Back To School 2025

I can’t believe it’s already time to start the 2025–2026 school year! It’s always hard to say goodbye to summer activities and get back into the swing of things in the classroom. The start of the year is a great opportunity to reflect on the previous year and make meaningful, mindful changes to your practice. In this article, I’m going to outline five things I do at the start of each class to lay the groundwork for a friction‑free school year.

1. A Glow and a Grow

I recently started journaling, and it has helped me solidify my thoughts and processes. Reflect on last year and identify one glow (something you’re proud of) and one grow (something that could improve). Write them in a teaching journal. The grow can be as simple as students asking to use the bathroom too often or as complex as recruiting for a new program. Don’t skip the glow! Even if last year felt like the worst ever, there is always something to celebrate. If you want to list more glows and grows, go ahead, it’s a good feeling.

2. Outlining Outcomes

Take one of your grows and make it your project for the year. List any other pain points that arise, then decide which items are actionable by you and your students. During the first week of school, share this list with your class and invite students to add to it. Work together to devise strategies for addressing each item, letting the students drive the conversation.

Group work, organization, independent learning, and maintaining focus (not being distracted by devices) are frequent grows in my classes. Ask students what positive and negative versions of these behaviors look like. Together, turn that discussion into clear expectations. I’ve even had classes create mottos. One student,who had required a lot of attention the previous year—came up with a rehearsal‑etiquette motto: “Progress comes from being Positive, Prepared, and Present.” Giving students space to create their own solutions gives them ownership and buy‑in. If you plan on student‑centered, project‑based activities, this step is essential.

Throughout the course, return to the student‑generated strategies and model them in class. This process seems time‑consuming, especially early on, but the results are truly transformative.

3. Icebreaker with Songwriting

I link our agreed‑upon expectations to an icebreaker activity. This deepens connections among students and provides an immediate chance to reflect on the expectations in action. I’ve packaged my full‑period Beginning Songwriting Icebreaker on a single page. You’ll need Soundtrap or Soundtrap EDU; the activity works on any device. Students form bands, answer an icebreaker question, create a group name, and complete three scaffolded songwriting tasks.

The timed prompts leverage iterative creativity. Time as a constraint keeps students from fixating on perfection and lets them focus on the process—it’s also really fun! While they work, highlight connections to the grows:

  • “I like the way this group is using yes‑and language and working cooperatively.”

  • “Everyone here found a job in the songwriting process that suits them—great teamwork!”

Have groups showcase their songs at the end of class. The activity fosters a culture of vulnerability and lets you celebrate students’ self‑identified areas for growth.

CANVA TEMPLATE LINK | CANVA PRESENTATION PAGE
SONGWRITING WORKSHOP PAGE

4. Positive Behavior Reinforcement

Address your group grows all term long. Bell‑ringer reflections help, but the most powerful method is to “catch” students displaying the desired behaviors and praise them publicly. When you notice something going wrong, resist calling it out directly. Instead, find a student demonstrating the positive version, say their name, describe what you like, and link it to your class values. This approach curbs negative behavior without shaming anyone, reinforces expectations, and makes the praised student feel great. Aim to do this at least once per period, you’ll be amazed at the impact.

Want Real World Projects?

If you’d like more opportunities for students to collaborate on multidisciplinary, real‑world projects, try Electronic Music ELEMENTS. ELEMENTS is a music‑production and media‑arts curriculum for grades 4-12. It offers teachers a low‑lift way to boost engagement through authentic creative work in high‑interest areas: pop music, video‑game audio, film scoring, podcasting, and radio commercials. Projects articulate with ELA and STEM and align to National Core Arts and ISTE standards. No prior experience is required, and only student devices are needed.

Try it: Enroll in the Electronic Elements Essentials course to receive six free lessons plus an application project.

Interested in bringing ELEMENTS to your school? We’re offering free fall‑term pilots. Email pilots@emusicelements.com for details.