Tag: Teaching
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The Invisible Act of Belonging: Creating a Classroom Where Students Can Take Risks
Four weeks before the school year begins, I am already thinking about classroom culture. I’m thinking about the music, of course. I’m thinking about repertoire, instrumentation, projects, performances, and the skills I want students to develop. But underneath all of those decisions is another set of questions: What kind of room do I want students…
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The Invisible Act of Belonging: Making Room for Students Long Before We Make Music
It’s early August, about four weeks before the school year begins, and I’m looking at my class rosters. I’m trying to learn names. Some of the names are familiar. Others are completely new to me. I’m looking at the list and beginning to imagine the students who will eventually walk through the door. I’m thinking…
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Sports, Identity, and Complicated Feelings
Every once in a while, sports become about much more than the game itself. This summer, two very different moments left me thinking about identity in ways I hadn’t expected. On one hand, I found myself smiling as a lifelong New Yorker watching the Knicks win the NBA Finals. The celebration wasn’t just about basketball—it…
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Feeling Safe Enough to Learn
This summer I accepted a part-time position supervising a music camp. It’s different from my work during the school year teaching middle and high school band and orchestra, but after only a few days, I found myself thinking about a place I hadn’t reflected on in quite some time. Almost ten years ago, I wrote…
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Documenting the Journey of a Music Educator
Among my goals as an educator is helping those around me feel a sense of safety and belonging. Opportunities to build community happen in various settings, where music education happens. A key opportunity arises during concerts and assemblies. Here, students share their efforts with fellow students, faculty, staff, and parents. Additionally, my work in Equity…
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Musical Collaboration for Diversity and Inclusion: Professional Growth and Impact
My work with the adult community has seen significant growth and effectiveness through the power of collaboration with colleagues. The development of these working relationships and our joint efforts on projects, such as concerts and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.) programming, have not only improved my current work but also enriched my personal and professional…
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Engaging Music Education: Freedom and Creativity in Performance Classes
Project-based performance classes are a fun and dynamic way to get students playing instruments that aren’t usually part of a traditional orchestra, like electric guitars and drum sets. After hearing from students that they wanted more chances to perform and be involved in music, I decided to switch to this format. Our curriculum is designed…
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The Impact of Assessments on Music Education: Balancing Understanding and Grading
As we start to wind down the end of the school year, at my school we started another round of discussions about assessments. The general questions related to the topic is centered between students knowledge and understanding vs. the actual number or letter grade students receive. In general, everywhere in the United States, students are…
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