The beginning of the school year is such an exciting time for me. August rolls around, and as comfortable as I am with my relaxed summer schedule, I get pumped about starting a new school year. I thrive with new students, schedules, and programs. I get enthused about planning new lessons and activities for my students. I usually hit the ground running with each grade level, making music, singing songs, and playing instruments. We are mastering all those music standards.

By Thanksgiving, reality sets in, and I start to recognize the challenges I will face for the remainder of the school year. Come December, I am just surviving until winter break. My New Year’s resolutions might get me focused on my students again, but I quickly begin to feel the winter doldrums setting in. Our counselors and health care professionals often remind us that this temporary feeling of lethargy and melancholy is the result of shorter days disrupting our circadian rhythms. Either way, I struggle to keep things engaging for all students in my classroom as I feel the school year slow to a snail’s pace. 

This year was particularly gloomy with the cancellation of our annual conference. Every year, I look forward to the conference. I enjoy seeing old colleagues, meeting new friends, and hearing all the amazing concerts. I don’t know about you, but I need this time every year. I find it essential to my professional growth and to my ability to “make it” through the rest of the school year. I need fresh, new ideas and lesson plans. I need new songs and inspiration to get my brain back in creative mode.

How are we going to “make it” this year without our conference? Rest assured, your elementary/general board members are hard at work developing some upcoming professional development opportunities for us all. Stay tuned for more information, and start planning now for next year’s conference. In the meantime, I asked a few of our elementary division board members to share some of their favorite music lessons based on children’s literature. I hope we can inspire you with a little something to bring your classroom out of the winter doldrums.

One of my favorite children’s books is Mortimer by Robert Munsch. It is the story of a young boy who resists the attempts of his parents, siblings, and even the police to put him to bed by singing a song. I use the book to teach first grade-students high and low on Orff instruments. In the book, as each person (or group of people) goes upstairs or downstairs to scold Mortimer, we hear Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump, and students play going upstairs or downstairs or their instruments. Students also enjoy banging a drum when someone shuts the door, and they love repeating “Mortimer, be quiet,” in different voices. We sing Mortimer’s song together throughout the book. I composed a tune for Mortimer’s song on mi, sol, la. You could compose your tune using any pitches or rhythms you need to teach your students. This book is fun for all grade levels and can be used to teach many different music standards.

From Melissa McIntyre, Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park:

Greetings music educators, and Happy Fall y’all!

As I sit here sipping my pumpkin spice latte, the aroma of a newly purchased apple cinnamon candle filling the air, I am thinking about all the challenges I face with my students this year. I know you too have a packed schedule of classes filing in one after another, performances approaching, and deadlines looming. At times like these, I am grateful to AMEA and NAfME for their support as well as for the opportunities they provide to me and my students.

Please consider renewing your NAfME/AMEA Membership today. Membership runs from July 1 to June 30. NAfME is the national voice representing music education. NAfME advocates at the local, state, and national levels; and provides resources for teachers, parents, and administrators. It is well worth your investment.

Also, be sure to visit our website at myamea.org to learn more about music education advocacy and projects in which you and your students can become involved. Thank you to everyone who supports our organization in all the different ways. Please know that the Elementary/General division wants to provide the best opportunities for our students. Please reach out to your district chair if you would like to serve in any capacity or if you have any questions or suggestions for us. Perhaps you might consider mentoring a new teacher in your district. If you are a veteran teacher, you have a wealth of knowledge you could share with a beginning teacher who needs some guidance. Reach out to your district chair, and she can put you in touch with someone who can help you!

Upcoming events:

We are so excited about the 2023 AMEA Elementary Music Festival to be held at Metropolitan Church of God in Birmingham on October 27th. We have two incredibly talented clinicians, Dr. Emily Burch and Mrs. Margaret Heron, joining us at this fantastic venue for a great day of learning and making music. Don’t forget, the festival concert on the evening of the 27th starts at 6:30 and is free and open to the public. Please help us spread the word on social media about this outstanding concert.

I urge you to make plans now to attend the AMEA conference on January 18-20, 2024, in the beautiful city of Huntsville. I assure you that it will be worth every minute you spend in conference workshops and concerts. We are elated to have Denise Gagne once again with her 35 years of teaching experience join us to share some of the latest and greatest in elementary music education. In addition, we are excited to welcome award-winning composer and conductor, Greg Gilpin, to demonstrate his approach to elementary choir and share some of his favorite repertoire with us. Mr. Gilpin will also be directing our All-State Honor Choir students as they rehearse on Friday and perform that evening in the first-ever All-State Elementary Choir concert. I encourage you to have your students participate in this awesome opportunity.  

Other upcoming events:

• National Orff AOSA Conference is November 1-4, 2023, in Albuquerque, NM.
• Orff Spring Workshop with Artie Almeida is scheduled for February 24, 2024, from 9:00-12:00 at Samford University. Please contact Jason Jackson for more information or to register. 
• National Kodály OAKE Conference is March 14-17, 2024, in Chicago, IL.

We want to be able to stay in touch with you and reach out to those who are not members of AMEA.  Please email us at elementaryamea@gmail.com to update your information and share this address with those who you know are not members. Also, please follow AMEA Elementary on Facebook for updates and reminders.

Elementary/General Executive Board (2023 – 2025)

• President – Alicia Luttrell
• President-Elect – Jason Jackson
• Treasurer – Devin Lacey 
• Secretary – Melissa Galanopoulos 
• Past-President – Sarah McLendon
• Festival Director—Melissa McIntyre  
• District Chairs (2023 – 2025)
  • District 1: Lea Hoppe & Viktoria Truesdail
  • District 2: Karen Morgan & Jamie Howell
  • District 3: Trudye Confessore & Kris Lindley
  • District 4: Laura Clevenger & Kaitlyn Melton
  • District 5: Katie Boyd
  • District 6: Christy Clark
  • District 7: Regina Williams
  • District 8: Andrea Marsh