Help students turn struggle into progress

A practical toolkit that helps music teachers show students what to do when learning gets hard, so getting stuck becomes part of the learning process rather than a reason to stop.

Learning music is full of moments when things don’t work straight away. A note won’t sound right, a rhythm won’t settle, or something that worked yesterday suddenly feels difficult today.

The Productive Struggle Toolkit gives teachers, students and parents practical strategies for navigating these moments. Students learn to stay with a challenge, notice what happened, change their approach, try again and know when to come back later — building a process they can use whenever they get stuck.

WHAT YOU GET

• 19-page Productive Struggle Book – practical guidance to help you understand productive struggle and teach students how to work through difficult learning moments.

• 1 Six Habits for Students Poster – a visual reminder of the productive struggle cycle and what students can do when they get stuck.

• 1 Printable Handout for Instrumental Teachers – practical prompts and strategies to use when students are struggling during lessons.

• 4 Printable Parent Handouts – help families support productive struggle at home, with practical language they can use during music practice.

• 7 Printable Music Learning Habits Cards – quick, student-friendly strategies students can reach for when they don’t know what to try next, including narrowing their attention, making a challenge smaller, changing their approach and slowing things down.

WHAT IT HELPS YOU DO

• Give students practical strategies for what to do when they get stuck

• Turn mistakes and difficult moments into opportunities for learning

• Help students notice what happened before simply trying again

• Teach students to make challenges smaller and more manageable

• Encourage students to change their approach when something isn’t working

• Build more purposeful practice habits

• Give parents practical language to support music practice at home

• Help students recognise that getting stuck doesn’t mean learning has stopped

HOW TO USE IT

Introduce the six Productive Struggle habits to your students, then bring them into everyday lessons and practice.

When a student gets stuck, use the prompts and activities to help them notice what happened, choose a change, test it and decide what to do next. Keep the Music Learning Habits Cards nearby so students can choose a strategy themselves, and share the parent handouts to extend the same language into home practice.

WHY IT WORKS

Students don’t just need encouragement to “keep trying.” They need strategies for how to keep learning when something feels difficult.

Productive struggle teaches students that difficulty is a normal part of music learning. Instead of repeating the same attempt or seeing being stuck as failure, students learn to notice, adjust, test and keep moving forward.

Stuck isn’t stopped. It’s about finding your next move.

COMMON QUESTIONS

• What is productive struggle? It’s helping students learn how to respond when something is difficult rather than immediately giving up or relying on someone else to solve it.

• Who is this toolkit for? Music teachers, instrumental teachers and parents who want practical ways to support students through challenging learning moments.

• What ages can I use it with? The strategies can be adapted across different ages and stages of music learning.

• How do I use the Music Learning Habits Cards? Keep them accessible during lessons or practice and encourage students to choose a card when they’re stuck. Each gives them a simple action or question to help them find their next move.

• Can I share resources with parents? Yes. The toolkit includes four printable parent handouts designed to help families support productive struggle during music practice.

• Is this a digital product? Yes. The toolkit is an instant download with printable resources.

Add to cart NOW. Give your students the tools to know what to do when learning gets hard.

LOVE THIS TOOLKIT? GET A BRAND-NEW ONE EVERY MONTH

This toolkit is $50 on its own. BBB+ Premium Toolkit and Premium Annual members receive a brand-new toolkit straight to their inbox free every month, plus access to over 500 evidence-based resources.

Join as a Premium Toolkit member for $60 a year, just $5 a month, and get a new toolkit every month plus the full resource library. That is less than the cost of two standalone toolkits for a whole year of support.

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Build the habits that make music learning last

Six digital posters that make the habits developed through music learning visible, helping students recognise the skills they are building every time they learn, practise and perform.

Music learning develops more than musical ability. Every rehearsal, mistake, challenge and breakthrough gives students opportunities to practise habits that support how they learn, respond and grow.

The Habits of Music Learning Posters bring six of these habits to life. Each poster breaks a habit into simple, practical behaviours, giving students a visual reminder of what successful learning looks like and teachers a shared language to reinforce it.

WHAT YOU GET

• 6 digital Habits of Music Learning Posters

• Habits include Persistence, Collaboration, Focus, Adaptability, Self-Management and Confidence

• A4 size, ready to download, print and display

HOW TEACHERS USE THEM

• Display them in classrooms, studios and rehearsal spaces as everyday learning reminders

• Refer to a habit when students encounter challenges in their music learning

• Help students recognise the skills they are developing through practice and performance

• Start conversations about how these habits can support learning beyond music

• Share them with parents and school leaders to demonstrate the wider value of music learning

WHY IT WORKS

Students practise these habits through music all the time, but they may not recognise that they are developing them. Making the habits visible helps students connect what they are doing in music with how they are learning.

