Testimonials
"Having been extremely passionate about essentially everything related to music since I was an early child, I have always loved to expand my knowledge as much as I can with anything relating to music theory and, although I am not a music teacher and have never really considered the career path, I thought this may be an interesting read regardless- mainly due to the fact that it seemed uniquely different to the usual kinds of music-related books that I find myself reading. With that being said, and having just finished the book within the past hour; I can definitely say that I am more than impressed not only by the immense about of information and practical advice that is laid out in a clear and concise manner throughout the book, but I am also very impressed by the author's writing style - as it stays professional and sophisticated from start to finish, without getting to the point where it's hard to read or where I found myself 'stumbling' over certain parts. Yes, of course I obviously couldn't understand and relate to everything, because the book is obviously aimed at people with a music-teaching background, but I can still definitely say that I learned a lot to the point that I am even going to recommend this to the music teachers that I have had over the past few years. Overall, I give this book a 9 out of 10, some parts did 'drag on' a little bit, but ultimately it's a top quality read, in my opinion."
Lucidity
"No matter how many "A"s you earn in college, no matter how well you did in student teaching, there are always little tricks that make the teaching experience more satisfying for teacher and students. Cheryl's book is written from the viewpoint of an experienced successful classroom teacher. The lessons she offers are born from her daily interactions with students in all elementary school ages and in a variety of demographic groups. That she offers to share them with us is amazing. Here are all the tips a beginning teacher looks for and cannot find. Here experienced teachers may find something new to make daily lessons fresh and exciting. Well done, Ms. Baker!"
Marian R. Lutz
"This book has great advice for any beginning music teacher. I would also recommend it to those who have been teaching for a while and could use some fresh ideas. Cheryl Baker is a master teacher who I've had the pleasure of working with in Las Vegas. Hope you enjoy the book!"
Jenny Good-Bennett
"Great Music Tips!! This is a perfect book for a beginning music teacher. I loved it! Happy music room."
James Madinson
"Amazingly rich with information to help ANY music teacher. Well worth every penny."
Pamela Wilson
"Lessons from the Music Room is a wonderful guide for beginning music teachers. It includes a wealth of practical information to help make any beginning teacher's first journey into the classroom enjoyable, not only for themselves but also for their students. The author has based her book on her own success as a music teacher, giving many, many examples of what to do under varying circumstances including ideas for storage, room setup, handling students, teachers, principals, etc. A wonderful book even experienced teachers will enjoy. The Kindle version does have a working table of contents, making it easy to locate chapters you are most interested in."
Kazzrak
"I have sung in chorus and chorales of both popular and classical music repertoire for years, and my vocal training started in grade schools singing under the direction and tutelage of Catholic nuns up through auditioned choruses at Florida State University supported by the Music Department. Reading Cheryl's book gave me a completely new insight into everything that goes into a successful music program at the K-12 level that includes much more than simple voice training. Better still, as a retired information technology executive who has spent years teaching specialized technology to adults via in-house training, I can say that her book is about as comprehensive as possible in describing how to succeed as an instructor, regardless of the age of the participants or the specific course work. Her extremely practical guides of how to do everything from arranging the room to coping with the unruly student to dealing with the administration are simply superb recipes for success in today's teaching environment. Any music teacher, no, any teacher of any subject, can profit from 30 years of career advice and avoid reinventing the wheel, or perhaps simply failing due to lack of the specific experiences she relates. The book is not only extremely easy reading, but its structure and chapter layout allow its use both as a cover to cover read and as an "instant reference" in solving "problems" or dealing with "new" situations. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in teaching K-12 music."
Bill Malthouse
"You can see that Cheryl Baker has spent a considerable part of her music teaching life collecting a set of comprehensive lessons, experiences, and resources that she shares openly in her Kindle book Lessons from the Music Room. Any music teacher, whether you are just a newly graduated teacher or a veteran, I believe that all can benefit from the wealth of information in this amazing resource that will transform your music classroom and music program to one you will be proud of and that everyone else will be envious of. Cheryl also shares with her readers the practical tips on everything from the first day, to the end-of-year performance and classroom setups. This book will be a great asset to many beginning teachers. Definitely a must buy to add to your music library." Subscribe now and receive a monthly newsletter with educational
T.D.
“I especially like your use of voice; it feels as if you are having a conversation with an old friend or mentor.”
Sue DeHart
MUSIC TEACHER
“A book like this would have helped me when I was starting out.”
Buddie Collier
VETERAN MUSIC TEACHER
“I loved your matter of fact way of explaining why kids bully. You showed compassion. ...I wouldn't have thought of having the chapter for parents and administrators, but these chapters were great. Awesome advice to get you through very tough moments.”
Laura Lamb
VETERAN MUSIC TEACHER
“I believe you covered everything that we, administrators, would need to know.”
Susie Gant
ADMINISTRATOR
"For too long music programs in public schools have not been seen as a priority for too many school districts. This is starting to change after numerous studies have come out reporting that students who immerse themselves in the arts-specifically music, get better grades, have fewer behavioral issues and become productive members of society once they graduate and move on to post-secondary education. Baker has written a fluid account of how to maximize music program curriculum for teachers. The book is a treasure trove of insightful information, even if you are not a music teacher. Parents, students and education personnel will gain valuable tips from the course structure to even the environment of the classroom, in other words the aesthetics of it. The author brings almost 30 years of music teaching experience to her impressive resume, to be able to know what works and what doesn't."
Jay Douglass
MUSIC TEACHER
“I love how detailed you are in this Chapter in terms of transitions, handling the students, and preparing the music classroom.”