Cynthia Williams Phelps is a Graduate Music Education instructor for the University of Missouri. Dr. Phelps teaches Practicum courses and has co-instructed Foundations of Music Education, Psychology of Music, and Current Topics in Music Education. Additionally, she has taught undergraduate music education courses and Music in the Classroom for general education majors. She supervises pre-service teachers for the University of Missouri and Missouri State University. She holds a PhD in Music Education, with an emphasis in learning, teaching, and curriculum, from the University of Missouri, an MME in Music Education from Georgia State University, and a BA in Music Education from College of the Ozarks.
Dr. Phelps cultivated a unique perspective for the importance of reflective music teaching through her journey as music teacher educator, public school music educator, virtual learning music educator, choral and instrumental performer, and independent music studio instructor. Reflective practice and student-centered learning guide her philosophy of teaching.
Dr. Phelps is an Arts Across the Curriculum Specialist for the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education. She serves on the Advancing Music Education committee for MMEA, the Social Justice SRIG for the Society of Research in Music Education, and the Critical Examination of the Curriculum ASPA for the Society for Music Teacher Educators. Dr. Phelps has presented research and workshops at state and national conferences including the Missouri Music Educators Association, National Council of Teachers of English Whole Language Umbrella, Midwest Educational Technology Conference, and National Association for Music Education Music Research and Teacher Education National Conference. She has published in the Missouri School Music Magazine and Journal of Research in Music Education. Her research interests include reflective music teaching, teacher leadership in music education, and arts integration.