NAfME President Scott R. Sheehan welcomes music educators to the new school year with a message about the new NAfME strategic plan, the upcoming national conference, and working together to share the power of music. Review an upcoming calendar of events taking place this fall to begin planning.
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iStockPhoto | Miralex
On June 30, the House Appropriations Committee approved its Labor-HHS-Education bill for FY 2023. The funding provided in the House Labor-HHS-Education bill will serve as a baseline for legislators as the bill proceeds to be voted on by the full House of Representatives and subsequently, the Senate. Learn how much funding was allocated to key education programs and how that can affect music education.
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On August 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released updated guidance for K-12 and early care and education programs. The latest guidance is based on COVID-19 community levels and provides updated prevention strategies for all levels as well as “Strategies for Everyday Operation.” Here are nine key areas of interest to NAfME members.
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NAfME COLLEGIATE
This week is focused on recruiting and team building activities implemented and shared by each NAfME Collegiate chapter. Kickoff Week offers members the opportunity to highlight their local programs and membership; participate in service and volunteer events; and benefit from national virtual programming.
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NFHS, CBDNA, and the International Aerosol Study Coalition, of which NAfME is a member, has released the results of a collaborative study with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the effects of recommended COVID-19 prevention strategies in the performing arts classroom. (NAfME members were invited to participate in this survey back in February 2022.)
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The next NAfME Council of Music Program Leaders (CMPL) Colloquium takes place August 25, 4:00 PM ET/1:00 PM PT. Judith Hawkins, NAfME CMPL Eastern Division Representative, will lead “Budget Busting Strategies” and discuss prioritizing funding, funding sources, and alignment with district initiatives for a successful and fruitful budget season.
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The deadline to nominate a band director for the George Parks Award is September 14, 11:59 PM ET. The George N. Parks Award honors an exemplary band director who embodies the characteristics and leadership that Mr. Parks showed his students every day: collaborative spirit; dedication to knowing students as individuals; perseverance and enthusiasm; and ability to instill qualities in students beyond achievement in music.
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On November 2–3, three Forums will take place prior to the National Conference in National Harbor, Maryland. The Emerging Leaders Forum is for educators looking to take the next step in leadership in their profession. The Music Program Leaders Forum is for music program leaders and district arts coordinators and will address teacher recruitment/retention; equity, access, and inclusion; culturally responsive practices; and more. And the NAfME Collegiate PreCon will be focused on preparing Collegiate music education students to get the most benefit from their degree and to make a successful transition to the classroom.
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NAfME will kick off the 2022–2023 school year with virtual Hill events the week of September 19. NAfME leadership, state MEAs, collegiates, and all members who want to engage in our advocacy activities are welcome to attend. Visits with elected officials and their staff will help you establish relationships throughout the year. Participants will receive a virtual training on September 12 at 7PM ET. Members will have the opportunity to participate in the event if they are unable to participate in Hill meetings. Register by September 9.
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Besides giving you opportunities to perform, a Tri-M® chapter also allows students to lead and grow and flourish in other ways—especially through community service. This list includes many ideas for service projects—including events, fundraiser/drive ideas, Music In Our Schools Month® ideas, performance opportunities , and other acts of service—but you may have ideas more relevant to your unique relationship with your community.
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NAfME SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH IN MUSIC EDUCATION
The NAfME Society for Research in Music Education seeks applications for three vacancies on the Society’s Executive Committee. The term for service is six years, beginning January 1, 2023. Deadline to apply: September 1, 2022.
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Visit the NAfME Backpack for resources that will help you respond to the opportunities of this new school year. No matter what the new school year brings, NAfME and your state music education association are committed to supporting you in your efforts to safely and effectively teach music to your students. Bookmark and revisit throughout the school year for updates.
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Seeking a new position? You can post your resume, apply for jobs, get job alerts on the NAfME Career Center. And employers, add your open positions to the NAfME Career Center where you can manage applications and search resumes.
