Educators Seminar


Innovative Ways to Motivate Students and Increase Learning:
Harnessing the Power of American Roots Music and Dance!!!

Friday, February 24, 2012


Educators Seminar Registration Form


The focus this year is on how to apply leading brain research to help students learn. The workshop is not just for music teachers. It is designed for elementary and middle school teachers from various disciplines. Librarians, homeschoolers, college students studying education, curriculum specialists, and other interested in learning effective ways to motivate students are encouraged to apply. Although Washington teachers can get clock hour credits, the workshop is designed for attendees from everywhere, not just Washington.

A fun, interesting and innovative way to motivate and teach students! This interactive, “hands-on” seminar will provide educational information on American roots music, share teaching and motivation approaches using music and dance, and provide lesson plans and resources for utilizing bluegrass/Americana music in the classroom. Discover strategies to increase student motivation to learn, provide cultural awareness, promote music appreciation and engage students with different learning abilities and diverse backgrounds.

The course will include sessions on motivational theory and practice in an educational setting, brain research, using bluegrass/Americana music to connect with learners, an overview of bluegrass music history, utilizing bluegrass to meet educational performance standards, case studies for cross-discipline learning, learning to play a song on an instrument (attendees will choose from banjo, mandolin or guitar), history of clogging including a live demo and interactive clogging instruction, bluegrass vocal harmony structure, interaction with acoustic/bluegrass music students at the Wintergrass Youth Academy, and private live bluegrass/Americana music performances by top national artists.

Registration is $75 if paid by February 17; $85 after February 17 or at the door (if space is available). Thgis fee includes workshop registration fee, one-day Wintergrass pass for Friday ($55 value), Discover Bluegrass: Exploring American Roots Music educational DVD with lesson plans, a certificate of workshop attendance to verify 8 clock hours for Washington state continuing education requirements, CD’s, a magazine from Bluegrass Unlimited, and other material.

To register, fill out the Educators Seminar Registration Form and mail it in.

NOTE: At the end of this workshop, Washington teachers will need to write a check for $16 to the Seattle Public School District and complete the In-Service Registration form in order to have the clock hours processed for Classification/Compensation.