2021 MMEA Virtual Conference: Clinic Sessions

2021

MMEA (Virtual) In-service workshop/conference

The Missouri Music Educators Association celebrates 83 years of serving its membership with goals of teaching and learning by promoting a

comprehensive music education program that furthers music making by all. 

2021 VIRTUAL CONFERENCE CLINIC SESSIONS

  2021 MMEA CONFERENCE PROGRAM (PDF)

wednesday, january 27

Conference Pre-Sessions

How to Teach Guitar Like a Pro in 5 Easy Steps

Children’s Singing Games from Tanzania, East Africa

Participants will learn two songs and two chants for children from the Wagogo people in central Tanzania, East Africa. Matters of authenticity, avoiding cultural appropriation, and expanding one’s personal skill set will be examined. Also included are examples of the types of sociocultural information to include in such instruction focused on a particular music culture.

*Sponsored by GIS Publications, Inc.

Children’s Singing Games from Ghana, West Africa

Participants will learn a children’s chant and song, with ideas for extensions within the class or performances. Matters of authenticity, avoiding cultural appropriation, and expanding one’s personal skill set will be examined. Also included are examples of the types of sociocultural information to include in such instruction focused on a particular music culture.

*Sponsored by GIS Publications, Inc.

Kickoff for the 2021 MMEA Virtual In-Service Workshop/Conference

 Teaching ON-and-OFF the Podium:  The Importance of Role Modeling

The artistry of great teaching is never-ending.  Being able to focus the collective energy of any group is the cornerstone to musical EXCELLENCE.  From the moment the students walk into the class until the final bell rings, there must be a sense of purpose.  If you are a good teacher, the students will admire and respect you; if you are a GREAT TEACHER, the students will admire and respect themselves.

*Sponsored by Conn-Selmer

A Practical Approach to Variety In Sound

How can we teach tonal and stylistic variation as we produce music of different periods and countries? What vocal tools are available to us in the production of different styles? Dr. Holmes discusses the Millikin Choir’s method of establishing different sounds through the manipulation of three vocal components.

World Music Pedagogy in the Elementary Classroom

Gaming the Classroom:  Keeping Students Engaged & On Their Toes Through Meaningful Activities, Pacing & Rehearsal

The day-to-day tasks of teaching young musicians can become too routine if our routines turn into ruts. Dr. Williams will discuss/demonstrate methods for engaging students by pushing them to reach farther, taking them from their comfort zone to their proximal zone of development through engaging games, movement, and creative rehearsal strategies. Audience participation & suggestions are encouraged.

Five Easy Steps for a Superior Percussion Section

The percussion section is the ensemble’s heartbeat, providing the aural pulse and adding important colors. However, they’re often overlooked. For several reasons, teachers do not discuss technique or musicality with percussionists as regularly as with their other instrumentalists. With years of teaching experience, Dr. Jeffrey Barudin will present five steps for directors meant to increase a percussion student’s sense of pride, purpose, and competency. Topics will include motivation, inventory management, section structure, and more.

thursday, january 28

Mental Health 101: Strategies for Students

In this session, participants will explore a systematic approach moving from a traditional behavior management to a system of support for self-regulation through a roundtable discussion format. The focus will include applying strategies to address emotional regulation through restorative practices, trauma-informed care and a multi-tiered system of support. The participants will also explore the benefits of partnering with licensed behavioral health services to provide counseling services in the school setting. Learn about licensed behavioral health services available for support in the school setting and how to access those services. Participants will leave the session with ideas to identify the key elements of creating a system of support for the social-emotional needs of all students.

 Jazz Education…for ALL!

This session will provide teachers specific instructions on practical pedagogy to help in any type of jazz rehearsal environment. Big band, Improvisation, Literature…. it will ALL be discussed here! Session will also prove the hypothesis that offering jazz education at school can develop a tremendous amount of individual skill.

Creating an Anti-Racist Elementary Music Curriculum

More than ever before, elementary music teachers are seeking meaningful strategies and materials to create a learning environment that is anti-racist. This session will explore some tried and true strategies and music, as well as discussion of core concepts related to anti-oppression in education such as recontextualization, appreciation vs appropriation, and intersectionality in teacher and student identities.

