Los Angeles, CA – In August, Education Through Music-Los Angeles (ETM-LA) held its annual week-long, intensive Summer Academy. ETM-LA music teachers and local educators kicked off the new school year with culturally relevant and diverse strategies for teaching music in under-resourced communities. Participants not only learned best practices in pedagogy, classroom management, and student engagement, but also had the opportunity to exchange and try out new ideas with each other throughout the week. One teacher shared, “It was awesome to see all the teachers share their activities and see what others are doing.”
Guest presenter Dr. Alice Hammel, 2023 National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Lowell Mason Fellow, led a full-day workshop on “Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs,” with a focus on Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Dr. Hammel, a widely-known music educator, author, and clinician, shared her diverse experiences and insights, helping attendees understand how to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all students.
The cohort of educators discussed how building bridges and connections can sometimes mean breaking the rules. Dr. Hammel shared an example of when disrupting the status quo brought about positive change: “I said [to my students], ‘Okay, move your chairs wherever feels best for you,’ and it looked like a hot mess. And they played beautifully, and I went, ‘I should start breaking more rules,’ so I did.”
“Helping our students learn to solve problems themselves is such an empowering and important thing to do…This is what they need; this is what’s going to help them in life and…what’s going to help them engage with others.” – Dr. Hammel, 2024 ETM-LA Summer Academy
The Academy also featured workshops on Modern Band Approach for the General Music Classroom, Storybooks: Literacy in the Music Room, Orff it Up!, Social Emotional Learning, and additional topics – offering a wide range of tools and strategies that empower teachers to engage, research, and delve more intentionally into their music classrooms. One participant said they got to learn “new activities and how to scaffold activities for students [in a way] that is inclusive for all.” Another educator expressed, “I’ve been looking for a way to use hip-hop for my school. This really opened my eyes on how to do that.”
ETM-LA unswervingly fosters music classroom environments that respond with genuine empathy and constant support, and encourages teacher-student collaboration that ensures the student’s needs are heard and effectively addressed. Therefore, Cultural Equity and Inclusion (CEI), Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT), and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) remain paramount in our ongoing practices and training.
ETM-LA looks forward to the 2024-25 school year and nurturing the power of music with thousands of students across LA County!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katie Moskovciak
Phone: (818) 433-7600
Email: press@etmla.org
Website: www.etmla.org
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Education Through Music-Los Angeles is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to provide and promote music in under-resourced schools as part of the core curriculum for every child in order to enhance students’ academic achievement, creativity, and overall development.
For more information: www.etmla.org