Announcing the Innovative Educator Series – April 11, April 25 and May 2

In About Music for People, Press Releases by jan_mfp

Teachers of all age levels – both classroom and music specialists – are invited to register for Music for People’s new Innovative Educator Series happening this spring on April 11th, April 25th and May 2nd.

The three separate 2-hour sessions are teacher/facilitator trainings that feature fun, engaging and practical ideas and activities for educators that are grounded in Music for People’s humanistic philosophy.

These workshops build skills of team building, risk taking, close observation, active listening, creative thinking, and group cooperation. Participants will discover how the synthesis of music, science and language arts can invigorate the creative process and enhance the academic curriculum. Designed to support Common Core, National and State Literacy Standards, these exercises and techniques can be easily applied in the classroom and are appropriate for a wide range of age groups. All workshops are designed for classroom teachers, not just music specialists. At the end of each workshop, educators will leave with practical tools and activities they can use in their classrooms.

You can register for a single session or for the series at: https://www.musicforpeople.org/wp/events-music-improvisation-workshops/innovative-educator-series/

Special discounts for education students.

REGISTRATION UPDATE: You can still sign up for the series! Attend either the Zoom session on April 25th or May 2nd and get recordings of all the sessions.

Innovative Educators Series Video
Meet the presenters at Music for People’s Innovative Educators Series
Kofi Donkor and Mary Knysh will present on April 25th
Mary Knysh and Tim Simmons will present on May 2nd

April 11

Alina Plourde: Creating an Environment of Inventive Musical Play
Alina Plourde
Alina Plourde

How can we give students the space to tinker and invent with music?  Can we set up an environment that includes “loose parts” and encourages them to try many variables and combinations as they work together to make something of their own?

In this workshop, we will play around with:

  • Providing open-ended “musical building blocks” for improvising and composing
  • Exploring music in outdoor spaces
  • Simple instrument building
  • Collaborative composition or recording

Read more about Alina Plourde.

Thomasina Levy: Connecting Curriculum with Poetry and Music
Thomasina Levy
Thomasina Levy

Discovering Spring Through Poetry and Music

A hands-on, scientific exploration of natural environments and objects inspires beautifully detailed poetry. Participants will experience their original poetry coming to life with musical interpretation through original poetry and musical soundscapes. This workshop encourages close observation and specific expression with words and sound. This program includes activities that meet academic standards for science, language arts and music.

Objectives and Reflecting Ideas:

  1. How can the writing arts and music make learning a curricular topic a deeper and more personal experience for students
  2. Students will improve skills of writing and connect their words to musical sounds
  3. To encourage group cooperation skills 

Read more about Thomasina Levy.

April 25 

Kofi Donkor
Kofi Donkor
Kofi Donkor: The Influences of Nature in African Drumming and Rhythm

Kofi guides students on a journey of drumming exploration of nature from his village in the rain forest into your world as it is.

Letting go of self and allowing the natural rhythm to carry students to the unknown places of themselves that lead to feeling joy,  community and wholeness.

Read more about Kofi Donkor.

Mary Knysh: Engaging Rhythmic Strategies for Classroom Management & SEL
Mary Knysh
Mary Knysh

In this educator training Mary shares innovative brain-based Social and Emotional Learning strategies where students become a vital and integral part of the solution. 

Participants will learn music and movement activities that address student accountability, daily transitions, engagement and leadership. 

Read more about Mary Knysh.

May 2

Tim Simmons: Connecting the Mind and Body through Music
Tim Simmons
Tim Simmons

In this workshop, we will practice activities intended to help students explore how they experience music in their bodies. Through movement, dance, body drumming, role play, creative thinking, and collective improvisation, we will examine how empowering our bodies to experience music more wholly awakens capacities in our mind that develop language processing, exercise executive function, and address cognitive skills that improve learning.

Read more about Tim Simmons.

Mary Knysh: Explore Create Discover! Designing a Pathway to Best Practice Experiential Learning  

Mary shares experiential teaching strategies that encourage educators to rekindle their own sense of creativity and play, which in turn inspires and empowers their students. Changing one’s approach in teaching can offer new possibilities and pathways for self- expression, self-awareness, communication, inspiration and musical understanding for students and teachers alike.  This session focuses upon simple, fun and accessible ways to integrate classroom instruments as a means of expanding possibilities for creativity and expressive improvisations.