A Roadmap to Ensemble Students Owning Creativity and Musical Choice

Tonight, we will discuss large ensemble strategies to develop musical responsibility and artistic choice in students. Many of these approaches are employable in-person and for virtual instruction. Ensemble directors have a tremendous amount of musical information to deliver which sometimes leads us to save artistic opportunities for the final stage. Along with our personal artistic needs, we should prioritize opportunities to develop informed artistic choice with and for our students.

Choral Classroom Sight Reading Factory Best Practices

Two master teachers will discuss their different approaches to integrating Sight Reading Factory within the choir classroom, sharing tips and best practices to keep students engaged and growing. Information on using this site/app in both in-person and virtual learning situations will be discussed.

Expressive Gesture from Your Musician’s Perspective: What Ensembles Really Want and Need, and How Conductors Miss the Mark

Expressive conducting is the most efficient tool to connect with your performers in a meaningful and relatable way. Too often, conductors disrupt this process with gestures that do not match the music, are confusing, too repetitive, or are just not transmitting musical information at all. Performers must translate the conductor’s meaning, and the conductor must waste valuable rehearsal time verbally explaining concepts and musicality. This entertaining session provides conductors a tool kit of concepts to expressively connect with your musicians.

Easy Assessment on Any Device

This session will be an analysis of tried and true music assessment practices and how they can be readily quantified through the use of digital technologies on a multitude of devices. Attendees will leave knowing a variety of options, many at no cost, and most importantly, how to implement these as organic elements of instruction.

Transitions: Where the Magic Happens

When crafting a lesson for the music classroom we are excited about songs, games, and activities we will share with our students, but are often stumped at how to transition between them. This session will show ways to create seamless transitions with tried and true methods that are meaningful for the students and teacher. Strong transitions can be helpful in classroom management, practicing taught skills, and giving students “a-ha” moments that make music feel ownership of their learning.

It’s Just Intonation – Strategies for Improving Ensemble Intonation

Explore techniques and strategies for improving your ensemble’s intonation by incorporating prepared chorales, technology, and other resources. This session will survey best practices for introducing various intonation concepts and will identify tangible techniques that can be immediately instituted and can significantly improve instruction. Concepts explored will include “beat-less” tuning, resultant tone listening, and just intonation. Throughout the presentation we will also explore various technological devices and applications that can aid in ensemble instruction including Yamaha’s Harmony Director and Tonal Energy.

Mental Health 101: A Roundtable Discussion

In this session, participants will engage in a round table discussion to dive into a deeper understanding of emotional intelligence, mental health and self-regulation strategies.  This is a follow up to Mental Health 101: Strategies for Students. It allows attendees to post questions specific to the topic and relevant to their situation to gain insight into challenges facing students and teachers in the school setting.   
 

friday, january 29

Sharing the Value of Music

The artistry of great teaching is never-ending.  Being able to focus the collective energy of any group is the cornerstone to musical EXCELLENCE.  From the moment the students walk into the class until the final bell rings, there must be a sense of purpose.  If you are a good teacher, the students will admire and respect you; if you are a GREAT TEACHER, the students will admire and respect themselves.

*Sponsored by Conn-Selmer

Sharing the Value of Music

The artistry of great teaching is never-ending.  Being able to focus the collective energy of any group is the cornerstone to musical EXCELLENCE.  From the moment the students walk into the class until the final bell rings, there must be a sense of purpose.  If you are a good teacher, the students will admire and respect you; if you are a GREAT TEACHER, the students will admire and respect themselves.

*Sponsored by Conn-Selmer

The Healed Arts Classroom: Deep Breaths into A New Normal

This session will focus on the social-emotional learning of young artists in a time of the COVID pandemic and how educators can create classroom experiences in the arts to facilitate discussion, reflection, and expressive action. We will present a list of challenges while also facilitating activities that will provide varying types of arts and other content teachers with the resources to lead a classroom driven by equity, student narratives, and arts based tactics that lend the 2020-21 classroom as a place of healing for silent voices.

