What is your Alma Mater?
MTSU

Where do you currently teach?
Brown's Chapel Elementary School, Rutherford County

How long have you been teaching?
4 years

Why do you choose to be a member of TMEA?
I am a member because it's a great way to connect with other teachers and it gives my students performance opportunities outside of school.

What do you love about teaching?
I love building relationships and connecting with my students.

If you could choose another job for one day, what would it be?
Broadway Costume Designer

Tell us one thing about you that people would be surprised to know or something you are passionate about besides teaching.
I love to sew and quilt!

Share a fun and unique idea that you use in your classroom!
​​​​​​I start almost every class with a "BrainDance"activity that I learned about it in my Orff training. It's a great way to get kids focused and they love it!

What is your Alma Mater?
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Where do you currently teach?
Cedar Bluff Elementary School, Knoxville

How long have you been teaching?
20 years

Why do you choose to be a member of TMEA?
For me, there is no choice. TnMEA is our professional organization and as such I believe every educator should be a member. TnMEA is only as strong as it's members. By joining TnMEA, you are enabling the organization to support music education in our state in a relevant way. The only way the organization can find out the issues and needs of our educators is if we share them. By being a member of TnMEA, we actually help ourselves and the others in our state.

What do you love about teaching?
I love making music with my students. No matter how young children are, they still have a feelings! Sometimes they just don't know how to express them. Giving them an outlet for their feelings and emotions is tremendously satisfying.

If you could choose another job for one day, what would it be?
I'd love to start a joint child and senior daycare. I saw a video of something like this online and I think it would be a wonderful thing for those involved. Seniors have so much experience and caring to share and our little ones would only see benefits! I'd love to be a part of starting something along those lines.

Tell us one thing about you that people would be surprised to know or something you are passionate about besides teaching.
I've recently become very interested in the Appalachian Dulcimer. I'm not a native Tennessean, so the instrument is new to me. But, I find that I love learning about the history of the instrument and the songs of our region. There are local clubs all over Tennessee, and I encourage all of you to check one out!

Share a fun and unique idea that you use in your classroom!
​​​​​When beginning a new unit, whether it is folk dancing or learning a new instrument, I always have the students create the rules and expectations for behaving or using the equipment. I find that when they create the rules, there is more "buy-in." I also have them decide on the consequences if someone breaks the class's expectations. I have found that in most cases, this eliminates behavioral issues and causes the students to be more invested in our class. ​

What is your Alma Mater?
East Tennessee State University

Where do you currently teach?
Rock Springs Elementary
Sullivan Co.

How long have you been teaching?
18 years

Why do you choose to be a member of TMEA?
Tennessee Treble Honor Choir
Access to resources and professional development for my classroom

What do you love about teaching?
Sharing my passion of music with others. I love sharing music with young children and seeing how natural it is for them to enjoy.

If you could choose another job for one day, what would it be?
A chef.

Tell us one thing about you that people would be surprised to know or something you are passionate about besides teaching.
I love to cook.

Share a fun and unique idea that you use in your classroom!
​​​​I love to have students become the teacher. When teaching an instrument part I only teach to one student and then they continue teaching to each other. It's not so much about the exact pattern, but more about the process and communicating. ​

What is your Alma Mater?
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Where do you currently teach?
Rocky Hill Elementary, Knoxville

How long have you been teaching?
16 years

Why do you choose to be a member of TMEA?
Professional Development and Networking :)

What do you love about teaching?
What a joy to develop relationships with students and watch them grow into young people who love making music!

If you could choose another job for one day, what would it be?
Florist, I love flowers and it looks like fun! :)

Tell us one thing about you that people would be surprised to know or something you are passionate about besides teaching.
Being on the lake in the summer, can't wait!

