MENC has been planning for it’s 2010 Music Education Weekin Washington, D.C. since last year’s event concluded. Music Ed Week is a week of advocacy, networknig, and professional development in the heart of the nation’s capital. I had the opportunity to attend last year, and was extremely pleased with my experience. The professional development portion of the week was done through “academies” in different concentrations (music technology, performance, jazz, research). The specialized academies were a wonderful way to separate the fantastic sessions that were presented.
The preparations for Music Ed Week 2010 (June 24-29, 2010) have begun in earnest over the past few weeks. MENC recently announced that housing and registration for the conference is open, and on Tuesday, they sent information out regarding a new academy for this year’s event, the “Collegiate Leadership Academy.” This academy is geared specifically towards collegiate members of MENC, and has sessions geared specifically towards future music educators. The (tentative) list of sessions includes:
- “Hero Training: How to Harness Your Super Powers” with Milt Allen, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston
- “Policy and Practice: What Does this Mean and Why Should I Care?” with Lynn Brinckmeyer, Texas State University, San Marcos
- “Nine Liberating Habits of Change” with Scott Shuler (president, MENC), Connecticut Department of Education, Hartford
- “Using Technology to Keep Sane” with Jim Frankel, SoundTree, Melville, NY
- “Can I Do This for Thirty Years?” with Jack Elgin, Oscar Smith High School, Chesapeake, VA
Additionally, registration for Music Ed Week grants you admission to many other fantastic concerts and advocacy events over the course of the week. The other academies that are being offered this year are:
- Choral
- General Music K-12 Technology (keynote by Amy Burns)
- Instrumental, “IN-Ovations” (Teaching techniques and opportunities for teachers of non-traditional curricula)
- Jazz
- Marching Music (registration includes ticket to DCI Show)
- NACWPI (National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors)
- New Teachers