Every music teacher knows the balancing act: keeping students engaged, instruments organized, and energy focused while still nurturing creativity. This course offers realistic, research-based tools for managing those challenges with clarity and care. You’ll explore how environment, empathy, and intentional design can turn everyday routines into moments of connection and success.
Classroom management is about more than behavior, it’s about belonging. In this course, you’ll learn how to create structure and consistency that empower students, support collaboration, and nurture agency. Discover approaches that keep your classroom running smoothly while helping every student feel seen, supported, and ready to learn.
The Classroom Management for Music Teachers course is organized into four modules designed to help educators create positive, engaging, and well-structured learning environments. Through evidence-based reading, engaging video instruction, and thoughtful reflection prompts, teachers will learn how to examine the elements of classroom management, proactively structure the classroom, and respond to diverse student needs in order to strengthen classroom culture and support student growth.
We want you to walk away from Music Workshop professional development courses with everything you need to put your learning into practice – the very next day. When you finish a course, you’ll get a resource kit with links, worksheets, lesson plans, and more to continue your learning and apply what you learned in your classroom.
This course is designed for K–12 music educators at every level who want to create classrooms where students feel supported, engaged, and motivated to learn. It may be especially relevant if you:
This course was facilitated by Dr. Giuliana Conti, Music Workshop’s Director of Professional Development, in partnership with some of the leading experts in music education practice and research. Here are a few of the advisors who were instrumental in its creation.
Professor of Music & Music Education at University of North Carolina, Wilmington
Daniel Johnson is Professor of Music and Music Education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington where he coordinates the Graduate Certificate Program. His main teaching specialization is music teacher-education, with a focus on classroom music instruction and Orff-Schulwerk. A Fulbright and Medici Scholar, Dr. Johnson regularly presents teacher-education courses and workshops across the country and abroad. His research interests include classroom music instruction, professional development, rural music teaching, interdisciplinary education, and music-supported health and wellness. As a multi-instrumentalist, he also has experience leading instrumental ensembles and performs professionally on tuba and euphonium.
Assistant Professor of Music Teacheing and Learning at Eastman School of Music
Mara E. Culp is an assistant professor of music teaching and learning at Eastman School of Music, and she earned a Ph.D. in music education from The Pennsylvania State University. She has taught elementary-, middle- and high school-aged children in general, choral and instrumental music settings and has provided music for pre-kindergarten children. Diversity, access, equity and inclusion are at the heart of her scholarly interests, where she investigates topics related to music for students with special education needs, music and communication, interdisciplinary collaboration, intersectionality and music for young learners. She serves on the editorial committee for Music Educators Journal and collaborates with professionals in and outside of music education regularly. She has presented her work at state, national and international conferences.
Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of Wyoming
Tiger Robison, Ph.D., is associate professor of music education at the University of Wyoming where he teaches courses in elementary general music methods, aural theory, world music, popular music pedagogy, and supervises student teachers. In research, Tiger is comfortable in the quantitative, qualitative, and philosophical realms equally. He has diverse interests related to gender, music teacher career paths, music in early childhood, and modern music-making with prisoners.
Tiger’s research is published in the Journal of Research in Music Education, International Journal of Music in Early Childhood, Journal of Music Teacher Education, The Journal of General Music Education, and Update: Applications of Research in Music Education among other outlets. He has presented his work at most major music education research conferences in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Assistant Professor at Portland State University
Coty Raven Morris is a proud alumnus of Texas State University-San Marcos where she studied with Drs. Lynn Brinckmeyer, Jonathan Bacock, and Joey Martin. She received her Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University in the Spring of 2020. She is currently the Hinckley Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Education and Social Justice at Portland State University. She has presented at educational conferences and professional developments across the country including the American Choral Directors Association, Texas Music Educators Association, and the National Association for Music Education.
The Teaching Music for Well-Being course is worth six hours of professional development toward continuing education requirements in most districts. Teachers receive a certificate of completion when they finish the course and can download the syllabus and course information document if needed for pre-approval or reimbursement.
Get Details on Continuing Education Credit
We don’t want there to be barriers for teachers to benefit from our professional development courses. If you can’t afford the enrollment cost or receive reimbursement from your school or district, please fill out this form to request a scholarship.
Music Workshop has a rich library of free classroom content that is ready to bring music to life in any K-8 classroom. Our free classroom music curriculum is customized by grade level and covers musical genres, instruments, careers in music, and music from cultures around the world.
Course materials include high-quality videos, teacher-led question and answer sessions, active listening exercises, and movement activities. These materials are also perfect for substitutes as they are ready to go, easy to manage, and continue students’ musical learning even in the absence of the music teacher.