Share a fun and unique idea that you use in your classroom!
​​​I made a poster with of a singer's head/ shoulders with the mouth open and cut out. When I want to demonstrate singing with mouth open, I get behind it and put my mouth in the opening, which looks really silly from the front! My students laugh every time and remember to open their mouths correctly to sing. :)

Words cannot describe the impact that this year's conference had on our general music teachers in the state of Tennessee. Starting at 8:00 on Thursday morning, over 40 people attended Betsy Carter's wonderful session about composing in Kindergarten and 1st Grade. WHAT??? Composition that early? Well, in order to be in compliance with our new standards, we have to learn different ways to compose in the early years. Thankfully, our very own Tennessee teacher was able to share that with us. 

Then, we had the privilege of attending the General Session with "five-time CMA Awards winner Martina McBride, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Tennessee Education Commissioner Dr. Candice McQueen and University of Tennessee associate music professor Dr. Johnathan Vest. The panel was moderated by CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern..." (Read more about it HERE: www.cmaworld.com/cma-foundation-announces-1-million-initiative-state-tennessee-support-statewide-music-arts-education/) HUGE thank you to the CMA Foundation for all you did to support our conference this year. I spoke to some educators who received your scholarship for conference, and they were all so thankful for this experience. Without you, they may not have been able to come.

​Thursday continued on with presentations from Steve Campbell at Dancing Drum, Miss Carole from Macaroni Soup sponsored by Bear Paw Creek, and a ukulele session by myself and Dr. Andrew Perry of Peripole. Yes, ALL of that happened on ONE day. Our highest attended session had over 85 teachers in attendance! This was incredible! A HUGE thank you to Peripole for donating their time and instruments to our conference. Because of them, we were able to have wonderful resources and instruments for our presenters and teachers to use for their sessions. 

Then, Friday came. Thank you SO much to GIA Publications for sponsoring Dr. John Feierabend's sessions. He presented two sessions on Friday, and they were wonderful. Also, a HUGE thanks to Peripole for sponsoring Dr. Rene Boyer's sessions. She shared three sessions with our TN teachers on Friday! We also had another session from Miss Carole, which was fabulous! Also, we had an elementary school, Idlewild Elementary under the direction of Allen Moody, perform a spotlight concert! What an amazing experience for those students.

Saturday started off with a BANG! 175 students from 45 schools performed in our Tennessee Treble Honor Choir to a crowd of over 600 people under the direction of Dr. Martha Shaw. Thank you to Tiffany Barton who made sure this year was such a success, excellent job! Also, we had a three hour session by Dr. John Feierabend, and I am certain the 60+ teachers that were there were filled with TONS of new material for their students. 

​Didn't make it this year? Don't worry, next year will be just as great! Mark your calendar for April 10-13 in Nashville at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center.

Before I finish up this blog, I want to take a moment to thank our vendors and our donors: Peripole, Sweet Pipes Recorders, Quaver, GIA Publications, Dancing Drum, Music K-8, Jessica Young, Amy Abbott, Aileen Miracle, David Row, Tracy King and, Caspar Babypants. You make our world go 'round! 

Teachers who attended this year, thank you for trusting TnMEA and myself to give you what you needed at this year's conference. I hope your time was well spent and you will return to our conference. To those who did not make it, we will definitely hope that you will come! See ya next year!
​

What is your Alma Mater?
University of Mississippi

Where do you currently teach?
Egypt Elementary, Memphis

How long have you been teaching?
7 years

Why do you choose to be a member of TMEA?
There are so many incredible professional development opportunities for me, and students have the opportunity to participate in music outside of the school.

What do you love about teaching?
I love sharing my love of music with young people, and hopefully fostering a love of music as well.

If you could choose another job for one day, what would it be?
Park Ranger

Tell us one thing about you that people would be surprised to know or something you are passionate about besides teaching.
I enjoy building and restoring furniture. A good majority of the furniture in my home was built by me.

Share a fun and unique idea that you use in your classroom!
​​​​After mastering a skill/concept, I have students put their arms up and copy me in sayings like, "Oh yeah" "I'm the greatest" etc after they do something positive. It really boosts the classroom morale, and makes the students feel really good about their hard work. (I enjoy doing it too

What is your Alma Mater?
The University of Memphis

Where do you currently teach?
Memphis, TN

How long have you been teaching?
19 years

Why do you choose to be a member of TMEA?
TnMEA membership allows my students to participate in regional/state competitions.