Instead of simply telling a student to “focus”, “keep trying” or “work together”, the posters give them practical ways to understand what those habits look like in action.

“These posters have given my students a language for the skills they’re already building through music. Now I can point to a habit and they immediately understand what we’re working on and why it matters.”
Music Teacher

COMMON QUESTIONS

• How many posters are included? Six digital posters.

• Which habits are included? Persistence, Collaboration, Focus, Adaptability, Self-Management and Confidence.

• What size are they? A4.

• Is this a physical product? No. This is a digital download that you can print yourself.

• Who are they for? Music teachers who want students to recognise and strengthen the habits they develop through music learning.

• Where can I use them? Classrooms, studios, rehearsal rooms, practice spaces or anywhere students learn music.

Add to cart NOW. Put the habits of successful music learning where your students can see them every day.

BBB+ gives music teachers everything they need to make the case for music all year round:

• A new advocacy toolkit every month

• A library of 500+ tools and resources

• Exclusive student exercises and advocacy materials

• Member discounts

See what members get HERE

Give your music program a health check

A practical diagnostic book that helps you assess the health of your music program, identify strengths and warning signs, and decide what needs attention next. Music programs are living systems.

Participation shifts, students come and go, staffing and resources change, workloads grow and school priorities evolve. A program that felt healthy two years ago may look very different today.

The Music Program Health Check gives you a structured way to step back and examine how your program is really functioning. Using the familiar language of a medical check-up, you’ll identify symptoms, examine the vital signs of your program, separate evidence from assumptions and create a clear prescription for what comes next.

WHAT YOU GET

• 8-page Music Program Health Check – assess your program at a glance, identify symptoms and distinguish evidence from assumptions.

• 9-page Music Program Vitals Check – examine eight areas of program health: Participation, Retention, Capacity, Visibility, Advocacy, Community, Student Growth and Culture.

• 4-page Music Program Results Summary – bring your findings together, identify priorities and create your Prescription for what to continue, monitor, improve and celebrate.

• 3 Professional Learning Activities – extend your Health Check through guided reflection and practical activities designed to support your next steps.

WHAT IT HELPS YOU DO

• See the overall health of your music program

• Recognise strengths and uncover warning signs

• Identify where pressure is building

• Check whether your program is sustainable and supported

• Move from assumptions to evidence

• Decide what needs your attention now and what can wait

• Turn your diagnosis into clear priorities for action

HOW TO USE IT

Set aside 30–60 minutes of uninterrupted time, just as you would for a health appointment. Start with your first impressions, symptoms and Health Snapshot. Then work through each area, comparing the Healthy Signs and Warning Signs and giving each a green, amber or red diagnosis.

Bring your findings together in your Program Health Report, then write your Prescription: what should continue, what needs monitoring, what is most important to improve and what deserves to be celebrated.

Finally, schedule your next Health Check for 3, 6 or 12 months so you can revisit your results and see what has changed.

WHY IT WORKS

No single measure can tell you whether a music program is healthy. Strong enrolments can exist alongside unsustainable workloads. Successful performances can mask retention problems. A busy program may still struggle to be seen, understood or valued by the wider school community.

The Music Program Health Check helps you look at the whole program. By examining multiple indicators together, you can see what is working, uncover where pressure is building and make more informed decisions about where to focus next.

“I knew where some of the pressure points were, but seeing the whole program laid out like this helped me connect the dots. It gave me a much clearer idea of what was working, what needed attention and where to focus next.”
Mary, Music Teacher.

COMMON QUESTIONS

• ‍What is the Music Program Health Check? A practical diagnostic book for assessing the strengths, pressures and overall health of your music program.

• What does it assess? Participation, retention, capacity, visibility, advocacy, community, student growth and culture.

• Do I need data before I start? No. It helps you identify what you already have evidence for and where you may be relying on assumptions.

• How long does it take? Set aside approximately 30–60 minutes.

• Is it only for struggling programs? No. It helps you identify what is working well as well as what may need attention.

• What happens at the end? You create a Program Health Report and Prescription outlining what to continue, monitor, improve and celebrate.

