Reprinted with permission from the national NAfME Blog
Top Resources to Kickstart Your Back-to-School Season
Welcome back, music educators! Explore our highlighted back-to-school resources below to support your year ahead. Whether you’re a seasoned educator or embarking on your first year as a teacher, we’ve got you covered with helpful tools and information.
We are here to listen and help in any way we can. Contact memberservices@nafme.org with any questions or ideas.
Thank you for being a part of NAfME, we wish you a successful and fulfilling year ahead!
A Back-to-School Message from NAfME President Scott Sheehan
*For Spanish subtitles, select the ‘CC’ button in the lower right corner of the video.
*Click here for the complete video transcript in English.
What’s included in this post?
Explore the featured resources below by clicking on each section.
Highlighted Back-to-School and First-Year Teacher Resources
From innovative teaching strategies to classroom management tips, these curated articles, webinars, and blog posts from NAfME members will set you up for an exciting school year!
Featured NAfME Membership Resources
As a member of NAfME you have access to a number of exclusive resources. Make sure your membership is up to date— join or renew today!
Professional Learning Resources
Our comprehensive collection of webinars and research publications will help you earn contact hours and stay at the forefront of music education trends and methodologies.
Upcoming Conferences and Events
Browse the NAfME event calendar to find upcoming events hosted by NAfME, State Music Education Associations (MEA), and industry partners that match your interests, searchable by type and date.
Advocacy Resources
Learn how NAfME advocates for music education at the national level and find resources to be an advocate for your profession.
Equity in Music Education
Equity in music education is the keystone of NAfME’s Strategic Plan. Find academic articles, blogs, webinars, and more that address Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access in the music education classroom.
Publications and Research
NAfME offers six publications for all members at all teaching levels and in all areas.
Highlighted Back-to-School and First-Year Teacher Resources
Back-to-School Resources
- Article: “Teacher to Teacher: Tips for Getting the School Year Off to a Great Start” (Teaching Music, August 2023)
- Article: “Starting the Year with Creativity: Two Perspectives” (Teaching Music, August 2022)
- Webinar: Necessities for Newbies: What We Can Do to Help New Music Teachers Be Successful Presented by Scott Burgener and Christopher Moseley
- Webinar: Music-Driven Classroom Management Strategies for Elementary Presented by Anthony Molinaro (Member login required)
- Blog: “Five Must-Haves for a Successful School Year” by Audrey Carballo
- Blog: “The Storm before the Calm: Preparing for the First Day of Classes” by Joseph Rutkowski
- Blog: “It’s a Brand-New Day! How Will You Show It?” by Lori Schwartz Reichl
- Blog: “Engaging All Types of Learners in the Music Classroom” by Brian Wagner-Yeung
- Blog: “Helping Students Adapt During the First Days of School” by Maria Stefanova Mar
*Find more back-to-school related resources in the NAfME Resource Library.
First-Year Teacher Resources
- Webinar: Dear New Music Teacher Presented by Elizabeth Ann McAnally (Member login required)
- Webinar: Bridging the Distance: A Conversation with Collegiate Choral Music Education Students and Current Teachers Moderated by Dean Luethi and Coreen Duffy
- Blog: “The Key to a Successful First Year” by Marissa Guarriello
- Blog: “Being the ‘New Teacher’: Making a Smooth Transition” by Kevin Coker
- Blog: “Professionalism in Teaching” by Lori Schwartz Reichl
- Blog: “The Sunshine File” by Corin T. Overland
- Blog: “Five Things to Do in the First Five Years of Teaching” by Audrey Carballo
- Blog: “If I Could Turn Back Time: A Letter to My Younger Self” by Lori Schwartz Reichl and Neil Anderson
*Find more back-to-school related resources in the NAfME Resource Library.
NAfME Membership Resources
- Join or Renew your NAfME Membership:
- Save the Date! Collegiate Kickoff Week September 11-15
- Join or Renew your Tri-M Music Honor Society chapter
- Contact your State Music Educators Association (MEA)
- Learn about NAfME Societies and Councils
- Join AMPLIFY the online community exclusively for NAfME members
Professional Learning Resources
- Summer Webinar Series: Discover eleven webinar recordings on a range of topics, including: Simplifying Lesson Planning, Alexander Technique, Encouraging Composition, Empowering Students Using Voice Pedagogy, Middle School General Music, and more!
- NAfME Webinars: Earn contact hours! Weekly one-hour presentations by experts from around the country, scheduled September through May.
- NAfME Academy: Earn contact hours! Enroll in 150+ music education professional development webinars and track your contact hours on demand.
Advocacy Resources
- Music Education Advocate Podcast: Hear stories and reflections from music educators about how to make advocacy actionable.
- Local Advocacy Action Plan: Resources to help you advocate for funding and opportunities to support your music program.
- Grassroots Action Center: Find your representatives and get updates on legislation affecting music and arts education.
- Civic Action Field Guide: Understand the process behind how public education is governed and funded.
- Title IV-A Toolkit: Everything you need to know about Title IV-A, also known as the Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grant.
Equity in Music Education
- Small Schools Initiative: Learn how a NAfME task force plans to address the unique needs of teachers in small, often rural, schools.
- Music Teacher Profession Initiative: Read the findings and recommendations of a national Task Force to identify barriers to equity in music teacher recruitment, education, and retention.
- Divisive Concepts and Music Education Report: Information on divisive concepts laws in the music classroom, including resources to assist music educators in navigating state laws and regulations.
- Equity Resources: NAfME offers academic journal articles, blogs, webinars, and more addressing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access in the music education classroom.
Publications and Research
- Save the Date! Symposium on Music Teacher Education October 12-14, 2023, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Submit a Proposal! 2024 Society for Music Teacher Education and Society for Research in Music Education Biennial Music Research and Teacher Education Conference (submission portal opens in January; learn about the submission process).
- Teaching Music Magazine: Look for back-to-school articles in the August 2023 issue!
- NAfME Journals: Find peer-reviewed articles for your teaching specialty in Music Educators Journal, Journal of General Music Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Journal of Research in Music Education, and Journal of Music Teacher Education