A Practical Method for Developing Expressive Conducting

This clinic will provide a practical, proven method for developing expressive conducting gesture. Approachable, user-friendly, and efficient this routine may prove valuable for conductors of all experience levels. Participants will come away from this clinic with a practice method that is immediately applicable to their situation with a small investment of time. It will provide objective strategies for building gestural vocabulary, refining conducting technique, strengthening rehearsal strategies, and deepening participants’ understanding of the repertoire they are performing with their students.

From Music Education to Global Change: Empowering PK-12 Learners to Civically Engage with Global Issues

Our world is increasingly connected, and the responsibility of music educators is to prepare our students more holistically for that connective and integrated global reality. Music educators are uniquely positioned to present content from these global perspectives, and can effectively engage students with larger concepts through rich and comprehensive musical experiences. Using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), teachers in this session will brainstorm and discover how to facilitate community and global change-making learning for their PK-12 music students.

Paint Me a Story: Diverse Picture Books in the Music Classroom

Learn about current diverse picture books and how to purposefully plan inclusive music lessons for a wide variety of students. Titles included but not limited to are “Penney Butter Fudge,” “This is the Rope,” “Thunder Boy,” “Yo, Jo” and “Dreamers”. Singing, Playing and Dancing are certain to be included in this session.

Diversify Your Music Program

Teachers will learn strategies that promote values, attitudes, and behaviors that acknowledge the cultural diversity of students. By optimizing the relevance to students from multiple cultures in the school community, teachers will learn strategies that engage in intercultural interactions that are culturally responsive in the fine arts classroom. The session will also offer strategies on how to confront and resolve conflicts; and how to promote and maintain a culturally embracing fine arts classroom.

Music Software Integrations for Google Classroom

This session will introduce attendees to cloud-based technology designed specifically for music education that integrates with their existing technology. Attendees will see in real time how this technology works on various devices, and help them imagine how they might incorporate new software programs into their curriculum.

Virtual Mixer

saturday, january 30

Continuing Education Sessions for Missouri’s Young Music Educators

• Choral Focus
• Band Focus

What are you going to do in your classroom to create an environment in which you and your students feel in control? Mrs. Swope and Dr. Silvey have years of experience working together to help music education majors and new teachers get the most experience possible before, and as they begin, their music teaching careers. We will show you ways to help gain control of your classroom management and student-teacher relationship skills. With creative ideas and strategies to implement, you too will feel in control—of your amazing band program!

• K-12 Focus
• Elementary Focus
• Orchestra Focus

MOAJE Reading Session

Current arrangements for Jazz Ensemble from publishers’ catalogues will be performed by talented music educators and musicians performing under the leadership of Chris Becker. Well known tunes that jazz educators and students enjoy will also be presented, along with selections from notable jazz catalogues like the Essentially Ellington library. The variety of composers and arrangers, levels of difficulty, styles and instrumentation provide a wide range of choices for jazz educators to incorporate in their curriculum.

Choral Reading Session: Advanced Middle School Through College

Join Walton Music Editor Susan LaBarr as she and some of your favorite Walton composers offer insights and stories behind a few of this past year’s releases.

Music Class is LIT: Lessons in Creative Teaching for the General Music Class

General Music classes don’t have to be full of mundane memorization and worksheets. Jazz up your curriculum by implementing some of these interactive activities in your classrooms. Fun, interactive virtual class activities for use in teaching through Zoom will also be included in this session! Your students will learn and apply music terminology while having fun! These activities can be tailored for classes from 2nd grade through college.

Enjoy the Camaraderie With Fellow Retired Music Educators

Leadership and Sustainability

A personal perspective on events and initiatives that contribute to the success and sustainability of quality music programs. Attendees will take a closer look at leadership methodology and strategies for improving program culture, achievement, and overall growth. Participants will receive a template for 4 year recovery plans, a template for a student leadership structure, and an instructional calendar template that has proven to increase student success.

Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: Now More Than Ever

Our students encounter social and emotional challenges affecting their lives personally, academically, and for musicians, musically. These students, seeking support for these challenges, approach music educators. Music educators and their music programs are in a primed position to provide students support through a socially rich and emotionally sound environment. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is intended to help students become socially and emotionally competent. The purpose of this session is to introduce the framework of SEL and to highlight explicit connections to music education.

