2026 Maine Music Educators Association Conference

Curious about music centers but not sure where to start? This hands-on workshop introduces practical strategies for creating and managing engaging, student-centered music centers. Designed for teachers new to the concept, participants will explore how centers can support creativity, independence, and differentiation while making assessment more authentic. Together, we’ll look at examples of rhythm, melody, listening, composition, movement, and technology centers adaptable for any classroom setup. You’ll leave with ready-to-use templates, activity ideas, and a plan to start small and grow confidently—bringing structure, variety, and joy to your music classroom. Note: This workshop works as a standalone workshop. This also pairs well with its part 2 counterpart--in which teachers further engage to create a center rotation for their own classroom.

In this hands-on follow-up session, teachers will apply what they learned in Part 1 by designing music centers tailored to their own students, space, and curriculum. Participants will brainstorm, plan, and create ready-to-implement stations that align with musical goals, foster creativity, and encourage student independence. With guided support, examples, and collaboration time, teachers will leave with practical, classroom-ready music centers that can be used immediately—whether teaching rhythm, melody, instruments, or creative movement. This session is ideal for educators ready to move from inspiration to action in bringing music centers to life.

Universal Design 3.0 is the most equitable framework for educators to date! Come learn how this newly-revised framework can be applied to your own music and arts classroom setting with your own students! This interactive workshop allows teachers to dig into the new guidelines to make some realistic and practical changes that help meet the needs of their students. Whether your goals center engagement, assessment, accessible teaching and learning or creating more joy in your classroom, this session will meet you where you are and skyrocket you to the next level!

This session, inspired by a TikTok video, is designed to give elementary teachers in grades K-4 lesson ideas for engaging their students through solfege singing and/or Orff instrument playing.

Music education plays a vital role in fostering student engagement, their creativity, and their social-emotional development—yet those who teach music often face unique challenges that can undermine the support they need to remain in the field. This interactive workshop is designed specifically for music teachers who want to advocate for increased access to the support they need. Participants will explore the specific conditions that help music programs thrive, identify barriers that limit impact, and learn practical strategies for creating a culture where music educators feel valued and empowered. From scheduling and resource building to professional development and advocacy, teachers will leave with actionable tools and insights to elevate music education across schools.

Have you ever been curious to see how other teachers plan and select songs for their curriculum? This interactive session will present findings of a 2025-26 survey of Maine elementary music teachers. Participants were asked what resources they use most, what their top criteria in a good song choice was, and what would lead them to remove a song from their curriculum. Findings show popular trends in Maine elementary music education, the planning practices of Maine teachers, and recent shifts in the ways that music is selected for PreK-5 programs in the state. This research was done under the advisory of Dr. Casey Schmidt at the University of Southern Maine.

In this session, UMaine undergraduates present expanded versions of their final project for coursework in which they took a critical look at common practices in PK–12 music education. Situated in current research, the preservice teachers identify a variety of practices—including elementary students receiving general music instruction once a week and the experiences of students with disabilities in beginner band—which they then analyze and problematize through a lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. The undergraduate students provide ideas to address the deficits in music education in order to create opportunities for all PK-12 students.