Welcome to the Noteworthy Contributor Blog of Erin Zaffini!

Looking for creative ways to honor Earth Day with your students? Music class is the perfect place to inspire environmental awareness through song, sound, and self-expression. From recycled instrument-making to nature soundscapes and original Earth-themed songs, explore fun and meaningful activities that help students connect with the planet—one beat at a time.

Are you a non-guitarist who is struggling to teach guitar in your elementary or middle school setting? You’re not alone! Here I share my journey (as a non-guitarist) and the steps I took to set myself up for success with my students.

Engaging students in the artistic processes and music standards can be as simple as connecting these processes to something that they are already familiar with—Minecraft! Here are some strategies for using this popular video game as a springboard for student creativity and connection.

Ready to jump on board the integrated arts movement but not sure where to start? While you are likely doing a lot of things that support integrated arts, here are five strategies that can help you go a little deeper with this teaching skillset that can authentically connect music to other content areas in a…

If you ever feel like you are going through the motions when it comes to assessment, with little to show for it, you are not alone. Here are some strategies that you can use to help your students improve faster, learn for application and transfer, and become more independent musicians (so that you are not…

Joy isn’t just a happy accident in the classroom—it’s now a core part of inclusive learning design, thanks to the latest update to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines. In this blog post, we explore how music educators can intentionally design for joy in general music settings. From student choice to silly songs, discover…

General music teachers around the world embrace folk dancing as a tool to foster community and teach musical concepts through movement. But how do we embrace folk dance in a way that honors authenticity and the culture from which it comes from? This blog provides some strategies that can help music teachers continue to include…

Tired of your music lessons feeling like a checklist? What if you could deepen your lessons without adding more content just by enriching what you’re already doing? In this post, I’m sharing five simple strategies to bring more creativity, connection, and student ownership into your general music classroom. From collaborative body percussion to student-composed melodies…

Looking for some ways to involve your students more in the classroom? Tired of being front-and-center all the time? Try some of these strategies on for size and watch your students shine!

Learn some beginning recommendations on how to make your general music class more equitable. Recommendations include making space for anti-bias music education, flexible performance assessments, and community engagement and collaboration.

This post is all about how to dig a little bit deeper into music that reflects our student’s cultures without falling victim to tokenizing the very music we’re trying to showcase.

Informances are not only an engaging way to include the audience in performances during concert season, but they are also a powerful tool for meeting the needs of all students in our general music classroom! Here’s how including informances can “level=up” the equity factor for all your students!

Informances are not only an engaging way to include the audience in performances during concert season, but they are also a powerful tool for meeting the needs of all students in our general music classroom! Here’s how including informances can “level=up” the equity factor for all your students!

Looking for ways to take out the mystery of teaching and learning and connect learning experiences to student goals? This post talks about the benefits of using “I Can” statements in the classroom and provides strategies for using them with your students today!

Choice boards in music education provide students with flexible, engaging ways to explore musical concepts while promoting creativity, autonomy, and critical thinking. By offering a variety of tasks across performance, composition, listening, and reflection, teachers can differentiate instruction, foster student choice, and enhance learning in a personalized and meaningful way.

To secure grant funding as a music educator, it’s essential to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles authentically into your proposal. By aligning your project with funders’ DEI priorities, showcasing your existing commitment, designing truly inclusive initiatives, and providing measurable impact data, you can craft a compelling grant application that stands out and drives…

Looking to spark your own creativity while saving time during your lesson planning stages? Check out these four AI tools that can help you get the ball rolling. With these options, there’s surely something for everyone!

Music stations in the general music classroom provide an effective way to engage students in hands-on, interactive learning while allowing teachers to differentiate instruction and manage classroom dynamics. By rotating through stations focused on rhythm, listening, composition, instruments, music theory, and movement, students can develop key musical skills in a structured yet flexible environment, fostering…

Looking for a mid-year boost to re-energize your teaching and classroom? In her blog, Erin Zaffini shares practical tips for hitting the “reset” button, covering everything from refreshing classroom routines to refining assessment practices and strengthening your support network. Whether you need to tackle classroom dynamics, streamline evaluations, or find mentorship, Erin’s actionable advice will…