• How often should I use it? Revisit your Health Check in 3, 6 or 12 months depending on your results.

WANT MORE SUPPORT FOR YOUR MUSIC PROGRAM?

Your Music Program Health Check helps you identify where your program needs attention. BBB+ helps you decide what to do next.

BBB+ gives music educators access to 500+ evidence-based resources designed to strengthen advocacy, build understanding and support healthier, more sustainable music programs. Premium Toolkit members also receive a brand-new toolkit every month, giving you practical resources to tackle new challenges as they arise.

Join as a Premium Toolkit member for $60 a year, just $5 a month. That is less than the cost of two standalone toolkits for a whole year of support. Click Here

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Make the skills your students build through music visible

A simple, low-stakes app and teacher toolkit that helps students notice, record and celebrate six learning habits that grow through music, from focus to self-management.

Music builds far more than musicians. Every time students practise, they develop focus, persistence, adaptability, collaboration, confidence and self-management, skills that serve them well beyond the music room. The Music Learning Passport helps students notice, record and celebrate that growth, and gives you a simple way to capture it. Students work through six passport stamps in the app, reflect on the habits they are building, and email their finished learner profile to you and their parents.

WHAT YOU GET

• Access to the Music Learning Passport app: a link and password to share with your students, who track their progress on any device

• A teacher how-to guide with everything you need to set it up and run it with your class

• Six printable habit pages, one for each habit, each with a clear explanation, how music develops it, what it looks like in practice, and a reflection prompt

• A shareable learner profile: once students collect all six stamps, they choose their strongest skills and email a finished profile to you and their parents

• Six Habits of Music Learning posters to display in your classroom, reinforcing each learning habit throughout the year

WHAT IT HELPS YOU DO

• Make the skills students build through music visible to them, to you and to parents

• Support reflection, goal-setting and student-teacher check-ins

• Provide a light-touch piece of evidence for assessment

• Help students who are struggling to see their own progress

• Strengthen the case for music by showing the wider skills it develops

HOW TO USE IT
Share the app link and password with your students, then use the passport as a quick end-of-term reflection, a goal-setting activity for a new term, a student-teacher check-in, or a support tool for students who need it. Students can complete it independently, in class or through guided discussion, and email their finished profile to you when they are done. Use the printable habit pages to introduce each stamp or spark class discussion.

WHY IT WORKS
When students can see the habits they are building, music learning becomes about more than performance. It becomes visible proof of the focus, persistence and self-management they are developing, skills they carry into every part of their lives. As one student profile puts it, music is not only about what you can perform, it is shaping the learner you are becoming.

"This app was a lifesaver on a day I couldn’t be in class and I didn’t want to set just another worksheet to complete. This experience was deeply beneficial for the students and has sparked many many conversations.” Holly, Middle School Music Teacher

COMMON QUESTIONS

• What is the passport? A student app plus a teacher toolkit for tracking six learning habits that grow through music.

• How do students access it? You share a link and password. Students can complete it on any device.

• Will their progress save? Yes, progress saves on the device they use, so students should return to the same device and browser each time.

• Do I need to mark anything? No. Students reflect and email their finished profile to you. It is designed to be low stakes and low effort.

• How can I use it? End-of-term reflection, goal-setting, check-ins, assessment evidence or support for students who need it.

Add to cart NOW. Help your students see how far their music learning has taken them.

LOVE THIS TOOLKIT? GET A BRAND-NEW ONE EVERY MONTH

This toolkit is $50 on its own. BBB+ Premium Toolkit and Premium Annual members receive a brand-new toolkit straight to their inbox free every month, plus access to over 500 evidence-based resources.

Join as a Premium Toolkit member for $60 a year, just $5 a month, and get a new toolkit every month plus the full resource library. That is less than the cost of two standalone toolkits for a whole year of support.

Want everything BBB+ offers? Premium Annual is 50% off right now.

Become a BBB+ Premium Toolkit member today CLICK HERE

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Make the case for music, without saying a word

A set of classroom-ready posters that connect each instrument family to the cognitive, social and academic benefits of learning music, so the value of your program is visible to every student, parent and leader who walks past.

This is more than decoration. Each set turns your studio, classroom or foyer into everyday advocacy, translating the research behind music education into something people take in at a glance. Use them to start conversations, win support, and keep the case for music in front of the people who fund and shape your program.

