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!
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