You’ve sung the song and played the game. Now what? If you’re looking for actionable, child-centered, and bite-sized ways to include more creative choices for students while sparking more imagination in your repertoire planning, this is the session for you! In this workshop, we’ll explore artistic ways to use repertoire through improvisation, arranging, and composition. Reimagine your elementary general music songs and rhymes by weaving in varied musical experiences and stretching songs across creative avenues.

Do you ever feel like you would cook more homemade meals if you had more time? This is the session for you! Come join LaSaundra in her kitchen as she shows you how to make 2 delicious meals in 20 minutes. LaSaundra is a music educator and mom of three teenagers. She is the author of Meals for Musicians: Delicious Meals to Fit Your Busy Lifestyle.

What does it mean to be a programmer for a music venue? And, how do you manage relationships with artists in the music industry while creating great experiences for patrons? In this pre-conference workshop, Patrick Brogan (Chief Programming Officer at ArtsQuest, a nonprofit arts & cultural organization) will share his experience in curating experiences in the arts while focusing on local community development.

Food bEatz are a collection of rhythm games for Grades 3-6 that celebrate the brilliance of diasporic musical styles like Hip-hop, Reggaeton, Afrobeat, Rock n Roll, and Funk. Veteran Philadelphia educators Jesse Mell and Travien Bryson will lead participants in Body bEatz, a step-inspired warmup that builds coordination, self-confidence, and steady beat; Food bEatz 4 Bucketz, a series of bucket drumming lessons that teach the rhythms of popular music styles Hiphop, Reggaeton, Afrobeat, and Funk; and Rap Challenge, a team-based rap battle that strengthens SEL skills as well as syncopation. For music educators who believe the study and performance of popular music in elementary music rooms is important, Food bEatz rhythm games are a safe and friendly resource. Food bEatz rhythm games are excellent for teaching syncopation using emojis, vocalization, and body rhythm instead of confusing combinations of dots, cuts, and ties.

A céilí is a social gathering in Ireland featuring traditional Irish music, dance, and storytelling— a vibrant celebration of Irish music and culture! In this session participants will explore the background and contexts for performing traditional dances of Ireland. Participants will learn traditional Irish dance steps for solo jigs and reels and engage in lively folk dances bringing the spirit of the céilí to the session and onward to the elementary general music classroom. Through the traditions of Ireland, this session will address practices for incorporating music and dance from a variety of cultures as a unique way to encourage student engagement and foster cultural connections.

Providing students with a voice in the music class can further enhance learning and deepen the musical experience for the students. Every student enters our classroom with unique talents and experiences, and as educators, we must find ways to maximize the potential of every student we encounter. In this session, we will discuss five essential questions that can promote student-centeredness. Four questions will be for the educator and one for the students. When asked and utilized in tandem, these questions can open deep levels of possibilities and student engagement.

Dr. Cooper, SoSoon, and DJ LiKWUiD of the hip-hop collective Fifth Element Education host a Back-To-School Jam, complete with interactive demos, door prizes, and performances by all three co-hosts. Dr. Cooper will give an intro to the five core elements of hip-hop, showcase how to get students working with beatmaking using loops, live samples, and type beats, and share original work. SoSoon will open with a performance that will connect to a brief overview of the evolution of the emcee/rapper’s role in Hip-Hop. He will then transition into a brief lesson on how to write original rap lyrics. DJ LiKWUiD will present an interactive deejay set and conversation around the origins of the DeeJay in hip-hop culture, women in hip-hop, and how to use mix techniques to engage students. This workshop will also introduce basic deejay-ing principles and tools for learning. By the end of the session, attendees will have a firm foundation for understanding deejay terminology and techniques.

