Ann Medellin, NAfME Northwest Representative for National Council of Music Program Leaders
I t is an honor to be serving a second term as Northwest Representative of NAfME’s Council of Music Program Leaders. I meet with the leader representatives from the West coast, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast regions once a month, thanks to ZOOM. The council discusses the state of music education, leadership,
• Creating a Diverse Workforce: Social Justice in Music Education through the Recruitment and Retention of Minority Music Educators • A Framework for Evaluating Music Teacher Evaluation Criteria • Working with the Music Administration to Facilitate Large-Scale Transformations to a Music Education Curriculum in order to meet the needs of our Changing Student Population • Leader or Manager – What’s the Difference and Why it is Important to be Both! • The Art of Facilitation: Navigating Race, Culture, and Difference within Organizations • Expand Your Comprehensive Curriculum and Serve a New Student Population through the Implementation of a Music Business and Industry Program Keynote Address: “If You Don’t • Know, I Can’t Tell You!” Dr. Peter Loel Boonshaft, Director of Education, Jupiter Band Instruments; Professor Emeritus, Hofstra University After the forum was over, I presided on six different professional development sessions. I found two to be particularly meaningful. The first was the research work of Professor Quinton Parker who is from UNC Greensboro. The title of his research: We Wear the Mask: The Lived Experiences of Black Undergraduate Music Education Students in Predominantly White Schools of Music At the heart of this study lies the question, “What does it mean to be a Black student in a predominantly White school of music?” This study allows that question to be answered by those best positioned to answer it. This was a powerful moment of honesty and clarity. This particular session caused me to deeply reflect and truly ask a lot of questions. A second session that was very powerful was “Music Teachers Needed! Recruiting for the Profession”. Sandy Goldie from Virginia Commonwealth and Angela Ammerman from George Mason University collaborated in this session. I have been a big believer in cultivating and identifying students who aspire or show signs of being an educator, but these two nailed it. If we don’t identify students early for this important profession called teaching, then music education will be out of reach for many and will soon affect not just the classroom, but our university programs as well as future performing arts groups. It’s important to remember that it’s not just about performing, it’s about developing musicianship, leadership, and the love of learning, and before you know it, a teacher might be born. Lastly, I heard amazing speakers at this conference from Paul R. Lehman, former NAfME President, to Cindy Marten, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education. This was an
and prepares rich professional development in the form of on-line colloquiums and national forums. Our colloquiums have become very popular for music education leaders across the nation looking to improve networking capacities and to learn and discuss improving their district’s music education programs. The leadership of this council has been carefully steered by past president, Michael Stone, and now current President, Annamarie Bollino. I have been utterly inspired by this council and their leadership! We have already had several colloquiums which have covered topics such as addressing challenges for music supervisors and leaders, finding fresh perspectives for a new year, budget busting strategies, and finally courageous collaboration, which was curated by Beth Fortune and myself. There is more to come as the year is still young! In addition, we held a “Meet and Greet” with new program leaders in September, which fueled a lot of conversation and networking. The council hopes to revisit and reconnect leaders with a follow up meeting mid-year as this seemed very popular and critical for new leadership. I have personally been inspired with all the topics covered and hope that my Washington and Northwest region music teachers, coordinators, administrators, and university leaders consider joining these enriching opportunities as a part of your personal growth and leadership. This is a great way to be inspired, rejuvenated, and aware of latest trends and information from across the nation. Most importantly, all these are offered because of your NAfME membership. Most recently, I flew to Washington DC to participate in the Council’s National Forum in conjunction with the National Conference. Since joining the council, I had never experienced an in-person event at the national level. I strongly encourage our northwest leaders and teachers to get to next year’s forum, it’s amazing! The leaders/ teachers you meet and the rich professional development you receive is necessary for leadership growth and music education cultivation. Here is what was curated at this year’s forum: • Rebuilding the Music Community as Leaders through the Lens of Culturally Responsive Framework after COVID-19 • A Campfire Discussion: Courageous Conversations on Race, Representation, and Access in Music Education
Medellin contiued Page 14
Voice of Washington Music Educators Association January 2023
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