Episode 34: Empowering All Music Students With Universal Design for Learning

Episode 34: Empowering All Music Students With Universal Design for Learning

In episode 34, we talked to Elise Hackl-Blumstein, a former accessible music educator and current student-services coordinator in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Elise has experience teaching preschool through eighth grade music, and also has created an accessible arts organization focused on accessibility in all arts. She is passionate about making sure all students have access to…

Episode 33: Fostering Independent Musicians

Episode 33: Fostering Independent Musicians

Episode 33 features an interview with two outstanding educators who are no strangers to Pass the Baton – Amy Rever-Oberle and Lauren Staniszewski. Amy is the band director at Hart Middle School in Rochester Hills, Michigan, where she teaches 6th through 8th grade band. Lauren is the band director at Stoney Creek High School, also…

Episode 32: Creativity With a Student First Mindset
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Episode 32: Creativity With a Student First Mindset

This week, Kathryn and Theresa had the pleasure of speaking with Australian composer and educator Jodie Blackshaw. Jodie is a third-generation teacher. Her grandmother was one of the first people to practice Orff-Schulwerk in Australia, and her father taught in a one-room schoolhouse. Jodie’s work for concert band is nothing short of innovative. Her focus…

Episode 31: Creating a Culture for Student Empowerment

Episode 31: Creating a Culture for Student Empowerment

Welcome to season two! In Episode 31, Kathryn and Theresa spoke with Dr. Matthew Arau, a professor of music at Lawrence University Conservatory in Appleton, Wisconsin. Prior to teaching at Lawrence, Matthew taught middle school and high school band in Loveland, Colorado. Matthew earned a master’s degree from the American Band College and a doctoral…

Top Five Episodes From the Pass the Baton Podcast

Top Five Episodes From the Pass the Baton Podcast

Looking back, this was a great season for the Pass the Baton podcast! Since August 2021, we’ve interviewed 18 amazing music educators from all over the world. While they all have unique teaching situations, they have one thing in common: they’ve found creative ways to put students at the center so they can take ownership…

Using Technology to Promote Student Ownership
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Using Technology to Promote Student Ownership

This week we spoke with Krystal Williams, a public school music educator in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Krystal teaches music theory and composition at Northwestern High School and also teaches at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, as a woodwind adjunct. She is a graduate of Morgan State University, where she also completed graduate work….

The Connection Between Culturally Responsive Teaching and Student Ownership
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The Connection Between Culturally Responsive Teaching and Student Ownership

This week we had the pleasure of speaking with Ashley Cuthbertson, an elementary general music teacher in Fairfax County, Virginia. Ashley has taught music in a variety of settings, teaching private lessons, school students of all ages, and even adults at a nearby university. Ashley loves working with kids and helping them connect their learning…

The Connection Between SEL and Student Empowerment

The Connection Between SEL and Student Empowerment

This week’s interview was a real treat, as Kathryn and Theresa spoke with Dr. Scott Edgar about a very important topic: social emotional learning (SEL). Scott is an associate professor of music at Lake Forest College and also the department chair. He began his career teaching K-12 music in Dayton, Ohio before earning a PhD…

Student Ownership Through Active Thinking
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Student Ownership Through Active Thinking

This week, Kathryn and Theresa talked to Dr. Brian Weidner, an assistant professor of music education at Butler University, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Brian spent twelve years teaching high school band prior to earning a PhD from Northwestern University. Much of his work now spawned from the various questions he asked during his time teaching public…