“Queeries in Music” encourages educators to take a moment and consider some terms and topics from the LGBTQ+ Community. During this session, we will look at common vocabulary found within the LGBTQ+ Community and encourage engagement with the terms beyond the session. From there, we move into statistics and data from The Trevor Project National Survey and bullying research from across the country. It’s a moment to tackle a large topic, and change can be daunting. Takeaways will include a basic understanding of topic terminology and implementable activities that don’t overshadow content. Queeries is meant to answer some initial questions you may have when approaching supporting queer(LGBTQ+) youth in your classroom.

This session will guide teachers to authentically implement CRT. Teachers can not be culturally responsive if they are not aware of their student’s experiences and backgrounds. Teachers can not make learning relevant for students if they do not know what music is popular and loved by their students. Getting to Know Your Students will guide music educators to build relationships with their students by getting to know them through activities that can be accomplished within a 30-45 minute music period. Through these activities, teachers will learn about their student’s backgrounds, interests, and personalities, which will ultimately result in the planning of student-centered lessons and the creation of classrooms where students are represented and seen.

This session will guide teachers to authentically implement CRT. Teachers can not be culturally responsive if they are not aware of their student’s experiences and backgrounds. Teachers can not make learning relevant for students if they do not know what music is popular and loved by their students. Getting to Know Your Students will guide music educators to build relationships with their students by getting to know them through activities that can be accomplished within a 30-45 minute music period. Through these activities, teachers will learn about their student’s backgrounds, interests, and personalities, which will ultimately result in the planning of student-centered lessons and the creation of classrooms where students are represented and seen.

So many music educators struggle with keeping their music program afloat. There are many things that contribute to this whether it be a lack of support, a lack of resources, or lack of understanding. This brief presentation will give music educators tips on how to develop a great atmosphere for music education, not only in their classroom, but for their entire school community.

Music teachers regularly miss out on thousands of dollars of much-needed equipment because they assume that the process of applying for grants, donations, and funding is more time-consuming and difficult than it is. Using her blend of tactical advice and guided journaling, Duhon helps educators move from overwhelm to action regarding seeking financial and other help for their classroom. Teachers will have time to brainstorm what programs are available at the district level, what information they always need to have on hand for applications, and how to evaluate if a grant program is worth their time. Music teachers will leave with a written plan of what they’d like for their classroom and what action steps they’ll need to complete (and when) to make it happen!

Dr. Cooper, SoSoon, and DJ LiKWUiD of the hip-hop collective Fifth Element Education host a Back-To-School Jam, complete with interactive demos, door prizes, and performances by all three co-hosts. Dr. Cooper will give an intro to the five core elements of hip-hop, showcase how to get students working with beatmaking using loops, live samples, and type beats, and share original work. SoSoon will open with a performance that will connect to a brief overview of the evolution of the emcee/rapper’s role in Hip-Hop. He will then transition into a brief lesson on how to write original rap lyrics. DJ LiKWUiD will present an interactive deejay set and conversation around the origins of the DeeJay in hip-hop culture, women in hip-hop, and how to use mix techniques to engage students. This workshop will also introduce basic deejay-ing principles and tools for learning. By the end of the session, attendees will have a firm foundation for understanding deejay terminology and techniques.

Join us for an engaging presentation as we dive into the world of Solfeg.io, a dynamic music education platform that offers an array of features including popular songs with clean lyrics, interactive tutorials, plug & play activities, and much more. In this session, we will showcase how any music teacher can use Solfeg.io resources to foster collaboration, increase engagement, and create a more inclusive learning environment. By drawing inspiration from the latest cognitive science research on learning, we will explore how the platform’s new features have been shaped by emerging trends and the evolving needs of students. So, if you aim to incorporate popular songs or enhance your music teaching curriculum with new content and techniques, join this session and get inspired.

