I Ditched Behavior Charts - Here’s What Happened

Have you ever had a class of kindergartners falling out of their chairs, making each other laugh, and filling every second of dead air with utter chaos? Dealing with silly behavior in the music classroom can feel overwhelming, but trying to squash it completely usually backfires. If you don't design the fun, your students will direct it for you!

In this episode, Jeanette Mihalchik reveals how to stop being the "squasher of silly" and become the ultimate "designer of fun." Learn how to build structured chaos directly into your lesson plans, establish clear guardrails before the play begins, and shift from competitive individual rewards to joyful community building.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why pacing is your best classroom management tool to eliminate dead air.
• How to harness silly behavior in the music classroom by scheduling structured chaos into games like Four Corners.
• Community-building exit rewards like "Drumming Departure" and "Dancing Departure".
• How to set safety guardrails before the play begins to avoid mass chaos.
• A conscious approach to correcting boundary-testing without resorting to punitive discipline.

Resources Mentioned:

• Grab your free music classroom resources at thehappymusicteacher.com/free.