Innovation
Top 10 #MusicEd Blogs of 2025 Here’s a look back at the Top 10 most-read NAfME Blogs of 2025. We thank NAfME members and corporate members for sharing your ideas,…
Chance the Rapper’s Redemption Hip-Hop as a Lifeline for Neurodivergent Music Education By NAfME Members José Valentino Ruiz, Ph.D. and Andrew Wang A Mic Drop Moment: Chance’s Revelation When Chance…
Creating Spaces and On-Ramps Welcoming Every Musician in the Classroom By Shane Colquhoun, Chair of the NAfME Council for Innovations, Alabama State University In the fast-evolving landscape of the 21st century,…
An Overview and Guide to Flexible Band Music Big Music with Small Groups By NAfME Member Dr. Thomas Willmann Overview The emergence of “Flex Band” or “Flexible” arrangements began appearing…
What Sly Stone Can Teach Us about Music Production Education By NAfME Member José Valentino Ruiz, Ph.D. Sly Stone is often remembered for his radical stage presence and his role…
The Deeper Role of Music in Senior Living By NAfME Member José Valentino Ruiz, Ph.D. and Jesse Tillman Pitts Abstract This article applies Jesse Tillman Pitts’s TILLMAN Framework to the…
Singing Phones A DIY Project for Elementary Music Teachers By NAfME Member Jennifer Hibbard Do-it-yourself projects are often a necessity in elementary music classrooms, where limited budgets must serve an…
The DJ as Educator Beyond Beats By NAfME Members Dr. José Valentino Ruiz and Andrew Wang In recent years, DJing has evolved from a niche skillset associated primarily with entertainment…
Faculty-Alumni Projects That Empower Students By NAfME Members Dr. José Valentino Ruiz and Derris Lee As music educators and academic leaders, one of our most powerful tools for advancing student…
Being More Than “Just a Music Educator” The Five Ps of Vocational Alignment By NAfME Member José Valentino Ruiz, Ph.D. Abstract In today’s convoluted educational and cultural climate, music educators…