Jazz Up Your Classroom: Sing, Say, Dance and Play – with Jazz!

No jazz experience needed! Through active participation, attendees will experience how students can use classroom instruments to improvise and perform jazz. Participants will leave the session with tips for creating jazz materials to implement into their classrooms or next performance.
Objectives: Participants will experience three examples of jazz lessons for elementary students; understand how jazz can reinforce personal classroom goals; gain resources to assist in implementing ideas in own classrooms and understand how jazz activities connect to the national standards.

Annual Update From the Missouri State High School Activities Association

2020 MMEA Electronic Music Composition Contest Award Presentation

Each year, the MMEA Electronic Music Composition Contest recognizes outstanding compositions and is held to highlight the effectiveness of music technology in and beyond the school curriculum in the state of Missouri. Join us for a live announcement of the 2020 winner and feature selections from all six of the composers who submitted to this year’s contest.

Panel Discussion: What Every Future Educator Should Know

Research Poster Session

Receptions for Missouri’s University Music Programs

CANCELLED

sunday, january 31

MBA……………Paul Fliege

MCDA………..Shephen Rew

MOAJE……….Grant Maledy

• 7:00 pm – 7:30 pm – Business Meeting
• 7:30 pm – 8:00 pm – FUCUS on FUNdamentals…..Laruen Sevian

MoASTA……….Andy Johnston

• Meet the Conductor: Sey Ahn

monday, february 1

////Slashin’ Away////

“Slashin’ Away” will show rehearsal techniques and exercises for developing your jazz students’ understanding of vocabulary, phrase structure, and formal development. These techniques have been developed to be applicable to any level of student while being very user friendly to the less experienced jazz musician.

Creating & Improvising in the Music Classroom: Orff and MLT – A Meeting of the Minds

Orff Schulwerk provides teachers with a process for learning music, Music Learning Theory is an explanation of how the brain learns music. This session will provide modeling of methods, information, and discussion regarding how the Orff approach and MLT can work together to enhance delivery and encourage independent musicianship for your students. While this session is geared toward elementary classrooms, some activities can be adapted for instrumental and choral ensembles.

Double Bass Codification, or Lack Thereof: How Can I Expand My Double Bass Players’ Options?

There are many options when it comes to double bass instruction. Should I teach French or German bow? What method book should I use for private instruction? Why do some players sit and some players stand? This session will offer some advantages and disadvantages to all options on the double bass, and will help educators identify and suggest different options that would be better suited for different students.

Jump Into Music Technology Without Drowning

Music education is constantly changing. Because of this, the tools we have to engage students is also in constant flux. Since many everyday tasks involve technology, why should teaching be any different? Whether you are a complete newbie to technology or a seasoned pro, this session will provide insight and support your program. Every fine arts educator can utilize these tools that will aid, inspire and motivate your music students’ knowledge and performance success. Take your program to new heights with mobile devices, Live Streaming, mics for ensemble amplification, recording, and portable systems.

Speaking Up and Playing Out: How to Advocate for You and Your Program

Strong advocacy can lead to more funding, higher enrollment, community support, or even the existence of a program. This session will address multiple strategic tools for crafting compelling arguments to engage and mobilize policy makers, administrators, parents, and the students themselves. It is important to be well-versed in music education research concerning effects on student brain development and psychology, issues regarding access, impacts on adult quality of life and professional choices, and the long-term social benefits of music participation.

Buying In: How to Foster a Culture of Commitment and Positivity in our Ensembles, Community, and Profession

Do you struggle with student buy-in and program loyalty? This session will focus on collaborative activities that nurture the whole person, create brief opportunities for personalized experiences, foster leadership with an attitude of service, find constructive ways for musicians to provide input/solve problems, and reinforce the meaning of community.

Additional Information:
This session will be co-presented with Dr. Katy Strickland from Northwest Missouri State University and Dr. Elise Hepworth from Missouri Western State University.