Discover a fresh perspective on assessing student progress in performance-based classrooms during this enlightening clinic session. Challenge the traditional grading approach and explore the idea of keeping statistics that actually mean something to your students. This session encourages music educators to embrace alternative assessment methods that focus on tracking individual growth and reporting it in a way that is visually creative and pedagogically inspiring. By allowing Google Sheets and Google Forms to collect and analyze the data for you, teachers can gain deeper insights into each student’s musical journey, identify areas of improvement, and tailor instructional strategies accordingly. Through thought-provoking discussions and practical examples, I will demonstrate how statistics-based assessment promotes a more comprehensive understanding of students’ musical abilities and fosters a supportive, growth-oriented learning environment. Leave this clinic session equipped with innovative tools and models to redefine assessment practices in your performance classroom.

Whether you’re new to teaching group guitar, are interested in starting a group, or have experience teaching guitar in school, there is something for everybody at this workshop. Bring a guitar and play along as we explore the unique educational properties of learning the guitar and how you can keep the learning authentic and true to the instrument and its most famous musicians. We will also be exploring how to incorporate the instrument into regular classroom instruction with only a few guitars in your arsenal!

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in performance venues and art spaces? Join F-flat author and Musicast Founder, Marissa Guarriello, as she shares her expertise in music programming and planning.

Google is so much more than a search engine! While most music teachers are familiar with the Google Workspace for Education content collaboration tools such as Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Forms, many are not using them to their full potential. Learn tips and tricks to create content that will engage students, encourage collaboration, and make your life easier in the process!

In this presentation, attendees will learn about the Vietnamese language through Vietnamese children’s songs, including an explanation of diacritics and practice of pronunciation of words. The speaking practice will be applied to lyrics of two Vietnamese children’s songs from Tina’s new e-book, The Vietnamese Children’s Songbook, and then sung.

In this session, participants will explore relevant and easy-to-use activities to engage middle school musicians. From class openers to projects, we’ll explore a variety of tools you can implement in the Fall to connect and grow your musicians at the secondary level.

Do you see signs of sensory overwhelm in your classroom? Common classroom challenges can often be the first sign of kids needing sensory support. This presentation will help you recognize, empathize with, and explore ways to meet your students’ sensory processing needs, often with music. Leave with practical, ready-to-use, neurodiversity-affirming techniques, songs, and resources that can leave kids feeling confident and ready to learn.

Join us for an engaging presentation as we dive into the world of Solfeg.io, a dynamic music education platform that offers an array of features including popular songs with clean lyrics, interactive tutorials, plug & play activities, and much more. In this session, we will showcase how any music teacher can use Solfeg.io resources to foster collaboration, increase engagement, and create a more inclusive learning environment. By drawing inspiration from the latest cognitive science research on learning, we will explore how the platform’s new features have been shaped by emerging trends and the evolving needs of students. So, if you aim to incorporate popular songs or enhance your music teaching curriculum with new content and techniques, join this session and get inspired.

Dr. Cooper, SoSoon, and DJ LiKWUiD of the hip-hop collective Fifth Element Education host a Back-To-School Jam, complete with interactive demos, door prizes, and performances by all three co-hosts. Dr. Cooper will give an intro to the five core elements of hip-hop, showcase how to get students working with beatmaking using loops, live samples, and type beats, and share original work. SoSoon will open with a performance that will connect to a brief overview of the evolution of the emcee/rapper’s role in Hip-Hop. He will then transition into a brief lesson on how to write original rap lyrics. DJ LiKWUiD will present an interactive deejay set and conversation around the origins of the DeeJay in hip-hop culture, women in hip-hop, and how to use mix techniques to engage students. This workshop will also introduce basic deejay-ing principles and tools for learning. By the end of the session, attendees will have a firm foundation for understanding deejay terminology and techniques.

Putting a recorder in the hands of a student doesn’t need to mean the end of making music through singing, moving, playing Orff arrangements, and creating. This session will model how to integrate these four Orff tenets while teaching the recorder. This will be an active session, so be prepared to experience the music-making by immersing yourself in the process, and don’t forget your recorders!

