Early Career Teacher Mini-Series

NAfME Council of Music Program Leaders

Early Career Teacher Mini-Series

The NAfME Council of Music Program Leaders is excited to announce a series of videos designed for early-career music teachers on a variety of topics that will help these teachers “find their way” and be more successful as they are navigating the early years of the profession.

Bookmark this page to return to each week for a new video.

“Cultivating Meaningful Connections, Part 2: Secondary Teachers” presented by Ann Medellin, Council Northwest Division Representative

Ann addresses these 4 topics: Building Relationship with Your Feeder School Teachers; What Comes First: Relationships to Students or Skill Building?; Balancing Relationship Building with Classroom Management; and What is keeping you as a secondary music teacher at this point in your career?

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Watch more presentations:

“Exemplifying Excellence: A Guide to Music Teacher Professionalism” presented by Council Chair Scott Burgener

Want to be viewed as a valuable member of your campus? Presenting yourself professionally at all times is key to any teacher’s success. This presentation covers in and out of class behaviors that will help any teacher “make the grade” when it comes to professionalism. 

“Turning the Ship: Building and Shifting Climate and Culture in Your Program” presented by Dr. Evan Lee, Curriculum Coordinator of Fine Arts and Social Studies, Grand Island Public Schools, Nebraska”

Focus on how to make change within your program by recognizing current class climate and culture and creating strategic shift points to move to what you, as the director, want the group to embrace.

“Setting the Stage for Success: Effective Classroom Management for Music Educators” presented by Michelle Irvin, Council Western Division Representative

Michelle Irvin, NAfME Council of Music Program Leaders Western Division Representative, dives into essential strategies for general music teachers and instrumental ensemble teachers to create a thriving classroom environment. Discover practical tips for pacing lessons, organizing materials, and ensuring a seamless lesson plan flow. We’ll explore ways to engage students, manage transitions, and establish routines that foster a positive learning atmosphere. Join us as we equip you with the tools needed to set your music room up for success!

“Interviews and Resumes: A Guide” presented by Mike Rodgers, Council Member-At-Large Representative

It’s the thing you get rejected doing more than you ever get accepted for. But, you can increase your odds by making your offense stronger, presenting yourself with depth, and demonstrating you are the right person for the job. Resumes and Interviewing are performances, but you just haven’t realized it yet.

“Cultivating Meaningful Connections: Building Relationships with Your Students, Part 1 of 3” presented by Ann Medellin, Council Northwest Division Representative

Strong student-teacher relationships foster trust, engagement, and a sense of belonging. By showing genuine interest and support, educators create a positive learning environment that enhances both academic and personal growth.

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NAfME makes this resource available as a service to the profession. If you would like to obtain a course completion certificate for professional development hours, please view this resource in the NAfME Academy, which is a benefit of membership in NAfME.