This August, ETM held its annual ETM Academy for music teachers. ETM Academy is an opportunity for our team of teachers to prepare for the coming year, within and outside the music room. We welcomed 26 new and returning teachers from around the country, introducing them to our best practices and approach to excellence in music education.

Over 35 hours of professional development workshops are held during the two-week ETM Academy, providing an opportunity to learn new skills, hone existing strengths, and create a collaborative network of teachers. This year, Academy learning sessions took place mostly online, with one day of in-person seminars so our new teachers could meet their coworkers.

While we–like everyone–aren’t sure exactly how the year will unfold, we know that giving our teachers additional skills and practical training is critical to help them navigate the ever-changing educational and public-health landscape.

Below is a sample of workshops held during our Academy:

• Lesson Structure – How to establish the building blocks, components, and pacing of an effective and well-designed lesson plan
• First Days Music Class Model – Structures that support the first days of music class for elementary and secondary school-age students; led by veteran ETM music teachers
• Teaching & the Brain – Learning more about the human brain and how to apply brain science to instructional approaches
• SEL Workshop: Rethinking Classroom Norms – Recovering from the isolation and disruption of the last school year will take a lot of work! How to utilize strategies from Social Emotional Learning with Dr. Scott Edgar
• DrumPower Workshop – Participants will learn to integrate SEL into music education through a hands-on workshop in West African drumming technique and pedagogical reflection through Drum Power
• Decolonized Repertoire to Start Your Year – How to use “decolonization” as a framework for vetting and performing music in your classroom