WHAT YOU GET

• 5 posters per set, sized A3

• A free bonus poster with every set

• Printed on durable 200gsm stock with a glossy finish

• Customisable wording: choose the message that suits your audience when you order

CHOOSE YOUR SET

• String set: violins, cellos and more, and how they build focus, memory and emotional growth.

• Wind set: flutes, clarinets and saxophones, and their impact on brain development.

• Brass set: trumpets, trombones and tubas, and their role in discipline and teamwork.

• Percussion set: drums and cymbals, and how they sharpen coordination and concentration.

• Contemporary set: how making music builds persistence and resilience.

• Early Childhood set: how early music supports neural development and motor skills.

• Junior Musician set: how learning music strengthens cognitive connectivity.

Not sure where to start? Start with the set that suits the students you teach.

Want more than one? The Orchestra Set - "This is not..." Posters brings four sets together for $150, saving you $70 versus buying them separately at $55 each. CLICK HERE

HOW TEACHERS USE THEM

• On the studio or classroom wall as everyday, passive advocacy

• In the foyer, at concerts and on enrolment nights to make the case to parents

• In a budget or funding submission, the evidence for leadership at a glance

• As conversation starters with students, parents and school administrators

WHY IT WORKS
Decision-makers fund what they understand. These posters translate the research into a single glance, so you spend less time defending your program and more time teaching.

"These posters look so good we have framed them and put them all along the music corridor. Students stop to read them all the time." Jeremy, Secondary School Teacher.

COMMON QUESTIONS

• How many posters are in a set? Five posters per set.

• What size are they? A3.

• Can I change the wording? Yes, choose the message that suits your audience when you order.

• Which set should I start with? Start with the set that suits the students you teach. If you want more than one section, the Orchestra Set - "This is not..." Posters bundles four sets for $150 and saves you $70. CLICK HERE

Add to cart NOW. Start turning your walls into your strongest advocate for music.

KEEP THE ADVOCACY GOING
BBB+ gives music teachers everything they need to make the case for music all year round:

• A new advocacy toolkit every month

• A library of 500+ tools and resources

• Exclusive student exercises and advocacy materials

• Member discounts

See what members get HERE

The evidence behind everything you teach, in one book

From Dr Anita Collins, music educator and creator of the TED-Ed video watched 17+ million times, translating the world's neuroscience research into the case for music education and the strategies to bring it into your teaching.

You already know music changes your students. The Music Advantage gives you the research that proves it. Because Anita explains the science through real-life stories, it reads like a good conversation rather than a textbook. Use it to advocate for your program, win over parents and leadership, and sharpen what you do in the classroom.

WHAT YOU GET

• The complete book, 260 pages

• Easy to read: the neuroscience explained through real classroom and family stories

• Practical strategies you can apply across any age you teach, from birth to the teenage years

CHOOSE YOUR EDITION

• Global edition: for readers outside the US

• US edition: US terminology and examples

• Signed copy: personally signed by Dr Anita Collins [while stocks last]

HOW TEACHERS USE IT

• Advocacy: make the evidence-based case to school leadership for funding and keeping your program

• Parent conversations: answer "is it really worth it?" with authority at enrolment and parent nights

• In the classroom: practical strategies, from clapping to help a struggling reader, to ensemble play for concentration and social skills

• Professional development: deepen your grasp of the "why" behind your teaching, or read it as a department

WHY IT WORKS
Written by Dr Anita Collins and grounded in research from leading neuromusical scientists worldwide, so when you make the case for music you are standing on the science, not opinion. And the real-life stories mean you will actually enjoy reading it.

"This book is my bible. I have so many highlights and pages flagged that I can use with parents and for quotes in emails." Kirsten, Music Teacher.

COMMON QUESTIONS

• Which edition should I choose? Global for outside the US, US edition for US spelling and examples.

• Is it a hard read? Not at all. Anita uses real-life stories to make the science clear and enjoyable.

• What ages does it cover? Birth to the 18 years, useful whatever level you teach.

Add to cart NOW. Put the evidence for music behind your program today.

KEEP THE ADVOCACY GOING
BBB+ gives music teachers everything they need to make the case for music all year round:

• A new advocacy toolkit every month

• A library of 500+ tools and resources

• Exclusive student exercises and advocacy materials

• Member discounts

See what members get HERE

Make the case for music in the early years, at a glance

A ready-to-share digital campaign that turns the research behind early childhood music learning into nine professional visuals, so parents and leaders see music as essential to school readiness and brain development.

