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Sub plans aren’t anyone’s favorite part of teaching, but having a system that works every single time can take a huge weight off your shoulders. In this episode of That Music Podcast, Bryson shares how switching to a simple Google Doc completely changed the way he handles sick days. No fancy software, no overthinking, just one reliable document he can update from anywhere.

He walks through the structure of his digital template, why it’s so helpful to keep everything in one place, and how using a shareable link can save you from scrambling when you’re already not feeling your best. You’ll also hear a few practical tips for choosing activities that any sub can handle and setting yourself up so you’re ready for the unexpected without spending hours prepping.

If you’ve ever found yourself stressed about taking a day off (or avoiding it altogether), this episode gives you an easy, doable way to make sub plans one less thing to worry about.

Episode Chapters:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 3:35 Getting started with digital sub plans
• 5:51 Template walkthrough
• 7:50 Tips for making it work
• 9:35 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 hello@thatmusicteacher.com - we’d love to hear from you!

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at hello@thatmusicteacher.com - we’d love to hear from you!

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Ever hesitate to take a sick day because it’ll mess up your lesson rotation? You’re not alone, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

In this episode, Bryson shares a simple but powerful strategy to keep your curriculum on track no matter what life throws your way: the lesson numbering system. You’ll learn how to shift from date-based planning to sequence-based lessons, giving you more flexibility, consistency, and peace of mind.

Bryson walks through how to organize lessons by number, track class progress, and make room for differentiation, so every student stays on their own path, and you can finally rest without guilt.

It’s time to let go of the pressure to “keep up” and embrace a planning method that supports you and your students.

Episode Chapters:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:46 The Problem with Date-Based Lesson Plans
• 3:05 How the Lesson Numbering System Works
• 7:45 Benefits of Numbering Your Lessons
• 9:59 How to Start Using the System
• 11:18 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 hello@thatmusicteacher.com - we’d love to hear from you!

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at hello@thatmusicteacher.com - we’d love to hear from you!

Send us a text

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 hello@thatmusicteacher.com - we’d love to hear from you!

Have questions or want to share feedback? Reach out to us at hello@thatmusicteacher.com - we’d love to hear from you!

Send us a text

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 hello@thatmusicteacher.com - we’d love to hear from you!

Send us a text

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 hello@thatmusicteacher.com - 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 hello@thatmusicteacher.com - 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 hello@thatmusicteacher.com - 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 hello@thatmusicteacher.com - we’d love to hear from you!