For information on booking a workshop, please contact me at shannonmcdonaldclarinet@gmail.com or through the contact page!
Click here to see a basic description of my workshops.
I began my Montessori teaching journey in the Summer of 2006 as an afterschool teacher at Frisco Montessori Academy in Frisco, Texas. I spent the next three years as an assistant in the Lower Elementary classroom, and was able to gain hands-on experience with the teaching philosophies of Maria Montessori.
In 2010 I was named the General Music Teacher, and coordinator of the Music Program at FMA. While there I taught toddlers, preschoolers, and first-fifth grade students. As the school expanded to include sixth, seventh, and eighth grade, I developed the theater and music technology curricula for middle school. I directed musical theater production and organized musical programs for all age groups.
My enthusiasm for educating children, along with my belief that all children need exposure to the arts, has led me to offer workshops on incorporating music into the general education classroom. Early exposure to music is important for many reasons, including:
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​Language acquisition
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Refining coordination
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Creativity and personal expression
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Self-confidence
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Team-work and team-building
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Enrichment of cultural lessons
Many private and Montessori schools do not employ a full time music teacher, and it is left up to the general education teacher to supply any musical exposure to their students. My goal is to arm general education teachers with the knowledge and confidence to introduce music into their classroom. I achieve this through fun and interactive sessions that include singing, dancing, and playing instruments.
A typical workshop would address subjects such as​
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transition songs
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introduction of musical concepts in the classroom (with ideas!)​
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Montessori Bells
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hand clapping/motor function games
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chants and teamwork exercises
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subject-related songs (math, cultural, etc.)
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basic musical literacy
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introduction to Orff instruments, recorders, and ukulele
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sample music lesson plans
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At the end of the workshop, teachers will have many ideas and tools to introduce music into their own classrooms.
For information on booking a workshop, please contact me at shannonmcdonaldclarinet@gmail.com
or through the contact page!