Looking for a clear, compelling way to show how music learning strengthens early childhood development? This campaign helps educators, early learning centres, school leaders and music teachers communicate the research behind music in the early years. Nine research-driven visuals make it easy to advocate for music as a foundational tool for school readiness and early brain development, covering language development, numeracy growth, self-regulation, executive functioning and neural development, so your community understands that music is not an extra, it is essential.

WHAT YOU GET
An instant digital download, ready to share straight away, including:

• 9 high-impact digital images: each presents a powerful early learning research statistic connected to music learning, making complex neuroscience simple and persuasive.

• 3 pages of accompanying research notes (new): the neuroscience behind each visual, a simple "how to explain it to parents" section, and the original research source for further reading.

• Optimised resolution: sized at 810px by 810px, clear and professional across every digital platform.

• Instant download: immediate access on purchase, with no editing or design work required.

WHAT IT HELPS YOU DO

• Increase enrolments in your early years program

• Build parent confidence in music learning

• Strengthen leadership understanding of your program

• Communicate the research with clear, credible language

HOW TO USE IT
Share the visuals across social media, newsletters, parent communications, enrolment campaigns and school presentations. Use the accompanying notes to explain the science with confidence in conversations with parents and staff.

WHY IT WORKS
When families and leaders understand how music supports early literacy, numeracy and self-regulation, participation becomes easier and support grows stronger. This campaign gives you the visuals and the evidence to lead the conversation.

"I have been surprised how much the numbers have mattered to parents. They remember them, even quote them back to me, and that’s when a great conversations begins.” Kate, Independent Early Childhood Owner and Director.

COMMON QUESTIONS

• Is it digital? Yes. Instant download, ready to share, with no editing or design work required.

• What size are the images? 810px by 810px, sized for social media and digital platforms.

• What is included? Nine research visuals plus three pages of accompanying research notes.

• Where can I use them? Social media, newsletters, parent communications, enrolment campaigns and presentations.

Add to cart NOW. Start leading the conversation about music in the early years.

WANT EVEN MORE TOOLS LIKE THIS?
Join BBB+ Premium Annual and unlock instant access to over 500 expertly designed, evidence-based advocacy tools, including digital campaigns just like this one, plus a brand-new advocacy toolkit every month. Whether you are strengthening your early learning program or building whole-school understanding, BBB+ gives you the strategic advantage all year round.
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Explore BBB+ Premium Annual and start advocating with confidence

Turn parents into champions of your music program

A set of 14 ready-to-print handouts that give parents of 8 to 18 year olds the clear, credible case for music education, so they understand its value and get behind their child's musical journey.

Parents are your program's biggest ally, once they understand what music really gives their child. These handouts do that work for you. Written for music teachers to share with families, they set out the benefits of music education for 8 to 18 year olds, well beyond academic results, so parents recognise, support and champion their child's music learning.

WHAT YOU GET
An instant digital download, ready to print at home or a print shop, including:

• 14 A4 printable pages, each outlining a key point on how music education impacts students

• Two versions: full colour and elegant black and white, to suit any printer or setting

• Content that covers the full picture: academic performance, professional skills, qualities like teamwork, persistence and creativity, and stronger brain and cognitive function

WHAT IT HELPS YOU DO

• Win parental support for your music program

• Strengthen the home-school connection

• Give parents clear, credible reasons to back music

• Advocate for music's place in the curriculum

HOW TO USE IT
Hand them out at parent-teacher meetings, open house events and recitals, or send them home for students to share with their families. Print in colour for display, or black and white for everyday handouts.

WHY IT WORKS
Parents support what they understand. When families see the full value of music, from academic gains to teamwork, persistence and creativity, they become active champions of your program rather than passive observers.

"I gave these out as parents came into the introductory session for our string program, and I saw them all reading, then swapping with each other to get different information. I have never had such an engaged group of parents.” Malik, Primary School String Co-ordinator

COMMON QUESTIONS

• Is it digital? Yes. Instant download, ready to print at home or a print shop.

• How many pages? 14 A4 pages, supplied in both full colour and black and white.

• What ages is it for? Parents of students aged 8 to 18.

• Where do teachers use it? Parent-teacher meetings, open houses, recitals and as a take-home resource.

Add to cart NOW. Turn your parents into your program's biggest advocates.

KEEP THE ADVOCACY GOING
BBB+ gives music teachers everything they need to make the case for music all year round:

• A new advocacy toolkit every month

• A library of 500+ tools and resources

• Exclusive student exercises and advocacy materials

• Member discounts

See what members get HERE