Although not a new phenomenon, the prevalence of student trauma has recently garnered national attention. This ongoing public health crisis hinders learning, connection, and the well-being of entire school communities. Often on the margins of conversations surrounding student needs or unable to access educational documents, music teachers seeking…

This article explores and contextualizes improvisation in music from an educational perspective. First, recent brain research that sees improvisation as a distinct cognitive activity is examined and used to illustrate the importance and uniqueness of this often ignored area of music learning. Next, the implications for the music classroom are…

Practice is a major element in cultivating musical skill. Some psychologists have proposed that deliberate practice, a specific framework for structuring practice activities, creates the kind of practice necessary to increase skill and develop expertise. While psychologists have been observing behavior, neurologists have studied how the brain…