Kate Testani has been teaching in Connecticut since 2012. She has taught grades K-6 general music and was the 9-12 band director for three years. She served on the Connecticut Music Educators Association Student Affairs Committee as All-State festival chair. She currently teaches K-4 general music on a hybrid model.
Many music teachers are finding themselves without a teaching space of their own this year due to distance and hybrid learning. Explore the advantages of using Bitmoji classroom for general music educators who teach remotely or teach in person without their own classroom.
by Kate Testani
Get to know our authors. In our ” Teacher Feature,” you will not only learn about our contributors’ professional endeavors but also get to know them as humans too. Just like our readers – our authors are actively teaching in schools across the United States.
Hi there, my name is Kate Testani and I am in my eighth-year teaching in Connecticut. I have taught grades K-6 general music and was the 9-12 band director for three years. I served on the Connecticut Music Educators Association Student Affairs Committee as All-State festival chair. I currently teach K-4 general music on a hybrid model.
It was a “no-brainer” for me to major in music education. After I graduated, I became a district substitute teacher for a neighboring town. It was my first day of subbing, and I was scheduled to sub for first grade. When I walked into the main office, the principal said, “We actually have to put you in music today…I hope that’s ok!” I said, “Oh, thank goodness, I’m a music teacher!” After that one day of subbing for general music, I never left, and I still teach in this building today!
Yes- my high school band director. He always pushed me out of my comfort zone, and continues to do so! Our conversations were never, “Should I be a music teacher?”, it was always, “When I am a music teacher”. I continue to call him for advice to this day!
I was teaching fourth-grade general music. We were singing around the piano, working on the song of the month. We had been working on diction, and especially pronouncing “that delicious letter T” as I say to my students! Just before we were going to run through our song, I prompted the class, “And finally, we need to remember to have good…?” (I was looking for the word ‘diction’. The class didn’t respond right away, and a girl in class raises her hand and says, “…charisma?” I will never forget that moment, because YES, we do need to have good charisma when we sing!
I try to remind myself why I’m here- to teach children music. Every so often, I have a “no internet” day at work, where I close out my email for a few hours and enjoy the music with my students. I always feel better when I do this. Whatever email I’ve received in that time can wait until later, but for now, it’s time to make music.
SUSHI!!!
Yes! I have one dog, Barrett, who is the wildest dog I’ve ever met in my life. I also have a cat, Rigel, who I got just over a year ago. He is actually a retired show cat, and is a ribbon holding supreme grand champion! Living with luxury over here!
Show tunes. I am a woodwind doubler, I love to perform in Community Theater pit orchestras. But to be honest, after a long day of music teaching, I’m ready for some Podcasts and talk radio!
Bring on the ice coffee!
We hope you enjoyed getting to know Carly as much as we have. Make sure to check out her article So, What is the “Bitmoji Classroom”?