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Let’s be real, teachers are pros at pushing through when they shouldn’t. Between planning sub lessons, worrying about routines, and feeling guilty for being gone, it’s easy to convince ourselves that resting isn’t worth the hassle.

In this episode, Bryson shares a heartfelt reminder that taking a sick day is not a sign of weakness; it’s an act of self-care that ultimately helps you show up as your best self for your students. He opens up about his own experience balancing teaching with foster parenting, and offers practical strategies for making time off less stressful, from setting up a “sub tub” to creating digital plans that make stepping away easier.

If you’ve ever felt guilty for taking a day to rest, this one’s for you. Because your classroom will survive, and you deserve to take care of yourself, too.

Episode Chapters:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:57 Bryson’s experience
• 4:54 Tips for stress-free sick days
• 8:13 School policies & requirements
• 10:42 Takeaways

Links and Resources: 

• The Elementary Music Summit®
• Elementary Newbie Guide
• Disabilities Guide
• Steady Beat Survival Guide
• Join Elementary Music EDGE™

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at [email protected] - we’d love to hear from you!

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at [email protected] - we’d love to hear from you!

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Creating sub plans doesn’t have to be stressful. In this episode, Bryson is joined by Rainy Barton to talk about simplifying the process and setting yourself (and your students) up for success. From planned absences to unexpected emergencies, they chat about strategies for making sub plans that are practical, engaging, and easy for anyone to follow, even non-music subs. Rainy also shares a sneak peek of her upcoming masterclass, Sub Smarter, Not Harder, and why building a solid sub plan system can be a total game-changer.

Episode Chapters:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:20 Biggest challenges music teachers face prepping for subs
• 3:15 Why quality lesson plans matter more than just busy work
• 5:38 One simple step to make sub planning less overwhelming today
• 7:26 Making plans easy for non-music substitutes
• 9:29 Navigating administrator requests for simple, tech-free plans
• 13:19 How to have your sub plans ready to go at all times
• 16:54 Key advice to set subs and students up for success
• 19:24 Rainy’s upcoming masterclass preview
• 22:14 Takeaways

Links and Resources: 

• The Elementary Music Summit®
• Elementary Newbie Guide
• Disabilities Guide
• Steady Beat Survival Guide
• Join Elementary Music EDGE™

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at [email protected] - we’d love to hear from you!

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In this episode of That Music Podcast, Bryson shares his five favorite extension activities that can be used with just about any concept in the elementary music room. From rhythm to melody (and everything in between), these activities are student-approved, easy to adapt, and built for long-term use. Whether you’re looking to streamline your planning, increase engagement, or bring a little more magic to your classroom routines, this episode is packed with practical ideas you’ll come back to again and again.

Episode Chapters:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 2:46 Post Office
• 3:35 King of the Mountain
• 5:18 Remote Control
• 6:26 Texting Sticks
• 7:46 Poison
• 8:53 Takeaways

Links and Resources: 

• The Elementary Music Summit®
• Elementary Newbie Guide
• Disabilities Guide
• Steady Beat Survival Guide
• Join Elementary Music EDGE™

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at [email protected] - we’d love to hear from you!

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In this episode of That Music Podcast, Bryson dives into one of his favorite rhythmic concepts to teach, tika-tika (four sixteenth notes), and shares five of his go-to songs for making this rhythm come alive in the elementary music room. With an eye toward thoughtful repertoire choices, he explores how to move beyond outdated or problematic songs and still bring the fun with engaging, student-approved activities. From play parties to original compositions, Bryson highlights ways to keep tika-tika practice meaningful, musical, and inclusive.

Episode Chapters:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 2:41 Introducing TikaTika
• 4:03 Paw Paw Patch
• 5:48 Flying with a Bee
• 7:40 Fire in the Mountain
• 8:31 Tide-y-O
• 9:16 Old Brass Wagon
• 9:54 Takeaways

Links and Resources: 

• The Elementary Music Summit®
• Elementary Newbie Guide
• Disabilities Guide
• Steady Beat Survival Guide
• Join Elementary Music EDGE™
• Join the Repertoire Detective Challenge

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at [email protected] - we’d love to hear from you!

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In this episode, Bryson introduces a fresh way of thinking about your curriculum by flipping the script: instead of hunting down songs to teach concepts, what if your repertoire guided the concepts you teach? He breaks down his Repertoire-Based Curriculum Framework: a practical, cyclical approach to choosing, organizing, and using high-quality music that’s both authentic and pedagogically powerful. Plus, Bryson shares how you can get hands-on with this approach in the free Repertoire Detective Challenge. If lesson planning ever feels like a hamster wheel, this episode might just be your off-ramp.

Episode Chapters:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:33 Why repertoire matters in music education
• 3:47 The 5 key points of the Repertoire-Based Curriculum Framework
• 9:10 Why this framework is essential for effective teaching
• 10:30 The Repertoire Detective Challenge
• 11:38 Takeaways

Links and Resources: 

• The Elementary Music Summit®
• Elementary Newbie Guide
• Disabilities Guide
• Steady Beat Survival Guide
• Join Elementary Music EDGE™
• Join the Repertoire Detective Challenge

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at [email protected] - we’d love to hear from you!

