Music teachers know that music is integral to the human experience. Throughout history, people have used music to connect with each other, express complex emotions, and make sense of the world around them. In this course, you will learn how music can help students manage the challenges they face in and out of school.
This course transcends traditional approaches to music education, exploring how music relates to identity, connection, and emotion. You’ll discover new ways to empower students with music, and teach them to use music listening and engagement as a tool for well-being. Join us as we explore new opportunities and techniques for music teaching and learning through this professional development course designed specifically for music educators.
Course Overview
Through the thoughtfully curated selection of videos, readings, and written reflections in this course, you’ll explore how music can improve your students’ well-being. You’ll discover new ways to empower students with music and gain a deeper understanding of why music is a vital element of all students’ education.
In this professional development course for music educators, you’ll learn about the basic principles of well-being and discover why music teachers are uniquely situated to support well-being outcomes for K-12 students.
Learn about what well-being means for children, some of the challenges youth face, and considerations for supporting well-being needs for students in an increasingly diverse society.
Consider how you can incorporate trauma-informed, student-centered, and culturally responsible teaching practices in your classroom and engage students musically to help improve their well-being outcomes.
Reflect on your role in your students’ lifelong relationship with music and learning. Build your teaching toolbox with validated techniques for well-being oriented music learning, from guided listening to choosing music for ensembles.
Learn about established resources for student well-being and culturally responsible music education to apply as soon as you need them.
Bonus Materials
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 professional development course is built for music educators at all levels – whether you’ve spent your whole career teaching music or you’re just getting started. If you relate to any of these statements, this course is for you.
I strive to connect with my students and develop positive relationships with them.
I want to support my students’ well-being through music, but often don’t feel like I have much left to give.
I want to expand how my students understand what music can do for them and what they can do musically.
I see more and more challenging student behavior in my classroom, and I sometimes feel helpless to navigate it.
I am always looking for ways to keep my curriculum fresh so I can stay relevant in this changing educational climate.
I know music is vitally important in education, and I want additional tools to explain why to parents, administrators, and community members.
I want to help my students who are coming to class anxious, depressed, and disengaged.
Learn From the Experts
This course was facilitated by Dr. Giuliana Conti, Music Workshop’s Director of Education and Equity, 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.
Dr. Sarah Bartolome
Associate Professor at Northwestern
Dr. Sarah J. Bartolome is a children’s music specialist with an interest in world music for the classroom. She earned degrees in music education from Ithaca College (BM), Northwestern University (’02 MMus), and the University of Washington (PhD).
Carlos R. Abril is Professor of Music Education and Associate Dean of Research at the Frost School of Music, where he teaches courses in philosophy of music, general music methods, and equity, access, and diversity in music education.
Beatriz Ilari (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Music Teaching & Learning at the USC Thornton School of Music, where she teaches graduate courses in music psychology, the sociology of music, cultural diversity in music teaching and learning, and research methods.
Dr. Cat Bennett is an assistant professor of music education at Oakland University, where she teaches undergraduate introductory and capstone music education courses, choral methods, student teaching seminar, and supervises choral education student teachers in their internships.
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.
Dr. Sarah J. Bartolome is a children’s music specialist with an interest in world music for the classroom. She earned degrees in music education from Ithaca College (BM), Northwestern University (’02 MMus), and the University of Washington (PhD). She is also a fully certified Kodaly educator, having received all three levels of certification from the New England Conservatory’s Kodaly Music Institute and serving on the faculty of the Kodaly Levels Program of Seattle.
Dr. Carlos Abril
Associate Dean of Research University of Miami
Carlos R. Abril is Professor of Music Education and Associate Dean of Research at the Frost School of Music, where he teaches courses in philosophy of music, general music methods, and equity, access, and diversity in music education. Dr. Abril has served on the Research Panel for the National Endowment for the Arts and is Chair of the Society of Research in Music Education. He has also served on over ten editorial boards in North America, South America, and Europe. Prior to joining the University of Miami, Dr. Abril was an Associate Professor and Coordinator of Music Education at Northwestern University. He received his Ph.D. in music education at The Ohio State University, an M.M. in performance at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and a B.M. in music education at the University of Miami Frost School of Music. He is also a former general music and choral educator in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where he was named the Region V Teacher of the Year and awarded the Cervantes Outstanding Educator Award.
Dr. Beatriz Ilari
Chair of Music Teaching & Learning at USC
Beatriz Ilari (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Music Teaching & Learning at the USC Thornton School of Music, where she teaches graduate courses in music psychology, the sociology of music, cultural diversity in music teaching and learning, and research methods. She has conducted extensive research with babies, preschoolers, and school-aged children from the U.S., Brazil, Canada, Japan, and Mexico. In her work, she uses a variety of approaches to study different aspects of musical development and growth of infants, children, and adolescents. Her research is interdisciplinary in nature. Beatriz Ilari collaborates regularly with researchers from USC’s Brain & Creativity Institute and Bionic Ear Lab, and with scholars from different research centers and universities across the globe.
Dr. Jennifer Mellizo
University of Wyoming Laboratory School & Curriculum Developer at Smithsonian Folkways
Jennifer Mellizo has been the K-8th grade music teacher at the University of Wyoming Laboratory School in Laramie, WY since 2002. She is also an independent researcher and a curriculum developer for Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. She has been recognized as a Wyoming Arch Coal Teacher of the Year in 2014, the Albany County School District Teacher of the Year in 2016, and a 2021 Fulbright U.S. Scholar (Spain).
Dr. Cat Bennett
Assistant Professor at Oakland University
Dr. Cat Bennett is an assistant professor of music education at Oakland University, where she teaches undergraduate introductory and capstone music education courses, choral methods, student teaching seminar, and supervises choral education student teachers in their internships. Over the past 15 years, Cat has taught and studied vocal music in many countries around the world, teaching K – 12 general and choral music in Japan and Thailand, and working as a volunteer music teacher in Honduras and South Africa. Prior to completing her PhD at the University of Miami, she studied vocal jazz and Creative American Music. Cat also has a BME from Ithaca College and a MME from Indiana University.
Coty Raven Morris
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.
Continuing Education Credit
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.
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.
Free Music Programming for K-8 Classrooms
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.
Learn more about our online, self-paced Professional Development that educates and empowers teachers to enhance well-being for themselves and students through music.
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