Instrumental Music Band Resources

25+ years teaching instrumental music, which included high school and middle school bands, jazz bands, violin, guitar, music theory, in public and private schools; adjudicator; clinician; and teacher mentor.

My teaching is a standards-based, teacher-directed, student-focused, performance-oriented, interactive and engaging exploratory instructional lesson where students of diverse populations are able to interact with the lesson concepts and skills on a daily basis, maximize their individual growth, and create differentiated summative products. While the lesson is structured in scope and sequence so that students demonstrate mastery of each standard, it is flexible so that individual students have the time to construct their own meaning from the content. As it is well documented that students’ background affects their learning, I activate students’ prior knowledge before proceeding with the main learning goal and use various formative assessments to gauge student learning. As detailed in my doctoral study, students’ prior knowledge and ongoing formative assessments should guide teachers’ lessons. My classroom is: A safe learning environment where students are free to make mistakes, correct them, learn from them, and move on; an encouraging learning environment where using good manners, respect for each other, and positive comments are regularly used; a unique learning environment where students are special, worthy of contributing to their own learning, and involved in the overall learning process, and a structured learning environment where students and I are accountable to each other, their parents, and the school for their learning to the very best of their ability.

Presidential Alumni Research Dissemination Award, Walden University 2013 – 2014; Sudler Silver Scroll, John Philip Sousa Foundation 2009; Performer, Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference 2005, 2007, 2010, 2015; Performer, College Band Director’s National Association/National Band Association Southeast Convention 2006, 2008; Performer, Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic 2003, 2011, 2018; President George H. W. Bush performance, Republican National Party 1992; Senator Paul Coverdale performance, Republican National Party 1992; Chairman 10-year study music subcommittee, Southern Association & Accreditation of Schools 1991 – 1992; Service Excellence Award (five times), Herschel Jones Middle School 2003 – 2007; EPCOT Center Grand Opening Celebrations and Dedication Ceremony Musician, Walt Disney World 1982

Walden University Doctor of Education Area of Concentration: Teacher Leadership Doctoral Study: “Activating Prior Knowledge with Ques and Questions as a Key Instructional Strategy to Increase Student Achievement in Low Socioeconomic Middle Schools” Honors: GPA: 4.0, Kappa Delta Pi, Phi Delta Kappa; Northwestern University Master of Music Area of Concentration: Saxophone Performance Finalist for Doctorate of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting; University of South Carolina Bachelor of Music Education Area of Concentration: Instrumental Music Education Honors: cum laude, President’s Honor List, Honor’s College, Dean’s List; Clinton High School High School Diploma Area of Concentration: College preparatory Honors: High Honor Graduate, National Honor Society, International Thespian Society, Honor Thespian

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