Zach VanderGraaff – Page 37 – Dynamic Music Room

Are you looking to learn more about the Kodály method, but you don’t want to pay a lot to get started? Do you see a lot of blogs out there, but it’s hard to tell which ones are great? There’s no shortage of information out there on the internet, so it’s hard to know where to go to find good information on specific topics. For us elementary music teachers, one of the methods we want to learn more about is Kodály. However, there are a number of blogs out there claiming to be Kodály blogs, but do they live up to their word? Kodály blogs need to provide helpful information about the method and resources for helping teachers follow this approach. They should be run by certified teachers where possible. Top Kodály blogs include: Kodály Inspired ClassroomMrs. Stouffer’s Music RoomKodály CornerDynamic Music RoomMusic a la AbbottMrs. Miracle’s Music Room Check out the rest of the post for our detailed review. Review Of The Top 6 Kodály Blogs In this section, I’ll go over the blogs one by one. In it, I’ll give it a helpfulness score and talk about the pros and cons of the blog. Let me be clear: all of these blogs are great and worth checking out. Don’t take any criticism on my part as a negative of the people or their resources. I know several of these folks personally, and they’re all amazing, great people. Let’s dig in! Kodály Inspired Classroom Image from http://www.kodalyinspiredclassroom.com/ Helpfulness Score: 4/5 This blog is run by Lindsay Jervis, who received her Kodály I-III certification from Wichita University. Her posts are specific, practical, and useful. She is one of the Teacher Pay Teacher folks and sends you to her products for more resources, but she doesn’t do it in a pushy way, which I appreciate. The only reason she didn’t get a 5/5 in my score is that the blog posts are inconsistently posted time-wise. She’s much more active and helpful on social media, so follow the Kodály Inspired Classroom for an active community. Mrs. Stouffer’s Music Room Image from https://mrsstouffersmusicroom.com Helpfulness Score: 5/5 Full disclaimer, Melissa Stouffer is one of my dearest friends, and we work and present together often. Still, I find her blog and resources helpful, as I know many others do as well. Melissa did her Level I at Central Michigan University and Level II at Portland University. She’s still working on Level III and completing her certification, but COVID and 2020 got in the way. Not every item on her blog is Kodály focused; she has the unique experience of teaching every music subject imaginable from K-12. Her posts are helpful and don’t push her TPT store, which is still great. Melissa posts blogs about once per week. Kodály Corner Image from https://kodalycorner.blogspot.com Helpfulness Score: 3/5 This blog is actually a combination blog of several Kodály teachers and bloggers. For this reason, there’s a lot of expertise and experience in it. But they also don’t post often. In fact, at last check, they have posted on this site in years. Still, the information on there is helpful, so it’s worth checking out. Dynamic Music Room Helpfulness Score: ?/5 This one is my authority site! You’re on it right now! It’s hard for me to figure out the helpfulness score of this one as I’m too close to it to be objective. However, many tell me how helpful they find my articles and resources. I don’t blog exclusively on Kodály, but I do have a whole section on Kodály (check the above menu). I’m also fully certified, completing Level I and II at Central Michigan University and Level III at Indiana University, and I’ve presented on the Kodály method at universities in the U.S. and abroad. I post anywhere from 1-5 times per week on music teaching-related topics. Music a la Abbott Image from https://www.musicalaabbott.com/ Helpfulness Score: 4/5 Amy Abbott is the owner of Music a la Abbott. She received four levels of Kodály training from Portland University. Only three are required for certification, but the extra level adds expertise to middle school music. Her blog posts are well-written, but her resources are amazing. You can really tell she has practical experience and expertise in the Kodály method. My only complaint: she doesn’t blog a lot. In fact, it’s been almost a year since her last post. Still, the site is worth taking a look at, and you should follow her on social media. Mrs. Miracle’s Music Room Image from https://www.mrsmiraclesmusicroom.com/ Helpfulness Score: 5/5 Funny coincidence, Aileen Miracle, who runs this blog, and I both went to the same school (Central Michigan University), and students taught with the same host teacher (Paul Rose, retired from Mt. Pleasant, MI). Aileen is fully certified in Kodály and has been involved in her Ohio chapter and served as President of MKMEA, the midwestern regional president for Kodály in America. She’s also been chair of the national Kodály conference and is a regular speaker and Kodály teacher. She’s insanely busy and active, making blogs, podcasts, and more. Her store on TPT is also one of the most successful music education stores on the platform. Final Thoughts There’s a lot to be learned from Kodály blogs, so don’t be afraid to explore and follow these people to learn from them. The Kodály method has been around for a long time because of how effective and fun it is. With the goal of music for everyone in mind, we reach students where they’re at with engaging and powerful teaching tools. Have fun learning!