Professional Development
Professional Development Sessions
Below are a list of PD sessions that have been offered at Local, State, Regional, and National workshops and conferences. I am happy to tailor the content and length of any presentation to meet your professional development needs.
Little people, BIG Music: Strategies for Early Childhood Music Education
People often inaccurately label early childhood music as overly simplistic. In reality, the skills and knowledge learned by students in grades K-3 are an essential foundation for a sequential K-12 music education. Through well crafted experiences with a variety of media, early childhood students can sing, say, and play amazing music!
Something old, new, borrowed, and blue:
Springboards for creative thinking in music
Music Education literature consistently cites that creative tasks (composition improvisation, etc.) are often the least scheduled activities in music classrooms. This session will present research based and kid trusted activities that can be folded into your preexisting curriculum.
Choose your own adventure: Using ukulele to meet National Standards
The ukulele provides a student focused and accessible way to meet the strands (o perform, create, respond, and connect) of the National Standards. Participants in their session will learn basic learning technique(s) and ways to engage in the creative process. Suggestions for assessment, performance, curriculum sequencing, and adaptations will be provided.
General Music Should Not be Be Made of Stone and Concrete
Current societal issues have forced teachers to confront general music curriculum in new ways. Examining and confronting concrete practices in general music education has presented challenges and opportunities. Focusing on the Creating, Responding, and Connecting strands of the National Standards, this session will provide general music teachers with strategies and solutions for overcoming instructional challenges, issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and seizing the opportunities of teaching music during this time.
Perfect pairings: Children’s books for a balanced musical appetite
How can I teach literacy skills and have time for other things? With the right tools and carefully created cross-curricular lessons, music teachers can teach and reinforce literacy skills in multiple disciplines without sacrificing precious instructional time. Join us we explore the similarities and differences in building textual and musical literacy and how to design, develop, and integrate cross curricular lessons to meet multiple standards.
The greatest hits of CCR:
Creating, connecting, and responding in general music classrooms
Music education faces many unique challenges that requires refocusing our curriculum and developing a new skill set.This session will provide music teachers with suggestions and standards based strategies to create, connect, and respond to music from multiple perspectives. Join us, "Down on the corner, out in the street", for a jam packed session!
Can you hear me now?
Active listening lessons for learning in multiple situations
Join us as we discuss how to structure listening lessons for students regardless of the mode of teaching and learning. This workshop will feature best practices for structuring listening lessons to sing, say, dance, and play!
It just takes a little DIY:
Building a sequential music curriculum
General music classrooms can be the perfect and eclectic place where all children find a place to belong! Building the perfect general music curriculum requires planning, accommodating for your audience, knowing what pairs well together, and understanding what is essential. Join us as we discuss how build a sequential music curriculum that meets your students’ needs, honors your philosophy as a music teacher, and meets national standards.
And they all lived happily ever after…
Wedding Kodály & Orff Schulwerk in your curriculum
Many think Orff and Kodály are polar opposites but in reality both approaches can be beautifully wed. This session will explore ways to take the best of of both approaches to offer students a sequential music education.
Get with the groove:
Drumming thorough your school year
Join us as we sing, say, play, and move as we drum. Participants will learn several kids tested activities to drum throughout the year.