Food bEatz are a collection of rhythm games for Grades 3-6 that celebrate the brilliance of diasporic musical styles like Hip-hop, Reggaeton, Afrobeat, Rock n Roll, and Funk. Veteran Philadelphia educators Jesse Mell and Travien Bryson will lead participants in Body bEatz, a step-inspired warmup that builds coordination, self-confidence, and steady beat; Food bEatz 4 Bucketz, a series of bucket drumming lessons that teach the rhythms of popular music styles Hiphop, Reggaeton, Afrobeat, and Funk; and Rap Challenge, a team-based rap battle that strengthens SEL skills as well as syncopation. For music educators who believe the study and performance of popular music in elementary music rooms is important, Food bEatz rhythm games are a safe and friendly resource. Food bEatz rhythm games are excellent for teaching syncopation using emojis, vocalization, and body rhythm instead of confusing combinations of dots, cuts, and ties.

Being a musician is a uniquely personal and community-based journey. In this session, Coty Raven Morris will share stories and strategies to empower educators to mine their experiences to better serve their students through community care.

If you implement curriculum design strategies, you won’t have to spend as long planning week to week. In fact, there’s something I call the curriculum design sweet spot and in this workshop, we’ll go into detail about not only what that means, but how you can apply the strategies into YOUR planning. By the end of this session, you’ll understand how to long range plan HAND IN HAND with short term planning. But you’ll also learn to view assessments in a different way and will develop systems to keep you going throughout the school year.

Wah Gwan! Let’s come together and connect with the stories and sounds of the beautiful island of Jamaica. From folklore legend Louise Bennett-Coverley to Reggae icon Bob Marley, we will learn about the rich history of this small island to share it on the big stage with our students. Reggae music with ORFF couldn’t think of a better match. “I want to jam it with you!”

In this session, we will learn about Haiti’s Rick folk tradition. Haiti’s music has French, African, Taino, and Spanish influences due to its location in the Caribbean. Khristine Raymond will demonstrate various ways to adapt fun and simple folk songs for your classroom. Anou eksplore ansanm! Let’s explore together!

Have something to say about music education but can’t seem to find enough time to write it out? Writing, just like music making, is a skill, and all people are capable of writing. Whether you’ve never written much before or are looking to build new habits, you’ll find something in this session to help you flourish as a writer. Participants will explore the obstacles people encounter when writing, how to implement research-based tips and tricks, and leave with a plan to build habits to write this year. Come ready with a laptop or tablet to fully participate!

Beyond Composing: The Importance of Teaching NonMusical Skills as Part of Composition Projects (In-Person Session)

Still trying to “click” with your students, community, and colleagues? In this hands-on session, music teachers will learn how to gather their students and/or music staff together to create a cohesive values statement for your classroom or entire music department. Learn from the author of “Planning on Purpose: Creating a Values-Based Music Program” to understand how a values statement can bring clarity, purpose, and cohesion to your work. You’ll leave this session knowing your own values, and with the tools to bring everyone together toward common goals.

Including students with disabilities in elementary and secondary music classrooms is expected, but it can often feel as if we are unprepared to include these students effectively. This session will provide an overview of special education policy and terminology as well as strategies to help all students excel in music classrooms. Teachers will leave with ideas for small changes that will make a big impact toward helping all of their students be successful.

Boomwhackers have been a breakout instrument since covid changed the landscape, but how did we all end up playing them the same way? Let’s explore different ways to attack boomwhackers and what instruments might be the next Boomwhacker!

It’s a double release music making session for “Now It’s Music Time,” based off a song by Lizzo, and “All I Do Is Win”! Get ready to freestyle, sing, play, and learn choreography with the two new Purpose and Teaching Guides that can build community in the classroom.

Join Franklin Willis in an engaging, high-energy session that will have you singing, dancing, and playing your DJ Willis favorites. From Party on the Playground to new tunes, this session is sure to energize and provide ideas for creative music-making this fall. Franklin will provide practical, ready-to-implement strategies to not only enliven your music spaces, but help you connect deeply with the music-makers in your midst.