Brandi Selina Small

Choirs (SSA, SATB, TTBB, etc)Classroom ManagementConductingEvent ManagementInstructional DesignKodalyMusic TheoryPeer LeadershipSmall SchoolsVocal MusicWorld Music
Written By Dr. Elisa Janson Jones
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Brandi Selina Small headshot Music Teacher Guild

Hello all! I am looking forward to possibly working with you as we grow through our journeys in education together. I currently teach at the high school level in Central Florida. I am the mom to the most handsome husky and cutest little kitty. I love to cook, love beauty and makeup, and of course, I love music 🎶

I've been involved in classical music performance for almost all of my musical career and have found passion in the expansion of music education. I am mezzo-soprano singer and focus greatly on music theory and vocal pedagogy, though my greatest goal is to provide opportunities to less fortunate students, particularly in low-income families. Having worked as a private instructor for voice and as a classroom choral director for all grade levels in Title I schools, I've gained a lot of experience in building relationships, classroom management, budgeting and fundraising. Creating a safe environment for students to feel comfortable to learn and grow is extremely important and crucial to to their success in performing, especially in an ensemble setting. Let us work together to accomplish your professional/classroom goals!

 
 

  • The very first I do is set the tone of the space we will be working in. This means breaking the ice, getting students moving or making sounds, allowing students to know who I am, and establishing a sense of a team.

    From there, it is essential to be prepared with a multitude of exercises or pieces that can be used to assess the level in which students are at before selections are officially made. These exercises would assess various aspects of technical capabilities and repertoire selections should be chosen based on a few things that are done well with maybe 2 skills that need to be worked on. Here, scaffolding is essential.

  • I started mentoring in high school in a program to help students in lower grade levels get acclimated to their coursework. This meant meeting with mentees on a weekly basis.

    During my undergrad, I worked at a tutor and as a private voice instructor to help pay my way through. I also confounded an organization on campus to provide industry experience to those interested in pursuing it as a career. For this, I auditioned singers and worked as a vocal coach on a weekly or bi-weekly basis with those who were selected.

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Dr. Elisa Janson Jones

Dr. Elisa Jones designs and scales learning systems for organizations and individuals. With an EdD in Instructional Design, an MBA in Strategy, and 20+ years building education platforms, she combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution experience.

She works at the intersection of people, systems, and technology—helping leaders and learners see what's actually working and what needs to change. Her approach is diagnostic, grounded in real-world constraints, and focused on outcomes that stick.

Learn more about her work at sovereign.plus, elisajones.ai, and the Music Teacher Guild.

https://elisajanson.com
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