Rethinking Rhythm

When it comes to implementing the right method for teaching rhythm, one size does not fit all. From perception to count-singing, session attendees will learn which system is right for their choral students at every stage in their musical development to truly strengthen the link between the sound of rhythm and its visual representation. Session attendees should be ready to tap their toes, clap their hands, and move to the groove as they experience rhythm in a whole new way.

Bringing Joy in a Virtual Choir

Teaching a virtual choir can be challenging, but there are ways to bring Joy to yourself and the students. Come learn a new piece of music and the process to keep everyone engaged.

tuesday, february 2

“But That Doesn’t Work in Music!”: A Guide for Productive Dialogue and Growth in Teacher Evaluation

As a music educator, you have most likely been observed and evaluated more than once during the school year. This session unpacks the thorny area of teacher evaluation, its language and practice of evaluation, to improve practice and better communicate with evaluators. We provide a framework for preparing for, listening to, and responding to feedback from an evaluator during post-observations. Finally, we describe steps music teachers can take after meetings to spark growth in practice and maintain communication with evaluators.

A Rhythm a Day Teaches Students To Play

The right note at the wrong time is a wrong note – so students need to spend time daily working on rhythm! This session will discuss building a comprehensive plan for teaching rhythm every day, including tracking student progress, introducing new rhythmic concepts, and incorporating practice in class and at home.

I Thought Music was the Great Equalizer

This session will explore our assumptions about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the music classroom (general music, band, choir, orchestra, and et al.). It will look at various paths, possibilities, and thoughts on building a more inclusive and intentional music classroom and arts program. Does what we say we believe match our reality, our expectations, and our desired outcomes.

Nurturing Musical Creativity in Beginning Instrumental Instruction

Creative music making is often talked about as an important part of students’ musical development but is often hard to fit into large ensemble experiences. Oft cited reasons for this is lack of time and middle and high school students not having a foundation in creative music making leading to discomfort in creative situations. This session will both advocate a case for making time for teaching creativity and offer hands-on suggestions that can be used in the classroom.

Experiences of Missouri Music Educators: A Panel Discussion on Race and Diversity in Music Education

A proliferation of research, anecdotal evidence and public awareness have drawn attention to the role of race and diversity in K-12 music classes and among music teachers. A panel of Missouri educators will discuss the challenges and obstacles that persons of color and other minority students frequently face in music education and proactive strategies for increasing the accessibility and quality of experiences in music education. 

The panel will explore the following issues 

• specific opportunities and challenges that persons of color face in music education
• the extent to which they have been successful in managing these challenges and empowering their students
• structural barriers that disincentivize participation in music education
• strategies and innovations that can be used to mitigate or remove these structural barriers
• ways in which spaces for conversations on racism and diversity can be continued beyond this session 

Panelists: Osmond Fisher, Wyandotte High School, Kansas City

Selene Hernandez, Nowlin Middle School/Van Horn High School, Independence

Micah Horton, Grandview High School, Grandview

Willie Thornton, Southeast and Paseo High School, Kansas City

Amber Underwood, Central Middle School, Kansas City

Thou Yang, Central High School Kansas City

Mental Health First Aid Kit: Practical Ways to Support All Students

Mental health concerns continue to be a growing challenge in our schools and in our classrooms. Students in crisis often miss rehearsals and leave class to get the support they need. This session will be a practical discussion about ways you can support students socially and emotionally in your classroom. This will include classroom structures that contribute to strong communities, how to assess whether or not a student in crisis needs to receive immediate counseling support, and quick coping strategies that students can utilize in your classroom instead of going to the counseling office.

Jump Ropes, Bouncing, and Clapping Games (Bringing the Games of the Playground Back to Life)

Back in “the day”, children played games during recess and after school. Many of us “old-timeer” remember the noisy, joyful play on neighborhood playgrounds from our own childhoods and from early in our teaching careers.

Annual Business Meeting for the MoASTA

wednesday, february 3

• 2022-2024 MMEA Candidate Introductions
• Special Guest Speaker (TBA)
• Close of Conference

2022 MMEA In-Service Workshop/Conference

January 26-29, 2022

Tan-Tar-A Conference Center