Day 2 Summit Schedule, June 2026 - Aileen's Music Room

Day Two Schedule

These sessions are now ready, and will be available until June 28. If you would like longer access, you can purchase the Music Teacher Toolkit.

“Kindergartners Are a Lot: Engaging Lessons That Don’t Wreck You,”
Sarah King

You love your littles, but six classes a day is a lot of littles. By the time third period rolls around, you’ve already given everything you’ve got, and there are still four more classes standing between you and your car. This session is for the music teacher who wants every class to feel magical without running on fumes to make it happen. In this session you will find practical, ready-to-use lesson ideas (including sample presentation slides!) designed specifically for Kindergarten-2nd graders that are genuinely engaging for young learners and sustainable for you. We’re talking high-participation, low-prep activities with built-in classroom management, clear visual slides ready to project the moment you open your laptop, and strategies that let the lesson do the heavy lifting so you don’t have to. Because here’s the truth: you shouldn’t have to choose between being an amazing teacher and taking care of yourself. The best lessons for young learners aren’t the ones where you’re performing at full volume for 30 minutes straight, they’re the ones where kids are so drawn in that they become the energy in the room.

“Hello, My Name Is: Musical Icebreakers for Every Grade,” Rainy Montague

Start the year strong with engaging name games that do more than take attendance. This session shares practical, classroom-tested activities that help students learn names quickly while building trust, confidence, and a sense of belonging in your music room.We will utilize singing, movement, and instruments while helping students learn names and establish classroom routines.

“Tiny Humans, Big Energy: Strategies to Capture Attention and Keep the Lesson Moving,” Jeanette Mihalchik

We’ve all been there: halfway through a lesson, the spinning, wiggling, and chair-tipping begin. The truth is, our littlest learners are wired for movement—and in the music room, that energy can become a powerful tool.

Join Jeanette Mihalchik for a session focused on embracing movement in Pre-K through 1st Grade music. Instead of fighting the wiggles, you’ll learn how to channel them to keep lessons engaging, joyful, and on track.

In this session, we’ll explore:

Using quick pivots and transitions before students lose focus
Movement-based management strategies that keep students engaged
Simple ways to harness play and child-like joy in the classroom
Keeping lesson momentum strong to avoid meltdowns and downtime

You’ll leave with practical, ready-to-use strategies that celebrate big energy while helping your classroom run smoothly.

“Wiggle, Giggle & Groove! Games & Activities for Primary Grades,” Bill Henry

Explore a collection of classroom-tested games and movement activities specifically designed for the PreK–2nd grade music room. Mr. Henry will walk you through some of his favorites, to create engaging and exciting lessons!

“Magic Moments in Teaching: Simple Strategies That Keep a Music Classroom Humming,” Debbie O’Shea

Some of the most powerful moments in a music classroom aren’t planned — they’re the signals, sayings, and small routines that stop a room in its tracks, bring everyone back together, and quietly build the culture that makes great teaching possible.
In this practical session, Debbie O’Shea shares the signals, sayings, ideas and everyday routines that keep a music classroom humming — and unpacks the classroom culture they create along the way.
Through experiencing, sharing and laughing together, you’ll leave with a pocket full of strategies that are simple to use, easy to adapt, and instantly effective — without adding more to your already full plate.

“Listen Up:
Engaging Listening Lessons for Primary Grades,” Aileen Miracle

Listening lessons don’t have to mean sitting still and staying quiet. In this session, you’ll discover how to turn listening into an active, engaging experience that builds real musical understanding in your primary students. Explore ready-to-use ideas for teaching steady beat, quarter and eighth notes, quarter rest, tika-tika, and re through purposeful listening activities that get students thinking, moving, and responding. You’ll also learn strategies for guiding students in talking about music—helping them describe what they hear in meaningful, age-appropriate ways. Walk away with practical lessons and fresh ideas you can use right away to make listening a powerful part of your music classroom.