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Staying abreast of what is happening in public and private schools is very important for all higher education educators. We have a responsibility to prepare our students to enter the workplace with an understanding of what is happening in the world of education and what might impact music and arts education in their schools. With this in mind, I want to delve into a curriculum that is growing in popularity in many schools around the country.

For me, the end of an academic year brings much reflection. No matter what happened during the year, I ended it as a different person than when it began. Every student goes through these changes regardless of what school they attend, what degree they’re pursuing, or what year in school they’re in.

As the AMEA Registrar, I have access to our member roster with NAfME.  I thought you might be interested in how many members we have and the breakdown of those members that attended the 2025 conference by division.  As of April 15, 2025 there are 1,515 paid NAfME memberships in Alabama.

The week of the AMEA conference is typically filled with a flurry of activities in preparation for the hundreds of music educators who will soon arrive for their professional learning opportunities. Zoom meetings occur to ensure everyone has their specific job responsibilities ready to leap into action, while phone calls and in-depth conversations with various speakers ensue.

What an incredible AMEA Professional Development Conference we had!  The excitement in the air was contagious!  I believe we all had a deeper sense of appreciation this year because of last year’s cancellation.  I am so appreciative of the AMEA Board, and especially the ABA Board, for all of the work they put into making this year a resounding success.

In my last article, I compared the school year to a marathon. I have never run in a marathon. I don’t run unless something life-threatening is chasing me. However, I do know a thing or two about pacing and January is most often the biggest hill to climb for the year. If you are reading this, then you made it! Congratulations! Now, let’s catch our breath and sprint to the end knowing all our hard work has paid off. 

There is nothing quite like the AMEA Conference to bring music educators together. AOA, as always, took full advantage of this time together to learn and grow in our craft. Our featured clinician this year was Dr. Brenda Brenner, string music education faculty at the University of Indiana, Jacobs School of Music. Her sessions reminded us that we are teaching children we need to set them up for success at their level, especially within the difficult instruments we teach.