All too often, the music classroom stifles students with one-size-fits-all curricula and repertoire. In Pass the Baton, authors Kathryn Finch and Theresa Hoover turn that paradigm on its head, offering a vision of music education that empowers students as critical thinkers who exercise voice and choice to question, discover, connect, and play like never before—in and out of the classroom.
Pass the Baton offers readers a comprehensive guide to crafting engaging music lessons that transform students from passive consumers to vibrant creatives. Whether you’re looking to rethink general music or overhaul your ensemble groups, Pass the Baton is chock-full of generative, actionable, and impactful tools. Finch and Hoover have drawn on deep research and years of experience in the music room to provide a guide for all music educators to create a learner-centered environment and give students the opportunity to truly own the creative process.
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This book is a must read for teachers who want to empower students to become self-sufficient lifelong learners. It is a guidebook for creating a vibrant classroom where student learning is the first priority.
Pass the Baton is a must-read for all who desire to provide their students with access and opportunities to a lifetime of music making and a deep love of music. With an emphasis on the artistic processes of creating, performing, responding, and connecting, the authors have done an outstanding job at presenting concepts and connections to build a culturally responsive, relevant, and meaningful music education that is collaborative and student centric.
Pass the Baton is the perfect, adaptable resource we have needed in music education! Kathryn Finch and Theresa Hoover have achieved the ideal balance of thought-provoking, accessible guidance and practical resources and activities. Music educators looking to facilitate their students having more autonomy, buy-in, and voice need to check out this book! We need to take a step back so our students can take a step forward; this book gives us the tools to do so!
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Episode 113 – All Music, All Students: Rethinking What Belongs in the Ensemble Room
All Music, All Students: Rethinking What Belongs in the Ensemble Room In episode 113, Theresa and Kathryn sit down with Eric Songer, a veteran middle school music educator, to explore what it really means to move from “music for all”…
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Episode 112 – We Know We Can: Building Community Through Hip-Hop
We Know We Can: Building Community Through Hip-Hop In this episode, Theresa and Kathryn are joined by Andrew Wang, a K–12 music teacher who brings hip-hop culture to life in a neurodivergent-centered classroom. Drawing from his own experiences as a…
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Episode 111 – Creativity and Accountability: Cultivating Lifelong Musicianship
Creativity and Accountability: Cultivating Lifelong Musicianship In Episode 111, Meagan Thorup shares her journey toward building a music classroom centered on creativity, reflection, and lifelong musicianship. Grounded in the belief that she is not training professional musicians but equipping students…
