-> Classroom Management and Student Engagement

Effective classroom management strategies are rooted in the concept of Culturally Responsive Care, which emphasizes holding students to high expectations while also caring deeply about them as individuals. This workshop will delve into the delicate balance between maintaining high expectations and providing high care for students, underscoring the critical role of meticulous planning in fostering an engaging classroom environment. Participants will explore how to create a supportive atmosphere that encourages all students to excel, highlighting the importance of building healthy relationships as the foundation for effective management. By integrating these principles, teaching artists will be equipped to navigate the complexities of classroom dynamics and ensure that each student feels valued and motivated.

-> 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.

-> Team-Teaching in the Music Classroom

This workshop is designed to equip teaching artists with the skills and strategies needed for effective team teaching or co-teaching, addressing the diverse abilities of students within a single classroom. Participants will learn to collaborate efficiently by defining roles, responsibilities, routines, and support processes. Key focal areas include co-planning, setting shared learning goals, leveraging each teaching artist’s strengths, and modeling collaborative communication. The workshop will emphasize how to ensure individual student support enhances whole-class engagement and explore strategies for unifying teaching styles and classroom management techniques. Participants will also learn to navigate differences in opinion or philosophy to create a cohesive and supportive learning environment.

-> Trauma-Informed Classrooms

This teacher training workshop is designed to equip educators with embedded teaching strategies to create psychologically safe environments that support students with mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral (MEDB) challenges, as highlighted by the 2021 National Survey of Children’s Health. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of trauma and its impact on children’s learning, focusing on creating safe spaces within the music classroom. The workshop will delve into the connections between brain states, emotional and trauma responses, and strategies to activate students’ executive functioning. Educators will learn to recognize various types of dysregulation and implement practical, trauma-informed strategies that promote self-regulation. Emphasis will be placed on culturally aware, student-centered approaches, clarifying the boundaries between teaching artists’ roles and those of professional therapeutic practitioners.