Elizabeth Ann McAnally is a veteran urban educator with 35 years of service to the students and teachers in the School District of Philadelphia. Her professional experience includes teaching middle-school general and choral music, coaching and designing professional learning experiences for novice educators, and consulting for local arts organizations.

This book is an essential guide for music educators seeking to create vibrant and meaningful music-making experiences in today’s middle school general music classroom. McAnally offers a clear exploration of the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind effective instruction, helping teachers design learning that resonates and fosters real student connection. I highly recommend this resource to all music teachers and to those in higher education teaching future teachers!

• Preface 1. Making the Case for Middle School General Music2. A Framework for Making Instructional Decisions3. Composing, Improvising, and Other Creative Work4. Sharing Music through Creative Performance Opportunities5. Active Engagement through Listening6. Enhancing Musical Understanding through Authentic Connections7. Putting It All Together with Instructional Units8. Activities to Build Notation Skills9. Tips for Working with Adolescents10. Dear New Music Teacher11. ResourcesReferencesIndexAbout the Author

Elizabeth Ann McAnally is a veteran urban educator with 35 years of service to the students and teachers in the School District of Philadelphia. Her professional experience includes teaching middle-school general and choral music, coaching and designing professional learning experiences for novice educators, and consulting for local arts organizations.

This book is an essential guide for music educators seeking to create vibrant and meaningful music-making experiences in today’s middle school general music classroom. McAnally offers a clear exploration of the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind effective instruction, helping teachers design learning that resonates and fosters real student connection. I highly recommend this resource to all music teachers and to those in higher education teaching future teachers!

• Preface 1. Making the Case for Middle School General Music2. A Framework for Making Instructional Decisions3. Composing, Improvising, and Other Creative Work4. Sharing Music through Creative Performance Opportunities5. Active Engagement through Listening6. Enhancing Musical Understanding through Authentic Connections7. Putting It All Together with Instructional Units8. Activities to Build Notation Skills9. Tips for Working with Adolescents10. Dear New Music Teacher11. ResourcesReferencesIndexAbout the Author