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Join Missy as she chats with David Row about their shared love for using puppets in the music program. Learn fun ways to utilize these wonderful teacher sidekicks in your classroom right away. It’s possible that you’ll have just as much fun (or even more) than your students!

David Row loves teaching music to kids! A Nebraska native and Midwesterner at heart, David now lives and teaches in the Kansas City metro area for the DeSoto Unified School District. He holds a Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory, completed three levels and a master course in Orff Schulwerk training, and has extensive experience with critical thinking in the arts. David is an active clinician and has presented workshops at state and local conventions across the United States and Canada.

On his blog, MakeMomentsMatter.org, David shares ideas about classroom content, management, lesson plans, critical thinking, and more. Search for “Make Moments Matter: A Music Education Podcast!” wherever you download podcasts or catch up with David every week on his “Musical Mondays” LIVE videos on Facebook.

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FAME Teacher Trainer Chris Anne Powers joins Missy to talk all about the new Feierabend Repertoire Database, a truly exciting new resource that Chris has been working on for GIA Publications that will help music teachers easily find just the right song, chant, or game at just the right time!

Chris Powers has been an elementary music specialist since 1995.  She started her career as a music specialist in Stratford, Connecticut.  In 1998, she joined the music department in Greenwich, Connecticut, where she currently teaches K-5 General Music, Band and Chorus at Cos Cob School.

From 1999 through 2012, Chris co-conducted the Greenwich Public Schools Honor Choir.  Comprised of the finest young singers in the town, the choir participated in prestigious choral festivals, including the National Children’s Choir at Carnegie Hall under the direction of Henry Leck, and the Children In Harmony Festival Choir with Dr. Barbara Tagg.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Chris has also worked as a seminar leader, portfolio scorer and mentor teacher, assisting beginning teachers in the BEST/TEAM program. Chris is also a free-lance flutist, singer and private flute instructor.

Chris received her Bachelor of Music degree from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, where she had the good fortune of studying with John Feierabend.  She completed her Master’s Degree in Education from Sacred Heart University in 2002.

In 2010, Chris received her Kodaly Certificate from The Hartt School.   Given her strong commitment to the Feierabend Approach, she is thrilled that the Greenwich Public Schools has adopted First Steps In Music For Preschool & Beyond and Conversational Solfege as the basis of their new Core Music Curriculum for Pre-K through 5^th grade.  Chris created and presented professional development workshops for her colleagues based on the Feierabend approach to facilitate the implementation of the new curriculum.

Chris is honored to be one of the founding members of the Feierabend Association for Music Education (FAME) and currently serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors. She is an Endorsed Teacher Trainer for the First Steps in Music Curriculum.

Chris lives a music-filled life in Cos Cob, Connecticut with her husband Jed and their sons, Jay and Tommy.

Feierabend Repertoire Database: https://giamusic.com/store/dei?fbclid=IwAR11gMf9Y0P57I7kUbLHyvwYAswJ6Q2ZzqKS4RAAhekOCVuegnYNiLNuITk

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Music Educator extraordinaire Franklin Willis joins Missy to talk about a few great topics – from some of the irons he has in the fire as a Teacher/Entrepreneur, to his new book Edward’s Rhythm Sticks, to describing how becoming a father to his young son and the events of 2020 have changed him as a person and as an educator. Both new and veteran music teachers will find inspiration in hearing Franklin talk about what it takes to continue in the profession in spite of the challenges that we all face, so don’t miss it!

For more than a decade, Franklin Willis has educated, mentored, and developed elementary and middle school students through the power of music. He specializes in providing musical instruction through authentic culturally relevant teaching experiences to empower and engage all children to achieve success. He is a graduate of the University of Memphis with a Bachelor of Music Education with an emphasis in Choral Music in 2009. In 2012, he earned the Master of Education Degree in Nonprofit Leadership from Belmont University. Most recently Willis completed the Education Specialist Degree with an emphasis in Instructional Leadership from Tennessee Technological University.

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Join Missy in the premiere episode of her new podcast, Music Ed Amplified, as she talks with professor, author and global music expert Dr. Karen Howard. Karen and Missy discuss how music teachers who have yet to do so must begin the crucial work of acknowledging and confronting systemic racism in education and in their music classrooms.

Karen Howard is Associate Professor of Music at the University of St. Thomas. She teaches courses in global music traditions that emphasize marginalized and underrepresented cultures, transforming music education curricula, research methods, children’s music, and vocal/choral music.

Karen’s research has been published in the Journal of Research in Music Education, International Journal of Research in Choral Singing, and Music Educators Journal. Her books include World Music Pedagogy Vol III: Secondary School Innovations, First Steps in Global Music, and Dance Like a Butterfly: Songs from Liberia, Senegal, Nigeria, and Ghana. Karen is the editor of the newly created series World Music Initiative (WMI) through GIA Music. While all music is music of the world, WMI is focused on uplifting underrepresented traditions in music education.

Karen is a frequent presenter on matters of diversity in curriculum, anti-racism in music education, and performance practices from multiple cultures. She is also one of the facilitators of the Smithsonian Folkways (SFW) Certificate in World Music Pedagogy as well as part of the Education Advisory Committee for SFW.

Links from this episode:

Dr. Howard’s Books: https://www.giamusic.com/store/search?elProductType[]=tb&elProductType[]=tp&elProductType[]=tr&search-artist=Karen+Howard

Dr. Howard’s Article on Cultural Appropriation: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0027432119892926

The Routledge World Music Pedagogy Series:https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-World-Music-Pedagogy-Series/book-series/WMP

Dr. Howard’s article on Changing Perceptions and Pedagogies in Choral Music Education:https://acda-publications.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/IJRCS/volumeeight/Pages+from+IJRCS%2B8.1%2Bfinal%2B4_article.pdf