Deborah Skydell

I asked ChatGPT to plan a third-grade music lesson.

Out of curiosity. I was amazed at how close it came to actually making sense, and how authoritatively it suggested truly bad ideas.

I laughed at a lot of the suggestions. Then I became concerned for new teachers who might actually try them, because they sounded so legitimate.

I'm an experienced music teacher, so I knew which parts of that lesson would end with children climbing the walls and rolling around on the floor. I knew which activities would take two minutes instead of thirty and leave you staring, stricken, at the ticking clock.

A new teacher would not know that. She would find out at 10:15 on a Tuesday, in front of twenty-five third graders.

That's why I built this site.

I wanted to share what I'd learned with other teachers, and help them love teaching.

Everything on The Singing Classroom is tried and true, and has been used by music teachers for years. I put on the site only what I know works.

Here is what a song actually looks like.

Not a description of a song. The song, taught the way I'd teach it to you.

Apple Tree. Grades K through 2.

Sarasponda. Grades 4 through 6.

I show you how to teach the songs with clear videos that get right to the point. I anticipate the problems you'll run into and suggest how to solve them. Many of the games are also demonstrated with animations of the bunnies playing them, so you can see how it goes before you try it with a class.

The songs are searchable by grade, by concept, by topic, and more. There's also a drag-and-drop lesson planner, so you can put the songs in the order you'll teach them, add your own material and transitions, then print it, project it, or pull it up on any device.

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It is not a curriculum, on purpose.

I believe music teachers should be able to create or supplement a curriculum using songs they love, songs that will work with their particular students. Choosing your own material is part of loving your job. You'll look forward to teaching.

So this is a resource. Use it to build your own curriculum or to add to one you already have. It works with nearly any approach, particularly Kodály, Orff or Dalcroze, and with any district's requirements.

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Is it better than ChatGPT?

For now, it's way, way better. Will it always be? Who knows. AI is getting better all the time. But for now I can tell you with confidence that I, as a flawed but experienced teacher with a sly sense of humor, am still doing better.

I also have an M.M. in choral music, I'm fully certified in Kodály, and I have additional training in Orff and Dalcroze. And I wrote this without using AI.

Using a purchase order? Schools and districts are welcome. Contact us and we'll send pricing and documentation.