations, reminders, home practice assignments, and any other information that I want families to know. Links and attachments can be used in announcements to help direct parents to other information.

The private message system within ClassTag is also a nice tool. Parents can ask you a question without having to search for your email or phone extension, and you can answer when it's convenient. There's a demo class that lets you test all of these cool features out without sending it out to an actual class, which I really like.

I highly recommend ClassTag for parent communication, and I believe the system is especially well-suited to music teachers. Please consider using my link to sign up if I've convinced you, or ask any questions that might help you decide if ClassTag is the right family engagement tool for you.

Another September

I'm three weeks into the school year, and time has flown by. With assemblies, instrument rental night, meetings, and coordination between schools, it seems like I've spent more time at work than not. But things are good, I finally feel like the coming week will be more about teaching than managing logistics.

For me, September is always a complicated month. I love the start of the new school year, a chance to start fresh and improve. It's always refreshing to see students' friendly faces again after a couple months away. But it's also a time of change, and I've never been super excited for change. I'm working with a bunch of new colleagues this year - they're great, but it's different than last year - and some district systems are new. I started taking a new grad class (which seems good so far and can't possibly be worse than the last one) so that's another transition.

But every September ends (cue the Green Day song...) and a new normal starts. I'm more relaxed with my students this year, and they seem more relaxed with me. This is my third year at my current school, so I think part of it is comfortable familiarity. Planning lessons has gotten way faster for me, and I've accepted that I'll always spend a little bit of time grappling with spreadsheets. I'm really grateful to be in a place where for the most part I can focus on teaching my students. I have a budget that gets me what I really need, and supportive supervisors. I don't have to give standardized tests or teach in a substandard space not suitable for human occupancy.  Things are good, even when they aren't great.

And so as another September comes to an end, I'm settling in. It's going to be a great year!

Begin Again

18 days into summer break, and I received the all-clear email that I can go set up my room whenever now that the floors in my wing are done. While I probably won't head into school for a couple more weeks, I always feel like that email saying we can access our rooms marks the beginning of another year. I'm staying in the same school with the same basic teaching assignment this year (thank goodness!) but so much around me will be changing that it feels like a big transition.

I did an end-of-year pack-up of questionable quality, throwing some things into drawers simply because I didn't want to have to make a decision about them. I did manage to clear out some materials well past their prime, including scratched records and an autoharp that will be re-purposed for games for our district music festival. I probably could have done more but my June teacher brain was so tired that I just didn't.

There is always more to do. So when I get back to my classroom, it will be how I left it (thankfully my awesome custodians make sure instruments aren't damaged as they clean) and I will do what I can to get everything how I want it to start the year. Nothing will explode if I don't have everything just so and there's a few post-it pads or pens out of their usual place. I'll do what is really important for my students and do the best I can with the rest. And it will be enough.

When deciding what is most important for me to do for students, I think about what is necessary, especially for the beginning of the year. I was able to leave my staff reading bulletin board in place, as well as my schedule board, so those will be easy to freshen up. There's a few important posters I need to get back up on the walls (some rhythm and instrument anchor charts, plus a Harry Potter poster that I just enjoy). I also want to get instruments set up, since that impacts traffic flow through the room and I like for kids to walk in and see the music room in its "real" setup on the very first day so that we can do procedures in a way that works with everything set up from day 1. Of course, planning lessons is key too! I try to do a lot of copying in August since there's less teachers waiting to use the copiers. Since I make booklets to use a multi-class sub plan, I'll copy and assemble those before the year starts so I'm ready just in case I need to be out.

Most of what I'm setting up isn't going to change a lot from how I had things last year. My room last year worked well for me and my students. Yes, I have some fresh lesson ideas and some fantastic new books, including the ones I've blogged about, but the physical setup of my room will be largely the same.

So I will begin again, much in the same way I do every year, despite changes all around me. I will choose to be stability and consistency, and to provide the best possible environment for my students. But first, a few more weeks of relaxation.