Music Teacher Guild Accelerator 2026
Workshop Sessions
The Training Your Degree Forgot
12 deep-dive workshops designed to fill the real gaps music educators face.
Showing 12 workshops
Classroom Management for Ensembles
"Managing 50+ Students Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Voice)"
Spend less time managing and more time making music. You'll leave with practical checklists and ready-to-use strategies that help you reclaim up to 120 hours of instructional time per year.
- Design and implement a comprehensive ensemble classroom procedures system
- Apply transition management techniques that minimize instructional time loss
- Demonstrate de-escalation strategies for large-group settings
- Create accommodation checklists for exceptional learners
- Develop a personal action plan for implementing three new strategies
Research: Cited by 11/19 participants as a critical preparation gap
Elementary Music Classroom Management
"Herding Cats Who Also Have Recorders"
Turn chaos into creativity—without raising your voice. You'll leave with age-appropriate procedures, attention signals that actually work, and strategies for managing 25 wiggly bodies at once.
- Establish developmentally appropriate routines for instruments and transitions
- Implement attention signals matched to different activity types
- Apply strategies for managing recorder, Orff instruments, and movement
- Create behavior support plans that keep the music going
- Design a first-week procedures teaching sequence
Research: Adapted for developmental context
Differentiated Instruction for Ensembles
"Teaching the Prodigy and the Struggler in the Same Rehearsal"
Reach every musician—not just the ones who "get it" quickly. You'll leave with diagnostic tools, part-writing strategies, and rehearsal techniques for mixed-ability groups.
- Use diagnostic strategies to quickly assess individual skill levels
- Design flexible part assignments and challenge extensions
- Implement peer mentoring structures
- Apply accommodation strategies for students with IEPs and 504 plans
- Create a differentiation action plan
Research: Cited by 9/19 participants
Student Engagement for the TikTok Era
"Competing with a 90-Second Attention Span (And Winning)"
Capture attention and build buy-in—even when practice "isn't fun." You'll leave with attention-capture techniques and gamification strategies.
- Apply research-based attention strategies for music learning
- Design micro-goal structures that build momentum
- Implement gamification without trivializing learning
- Create relevance connections between repertoire and student interests
- Develop engagement interventions for disengaged students
Research: Cited by 7/19 participants
Beyond Band & Orchestra
"Mariachi, Steel Drums, and Everything Your Degree Didn't Cover"
Expand what's possible in your program—and who feels welcome in it. You'll leave with foundational pedagogy for mariachi, modern band, and steel pan.
- Identify non-traditional ensemble options for their community
- Apply fundamental approaches for mariachi, modern band, world music
- Access repertoire and PD resources for new genres
- Navigate cultural authenticity considerations
- Create a feasibility plan for adding a non-traditional offering
Research: Cited by 8/19 participants
Music Technology: Mixing & Production
"Stop Asking the IT Guy to Record Your Concert"
Record, mix, and produce—without an audio engineering degree. You'll leave with hands-on DAW skills and a recording workflow you can teach students.
- Navigate a DAW interface and execute basic recording workflows
- Apply fundamental mixing concepts: levels, panning, EQ, compression
- Record live performances with proper mic placement
- Design introductory music tech lessons
- Complete a simple mixing project
Research: Addresses music production gaps
Mastering Communication
"Emails That Get Read, Conversations That Don't Backfire"
Say what you mean—and have people actually hear it. You'll leave with email templates, difficult conversation scripts, and advocacy language.
- Write parent communications that get read and acted upon
- Navigate difficult conversations using advocacy language
- Apply conflict resolution techniques
- Build cross-departmental relationships
- Create a communication toolkit with templates
Research: Cited by 12/19 participants—highest-cited gap
Time & Logistics for Secondary Educators
"Running a Program Without Running Yourself Into the Ground"
Get the non-teaching stuff done—so you can get back to teaching. You'll leave with calendar systems and workflow strategies that cut admin time in half.
- Implement planning systems that prevent last-minute crises
- Create performance logistics checklists
- Design efficient trip planning workflows
- Apply time-blocking strategies
- Build a master calendar template
Research: Cited by 10/19 participants
Music Program Finances
"Don't Screw Up the Money (And Other Career-Saving Advice)"
Finally feel confident about where every dollar goes. You'll leave with a budget template, inventory tracking system, and fundraising action plan.
- Create and manage a comprehensive program budget
- Implement inventory tracking systems
- Design fundraising campaigns that don't burn out families
- Navigate booster organization relationships
- Apply fiduciary best practices
Research: Cited by 9/19 participants
Tech Tools & AI for Administration
"Let the Robots Handle the Paperwork"
Work smarter, not later. You'll leave with a curated tech toolkit, AI prompt templates, and workflows that automate the tedious stuff.
- Evaluate and select admin technology tools
- Apply AI tools to common administrative tasks
- Implement SmartMusic, Charms, or similar platforms
- Design efficient digital workflows
- Create a technology adoption plan
Research: Cited by 10/19 participants
Lifestyle Management for Career Longevity
"Still Teaching (And Still Loving It) at Year 25"
Build a career you can sustain—not just survive. You'll leave with a personal growth audit and long-term career sustainability plan.
- Conduct an honest self-assessment of strengths and growth areas
- Design a personalized professional development roadmap
- Implement sustainable self-improvement practices
- Build feedback-seeking habits
- Create a 3-year career development plan
Research: Cited by 10/19 participants
Work-Life Balance & Personal Resilience
"Boundaries That Stick (Even During Marching Season)"
Protect your energy so you can keep doing what you love. You'll leave with boundary-setting scripts and stress management techniques.
- Identify personal burnout warning signs
- Set and maintain professional boundaries without guilt
- Apply stress management techniques
- Navigate the "first in, last out" culture
- Create a personal resilience action plan
Research: Cited by 9/19 (resilience) and 8/19 (boundaries)