I specialize in elementary and general music education because I know that exposing children to music at a young age can shape their future academic career.
Chair of Music Education, Associate Professor, Music Education
Music education is a critical component in a child’s development, and with schools under continuing budget pressure, music teachers are often called upon to take on a multitude of responsibilities. Just because their time is stretched thin doesn’t mean that good pedagogy should be ignored.
At UGA, I’ve been selected as a Service Learning Fellow as well as a Lilly Teaching Fellow, showing that I practice what I’m teaching my students. I try to inspire my students with the possibilities for early music education while simultaneously grounding them in solid pedagogical theory and methods. My research interests include music instruction and student self-concept, student motivation and achievement and factors that influence teaching effectiveness.
I served as chair of the research division of the Georgia Music Educators Association, chair of the Research Advisory Review Panel of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association, and a member of the editorial committee of Update: Applications of Research in Music Education. I am a current member of the editorial board for Southern Music Education Research.
I have presented my work at national and international conferences in the United States, Europe and Canada, and you can find my articles in the Journal of Research in Music Education, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Journal of Music Teacher Education, and Music Education Research.