What do you love about teaching?
I love helping others and I love music. Being a Music teacher allows me to combine these two things into one awesome career.

If you could choose another job for one day, what would it be?
I would love to be a police officer for a day.

Tell us one thing about you that people would be surprised to know or something you are passionate about besides teaching.
I just finished my Admin degree/Praxis test and I look forward to the next challenge in my career- becoming an administrator. Outside of the education field, I am also passionate about running. I am working on running a marathon in each of the fifty states and on all seven continents.

Share a fun and unique idea that you use in your classroom!
I like to use stations for my students, just like a basketball coach. I try to focus on 4 areas that will help them learn a new concept or piece of music. Then, I model each of the stations and find a student leader to monitor the station. Finally, all of the other students visit each station in a clockwise rotation.

As General Music Education teachers, we are constantly tied for time. We have a program coming up, testing is approaching, PTO meetings to prepare for, lesson planning, etc. As a fellow elementary teacher, I completely understand. I also understand the lack of funding for these conferences. But, I have some answers for you!

Before we go further, I want to tell you about the countless door prizes we have coming from Music is Elementary, Music K-8, TeachersPayTeachers stores, etc. AND Peripole will be a vendor this year, so you will be able to save money on shipping and they have great conference specials! 

This conference will be worth every ounce of time you can give it. We will have nationally renowned music education specialists coming to share a variety of new ideas with our teachers. Here is a list of some of these educators:

1. John Feierabend is a leading authority on music and movement development. He is Professor Emeritus and former Director of Music Education at the The Hartt School of the University of Hartford. He is committed to collecting, preserving and teaching the diverse folk music of our country and to the understanding and enjoyment of classical music. Dr. Feierabend’s teaching provides teachers and their students with the materials and techniques to build community through music by involving enthusiastic participation of all people. His approach strives for all to become tuneful, beautiful and artful through two methods: First Steps in Music© and Conversational Solfege©. (Dr. Feierabend will be our 3 hour session presenter on Saturday immediately following the Treble Choir Performance).

2. Carole Stephens – Miss Carole from Macaroni Soup- Sing! Stamp! Clap! March! Is your classroom bursting with action verbs? Children learn by moving through their environment. Active music participation provides opportunities for children of ALL abilities to work on social, emotional and physical skills. Throw in some early literacy skills, and you’re harnessing the power of music for young learners!

3. Dr. Rene Boyer - Professor Emeritus of Music Education at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music.  She is known nationally and internationally for her work in multicultural and urban music education. Her publications include: Share the Music and Spotlight on Music published by Macmillan McGraw-Hill; "Expressions of Freedom: An Anthology of African American Spirituals" in three volumes; "Walking in the Light of Freedom", also in three volumes,  and Songs and Rhythms of a Nation:  A Journey of American Heritage, all published by Hal Leonard.

4. Steve Campbell of Dancing Drum will present two daytime drumming sessions and an evening interactive drum circle at the 2018 TMEA Conference! Enhance the cooperative skills of your students through grade level rhythms, chants and drum breaks that promote teamwork and focus! Learn several exciting and engaging drum arrangements that encourage grade level pride and collaboration in your music classroom.

There are many other sessions offered for general teachers as well! With a list this strong, how could you NOT make time to attend this conference! You can only come two days? Ok, come Friday and Saturday! Can only come one day? Great! Choose a day! It is also important to know that we will have the Saturday 3 hour workshop again! Be sure to come join us.

Now, how can I find funds to get there?? Check out this site: help.donorschoose.org/hc/en-us/articles/204363783-Creating-a-Professional-Development-Project to learn how to create a donors choose.org project to attend conference! There are also many grant opportunities out there, so try to apply soon! 

Comment below with any questions, I will be glad to help!