Professional Development & Workshop Offerings
Professional Development
Get support and specialized training specifically for special education and music education departments.
For Special Education:
- Incorporating Music and the Arts into Skill Development for Special Education
You know music is motivating for your students, but how and why? Learn easy-to-implement strategies, so you can effectively and purposefully incoporate music and the arts into your classroom. Strategies taught will help improve student's ability to attend to task, build SEL skills, and help manage classroom behavior.
PD Topics For Music Educators:
- Social Emotional Learning in the Music Room
- Making the Music Room Accessible to All
It is the job of the entire school community to help support the SEL of all students. As music educators, you have a unique skill set and motivating tool (MUSIC!) to help students build SEL skills. Gain a deeper understanding of SEL components and how they can easily be implemented into the music classroom. Strategies taught will motivate students to incorporate music into their daily routines, practice more, effectively use music to express themselves, and create welcoming and inclusive classrooms.
Music and Wellness for Staff
We know you are passionate about what you do, but working in any helping profession can be overwhelming at times, leading to burnout and stress.
Our staff wellness programs equip participants with the knowledge, resources, and tools to improve their own personal wellness and address symptoms of burnout and stress. We will share some basic information about how music and rhythm affect our body and brain. Using this knowledge, we will lead the group through some music and arts experiences that promote relaxation, regulating emotions, and can be incorporated into daily routines.
Provided as 1-time workshop or 4-6 week series.
Our Time Together May Include:
- Music and relaxation experiences
- Active music listening
- Drumming
- Songwriting
- Building Playlists
- Journaling
- Painting, drawing, and other visual arts
- Supportive discussions
Music and Wellness for Students
Mental health issues among students are at an overwhelming high. Engaging in music and arts can play a crucial role in their socio-emotional wellness.
During these hands-on and engaging workshops, students will get to experience how music can help us express ourselves, connect with peers, and regulate our bodies and emotions so we feel better. We will share age-appropriate strategies to improve well-being using tools that students already have at their disposal. We build off of skills that are already being taught in the music classroom, so the skills can easily be practiced in the music classroom or at home.
Provided as 1-time workshop or 4-6 week series.
How your students will benefit:
- Provides a fun and supportive space where students can express themselves creatively
- Improves self esteem and self awareness
- Stimulates creativity and imagination
- Brings SEL into the music classroom
- Provide concrete ways for students to use music and the arts to strengthen their mental health and well-being
Flexible Scheduling
We recognize that professional development meeting times vary throughout the year for each school district and that you may want us for a designated time in your district. We can adapt our presentation to fit within a couple of hours to a longer multi-day training, depending on the level of
support/resources you are looking to provide your staff. We will work with you to determine the length of programming based on your learning goals, time constraints, and budget. Minimum professional development training is 2-hours.
Looking for a change in environment?
We'll gladly do the hosting! Contact us to learn more about bringing your staff or students to our center in Rockland, MA for either wellness workshops or professional development opportunities.
Additional Supports
Get more in-depth support with implementing strategies taught in our workshops and trainings.
Staff Observations: Classroom visits and observations allow us to provide teacher/district specific feedback, as well as provide the most relevant resources and information during professional development workshops. Observations can be scheduled to occur any day
before, or after the P.D. workshop is scheduled. Observations may also be scheduled on any day in between P.D. workshops that occur over multiple days. Feedback related to the chosen professional development topic will be provided.
Implementation and Consultation Meetings: Each school, classroom, and teacher is unique. Our implementation and consultation meetings may be used to assist in curriculum development, curriculum writing, or assisting staff in implementing strategies taught. These meetings allow us to provide more individualized support to staff and support district or department-wide initiatives.
No Previous experience or special talent required!
We know that making music and accessing one’s creativity can be intimidating for some. Luckily, there is no previous experience or special talent needed to participate and benefit from any of our services! All activities and resources shared in these programs are thoughtfully chosen and presented in a way that allows everyone to successfully and comfortably participate (you will NOT be asked to get up and sing in front of the group!). While we ask you to be open to all the creative arts experiences we present, you will never be asked to do anything you are uncomfortable with. Depending on the group, activities range from active music making to listening, discussing, writing, painting, etc.
Meet the Presenter!
Our Professional Development Trainings and Workshops are developed by Nicole Craven, MA MT-BC and CEO/Founder of Sing Explore Create, LLC. Nicole has been a music educator and board-certified music therapist for over 15 years. Her experiences in the classroom as both a music educator and board-certified music therapist has allowed her to build a unique skill set and collection of resources that she shares with music teachers and general education staff through professional development presentations. In addition to classroom experience, Nicole has developed several music/arts curriculums for both the public schools and community programs.
Nicole and the rest of our team support teachers, school-based therapists, and para-educators by providing strategies that are easy to implement (because teachers have enough on their plate already) and create inclusive and welcoming classroom environments. In addition to professional development for the classroom, we also provides music and wellness workshops to help prevent burnout amongst staff, so that they can be the strongest educator they can.
Not sure which of our services you are looking for?
We can help! Contact us for a free consultation. We will help you determine which of our services best meets your needs.