Send us a text

In this milestone episode of That Music Podcast, Bryson celebrates 200 episodes by digging into one of the most essential building blocks of elementary music: steady beat. He shares his top five favorite songs and chants that make steady beat practice fun and meaningful, along with how he uses them in the classroom to get kids moving, feeling the beat, and engaged. Whether you’re new to teaching steady beat or looking for fresh ideas to deepen your students’ rhythmic foundation, Bryson’s got you covered, plus you can grab his free Steady Beat Survival Guide, packed with songs and activities to help you bring steady beat to life.

Episode Chapters:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 2:15 Apple Tree
• 3:50 Bee Bee Bumble Bee
• 4:49 Engine Engine Number 9
• 6:33 Cobbler Cobbler
• 7:46 Queen Queen Caroline
• 8:47 Takeaways

Links and Resources: 

• The Elementary Music Summit®
• Elementary Newbie Guide
• Disabilities Guide
• Steady Beat Survival Guide
• Join Elementary Music EDGE™

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at [email protected] - we’d love to hear from you!

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In this episode, Bryson sits down with Carrie Nicholas and Tanya LeJeune from Music Teacher Coffee Talk to explore the magic of double duty songs, those special tunes that can support teaching multiple musical concepts over time. They talk about why these songs are such a lifesaver when time is tight and share thoughtful tips on keeping your students excited and engaged with music they already know. Plus, Carrie and Tanya give us a sneak peek at their upcoming masterclass inside Elementary Music Edge™, packed with fresh ideas to inspire your teaching.

Episode Chapters:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:09 What is a “Double Duty” Song?
• 3:09 Benefits of using double-duty songs
• 7:37 Common misconceptions about double-duty songs
• 11:46 Favorite double-duty songs
• 25:16 Masterclass preview
• 27:19 Takeaways
  
  

Links and Resources: 

• The Elementary Music Summit®
• Elementary Newbie Guide
• Disabilities Guide
• Steady Beat Survival Guide
• Join Elementary Music EDGE™

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at [email protected] - we’d love to hear from you!

Send us a text

In this episode of That Music Podcast, Bryson dives into a challenging topic many music teachers face: those familiar songs that might actually have a questionable past. He explores why it’s important to reconsider what we include in our classrooms and offers thoughtful ways to identify and replace songs that don’t align with creating safe, inclusive spaces for all students. If you’ve ever wondered how to handle the songs you’ve “always used,” this episode provides practical insight and encouragement to take those next steps thoughtfully.

Episode Chapters:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:59 Why every student deserves a safe and inclusive classroom
• 2:26 Songs with a Questionable Past
• 6:38 Respectful replacement song ideas
• 9:39 How to check songs for cultural sensitivity and suitability
• 11:35 Takeaways

Links and Resources: 

• The Elementary Music Summit®
• Elementary Newbie Guide
• Disabilities Guide
• Steady Beat Survival Guide
• Join Elementary Music EDGE™
• Songs with a Questionable Past Document

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at [email protected] - we’d love to hear from you!

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In this episode of That Music Podcast, Bryson tackles a tough but essential topic: how to include music and cultural activities that aren’t from our own backgrounds in a way that’s authentic and respectful. He shares practical advice on research, avoiding stereotypes, and when—and how—to adapt materials for the classroom. If you’ve ever wondered how to bring diverse music into your teaching without missteps, this episode offers thoughtful guidance and encouragement to get started thoughtfully.

Episode Chapters:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:47 What does authentic inclusion look like?
• 5:18 Why authentic representation benefits students and communities
• 9:05 Understanding Adaptation vs. Appropriation
• 11:13 Navigating mistakes and learning moments
• 12:05 Takeaways

Links and Resources: 

• The Elementary Music Summit®
• Elementary Newbie Guide
• Disabilities Guide
• Steady Beat Survival Guide
• Join Elementary Music EDGE™

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at [email protected] - we’d love to hear from you!

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In this episode of That Music Podcast, Bryson explores a fun and engaging Filipino folk dance that’s perfect for getting elementary students moving and connecting with rhythm. He breaks down simple steps to introduce this dance in your classroom, shares practical tips for building confidence with your students, and touches on why cultural respect matters when bringing this tradition into music education. If you’re looking for a fresh way to add movement and rhythm that your students will love, this episode is packed with ideas to get you started.

Episode Chapters:

• 0:00 Introduction & Disclaimer
• 2:44 What is Tinikling and where does it come from?
• 4:06 Tips for teaching Tinikling in your classroom
• 11:01 Takeaways

Links and Resources: 

• The Elementary Music Summit®
• Elementary Newbie Guide
• Disabilities Guide
• Steady Beat Survival Guide
• Join Elementary Music EDGE™

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at [email protected] - we’d love to hear from you!