The Happy Music Teacher

Feeling alone in the craziness that is your classroom? Looking for someone to rescue you from the exhaustion and overwhelm of your everyday music teacher life?

Hi, I'm Jeanette. A passionate music teacher with over 2 decades of experience working with students, balancing the mayhem, and helping educators like you navigate the chaos.

Join me as we explore what makes teaching general music so darn hard, tackle the unique challenges we face, and transform our music teacher lives so that every day brings happiness to our music classrooms.

Recent Episodes

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June 10, 2026

Ditch the Tech Fear Simplifying Technology in the Elementary Music Classroom

Are you staring at a new software update with a sense of impending doom? You aren’t alone. In this episode, Jeanette sits down with Katie Argyle from Midnight Music to help you rescue your tech-stressed brain. Katie, an "acci...

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May 27, 2026

Operational Rescue: Organizing Your Music Classroom with Systems that Work

Are you tired of sitting through six-hour professional development workshops that have absolutely nothing to do with the music room? In this episode, Jeanette sits down with Rae Hughart, the CEO and founder of the Teachers De...

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May 20, 2026

Is Pitch Making You Crazy? The Secret Sauce for Teaching Up and Down and High and Low

Have you ever played a clear, ringing note for your students only to have them completely guess whether it was "high" or "low"? If teaching pitch direction and register is driving you a little bit crazy, you are not alone! In...

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May 13, 2026

From Classroom Lessons to Car Payments: Starting a TPT store for music teacher

Have you ever created a resource for your classroom because you couldn’t find what you needed anywhere else? That "problem-solving" moment is actually the birth of a business. Today, I’m joined by Monica Lopez, a former bilin...

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May 6, 2026

No Prep Music Games: Your Music Teacher Survival Guide

Teaching music is exhausting, and some days you just need a "win" that doesn't involve hauling out instruments or setting up complex stations. In this episode, Jeanette shares her favorite no-prep music games that work in any...

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April 29, 2026

Saying No with Courage: How to Find Peace in the Music Room with Cindy Brockman

We’ve all been there: running on fumes, doubling up classes because "they’re just singing anyway," and feeling like our only breaks happen once a year during summer vacation. But what if you didn’t have to wait for July to fe...

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April 22, 2026

Stopping the Mean Kid Cycle: Managing Mean Behavior in the Music Room

Have you ever had that one class ? The one where the snickering, eye-rolling, and quiet meanness feel like a constant background hum? Music is a high-risk, vulnerable subject. When students don't feel safe, they won't sing, t...

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April 15, 2026

The Creative Act: Staying Inspired in the Music Room with Matt Shea

Have you ever wondered how to keep the "magic" alive in your teaching year after year? Today’s guest, Matt Shea, is a master of joyful, movement-based instruction who believes that our own creativity is the best tool we bring...

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April 8, 2026

How to Master 5th Grade Music Classroom Management: Don't Lose Your Mind...Gain Control

If your 5th graders have gone from "adorable and eager" to "too cool for school," you aren't alone. In this episode, Jeanette tackles the "5th Grade Pivot"—that moment when social survival kicks in and your go-to teaching str...

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April 1, 2026

Drum It Up, Strum It Up, and Mix It Up: Creative Music Activities for Elementary Music with Sandy and Gretchen

What happens when two legendary music educators join forces for nearly four decades? You get a wealth of knowledge, a library of must-have resource books, and a unique perspective on co-teaching that is rarely seen in our fie...

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March 25, 2026

High Engagement, Low Energy: Planning music activities for after spring break that won't drain your battery

If you’ve walked back into your classroom after spring break and felt like you’ve hit a wall, you aren't alone. Between testing season, gorgeous weather, and "May-grade" behavior, the struggle is real. In this episode, Jeanet...

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March 18, 2026

Drip by Drip: Overcoming Perfectionism and Burnout with Debbie O’Shea

Does the pressure to be an "Instagram-perfect" music teacher have you feeling like you’re constantly falling short? In this episode, Jeanette welcomes back her long-time friend and colleague, Debbie O’Shea, to discuss her bra...

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March 11, 2026

The Steady Beat Dilemma: Why kids can’t keep a steady beat (and how to fix it)

Have you noticed that your upper elementary students are struggling with skills that used to be second nature? Specifically, the ability to keep a steady beat? You aren’t imagining it, and more importantly, it isn't your faul...

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March 4, 2026

Systems for Success: Organizing the Music Room with Pam Wilson

Are you tired of feeling like you’re just "surviving" the music room? In this episode, Jeanette sits down with Pam Wilson, the founder of Harmony Classroom and the "Centers Queen," to discuss how to move from chaos to calm. W...

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Feb. 25, 2026

Permission to Simplify Why Modifying Music for Student Success is Better for Everyone

Does a complex Orff arrangement ever give you a sense of dread? In this episode, Jeanette gives you the ultimate permission slip to ditch "Instagram-perfect" expectations and prioritize student joy over complexity. Key Takeaw...

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Feb. 18, 2026

The Power of the Arts: Three Ways to Grow Creativity

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dr. Phyllis E. Johnson Porter, founder of Transformative Music Education Consulting. Together we explore how to elevate the status of music education in our schools. We discuss: The ...

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Feb. 11, 2026

Dealing with Teacher Exhaustion: The February Slump

February is the "longest" short month of the year. In this episode, we tackle the reality of the mid-winter wall and provide a much-needed reality check for music educators. We dive into the 'Sick Day Guilt Trip,' the stress ...

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Feb. 4, 2026

Managing Behavior in the Music Classroom: A Trauma-Informed Approach

Managing behavior in the music classroom presents a unique set of challenges that a standard desk-and-chair classroom just doesn't face. Between the loud instruments, the constant movement, and the sensory overload, it is eas...

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Jan. 28, 2026

Mission Impossible - Fitting a Year of Music into 30 Minutes a Week

Are you tired of feeling like a failure because you can't fit a 60-minute Orff unit into your 30-minute reality? You aren't alone, and it’s time to stop the "Impossible Math" that leads straight to burnout. This week, I’m sha...

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Jan. 21, 2026

The Ultimate Time-Saver: Effortless Music Sub Plan Ideas

Stop dreading sub plans! I sit down with Rob Barnett, founder of the free AI lesson planner Insta-Lesson. Rob explains how this amazing tool solves the hardest part of being a music teacher—planning time. We show you how to i...

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Jan. 7, 2026

Reclaim Your Spark How to Find Joy in Teaching This Semester

Are you feeling more "burnt out" than "inspired" lately? You aren't alone, and it doesn't have to stay this way. This week, I’m pulling back the curtain on the simple, mindset-shifting secrets that helped me rediscover the jo...

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