East Coast Regional Practicum
February 6-7, 2025
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
The East Coast Regional Practicum is designed to convene Teaching Artists from El Sistema-inspired and community music programs across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, including Canada, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, DC, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Over two full days in-person, participants gain new skills and tools that directly support the continued growth of their teaching practice as they hear from expert clinicians, reflect together through collaborative conversations, observe teaching artistry in real-time, and build a network of peer Teaching Artists.
We look forward to meeting you February 6-7, 2025 at the East Coast Regional Practicum in Baltimore, MD, hosted by Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s OrchKids.
About the Host organization
OrchKids provides Baltimore youth with equitable access to community-based, high-quality music instruction and programming that teaches musical and social skills transferable to all areas of their lives.
OrchKids uses music as a vehicle for students to develop musical and social skills that are transferable to all areas of their lives including creativity, self-expression, and teamwork. Marin Alsop, Music Director Laureate of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and OrchKids Founding Director, shaped OrchKids into the cornerstone of the BSO’s community engagement efforts across the city with her artistic leadership and direction. OrchKids was founded in 2008 with 30 students at one elementary school with seed funding from Marin Alsop and Founding Donors Rheda Becker and Robert E. Meyerhoff.
OrchKids now works with seven schools in Baltimore City, serving over 1,800 children from Pre-K through 12th grade during school, after school, and in weeklong workshops.
In collaboration with several community partners, OrchKids provides music education, instruments, academic assistance, meals, mental health resources, connection to social services, as well as performance and mentorship opportunities — all at no cost to students and their families. OrchKids is an acknowledged leader in the El Sistema movement throughout the world.
featured clinician
Dr. Rhoda Bernard
Rhoda Bernard holds a Bachelor of Arts cum laude in government from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Music with academic honors in jazz voice from New England Conservatory. She earned both her Master of Education and Doctor of Education degrees from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Bernard regularly presents keynote presentations and research at conferences throughout the U.S. and abroad, and she provides professional development workshops for educators in local, national, and international forums. Her work has been published in several book chapters and in numerous journals, including Music Educators Journal; Music Education Research; Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education; Mountain Lake Reader; and Arts and Learning Research Journal. Bernard has been honored with the Irene Buck Service to Arts Education Award from Arts|Learning (2023), the Berklee Urban Service Award (2017), the Boston Conservatory Community Service Award (2011), the Boston Conservatory Faculty/Staff Spirit Award (2007), and the Outstanding Dissertation Award, Honorable Mention (Second Place) from the Arts and Learning Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association. An active arts education advocate, she is the immediate past chair of the Arts Education Advisory Council of Americans for the Arts, and she serves on its speakers bureau. A vocalist and pianist who specializes in jazz music and Jewish music in Yiddish and Hebrew, she performs regularly with a number of klezmer bands and has recorded two CDs with the band Klezamir. Learn more about Bernard’s speaking engagements.
practicum WORKSHOPS
LESSON PLAN DESIGN FOR VARIED LEARNING STYLES
This workshop will focus on designing lesson plans that intentionally support different learning styles and build musical skills over time. Participants will learn how to create learning goals that are specific and work to define success for student learning. An emphasis will be placed on planning that supports all students in the classroom and will explore pacing, scope and sequence, and scaffolded learning. Planning skills within the context of community-based programming will be shared that give teaching artists a sense of ownership and a deeper purpose in the classroom, by focusing on both concert-readiness and musical skill building.
sample schedule
Day 1
9:00 – 10:00 Breakfast and Opening Session
10:00 – 12:00 Workshop #1
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 3:00 Workshop #2
3:00 – 5:00 OrchKids Site Visit and Peer Observations
6:30 – 8:30 Regional Networking Social
Day 2
9:00 – 10:00 Breakfast
10:00 – 12:00 Observation Feedback
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 5:00 Workshops # 3 and 4
5:00 – 6:00 Closing Reflections
Attending the East Coast Regional Practicum
February 6-7, 2025
The TATI Regional Practicums are designed to be intimate, personalized conferences between a committed group of Teaching Artists. By registering for the East Coast Regional Practicum and securing one of these limited spots, you are committing to attend both days in their entirety.
General admission
lab cohort alumni
current lab cohort member
$125
$80
FREE
TATI Regional Practicum Policies
TATI Regional Practicum Attendance Policy
As a reminder, the TATI Regional Practicums are designed to be intimate, personalized conferences between a committed group of Teaching Artists. By registering for a TATI Regional Practicum and securing one of these limited spots, you are committing to attend both days in their entirety.
– Commitment to Full Attendance: By registering for a TATI Regional Practicum, you are committing to attend both days of the conference in their entirety, from 9:00am to 6:00pm.
– No Partial Attendance: Partial attendance is not permitted. You must be present for the full duration of both days.
– No In-and-Out Attendance: Each conference session builds on the last. As such, attendees are not allowed to come and go during the conference. Consistent presence is required.
– Equal Expectations: These attendance requirements apply equally to all participants, whether you are a member of the host organization or an external guest.
– Non-Compliance Consequences: Failure to comply with this attendance policy may result in your registration being voided without a refund.
TATI Regional Practicum Cancellation Policy
Should you need to cancel, you will need to send a written request by the refund deadline of December 9, 2024. You will receive a refund of the registration fee, minus a $25 administrative fee, for each cancelled registration. No refunds will be issued for cancellation requests received after December 9, 2024. All cancellation requests must be submitted via email to admin@tatraininginstitute.org.
travel and lodging
TATI has reserved a block of rooms at:
Hotel Indigo Baltimore Downtown 24 W Franklin St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: Individuals can make reservations by calling (855) 914-1370 and identify themselves with the
GROUP CODE TAT: Teaching Artists Training Institute
Amenities include: discounted parking, WIFI, onsite restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Single and double rooms available, go to the Booking Link for special registration discounts
Travel Tips
Public transportation is available from BWI to downtown Baltimore. Public transportation is also available to get around the city, although ride shares may be preferable for convenience. Once at the workshop, participants will be encouraged to carpool/ride share to site visits as needed.
