Helping New Teachers Find Their Rhythm
Do you ever feel like you’re sinking under the waves of lesson planning, classroom management, and nonstop decisions that come with teaching? You’re not alone, and you don’t have to navigate by yourself.
At Tune Your Teaching, you’ll find steady, judgment‑free support from someone who’s been there. With over 30 years of experience in general music, middle school general music, choir, hand chimes, percussion ensemble, and marching band, I’ve lived through the highs and lows of being a teacher.
My name is Holly Cowdery, and I’m here to share practical strategies, research‑based practices, and tried‑and‑true tools to lighten your load and help you thrive, not just survive, through your first decade of teaching.
Classroom Material
What We Offer
Teaching Tips
Helpful Resources
Holly Cowdery
Holly Cowdery is a retired music educator with more than three decades of experience helping students and teachers thrive. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the University of Akron and is trained in Kodály, Orff Schulwerk, and holds her Master Teacher Certification.
Holly spent most of her career teaching in the Copley‑Fairlawn School District, where she served as lead mentor and taught everything from elementary and middle school General Music to Marching Band, Handchime Choir, Percussion Ensemble, and special needs classes. She has taught with the Summit Children’s Choir Program, served as an adjunct instructor at Malone University, and presented at OMEA, Florida, and Hawai‘i state conferences. Holly has contributed to Purposeful Pathways and the Ohio Department of Education’s Teacher Leadership Liaison Network.
Now retired, she loves supporting new teachers with practical guidance, encouragement, and the kind of steady reassurance that only experience can offer.
Mrs. Cowdery has been an incredible mentor to new and experienced teachers alike. She's always willing to give her advice and share her expertise!
-Alisha Griffin, Teacher
Testimonials
Student teaching with Holly was truly an incredible experience. She is thoughtful, intelligent, and inclusive. Her classroom management skills are exceptional, and any resource she creates is invaluable.
-Student Teacher
Blog
Teaching tips and tricks from Holly Cowdery.