Summer lessons have a different rhythm, don’t they? (No pun intended!) Fewer students, a more relaxed schedule, longer days stretching ahead.

Your teaching load feels lighter, but your mind? It’s still racing, thinking of all the things you wish you could do, and all the questions you’re asking yourself about why you can’t get organized.

• Are my students staying engaged during summer lessons?
• Will they remember what they learned?
• I need something for Emerson to review treble clef notes, and something for Paxton to review intervals. Where did I put those worksheets I downloaded last week? They would be perfect, if I could find them!
• Why do I always feel so scattered and last-minute?
• Why can’t I ever find the materials I need for my students?
• Why can’t I get organized and stay organized???

If you’re having thoughts like these, you are in good company!

Summer isn’t just about catching up from a busy spring semester, though I think a lot of us are in “catch up” mode right now!

Summer is also the perfect opportunity to set yourself up for success so your fall session doesn’t start in chaos.

When you stop to think about it, how many times have you found yourself frantically searching for the perfect worksheets for a student, or realizing you need a quick activity to reinforce a specific concept but you don’t have time to find it and print it because you only have a couple of minutes until your next lesson?

I don’t know about you, but that gives me anxiety. And I love doing things that mitigate those anxious and stressful feelings!

So let’s use summer’s relaxed schedule to give us the breathing room to finally get ahead of that cycle.

Getting ahead doesn’t mean adding pressure to your teaching

It means giving yourself the gift of being organized and prepared.

Small steps now mean easier lessons later, and a you who isn’t constantly feeling behind.

You deserve to use this summer to feel organized and excited about your teaching, and to escape the “I just can’t seem to get ahead” cycle.

So now that summer break has arrived, take a deep breath, exhale, and let’s take a look at a few quick and easy steps that will help you get organized and prepared so you can relax and enjoy the rest of your summer.

Take 15 minutes and try one of these tips each week until you have discovered your perfect organizational style for keeping all the music worksheets your students need at your fingertips.

1. Get Organized with a Handy “Quick-Grab” Stash of Music Worksheets

1. First of all, did you know that current brain research shows that students who write on worksheets by hand activate significantly more of the brain regions that are responsible for memory and learning compared to students who type on keyboards or tablets (van der Meer & van der Weel, 2023)? I think this is absolutely fascinating, and it’s one of the reasons I love having my students complete music worksheets in their lessons and at home!
2. So here’s how to prepare so you can help your students’ brains light up!
3. Print multiple copies of 5 to 10 of your favorite worksheets and keep them in a file folder or binder or magazine file or paper tray by your piano.
4. When a student finishes a lesson a few minutes early or needs extra reinforcement for a musical concept, give them a worksheet.
5. Sit back and relax because you had something ready to go instead of frantically searching through your computer files to find something to print.
6. This collection of over 200 music worksheets covers a TON of music concepts, and I keep these worksheets handy year-round for my students.

Here are some fantastic options for your quick-grab stash of music worksheets. Click here to see all music worksheets.

2. Sort the Music Worksheets by Student level

1. Spend 15 minutes organizing the worksheets from tip #1 above into folders: beginner, elementary, intermediate, and whatever else you need.
2. This way, when you need to reinforce note reading or rhythm concepts, you can grab the right level instantly – no more searching and scrambling.
3. Bonus tip: If you’re really into organizing and this tip feels right for you, try organizing into additional folders of preschool, pre-staff, elementary, early intermediate, etc., if you want to organize on a more micro level. This is my favorite way to organize, though I know it’s not for everyone 😀

If you need worksheets at the elementary level, here are some terrific options!

3. Build A “concept reinforcement Kit”

1. Pick one music concept your students always seem to struggle with (like intervals or key signatures) and print several different worksheets that reinforce that concept in different ways.
2. Having multiple approaches ready for each concept means you can easily try a different angle if the first one doesn’t click with your student.
3. Keep your Concept Reinforcement Kit organized by concept, and use a separate folder for each concept.
4. Don’t forget to label your folders!

Here are some concept worksheets that review note reading, and you can review lots of other concepts with music worksheets too.

4. Prep your favorite Seasonal and Holiday Music Worksheets now

1. Print worksheets for fall, winter, Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and more, while you have time to think clearly.
2. Store them in labeled folders so when the season or holiday rolls around, you’re not printing frantically during lessons because you prepped ahead of time.
3. Your future self will thank you SO much for doing this!

Need seasonal and holiday worksheets? Go ahead and prep for Valentine’s Day!

5. Create student-specific folders

1. For students who consistently need extra practice with certain skills, set aside a small collection of 5 to 10 targeted worksheets in their folder.
2. You’ll have meaningful work ready that addresses their specific needs at the right time.
3. No more awkward “Um…. let me see if I can find something real quick” moments. We know how those usually work out!
4. Spending just a few minutes of prep time now will come back to you in huge dividends in the future.

These five simple strategies and collections of music worksheets aren’t about adding tasks to your summer to-do list.

They’re about creating space for you to relax and breathe when lessons resume, knowing that you are prepared to meet your students where they are, help them move forward, and help their brains light up with learning!

Imagine walking into your first lesson knowing exactly where to find what you need, having the perfect backup activity ready, and feeling truly prepared instead of perpetually behind. That would make my own brain light up!

Your future self will feel so much more relaxed, equipped, and ready because of these small moments of preparation.

So go spend just a few minutes trying these organizational tips and finding the ones that work best for you.

Then go enjoy your summer knowing that when it’s time to teach again, you’ll be ready to focus on what you do best – making music with your students.

Don’t forget to grab those music worksheets so you can start getting organized!

References

van der Meer, A., & van der Weel, R. (2023). Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity: A high-density EEG study with implications for the classroom. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219945