Schedule and Registration Information
Elementary Mini-Conference
Saturday, April 27, 2027
8:30-5:00
Wingate University, Wingate, NC
REGISTER HERE FOR THE 2024 MINI-CONFERENCE
Schedule
- 8:30 AM
- Check-in / Onsite Registration
- 8:50 AM
- Welcome
- 9:00 AM
- “Read, Sing, Move, Engage! Around the World with Literacy & Music”
- 10:00 AM
- “Adapted Books for the Inclusive Music Room”
- 11:00 AM
- “Let’s Sing: African-American Children’s Games and Songs”
- 12:00 PM
- Lunch
- 12:45 PM
- Honors Chorus Q&A
- 1:00 PM
- “Exploring World Music through a Tour of Timbres and Tonalities”
- 2:00 PM
- “Keep Calm & Integrate On”
- 3:00 PM
- “IEP, ESE, SWD, OMG”
- 4:00 PM
- “Turn Up the Heat on Culturally Diverse Teaching”
- 5:00 PM
- Closing / Wrap Up
Participants Need to Bring
Laptop or Device
Children’s Book from your classroom
Registration Info
Early Registration will be open now until April 6th
Onsite Registration will be available
- NCMEA Members: $40
- Non-members: $50
- Collegiate Students: Free (or $10 if they want lunch included)
Lunch Provided
Rock Store BBQ Catering:
Pulled Pork, bun, baked beans, coleslaw, sauce, tea
Session Descriptions
- Melody McGarrahan: “Read, Sing, Move, Engage! Around the World with Literacy & Music” – This workshop will explore strategies on how to incorporate music and movement with literacy instruction or during an integrated music class. Texts that compliment an appreciation for global cultures will be highlighted. Participants will discover techniques on how to bring beautiful texts through music. This will be a “get up and do” workshop. Be ready to sing, move and make music together as we bring these stories to life.
- Evelyn Synder: “Adapted Books for the Inclusive Music Room” – Adapted books are texts with hook and loop icons for matching pictures and/or words. Adding a touch sensory element to story time can help both neurodivergent and neurotypical learners remain engaged throughout the lesson segment, as well as aid in comprehension and retention. In this session, Adapted Books for the Inclusive Music Room, we will discuss the kinds of adapted books that are available for music educators and how to incorporate them into elementary music classes. During the makerspace portion of the session, participants will experience the process of making an adapted book to use with their students. Educators are encouraged to bring a laptop and a favorite children’s book from their music classroom. Templates and other materials will be provided.
- Jeannetta Powell: “Let’s Sing: African-American Children’s Games and Songs” – Experience teaching various cultural rhythms to students while developing their ears to hear complex rhythms by the use of African /American children’s hand games.
- Daniel Johnson: “Exploring World Music through a Tour of Timbres and Tonalities” – In this session, participants will tour world music through a variety of listening and music-making activities. Session topics will include a cultural introduction to the five geo-political regions, strategies for applying critical thinking in world music lessons, and a standards-based focus on musical timbre and tonality. Other goals for this demonstration session include sampling activities for K-5 grade levels and making practical interdisciplinary connections with science and social studies. Through song and instrumental examples, participants will experience multicultural music, expand their pedagogical strategies, and receive a curated list of free resources.
- Crystal Briley: “Keep Calm & Integrate On” – Have you ever been asked to integrate core content into your music lessons? Now more than ever, our students need support in their learning! Using common strategies from literacy, math, science, and social studies we will explore improvisation and composition in the Orff classroom. Diving into original pieces and known pieces from the Orff repertoire, participants will learn how to integrate common classroom concepts into their daily lessons. Come ready to play, sing, move, and create!
- Cody Puckett: “IEP, ESE, SWD, OMG” – We will be addressing disability awareness and having the proper knowledge and skills needed when working with a student with a disability at a minimal level of knowledge. Many students with disabilities are continued to be mainstreamed in our schools which is crucial for all music educators to be properly educated on this new hot topic. It is so important that we make music education accessible and equitable for all students that are in our classroom!
- Luana Palimetakis: “Turn Up the Heat on Culturally Diverse Teaching” – This interactive session aims to build your repertoire in culturally diverse teaching. Participants will work collaboratively and reflectively to fire up their confidence, skills, and ideas on cultural diversity in the general music classroom. Working from where we are now to where we see ourselves in a year, topics will include the importance of cultural diversity, reaching all audiences, and facing obstacles. Using your students and your school as your initial gauge, begin turning the heat up on culturally diverse teaching! Attendees will leave with ideas, strategies, and a list of resources to serve as a guide to getting started. If you’ve already got your temperature set on the high side, bring your expertise with you to help guide others Open minds and hearts are definitely welcomed and encouraged.