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NAfME PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEBINARS
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Submit your idea for a webinar topic to the NAfME Professional Learning and Partnerships Committee (PLPC). Webinar proposals are reviewed by the PLPC. New webinars for this fall will soon be announced.
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Photo by Isaac Low
ELLA WILCOX
Tomorrow’s music educators may be closer than you think. In your music classes, there are students who could be among the next generation of teachers. What can you do to support them in this quest? Music educators, professors, and administrators share ideas.
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JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN MUSIC EDUCATION, JULY 2022
Music education students are generally required to pass a sequence of music theory and/or aural skills courses. Two requisite skills developed in theory and/or aural skills courses are beat perception and rhythm perception. They serve as a foundation for more advanced skills needed by music teachers, such as error detection, which is used by music teachers every day. (Member login required.)
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DR. LORI SCHWARTZ REICHL, ALISON PARISH, AND SARAH CASTRILLON
How do we ensure that the overall needs of the department are met, while maintaining civility, creativity, performance expectations, and academic requirements as a team all while simultaneously managing our classrooms, rehearsal spaces, and individual programs? What are the best ways to target standards, ensure inclusivity, educate the whole child, attend to individual student needs, and empower teamwork in a collaborative capacity? Here are five steps.
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THOMAS AMORIELLO JR.
Following in the footsteps of famed Chicago White Sox organist Nancy Faust, who entertained fans for more than 40 years in Chicago, Matthew Kaminski has “played” in more than a thousand ballgames for Atlanta’s baseball team and finds unique ways to make musical connections to baseball spectators young and old alike.
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WHITNEY B. WINKELS, SPONSORED BY WENGER CORPORATION
Designing the perfect music space can seem overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it on your own. Wenger Corporation’s free “Planning Guide for School Music Facilities” not only simplifies the process, but it can help you avoid costly and sometimes irreversible mistakes when it comes to your Music Suite.
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MUSIC EDUCATORS JOURNAL, JUNE 2022
Josef Hanson and Cameron Ross discuss differences between extroverted and introverted music learners and synthesize research findings into commonsense teaching strategies that support a variety of student personalities. Music educators can make small adjustments to their existing practices to ensure all students grow and thrive, even the quieter ones. (Member login required.)
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UPDATE: APPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH IN MUSIC EDUCATION, JUNE 2022
This action research project by Karen M. Koner and Abigayle Weaver took place in spring 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home orders. Four students enrolled in the high school band participated in five weeks of mindfulness practice interventions over the virtual format alongside their instrumental music director. Mindfulness practices included diaphragmatic breathing, relaxation imagery, cued relaxation, and stretching. (Member login required.)
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2018 All-National Honor Guitar Ensemble. Photo courtesy of Christopher Perez.
CHRISTOPHER PEREZ
The NAfME Council for Guitar Education collaborated and compiled lists of Guitar Best Practices for each year of study. They comprise a set of technical skills, music experiences, and music theory knowledge that guitar students should know through their scholastic career.
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JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN MUSIC EDUCATION, OCTOBER 2018
The purpose of this study by Sangmi Kang was to examine the effect of motivation on upper-grade elementary students’ preferences for acoustic or tablet-based instruments, adopting the skill and challenge relationship as a theoretical lens. The effect of cultural familiarity on musical instrument preference was also investigated. (Member login required.)
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THOMAS AMORIELLO, JR.
The electric bass sometimes gets neglected and not advocated for as much. The purpose of this article is to serve as a conversation piece with a middle or high school student who expresses an interest in studying the uncommon choice of the electric bass.
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GLEN MCCARTHY, SPONSORED BY THE GUITAR AND ACCESSORIES MARKETING ASSOCIATION
From storage to sanitizing, guitar maintenance, selecting replacement strings, tuners, and more, Glen McCarthy provides music educators a comprehensive checklist to set up an effective guitar classroom.
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JAYSON MARTINEZ
In order to fully deliver a comprehensive music education, improvisation—along with sight-reading, theory, history, and composition—should be included when discussing best practices for the guitar classroom.
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